Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation. It is now time for an in-person chapter, the first one in a while. Of course, we've had sections of in-person conversation throughout so far, but we've primarily done text messages or emails.
However, Laura and May have conspired to put Tony and Steve in a car together for nearly 2 hours. Friday 2023 has suggested an activity that helps Steve and Tony Stark-Rogers work through their issues.
We are doing the New York Times's 36 questions that lead to love again.
But unlike in the first story, Tony and Steve have more free time. They know this is just between them. They don't have to come up with fake answers. I feel like we are going to get through this much faster than the first time.
If you want to go over the other timeline's answers, start with conversation 58 of I hope you have Unlimited text messaging. It really took forever to get through those questions. Direct quotes are italicized. I did try to paraphrase whenever possible.
In-person conversation 2: The Road To Pepper's Loft Is Paved With Awkward Conversations
Tony Potts Stark seriously questioned his life choices after finishing his second text message conversation with Steve in two days. Although after recent revelations, he could use some quality Morgan cuddle time. It's just to get Morgan cuddle time. Unfortunately, he would have to drive there with Steve. Which was fine because he had good fries and a milkshake.
However, after 15 minutes on the road and halfway through his milkshake, the awkwardness was getting to him. Sure he can text message Steve, but he doesn't know where to start in person. From what he got from Laura, it took his other self getting totally drunk to begin talking to Steve again. That wasn't an option. So Tony will have to go with the other thing his counterpart used to work through his mountain of Steve Rogers bull shit.
"Friday, pull up those 36 questions that lead to love," Tony asked Friday in the car.
"You're actually going to ask me these questions?" Steve asked.
"Well, it's better than us talking about our milkshakes for another 10 minutes." Which did happen.
"They're really good shakes." If he wasn't driving, Tony would glare at Steve.
"Because the Captain America still comes with apple pie and hot fudge swirls." And was secretly Tony's favorite, but he's never ever going to tell Steve that.
"You know it is not called that anymore." After the Accords fallout, they renamed it the American fudge dream. But it would always be the Captain America to Tony.
"The questions have been sent to your Stark phone Mr. May-Rogers," Friday replied.
"I keep telling you to call me Steve," Steve said as he pulled out his phone. Thankfully it was the newer model Stark phone he got Steve for Christmas last year. Thanks to Deke, SI was slowly rolling out new consumer-electronics again.
"She keeps calling me Mr. Stark even though my legal name is Potts Stark. Although I'm a little less mad at Howard now that I know the truth." As a father, he understands why Howard sent him away. He was doing it right now with Morgan, but Morgan knew what he was doing. At least as much as any four-year-old could understand. Although being his and Pepper's kid, her understanding is probably 12% greater than most four-year-olds.
"And that you're able to look at the situation from the perspective of a father." Okay, maybe Steve knows him better than Tony initially thought. Because that was exactly what he was thinking.
"That does change things. Hit me with the first question." Tony told Steve.
"Given the choice of anyone in the world, who would you want to have as a dinner guest?" Steve read off the question.
"Alive, dead, or dusted?"
"I will let you say anybody because I would just love to have dinner with Bucky and Sam again." Tony could pick up the sadness in Steve's voice.
"Then I want Happy and Peter. If operation keep away works, we are having the world's biggest party afterward. It will be a barbecue at the lake. And it will be glorious." Tony wants that so badly.
"Agreed. Question two is, 'would you like to be famous'?
"Obviously, this thing was written by people who have never been famous for reasons outside of their control. I think that's why I'm trying so hard to keep Morgan from the press. They don't bother us at the cabin." Tony explained.
"I agree. Part two is in what way?"
"Well, obviously not for being the merchant of death. I still have nightmares about Morgan finding that stupid sex tape that Tiberius made behind my back after my parents died. That's going to be a fun conversation." That's a conversation he never wants to actually have.
"At least you didn't accidentally post a pic of your genitalia on Instagram. Kamala didn't talk to me for a month after that incident. She was so embarrassed because all her friends at school kept asking her about it." Steve lamented. Tony remembers that social media screw up very well. It was the highlight of last October. Robin was actually sleeping over the night that it happened.
"How did that happen? You're married to a spy. She should really keep her personal photos better protected." Tony is not jealous of Steve sexing May. "Also, do you really need to be sexing your wife?" Okay, maybe he was a little jealous.
"Despite the spy wife and the teenage daughter, I'm not that good with technology even if the decimation has slowed things down. I uploaded the wrong picture, and even Avenger Friday couldn't save me." That blush told Tony he was lying, but he won't push.
"If I could design something to get rid of things like that, the 90s gay sex tape wouldn't exist. Besides, even I have the pictures saved of your Instagram indiscretion. Really you have nothing to be ashamed of. May and other me are very lucky." Tony joked.
From the corner of his eye, he could see Steve blushing. Maybe that wasn't his dick that ended up on Instagram. Unlike the rest of the world, Tony knows Steve isn't hetero, and he could totally have a random dick saved to his phone. Unfortunately, it's been a while since Steve has changed with Tony. So he couldn't say 100% for sure it was Steve's not that little Stevie.
"So obviously, the answer to the second one is no and definitely not for accidental pornography."
"That's one way to put it." Tony opted not to push Steve and let him move on.
"Question three is 'before making a phone call, do you ever rehearse what you're going to say?'"
"With Pepper, I did right after our reconciliation before Morgan was born. Actually, I kept doing it until Morgan's second birthday." Tony answered.
"What do you mean by reconciliation?" Of course, Steve was going to ask for clarification on this.
"That she was no longer cursing me out at doctors' appointments. I said some really stupid stuff, including accusing her of sleeping with someone else because I thought I was really sterile. I didn't want her to completely cut me out of Morgan's life, so I was very careful for the first two years." Tony explained. "You?"
"The first few years after arriving in the present, yes. Not as much now, although I am careful when I talk to you." That confession doesn't surprise Tony.
"I scare you?" Tony asked.
"Yes, because I don't want to screw things up as badly as before." He wasn't expecting that confession.
"I don't think that's possible." Because Siberia was an absolute cluster fuck. He's willing to acknowledge mistakes were made on all sides seven years after the fact, especially in light of what Ross did after the snap.
"I hope not anyway. Okay, the next question's easier. What is a perfect day for you?"
"Grilled cheese with Morgan at the cabin." He loves Morgan time. "You?"
"Sunday breakfast with the kids and May." Tony smiles at the answer. "It doesn't always happen because May has missions, and sometimes Kamala stays over at school. It's just good for us to be a family together. I never thought I would have that."
"Even if May isn't the wife you thought you would have?" Tony asked.
"I love her, but it's not that type of love. We are two people who care deeply about one another and are building a family together." Steve explained.
"Who occasionally have sex." Thanks to the automatic driving feature, he did check to see if Steve was blushing. He was. It was adorable.
"I have never been a Boy Scout. Again, I am way too queer." Steve remarked.
"I'm glad."
"But I know if May could be with Phil again, she would drop me in a second. I'm okay with that. We are each other's anchor."
"So if Peggy came back from the dead, would you totally drop May?" Tony asked.
"She's not on the list anymore." That wasn't the answer Tony was expecting.
"Who's on the list?" There is no way Tony could be on that list, no matter how much he wishes he was.
"Okay, the next question is ridiculous," Steve said, avoiding his question. Again Tony let it go because they still had a while before they got to Manhattan.
"What is the question, sugar pie?" Tony asked.
"When was the last time you sang to yourself or someone else?"
"While the first part of that is whenever I'm in the creative zone, and the second part is the last night with the kids. You know that Robin has trouble sleeping because of her visions. But she likes when I sing to her. It relaxes her." Tony explained.
"I know. I do it sometimes too. Although I'm more likely to sing alone in the shower."
"That I would love to see. Next question, Buttercup." Steve starts giggling at that point.
"Buttercup is a perfectly acceptable pet name. Although if you prefer, I could go with DILTF." Tony remarked.
"I was laughing about the question. It's basically if you could live to 90, would you rather keep a 30-year-old mind or a 30-year-old body. As somebody who turned a hundred and five last July, I am honestly glad I don't have to choose between having the mind of a 30-year-old or the body of a 30-year-old." Okay, that definitely deserved laughter.
"But if you had to choose, would you prefer being a 105-year-old with the best body or keeping your sharp mind but really looking like a 105-year-old?" Tony asked.
"What does DILTF mean? I know that you use that in your address book for me." Steve must be trolling him. He has a teenager with friends. Tony is sure some of them have called him that.
"Dad I like to Fuck," Friday answered before he could come up with a decent alternate definition.
"Traitor," Tony mumbled under breath. Although with super hearing, Steve probably still heard him.
"I should've realized you and Pepper were not actually together a while ago." Steve half mumbled.
"You really should have. Now answer the question, sweetie pie."
"I'd rather keep my mind than my body. You?"
"After watching what happened to Aunt Peggy, I definitely want to keep my mind." Getting mistaken for Howard multiple times was painful.
"It was so hard seeing her like that. Every time I came to visit her, it was… Peggy has been gone seven years, and it's still hard to talk about. She was so strong, and then…" Steve couldn't finish.
"I get it. It was probably even worse for you because you remember how Aunt Peggy was during the war. I knew my aunt was a total badass, but I didn't actually know what she did in DC all day. Not until later."
"That makes sense."
"In an effort to be honest with each other, I should tell you that other Tony had Aunt Peggy exhumed and found out that it wasn't really Alzheimer's but a Hydra drug-induced version of it." That was the only Hydra-related intel that Friday put in his primer, probably because it was family-related.
"I fucking hate Hydra," Steve exclaimed angrily.
"The sentiment is so mutual. Let's get away from this bleak subject. The next question has to be better." It couldn't possibly be worse.
"Not at all. I have a 12-year-old who draws visions of the future, some of which have been of my death. So yes, I have a hunch about when I will die." Steve reply darkly.
"But her visions change, don't they? It's not written in stone?" Tony asked.
"Exactly."
"So, if your 12-year-old draws a picture of me dying wearing a gauntlet, it doesn't mean anything?"
"She's drawn a picture of you like that?" Steve asked, sounding concerned.
"More than once, but she's also done a picture of us at a wedding. So different pathways, and we will just have to get to the right one."
"She has also drawn you and me growing old together, so I hope we find that pathway." Steve almost sounded hopeful.
"Let's just move on to the next question because it has to be safer.
"We could stop asking each other questions," Steve suggested.
"But then we would have to talk to each other without a guide. That could dissolve into yelling and screaming. We have to work together." Tony wants to find the path that leads to their wedding and the two of them growing old together.
"To get the stones back?"
"Not just that. We need to get Laura back to her kids. Also, we need to keep her kids from dying and get all the other kids back. So, we need to work through everything. I want to work through things with you even if it means asking weird questions from some psychologists that wrote an article for the New York Times." He wants to fix things. It's been too long like this.
"Okay, we will continue. The next one might be easier. We need to name three things we have in common." Tony snorted at that.
"We are stubborn as mules. We're just now working through our issues. I think part of that is because we now know that there is a version of us that actually did fix things and are getting married." Because the other Steve and Tony gave him hope that maybe things could be fixed.
"That does help in some ways, but it makes things worse. Like why couldn't they be us? Why did it take seven years to really even try to talk to each other."
"Because we didn't have a Leo Fitz from the future trying to fix things. Apparently, his mission was to get us to fix our relationship and then from there make out privileges were added." Tony remarked.
"That seems plausible. But if things were different, you wouldn't have Morgan. I wouldn't have Robin and Kamala. I wish the decimation didn't happen, but…"
"But we do love our kids." Tony finished for Steve. "And without that cataclysmic event, we wouldn't have them."
"Yes, so much. I know we would do anything for our children."
"That's obviously number two."
"Agreed."
"For number three, we are horrible at communicating with each other." Because if they actually could talk to one another, Tony wouldn't be as desperate to use a checklist created by a newspaper psychologist.
"Yes, we are really bad at this."
"Apparently, this is true in multiple timelines. I think Laura wants to punch us. Or lock us in a room and let us talk it out." Tony almost said fuck it out but changed it at the last second.
"That wouldn't surprise me. Laura seems different than the woman we met during the Ultron fiasco." Steve remarked.
"I don't think she's that person anymore. Experiences change you." And apparently, Laura went through some things, including being kidnapped by Ross. "You don't want to know who I was pre-Afghanistan."
"I know people change. You're definitely different than who you were before Morgan was born. You're calmer now." Barely, Tony thought.
"Speaking of children, the next question is if you can change anything about how you grew up, what would you change?"
"That's the question?" Tony asked.
"Actually, no," Friday responded. "Mr. May-Rogers paraphrased it, but that's the sentiment of the question."
"Okay. You know that I retired after Morgan was born. I did that because I didn't want to be Howard. He always put Stark Industries first, or at least that's what I thought at the time. We probably have to go through those files from the other timeline when we're not in the middle of operation keep away. But if I could change anything, it would actually be Howard being around."
"That's understandable," Steve responded.
"And not being an alcoholic because he was a mean drunk sometimes. Not physically, but emotionally." Tony added.
"That can be worse."
"What would you change, snuggle monkey?" Tony asked. He did not want to get into a discussion about how Howard's alcoholism completely screwed him up.
"Not being poor. Money doesn't solve all your problems, but…"
"It can provide you with better solutions." Tony finished for Steve.
"Exactly."
"I could understand that. I read your medical file. Even back then, there were treatments for some of your medical problems that did not require dad tinkering with your DNA."
"They were outside of my price range. Although because of that, at least I never did anything stupid like asthma cigarettes." Steve remarked darkly.
"Scientists make a lot of mistakes sometimes. Friday sweetheart, what's the next question on the list?" Tony asked the AI.
"You and Steve are to take four minutes to tell one another about your life." The AI instructed.
"Okay, Friday, set the timer for four minutes," Tony instructed Friday.
"I'll start. I was born in May 1970. My dad brought my mom red roses that she dried because he didn't actually make it in time for my birth. He wasn't around that much because work kept him away. Thankfully I had Ana and Jarvis, who were my other parents. At least until Hydra killed Ana. Not that I knew that until we got the data dump from the other timeline. I got sent to boarding school, which I understand now. I could've understood it back then if someone actually told me what the hell was going on. It was fine. I think I did better in smart kid boarding school." Yes, he's extra bitter right now.
"That's good."
"Not as much at MIT. I was there under my mom's maiden name. Actually, I did a lot of stuff under my mom's maiden name." Tony explained.
"That I knew. You probably give about 80% of your charitable donations under that name."
"Shush, sweet pea. My turn. Most people thought I was at another school until Obadiah leaked the truth to the press. Which really should've told me right then how much of a dick he was, but I didn't see it at the time."
"Sometimes that's hard.
"Anyway, I met my first friend at MIT, who I love to pieces. I am forever grateful that he survived the snap. My parents died when I was 21, and I didn't handle it well. This is how Tiberius talked me into doing a sex tape that he was conveniently not in but sure made a lot of money for his company. Then shortly after that, I also lost Jarvis. Things didn't get better."
"It rarely does when you're grieving," Steve interjected.
"Actually, the drugs just got harder for a while, which led to my first few trips to rehab. Let's fast-forward to Afghanistan, where I realized how much I funked up by just drinking and designing stuff. My actions got people killed. It almost got me killed. So thanks to the advice of one wise man, I decided not to waste my life. So, I worked on trying to fix my mistakes and a few of Howard's. Then I met you, flew a nuke into a wormhole, and made several more mistakes. I screwed up things so badly that we were in pieces, so we couldn't stop the purple one. I then got Pepper pregnant and said so many stupid things that she rightfully kicked me out. I'm still shocked Pepper is speaking to me again. Morgan is the best thing ever in my life, and I love her so much. I like being a parent. It's my favorite thing."
"Times up," Friday interrupted.
"You're a good parent," Steve told him, sounding genuine.
"I'm trying to be. Sometimes that is all you can do. I'm glad I am going to at least see Morgan for a little while because I hate being away from her."
"I'm sorry I took you from her." Steve sounded genuinely remorseful.
"I want to be here." He really does.
"You didn't at first," Steve remarked.
"I blame that on my Howard issues," Tony remarked.
"There are a lot of things that can be blamed on your Howard issues."
"Because I have a ton of them." Tony retorted. "Okay, snuggle bear, it is your turn."
"Are you just going to keep coming up with cute pet names?" Steve asked.
"This is me trying not to be antagonistic. Although I can always go back to DILTF?"
"I prefer that you don't." That made Steve blush again. It was adorable.
"Tell me your story Mr. May-Rogers." Tony requested.
"My story is in the history books."
"But as you already told me a couple of hours ago, the history books are not accurate. Nobody knows about Steve Rogers's half-sister."
"Who died during the decimation along with my niece and grandniece." Steve lamented.
"That sucks. That is also another part of your history that is not in any book. Plus, you being bisexual isn't public knowledge."
"Kamala knows, and of course, my wife knows. She knows everything."
"It's very hard to keep things from your life partner. I feel like it would be doubly so when your life partner is a spy." Tony remarked.
"Yes. Also, Melinda's first husband was a therapist, so I think he taught her things." Steve joked.
"That would not be surprising. So let's do this differently. Tell me things about you that I don't know." Because Tony has a feeling, Steve isn't who he thought he was.
"Okay, my first job was at what we would now consider an underground gay bar," Steve explained. This really shouldn't surprise Tony.
"Okay, definitely interesting. First boyfriend?" Tony asked.
"I guess you would consider Artie that," Steve explained. "We were close friends, maybe more than that. He was the first person I had sex with, at least. I was barely a teenager. But the times didn't allow for us to really be together. He died not that long before I was defrosted. Thankfully he found a life partner, though, which I'm happy about. He was a comic book artist named Grant Roth. He even kinda looks like me, so I guess Roth had a type." Tony snickered at that. He also made a mental note to look up this Grant Roth. "That wasn't something I thought either of us would find back then."
"But you found it." Because he knew Steve was happy with May even if it wasn't a pure love match.
"I thought I would always end up marrying a friend. I guess I was right."
"You're bisexual, though, so it wouldn't just be a beard thing. Sure, you're in a marriage with benefits relationship, but sex is still one of the benefits." Tony said, half-joking.
"When it comes to women, I have a type."
"Scary ass brunettes who take no shit from anyone. I prefer snarky blondes, but that's just me."
"Well, you are also a scary-ass brunette who takes shit from no one. So I can understand you having a different type." That almost sounded like a joke.
"Someday, when I'm not driving, I want your full relationship history, but I don't think you're ready to tell me that yet." Tony has lots of questions.
"There are a lot of things that I'm not ready to talk about, especially those involving the war. I've barely told May some of that stuff." Steve explained.
"Have you told the members of your group?" Tony asked.
"They tell me what they're going through, and I try to help them work through it but sometimes I feel like a hypocrite. I haven't worked through my issues. It feels like the blind leading the blind." Steve confessed.
"At least you're self-aware. Laura asked me if you ever worked through your adjustment disorder. Apparently, you were formally diagnosed with it a couple of months after the Siberia fuck up. Since both me and other Tony are bipolar, I feel like it's safe to assume the diagnosis also applies to you." Tony explained. He won't tell Steve that the formula for other Steve's antidepressants was passed on just in case.
"With the lack of therapists, I haven't really been able to do anything about it. But I have suspected that as a possibility for a while. It kind of stood out during my counselor training. Reading the description in the book, I thought this is exactly what I'm feeling."
"Acknowledgement is the first step. We can stop for now, and I can ask you more questions about your time as a bartender at an underground gay bar. That seems fascinating." Tony really has so many questions about that.
"It paid well. Let's finish off the section. We only have one question left."
"Go for it, sugar monkey."
"I think the last question of this section is really weird to ask somebody who already has superpowers," Steve commented.
"Now, I'm intrigued, cuddle leopard."
"If you can wake up tomorrow with one new power, what would it be?"
"To undo the snap or maybe the ability to travel back in time to get the stones," Tony answered without even thinking.
"The same."
"However, time travel has consequences even if it seems like all sunshine and roses in Laura's timeline. Except Flash and Peter might be dating." Tony shivered a little at the thought.
"All powers have consequences. You just don't always realize it at the time." Steve answered.
"That is true. Okay, we are definitely doing the rest of these questions later." Tony already felt exhausted. "Maybe we can do the next batch on the ride home?"
"Or maybe in a couple of weeks. Question 13 is about crystal balls and seeing the future."
"That's not all it's cracked up to be. We are skipping that question." Tony is not that big of a masochist.
"Agreed."
"Music?" Tony suggested.
"Yes."
"Talking can be a little overrated."
"Exactly."
"Friday play my lab mix number two."
"Yes, boss." Of course, that's when Friday started playing Invisible by Linkin Park. He forgot that song was on that list. It always made him think about Siberia. He did not need that right now.
To be continued…
This Steve and Tony definitely got through those questions a lot faster than their other timeline counterparts. This seems like something easier to go through in person. This chapter showed how different this Tony and Steve are compared to the other timeline. At the same time, there are similarities. We have 23 more questions to get through.
Also, I suggest listening to the song Invisible. It is definitely a Tony and Steve song. I have to figure out how to do a playlist for the story.
One potential difference from the prime timeline is I decided that Happy was a victim of the decimation. It felt weird to me that Tony didn't lose either of his friends or Pepper. I had to change that.
If anybody needs to discuss episode four of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, you can find me on Twitter or even discord. I have a similar username on both services. You can also PM me through ff dot Net. I have thoughts.