Chapter 20 - Epilog

It was the middle of the night, and Steve was sitting in Tony's workshop, silently sketching the man behind the Iron Man suit who was currently working with his computers. They had been spending long hours in comfortable silence, interrupted only by the strokes of Steve's pencil on the paper and Tony's fingers dancing over his keyboard.

"My calculations are spot-on, Boss."

Steve had almost forgotten that their silence was sometimes permeated by Tony's artificial intelligence, FRIDAY, as well. Right now, she sounded very offended.

"I know, baby girl, but you have to check-"

"I triple-checked them," she interrupted Tony patiently, but her tone suggested she still hadn't forgiven Tony's accusation of negligence and felt offended.

"Ok." Tony sighed deeply and relaxed in his chair. Hands on the armrests, he wheeled the chair around and faced Steve with a grin on his face and legs spread carelessly. "How's it going, Captain Picasso?"

"Good." Steve diverted his eyes back to the paper, because Tony's pose was way too suggestive. He hoped his flushing cheeks weren't visible under the fluorescent lights.

This whole situation was also Steve's fault. As much as they teased each other, they still didn't go much further than kissing because Tony waited for Steve to bring the subject onto the table. And Steve, confused as ever, didn't know how to broach the subject without feeling mortified simultaneously. He was a good fifty years Tony's senior, and still, some things took him longer than average teenagers.

Steve knew very well he wanted to spend the rest of his existence beside Tony. His future definitely belonged to the Avengers, and he loved how comfortable he felt in Tony's arms. Sex was just an extension of their feelings, but Steve didn't feel ready, even though he couldn't imagine himself with anyone else. He was happy just as they were. Sometimes very frustrated, Steve could admit that, but unexpectedly happy.

"What are you up to with that dreamy smile of yours? Are you drawing me?"

Steve ignored the way his chest felt warmer after Tony's words. The billionaire obviously knew he was drawing him and felt pleased. It was apparent from Tony's tone of voice.

"Can I see?"

Steve turned the notebook over to him. The sketch was of Tony in a very private moment, while the man was sleeping. Steve spent hours lying in bed, watching Tony sleep and wondering how life could be so easy. He had Tony's face memorized to the smallest detail. The tiny smile on Tony's sensual lips. Tony's relaxed eyebrows, giving him the appearance of a much younger man. Tony's soft eyelashes creating shadows on his face under the moonlight.

Steve's heart skipped a beat when Tony's gaze traveled from the picture to his face. Those were Tony's bedroom eyes. Steve felt the heat in that look; it had never failed to cause a response in his body.

Sometimes, Steve wanted nothing more than to cross the distance between them, kiss Tony senseless and forget the world around them. And now, his breath stilled. The tension between them was way worse than usual.

But then, in the blink of an eye, Tony shifted on the chair, sat more appropriately and released Steve from his longing gaze. He could finally breathe again.

"You have no idea what you do to me," Tony mumbled and turned back to his monitors. He probably hadn't meant to say that out loud.

"I'm sorry," Steve answered anyway. After all, there were other things Steve had to apologize for as well. Tony had never given him a chance to properly word his apology. He took a long, shuddering breath and tried to open up about the thing they should have been talking about a long time ago. "Tony, I know-" He halted for a millisecond but steadily pushed through with determination. They both started at the same time.

"-about the mind control."

"I'm not pressuring you to have sex with me."

Steve stared at him uncomprehendingly. Tony's expression wasn't that different, either.

Tony visibly straightened his shoulders and turned back. "Ok, we're obviously not on a same page here."

"More like you're reading a different book. In a different house. In a different country. Probably somewhere in Europe, halfway across the world from me," Steve mumbled, confused. He shook his head. "I don't feel any pressure."

"Good. Ok." Tony nodded, but then stood up, obviously distracted. "That's good."

"I'm talking about Wanda. Ultron." Steve continued without a pause. "She enchanted you, but we blamed you no less." Steve didn't know if he should touch Tony or rather stay away from him right now, because the tension in his body was way too familiar. Tony looked like a coiled snake ready to attack any moment.

"You weren't yourself, but I didn't do anything to help. I cut Clint some slack when Loki was controlling him. I protected Bucky from everyone when I found out the truth, but I abandoned you. I'm sorry."

"Funny thought. Everyone al-"

"No!" Steve interrupted him forcefully and came closer. He didn't let Tony finish his sentence. He had heard it before. Everyone had always left Tony behind. That flippant statement would always be Tony's universal answer for everything. In the past, this had usually been the moment Tony snapped and started an angry tirade. Steve wanted to believe those days were over and they had put all that behind them.

The super soldier caressed Tony's cheek. "It won't happen again. I swear." Steve wound his other hand around Tony's waist and pulled him closer. He didn't like the vulnerability in his eyes. Everything within him screamed to reassure Tony he would always be safe with him.

"I-" Tony started and Steve patiently waited for him to continue, "-I don't want to talk about that. Not because I'm angry but because I don't feel the need to talk about it. I have so many things on my mind. I want to do so many things. I don't have the time to go back and revisit all those memories. We started again. Together. With a clean slate."

Steve wasn't sure how healthy this path would be for Tony.

"Do you understand? I hate Wanda. Ok, maybe hate is a much stronger word than I should be using, but I don't care about her. She's with Vision, fine. She's an Avenger, fine. I don't have to lead her. That's your job, not mine. I'm fine with everything else. It's in the past."

Maybe the genius' brain functioned differently than other people's, because it didn't make sense to Steve.

"Steve, one thing I can say safely is that I'm not heartbroken anymore. Just as I don't think about the torture in Afghanistan every night, I don't think about our Civil War either. Yeah, I do have flashbacks or I sometimes feel uneasy, but it's in my head. I can conquer anything that's in my head." Tony dismissed his PTSD with a flippant hand gesture.

Steve pressed his forehead to Tony's. He felt defeated, at a loss as to how to reply to that. He needed to trust Tony. The billionaire knew himself better than anyone else, but still, there was another thing to address. "You should know that I don't feel any pressure from you. I'm just-" Steve swallowed. "-cautious."

"Why?" Tony whispered with a thoughtful crease on his forehead.

"Because I am a super soldier." Steve shifted his eyes to the floor. The uncomfortable heat in his cheeks betrayed his embarrassment.

"You're afraid you will break me with your super dick, or something?" Tony smirked, and the tension between them was gone.

Steve sighed fondly. It wasn't Tony's fault, Steve had practically invited that question into their conversation. "More like I will hurt you long before the-" He wanted to find another word, but the eloquence had left him as Tony stared into his eyes. Steve was forced to use Tony's exact word, but he cringed internally, "-dick part will be actually in action."

"I'm not gonna break that easily," Tony assured him confidently.

"I know you won't. God, if there is a stronger person who has withstood so many bad things I would be surprised. But I don't ever again want to put you into a position where I can physically hurt you."

"Steve-"

Steve didn't leave Tony a moment to argue, he steadily held his gaze and for the first time told him the truth. "When you're near me, I want you so much closer it scares me. When you're kissing me, I want to press you so close your bones might break."

In that super-serum-induced brain of Steve's, he could almost hear the sound of breaking bones. He had heard it so many times on the battlefield. It was too familiar. All it would take would be a second of distraction and he would hurt Tony. Perhaps not irreparably, but he would have to live with the knowledge of having done so for the rest of his life.

"Steve-"

"When you're touching me, I want to feel you so much closer I'm terrified I will hurt you because I can't think clearly." Steve logically argued with himself that he would never press the man he loved to the ground or bed and cause him another one of his panic attacks. No matter how much he wanted to feel Tony's body underneath him.

Steve tried to ignore Tony's labored breathing and focused on his own panicky heartbeat and eyes full of tears. "And I don't know how to think with you so close to me."

"Sometimes-" Tony's hoarse voice stirred something at the bottom of Steve's stomach, but Tony cleared his throat and started again, this time with a soothing tone. "Sometimes you're impossible."

Tony grabbed Steve's nape, pulled him down and kissed his forehead. "Everything's gonna be fine, you know."

"How do you know that?" Steve smiled sadly, patiently looking into Tony's eyes.

"Because it's you and me. Think about it. I'm the genius here. I have to know what I'm talking about, right? And look at you. You're Captain America. Against all odds, you're still alive seventy years later, and people are still looking up to you."

Steve would be more open to that advice if Tony were to forget that part of him. He didn't want to be seen as someone standing on a pedestal by other people. He just-

"You told me yourself. You're used to fighting through a battlefield believing that on the other side everything's going to be better. So, you need to have a little faith. Trust in yourself. And trust in me that I can get you to the other side without serious injury on my part."

Which, surprisingly, made a lot of sense, but Steve had made so many mistakes when it came to Tony that he couldn't picture any more of them. Not with Tony. His previous decisions concerning Tony had almost caused him to lose the man he loved. Steve wouldn't risk that again.

"I trust you." Tony took his face between his palms, not giving Steve any chance to avert his eyes or back off. "I trust you with my battered heart." The following silence between them emphasized the significance of the moment.

And if that statement didn't cause Steve heart palpitations he didn't know what else would. This was far more important than anything Tony could ever say.

"Trusting you with my body is a piece of cake, soldier. You know that."

Unfortunately yes, Steve knew that. It had been the main reason why he tried to never physically overpower Tony. All too clearly, he remembered Tony's flashback when Steve had protected him against the metal spider robots. How could he be so selfish as to crave Tony underneath him while knowing at the same time how it would scare the man? Something was seriously wrong with him!

"For God's sake, Rogers!" Tony interrupted Steve's thoughts. "We're talking about our sex life, not my funeral."

"I know." Steve carefully put his palm on the side of Tony's throat, where he felt a wildly beating pulse. He would do anything to keep Tony's trust.

"You so don't." Steve could hear Tony's defeated sigh.

"I love you. I will always protect you," he vowed fiercely. "Even if I am the threat." He kissed Tony's lips softly, breathing in the familiar scent of Tony's cologne, sweat and motor oil.

"You're an idiot," Tony breathed out in a huff. "But I love you, too. Now, kiss me properly or you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

Steve smiled. That threat hadn't worked out the first time Tony had made it true after one of their arguments. They had been tossing uneasily half of the night. Tony in his big bed alone and Steve on said couch in Tony's bedroom. Sometime around 2 a.m., Tony had given up and ordered Steve back into the bed. They hadn't repeated it ever since.

Steve slid a hand over Tony's lower back and carefully pressed him towards himself. After their encounter in the shower, Steve had learned to be more conscious of his movements. He finally knew how his body would react to Tony's and could at least prepare himself for the onslaught of emotions. But as much as he wanted to say he was controlling himself with Tony, every kiss was a battle.

Steve fought to maintain his sanity every time he felt Tony's mouth on his. The heat of Tony's body just wasn't enough. Steve craved Tony's skin. Every soft sigh he made had Steve yearn to hear him whimper and gasp with pleasure. And the more he kissed Tony, the more Steve ached to be closer.

Steve never allowed himself to become helplessly out of control like the day they had kissed for the first time. Thankfully, at that time, Steve's body and strength hadn't been fully restored. Now he felt like it was too dangerous for Tony.

Steve ended their kiss with a content sigh because he could finally press his forehead to Tony's and be proud that he hadn't caused him any bruises.

"You know what, Rogers?"

Steve froze. He recognized that decisive tone of Tony's voice.

"I'm playing nice here. And it's not an easy role for me." Tony looked at him with a smirk. "I can wait to have sex with you if you're not ready. No big deal. But I won't be waiting just because you're afraid of something totally ridiculous. Please, don't make me seduce you. You wouldn't know what hit you."

Steve could only swallow with a dry throat.

Tony had wheeled his chair into one of his workshop's corners where he could take a look at Butterfingers. The robot had been out of commission for so long. A slight layer of dust had settled in some places, but it was obvious that Dummy had taken care of him. Speaking of all of Tony's accessories in his workshop - the human one with altered DNA, also known as Captain Popsicle, that almost never left his side was nowhere to be found. "FRIDAY, where's Steve?"

"Not on the premises, Boss."

Tony straightened in his chair and wheeled around with a worried frown on his forehead. "What do you mean, not on the premises? He didn't tell me he's going out. Has something happened? Is someone else with him?" Because that was exactly what they needed - people recognizing Steve on the street and harass him.

"Negative on all your questions, Boss."

"What do you mean by negative? Talk to me!" Tony stood up. "Where is he?"

"Captain Rogers expected your question and instructed me, if the circumstances were to arrive, to explain that he is out and will be back as soon as possible."

"Where is he!" Tony's tone didn't invite any arguments. Logically, he understood that he had no reason to be worried, but at the same time, HYDRA had been silent for too long already, and they could be long gone with Steve or could have left him to die somewhere in the city.

"Captain Rogers left the Tower ten minutes ago and is now on his way back, Boss. I would never have let him go out without tracking his progress. He informed me where he was going and I have been with him every step of the way. Just to be safe," the artificial intelligence assured Tony.

He blinked in confusion. FRIDAY had never diverted his attention from a question before. This, however, was the second time within a few minutes. "Where did he go?"

"To a shop a few doors down," FRIDAY answered vaguely.

What the fuck was going on here? That traitorous girl stalled him. The audacity of her action was clearly suggesting a conspiracy with Steve. He didn't have to go out and flirt with danger.

"What shop?"

"Captain Rogers is now back on the premises," his insolent creation informed him and then fell silent.

"FRIDAY, I asked-" Tony shut up abruptly. He had a better source to interrogate. Tony was fairly sure he was about to give Steve a piece of his mind.

Tony angrily slammed the door of their bedroom and looked at the super soldier with narrowed eyes. The mood stayed with him for the entirety of three seconds.

Steve Rogers stood by the bed looking back at him with a bashful smile, offering him a red rose with a long stem.

"Hi."

"Hi," Tony whispered, stunned by the gesture, and accepted the rose without thinking. His mouth hung open, scolding words forgotten. After a second he shook his head. His brain had finally kicked back online. "What the fuck, Rogers!"

The smug bastard only continued to smile with flushed cheeks. Tony looked back at the rose. "You went out just to give me a flower?"

Steve winced at the first exclamation. "Language?"

"You could have died, and you're telling me to mind my words?" Tony was now full on his warpath. All his fear had been channeled into anger. His heart couldn't take another incident like before when someone had tried to kill Steve. "What if HYDRA agents were watching the Tower? What if they're waiting for the right moment to snatch you off the street and do some more experiments with that poison? Or kill you?" Tony's voice broke. "You could-" He cut himself off and took a deep breath. Steve could have ordered anything to be delivered to their Tower online. "You could-" Tony tried again as he helplessly watched Steve come towards him.

"I wanted to go alone. All those big words about me trusting in myself, but you don't trust me with my safety."

Yeah, maybe that crazy geriatric was right. Tony had overreacted as always. But who could blame him under these circumstances?

"I didn't want to scare you, Tony, but this flower was more important to me than any HYDRA agent. It was meant to be for you."

God, that man was absolutely impossible. Tony's anger melted like heated chocolate. Sometimes, the super soldier did those small things. Things that might have been completely insignificant but that meant more to Tony than any other exaggerated gesture ever could.

"Captain Rogers, I'm to inform you that everything is ready," FRIDAY interrupted their long eye contact.

"Thank you, FRIDAY."

Tony narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "What is ready?" This was not Steve's normal behavior. "What are you up to?"

"Why don't you find out?"

What kind of answer was that? Tony was about to put the rose onto the dresser, but Steve gently steered him in the direction of the bedroom door.

"Keep the flower," he instructed him softly.

Tony's stomach clenched nervously, because all these things looked suspiciously like a date. Their first official date. One look at his clothes in the reflection in the stainless steel door of the elevator told him that he wasn't even remotely dressed for the occasion. Gray sweatpants and a black tank top weren't date material. Steve wore a nice pair of black slacks and white shirt with three buttons casually undone.

Tony stopped in the doorway of the common room when he noticed that the table in the middle of it was prepared for a romantic candle light dinner. He closed his eyes and calculated the time he would need for a quick shower and a change of clothes. Tony turned on his heel but promptly collided with Steve's chest. "I have to go. Give me twenty minutes."

"No," Steve smiled at him, eyes full of happiness.

"I have to change at least, Steve." Tony really didn't want to be the one to ruin their first date by wearing terrible clothes. No one had ever prepared a dinner for him before. This was too important. Tony's heart started to beat in a panicky pace because he needed at least a proper suit for this.

"You're fine just as you are," Steve assured him, but it didn't help at all. Tony was panicking at the idea of being wined and dined in a pair of stupid sweatpants and nothing but an undershirt. Something must have been visible on his face, because Steve was quick to reassure him with a firm voice, "Tony, I'm not here to date your clothes. Sit down, put the rose where it belongs and enjoy dinner." Steve winked at him.

"Fine," Tony capitulated begrudgingly. He slid the rose into a vase which had obviously been placed on the table for exactly that purpose and sat down. "Anything else?"

"Nothing for now."

Tony watched as Steve seated himself as well and lifted the stainless steel cover from their food. They both laughed when they saw the appetizers - rice had been stylishly arranged into a word:

ENJOY :)

The smiley face was a fair indication of the person who had assisted Steve in preparing all of this. "You asked Barton for help?" Tony stared at him, mouth open in horror. "What are you? Suicidal? He probably added laxatives to each part of the meal we're gonna eat."

"You have little faith," Steve chuckled with a smile and then started to work through the double portion of his meal, because a super body still needed its nutrients.

When the main course arrived, they both grew to realize that the first word hadn't been a fluke.

❤ YOU

The sauce was expertly dripped into a love confession. Tony secretly couldn't wait for more. Clint was one funny guy. That sentiment was confirmed the moment they saw the dessert. Clint had really outdone himself and used whipped cream to word a suggestion on the apple pie:

SEX?

Tony burst into laughter as he saw Steve's rapidly blushing face.

"Maybe it wasn't my best idea after all," the super soldier confessed.

It took some time, but Tony finally reined in his giggles. "So, you wined and dined me. What are you going to do with me now, soldier?" But the second the words were out of his mouth, he stilled with understanding. Oh God. Of course. Flowers. Dinner. Date.

Steve hadn't taken his eyes off Tony the entire night, and now he chuckled in amusement. "What did you say about seducing me, Mr. Stark?"

Tony could most definitely eat his own words. He remembered them very well.

"Please, don't make me seduce you. You wouldn't know what hit you."

"I think I beat you in your own game, Mr. Stark." Steve grinned smugly. "Eat your dessert. We have somewhere to be."

Somewhere to be? A theater maybe? Tony had never paid much attention to the dating scene in the 40s. Who knew what the geriatric was hiding up his sleeve now. Hold on. They'd had live bands and clubs. So, maybe dancing was on the agenda for tonight?

"Do I get the chance to dress properly?" Tony refused to go out without at least an Armani suit. He wanted to remember their date as a spectacular night. Whatever Steve had prepared, Tony was going to look good.

"More like undress," Steve corrected casually with a wink, and Tony's mind stalled. Now he was nervous, thank you very much. Steve wouldn't-

In the meantime of his mental breakdown, Steve steered Tony into their bedroom. Tony closed his eyes in defeat as he saw all the lighted candles around the room, rose petals covering their bed. FRIDAY started playing some soft music from the built-in speakers.

"Everything to your satisfaction, Captain Rogers?" Tony's AI asked tentatively.

"Yes, thank you, FRIDAY. Please, extend my gratitude to the others."

"Certainly, Captain Rogers."

"Tony?" Steve asked softly. The super soldier's arms sneaked around his body and held him close.

Tony was just hoping the ground would finally open up and swallow him. He still didn't have the courage to look at Steve. Of course he would be the one to ruin their night. No one had ever made so much effort for him. And what would Steve be getting in exchange? Sweatpants. A stained tank top. Motor oil under Tony's fingernails. Probably some dirty smears on his face as well. Hair sticking in all directions from Tony's frustrated fingers running through it all day. He really was one classy specimen of dating material.

Tony tried to forget his embarrassment, opened his eyes and put a smile on his face. It probably looked a lot like his fake mask for cameras.

"What's wrong?" Steve's face was creased with worry.

"I should have been dressed for the occasion," Tony whispered with guilt permeating his voice. Sure as fuck he was ruining all of Steve's efforts.

"What's wrong with your clothes?"

"What is not wrong with me right now?" Tony spoke self-deprecatingly, but he was still amazed by the vulnerability in Steve's eyes. "Can you honestly say I'm your prince Charming, huh? Sweaty? Stained with who knows what? I look like-"

"You," Steve interrupted him. "You look exactly like you. Like the Tony Stark I fell in love with. Like the Tony Stark I know best. Like the person I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Breathing felt suddenly terribly difficult. Tony blinked tears out of his eyes and tried to suppress his panic. "Ok. I really hate you right now. Is this a marriage proposal, too?" Because, shit, he could ruin their date night or first sex, but not a marriage proposal as well.

"Do you want it to be?" Steve smiled at him fondly.

"No," Tony honestly squeaked like a teenage girl.

"Then it's not," The blond assured him, still smiling shamelessly.

Tony sighed. Captain America never backed down easily. It was an attribute of Steve Rogers. Steve was one of the people who wouldn't let himself give up, and that answer right now was too easy. Worst of all, Tony wanted to know the truth. He wouldn't be able to sleep properly if he couldn't figure out Steve's intent. "Do you have a ring for me?"

"Not yet," Steve answered seriously.

"Do you, err-" Tony cleared his throat. His heart was beating like crazy. "-maybe- want to buy a ring?" Tony hesitated.

"In the future, when we're ready."

Ok. That was good. A mountain of rocks fell off Tony's chest.

"Can I-" God, this was worse than open-heart surgery. "-be the one to do the asking?"

Steve looked so calm. It was like they were talking about the weather. How the hell did the super soldier do that?

"Sure."

Tony sighed again, this time in relief. "If you would just let me go to take a shower and change, this night would be perfect."

"Why?"

"Why? What do you mean, 'why'?" Tony shook his head helplessly. "Because I smell like sweat. Because I've been working on Rhodey's suit, and I don't even remember for how many days in a row. Because I can't remember the last time I showered. Because I have fucking motor oil under my fingernails. Because the last time my undershirt saw a washing machine was sometime last week. I think." Tony hesitated. He honestly couldn't remember. Not the point, though. "Because I'm a fucking mess and you're-" How could Tony make him understand? "-you. You did all of this and-"

"With help," Steve reminded him.

"Yes. With the others. And look at what you get in return."

"Exactly what I wanted." Steve nosed his cheek. "You smell like yourself. You're the Tony from my fantasies. Not Iron Man. Not Tony Stark, immaculately dressed for a press conference. You're perfect just as you are. Also-"

Tony felt Steve's fingers slowly lift his tank top and caress the skin of his sides with his fingertips.

"-it means fewer clothes to shed than with a three-piece suit." Steve had the fabric on the floor in one fluid movement.

Tony silently cursed himself. He had been too distracted by those sinful fingers to remember about the faint scarring on his chest. The auto-transplantation had taken care of the hole. The big chunk of skin graft from his thigh had helped, but the scars were still visible. Definitely for someone with enhanced sight.

Tony swallowed with some difficulty when Steve's fingers rested on the place where the arc reactor had once been. No one would feel any difference between Tony's breast bone replacement and a real one, but Tony hated how naked he felt at that moment.

However, he only kept on hating it for maybe one minute because that was how long it took him to figure out that something was seriously wrong with Steve. He didn't look at him with pity. That sure as hell wasn't desire in those terrified eyes, either, and Tony sincerely doubted he had ever seen him that pale.

"Steve?"

The super soldier didn't react at all.

"Steve!"

Steve stood paralyzed by the sight of Tony's chest. To the tiniest detail, he remembered the terror in Tony's eyes when he had been lying beneath him on the concrete in Siberia.

Tony's heart was beating under his fingers now, but it was those same hands Steve had used to push the shield down to crush the glass of the arc reactor. Steve felt like his stomach might rebel any second. Christ, he had almost torn the vulnerable skin and shoved the artificial bone right into Tony's heart. He could have killed him.

The absolute terror on Tony's face in Siberia was suddenly making much more sense. Tony had had dangerous shrapnel embedded into his chest for years. Someone had surgically removed a large portion of his sternum and put the arc reactor in instead to save his life.

When Tony had finally decided on a heart surgery, there had still remained a gaping hole where his sternum should have been. They had to synthesize something that would cover the most vulnerable organ in a human body.

And Steve had gone and almost crushed Tony's chest. Oh God.

"Look at me!"

Reality came back to Steve with a sharp sting in his cheek and Tony shaking him. He didn't look very happy. More like angry.

"Are you with me?"

"Yes." Steve slowly trailed his fingers over the skin one last time, then averted his eyes and took a step back. This night was not running as smoothly as Steve would have liked.

"I'm fine," Tony said sharply. "End of discussion. If I can get through my fucking PTSD, you have no right to feel entitled to bring it back."

"I almost killed you," Steve whispered, voice smothered by his panic. "And you are not over the flashbacks."

"Of course I am," Tony snapped defiantly.

"Tony-"

"You're just a coward," the billionaire snarled angrily. "You think just because you're fucking Captain Perfect, you're entitled to know everything better than everyone else, but you're too scared to see that someone else might be right as well."

"You're wrong." Steve was aware Tony was trying to provoke a reaction from him. They both knew each other too well.

"Just like with Barnes."

"There is nothing between me and Bucky." Steve was getting annoyed by these suggestions. "I'm not and won't ever be in love with Bucky."

"So you say, but even the kid in the TV studio knew better," Tony goaded him.

"Listen to me." Steve moved quicker than he had wanted. "There is nothing between me and Bucky. There won't ever be anything because I love you."

Tony lay underneath him on the bed, grinning wildly into his face as he raised his eyebrows.

Steve froze in astonishment. "You played me."

Tony shrugged shamelessly. "Payback's a bitch, huh? Think about it next time you try and go Han Solo on me in the most important moment of my life. By the way, you didn't hurt me."

Steve noticed the way his body kept a hairsbreadth of distance from Tony's chest. He held himself securely on his forearms, although their legs and crotches were pressed together thanks to Tony, who seemed to emulate an octopus with only four limbs. The brunet had a smug glint in his eyes before he grew serious again.

"You're not scaring me, super soldier. You want me to trust you to take your safety seriously, but you don't believe me when I say I know myself."

Steve had to take a deep breath, because every word from Tony's mouth hit home. "I'm really sorry."

"Ok." Tony patted his shoulder magnanimously. "Now's the time to have sex. Kiss me and stop dragging your feet, old man. I swear I won't laugh at you," he snickered.

Steve smiled back at him. Shaking his head, he took a leap of faith. After all, Tony had said that they would be ok. They could face anything as long as they were together.

THE END