For Tales from Midgard's secret santa on tumblr.

A/N: This takes place a few months after the Avengers movie. The team all live in Stark Tower.

Steve watched from a corner of the room as Tony was interviewed for what seemed like the millionth time that night. And all by women who couldn't seem to keep their hands of him. Sure, some remained professional, but very few. At least Tony seemed to be trying to stop their advances. He couldn't be rude, this was his charity event after all, but the women were way out of line.

Of course it's not like any of them knew Tony was off the market, sometimes Steve still couldn't believe it. But it was still new, so Steve didn't want to push their luck. They'd been together for a little over a month. It had started when Tony was badly injured during an assignment for the Avengers. There shouldn't have been any danger; they had just been called in case the agents working needed some heavy duty assistance breaking into a warehouse. But SHIELD didn't have all the data and the enemy was more dangerous than they had anticipated.

Steve had led the team to go help the agents when Tony had suddenly yelled and flew in front of him. Steve hadn't seen the projectile coming at him, but he saw the damage it caused when it hit the Iron Man suit instead of him. It didn't puncture the suit, but it had dented the suit till a piece stabbed Tony in the side. Steve had frozen, not moving until Tony had dropped to the ground. He ordered Black Widow and Hawkeye to take down the enemy. Neither Bruce nor Thor was there, Bruce having gone back to India for a while and Thor visiting Jane.

Steve had picked up Tony and took him back to a SHIELD helicopter to get treatment, but while he was taking Tony there he'd been almost hysterical. Babbling nonsense about how Tony couldn't die because he still had to teach him how to work his cell phone and Tony's stupid complicated TV and how Tony couldn't leave him because he lov-

He'd stopped before he could finish that sentence because holy cow, he loved Tony! Steve stopped at the helicopter and watched as some people cut open the suit to get to the wound. It looked like Tony was unconscious so Steve was hoping he hadn't heard his almost confession. Of course he wasn't that lucky.

After the enemy was taken down, they all went to see Tony at a SHIELD hospital and took him home a few days later. Steve played nurse maid while Tony finished healing, Natasha and Clint on other missions. Tony never mentioned what Steve had said, so Steve assumed he was unconscious. Except a few days after coming back to Stark Tower Tony came into the kitchen where Steve was trying to microwave some leftovers and kissed him. No warning, just a kiss on the lips. Then "I love you too."

Now a month later they were together, but not that anyone outside of their team knew that. And Steve had to watch as women flung themselves at Tony, and he couldn't do anything. Currently there was a blonde clutching his arm in one hand and a recorder in the other. She might be asking "for an interview" but it was obvious that she was after something else. Tony dislodged his arm from her with what was probably supposed to be a polite smile, but looked more like a look of disgust. That didn't seem to deter her.

Steve sighed and looked at the flute of champagne he was holding. At least it looked like he didn't have to worry about Tony going off with other people. Although maybe he was resisting because he knew Steve might see? Steve might look like a model now, but he still didn't quite have the self-esteem that came with it. Growing up he knew what he looked like, and it still snuck up on him that no, he didn't look like that anymore and people were interested. He didn't think the insecurities would ever go away.

Steve was too busy thinking he didn't see the reporter get a little too close and Tony push her away. He didn't see Tony make his way towards his corner. He didn't notice till Tony was right in front of him and tilting his face towards his and kissing him hard. Tony didn't try to deepen the kiss like he normally did, instead backing up. Steve just blinked at Tony; what the heck was he thinking?! They were in public, everyone could see!

Steve looked around, and everyone was staring. The reporter from before was clearly shocked, mouth hanging open. Several camera flashes went off, catching Tony with his arms still around Steve.

"Tony, what-"

"I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get that bitch off me. And now people know you're taken too! A win-win." The billionaire grinned and placed another chaste kiss on Steve's stunned lips. There was a wolf whistle from the crowd that sounded suspiciously like Clint. Most people continued to stare but there were some more whistles and claps.

But the moment was over quick and more reporters were swarming them, demanding interviews. Steve could barely make out any of the questions with so many people shouting at them.

Luckily their team came and fended off most of the vultures, all Natasha had to do was look in their direction and they were backing off. They were able to make their way to a back exit and slip out. Someone must have told Happy, because the car was outside the building waiting for them. A few reporters were able to get outside the door right as they slipped inside the car together.

They both settled back onto the leather seats, panting a little, more from the shock than the run. They'd just come out to the public as not only gay, but together. By morning every person who had internet would know about them. And Tony did it because he didn't like that he was being hit on in front of Steve. He was willing to risk his public image if it meant women would stop flirting. Steve bit his lip, blushing. He never thought he'd have this, a person who loved him, when he was growing up. He was always the person who was laughed at and left behind by people, except for Bucky.

He belatedly realized that Tony was talking, but he couldn't make out the words. So he leaned over and kissed Tony. Tony moaned when Steve bit his bottom lip a little before he let his tongue run over it. When he pulled back, they were still panting, but for another reason.

"If I had known you'd react like this, I'd have done a press release right after our first kiss." Steve laughed before leaning back in for another kiss.

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