New chapter, hope you guys enjoyed the last one, once I got into writing it, it was really easy... well, it was in parts, then it was kind of hard to connect all those parts in time to post it on Tuesday. Just one of those things, I guess, and much better than not having anything to write at all.

So, New Marvel Shield show: pretty good. Interesting. Hope you guys are watching that as well. It probably won't come up in the story or anything, but if I like one of the characters enough, technically they are cannon so they might show up.

"I came back with the belief that everyone I love is gonna leave." It's All Alright~Fun.

If Steve had been a puppy, Tony was pretty certain he'd have been lost within the first five minutes of leaving the car, even if he did insist that he knew exactly where he was. And Tony was sure that he did know, of course... but a lot of things had changed. His "here" didn't exactly match up with how Steve would remember it. But he was just happy to explore the city, if only to watch the way Steve's face light up when he recognized anything.

Actually, it had been years since he had done anything like this, and being who he was, he was used to people swarming all over him, both the media and the general population. Which, of course, happened what seemed to be every few feet, and Steve didn't seem to know how to react to it. Even with his experience from the USO show, all of it was just on a different level.

Sure, even back then he'd been seen and respected as a hero, but after defeating Aliens, and having just about everything all over the internet, there was no way in hell anyone, especially in New York, didn't realize that. Well, No way that they knew... didn't mean everyone enjoyed that fact. Tony had to wonder why, no matter the situation, there was always that one person yelling at them for doing their job, for saving the people.

They should be happy to be alive, and that the earth was still in once piece... but no, of course there was the one person complaining that they had made the wrong call, that maybe if they hadn't attacked, the aliens wouldn't have been as aggressive as they had. Or that maybe they were the reasons they had even shown up in the first place, and while technically true, it was Shield who had drawn them out, not the Avengers. Few people saw the difference, lately, something that he found bothered him to no end after his talk with Fury.

Then there were those assholes that insisted that they should have been quicker, better, that it was their individual faults that one of their friends or family members had been injured or hurt in the attack, actually attempting to sue them for it. Not that any had been successful or even taken seriously, but still. It happened, and it pissed him off. Sometimes, he really hated the people he was working so hard to save. And generally, he seemed to be the only one to notice that kind of shit. But, then, maybe he was the only one who had been in the middle of the media from the minute he was born, and was able to see past all of the rest.

So, he kept his head down, and let Steve try and enjoy the positive attention... knowing perfectly well, of course, that Steve had never been a big fan of it. But it was a good experience for him, anyway, and something he'd have to get used to if he really wanted a relationship with him. It was inevitable, after all, and while he despised it, there was no way to get out of it, not for him, and not the the others, now that they were on the public's radar as much as he was.

When it looked like it was getting out of his hands and he was overwhelmed, of course Tony did what he was best at: He stepped in, grabbed all of the attention away from the Captain and managed to get them both away from the vultures before they realized what was going on. Even if Steve didn't say anything about it, it was obvious how thankful he was about all of it based purely on the looks he gave him whenever it would happen.

It was probably one of the calmest day he'd ever had, when it cam to not getting attacked by reporters every five seconds... after about two hours, he decided it was probably due to him looking beat up past all hell, maybe not even looking much like himself, and that not many people recognized Steve as Captain America. In fact, none of the reporters even seemed to. They just were wondering about his story during the attack, his thoughts on it all, or why he was with Tony. Tony was sure one or two reporters managed to put two and two together and actually see who he was, maybe even what was going on, but they actually respected his privacy... that part was baffling. Maybe they were just more intimidated by his size, fuck, he didn't know. People were weird, he might as well just give up on trying to get it.

Even with the randomly appearing crowds, they made good time. Especially since most of the city had been cleaned up by now, and they weren't going to any of the biggest tourist traps. Most of those had been there long enough not to have changed in the slightest since Steve had lived there and had seen them every day of his young life, so he wasn't too interested in things like that. Tony was grateful for that... he'd probably have been bored out of his mind if he'd been dragged around Coney island in the middle of the day, or Time Square, just to wander about or the Statue of Liberty when if Steve really wanted to go see that, he knew he just had to ask and Tony would fly them around it instead. He was sure Steve knew him well enough to know that.

Mostly, it was just the museums, Steve insisting in dragging him to all sorts of food trucks and cafes... all of which the other man sneakily tried to pay, and getting beaten to it every time. He didn't seem too happy about that, but he never stopped trying. Tony was starting to consider letting him, just to make him happy. And of course, Tony would insist on going to any art galleries they passed by. He couldn't have cared less, he'd never been too interested in it, seeing as he had no skill as soon as a drawling required a face, but Steve did and he needed to be cheered up, even if he didn't act like it.

He wished he knew more about how to go about everything, though. He certainly had no experience with being in relationships and neither did Steve, not to mention him still seeming to be uneasy about it all. So he didn't feel right about trying to cuddle up to the other mans side, and only teased him sparingly. He did convince him to give him a piggy back ride later in the day, with was a plus. How he managed that, he was still asking himself, and it definitely earned them weird looks. He had to laugh when he noticed the only reaction Steve gave that was either a smile or a wink in the crowds direction without a pause. He must be rubbing off on him.

It was great getting back home, really. Not that he wasn't having fun, but he'd never really been able to relax and be himself when there were other people around. The Tower was at least safe to do that... not to mention he was hurting like hell, and mentally cursing his bruises. He was getting really sick and tired of hurting.

Not like they got any more privacy at home anyway, not with some of the assholes they lived with. Namely Clint, since Thor was back in Asgard and didn't seem to understand that people preferred to be alone sometimes. And naturally, the archer couldn't have been bothered to put clothes on past his swim shorts, much less dry himself off. Tony blames Jarvis for tipping him off to their arrival. He'd just have to get dummy to mop up the water.

And, naturally, Clint immediately tried dragging them off to go swimming with the others. Tony certainly wasn't as bad about water as he had been a few years ago, when he'd first gotten out of the caves, but he preferred to think of it as having a mutual agreement between them... they just hated each other. Simple. Best not to fuck up things up... but Steve seemed to be interested in to. So, he'd put it aside and live with it. He had a sauna for a reason, after all. And that should help him stop being so sore.

S

Steve wasn't sure how irritated Tony was, and that was something completely new to him. The only reason he wasn't worried about it was because it clearly wasn't at him... more at the reporters that kept ambushing them and tried to interview Steve on the fight. Not Captain America... just as Steve. Again, that was something he wasn't used to. He was another face, just one more person blending into the crowd again... it was weird to think that 70 years erased the knowledge of his actual face, and made people think that Captain America wasn't a real person.

He found that he was loving it. But at the same time, it killed him a little bit that Tony couldn't experience that... from what he knew, he'd never experienced anything of the sort. He'd always been walked, always expected to be what everyone else wanted him to be. It physically hurt him to know that. How that worked, he had no idea, but it still did.

It hurt that he was too frightened to hold the mans hand because he didn't want everyone in the world to watch, and try to edge their way into their lives, or be himself like he was in the Tower. And the thing was... he knew Tony would be alright with that. He wouldn't care if they were all over the internet or in the paper for weeks. But it terrified Steve. He wanted a chance to enjoy being a no one again while he could, and even if that wouldn't out him, the gravity of people's interest around Tony would drag him in. And Tony seemed to know that without him having to say anything. He was tempted to just say screw it, and do it anyway.

He knew immediately that Tony felt out of place whenever they went into one of the many art galleries... it wasn't something that he was sure others would notice, the small changes in how the man walked, the way his eyes slanted... it was like he was at an event he had to look his best at. It wasn't bad, or anything, it was just... odd, to be able to notice that small of a change in him. He was something he was forced to do, and he slipped into it seamlessly.

That had to be how Tony so easily managed to convince him to give him a piggy back ride around a few blocks. It was just so ridiculously innocent and cute and everything that no one out here would ever connect Tony Stark to that he couldn't refuse. And the looks people gave them just made him laugh. It confused him that for someone who was constantly under every persons eye, none of them knew anything about him past his intelligence. And they didn't even realize it. It made him irrationally angry, something that he'd thought he'd gotten over.

Overall, despite being nervous, it was really great. He would have said he wished it wouldn't end, and would have been reluctant to go home, but he was still pretty worn out, and it was clearly Tony was as well, not to mention sore.

It was a little creepy how quickly Clint pounced on them. As soon as they walked in the front door, actually. In his swim trunks... dripping wet. How he had any idea they were even on their way home, Steve had no idea. He could almost feel Tony rolling his eyes at the man as he tracked water through the walkway as he sprinted towards them.

"It's about damn time, you guys, what did you crawl around New York? Seriously, how do you manage to wander around for hours?"

Steve raised an eyebrow at him. "Because it's easy if you actually take your time and look at thinks."

Clint glared at him lightly. "Please. I've wandered around the City hundreds of times for Shield. I've seen everything and it's never taken me more then three hours."

Tony swatted at him. "Yeah, not everyone is a spy that makes his living by seeing shit. Not everyone likes to do that, you know."

"They totally should. Saves time."

"Yes, because we're all in such a hurry, and don't want to just enjoy anything in life. That would be silly..."

"Oh, bullshit, I enjoy plenty of things in life."

"Right... I'm sure."

Steve shook his head and moved past where Clint was standing, ignoring the two as they argued, trying to avoid getting pulled into it again. Nothing about it could make it end well. It was just something that was inevitable with an argument between anyone, especially when it was between Clint and Tony... both very good at sticking to their opinions, and while he was certain Tony was the type that would let it go if Clint did, Clint was one to beat his opinion into someone until they agreed. It was like Tony's bane. Surprising how well the two got along, really.

Of course, Clint being Clint, there wasn't a way that Steve could get away from him without him noticing. The joys of being around spies, constantly. "Come on, Steve! Hot tub! You know you want to, it's soooooo nice."

He heard Tony sigh, and appear on his other side, exchanging an apologetic look with Steve. Steve just smiled back and shrugged, and turned back to Clint.

"Fine, Just give us a second to go get changed, alright?"

Clint rolled his eyes. "You realize how weird it is for you to be answering for both of you? I think you transitioned into the whole relationship mode too quickly..." He paused for a second then shivered. "Actually, scratch that. I've had to watch you skirting around it for a month, this is fine."

Steve had to blush, but Tony just laughed, that light behind his eyes telling him he knew something the others didn't again. He was going to have to figure out what it was, that was going to drive him absolutely insane before too long, no matter what Tony said about it. He wished he had an idea of how he could go about it...

Maybe he could find a way to talk to T'Challa. As creepy as it was, he seemed to know something more than he should. The thing was, Tony was just about the only person who could even get into contact with Wakanda in general, and he had told him not to worry about it... maybe he could talk to Jarvis about it.

He shook his head and gestured Tony to follow after him. He wasn't as surprised as he would have been a few weeks ago that he did so without complaint, leaving Clint to watch after them for a few feet before he sprinted off back towards the heat, completely steady on the wet floors despite being barefooted.

Steve had to roll his eyes to himself... not like the archer would ever learn not to run like that. At least he never had to worry about him getting himself hurt. Wow, sometimes he felt like more of a parent for the man rather than a team-mate... thankfully that only happened in the Tower. If he'd have been as difficult in the field and unable to hold his own... he had no idea how he'd deal with something like that. He had a feeling he wouldn't have ever had to. As angry as he was with Shield, he had to admit they were wonderful when it came to choosing people who were able to handle themselves. As it turned out, that wasn't always the best thing, as this morning had proven. He respected him for it, but Coulson really needed to choose a side.

He made a mental note to find his whenever he could and talk to the man about it. Maybe if he was put more on the spot about things, he would actually start choosing the teams side, like he should have from the start. From a military point of view, he could understand... it's what he was paid to do, and it just wasn't worth it to go against the beliefs of a superior. But something Tony had said to him when they had first met always stuck with him that made him see that it wasn't a military operation that Shield had. They weren't Soldiers. They didn't see themselves that way, and they certainly weren't connected with any specific country, despite Captain America being the leader of their superhero response team.

He didn't see how it was right to be treating civilians, people who gave up their lives to protect the people others never could, like the Soldiers that they clearly could never see themselves as. That's not who they were, and Steve had learned quickly to be alright with that. And the huge thing was, people like Coulson and Fury didn't see that. That wasn't how they were as people. They were, at their core, a military group in and of themselves. Which is why, after he calmed down a little, he could see why they found it perfectly natural that they, in a manner, owned them. It was not something he had really agreed with, but it was how things had always worked, even back in his own time. But now, no matter how he looked at it... it was just wrong.

He really needed to find a way to convince them to see that they weren't that. Once he was able to, he was certain that there would be a better understanding between the two groups. It certainly couldn't get much worse. He was certain that he could convince Coulson to see that, that would be simple enough. He was the closest to the team, he saw their dynamic, their day to day lives. Hell, he more or less got along with Tony. He was the closest there was to see how they saw them was wrong. And he was Fury's right hand. Maybe it would actually work out to help him convince the rest of them, and start treating them closer to what they were.

He shook his head. Better to not over think it. Not now. He'd much prefer to concentrate on other things. Nice hot water and his friends, for instance right now sounded fantastic. He looked behind him again as he got into the elevator, a ridiculously overwhelming thrill running through him to see Tony still there. He knew it shouldn't have made him as excited as it did, but he didn't mind it in the least. Tony smiled back to him quickly before letting it slip off as he went off into his own mind again. Steve wondered if he should be worried about that, and decided not to be. Tony was usually lost in some idea or another. If he was worried about anything, much as he refused to admit, he had tells Steve was able to read.

He hit the buttons for both of their respective floors, and let Tony lean against him wordlessly as it started moving. He smiled into the windblown brown hair and closed his eyes, letting the smooth motion of moving relax him. His stop was before Tony's, and he sighed as the doors slid open, taking his time, knowing full well that Jarvis wouldn't close the doors until he was out. It was hard to imagine that this is what his life had turned into... living in the future, dating the most incredible person he'd ever seen, being delivered to his story in one of the biggest Towers in one of the biggest city in the world by an advanced artificial intelligence controlling an elevator. He was sure he'd never be used to it.

"Meet you down there in a few minutes?"

Tony shook his head and snapped out of whatever had his attention with a smile. "Hm? Oh, right. Swimming and shit. Yeah, be down as soon as I'm changed."

Steve smiled back and leaned in carefully for a gentle kiss before he stepped out. Tony seemed slightly surprised, but grinned after him as the doors slid back closed. He smiled to himself and tried not to stumble as he found his light. He knew he should probably have his blinds open, but he wasn't used to being so far above the city line... and he sure as hell wasn't scared or anything of the heights, just the sun came up too early for him to be comfortable with.

It took him all of two seconds to get him shorts, and strip down to throw them on before he left again, then he was going back downstairs, half hoping Tony would be waiting in the elevator again for him. He wasn't of course, so the ride back down was a bit more lonely. At least he was used enough to the Tower to find the door Tony had been talking about earlier without any problem. It was ridiculous he'd never though to look behind this door, given how much time he spent in the gym.

The rest of the team were all in the hot tub in the center of the room... if it could still be called a hot tub. It was more of a small, heated pool with seats by the looks of it. Clint seemed to be ecstatic about it, too. Clint in a small space for an extended amount of time didn't sound like a lot of fun. He nodded a greeting to the others and slid into the hot water... it was hotter than he'd expected it to be, and took longer for him to ease into it than he would have liked, but once fully in, it was impossibly soothing. He wished they would have had this sort of thing back when he and his team were doing ops in Europe... it would have made it much more bearable.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the smooth porcelain walls of side of the pool with a sigh, only to open them a few minutes later when Tony came in. he frowned at the tank top he was wearing, but at least he had actual swim shorts on. It did nothing to hide the Arc reactor, but the bruises scattered on across his chest were for the most part hidden.

He sat on the edge of the small pool next to him, and let his legs slip into the steaming water, but didn't move to actually get in. Steve frowned up at the man. "Not joining us?"

Tony just shrugged. "Not really feeling hot tub. I don't know, just doesn't sound appealing." Bruce and Natasha were both staring at him, waiting for some other explanation that Tony clearly wasn't about to give them. Clint just went on relaxing in his own corner, perfectly content in the steaming water.

Steve made a noise and considered it. Yesterday had been difficult, he supposed... brought back horrible memories for him. He remembered he had to have read somewhere about how the man had been tortured, got a flash memory he didn't remember of the man standing in a shower, totally unresponsive and so far away that no matter how called for him, he couldn't pull himself out of his own mind. He shook the thought out of his head... must have been some sort of dream. But it made sense that Tony wouldn't like the water, especially after yesterday.

He didn't say anything about it... Tony didn't like bringing attention to that sort of thing about his past, oddly enough preferring everyone focusing on mistruths about him going around the media or some lies random people online made up about him. He actually seemed to find most of it amusing, but as soon as anything like that came up, he was silent. Steve had no idea why that was. But he would... now that they were more or less dating, he fully intended to take advantage of it and try to learn everything he could about him. Because he had yet to find anything out about the man that didn't fascinate him.

He shrugged and smiled back to Tony, who in return ran his hands through Steve's damp hair, ignoring the looks it earned them. Steve closed his eyes and left himself relax himself relax into him again with a sigh. Every day that started as bad as this one had should be required to end as well as this.

Sorry, this chapter is shorter than the last and up later in the day. I'm not at home and probably wont be until Sunday, but I really didn't feel like making you guys wait, though. I, for one, am happy it's starting to get a bit colder out where I live. I was getting really tired of the heat, don't know about you guys. Hope you enjoy.

Yay, not much happened! Really, sorry, not at home, makes writing a lot more difficult. Promise shit will actually happen next chapter.