"My, aren't you a handsome thing? You look like I should know you, too!"

Tony Stark looked up from his scotch, not nearly as surprised as he should have been by being spoken to so abruptly. The woman who had garnered the lackadaisical response from the self-made genius felt her smile falter. She cleared her throat and shifted her weight from one foot to another. Tony simply took another sip.

"Usually when someone speaks to you, you answer," she supplied. He turned his face towards her, sunglasses gleaming, but still no response. Was this guy being serious? "I mean, unless -"

"Usually when someone ignores you, you walk away," he said, glass rim to his lips again. She gaped at him. "I mean, unless you can't take a damn hint."

"What the hell is wrong with you!? I'm -"

"Unimportant." She simply couldn't believe this guy's gall. To deny her? She's quite the catch!

"Why, I've never been so appalled!"

"For a two-bit whore with daddy issues you sure act high and mighty," Tony murmured. "Go on now, find another warm body for the night." She coughed, clearly shaken. He made a 'shooing' motion with his unoccupied hand. Who the hell was this guy?! She opened her mouth to speak again when another gentleman came up.

"Tony! Good thing I finally found you; usually you go to Queens or something. Oh, hello, ma'am!" She looked at the newcomer; he had on a loose t-shirt that hugged his waist beautifully, tucked into his tight jeans. Even in the dark, she could make out his clear blue eyes adorned with a sheepish grin. This one she could work with.

Her lips curled into a smile before falling short when Tony started again. "Oh this one is no good, Boy Scout. She's already tried to get into my pants more than once. She's also one of those 'flappers' you'll remember."

'Boy Scout' turned his eyes down quickly and started blushing, stammering to himself. He immediately started rubbing his neck, looking anywhere but the scantily clad bodice (how on Earth had he not noticed her lack of garments?!) before them. His blushing and obvious discomfort made her feel suddenly very naked and very ashamed. She blew out a frustrated sigh from between her perfectly bright pink lips and folded her arms over her chest.

"I can take a hint, that's for sure! You losers have a lovely night together," she hissed and sauntered away. Tony barely paid any attention to her retreating form; he figured she didn't recognize him in the poor lighting, but how had she not noticed Captain America's trademark smile?

"Women," he muttered. The comment pulled Steve's attention back to him.

"Did she really...solicit you?" Ever so eloquent.

"Of course, Captain. That's what strippers do." Usually Tony had a lot of patience with Steve's lack of twenty-first century knowledge, but in light of current arrangements, the scotch was making him less accommodating. An awkward silence settled in; Steve not sure how to act, and Tony not really giving a fuck.

"Tony..." Of course Rogers would break the awesome silence.

"So you're the unlucky one who has to babysit a drunken, heartless bastard." Not a question, a statement. Steve sat down on the stool next to him, sensing this wasn't going to end anytime soon. He sighed when the bartender slid another drink to his teammate.

"Anything for you, Captain?" So the bartender obviously recognized him, but a sleazy stripper who probably fantasized more than once about the handsome time traveler couldn't. Tony snorted into his glass.

"Oh, no thank you, sir." Steve flashed another award winning smile. The bartender shrugged; after a brief nod from Tony, he mixed a Super Soldier cocktail in a short glass and placed it in front of Steve on a paper coaster. Steve began to protest, but the man smiled.

"On the house, Captain. It's my pleasure." He smirked and walked away before Steve could say anything. The Captain looked down at the red, clear, and blue concoction and raised an eyebrow at Tony.

"It's a Super Soldier, Stars and Stripes. Grenadine, vanilla vodka, and blue curaçao. You'll like it," Tony smirked. Steve gave him a tight lipped glare, before raising the glass. After a full five second mulling, the soldier nodded.

"Good call, partner," the blond smiled. Despite everything, Tony smiled back. The two sat in silence for a moment, each sipping lightly. Tony could feel Rogers' nerves building and dropping, the inner plight mingling with their companionable silence. The genius decided to save his friend from his inner turmoil.

"Pepper dumped me." What could he say? Being direct was his thing.

Steve regarded him quietly, choosing his words. Tony expected as such; Steve was very thoughtful, almost painfully so, and was planning his every response. After a brief pause, the soldier clapped his arm around Tony's shoulders and gave a squeeze. The gesture was awkward with Steve's larger build, but oddly comforting.

"What happened?" He asked. Tony looked into the rich hue of his scotch, wishing it held his answer, before removing his Aviator sunglasses and running his eyes.

"We had a fight, a pretty big one, bigger than the whole 'Why-did-you-throw-the-nuke-into-space-like-a-reckless-idiot?' incident. She asked me to drop S.H.I.E.L.D. and pull all my funding from the Avengers, saying that she wanted a stable life with me. I can't blame her; I'm hell to deal with as it is, not with the addition of possible alien invasions or hostile takeovers or near death experiences exactly tipping things in my favor. So I see why she would want to settle down and just run the company with me."

Steve's eyes never left his face, brow creased with worry. He squeezed Tony's shoulder, urging him on. The billionaire sighed, knocking back his drink. The bartender was one step ahead, setting another glass nearby. Steve silently thanked him, knowing that Tony would leave a fantastic tip regardless of his drunkenness. Said man sighed again and traded the glasses before continuing.

"I should have said yes. She's the best thing ever in my shitty world, and I know that. But I couldn't leave well enough alone and just go with it. Nope, not Tony-fucking-Stark, billionaire genius. Well, news flash, Cap!" He leaned over, covering his mouth as if from prying eyes. His scotch flavored breath ghosted over Steve's ear when he aided to the ruse by leaning in. "I'm not much of a fucking genius. She told me so when I said no, when I rejected her idea of a happy life with me. What the hell is wrong with me? I don't even know why I didn't go with it!"

"Tony," Steve began, his blue eyes softening. Tony met his gaze; despite being on his probably (definitely) tenth glass of Glenlivet, his eyes were bright and cunning like every other day. If there was anything that could be said about Tony Stark, he could hold his scotch quite well. "Tony, you know she'll come around. She knows how important the team is to you."

"That's it! That's the whole point. What's more important - her or you guys. She had to know, had to ask the worse possible question in the worse way with the WORSE timing. Them or me? Over and over. I couldn't answer it. It should be her, but it isn't. It's you, Birdbrain, Point Break, Science Bro, Spandex Queen. Hell, even JARVIS and DUM-E, for some fucking reason." Tony knew he was rambling, knew that Steve knew it, too. He couldn't stop. All the anger he felt at himself was spilling out, tumbling in pools between them. Steve, bless him, nodded at all the right times while Tony keep pushing. The billionaire wasn't even sure what he was saying anymore, if it even made any sense.

After the long confession, Tony felt his mind return to some semblance of order. He had somehow ended up turning fully towards Captain America; the man's hand never left his shoulder, but simply moved to a more comfortable position. And, quite frankly, kept Tony on the stool and not huddled on the glitter-stained floor, where he wanted to be at this point.

"She said she had never believed it herself, but that she finally found out it was all true. That I actually never did have a heart," he all but whispered. He heard Steve's sharp draw of breath but pressed on. "I lost it. I told her to get the fuck out, and she left. I tried to sober up for her, but decided to fuck that too. And here I am." That rounded up quite nicely, Tony decided. He looked at his friend, waiting for what he would say.

Steve squeezed his shoulder before pulling him into an awkward one-armed man-hug, much to Tony's surprise. He almost was jostled off of the stool, but Steve's sure grip kept him grounded.

"Tony, regardless of what may or may not happen, you have my total support and that of the whole Avengers. She'll come around, but by then I hope you are able to find some happiness in someone else. She obviously isn't deserving if she can't see how close we all are. Sure it was tough at first, but we're pretty much inseparable," Steve smiled. He had long since let Tony go, but the billionaire's eyes were glued to his. "I don't know much in the ways of romance, and all." He lowered his eyes, suddenly feeling unsure. Steve could rally the best of folk, but give him something like 'love' and he was a bumbling mess. "But I don't think you've got your best years behind you just yet."

With as honest and open as Tony's eyes were, giving his complete attention and devotion, Steve was suddenly awarded with a flashback he thought of often but never wanted to admit to. Soft brown eyes not unlike his friend's own, but accompanied with a pair of bright red lips and complete love. He shook off the thought, pausing briefly. Talks of love were never entirely comfortable with him; he never wanted to think about what could have happened between he and Peggy. What never would get the chance.

"Now I'm no good at this, Tony," the soldier muttered. Tony snapped his attention quickly, shaking his head.

"I know, Steve. Sorry to bring it up with you." Not many knew, but Tony did. Leave it to Stark to recognize a friend's pain while still being encompassed by his own. Steve smiled.

"That's just fine, pal! But it does show promise that she called me after you, right?"

"Yeah, as a glorified babysitter."

"I would never let a baby drink!" Steve suddenly felt appalled. That pulled a bark of laughter from Stark that eased out some of the new tension.

"Good thing we're of age for shots!"

They drank well into the night, Tony's tab surely reaching new heights. Steve offered to help pay, but Tony waved it off. Instead, he slipped the bartender a little extra for helping keep Tony under control before his arrival. The serum he had been injected with decades prior helped keep his drunkenness at bay, but his friend wasn't so lucky.

Steve hauled Tony out among hoots and laughs, pulling him to the expensive Corvette on shaky legs and flailing like an octopus. His own laughter carried by Tony's current state, but now the Super Soldier was faced with a new dilemma: he wanted to drive the lovely car out of such a seedy area, but didn't know where to start. All he could drive was a stick.

"Don't worry, Stars! JARVIS can drive!" So Tony finally had built his famed AI into one of his cars. It reminded Steve of the show Clint had shown him recently, 'Knight Rider'? The soldier buckled Tony in, deciding he would ask Hawkeye later.

Steve slid smoothly into the driver seat, buckling the belt. "Uh, JARVIS?"

"Yes, Captain Rogers?" The AI replied instantly.

"Can you, uhm, drive us back to Avenger Tower?" Even though he was (kind of) used to JARVIS by now, the thought of not driving himself while physically in the seat of a vehicle was absolutely unorthodox.

"Certainly, Captain." The engine roared to life. Steve gulped when he felt the car shift into gear, grabbing the wheel instinctively. "Unfortunately, sir, I will need you to release the wheel." Steve's hands flew to his sides, which he promptly sat on for good measure. Something that sounded suspiciously like a giggle came from Tony, but a well placed glare silenced him.

Moments later, the Corvette's tail lights were but a distant view from the front of the club - and from the view of a pair of mischievous green eyes.

A/N: First time back in the writing game in years. Thought tackling a new subject would be a great way to start! Going to continue, obviously. Only the beginning! Rate and reviews are always appreciated!