Steve was woken up by gentle touches on his abdomen and he blinked his eyes open to peer down at whatever was causing the tickling sensation. He saw Tony's fingertips ghosting across his skin and paying particular attention to the serum-faded scars that littered his right side in particular. The soldier frowned until he looked down at Tony who was resting his head against Steve's shoulder and was touching the scars with reverence and curiosity.

He watched Tony for some time. His heart was swelling up with love and admiration as he glanced down at the gentleness of the other man.

The billionaire jumped when Steve finally spoke as he didn't know the man had woken up yet, "It was a mine."

Tony looked up at him but went back to mapping the pale wounds across the man's body. He didn't speak to allow Steve to explain.

"They were pretty common during the war and we'd been trained to keep an eye out for them. I don't know whether I was just tired, just being sloppy or maybe it was just hidden really well but I didn't see it and set it off. Probably for the best since my men were following behind me so if it wasn't me then it would have been one of them." He stopped and took a shaking breath, "It completely mangled my leg to the point that it didn't even look leg-like anymore. The rest of my body got completely mauled by the debris which is why I have so many scars." His own fingers traced the old wounds, "I would have died from my injuries and the infection from the surgery if it wasn't for Dr Erskine who selected me for the serum."

"Why you?" Tony asked, his voice was uncharacteristically subdued.

Steve huffed a laugh, "I know you think that everything I can do is a result of the serum but I was a Captain before the serum. I led a large squad and had a reputation for helping out and doing what I could." Tony could sense that Steve was glossing over the details of his heroics, "So he thought it would be worth testing the serum on me. Besides, I was a guy who couldn't exactly say no since the alternative was death by infection. He said that there was a chance the serum could restore my leg but it didn't... I don't think he really believed that it could but maybe my belief was all it took to seal the deal."

He coughed slightly as if extracting himself from a reverie, "Anyways, after the serum I continued in the army for a while until I ended up in the frost and, well, you know the rest."

Tony continued to learn his way around Steve's chest through his fingertips and promised himself to commit it to memory. They shared in the companionable silence for some time before Tony spoke again.

"Do you miss it... your leg, I mean."

Steve laughed again, "Of course! It's a hard adjustment and I've had to live with some bad prosthetics in the past but the accident allowed me to become Captain America. Without it I never would have met you or lived all of this."

The questions suddenly turned, "Did you hate me when you first met me?"

Again, the soldier chuckled, "Oh yes, I thought you were stuck up, spoilt and an ass."

"Now you know they're all true."

"Yeah, but I also now know that on top of those things you're kind, caring and compassionate." Steve smiled down at the man.

"I really hated you too. I didn't think you'd done anything worthy of praise. I didn't know your past."

Steve shrugged, "At least we can say that the feeling was mutual."

They both chuckled and Tony rested his head back against the warm chest and sighed.

They were content and they knew that, as long as they had each other, everything would be okay. They'd faced challenges before but anything that came at them now would only be easier since they could fight it together.