Steve was screwed. No. Screwed was a bad term to use. Their lunch date, now code-named Operation I-Royally-Screwed-Up, had been three and a half days ago. And Steve had been on egg-shells ever since. Not easy when you're 6 foot two and about 220 pounds. Downright exhausting. And Tony... Geeze, Tony. He was a problem alright. He was driving Steve crazy! The boy was just that... A boy. But he was getting Steve all flustered and hot under the collar. And it really wasn't fair. Steve knew that Tony had admired him. But Tony's words kept playing back. You're kinda my hero. He was Tony's hero. Tony admired him that much. He was Tony Stark's hero. Maybe that was why Tony had been prickly when they had first been introduced. Groaning, Steve dragged his hands down his face.

"Thinking too much?"

Steve sat ramrod straight. "Tony!"

"You seem to be having a problem." He sauntered in, perfectly presentable, suit crisp and neat, hair tousled artfully.

The only problem with his problem was that his problem wanted him to talk to him about his problem which was currently—oh God—leaning up against his desk with a problem-sized smile that was giving Steve problems below the waist—crap. "Heeey, Tony."

"You okay, Cap? It's hot in your office. You can put the shades down you know." Tony shifted his glass from his right hand to his left, unbuttoning another button.

That was downright indecent. So he smiled. "Hot? No. It's fine. I'm fine."

Tony snorted. "Liar."

"You don't know that."

"No, but your face just now told me so." Tony grinned like a cat with a fat canary, leaning in towards him. "Aw, look at you."

"What about me?" Tony was officially going to be the death of him. Where Nazis, everyday bad guys, the arctic, and the Red Skull failed, Tony Stark, a 16-year-old billionaire, genius, total playboy, maybe-not-so-much-philanthropist yet.

"You're all red."

"Tony!" Steve pushed back in his chair, swivelling to face the kid. "You need to stop this."

"Stop what?" He widened his eyes, jerking when Steve yelled, "Stop!" Steve took a deep breath. "Flirting. You need to stop flirting."

This earned him a contemplative cocking of Tony's head. "Why? It's all in good fun. Oh God, you're not—it's not sexual harassment, is it?"

"No! No, it's not. It's not that."

Tony jerked his chin up, a small smile teasing his lips upward. "Steve."

"What Tony."

"Steve," he said again.

"What Tony."

"Steve, are you thinking about me?"

"Why can't you just get straight to the point," Steve moaned, dropping his head onto the back of his chair.

"You've been thinking about me, Steve." Tony's voice dropped lower and he moved forward.

"Stop it. Stay where you are. I can't..." Steve shook his head. This was ridiculous. And more than a little hot-under-the-collar.

"Steve. You done this before?" Tony was in between his legs. He leaned into Steve's space, hands on the armrests.

"Tony... You're under age." Steve pressed back into the plush leather. "We can't... team dynamics... fraternisation..."

"But you've wanted too, right? Admit it..." Tony purred.

"N-no, we can't!"

"What do you think about? Do you think about me calling your name? I've seen the way you react—Steve. Steve!"

"Tony! Stop!" Steve pushed at his shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut. "Thi—this is embarrassing..."

"Why. It's just sex. It's a natural thing. You think about me in the shower? How do you want me, Steve?"

Whining a little, Steve pushed more at Tony's shoulder, turning his head away. He still felt Tony's breath against his cheek. "I can't... Damn it, Tony, I'm a virgin!" Then Tony's warmth was unexpectedly gone. When Steve cracked an eye to look up at the kid, certain his own face was a bright red, he was surprised to see Tony's cheeks flushed and eyes bright.

"Really?" Tony's normal voice was back, but his blues were wide, brows high.

Steve groaned. "That's... Oh shit."

"Can you say that? You are Captain America, you know."

"Thanks," Steve drawled sourly. "I didn't realise that. I do swear, you know."

"I do now." The kid grinned again. Steve wished he could have more of that expression.

"Tony, we can't do this. You're... you're so young... And I can't... I can't do that to you."

Tony nodded. "Hm. Well."

"You understand, right?"

"Sure I understand. You're nervous... I'm not me-sized..."

"That doesn't—" Steve shook his head. "You're not getting it."

"No, I get it. You've got morals. I don't. As usual, I'm sensing," Tony said lightly. He backed off with hands held up in surrender. "I get it. That's fine." He paused by the door. "But you know... I could always..." Made a scrunched face. "You know. Do you." Gave his best shit-eating grin and then was gone.

Steve groaned and thought about cold showers, ice cubes, the Arctic, and then gave up and thumped his head against the desk a few times. Not that it helped.

Steve thought the situation was settled until the team was all sitting around the table talking shop and Tony said, "You know. You guys should let me help. I have more experience than you think." All while looking right at Steve. Who promptly snorted his Coke. He then grinned while Natasha clapped him on the back and Thor frowned at him.

"I'm sorry," Steve coughed. "Take fifteen. I'm gonna go change my shirt."

"Want help with that," Tony whispered in the door-jam as Steve passed.

"You've done enough," Steve hissed back.

Tony looked up at him from buffing his nails, pulling the innocent again. "Really? I'm great with clothes. I can get the stain out for you." And smiled.

Steve glared at him and just for spite stripped off his shirt, tossed it at Tony, and then stalked into his room (which used to be Tony's!) and found a clean tee. "Shit!" he jumped as he opened the door to find Tony standing there, hands clasped behind his back.

"Heya, Steve."

"Whatever it is, no." Steve said taking a step back—tactical mistake. Tony entered his room.

"Too bad. You know, if you're nervous, I can take it slow with you."

"Tony, you're being shameless!"

"What's wrong with that? If it gets me what I want, what's wrong with that?"

He was doing that purring thing again. Steve circled around and was out the door before Tony could back him into the bed. "We can't. Stop, Tony. You've got to stop."

Tony pouted. "Don't tell me you don't want me..."

Steve clamped his mouth shut. Bad places. This was going bad places. Pressing the heels of his hands into his eyes, Steve headed back to the kitchen quickly. "Okay! Meeting back in session!"

The thing was, it didn't stop there. Tony continued to tease him over the next week, driving him completely bonkers. By Friday evening, Steve fled to his room and collapsed against his locked door. He groaned, pressing a heel to his groin. Stripping his shirt off, Steve headed into the bathroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth. The cold water helped. Changing into flannels he shuffled back into his room and flopped onto his bed, screeching and immediately rolling off as a hand touched his shoulder.

"Wow. Freak out much?"

"TONY." Steve grit his teeth, taking a deep breath to calm the adrenaline now flooding his system.

Tony's white teeth flashed in the darkness, the sheet falling down to his waist as he leaned up on an elbow.

"Oh God. Please tell me you're not naked in my bed..."

"Sure thing. I'm not naked in your bed." And flashed his teeth again. Tony patted the empty space. "Come on, gorgeous. Let me show you how it's done."

"Tony, there is no way in hell we're doing this."

"Yeah we are. Come on. You're a virgin. I'll show you the ropes."

"You. Can't! You're under age!" He flicked on the bed-side lamp.

Tony rolled his eyes. "In case it escaped your notice, I've done this before."

"I know! And that's even worse! Tony! It's against the law."

"Which we all know of which you are a fine up-standing citizen," Tony purred, eyes hooded.

Steve muttered profanities under his breath. "Jesus, you're going to be the death of me."

"Is that giving in I hear?" Tony teased the sheet lower displaying taut young abs and thin hips.

Steve groaned and forced himself to look away.

"Do I make you hot? You make me hot." Tony smirked. "Look, Steve. You're gorgeous. I want you. You want me. There's no problem."

Peeking was a mistake. Tony had rolled sideways a bit so the sheet tented over his penis. He felt his face flare up and looked at the ceiling. Heard Tony sigh.

"C'mere. Get on the bed, Steve."

"I need to leave," he muttered, turning away.

"Steve!" Tony barked. "Get. On. The bed."

Jerking, he turned to face Tony, eyes wide. He reached for the hand that was offered to him automatically and found himself jerked off his balance, falling to the bed. "No, wait—"

"Shh," Tony said, rolling back onto his side and rubbing hands up and down Steve's arms. "Now here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna take things nice and slow, but we're going to get to sex by the end of the night. Capiche?"

Steve buried his face in his pillow, muttering, "I don't know who told you to lose the 'capiche' thing, but I'm really glad it's gone..."

"You don't like it?" He could hear the pout in Tony's voice.

"No," he groaned.

"Well. Whatever. Maybe it was Rhodey. He always gets annoyed when I say it."

"You and he ever..." Steve asked, looking up at Tony sharply.

"Huh?" Tony blinked at him and then laughed. "No. No we didn't."

"Do you... Um. When I know you, you're always with women... I didn't think..."

Tony shrugged. "Whatever. I don't know what I do in the future. I just like pretty people."

"You just want me for my body?" Steve drawled, turning it into a joke.

"Oh no, Steve. You're something special," Tony promised, voice low as he pushed at Steve's shoulder to roll him over.

"Yeah, going to the special hell..." Steve muttered, obliging. Tony frowned but followed, inching on top of Steve. "Oh God, you are naked!"

"Duh, Steve. Duh." Tony chuckled and then pressed his lips to Steve's.

Steve winced.

"Wow. You really are new at this."

"No, I—" He swallowed his words, Tony hot against him, skin smooth, so different from the man he called his friend. "Just...reconciling you and...well. Other you. Older you. Oh geeze, I can't do this—I can't—" Tony's lips covered his again, just pressure, just touching. Then Tony's hands framing his face. Tony shifting on top of him. Oh God. Chest to chest. Hips to...other places. Steve pushed Tony off, rolling over him on his hands and knees as...places...got hard.

"Well hey there. We can do things this way." Tony reached up and smoothed his hands across Steve's clavicle and down his arms, then over his chest and down his sides. "Huh, ticklish?"

"N-no!"

Tony grinned, dropped his eyes, laughed, and then pulled Steve down for a kiss. "Just kissing. For now. Relax. You are way too tense."

"I'm not..."

"I know. Here. Lie face down. Let's get used to touch. I'll give you a massage."

Steve bit his lip and then nodded, freeing Tony from beneath him and then resting his head on his forearms. Tony's weight settled across his lower back, and Steve did not think about how Tony was naked. His fingers digging into his shoulders? That he could think about. "Wow..." he breathed as Tony's thumbs pressed at the base of his neck.

"Dated a masseuse," Tony said.

Almost ten minutes in and Steve was melted into the mattress, making soft little noises of happiness that made Tony's cock jerk a little. He shifted carefully so he was putting more of his weight on Steve's ass, kneading lower. Five more minutes and he was leaning up, straddling Steve's thighs while he dug into Steve's lower back, shifting his hands down onto his ass to get him used to touch. Stroking up and down Steve's hips to knead at his thighs a little then palm his butt. Steve just sighed. Tony grinned.

He shifted again, dipping his head to kiss the small of Steve's back. Then lick into the small creases there and kiss the base of his spine. Steve shivered. Murmured his name.

Tony bit his lip hard, remembering slow. Slow. He pressed his thumbs into the top of Steve's spine and then swiped them down through his crack, pressing at his hole.

Steve yelped and then clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Steve... Steve, I want you..." Tony crooned next to Steve's ear, immediately rewarded with a shudder. "You want me?"

"Yes..." Steve moaned as Tony pressed again.

"Good, good," he said quietly, reaching down over the edge of the bed for the lube he'd brought in, tossing the condom onto the bed next to him. Cracking the lid of the lube, he poured some onto his fingers, smearing it between them to warm it a bit. "Ready?"

"I'm fine," Steve said quickly.

Tony glanced up at him, Steve's fingers tangled in the sheets, white-knuckled. Shaking his head he pressed more kisses to Steve's back, smearing a slick thumb down his crack until the fingers relaxed. Steve inhaled sharply as he pressed the tip of his thumb in.

"Tony...!"

"You okay?" He twisted his thumb a bit, pulling back, pushing in.

Hips shifting a little, Steve replied breathlessly, "Y-yeah..."

So Tony played a little, switching from his thumb to a finger, waiting until Steve pushed back to add another, becoming aware that he was crooning soft noises meant for comfort. He huffed quietly and pushed his fingers in deeper to make Steve gasp.

"Tony!"

"Still doin' okay, Steve?" Resting his forehead between the other man's shoulder blades, Tony mouthed at his skin. "Steve, you're so hot..."

"Fine, I'm fine..." Steve grunted and pushed back on Tony's fingers.

"Ready for another?"

"Another?" Steve arched into the mattress.

"Yeah, baby, another finger. You're doin' so well. I love your ass, Steve. Love your ass." He laughed softly then nudged Steve's legs further apart to get his knees between them. "Look at you. You're red as a tomato."

"That's...embarrassing, Tony. You're shameless. This is embarrassing," Steve gasped sharply as Tony pulled his fingers back and wormed a third in, along with more lube.

"You're doing great." Tony watched his fingers disappear into Steve's ass, free hand tracing along Steve's hip or kneading at his shoulders. "Just tell me when you're ready. We'll go slow. Won't hurt you, promise."

"Tony," Steve gasped, hips jerking beneath him, "no offense, but you're half my...uhn... size. You're not gonna hurt me!"

"Alright, big guy," Tony said. "Does that mean you're ready?" He pressed his fingers in again, listening for Steve's groan, and grabbed the condom with his free hand.

"Yes...yes. Jesus, you're driving me crazy, Tony. You're driving me crazy," Steve panted, pushing back hard on Tony's fingers. "I've never...uhn."

"Yeah, almost..." Tony pulled his fingers out with a lewd noise, Steve's hips twitching.

"Oh God..."

"Just noise, Steve. Noises are part of sex." He ripped the packet open and rolled the condom on himself. "Hey... hey Steve. Wanna see? Look how hard I am for you..."

Steve craned his head around, flushed, dropped his head before looking back again for a second glance. "Oh shit... I can't believe I'm doing this. Tony—Tony!"

"Relax, Steve. I said I'd take care of you, right?" Tony smiled and coated his cock heavily with lube. "Relax. You gotta relax." He petted Steve's hip, getting up on his knees, poised. "You okay?"

"Yes!" Steve hissed. "I'm fine. Stop asking! I'll tell you if I'm not!"

"Yeah," Tony said huskily. "You tell me." He nudged his cock up against Steve's hole, pulling his cheeks apart and pushing in.

"Fff...oh... Oh Tony..." Steve gasped as Tony sank in slowly. "Oh God. Tony. Oh shi—fffuu—uh...!"

"Who'd have guessed...you'd be...oh Steve...so vocal during sex.." Tony grunted. He let out a shuddery breath as he pushed in as far as he would go.

"S-shut up..." Steve hissed, hips twitching minutely. "Oh God. Never thought..."

"Jesus. Shit fuck. Let me know when I can move." His arm started to shake as he waited, poised over Steve. "Shit, 'cause I really need to move."

"Yes! Yes please, yes." Steve reached up and grabbed the headboard.

Tony rolled his hips once, Steve's gasping whine driving him to do it again. "Yeah, Steve... You have...uhn...no idea..."

"What, of what, Tony?" Steve was pushing back against Tony's hips. "Tell me."

"Oh God. I'm... I can't believe this... Yeah, come on! This is you, Steve...! Captain America. God you're tight." Tony moaned into Steve's back, mouthing at his muscles.

Steve suddenly gave a strangled shout. "Y-you—oh my God shit! Do that again!"

Gripping Steve's hip hard as he bucked, Tony thrust into him again, hard. "Steve... Steve Steve...Steve..." he chanted on each thrust, heat burning through him as Steve cried out when Tony must have nailed his prostate.

"Oh God, Tony...! Almost—I'm close!" He reached back and tugged at Tony's hip. "Please...!"

With a grunt, Tony grit his teeth trying to hold off, pushing in hard and worming a hand under Steve's hips. "Come on, Steve! I can't... much longer." Snaking his other arm around Steve's chest, Tony laid himself out over Steve's back. When his other hand circled Steve's dick, the man shouted into the pillow and convulsed, clenching hard around Tony. "Ffuuuuuh...!" Tony panted, the word almost a whine as he clenched his eyes and came hard.

Steve was limp beneath him, but Tony moved with each breath, proud of himself for putting Captain America out of breath.

"Tony..."

He focused on catching his own breath.

"Tony... I can feel you grinning."

He laughed softly. "Well, I did just steal your virginity."

Steve groaned.

"Oh geeze. Stop. Stop moving. Too sensitive..." Tony inhaled sharply. "Stop! Stay still. I'm gonna... Stay still and relax." Tony lifted himself onto his arms and leaned back, pulling out of Steve with another lewd noise. Pulling off the condom, he tied it off and rolled to drop it into the trash. "That was pretty amazing. Amazing?" He glanced at Steve who was still red in the face.

"Y-yeah... It was good."

"Good." Tony levelled him with an arched brow. "Steve, Tony Stark does not do good. Tony Stark does awesome or go home."

"Careful there," Steve drawled. "Only supervillains refer to themselves in the third person..."

Tony laughed, stretching up to kiss Steve. "Stay here. I'll grab a towel and clean you off."

"Oh shoot! I—the sheets."

Tony snorted. "Don't worry about it."

"But I—"

"Steve. Awesome or go home. Who cares about the sheets."

Steve flushed.

"Aw man. My legs..." But he managed to stand and paused at the bathroom door to look back at Steve stretched out on his bed in the soft incandescent glow, looking well-fucked and messy. Maybe Tony could do a round two... He grinned and shook his head. Clean up.

Steve woke slowly, groaning immediately and arching into Tony's mouth. "I's too early for this..." he slurred. "Thought you weren't a morning person..."

Tony pulled off him and smirked, eyes a perfect phthalo blue, dark hair sticking up everywhere. "Who said that?"

"You. Repeatedly," Steve groaned, letting his head fall back into the pillow. "I'm not..."

"Let me finish?"

"When did you...oh Jesus, Tony...change...?" Tony just hummed making Steve jerk his hips up. "Oh God. Sorry! I'm sorry!" Steve curled forward as Tony pulled off, coughing.

"Calm down, Steve. I'm fine." And then pushed at Steve's shoulder and held his hips down. "Ever had this done before?"

"Uh... no?"

"Didn't think so. But let me tell ya something. I'm good." And then closed his lips around the head of Steve's... Another couple passes of his tongue and Tony hummed before pulling off. "You can put your hands in my hair, you know, instead of ripping the sheets."

"Oh my God, am I ripping the sheets?" Steve sat forward, hands in the air. "I'll..." There was nothing wrong with them. "Oh funny."

Tony grinned.

Scooting back to lean on the headboard, Steve licked his lips and watched Tony go down on him. "Oh. Wow."

Tony looked up at him through his lashes, dimples appearing in his cheeks as he almost-smiled with his lips stretched.

"Tony..." And slipped a hand into that wild dark hair to keep himself from thrusting. "How are you... You're so gorgeous..." He shifted awkwardly. "To—Tony. Tony, I'm gonna—"

Tony reached for the same washcloth he'd used last night and pulled off after one last suck and then stroked Steve until he came, head hitting the headboard and toes curling into the sheets.

When Steve had air again and a coherent thought, he looked up to see Tony stroking himself lazily. "I... do you want... I can..."

"Stroke me off? Make me come?" Tony leered. "Come on, Steve. Say it and I'll let you do it while we shower?"

Steve nodded quickly and shuddered with pride as Tony leaned back against him and shouted when he came in the shower. When they were both towelled off and Steve half-ways dressed, he turned to see Tony sighing at his clothes. "Something wrong, Tony?"

"No clean clothes. I'm gonna duck back to my room and get some."

"You want to borrow something of mine?"

Tony looked him up and down. "Sure. I'll just take to wearing dresses too."

"Well, it's not permana—" He froze at the beeping noise of his communicator.

"What's that? Alert? Is there a problem?" Tony crowded up behind Steve.

"You can't come," he said, staring Tony down. The familiar stubborn set of his face glared back.

"Why not?"

"You're not you!"

"Steve, don't you insult me again," Tony growled lowly.

"I've gotta go. Tony, please stay here. I don't want to be worrying about you while we're trying to fight off whoever or whatever this is for. Please promise me you'll stay here?" Gripping his shoulders lightly, Steve kissed his forehead and then dashed for his costume, dressed in minutes. As he rushed off with the rest of the team leaving Tony naked save for a towel on his bed, he couldn't shake the bad feeling rumbling through his gut.

Sure enough, halfway through their fight against something Loki'd cooked up, Iron Man appeared. Natasha's curse alerted him something was wrong, and by the time Steve's eyes lit on Tony, the kid was blasting the pig-horse creature and distracting it away from Clint who had been struggling with his bow.

"You need a new bow, Barton!"

"Shut up, Stark! You're supposed to make me one!" Clint snapped back over the comms.

"Tony! I told you to stay at the mansion!" Steve said lowly.

"And miss all the fun?"

"Man of Iron! Behind you!" Thor shouted, Mjolnir flying.

But Tony dropped out of the way and dove around a lamp post to blast the creature again.

Steve growled to himself and whirled his shield to help him out. He didn't want to admit to the fact that Tony's presence actually helped end the fight sooner. It didn't stop Steve from dressing him down when they got back to the mansion.

"What were you thinking!"

"That I was, I don't know, helping!" Tony waved a hand in the air, stomping around in the Iron Man boots.

"Tony, stop that! Take the suit off."

"Why? It's mine! I like it! And I want to keep it on!"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Can't you... You know what. Never mind." He threw up his hands. "I know you're going to insist on joining us. I don't want to fight. Not with you."

"Doing a good job of that," Tony retorted.

"Listen! Will you just..." He sighed. "Tony. Just promise me that you'll be careful. Please? I want you to be careful. I can't..." When he glanced up at his friend's face, Tony's features were schooled in to a careful mask, not quite what he used when he was his older self, but one that threw up walls. "Will you be careful? For me?"

"I'll be careful," he said quietly, looking down at his feet. "I promise."

"Thank you," Steve exhaled. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"But," Tony continued as if Steve hadn't said anything, "that doesn't mean that you can't be careful too. You promise me."

"Tony, of course. I'm careful. I just... I know you. And sometimes you get so into it that you become less cautious."

Tony snorted. "Steve. Right now I'm a teenager on top of the world, fucking Captain America—thank you very much—and I'm a bad-guy-fighting-superhero. This is any kid's dream come true. So I'm having a little fun with it. So sue me."

"Careful. I'm sure Pepper and I could arrange that."

Rolling his eyes and making a small noise in the back of his throat, Tony started working on the couplings on the suit. "This is kinda fun. But I'll make sure I'm more careful."

"Good." One step and he was in front of Tony. The suit still made him taller, but Tony's eyes were only level with his lips. "I couldn't lose you now."

Tony blinked at him, eyes wide, face flushing red suddenly.

"You're blushing," Steve blurted. And then grinned widely. "You're blushing!"

"Steve! Stoppit! Shut up!"

"I made Tony Stark blush!"

"You did?" Pepper said, heels clicking as she entered the study. "What did you say?"

Steve subtly stepped away so he was an appropriate distance when Pepper looked up from her phone.

"Nothing!" Tony said, elbowing Steve.

And damn that hurt in the suit. He grunted, rolling his eyes at Tony.

"I'm just hot in the suit."

"Can't figure out the AC?" Pepper quipped, setting papers down on the desk.

"I have AC in here?"

Steve smirked. Tony knew very well there was AC in there.

"So what d'you need, Pep?"

She tossed a fond look his way and then sighed. "Sign some papers. You'll get your company back when you're older."

"That's no fun."

"Yes, well. It's hardly fitting for a sixteen year old to head up the company yet. Wait," Pepper smacked her forehead lightly. "What am I thinking. We always have a sixteen year old heading up the company."

"Hey! I'd like to think that I become more mature with age."

"Barely, Tony," Pepper laughed. "So give me your Hancock and then I'll get out of you two lovebirds' hair."

"Hey—what?" Tony blanched at her. Steve laughed.

"You're hardly obvious." Pepper rolled her eyes. "You've been mooning at him for ever. And you'd hardly be walking around with that I've-just-kissed-Captain-America smirk if it weren't true... You finally confessed."

Tony grabbed for Steve's arm. "Oh God. What do I pay you."

Pepper grinned and tilted her head. "Enough. Not that I'd ever tell you that."

"But you're telling me now..."

"Yes. Yes, I am. And warning you that you had darn well better be careful, Tony Stark. You're young. We can have news of you dating a man more than ten years your senior when you're still under age. And all I had better hear about is kissing. Am I clear? Good. Because Tony, you've got to know that anything beyond that is against the law. Now. Any news on when you'll be back to your original age?"

"No one's been able to come up with anything. Thor said he assumes this is all for Loki's amusement," Steve said. "And of course, no one really knows Loki's goals at all."

Pepper nodded. "Of course. Well. Play nice." She gave Steve a wink and Tony a kiss on the cheek on the way out.

"Wow. I can see why I hired her..." Tony said softly, staring after her.

"Should I be jealous...?"

Tony patted his arm, gaze still trained after Pepper. "Don't worry, gorgeous. It's all you." Tony started. "Oh man! I wonder if my stuff is still in that closet!"

"Huh?"

Tony grinned at him. "So as you are now aware, I am a fan of pretty much anything Captain America..."

"Oh no..."

"Oh yeah, baby! Let's get me out of this suit and then I can show you the wonder of my collection!"

Hours later, Tony and Steve were tangled on Tony's bed having pleaded off, probably not so subtly, movie night. Well. Really not subtly at all. Clint rolled his eyes and muttered something that sounded like, 'finally' and Natasha smiled—small and scary—but smiled. Thor waved at them.

"So," Tony asked as he flopped off Steve. "Do we have any secrets here at all?"

"I'd say not..." Steve panted.

"Cool."

Steve grunted in reply.

"Think I'll just stay like this?"

"I hope not," Steve said.

"Why?" Tony demanded, leaning up on an elbow.

"No, no, I don't mean it like that..." Steve said gently, brushing a hand over Tony's cheek. "I just mean... Well. Older you and I have a long friendship. And as fun as it would be to rebuild that with you, there are things that I miss with hi—older you. You were the first person I met out of the ice, did you know that?"

"I didn't..." Tony said quietly, dropping his eyes. "Lucky me, huh?"

Steve laughed softly. "Yeah. Lucky you."

"So what. You imprinted on me and became my—what? Why are you making that face?" Tony frowned at Steve in confusion.

"That word."

"What word?"

"Imprint."

"Yeah..."

"Don't use it." Steve screwed up his face again and shuddered.

"Did I miss something?"

"Yeah. About thirty years of pop culture. And trust me when I say that some things are best left un-learned."

"Uh... Right..." Tony shook his head and flopped back down next to Steve, nestling against his side.

A month later and it was almost as if Tony never left. He made new plans for R&D, fought well on the team, and fixed Clint's bow. Twice. Even Fury was used to the idea of having young Tony Stark with them for the rest of their lives. He glared fearsomely when Tony suggested that he'd outlive Fury, however. Steve had covered a giggle, making Tony incredibly pleased. And maybe more than a little smug. In fact, everything was pretty much going his way. Steve was great. Pepper was a doll. Rhodey was his same old grouch self. The Avengers were freaking awesome. His company was pretty sweet. And he got to play with robots and mechanical shit all day long. Life really couldn't get any better. He whistled as he made his coffee, hopping from one foot to the other, dancing to music running through his head.

"Anthony!"

Tony jumped, grappling for the counter as he whirled. "Jesus! Thor! Don't sneak up on a guy like that! For someone of your size, I'm really impressed with your ability to do that, but it really creeps me out."

"Ah, noted. How are you?"

"Uh. I'm good... Thor. How are you?"

"I am... well. Thank you."

"Um." Tony slipped his hands into his pockets. "Right. Well. This is an awkward conversation."

"I do not mean it to be."

"What do you want, Thor?"

Thor looked around, ducked his head, and then hunched towards Tony.

"Hey. Come on, buddy. Spit it out." Tony grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

"I may...be able to convince my brother to undo his spell."

"Uhh..." Tony blinked, not expecting that of all things to come from Thor's mouth. "I don't..."

"Please. Think on it. I will only do as you wish. I am happy for you, my friend. You are loved. And I am unsure of the consequences of changing you back. You look happy. And I am glad."

He laughed nervously, looking everywhere but at Thor. "Um. Wow. You make it sound like I'm pretty miserable in the future."

"You are...reserved. In some things. Your vices cause you pain," Thor said lowly. "I do not like to see you in pain, Anthony. Therefore, you decide whether or not you wish to stay as you are or return to your former self."

All joy having evaporated like morning dew from grass, Tony shifted his weight. "Uh. Yeah. Yeah. Sure. I'll do that."

Thor grabbed his arm. "Either way, my friend, we are glad to have you."

"Hey, uh. Thor? Do you know... Like, is this time travel? Will I remember everything that's happened if I 'go back?' Or will I remember everything that's happened when I'm back as an adult?"

Managing a smile, Thor shook his head. "I do not know."

"Right. Right, no that's fine. I'll...think. Thanks. Buddy."

"Of course, Stark. You are my friend. I count it a privilege to be such."

"Yeah," Tony replied roughly. "Yeah, thanks, Thor." Grabbing his now full cup of caffeine, Tony escaped down to his workshop to work himself to exhaustion while his brain worked through this problem.

"What's with Tony?" Steve frowned around at everyone sitting before the TV.

"He's downstairs," Natasha said without turning around.

"I know that. But what's wrong with him?"

"We figured you'd know best," Clint smirked, mouth full of popcorn.

Sighing, Steve shook his head. "He hasn't talked to me in almost a week."

"Must be that time of the month."

"Shut up, Clint," half of the Avengers chorused.

Clint just shrugged. "He's probably in one of those funks."

"Yeah, but..." Steve trailed off, helpless for an explanation. "This isn't normal... He was..." Happy. Tony had been happy. And this wasn't normal. For Tony. For now. Not when everything was so good.

"Just go talk to him," Natasha said quietly.

"I don't..." He bit the side of his thumb and wandered down the stairs, pausing at the door like he'd done so many times these past days. Pausing with fingers poised over the keypad, but not entering the code to go in.

"Jesus, Steve, just come in," Tony's voice said, startling him. "Door's open. For fuck's sake."

"Language," Steve murmured, pushing open the door.

"What do you want?" Tony's voice echoed through all of the parts and pieces, the shop more of a mess than usual.

"I'm worried about you. I've hardly seen you—still can't. Tony, where are you?"

"In the back, Steve, I'm fine."

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," Steve said lightly. "But I miss you." He almost missed the small sound that Tony made. Making his way through the piles of...stuff, he found Tony on the floor, dirty, and surrounded by half-finished projects. "What's going on?" he asked quietly as he knelt next to Tony.

"Do you want old me back?"

The wrecked desperation in Tony's voice gave him pause.

Tony didn't look at him and took his silence as some kind of answer, because he went on. "Because I don't know what happens to me, then. I don't know where these memories go! And they're good ones, Steve. I wouldn't want to lose them. And older me is unhappy. I'd never say it aloud. But I'm not happy. I'm probably pretty fucking miserable, actually. And you guys all seem so happy when I'm...I don't know. Young? Controllable? Happy? Involved? Not drinking? I just..."

"Woah, woah. Tony. Stop. This... This is a bad road to go down. Stop blaming yourself, first of all. That's... Geeze." He ran his hands through his hair and sucked in air. "Is this what you've been thinking about this whole time?"

"Not... Not the whole time. But a lot. I just..." Tony looked up at Steve, so young. So so young.

"Oh Tony..." Gathering him into his arms, Steve sat back on the concrete floor and held him. "Any way you are, we want you."

"That's what Thor said."

"Thor?" Steve frowned, pushing Tony back to look him in the face. "What did Thor say?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "He said he could get his brother to reverse it."

"Reve—Jesus! That's what prompted all of this?"

"No! Well yes. But—Steve. Calm down." Tony grabbed Steve's shoulders, settling in his lap. "Just calm down. It's fine. I just... I was thinking."

"Yeah, from experience, that's not always something you should do alone."

Laughing softly, Tony shook his head. "I don't... Should I turn back?"

"What do you want?"

"I don't know what I want! What do you want?"

"I want you."

"And you say that with a straight face..." Tony grumbled.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"What do I want..." Tony whined, going boneless in Steve's lap. "I don't knoooow..."

Steve snorted. "That's nothing new."

"Well yeah, but this kind of has a big effect on, you know. Everything."

"I—oh crap," Steve grabbed for his communicator, Tony reaching it first to turn it off. "Just. Wait to see what feels right?"

"I guess." Tony sighed and rolling out of Steve's lap before getting to his feet and assembling the armour. "Go get dressed."

Steve charge up the stairs and pulled his uniform on, joining the Avengers as they dispersed into the air to their location. Which was, of course, down town. In the middle of rush hour. Steve actually swore and then Natasha was on the comms to Fury to get traffic rerouted. Steve actually swore again when he saw that it was Loki they were fighting. With some strange tentacled llama.

"Okay, seriously? Does he have one of those things with different animal parts, you spin it and out pops something strange?" Tony said over the line.

Clint snorted. "Careful, Stark."

And then they were fighting.

Half-way through, Steve lost sight of Tony, his heart leaping in his chest. "Iron Man? Tony? Where are you?"

"Uh... Down a side street."

He sounded strained. "Tony, do you need back up?"

"Nah, No, I'm fine."

"Tony...?"
"Steve!" he growled.

"I'm coming to you. Which street?"

"I don't know; I'm all turned around. I don't need anything. I'm fine. I just—"

"Tony?" Silence. "Tony? Can you hear me?"

"Fuck, what now?" Clint said.

"I can't see him," Natasha said.

Steve could see her. She was busy taking down an octopus arm. Clint was helping her out, and Thor was nowhere to be seen as well. Crap. This was bad. Steve took off at a run, shouting Tony's name, his heart stopping when Tony's voice came, staticky, over the comms.

"Steve. Love you."

"Tony? Tony noooo! Where are you?" Heart pounding in his throat, Steve bellowed Tony's name, spinning in circles, not seeing the red and gold. "Tony? Tony, can you hear me? Where are you! What's wrong? SHIT!"

"Cap, I see your location," Clint's voice said quietly. "Two streets over. I can see red and gold."

Steve swore and sprinted.

Tony groaned and scrunched up his face as light registered through his eyelids. And lover-soft words floated to his ears.

"Tony? Tony!"

"Ste—" He coughed and then tried again. "Steve?"

"Oh thank God..."

He sounded relieved. Really relieved. "What happened?" he croaked, searching out the face to the voice. Hospital. Steve at his bedside. July 19th? "Wha—"

"Tony! Tony! Relax! Just lie still."

"Steve. What the fuck happened? It's July 19th!" Unless there was something wrong with Extremis.

Steve laughed. "Yeah. Yeah it is July 19th."

"I missed your birthday."

Steve blinked at him and Tony registered his hand in Steve's. "Oh geeze. You're... You're impossible."

"Steve. Why is it July 19th."

"You...weren't you for a while—no! No, Tony, it was fine. It wasn't bad! Geeze, calm down."

"Steve, just spit it out! You're freaking me out!"

"Loki de-aged you and you were a teenager and were stuck like that for over a month!"

"Uh..." Tony sank back into the bed, catching himself up on the latest news. "And uh... when did I change back?"

"Two days ago." Steve smiled. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Because, uh.. you look a little dazed."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine, Cap."

Steve's smile dimmed a little, but he straightened in his chair. "Great. That's good. I'm—we're glad. The team will be glad to see you alright."

"Sure thing." He looked at Steve who now wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I should... you should rest."

"Steve." Oh shit. Teenaged him.

The man looked at him, blues wide.

"Was teenage me...weird?"

"What?" Steve blinked. "No. Why would you say that?"

From what he remembered of his teenaged years, Tony gave him a rueful grin. "I know I was just... well. I was a bit rowdy when I was a teenager."

"No," Steve said warmly. "You were fine."

"Oh? Really? Really Steve?"

"Well, you certainly weren't much different." He paused and then flushed. "You liked me."

"Huh?" Now he was confused. "You think I don't like you? Steve. Steve! If I've been making the wrong impression, let me correct you here and now! Of course I li—"

"No!"

Tony's mouth snapped shut.

"No, I mean..."

He almost laughed at Steve's tomato-red face, except this was clearly something difficult to get out, and Steve had something to say.

"I mean..."

"Spit it out, Steve. I won't... Just say it."

"You liked me, Tony."

He felt the blood rush from his head, leaving him dizzy. "Oh God..."

"Tony?"

A warm hand gripped his.

"Tony. Tony!" Steve said sharper.

"Still here..." he replied faintly, vision blurred. "Steve, you've got to believe me. I was a teenager! It was just hero worship! I didn't mean what I said—I was just a kid! I wan—oh God. Now what?" Tony tried to shove the panic down as he took in Steve's wrecked visage. "Wait. Wait, Steve. Did you..."

"I like you, Tony," Steve said in a small voice.

Small pause. "You like me?"

Steve rolled his eyes, face not any less red. "Yes, I like you."

"Right then!" The corners of his mouth started to pull up. "Forget what I just said then. I'm sure I meant it all."

"You don't remember being a teenager. Recently. You don't remember being a teenager recently?"

"Nope."

"Oh." Steve was blushing furiously again.

"Why?"

"Nothing. You like me then?"

"Yes, I like you."

Steve chuckled and squeezed Tony's hand.

"Oh God. Did I flirt with you shamelessly?"

"Yes."

Tony moaned and covered his face with his free hand.

"It was fine! Tony, don't worry about it."

He groaned again. "Get me out of here. I don't need to be in this hospital. I promise you, I'm fine. Extremis says so. Now take me home?"

Shaking his head, Steve sighed. "You're already cleared. But I reserve the final judgement of whether or not you can go home."

"And that's dependent on what?" Tony scowled at him.

Steve just smiled and stood, bending over Tony to kiss him.

His brain restarted when Steve pulled back.

"Tony..."

"Oh God. How... Who taught you how to kiss..." he blurted, limp on the bed.

Steve's face went through a series of amusing quick-changes—frown, smile, confused, before he said quietly, "You did."

Tony stared at him. "You're kidding me."

"No...?"

"I taught you how to kiss."

"Yeah."

"Did you know how to kiss before?"

"Theoretically."

"Steve."

"Tony...?"

"Damn, I was good for a teenager..." Tony looked at his hands. "So...can we get out of here?"

Steve gave him a lopsided smile. "Sure. Sure, let's go home."

After a lot of hullabaloo and emotional nonsense—the team being glad he was back, Pepper giving him a kiss on the cheek, a pat on the back from Rhodey, and JARVIS' voice welcoming him home—Tony collapsed on his bed, Steve standing awkwardly by the door.

"Need something, Steve?" He lifted his head to look at him.

"Can I...uh." He flushed and then shook his head. "Never mind."

Tony frowned and raised the lights to 40%. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"You know when you tell me it's 'nothing,' I'm going to keep digging. What. You wanna come to bed?" He grinned. Felt the world shift when Steve reddened more and avoided his gaze. "Oh God. You want to come to bed. Steve. Steve, that's a little forward, don't you think."

Steve mumbled something and then turned towards the door.

"Wait!" Tony scrambled to the side of his bed, not quite sure what was going on. Or why he wanted Steve to wait, but he...he wanted him to wait?

"Tony, we don't have too—I... this is embarrassing. I'm going to just...I'll go."

"No, wait. Steve... You want to come to bed with me?"

"I'm not a virgin..." Steve mumbled.

"Right, of course." He grinned again, standing. What other reaction was there? "Who had that honour?"

Steve rolled his eyes to the ceiling, looking pained. "You did."

"I'm sorry. I what?"

"You did."

"How—oh God. Teenaged me?" Tony dropped back onto the bed. "Oh God." Steve was at his side instantly, hands steadying on his shoulders.

"You okay?"

"Steve. We had sex and I don't remember it?"

Steve sat next to him on the bed and looked at him out of the corner of his eye. He opened his mouth. Shut it. Looked at Tony, face pink-tinged and bashful, but he tilted his head and looked at him through his lashes. "Want me to show you what you taught me."

"Oh God."

"Is that a yes?"

Tony pounced. Steve made a sort of choked noise that went unheeded as Tony kissed him furiously, hands gripping his wrists tight at his side. He swallowed Steve's groan, his dick paying interested attention at the noise.

Steve pushed him off, however, rolled them over, trapping Tony beneath his weight. "You want this?"

"Steve, I've only wanted this, obviously, since I was a teenager. And to be frankly very honest, I am very jealous right now of my teenaged self, and this needs to be fixed. Damn it." Tony pushed at him, grunting. "Damn it. And this isn't fair. Because you're bigger than me, and all I wan—Steve! You're not making this easy for me!"

Steve laughed, cupping his face and kissing him sweetly. "Fine. Fine, but tomorrow."

"Tomorrow! What the fuck for!"

"Because you need rest still."

Tony groaned, wriggling and bucking in hopes of getting his way. "Steve..." And was rewarded with Steve sucking in air through his teeth.

"Tony." Steve dropped his full weight on top of him. "Stop it. We can... we'll have plenty of time tomorrow. Okay?"

"But Steve... I'm horny now."

Steve laughed. "And you will be again tomorrow, I'm sure."

"Steve," Tony said, stilling and lowering his voice. Smiling softly and dipping his eyelids, he crooned next to Steve's ear, "Would you be so kind as to get me off?"

Shuddering on top of him, Steve rolled away. "Tony..." By the time he looked back at him, Tony already had a hand down his own pants. "Jesus."

"Didn't you say something about potty-mouths, Captain Rogers? Is this a hypocrisy?"

Steve swore again and grabbed Tony's wrists, pinning them on Tony's chest and jerking his pants down his hips.

"Hey hey! Careful with the merchandise!" he protested weakly. And then caught his breath as Steve gave him a wicked grin before closing his lips around his dick. "Oh my sweet mother of—"

"Don't you finish that sentence," Steve said, pulling off.

Tony groaned. "Did I teach you that too? How to suck dick and be a tease?"

"Well enough," Steve said playfully and went back to Tony's cock like a pro until he came and then the two of them bundled under the sheets for sleep.

Tony scooted closer to Steve's side, pushing his back against him. He sent the lights back down to nothing, and maybe, just maybe, he smiled a little to himself at the turn of events and hated Loki a little less. Until the next time. But with the promise of sex tomorrow and possibly repeat performances after that? He was willing to maybe give the trickster god a waive.

"Love you," Steve murmured, curling his arms around Tony's waist and kissing the back of his neck.

"Uh..." Steve stiffened against Tony, obviously more awake than he had been thirty seconds before.

Tony turned in his arms. "You love me?"

"I just..." Steve was avoiding his eyes again.

"Hey, hey, don't panic. I just... Say it again?"

"I love you...?"

"You were really involved with young me, huh?"

"Uh, yeah. Oh Tony, don't be jealous of yourself..."

"I am definitely not jealous of myself. Well. Maybe not. That would just be weird, right? Jealous of yourse—okay! Fine! I'm totally jealous of myself!"

"Tony..." Steve said gently. "You're still you. And I like you."

"Love me," Tony corrected on the inhale.

"Love you," Steve agreed, tracing Tony's cheek. "And just because you're twenty years older doesn't mean that I'm going to love you less."

"But aren't I different?"

"Of course you're different. Everyone's different as they age. You're smarter, more experienced, more clever—"

"Older."

"Yes. So?"

"I..." He wasn't going to say it. Tony Stark was not vain. Not that he'd admit anyway.

"I'll still love you in the morning. And probably tomorrow."

"But I have to re-fall in love with you..."

Steve blinked at him, leaning up on an elbow. "Do you love me?"

Tony opened his mouth and then bit his lip. "If I say yes is it too soon?"

Laughing softly, Steve bent his head and kissed him. "No. You told me you'd always had a crush on me. I was your hero."

Tony groaned. "Oh God! Steve, I was a stupid teenager! Really! I didn't have two brain cells to rub together!"

"Hey now. I liked teenage you. You were...more unguarded. Don't be ashamed of it. I thought it was sweet."

"Great. Tony Stark: Sweet. Not a descriptor I thought I'd acquire." He dragged his hands down his face.

"I still want to have sex with you in the morning."

He brightened. "Really?"

"Only if you'll still respect me."

Teasing. Steve Rogers was teasing. Teasing him. "Oh, you enjoyed the hell out of me as a teenager. All of those pop culture references that I taunted you with...

Steve grinned wider. "Of course."

Snorting, Tony poked an elbow into his ribs and then resettled himself, curled around Steve this time. "Fine then. Now sleep so we can get to the sex faster."

Steve laughed but kissed Tony again before allowing Tony's arms to worm around his middle. "Goodnight, Tony. I love you."

"G'night, Steve. Love you too," he said quietly, heart filling with warmth and pleasure. "Love you too."