Tony was unsure of what he even wanted to do concerning Steve. The thought of liking him as anything more than a friend, thinking of him as anything more than a team mate, unnerved him a little. Tony was supposed to be the cruel and sarcastic one. He was supposed to be drinking late with underwear models and having sex like a rabbit every night.

For months, though, after having met Steve face-to-face, something changed. He still drank every night and slept with models and hurt people with words that felt like second-nature. But now he was thinking about Steve every time he was sober enough to let the thought cross his mind. Not just thinking, "Steve is still a virgin and here I am doing this all the time. I wonder if he will ever find himself a girl." He would think, "What would Steve's face look like if I told him the same lie I told this girl. He probably would not giggle and keep messing with me. No, he'd know I was lying and tell me I was crazy. Oh god, what would he say if I told him I just thought about him while I'm with this girl?"

Somehow Tony knew that Steve would not hesitate to punch him. Wouldn't he? Steve is from a time when being gay meant you were put to death, or you had to live your life in shame and hide from yourself. What if Steve hated gay people?

Tony was not gay, anyway, so it did not matter, and neither was Steve. When Tony thought of Steve he did not think of him in a sexual way. No, it was more than that. Steve was Steve. Not a man or Captain America or anything else. Steve was the person he had grown up idolizing and talking to when he had no friends to listen. Steve was there for him in ways he would never know. Steve was the person he loved with a deeper caring he would never let him know.

It did not help that Tony started to realize Steve is someone any girl would love to have. He thinks of how a girl would touch Steve and use him and feel about him. He gets jealous knowing that girls everywhere would love to be with him. It also makes Tony feel guilty that he has sex with all of these women while Steve holds his virginity like a precious thing that only one very special person will get.

When Tony realized he wanted to share that experience with him, he knew that his feelings were not just as a good friend and idol. Tony, as selfish as he was, did not just want to get that coveted thing like a prize. He wanted to really be that much closer to Steve. He couldn't help thinking of Steve in a sexual way after that.

Steve was a beautiful human being, and, he had to admit right now, sexy.

"That giant fought hard, but he could not defeat my friends!" Thor smiles to them. They just got back to Tony's mansion to rest for a few hours before going to their respective homes.

"Yeah, but he knocked Tony pretty good in the eye! Tell me, how did that get past your suit? Or did you get beat up in a bar fight last night?" Natasha remarks.

"Comical. Really. I think I might pass out from laughter." Tony shoots back.

"That really looks like it hurts. Do you need ice?" Steve asks, concerned.

Steve, always so helpful. He's wrapped up in the concern for everyone else. Not a kinder person could have been picked to become Captain America, Tony thinks. "No, I'm fine, thanks. I just need to go work on the suit. See you all later." Tony says and leaves them to collect themselves. "Banner, you know where I keep the food and drinks. Help yourselves."

Tony leaves to go downstairs to his work space.

Before he can tell JARVIS to open the doors, though, he stiffens. Someone is coming down the stairs behind him.

He turns around to see the mighty Captain America himself. He's not very stealthy for a super human,Tony thinks.

"Tony." He says just above a whisper. Steve clears his throat and continues louder, "I could not help but notice your arm was cut, as well. I think you should really reconsider the ice. You may have knocked your head a bit hard not to notice."

Tony becomes aware that his head does in fact hurt a lot, and his arm has a nasty cut on the side.

"Uh… yeah, maybe I should." He half smiles.

"Good because I know where you keep the ice packs. Wait here." Steve demands.

"Okay." Tony replies, trying to think why he can not get the ice himself.

"He cares about me is all." Tony thinks to himself, and then runs the thought back over in his mind, a bit more giddily. "He really cares about me." The thought turns bitter because he knows Steve will never care about him like he does.

Steve returns with a first aid kit and a cold pack.

"They never had anything so convenient in the forties." Steve chuckles. "All I ever used was ice, and that melted pretty quickly. Also, these are supposed to stay colder longer."

"Yeah, thanks. I can do the rest myself; just leave me to my work. You should probably head home, anyway." Tony replies.

"The rest of the team and I were going to watch a movie Clint picked up from the 'red box,' though I have no clue what that would have to do with a movie." He laughs. "It's about spiders and I would rather not be there for that."

Tony is vaguely aware that Steve just opened up to him for no reason. The only thing he is focused on is trying to wrap up his arm and find the ibuprofen.

He looks up, "You're still here?" Tony asks, but immediately regrets it because Steve gives him the most pitiful look.

He's saying with his eyes, "Please don't make me go back up there alone."

Tony sighs and pops two ibuprofen in his mouth. Steve is still holding the ice pack.

"Can I have the ice, Steve?"

"Oh. Yeah, sure." Steve hands it over.

"Thanks." Tony's hand touches Steve's for a moment and he freezes.

Steve clears his throat and Tony blushes, moving his hand away with the cold pack.

"You sure you want to be left alone?" Steve asks.

"No. I won't make you watch the movie. You can stay, I guess."

Steve smiles and sits down in one of the office chairs by Tony.

Realizing it would be rude to just ignore him, Tony decides to strike up a conversation with Steve.

"So… been watching the news, recently?" Tony has not talked much with Steve recently and doesn't know exactly what to say to him. He guesses, after being encased in ice for seventy years, there's a lot to catch up on in the world.

"A lot has changed. It seems all the news talks about is the upcoming presidential election, gay people, and war."

Tony's face reddens at the mention of gay rights.

"Are you okay?" Steve sounds concerned.

"Uh… yeah." He could use this to his advantage. Why not talk about gay rights? It's perfectly good conversational material. It doesn't have to mean anything or be awkward. His mind is going a million miles a minute. "What do you think of all the attention gay people are getting, anyway? I could care less, really. It's about the person you love, not their gender. Ha ha."

"I…uh… don't know. I'm surprised they're talking about it on the news. In my time, if a man even held another's hand, then they could be hanged. Homosexuals were sent to death camps in Germany, even. Those people must have a lot of courage for standing up for themselves, I guess…" He trailed off in to silence.

Steve could tell Tony was up to something.

"Do you think I am a hateful person? That, because I come from a narrow-minded time I could just mindlessly dislike someone for who they love. Are you trying to prove something to yourself? I am a liberal person. Do not think I am stupid."

Tony was taken aback by this response.

"No not at all. I just… was curious."

"Curious about what? I think you should know me well enough that I am a defender of all people. I would not leave a person to die because of who they love. I would stand with any soldier willing to fight, regardless of who he is. Surely you know me well enough to know that."

"Jeez, I just wanted know what your opinion was on the issue. I am not a mind reader. I never thought you would hate anybody. I was simply wondering if…" If you would be disgusted that I love you, Tony almost said.

"…Wondering if what?" Now Steve was really confused.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I should really get to working on my suit."

"No. I don't know if it is just because your head is hurt or if you are just not answering me to make me mad. I want to know which one." Steve needs an answer.

"Is there a right answer? Because I would just really rather not do this right now."

"Do what? You're the one messing with me. I just want to know why."

"Steve, my head hurts." Tony says.

"Then I'll stay here in case you pass out. I can't let you be alone." Steve says seriously.

"I mean… uh. I'm messing with you." Tony back tracks. He wants Steve to go right now so he does not have to deal with his feelings, but he knows he is trapped.

"What is really going on here?" Steve does not know what is up with Tony, but now he will not stop until he does. "Now I know for sure there is something you are not telling me."

Tony almost wants to tell Steve how he really feels. He feels his face grow hot. The words want to come out of his mouth so badly, but they won't. He can feel his hands getting sweaty. He knows he is trapped.

Steve looks at Tony puzzled. "Why are you blushing?" Something hits his chest and he feels suddenly like he is about to explode. Tony is blushing, he thinks, because of him.

Steve has never liked someone so much as he has Tony. But NO,he cannot think that thought. It is wrong to like Tony in that way. What would his father think? What would Howard Stark think of him? He is thinking of his late friend's son in the wrong way.

Steve suddenly realizes Tony feels the same way as he does. There is a tension between them he never understood, before.

"I like you," Tony barely more than whispers.

"I have to go." Steve leaves.

...

Writer's Note: No copyright infringement intended, et cetera et cetera.