This is part of a series that I'll try to write regularly if my job gives me the chance. It doesn't have a beta so it probably has a lot of spelling and grammatical mistakes. If you found some, I'd be eternally grateful if you point them to me.

So, I split this story into two parts a long time ago, and actually checked the story with a more careful eye. I simply forgot about updating it in FF... sorry about that. I just usually pay more attention to my other account beacuse it shows more support fore the Stony fandom in general. BUT, I realized today and I can finally post the real IMPROVED version!

Enjoy!

Whoever Thought That Tony Stark Is Friendless

Not so Normal Friends After All

It doesn't come as a surprise to Steve Rogers when he first realized that Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes had some kind of problem with him. It wasn't a secret either, or at least the Colonel didn't waste much effort in trying to hide it any time he was anywhere near Steve.

Steve had suspected that Rhodes' dislike for him was probably funded more in a superficial nature and therefore Steve didn't deem it necessary to offer much thought nor self-analysis to the situation. Besides, the super soldier had talked to the man for no more than a few minutes a handful of times, and even in those extremely bizarre events, they'd only managed to talk about Avenger's business and nothing else. Not because of Steve's lack of trying.

For the Captain it had always been clear that Rhodes was a military man and that meant that he most likely appreciates practicality and straight-to-the-point in everything he did. For Steve, though, the discomfort that he felt around the man was obviously the result of the Colonel going out of his way with the clear intention of making him feel two centimeters tall; always looking at him in this undecipherable way every time Steve opened his mouth for the sake of small talk.

Steve was a soldier himself, so he knew how hostile some fellow soldiers could get over a misunderstanding of some sort, except Steve was trying very hard to think about a moment with the Lieutenant Colonel when something like that could have happened. However the results always came out without a single clue popping up in his mind because, once again, he really just talked to the man about the Avengers… and maybe about Tony.

Tony was probably the only reason this whole thing was bothering him now, considering that he wouldn't normally give a darn about how people that he barely knew felt about him. Except this was Tony's best friend; one of the very few people that had stood by Tony's side through every hardships he'd encountered. Before the Avengers, of course.

And it was only after that realization that it came to Steve like a slap on the face.

It was just a matter of time for Steve to find the reason behind the Colonel's latent resentment; it was bound to happen sometime, he knew that. What surprised and embarrassed him was that it took him so long to figure it out. And in such a situation...

"Rhodey, say something!" Tony demanded excitedly, but Steve could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"So, you guys are dating now." Rhodes deadpanned. It were moments like this, with the weight of a dark, murderous look directed his way, that Steve wondered if Tony suspected his best friend's dislike for Steve.

Maybe Tony was a little oblivious sometimes, but really, the Colonel wasn't even pretending to like him.

Still, there was a probability that he didn't have a clue considering what it took Steve to make the genius believe that he was in their relationship for the long run and that Tony actually deserved to be happy with someone he loved.

"Yes." Steve stated while resisting to avert his eyes from Rhodes' who was still staring, or scowling, at him without blinking. Steve thought it was important the eye contact, especially after finally realizing that the Colonel's problem with him was probably because he didn't like sharing. The stare only got worse when Tony put his arms around Steve's waist as if he wouldn't let go no matter what.

That made Steve relax his serious stare a little and he was unable to stop the warm smile that followed his lover's actions.

"Isn't that great, man?" Tony prompted squeezing Steve a little. "I think I can finally go steady. Well, if that's what Cap wants, of course."

Steve did anything in his power to ignore the now evident frown that was now on Rhodes' face in order to keep looking at Tony's earnest expression to answer truthfully, "I couldn't want anything more."

"Okay, okay, I got it. Please stop being so damn cheesy in front of me, man. You're freaking me out." The sudden change of expression and tone were pretty evident when Rhodes' eyes were redirected to Tony, who was now letting him go with a grin on his face dedicated to his friend. "I think it's great, Tony, really." The acid undertones weren't missed by Steve's enhanced hearing.

Tony and the Colonel were now dude-hugging. It would be a beautiful thing, especially considering how it almost never happened, if it wasn't for the fact that Rhodes wasn't paying Tony much attention judging by the way that the military man's arms tightened around Steve's boyfriend in what he could only call a possessive grip, not to mention the way the colonel seemed to be concentrating more in glaring at the super soldier in full hatred mode.

What made Steve finally glare right back was the way that Rhodes refused to let Tony go when his lover declared that it was too much hugging for a lifetime and that he needed to breathe.

"Now who's the cheesy one?" Tony teased, but then he relaxed again in his best friend's arms. "Really, Rhodey, this is good for me. Steve is good for me."

As Rhodes finally relented the crushing hug in order to look at Tony at arm length, the deathly glare turned into a soft stare (Steve could bet it was a rare sight on Rhodes). If Steve didn't understand right at that moment that Rhodes cared and felt responsible for Tony, then what he said next made it perfectly clear.

"I just want you to be happy, Tony. I hope you get that through your thick skull." He declared slowly while slapping him lightly on said skull. The way he said it implied that he didn't want any confusion for his words for anyone present. "And I would support you no matter what, man. That's why I'm here for, you know? To punch you in the face when your stupidity levels reach high levels; which is all the time."

"They certainly do not. I don't know if you somehow missed it, but I am a genius, wich means no stupidity levels." Tony affirmed in a soft voice. Even if his words expressed something entirely different, that was a tone Steve knew from experience that was reserved only for a handful of people. Thank God that Steve was included in that exclusive group because if he wasn't, he'd probably feel a little left out. A little more of a third wheel than he felt right now. Probably even jealous. Which he wasn't. Really. "I'm here for you as well, Rhodey; my need to annoy you sustains my sanity, even if I suck at showing it."

"You're better than you think, though. But I'm not defending you to yourself; I have to do enough of that for you in front of other people." The Colonel revealed playfully. "You certainly are unpopular around the wrong crowd."

"Probably just ass-clowns." Tony dismised with a smirk on his lips and a shake of his hand, "You don't need to worry about them, most people loves me. I'm really loveable, ask Steve."

"Tony, it would be a really damn freaky day when I don't spend at least five minutes of my short free time - thank you for that, by the way- worrying about what idiocy you decided to do that day." Rhodes said, deciding to ignore Tony's last words. Steve didn't want to get into early conclusions, but he couldn't help but feel that the Colonel's quick response was probably a way of telling Steve to 'back the hell off' from the conversation. And by conversation Steve meant Tony. "Besides, civilians love you, that's good for a fan club, Tones, but useless for things that do matter."

"Hey, my fan club can be awesome! At a safe distance, of course. They pulled me out of prison once." At Steve's incredulous 'what?!' Tony continued in a rush. "Besides, you said that you worry, but you rarely call me." He stated with fake-resentment, eyes dancing.

"I don't need to, I value my sanity and I have Pepper to reassure me that you have indeed done something stupid every day without summiting myself to your bullshit."

"I'm hurt!" Tony exclaimed while making an exaggerated grab at his arc reactor. Steve couldn't help but chuckle at his lover's antics."That's just mean, using Pepper for your stalker ways."

"Whatever keeps my mind at ease." Rhodes finished ruffling Tony's hair just to spite him. "How about that coffee you offered just before you detonated that bomb-of-news on my face?"

"Yeah, excuse my babbling. It was because surprisingly enough I give a damn about your opinion." Tony muttered while trying to tame his hair once again. "I'll go get the damn coffee." He announced louder, heading for the kitchen.

When Steve made a move to go after him, praying that Rhodes had really forgotten he was in the room, a firm hand on his shoulder that probably meant to hurt him a little –if not for the super soldier serum it probably would have– stopped him right on his tracks. No sudden invisibility today, it seemed.

"Captain Rogers, a word?" War Machine asked when Steve turned to face him with a raised eyebrow. The tone that was reserved for him was back; dark, threatening, full of promise of a painful death.

Not that Captain America was going to cower before it. "Sure, what's up?"

"You are up." Rhodes stated. And was that anger that Steve was sensing? "Look Rogers, I don't think I have a lot of time so I'll cut through the crap. I don't know what your intentions are, but let's get this clear–"

"My intentions?" Steve asked insulted. The Colonel may dislike him all he wanted, but he wouldn't let him dive into conclusions, that sounded more like accusations, just because he possibly thought that he was stealing Tony away. "Who are you to question my intentions?"

"I'm Tony's best friend. I've been there with him through it all, Captain; his loneliness, his drinking problems, his parents passing away, the fucking rapist–"

"Rapist?!"

Rhodes continued as if he hadn't said a word, "Obadiah Stane, Justin Hammer, Pepper's break up, even his eternal playboy ways."

Steve was getting angry at being ignored. Even though he knew about most of the points Rhodes was trying to pull over him, and was aware of their length in veracity, the one that had disturbed him the most was the one that he didn't know anything at all. Just thinking of someone taking Tony like that…

He took a calming breath, if Steve wanted to get to the detail of the rapist situation, he wanted Tony to explain it to Steve himself. The last one, though, the 'playboy ways', he had already talked with Tony about it and he really didn't appreciate Rhodes referring to it as if it was something that Tony couldn't change. That he HAD changed a long time ago. It was as if the Colonel was trying to say something to him that Steve didn't appreciate. "What are you trying to s–"

"Of course you wouldn't know anything about all of that, because you just got your ass unfrozen and barged into Tony's life with the purpose of being suddenly busy making him miserable for over six months."

Steve felt that like a good punch in his gut. He thought that he now understood Rhodes' resentment towards him better. He'd thought it was a simple case of 'Get off my little Tony 'cause I'm his best friend and I look after him'. He had been wrong. Rhodes didn't like him because of the way he made Tony feel the first few months when they were fighting over every single thing just to find a way to make the other feel bad.

It hurt even more the realization that they hadn't really talked about it. That Steve didn't know if Tony'd forgiven him for judging him just for not being like his father when it was clear that he was so much more.

"And now is all better and you love each other? Don't make me laugh," Rhodes continued with a tone full of skepticism. "I know that Tony really cares for you and that's the only reason you're still alive, Rogers. I know you're not that dumb and you can see how much Tony would do for you, so cut the crap and make your intentions clear because I'm not buying your fucking lovey-dovey stunt."

"Hey, listen here," No more getting angry. Now Steve was royally pissed. His voice low and dark. "I don't give a darn who you think–"

"Hey, guys, coffee is ready…" just when Steve wanted to make Rhodes understand by shaking him a little or perhaps a punch here and there, Tony came with three cups of coffee. It seemed that the atmosphere was so suffocating that even Tony caught up on something. "Everything alright over here?"

"Of course, dumbass, now hand me that cup 'cause I haven't had a decent cup of coffee in a while." and just like that, Rhodes was his usual around Tony and Steve couldn't stop regretting that he had just lost a battle to the Colonel. He comforted himself with the determination of making this whole conversation Round One; he definitely had not lost the war.

At least Rhodes wouldn't interfere with Tony's love life more than this.

Right?

Jan thought he was crazy. As in completely crazy.

Why? She thought that Steve was simply nuts for thinking that Colonel Rhodes, as Tony's best pal, wouldn't get his nose into their love life.

"Really, Steve," she said as if she had to explain something really simple to a slow kid. "don't you know that the first step to a relationship free of rocks in your path is ALWAYS make sure that the best friend likes you?!"

"How so?"

"You're kidding, right?" when she saw the honest confusion on Steve face, she left an exasperated sigh leave her mouth. "I sometimes forget that you're older than a dinosaur. Have you ever heard of 'Boyfriends come and go, friends are forever', more commonly known as 'bro's before ho's'? No? Right. Well, something that changed a lot since de 40's would be the appreciation of friends, especially when divorces started to be so common it hurts. People realized that your friends stick with you no matter what and a relationship can end with a stupid quarrel."

"That's certainly not true." Steve refused to believe that the way Janet thought that people these days saw commitment was anywhere near true. Especially when they were so open-minded about a lot of stuff nowadays. "Tony and I fight every now and then and we are perfectly fine."

"Well, yes. That's what mature relationships are about, but you do realize that if you left it to Tony to fix your arguments, you'd have already broken up, right?"

That was mostly true. Steve knew that Tony wasn't as bad at relationships as what most people would probably expect of him, given his reputation. Though, Steve was happy when he'd come to realize that if you put all the insecurities and awful self-esteem issues behind, he was actually pretty good at it.

They did struggle a lot when all of this started, but Steve was never one to give up on the few worthy things that had crashed into his life and he was glad that he never gave up on Tony. The genius was starting to get better by the day at the 'relationship stuff', as he called it.

However, he still remembered their first argument as a couple when Tony had thought that fighting over his lack of his self-preservation instinct warranted a break up. Steve had never laughed that hard. Then they'd had a lot of glorious make-up-sex.

"Steve Rogers, stop thinking perverted things and focus!" Jan nagged at him and Steve realized that he had spaced out a little.

"Sorry, Jan. What were you saying?" He was honestly sorry; Jan was just trying to help.

"You were thinking about make-up-sex, weren't you?" asked Jan with a huge grin.

Steve sometimes forgot that it was dangerous to display any form of affection towards Tony in front of the little, devious woman, even if Tony wasn't around; she seemed to be over-interested in their relationship. Tony suspected that she was taking pictures of them making out and selling them on the internet to the highest bidder.

At Steve's fidgeting and evident blushing, Jan decided to spare him a little embarrassment and she continued with the important topic. "Anyway, for someone like Tony, Rhodes opinion of you is very important. If Rhodey dislikes you, the Colonel may find a way to try to persuade Tony to move to something 'better for him'" she finished with air quotes.

"I don't think that Colonel Rhodes would do something like that."

"Normally, I would agree. But this is Tony we are talking about here, Steve." Suddenly, Janet was completely serious. "I mean, if we are protective of him, can you imagine someone who has been with him through all of Tony's problems since they were like, sixteen?"

"You're right; he mentioned something like that."

"'Cause I'm never wrong." Agreed Janet, "Now, you have to stop believing that it doesn't matter. Tony is never going to leave you, Steve, you know that, but it means a lot to him for you to get along with his most treasured friends, and since you're already in the good side of all the members of the Avengers, you got it easy."

"You're probably right, Jan, I would probably like Tony to get along with Bucky, too. But I don't know what to do to make him like me." Steve confessed. "He was pretty clear on his distaste for me, and it's not like he even let me defend myself."

"Then maybe you should talk to him." Jan suggested putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Clear things up."

"Yeah, it really is something important to Tony." Steve added thoughtful. "He was really nervous when he told me he thought it was time for him to tell Rhodes about us."

"More nervous than when you were going to tell us?" asked Jan bemused. Tony had almost passed out when she'd lecherously asked him in the middle of a movie night when they three were the only present about the Stark-sounding-moans coming from his room the night before. When Tony had refused to answer her and Steve was a speechless, blushing mess, she'd told them she already knew everything and that she'd had a lot of proof to back her up so they should probably stop trying to hide it.

After that they'd been forced to come out clean with the whole team. Ever since, Tony's been afraid of Jan's lecherous smirk whilst Steve had made her the person to-go-to when he had relationship problems.

"Definitely. But only before Rhodes got here, then he handled it pretty good."

"Damn it!" she swore, "I would have loved to be there!" Steve chuckled in response.

"So, should I give him a call?"

"Sure thing!"

Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes answered the phone at the first ring. His voice tight and sharp.

"What's wrong with Tony?" he demanded.

Steve needed a few seconds to process the question and try not to stutter when he answered. "Nothing, I was-"

"Then what do you want, Captain? I'm in the middle of something important."

"I was just thinking that maybe we started with the wrong-"

"Captain, cut the bullshit. What do you want? I don't have time for your babbling."

Despite Steve's effort of draining his quickly growing anger with a quiet sigh, he found that he couldn't let anyone talk to him like that. Not even his lover's best friend. "You're being rude without a cause, Colonel, I would suggest for you to-"

"So I'm judging without knowing? Is that what you're saying? I feel like I'm getting this from the wrong person, Rogers."

Steve was now seeing red. He knew what exactly the Colonel was bluntly hinting about; he could almost see Tony in front of him calling him a laboratory experiment just after he told him in lot of words how he was such a failure.

And he felt guilty enough for someone who hadn't even been there to add to it.

"So this is what this is all about to you? You're pulling the 'an eye for an eye' game here? This isn't a game, Rhodes, this is about Tony and-"

"And for once we agree on something; this is about Tony and how you're just an asshole who thinks he's better than anyone for pulling Tony through his bad habits with great sex. He's not a charity case, Rogers. Find someone else to pity on because Tony Stark is a great man who deserves to be loved the way he is."

"How dare you assume-!"

And before the whole sentence leaved his mouth, Steve could hear the constant bip of his phone's line indicating the dead line.

He hung up on him.

Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes just hung up on Steve leaving him with the word in his mouth. Again.

Now Steve had to ask Tony for a new phone. It had been a while since he had felt so damn frustrated and now the poor technological thing laid spread out all over the floor where it'd crashed loudly. And he was just starting to get a grip on the texting and on the saving contacts with their pictures. The idea of struggling with a new, unknown phone just made him, if possible, more irritated.

"Steve?" the familiar voice calling him from the doorframe of their room made him relax at least a little. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Steve lied taking a long calming breath that betrayed his words. Tony approached him carefully and put both of his hand soothingly on his shoulders, giving him a little massage. The brunette was searching for his eyes in an attempt to read the blonde better.

Steve couldn't stand still anymore and before he knew it, he was on his feet with his hands tightly curled in fists, walking in small circles and ready to punch something into another dimension where not even Reed would find it.

"Of course you are," the genius conceded sarcastically eyeing the destroyed device. "I can even see the wonderful piece of art you were trying to create with the wall, the floor and the newest Starkphone. Very modern, let me tell you." Tony didn't give up his need to comfort Steve and he followed his walk until he was standing infront of him. At seeing his calmed, worried stare, Steve at last relaxed a little and let Tony cup his face with both hands.

"Sorry." He whispered sincerely, soothed by Tony's touch and sarcasm when once upon a time it would've surely triggered another fight.

"What happened?" Tony inquired gently while running his hands slowly up and down Steve's neck. The Captain gave up his tense demeanor and found comfort by rounding Tony's slim waist with his arms. "You seem really frustrated, and don't you try to deny it because that's my normal state and I can recognize it from miles away."

"I would think your normal state would be something between loud and stubborn." He teased with a little smile.

"Now, that's just mean. I can be perfectly quiet and submissive when I want to be." Tony stated with fake-indignation.

"If you're talking about sex, and you always are, then I would totally discard the quiet thing. It's simply not possible for you." Steve replied pulling Tony closer to hug him completely, tucking his lover's face under Steve's strong jaw. His lover's hands adjusted to the new position and were transferred to Steve's back, resuming their soothing spell in the form of lazy circles. "I really love the way you are noisy in bed. You know that, right?"

At Steve's question, Tony pulled back a little so he could cup the blonde's cheek with one hand and force him to look Tony straight into his eyes. "Steve, what's wrong?"

"I just want you to know that." Steve lied smoothly. But maybe not so much considering the skeptical look he was receiving from Tony.

For one instant there, he wanted to ask about the so called rapist. It was something that had been nagging him since it came out of Rhodes' mouth. But considering the urge of shaking answers out of his lover so he could hunt down the responsible and make them pay dearly, he decided, for the sake of avoiding a big argument, to voice his other concern instead: "I never apologized for the things I called you when we met." He confessed finally.

"What?" Tony now looked confused. "Is that what's been bothering you? Why? That was like years ago."

"I just realized that we never really talked about it."

"Well, I thought it wasn't necessary considering that I wasn't a defenseless victim enduring your evil harassment since I was striking right back at you, Steve. We are both guilty."

"But I started it," Steve accepted in a whisper. "I made you feel miserable for a while and you didn't deserve it."

"How did you…?" Tony tried to ask, surprise reflected in his eyes. Steve could even recognize the hint of anger hidden in the depth of his dark-blue orbs. Tony was now pushing against his chest trying to make Steve let go so he could create some distance between them, except that Steve didn't let him; he knew that Tony was more prone to get mad at him when he was out of his arms and the blonde simply didn't feel like letting go, anyway. In addition, Steve really wanted all of this sorted out as soon as possible, which was unlikely to happen if he had to chase after Tony.

As if suddenly turning on a really bright light, Tony looked sharply at Steve as if he suddenly understood everything that was happening in his mind.

"Is this about Rhodey?" he asked hitting the nail head on. At least he'd stopped trying to get away in favor of what seemed to be headed to a bad-cop-interrogation. "Did he say something to you?"

Steve then realized that the anger wasn't directed at him. At least not entirely.

Even if Rhodes frustrated him big time, it would be unfair of him to get him in trouble with Tony over the phone call that Steve had initiated. Besides, like hell would he go to his lover to tell on the guy for insulting him and 'hurting his feelings'. He would rather have another pleasant chat with the Colonel.

"No. We were just talking and he was just… We were just talking about-"

"Steve, stop right there. You're a horrible liar. Really, I know that Captain America isn't expected to lie and all that, but seeing you try is painful." Tony stated, cutting his stuttering. "What did Rhodey say to you?"

At Steve's silence, Tony scowled a little in suspicion. "Don't worry; you don't have to tell me, we had a discussion about you a few days after we told him about us, so I can easily guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I asked him what the hell did he do to make you punch your way through all my sandbags the day he came over. I had a vested interest in asking, you see, especially considering that we had about fifty of them, and you had to sweep the sand all night leaving me all alone in bed. You're making the people who sell me all the boxing equipment quite happy, Steve."

"Sorry." He apologized regretfully. He really did feel bad when Tony had to buy stuff because he broke them; he had enough to repair because of Bruce hulking out as it was. At Tony's wave of dismissal, he inquired, "So? What did he tell you when you asked?"

"He was pissed that I was going out with a national icon that 'probably just have a crush on me'. I told him that his lack of faith in me was insulting." He scoffed. "I can't believe that he actually told you directly to leave me alone or something. I was pretty clear when I told him to leave you alone."

It was something in the wording of the last phraise that had Steve understanding just how important Rhodes was to Tony. No 'fuck off!', nor 'go stick your nose wherever it's your business', not even 'leave us alone'. Just, to leave Steve alone.

"But what did he tell you exactly for you to be this angry? I'm thinking that that was a really nice phone, so now you have to tell me," his lover demanded with clear indignation on his behalf and Steve thought that was adorable. "Did he call you?"

"No, I called him." Steve confessed which made Tony blink his eyes in surprise. "Yeah, I asked JARVIS his mobile phone number, but apparently he already had mine because he knew it was me the moment he answered."

"You called him? You called him to his personal phone?!" Tony asked like he couldn't believe his idiocy. "Do you have a death wish or something?!"

"What?" Steve asked naively, not understanding what the big fuss was over. "I thought that we could fix things. Maybe start again?"

"Steve, judging by the way you ended up breaking half of the gym's equipment (shut up! The sandbags are half of the gym's equipment!), and the way you pulverized your unbreakable Starkphone, I can only assume that he didn't like your conversation on the phone."

"Well, I had to try." Steve insisted.

"And you did," His lover agreed gratefully, smiling warmly at him. "And I know you did it for me, so I'm really happy to have someone like you with me, but if you think I'm hardheaded, then that's because you don't know Rhodey, at all. He'll come around with time, Steve. With a lot of time, frankly, but let it go for now."

"Tony," Steve in a persuasive tone, "I know this is very important to you. Maybe I should try one more time?"

"Seriously, Steve, let it go. So what if my best friend doesn't like you? I love you and that's what it's important, right?" he finished his statement with a chaste kiss on Steve's lips and a good grope of his ass to show his encouragement in his own way.

"Right..."

Steve, being Captain America and all, wasn't convinced that their conversation could realy mean the end of the whole situation. Things were never that easy no matter the finality in Tony's voice. Instead, he gave Tony a well planted kiss and before it could turn into a passionate one, he pulled back and continued with the topic at hand.

"Tony, what did you tell Rhodes about me for him to dislike me so much?" Steve really wanted to know what had warranted such hostility towards him. At Tony's guilty expression, Steve decided to reassure him before his lover had time to turn his obvious thoughts of 'Danger! I gotta go!' into action. "Not that I blame you, Tony, you know I don't; I just want to know before I face him again."

At Tony's obvious reluctance, Steve thought the worse, but really, he couldn't feel hurt about it since he complained about Tony a lot in those days, too. "Please, I'm going to have to meet him eventually and I want to be prepared." He added.

"But you have to remember that I was just angry and I didn't really know you and it–" Tony started in a rush.

"Tony, I know. Just tell me." Steve asked taking both of his hands in between his big ones, his thumbs massaging the back of his lover's hands.

"Fine!" he exclaimed loudly with resignation. "I told him you're nothing but a charade; that the instance you got out of the ice you decided that you were too much for this world but you were going to grant us the favor of your presence by ordering us around; that I couldn't stop seeing you as a brainless gorilla wrapped in a flag and couldn't picture myself following you anywhere."

"…Well, that wasn't so bad." By that, Steve meant 'Ouch!'. But still, it didn't sound personal enough for the Colonel to hate him.

"And then I kindda ruined it when I got really drunk with Rhodey and just couldn't stop talking." Tony confessed in a lower tone. "I told him that you thought that I was nothing like my dad and that I never will be; I said to him that everytime you looked at me I could feel you searching for someone who wasn't there and that you'd just get mad at me about it.

"I said to him that you'd insinuated that I was nothing but a spoiled brat who made himself an expensive toy in order to cure some of my boredom; that you told me that I just fought for myself and didn't give a damn about anyone else and that I should stop acting like a hero because I was too selfish to ever become one."

"… Tony." Steve couldn't feel guiltier, especially because he knew that some of that was right; he had looked at Tony expecting him to fill a void within Steve than no one else could for being the only remote connection to his past. The impossible expectations and the disappointment he felt when he believed that Tony only fought for himself. "Oh my God, Tony, I'm so sorry."

"Hey, you shouldn't be. Stop looking at me like that, Steve." Steve knew he meant the pained face he was probably pulling right now. "I called you a brainless gorilla wrapped in a flag. I think we're even."

But they would never be even because Steve knew that Tony not only surpassed all his expectations, but he really did fill the void within him in an entirely different, unexpected way. That was something he wouldn't ever be able to repay.

And just like that, a pair of lips were seeking his own in order to cheer him up. Steve allowed himself to let go off Tony's hands in order to cradle one of his lover's cheek with his left while the right went around his waist and pulled him impossibly closer.

After what felt like a moment that Steve didn't want to end, Tony broke the kiss too soon in order to look him in the eyes.

"Besides, this isn't about me and my daddy issues." Tony clarified with a smug look, probably at Steve's lusty face. His lover's arms clinging around his shoulders left Steve wondering when they got there. "We get enough of that."

"True." He teased with a smile. "So let's get to the part that started all of this: What was the Colonel's response to that?"

"Okay, his part I'm gonna make a small polite resume." Tony announced warily. Steve could tell that he wasn't going to like it. "He said that you were nothing but a big asshole that didn't read the files before judging me and that your ego got to the point where you couldn't see beyond your 'greatness' and that you should shut the fuck up when you didn't know shit."

"And that was the resume." Steve knew that Tony was probably molding whole phrases for the sake of his anger. Steve considered the words rude even diluted like that.

"He was just upset because he was the one who found me almost death in the desert, Steve." Tony stated, trying to defend his friend a little. "He was pretty upset that you thought that the suit was some kind of toy for my entertainment when I built it to escape a facility where I was being tortured for kicks. I guess he took it personal."

"Well, I probably deserved that," Steve agreed with a wince when his mind started running all kind of scenarios of Tony being tortured and dying in the dessert. Accepting it didn't mean that it had to make him feel any better, though.

"He's just trying to be a good friend and look after me, you know that, right?" Tony asked hopefully. Steve couldn't help but feel worse at how blind he had been to be unable to see such an amazing person as the one standing before him; even when trying to please Steve by telling him what he wanted to know, he would still show loyalty to his best friend trying at the same time to defend his actions. He was still trying to make Steve understand how much Rhodes meant to him.

"Of course," he conceded easily. "I feel like I own him a lot considering that looking after you, of all people, tend to be an almost impossible task."

"Hey! I resent that!" Tony complained while playfully trying to push him away. Steve only held on tighter regaining his smile. "I'm a perfectly pliable person when I want to be."

"I agree," Steve conceded easily with a snort, "Then again, that is only when you absolutely want to. But I've never seen you want to be 'pliable' outside the bedroom."

"And you said I'm the one who can't keep his mind out of the gutter." Tony teased while trying to make his smirk look like a sweet smile and failing horribly. The brunette was now running his hand all over his chest with obviously faked innocence.

"Well… Since I seem to be incapable of thinking of nothing but 'the gutter'…" Steve lifted Tony bridal-style, who totally shrieked in surprise. Steve didn't give him time to complain when he threw him almost immediately towards the bed, making him land perfectly on the middle before he could protest the 'princess treatment', as he called it. Super aim did come useful in a lot of different ways. "Why don't we give it a try?" he asked while crawling over to Tony, positioning himself between expecting legs.

"See? This is why I get confused when people ask me if you're any shy in the sack." Tony joked and pulled him down for a mind-blowing kiss.

Steve responded in kindly. He decided to stop it after a while when he noticed that there were too many clothes between them.

When he caught sight of the arc reactor, he couldn't help but halt his clothes-removing-actions and kiss tenderly around it, just like the first time they'd made love. This artifact was the reason Tony's heart was still beating and he couldn't be more grateful for its existence.

Used to listen to the faraway whisper that was his conscience, Steve couldn't help but recognize its voice reminding him that if Rhodes hadn't found Tony in that dessert in the middle of nowhere, he wouldn't be kissing the best thing that's ever happened to him in that moment.

Crap...

He was so screwed.