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Notes: Gah, I feel bad now. I originally intended to have a chapter posted each week, but class got in the way of things – midterm and an assignment due the same week oh joy. But I'll try harder to keep up a chapter a week.
Title: Something of Tomorrow
Parts: 4 / ??
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe / Avengers
Pairing: Steve/Tony ; Clint/Coulson/Natasha
Rating: pg13
Words: 5132 words
Prompt: In a world where your soulmate's name appears on your wrist as soon as they are born, Steve's wrist has been blank his whole life. [ original post here ]
Something of Tomorrow, Part 4
your heart's been touched and changed forever
you can't hide
– Lily Lily Burning Night!, English lyrics by кran
Sunlight filtered through the tinted windows of the bedroom, throwing a warm glow over everything. Steve woke up when the sun hit his face, but he drifted for a few minutes. He couldn't remember ever having slept so peacefully; there was a lingering feeling of contentment in his veins that he didn't want to lose.
When he finally opened his eyes, it took a half a second for his surroundings to reassert themselves. It was all still so hard to believe...
Tony was asleep next to him, their faces nearly pressed up against each other. At rest, he looked much younger. His breathing was deep and even, although he made a soft snuffling sound every now and again. Underneath that, Steve could just make out a faint mechanical whir.
He just lay there, watching Tony sleep, for what felt like a small eternity. The gradual spread of light throughout the room told him that it was more like a few hours, but Steve could have stayed like that forever.
Gently, Steve reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers along Tony's cheekbone. He smiled when Tony's face scrunched up for second before it relaxed again and he mumbled something quietly but he didn't wake. Tony was a deep sleeper. But if that meant that those dark circles under Tony's eyes disappeared, then Steve was fine with that.
Steve lay there for several more minutes and was just about to drift back to sleep when he heard a noise.
It was the quiet click of metal on wood. Steve automatically zeroed in on it; that first click was followed by another and then another. Footsteps.
Carefully, Steve slipped out of the bed. He'd left his shield leaning against the foot of the bed, never quite feeling safe without it nearby. He hadn't thought that he'd need it again so soon, even after the events of the night before.
He crept to the doorway of the bedroom, readying his shield and taking a deep steadying breath. The footsteps were getting closer, louder, and were accompanied by the soft whir of mechanical joints. Was it another one of those drones from the night before? If so, Steve would have to be careful – he had no previous intel on them and was flying blind.
Steve steadied himself with another deep breath. He didn't need to destroy the drone, he only needed to stop it or disable it long enough for Tony to get away. That was all he needed to do.
He took another breath as the door to the bedroom creaked open, a plan of action settling into his mind. He knew what he had to do.
The next couple of seconds were all a blur.
There was the sharp bell-like clang when Steve slammed his shield into the head of the drone, which sent it flying backwards into the main room of the penthouse. Then Steve was ducking under a fist, swinging the shield up in an arc and deflecting the arm upwards. He used the chest of the drone as a springboard, driving it further away from the bedroom door and the one escape route from the penthouse.
The noise of the fight woke Tony. Steve was aware of him in his peripherals and made sure to keep himself between Tony and the drone's line of fire.
Now that he was close up to it, Steve noticed a couple of details. Mostly that this drone – if it really was a drone – didn't look like the ones that he remembered from the expo. This one looked more like the suit that Tony wore, minus the bright gold and red paint job. That and the fact that this suit was kitted out with what looked like a small armoury.
The glowing red eyes and stern lines of the armour – because that's what this was, Steve thought now – gave it a much more malevolent air than Tony's.
He was distracted when Tony tackled him around the waist. The force wasn't enough to actually take Steve down, but it surprised him enough to distract him.
“Tony, what–”
Steve had to duck under one of the armour's arms, stumbling just a little from Tony's added weight and then they were both going down. He had enough presence of mind to turn, protecting Tony from any shots and catching himself on one arm before he could crush him.
Tony cut him off before he could say anything. “You are not pulling some self-sacrificing bullshit for me. And Rhodey,” he raised his voice, “You need to stop trying to defend my virtue or whatever the fuck it is that you're here to do.”
Steve opened his mouth to say something about how he wasn't doing anything 'self-sacrificing' but just trying to protect Tony when he was cut off again.
“Pepper called me last night,” the suit replied, helmet sliding up to reveal a man's face. “Saying something about how you hooked up last night with someone claiming to have your name on their wrist.”
“Okay, Steve? Let me up. I need to punch my best friend in the face.” Tony shoved at Steve's shoulders, pushing him so that Tony could sit up. He did, though, smile when Steve pushed himself to his feet and reached down to help Tony to his feet.
“You're not punching anyone in the face,” Steve said softly. Even though it wasn't a threat, Steve still kept a wary stance just a little in front of Tony with his shield at the ready.
“Oh yes I am,” Tony snapped. “Because you, Rhodey, do not storm your way into my home and threaten my soul-mate over my virtue or whatever the hell it is you came here to do.”
Rhodey rolled his eyes, “Tony, I'm not here to defend your virtue – that's laughable. I want to make sure that you're safe and no one's trying to take advantage of you.”
“I wouldn't–”
“You really think that Captain America is going to take advantage of me?”
That made Steve flush. He knew that after the whirlwind of USO shows and everything else that he'd gone through meant that he, as Captain America, was pretty famous. There'd been all sorts of memorabilia made during the War and possibly more after. And after seventy years, Steve wasn't sure if he could live up to whatever legends had been made up about him.
Rhodey stared, “You're kidding.”
“What? The shield didn't tip you off enough?” Tony managed to grab Steve's arm, tilting it so that the shield was on full display. “If you don't believe me, I've got pictures to prove it.”
Steve felt a little bit like a third wheel; he wasn't sure what to say or what to do, so he stayed quiet and watched.
“Where the hell did you get pictures?” Rhodey asked. “Captain America was just a myth, Tony. Someone the Army dreamed up to sell war bonds and be patriotic – he was never real. The shield doesn't prove anything.”
“It held up against the armour, didn't it? I designed that armour and I know exactly what it can take and what it can easily take out. Whatever that shield is made of – and you have to let me look at it because I wanna study it just a little, promise I won't break it or something – is tough enough to take a crack at the armour without damage.”
Tony held up both his hands, “Now hang on, I'll be right back because I've got some stuff to prove it.”
Steve watched Tony dash over to the armour, which was still in a pile near the kitchen, and rustle around it for a second before he pulled something out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rhodey cross his arms and a look of decidedly fond exasperation cross his face. They might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but Steve did like him.
“Here.” Tony held out an old picture, one that Steve recognized.
He remembered Howard taking that picture; it had just been after they'd returned from ambushing a Hydra supply train. Bucky had been grinning and cracking a joke and Steve had laughed and then Howard had taken the picture before throwing an arm around Bucky's shoulder and kissing his cheek.
Tony kept chattering to Rhodey, who had leaned in to get a good look, “I found it after the accident among some of my dad's old stuff. There was a bunch of old Captain America stuff too and that's how I knew.”
Rhodey looked between the photo and Steve, clearly seeing that they were exactly the same. “When was this taken?”
“I'm not–”
“January 1944,” Steve replied instantly. “We ambushed one of Hydra's supply lines; Howard took this when we returned.”
Both Tony and Rhodey stared at him. Steve stared back.
“What?”
Tony blinked, “That's when this was taken?”
“Yes.” There was more that Steve could have said; that he wasn't the focus, that Howard always took pictures of Bucky when he returned from missions just to keep track of them. But the wound was still so raw and there was a sharp look of pain in Tony's eyes whenever Howard came up in conversation.
Rhodey looked just a little skeptical, but there was a dawning comprehension in his eyes. “You're really the man in that picture, cause if not that is a really creepy family resemblance.”
“I don't think I have any relatives left alive,” Steve said softly. “My... dad had a brother, but he died in the Great War and my mother was – as far as I know – an only child.”
Everyone else he'd known during his life was dead. Seventy years was a long time to be asleep and now Steve had to move on and adjust. But, he thought as he looked at Tony, he wasn't alone anymore.
Tony was cradling the photo of him and Bucky close to his chest. The frame was damaged and a little dirty in places but otherwise very well cared for. And Tony held it close, like it was something infinitely precious to him. If that was all Tony had of Steve, he could understand why it would be so important.
“I can look into the military database and check and see if that's true,” Rhodey said slowly. “That you really were on a mission in January 1944.”
Steve nodded, “I don't know how much of it isn't classified, but there should be a record of my enlistment and assignment.”
The helmet clicked closed and the lights of the eyes of the suit clicked on. There was silence except for the quiet whir of the armour and their breathing. The minutes stretched out and it felt like a small eternity while they waited; Tony slipped his hand into Steve's and squeezed it tightly.
Eventually the visor slid up, revealing Rhodey's face. His expression was surprised and maybe a little bit wary as he looked at Steve.
“We've got a record of a Captain Steven Grant Rogers who enlisted in 1942 and was reported MIA in November 1944.” Rhodey paused before he continued, “The photos from his records match up but almost everything else is sealed up and classified.”
Steve gave a little shrug, “I figured that would be the case.”
“There an explanation for that? I'm guessing it's why you're here.” Rhodey crossed his arms again; his entire bearing just radiating military training. Steve straightened his posture a little in response.
“I don't know all of the details about how this happened, but the scientists at SHIELD said that it has something to do with Erskine's serum. My body goes into a state of suspended animation when exposed to extremely cold temperatures. The serum creates a... system of continuous regeneration which is how I was able to survive.”
Rhodey stared at Steve like he'd grown a second head. “Serum?”
“Super-soldier serum; it was discontinued after the war,” Tony supplied. When Rhodey turned to him for an explanation, Tony shrugged, “I may or may not have hacked SHIELD's databases to find out more. You know those incidents at Culver and in Harlem from a week ago? Turns out those were results of the military trying to replicate the results.”
“So you're saying–”
Tony grinned, “You're looking at the world's only successful super-soldier.”
“Who also happens to be Captain America.”
“Yes.”
“The name kind of stuck,” Steve admitted. “After my USO shows, it sort of... boosted morale, I guess, and besides, I got kind of attached to the uniform.”
“Do you still have it?” Tony asked, grin turning mischievous.
“What? The uniform? No, it kind of got ruined after spending seventy years frozen in the Arctic. Though... I wouldn't mind a new one – even if it's a bit old-fashioned.”
Tony looked positively gleeful at that admission. “I think I can come up with something better.”
“Okay, okay, break it up you two,” Rhodey ordered. “Look, captain, I can't really deny that – however this happened – you're here, but I'll trust that you're not just messing with Tony if you undertake a couple of tests to definitively prove that you're Tony's soul-mate.”
Steve didn't even have to think about that, “Sure.”
“No. No way.”
Steve looked at Tony, “Why not?”
“I don't need those tests to prove to me that we're soul-mates; you don't have to prove anything to me.” He pointed an accusing finger at Rhodey, “And you, you should trust me to be able to make my own decisions.”
Rhodey looked a little hurt, but his eyes were determined, “Tony, I've watched you drink yourself nearly to death; I've picked you up after fights gone wrong and brought you home from one-night stands where you didn't even know your own name. I just want to be sure.”
Steve felt something heavy drop into his stomach as Rhodey spoke. There was so much that Rhodey had said and even more that he implied. What had his long absence from Tony's life done to him? All of those years with a name on his wrist of a man who never came and who was probably dead.
“Tony–”
“I don't want to hear it,” Tony snapped. “It's my life and for once I know that this is good and I'm certain of this. I don't need anyone or anything telling me that this is my soul-mate.”
He knew Tony was angry and that he probably wasn't listening to a word Steve said, but he had to try. “I know that this situation is unusual and that there's going to be a lot of questions. I just... I don't want there to be any doubt in anyone's mind that I belong to you.”
Steve would've sworn that Tony's eyes looked brighter than usual at that admission, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. Tony looked downright furious and maybe a touch hurt.
“You don't have to prove anything to me. I don't care what anyone else thinks either – I've never given a shit about what they think of me and you're damn well the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I think you're being an ass about this – whatever it is that you want to prove, I don't care.”
He let go of Steve's hand and turned on Rhodey, “And you, I thought you'd be happy that I'd finally found him but you've just gotta be sure and fine, I understand that, but I'm still pissed off at you.”
Tony shot them both a dark glare before he stormed away towards a small spiral staircase set against one wall. He waved them off before either of them could ask any questions, “I'm going to be in the lab; I've gotta integrate JARVIS to the systems here and start in on some repairs. I don't want to be disturbed.”
There was an ache in Steve's chest as he watched Tony go. He could only hope that Tony would forgive him for this, but it was just something that he needed to do. Steve remembered the press and the media from his time in the USO and the precautions that had been taken to make sure that no one knew he was a Blank; he could only imagine how much worse it could have gotten in seventy years.
“Can I see your wrist?” Rhodey asked quietly. He seemed a little bit subdued.
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Steve held it out, not once tearing his eyes away from where Tony had disappeared down the stairs. There must have been some kind of lab or workshop downstairs.
Rhodey examined the mark closely, “Don't worry about Tony too much; he gets like this sometimes, you know? He's got a bit of an issue with people getting hurt on his account. Give him time, he'll come round eventually.”
“I just... worry. It's all just so new and I don't want to mess it up,” Steve said, he pulled his wrist back when Rhodey was finished. “How long will these tests take?”
“I'll call Pepper; she can get a specialist to come down and do them tomorrow.” Rhodey sighed, “I've actually gotta go; I only stopped in to check on Tony.”
Steve smiled, “Go. I'll make sure Tony's okay – even if he's still mad at me.”
Rhodey looked at Steve once more with that stern look of his before he sighed and nodded, heading for the elevator. Just before he left, he gave Steve a hard glare, “Don't you dare hurt him, captain. He's been through enough.”
The doors closed with a whoosh and a soft ping, leaving Steve standing by himself in the middle of the penthouse. Steve took a deep breath and let out a humourless laugh, “I know.”
– – –
Someone, probably not Tony, had arranged for groceries to be delivered to the penthouse in the afternoon, which at least gave Steve something to do with his hands. He spent an hour or two just arranging the kitchen and familiarizing himself with it, trying not to think about what Tony was doing downstairs.
Once that was done, Steve picked up his shield and set it down near the couch and wandered around just a little. There was an emergency exit that probably led out to a very long flight of stairs tucked away at the end of the hall that led towards three guest rooms – each of which had their own bathroom – and an office. Each room had an amazing view of the city and Steve spent quite a bit of time just looking out at the city and noting where it had changed and where it had stayed the same.
Everything about the city was just new. It wasn't as impressive to look at during the day as it was at night when the city was lit up, but it was still an impressive sight to Steve. There were columns of glass and steel rising up and reaching towards the sky.
The view hadn't quite lost its grip on Steve, but it was nearing lunch and he was hungry. He wandered back into the kitchen to make something to eat.
Tony still hadn't come up from wherever it was he'd disappeared to and Steve had doubts that he'd come out until he was ready. Or until he got over his anger and forgave Steve.
With a sigh, Steve set about making lunch for two. Even if Tony was mad at him, that didn't mean that he couldn't make sure he ate.
Steve left his own lunch out on the counter and took a bottle of water and a plate of food over to the staircase. It spiralled down to the floor below and bright lights illuminated the polished floor. As Steve descended the stairs, he was confronted with a wall of windows and a glass door with a keypad next to it. He wasn't getting into the workshop anytime soon.
There was a small table set along the wall at the bottom of the stairs across from the door. Steve set the plate and bottle down on the table and glanced through the windows just before he returned upstairs.
Tony was sitting on the floor with his back to the windows, messing around with something that Steve couldn't see. For several long seconds, Steve just took in the curve of Tony's spine as he bent over whatever it was he was working on and how focused he was. Then he let out a heavy breath and returned to the main floor of the penthouse.
Steve ate his lunch almost absently and afterwards washed the dishes in the sink and put them away. There wasn't much personality to the penthouse and it was practically devoid of anything personal. It looked like it had just been decorated and left alone.
Wandering into the living room area – the entire place was rather open in terms of floor plans – Steve sat down on the couch. He recognized that the sleek, black thing mounted to the wall was a television since he'd seen a couple of them at the SHIELD base and Clint had explained how they worked.
The remote lay on a a glass table in front of the couch and, luckily, all of the buttons were labelled.
Well, it was certainly one way to become better versed with this new world Steve found himself in. And it was also a way to distract himself until Tony decided that he wasn't giving him the cold shoulder any longer.
Of course, that was easier said than done.
There were more channels than Steve knew what to do with and all of them were in full, vibrant, true to life colour. It was just all so new. Steve flicked through the channels, pausing on a few that caught his attention. He found news coverage of the expo from the night before.
“… CEO Justin Hammer has been arrested and charged although there are still many unanswered questions about what caused the incident at this year's Stark Expo. Unsubstantiated sources claim that the man identified in the attack in Monaco – Ivan Vanko – was working for Hammer Industries and is responsible for what happened.”
Footage played of what Steve could only assume was the previously mentioned attack before it panned back out into a corner, leaving the reporter standing in front of the entrance to the expo grounds.
“Hammer Industries hasn't yet released a statement over the arrest of their CEO, but Stark Industries has released a statement–”
The speakers shorted out for a minute before they came back online which startled Steve. He nearly jumped out of his seat and was reaching for his shield when a distinctly male voice came from... somewhere.
“Good afternoon, Captain Rogers. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Steve looked around, senses on high alert as he tried to locate the source of the voice. “Who–”
“Forgive me if I startled you; my name is JARVIS. I have only just come online as Anthony has neglected to integrate me into the building's systems until now.”
“Where...?” Steve relaxed just a little. Whoever JARVIS was, he didn't seem to be a threat and Steve couldn't locate him anyway. Of course, none of that cleared up his confusion.
“I'm an artificial intelligence program created by Anthony Stark,” JARVIS said, voice coming from somewhere overhead or all around – Steve wasn't sure. “If you have any questions or requests, I will do my best to fulfill them.”
“Oh.” It was like something out of a science-fiction novel. Steve looked up at the ceiling, “Well, um, it's a pleasure to meet you, JARVIS.”
Steve hesitated for a second before asking, “JARVIS, can you do me a favour?”
“Of course, captain.”
– – –
Tony did eat the dinner that Steve left out for him, mostly because he actually was hungry. He was still irritated with Steve – stupid self-sacrificing, why do you have to be so perfect? – about the tests because he knew that Steve was the one and he didn't need them to tell him that. Add in the fact that Tony was well-aware that the tests weren't exactly painless didn't help matters either.
Maybe that streak of self-destructive behaviour hadn't been such a good idea. If he hadn't, then maybe Pepper and Rhodey would have more faith in him and his ability to make his own decisions but there was the fact that he'd pulled out of that dive to consider.
Oh, who was he kidding? He knew he was being stupid and immature about this but he didn't really care.
There was stuff that he needed to get done and it was better that he got it done now if he had any plans to spend a significant amount of time in New York. He'd have to haul in some new equipment and possibly change the layout a bit but everything else was laid out according to his specifications. The armour's repairs were important, but didn't need to get done immediately.
Still, it was better to take out his irritation and aggression about the entire mess of a situation he'd found himself in down here rather than go upstairs and take it out on Steve because Steve hadn't technically done anything to deserve it except be kind of stupidly sweet about proving all of this.
That was the crux of the problem, ultimately. Because Steve was stupidly sweet and considerate and handsome and Captain America to top it all off.
And what had Tony done to deserve that? Nothing.
Steve could say that Tony was what he wanted and Steve would be the perfect soul-mate – of that he didn't have any doubts because anyone would be extremely lucky to have someone like Steve – but that didn't mean that Tony believed any of it. It was still so hard to just believe that this was real.
He'd started yesterday with a name on his wrist that belonged to a long dead war hero and he'd ended the day with finding out that the hero wasn't so dead after all. And then his best friend had proven that yes he was kind of freakishly over-protective and – maybe he did have a point and the tests were a good idea but Tony thought it was stupid because he would know that Steve was his soul-mate – just wanted to make sure that Tony was safe and that he didn't have to worry.
Still, facing Steve right then wasn't a good idea even if it would help him blow off some steam to just argue with him; hell, Steve deserved to know that Tony wasn't exactly an easy person to get along with.
Tony sighed and grumbled to himself about stupid, patriotic super-soldiers who were too nice for their own good and started in on the blue-prints and design guidelines for a new costume for Steve.
“It's not an apology and please accept me back into your good graces,” Tony grumbled to himself.
“Sir, I'm quite sure that Captain Rogers doesn't require you to offer him something to accept an apology,” JARVIS said. “As well, I thought that I should alert you that it is currently 2:30 AM and that the captain is currently sleeping on the couch.”
Tony frowned, “Huh, I thought it was earlier than that.”
“And that, sir, is why Miss Potts insisted that you be reminded hourly of when your meetings were scheduled.”
“You're saying I should go up there and apologize?”
“I doubt that Captain Rogers is expecting an apology; he is more concerned with your well-being. However, I am not an expert on relationships but I believe that it would be best to go and join him at the very least.”
“Yeah, yeah, give me a minute.” Tony made one last alteration to the design before he set them aside and stood up, grumbling, “I can't believe that I'm getting relationship advice from you...”
“I fear that no one else would have the patience to do so,” JARVIS replied lightly.
Tony rolled his eyes but paused in the doorway to the lab, “JARVIS, give me a heads-up about whenever that specialist is supposed to arrive tomorrow. I want to actually be awake when they're here.”
“Of course, sir. Although, may I add that you might want to be awake for Captain Rogers' sake as well as giving Miss Potts and the specialist one of your pouting fits for arranging this without your express permission.”
“Remind me to fire her in the morning.”
“I'm afraid that Stark Industries would grind to a halt without her capable abilities as CEO. Let me remind you that it was your decision to appoint her to that position and that you did so only a week ago; to fire her now would not reflect well upon yourself or Stark Industries.”
“You know I wasn't being serious there, right?”
“Of course, sir. Your wit is as sharp as ever.”
Tony rolled his eyes and left the lab, taking the stairs up into the penthouse two at a time.
Everything was almost exactly as he remembered it being, with the exception of the kitchen looking a little more lived in and that Steve was lying stretched out on the couch.
But that wasn't exactly it, Tony realized as he crept closer; Steve was curled up a little on his side, eyes closed and breathing coming out evenly. If it wasn't for the shivers and the extremely tense set of his shoulders, Tony would've thought that he was sleeping peacefully.
There was a throw blanket over the back of one of the armchairs. Tony grabbed it and unfolded it, throwing it over Steve's shoulders and tucking it in around him. It wasn't big enough to fully cover him but it was the best that Tony could do, given the circumstances. He'd have gone and grabbed the comforter from the bedroom, but Steve stopped shivering so much and relaxed just a little under the throw blanket.
Tony's relief was short-lived because when he moved to pull away, Steve started shivering again and murmured something softly. His voice sounded pained when he spoke even though Tony couldn't quite make out what he was saying.
Gently, Tony reached out and took one of Steve's hands in his, giving it a tight squeeze.
The mumbling and shivers stopped and Steve curled up just a little more, moving towards Tony. It made Tony smile and he shifted so that he could sit on the floor, his back to the couch.
He draped Steve's hand over his shoulder, holding onto it tightly as he leaned back against the couch. Tilting his head back, he watched Steve's expression smooth out from the worried and pinch-pained look it had before. It made Tony's stomach flutter with something and a smile tugged at his lips.
There was obviously something that they'd have to talk about, but it could wait. Tony was, more or less, content with the way things were. He'd gotten more than he'd ever hoped or dreamed that he would.
PART THREE | PART FIVE
Title: Something of Tomorrow
Parts: 4 / ??
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe / Avengers
Pairing: Steve/Tony ; Clint/Coulson/Natasha
Rating: pg13
Words: 5132 words
Prompt: In a world where your soulmate's name appears on your wrist as soon as they are born, Steve's wrist has been blank his whole life. [ original post here ]
your heart's been touched and changed forever
you can't hide
– Lily Lily Burning Night!, English lyrics by кran
Sunlight filtered through the tinted windows of the bedroom, throwing a warm glow over everything. Steve woke up when the sun hit his face, but he drifted for a few minutes. He couldn't remember ever having slept so peacefully; there was a lingering feeling of contentment in his veins that he didn't want to lose.
When he finally opened his eyes, it took a half a second for his surroundings to reassert themselves. It was all still so hard to believe...
Tony was asleep next to him, their faces nearly pressed up against each other. At rest, he looked much younger. His breathing was deep and even, although he made a soft snuffling sound every now and again. Underneath that, Steve could just make out a faint mechanical whir.
He just lay there, watching Tony sleep, for what felt like a small eternity. The gradual spread of light throughout the room told him that it was more like a few hours, but Steve could have stayed like that forever.
Gently, Steve reached out and brushed the backs of his fingers along Tony's cheekbone. He smiled when Tony's face scrunched up for second before it relaxed again and he mumbled something quietly but he didn't wake. Tony was a deep sleeper. But if that meant that those dark circles under Tony's eyes disappeared, then Steve was fine with that.
Steve lay there for several more minutes and was just about to drift back to sleep when he heard a noise.
It was the quiet click of metal on wood. Steve automatically zeroed in on it; that first click was followed by another and then another. Footsteps.
Carefully, Steve slipped out of the bed. He'd left his shield leaning against the foot of the bed, never quite feeling safe without it nearby. He hadn't thought that he'd need it again so soon, even after the events of the night before.
He crept to the doorway of the bedroom, readying his shield and taking a deep steadying breath. The footsteps were getting closer, louder, and were accompanied by the soft whir of mechanical joints. Was it another one of those drones from the night before? If so, Steve would have to be careful – he had no previous intel on them and was flying blind.
Steve steadied himself with another deep breath. He didn't need to destroy the drone, he only needed to stop it or disable it long enough for Tony to get away. That was all he needed to do.
He took another breath as the door to the bedroom creaked open, a plan of action settling into his mind. He knew what he had to do.
The next couple of seconds were all a blur.
There was the sharp bell-like clang when Steve slammed his shield into the head of the drone, which sent it flying backwards into the main room of the penthouse. Then Steve was ducking under a fist, swinging the shield up in an arc and deflecting the arm upwards. He used the chest of the drone as a springboard, driving it further away from the bedroom door and the one escape route from the penthouse.
The noise of the fight woke Tony. Steve was aware of him in his peripherals and made sure to keep himself between Tony and the drone's line of fire.
Now that he was close up to it, Steve noticed a couple of details. Mostly that this drone – if it really was a drone – didn't look like the ones that he remembered from the expo. This one looked more like the suit that Tony wore, minus the bright gold and red paint job. That and the fact that this suit was kitted out with what looked like a small armoury.
The glowing red eyes and stern lines of the armour – because that's what this was, Steve thought now – gave it a much more malevolent air than Tony's.
He was distracted when Tony tackled him around the waist. The force wasn't enough to actually take Steve down, but it surprised him enough to distract him.
“Tony, what–”
Steve had to duck under one of the armour's arms, stumbling just a little from Tony's added weight and then they were both going down. He had enough presence of mind to turn, protecting Tony from any shots and catching himself on one arm before he could crush him.
Tony cut him off before he could say anything. “You are not pulling some self-sacrificing bullshit for me. And Rhodey,” he raised his voice, “You need to stop trying to defend my virtue or whatever the fuck it is that you're here to do.”
Steve opened his mouth to say something about how he wasn't doing anything 'self-sacrificing' but just trying to protect Tony when he was cut off again.
“Pepper called me last night,” the suit replied, helmet sliding up to reveal a man's face. “Saying something about how you hooked up last night with someone claiming to have your name on their wrist.”
“Okay, Steve? Let me up. I need to punch my best friend in the face.” Tony shoved at Steve's shoulders, pushing him so that Tony could sit up. He did, though, smile when Steve pushed himself to his feet and reached down to help Tony to his feet.
“You're not punching anyone in the face,” Steve said softly. Even though it wasn't a threat, Steve still kept a wary stance just a little in front of Tony with his shield at the ready.
“Oh yes I am,” Tony snapped. “Because you, Rhodey, do not storm your way into my home and threaten my soul-mate over my virtue or whatever the hell it is you came here to do.”
Rhodey rolled his eyes, “Tony, I'm not here to defend your virtue – that's laughable. I want to make sure that you're safe and no one's trying to take advantage of you.”
“I wouldn't–”
“You really think that Captain America is going to take advantage of me?”
That made Steve flush. He knew that after the whirlwind of USO shows and everything else that he'd gone through meant that he, as Captain America, was pretty famous. There'd been all sorts of memorabilia made during the War and possibly more after. And after seventy years, Steve wasn't sure if he could live up to whatever legends had been made up about him.
Rhodey stared, “You're kidding.”
“What? The shield didn't tip you off enough?” Tony managed to grab Steve's arm, tilting it so that the shield was on full display. “If you don't believe me, I've got pictures to prove it.”
Steve felt a little bit like a third wheel; he wasn't sure what to say or what to do, so he stayed quiet and watched.
“Where the hell did you get pictures?” Rhodey asked. “Captain America was just a myth, Tony. Someone the Army dreamed up to sell war bonds and be patriotic – he was never real. The shield doesn't prove anything.”
“It held up against the armour, didn't it? I designed that armour and I know exactly what it can take and what it can easily take out. Whatever that shield is made of – and you have to let me look at it because I wanna study it just a little, promise I won't break it or something – is tough enough to take a crack at the armour without damage.”
Tony held up both his hands, “Now hang on, I'll be right back because I've got some stuff to prove it.”
Steve watched Tony dash over to the armour, which was still in a pile near the kitchen, and rustle around it for a second before he pulled something out. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rhodey cross his arms and a look of decidedly fond exasperation cross his face. They might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but Steve did like him.
“Here.” Tony held out an old picture, one that Steve recognized.
He remembered Howard taking that picture; it had just been after they'd returned from ambushing a Hydra supply train. Bucky had been grinning and cracking a joke and Steve had laughed and then Howard had taken the picture before throwing an arm around Bucky's shoulder and kissing his cheek.
Tony kept chattering to Rhodey, who had leaned in to get a good look, “I found it after the accident among some of my dad's old stuff. There was a bunch of old Captain America stuff too and that's how I knew.”
Rhodey looked between the photo and Steve, clearly seeing that they were exactly the same. “When was this taken?”
“I'm not–”
“January 1944,” Steve replied instantly. “We ambushed one of Hydra's supply lines; Howard took this when we returned.”
Both Tony and Rhodey stared at him. Steve stared back.
“What?”
Tony blinked, “That's when this was taken?”
“Yes.” There was more that Steve could have said; that he wasn't the focus, that Howard always took pictures of Bucky when he returned from missions just to keep track of them. But the wound was still so raw and there was a sharp look of pain in Tony's eyes whenever Howard came up in conversation.
Rhodey looked just a little skeptical, but there was a dawning comprehension in his eyes. “You're really the man in that picture, cause if not that is a really creepy family resemblance.”
“I don't think I have any relatives left alive,” Steve said softly. “My... dad had a brother, but he died in the Great War and my mother was – as far as I know – an only child.”
Everyone else he'd known during his life was dead. Seventy years was a long time to be asleep and now Steve had to move on and adjust. But, he thought as he looked at Tony, he wasn't alone anymore.
Tony was cradling the photo of him and Bucky close to his chest. The frame was damaged and a little dirty in places but otherwise very well cared for. And Tony held it close, like it was something infinitely precious to him. If that was all Tony had of Steve, he could understand why it would be so important.
“I can look into the military database and check and see if that's true,” Rhodey said slowly. “That you really were on a mission in January 1944.”
Steve nodded, “I don't know how much of it isn't classified, but there should be a record of my enlistment and assignment.”
The helmet clicked closed and the lights of the eyes of the suit clicked on. There was silence except for the quiet whir of the armour and their breathing. The minutes stretched out and it felt like a small eternity while they waited; Tony slipped his hand into Steve's and squeezed it tightly.
Eventually the visor slid up, revealing Rhodey's face. His expression was surprised and maybe a little bit wary as he looked at Steve.
“We've got a record of a Captain Steven Grant Rogers who enlisted in 1942 and was reported MIA in November 1944.” Rhodey paused before he continued, “The photos from his records match up but almost everything else is sealed up and classified.”
Steve gave a little shrug, “I figured that would be the case.”
“There an explanation for that? I'm guessing it's why you're here.” Rhodey crossed his arms again; his entire bearing just radiating military training. Steve straightened his posture a little in response.
“I don't know all of the details about how this happened, but the scientists at SHIELD said that it has something to do with Erskine's serum. My body goes into a state of suspended animation when exposed to extremely cold temperatures. The serum creates a... system of continuous regeneration which is how I was able to survive.”
Rhodey stared at Steve like he'd grown a second head. “Serum?”
“Super-soldier serum; it was discontinued after the war,” Tony supplied. When Rhodey turned to him for an explanation, Tony shrugged, “I may or may not have hacked SHIELD's databases to find out more. You know those incidents at Culver and in Harlem from a week ago? Turns out those were results of the military trying to replicate the results.”
“So you're saying–”
Tony grinned, “You're looking at the world's only successful super-soldier.”
“Who also happens to be Captain America.”
“Yes.”
“The name kind of stuck,” Steve admitted. “After my USO shows, it sort of... boosted morale, I guess, and besides, I got kind of attached to the uniform.”
“Do you still have it?” Tony asked, grin turning mischievous.
“What? The uniform? No, it kind of got ruined after spending seventy years frozen in the Arctic. Though... I wouldn't mind a new one – even if it's a bit old-fashioned.”
Tony looked positively gleeful at that admission. “I think I can come up with something better.”
“Okay, okay, break it up you two,” Rhodey ordered. “Look, captain, I can't really deny that – however this happened – you're here, but I'll trust that you're not just messing with Tony if you undertake a couple of tests to definitively prove that you're Tony's soul-mate.”
Steve didn't even have to think about that, “Sure.”
“No. No way.”
Steve looked at Tony, “Why not?”
“I don't need those tests to prove to me that we're soul-mates; you don't have to prove anything to me.” He pointed an accusing finger at Rhodey, “And you, you should trust me to be able to make my own decisions.”
Rhodey looked a little hurt, but his eyes were determined, “Tony, I've watched you drink yourself nearly to death; I've picked you up after fights gone wrong and brought you home from one-night stands where you didn't even know your own name. I just want to be sure.”
Steve felt something heavy drop into his stomach as Rhodey spoke. There was so much that Rhodey had said and even more that he implied. What had his long absence from Tony's life done to him? All of those years with a name on his wrist of a man who never came and who was probably dead.
“Tony–”
“I don't want to hear it,” Tony snapped. “It's my life and for once I know that this is good and I'm certain of this. I don't need anyone or anything telling me that this is my soul-mate.”
He knew Tony was angry and that he probably wasn't listening to a word Steve said, but he had to try. “I know that this situation is unusual and that there's going to be a lot of questions. I just... I don't want there to be any doubt in anyone's mind that I belong to you.”
Steve would've sworn that Tony's eyes looked brighter than usual at that admission, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. Tony looked downright furious and maybe a touch hurt.
“You don't have to prove anything to me. I don't care what anyone else thinks either – I've never given a shit about what they think of me and you're damn well the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I think you're being an ass about this – whatever it is that you want to prove, I don't care.”
He let go of Steve's hand and turned on Rhodey, “And you, I thought you'd be happy that I'd finally found him but you've just gotta be sure and fine, I understand that, but I'm still pissed off at you.”
Tony shot them both a dark glare before he stormed away towards a small spiral staircase set against one wall. He waved them off before either of them could ask any questions, “I'm going to be in the lab; I've gotta integrate JARVIS to the systems here and start in on some repairs. I don't want to be disturbed.”
There was an ache in Steve's chest as he watched Tony go. He could only hope that Tony would forgive him for this, but it was just something that he needed to do. Steve remembered the press and the media from his time in the USO and the precautions that had been taken to make sure that no one knew he was a Blank; he could only imagine how much worse it could have gotten in seventy years.
“Can I see your wrist?” Rhodey asked quietly. He seemed a little bit subdued.
“Uh, yeah, sure.” Steve held it out, not once tearing his eyes away from where Tony had disappeared down the stairs. There must have been some kind of lab or workshop downstairs.
Rhodey examined the mark closely, “Don't worry about Tony too much; he gets like this sometimes, you know? He's got a bit of an issue with people getting hurt on his account. Give him time, he'll come round eventually.”
“I just... worry. It's all just so new and I don't want to mess it up,” Steve said, he pulled his wrist back when Rhodey was finished. “How long will these tests take?”
“I'll call Pepper; she can get a specialist to come down and do them tomorrow.” Rhodey sighed, “I've actually gotta go; I only stopped in to check on Tony.”
Steve smiled, “Go. I'll make sure Tony's okay – even if he's still mad at me.”
Rhodey looked at Steve once more with that stern look of his before he sighed and nodded, heading for the elevator. Just before he left, he gave Steve a hard glare, “Don't you dare hurt him, captain. He's been through enough.”
The doors closed with a whoosh and a soft ping, leaving Steve standing by himself in the middle of the penthouse. Steve took a deep breath and let out a humourless laugh, “I know.”
Someone, probably not Tony, had arranged for groceries to be delivered to the penthouse in the afternoon, which at least gave Steve something to do with his hands. He spent an hour or two just arranging the kitchen and familiarizing himself with it, trying not to think about what Tony was doing downstairs.
Once that was done, Steve picked up his shield and set it down near the couch and wandered around just a little. There was an emergency exit that probably led out to a very long flight of stairs tucked away at the end of the hall that led towards three guest rooms – each of which had their own bathroom – and an office. Each room had an amazing view of the city and Steve spent quite a bit of time just looking out at the city and noting where it had changed and where it had stayed the same.
Everything about the city was just new. It wasn't as impressive to look at during the day as it was at night when the city was lit up, but it was still an impressive sight to Steve. There were columns of glass and steel rising up and reaching towards the sky.
The view hadn't quite lost its grip on Steve, but it was nearing lunch and he was hungry. He wandered back into the kitchen to make something to eat.
Tony still hadn't come up from wherever it was he'd disappeared to and Steve had doubts that he'd come out until he was ready. Or until he got over his anger and forgave Steve.
With a sigh, Steve set about making lunch for two. Even if Tony was mad at him, that didn't mean that he couldn't make sure he ate.
Steve left his own lunch out on the counter and took a bottle of water and a plate of food over to the staircase. It spiralled down to the floor below and bright lights illuminated the polished floor. As Steve descended the stairs, he was confronted with a wall of windows and a glass door with a keypad next to it. He wasn't getting into the workshop anytime soon.
There was a small table set along the wall at the bottom of the stairs across from the door. Steve set the plate and bottle down on the table and glanced through the windows just before he returned upstairs.
Tony was sitting on the floor with his back to the windows, messing around with something that Steve couldn't see. For several long seconds, Steve just took in the curve of Tony's spine as he bent over whatever it was he was working on and how focused he was. Then he let out a heavy breath and returned to the main floor of the penthouse.
Steve ate his lunch almost absently and afterwards washed the dishes in the sink and put them away. There wasn't much personality to the penthouse and it was practically devoid of anything personal. It looked like it had just been decorated and left alone.
Wandering into the living room area – the entire place was rather open in terms of floor plans – Steve sat down on the couch. He recognized that the sleek, black thing mounted to the wall was a television since he'd seen a couple of them at the SHIELD base and Clint had explained how they worked.
The remote lay on a a glass table in front of the couch and, luckily, all of the buttons were labelled.
Well, it was certainly one way to become better versed with this new world Steve found himself in. And it was also a way to distract himself until Tony decided that he wasn't giving him the cold shoulder any longer.
Of course, that was easier said than done.
There were more channels than Steve knew what to do with and all of them were in full, vibrant, true to life colour. It was just all so new. Steve flicked through the channels, pausing on a few that caught his attention. He found news coverage of the expo from the night before.
“… CEO Justin Hammer has been arrested and charged although there are still many unanswered questions about what caused the incident at this year's Stark Expo. Unsubstantiated sources claim that the man identified in the attack in Monaco – Ivan Vanko – was working for Hammer Industries and is responsible for what happened.”
Footage played of what Steve could only assume was the previously mentioned attack before it panned back out into a corner, leaving the reporter standing in front of the entrance to the expo grounds.
“Hammer Industries hasn't yet released a statement over the arrest of their CEO, but Stark Industries has released a statement–”
The speakers shorted out for a minute before they came back online which startled Steve. He nearly jumped out of his seat and was reaching for his shield when a distinctly male voice came from... somewhere.
“Good afternoon, Captain Rogers. It's a pleasure to finally meet you.”
Steve looked around, senses on high alert as he tried to locate the source of the voice. “Who–”
“Forgive me if I startled you; my name is JARVIS. I have only just come online as Anthony has neglected to integrate me into the building's systems until now.”
“Where...?” Steve relaxed just a little. Whoever JARVIS was, he didn't seem to be a threat and Steve couldn't locate him anyway. Of course, none of that cleared up his confusion.
“I'm an artificial intelligence program created by Anthony Stark,” JARVIS said, voice coming from somewhere overhead or all around – Steve wasn't sure. “If you have any questions or requests, I will do my best to fulfill them.”
“Oh.” It was like something out of a science-fiction novel. Steve looked up at the ceiling, “Well, um, it's a pleasure to meet you, JARVIS.”
Steve hesitated for a second before asking, “JARVIS, can you do me a favour?”
“Of course, captain.”
Tony did eat the dinner that Steve left out for him, mostly because he actually was hungry. He was still irritated with Steve – stupid self-sacrificing, why do you have to be so perfect? – about the tests because he knew that Steve was the one and he didn't need them to tell him that. Add in the fact that Tony was well-aware that the tests weren't exactly painless didn't help matters either.
Maybe that streak of self-destructive behaviour hadn't been such a good idea. If he hadn't, then maybe Pepper and Rhodey would have more faith in him and his ability to make his own decisions but there was the fact that he'd pulled out of that dive to consider.
Oh, who was he kidding? He knew he was being stupid and immature about this but he didn't really care.
There was stuff that he needed to get done and it was better that he got it done now if he had any plans to spend a significant amount of time in New York. He'd have to haul in some new equipment and possibly change the layout a bit but everything else was laid out according to his specifications. The armour's repairs were important, but didn't need to get done immediately.
Still, it was better to take out his irritation and aggression about the entire mess of a situation he'd found himself in down here rather than go upstairs and take it out on Steve because Steve hadn't technically done anything to deserve it except be kind of stupidly sweet about proving all of this.
That was the crux of the problem, ultimately. Because Steve was stupidly sweet and considerate and handsome and Captain America to top it all off.
And what had Tony done to deserve that? Nothing.
Steve could say that Tony was what he wanted and Steve would be the perfect soul-mate – of that he didn't have any doubts because anyone would be extremely lucky to have someone like Steve – but that didn't mean that Tony believed any of it. It was still so hard to just believe that this was real.
He'd started yesterday with a name on his wrist that belonged to a long dead war hero and he'd ended the day with finding out that the hero wasn't so dead after all. And then his best friend had proven that yes he was kind of freakishly over-protective and – maybe he did have a point and the tests were a good idea but Tony thought it was stupid because he would know that Steve was his soul-mate – just wanted to make sure that Tony was safe and that he didn't have to worry.
Still, facing Steve right then wasn't a good idea even if it would help him blow off some steam to just argue with him; hell, Steve deserved to know that Tony wasn't exactly an easy person to get along with.
Tony sighed and grumbled to himself about stupid, patriotic super-soldiers who were too nice for their own good and started in on the blue-prints and design guidelines for a new costume for Steve.
“It's not an apology and please accept me back into your good graces,” Tony grumbled to himself.
“Sir, I'm quite sure that Captain Rogers doesn't require you to offer him something to accept an apology,” JARVIS said. “As well, I thought that I should alert you that it is currently 2:30 AM and that the captain is currently sleeping on the couch.”
Tony frowned, “Huh, I thought it was earlier than that.”
“And that, sir, is why Miss Potts insisted that you be reminded hourly of when your meetings were scheduled.”
“You're saying I should go up there and apologize?”
“I doubt that Captain Rogers is expecting an apology; he is more concerned with your well-being. However, I am not an expert on relationships but I believe that it would be best to go and join him at the very least.”
“Yeah, yeah, give me a minute.” Tony made one last alteration to the design before he set them aside and stood up, grumbling, “I can't believe that I'm getting relationship advice from you...”
“I fear that no one else would have the patience to do so,” JARVIS replied lightly.
Tony rolled his eyes but paused in the doorway to the lab, “JARVIS, give me a heads-up about whenever that specialist is supposed to arrive tomorrow. I want to actually be awake when they're here.”
“Of course, sir. Although, may I add that you might want to be awake for Captain Rogers' sake as well as giving Miss Potts and the specialist one of your pouting fits for arranging this without your express permission.”
“Remind me to fire her in the morning.”
“I'm afraid that Stark Industries would grind to a halt without her capable abilities as CEO. Let me remind you that it was your decision to appoint her to that position and that you did so only a week ago; to fire her now would not reflect well upon yourself or Stark Industries.”
“You know I wasn't being serious there, right?”
“Of course, sir. Your wit is as sharp as ever.”
Tony rolled his eyes and left the lab, taking the stairs up into the penthouse two at a time.
Everything was almost exactly as he remembered it being, with the exception of the kitchen looking a little more lived in and that Steve was lying stretched out on the couch.
But that wasn't exactly it, Tony realized as he crept closer; Steve was curled up a little on his side, eyes closed and breathing coming out evenly. If it wasn't for the shivers and the extremely tense set of his shoulders, Tony would've thought that he was sleeping peacefully.
There was a throw blanket over the back of one of the armchairs. Tony grabbed it and unfolded it, throwing it over Steve's shoulders and tucking it in around him. It wasn't big enough to fully cover him but it was the best that Tony could do, given the circumstances. He'd have gone and grabbed the comforter from the bedroom, but Steve stopped shivering so much and relaxed just a little under the throw blanket.
Tony's relief was short-lived because when he moved to pull away, Steve started shivering again and murmured something softly. His voice sounded pained when he spoke even though Tony couldn't quite make out what he was saying.
Gently, Tony reached out and took one of Steve's hands in his, giving it a tight squeeze.
The mumbling and shivers stopped and Steve curled up just a little more, moving towards Tony. It made Tony smile and he shifted so that he could sit on the floor, his back to the couch.
He draped Steve's hand over his shoulder, holding onto it tightly as he leaned back against the couch. Tilting his head back, he watched Steve's expression smooth out from the worried and pinch-pained look it had before. It made Tony's stomach flutter with something and a smile tugged at his lips.
There was obviously something that they'd have to talk about, but it could wait. Tony was, more or less, content with the way things were. He'd gotten more than he'd ever hoped or dreamed that he would.