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[capsicle1919]

*post-battle (genetically-engineered pterodactyls, really?), Steve arrives via helicopter back at the Tower, hops out and gives a tired wave to Natasha and Clint as they power down, makes his way inside and down the elevator to the debriefing room, which is not, in fact, where they are debriefed - that happens at SHIELD - but rather where they shower and change, and so named because Tony decided it's where they are de-briefed, and Steve's never been able to think of it as anything else, goddammit*

Hey. *nods at Bruce, who is drinking a gallon of Gatorade, passes him by and heads straight for the showers, leaning his shield against the wall, starts stripping out of his damaged, blood-spattered uniform*

Comments

[capsicle1919]

*snorts* Bucky used to call me that. *it's taken him a while, but he can now mention Bucky's name without the twisting, sinking chasm of grief opening in his chest, rather it's just a dull ache now* When he was the one always trying to feed me. *follows Tony to the elevator*

[thestarkside]

*leans against the elevator wall, distracted by Steve's arms in the sleeveless shirt, that is just unfair* Mhmm. You're really mean, you know.

[capsicle1919]

*blinks* What? Why? Because I'm making you eat something after a battle? *crosses his arms and glares*

[thestarkside]

Oh Jesus, no -- because of that. *gestures at his crossed arms* You wear shirts like that and go all, ooh my muscles, but then nope, Sandra Dee all over -- you, sir, are flaunting.

[capsicle1919]

*stares at Tony* I really think you're out of your mind. *but he drops his arms, his face hot, can't help what he looks like, hates that it's all Tony seems to care about, the incessant flirting is only ever just superficial, the downside of going through with the experiment, that no one would ever really care about the guy inside all the muscles and the uniform, looks away and wishes the elevator were faster*

[thestarkside]

*and Steve looks -- not flustered in an adorable way like earlier, but miserable, and he frowns, rubs at the arc reactor, looks up at the ceiling* I, uh. Have a great tailor, by the way. If you're having trouble with clothes. He's a good guy, let me know if you want his number. *the elevator dings open and he heads out, feeling like a dick*

[capsicle1919]

*scurries after him* You mean it? 'Cause, um. *scratches the back of his head* Y'know, the experiment made me kind of a mutant. *sheepish grin* They don't make shirts in size Science Freak. *opens the fridge and starts rummaging around*

[thestarkside]

If only we all had your problems, kiddo. *pushes himself up onto the counter and crosses his legs Indian-style* And yeah, of course I mean it, I'll set up a meeting for you this week, it'll be great.

[capsicle1919]

*looks over at Tony, confused* I wouldn't wish this on anybody, Tony. *and he wouldn't, nobody should have to go through what he has, takes out some cheese, turkey, chicken, salami, mayo, more cheese, tomatoes, and some of Clint's ghost peppers* Do we have any bread?

[thestarkside]

Yeah, somewhere, check with the cereal? Or ask JARVIS. *wants to hug him, and not in a sexy way (well, yes, in a sexy way, but also not)* Hey, listen, Steve -- are you doing okay?

[capsicle1919]

*finds the bread himself, starts assembling a sandwich of delicious doom* Sure, I'm fine. *smiles at Tony* Those stupid flying dinosaurs didn't really do much damage. Except Hulk looked like he could have eaten a few more.

[thestarkside]

*rolls his eyes* Not the dinosaurs, I know you heal in like .5 seconds, I mean -- *gestures vaguely at him* You. The shitty unstuck-in-time thing. You seem better these days but you also hide a lot of stuff, I think, so. Are you doing okay?

[capsicle1919]

*pauses, just for a second, while buttering some bread* I'm all right. *doesn't look at Tony* Good days and bad ones, you know? Same as anybody else. D'you want bacon on yours?

[thestarkside]

Sure, thanks. *pauses* See, the weird thing is -- the whole superhero gig. We're all kind of insane, right? We've gotta be, to be doing this. We've all got shitty stuff in our past, really shitty stuff, cause that's what makes heroes, you know? The very good out of the very bad. But it means a lot of people wouldn't get the magnitude of the bad stuff we've got. *looks at him earnestly* But that's why we're a team, right? We're on -- a similar level, if not the same one, and. You're not totally alone in this, that's -- that's all I wanted to say. *gives him a quick smile* Bruce in particular is great for long talks about fucked up pasts, that's a solid recommendation from me to you.

[capsicle1919]

*it's the first time anyone's said anything like this to Steve, no one's really talked to him about how it feels to have your life completely disfigured by science and war and time, but Tony's right - every one of them on the team is really screwed up, either by circumstance or their own hands, and he's hardly the only one dealing with it, and it does make him feel a tiny bit better, flashes a small smile at Tony, it might be flirty even, he can't help it, he loves this thoughtful side of Tony* Thanks. *quietly*

[thestarkside]

*Steve's smile is so genuine, and almost...mischievous? flirty? he can feel his face go hot and can only be grateful he's not as pale as Steve, huffs a laugh and shrugs and does his very best not to launch himself at Steve and climb him like a tree* Just the truth. Should've said it ages ago.

[capsicle1919]

It's okay. You said it now. *puts a towering sandwich on a plate and passes it to Tony* It's just, it's rough sometimes. Y'know? I still feel like any day now I'll get a letter from Bucky, catchin' me up on what he's been doing. *starts on his own sandwich* There's Bogart movies I haven't seen, and I keep forgetting phone numbers 'cause there's too many digits. *sheepish little laugh* And I've hit my head in my closet so many times because for just a second I'm not six feet tall, in my head. Is that crazy?

[thestarkside]

Of course it's not crazy. *starts to dismantle his sandwich, intent on rebuilding with the same materials but at a manageable height* Tell JARVIS to show you a Bogart -- or whoever -- movie every night, one you haven't seen. And no one remembers phone numbers anymore, seriously, I remember my old number from when I was a kid, and my dad's office number, and Pepper's number for emergencies, and...that's about it.

[capsicle1919]

*smiles a bit more, pops an olive into his mouth* We didn't even have a phone, when I was a kid. We had to run down to the five-and-dime and ask Mister Possetti if we could use his. *licks olive brine from his fingers* I bet you wouldn't last five minutes without a phone.

[thestarkside]

*stares at him, losing track of the conversation in favor of the curl of Steve's tongue around his fingers, forces himself to shake it off* ...sorry, I -- what was that?

[capsicle1919]

*makes a face* Eat your sandwich, Tony. You'll need your strength so you can paint the suit yellow like a taxi cab. *grins toothily and bites into a ghost pepper*

[thestarkside]

*blinks, good god he's attractive* So I can what? Did you make that up? I think you just made that up. *finishes reassembling his sandwich, much better, gives it a satisfied nod before taking a bite, chews, swallows, and adds, as an afterthought -- * Tease.

[capsicle1919]

Okay, then how about orange like a school bus? *grins, the pepper is terrifically hot, but for him it's a nice burn that flushes his cheeks* I think it'd look pretty snazzy.

[thestarkside]

You'd have me paint it red, white, and blue if you could. *and if he's a little breathless, who can blame him, really, with Steve grinning at him, fucking well flirting with him, while looking like that*

[capsicle1919]

*brightens* That. Is a great idea. Stop jabbering and eat. Wastin' daylight, son. *chows down on his sandwich*