Archive of Our Own

CHAPTER 1

It had been a while since the last gala hosted by Stark Industries and that was due to several reasons.

First, they were boring. It took a lot of patience and self-control that many SHIELD agents would envy to get through those galas unscathed. The number of fake smiles and lies that flowed from monotonous conversation to monotonous conversation would make even Loki jealous.

Second, it was difficult to find the ideal date. Even with all the preparation starting months in advance, it was hard to determine with certainty that no attacks on New York would happen, no alien invasions would start, no villains would get bored and decide to destroy half the world, or that no one invited would be off-planet that day.

Third, everyone needed to be able to talk somewhat civilly with each other. Superheroes fight villains all the time, but they also fight each other more often than would be considered healthy, so it was kind of hard to throw a boring party [if you couldn't invite your friends to suffer with you]. Of course, fights within their group didn't last long, and everyone was soon back to talking to each other as if nothing had happened, but during the feuds where people inevitably took sides, throwing a successful party was nearly impossible.

Tony Stark thought about all that as he got out of the shower. This year, everything seemed to come together for the famous Stark Industries Gala, to finally happen again. The superhero community was still talking to each other and in a pleasant (peaceful?) atmosphere, which hadn’t been seen in a long time within the community. There was no imminent threat, at least none that the intelligence teams and the dozens of allied telepaths could confirm. The ball had the potential not to be unbearable because Tony made demands to the team taking care of the organization: surprise me.

Tony finished drying off, went back into the bedroom, and admired his tuxedo on a hanger outside the closet.

Some things never change.

He sighed, went to the hanger, stroked the fabric of his coat, and finally began to dress. As he made the loops to tie his bow tie, Tony couldn't help but think about how this was already second nature, as if he could let his hands do all the work without him needing to pay too much attention. He has had years of gala balls, press conferences, business dinners, meetings, and even occasional spy missions, always following the same dress code. If he wasn't in a metal suit, he would certainly be wearing a tailored one.

He looked in the mirror and smiled at the result, letting his eyes wander until they landed on the reflection of the nightstand behind him where a rectangular black box waited. He walked over, picked up the box, and opened it, feeling a thrill of excitement he'd probably never felt at a gala night before.

They really managed to surprise me this year.

Inside the box was a custom-made mask for Tony's face, painted a matte red, with elegant gold scrollwork around the eyes and black satin ribbons to tie behind the head.

“I’ve got to remember to give these people a raise,” Tony said as he tied the ribbons to secure his mask and adjusted it to his face. He looked at himself in the mirror again. “I can't wait to see what else they've got in store.”

Tony left the room and took the elevator to the communal penthouse, where everyone had agreed to meet up and go to the gala together. They had just moved into Stark Tower, which was now Avengers Tower – Tony had to keep correcting himself – and it wasn't easy getting everyone to understand how the floor system worked, how each member of the group had their own floor, but that everyone could meet in the penthouse where the kitchen was. It wasn't as simple as in the mansion, where everyone had their rooms in the same hallway, but memorizing a few numbers on the elevator board shouldn't be that difficult for someone who kept secret SHIELD codes.

When the elevator doors opened, Tony groaned softly. “Of course, it was asking too much for everyone to be here at seven sharp.” Going out in a group could be risky, but ironically it was also the safest way, in case something happened. Not to mention having all the Avengers arrive together dressed in full regalia, is always quite a sight, reserved only for very special occasions. They just needed to get their act together first.

Tony spun around on his heels, just to make sure he hadn't missed anyone, but really, he was alone. Everyone was late, as they always were when they needed to leave the house for a reason that did not involve some villainous attack.

"I should’ve called everyone on their Avengers cards, that's what," Tony grumbled, heading over to the bar. “They’re kind of obsolete, but I know everyone still carries them.”

He'd been sober for a few years now, so Tony just reached for a pitcher of water and a glass, when he heard the elevator doors open somewhere behind him. He turned around, still holding the pitcher and glass, and it took all his willpower not to drop anything on the floor because then Tony remembered the fourth reason why these galas didn't happen often.

Steve Rogers was stepping out of the elevator in his army dress suit – today it was the white one – with all his medals on display, wearing a simple navy-blue mask with no details, which seemed to highlight his blue eyes and his golden hair.

He should be forbidden, Tony found himself thinking.

“Sorry I'm late, but Nick Fury wanted to go over some security details before I could leave,” Steve shrugged.

They'd been friends and teammates for so long that Tony preferred not to tell because that way it felt like they'd known each other forever. And, in a way, it was true. No one in this world knew Tony like Steve did. There was no one else Tony would rather spend time with. Though he'd deny it to death if asked, his favorite moments were when Steve would go down to the lab and draw in silence while Tony put his stuff together.

Sure a few years ago they'd nearly gotten it all over with, nearly killed each other, and took all their friends with them. It was bigger than any fight, than any disagreement, though they still found their way to each other in the end. It was almost funny the way neither of them could stay away from each other for very long. Some might even say that Tony's friendship with Rhodes was on par, but no, it wasn't and it was for a very simple reason: Tony was in love with Steve. From the very first moment, ever since the Avengers fished out that block of ice with a man who turned out to be the WWII legend, Tony's childhood hero.

The best day of my life.

But Tony kept their relationship be purely platonic. Steve never gave any openings other than friendship for Tony to tell him about his feelings. Actually, he always seemed to be with someone else– the last one was Sharon – though as far as Tony knew, Steve was alone again.

Which still makes no difference.

Then Tony remembered that he was supposed to say something, that Steve was right there, moving closer, looking at him expectantly, and Tony had no idea how long he had been lost in bittersweet thoughts. He blinked a few times and smiled. "You’re the one." Tony saw Steve's eyes widen behind the mask and slowly it dawned on him what he had just said.

Idiot, idiot, idiot!

“You're the only one who's arrived, for now,” Tony gripped the handle of the pitcher he was still holding, feeling his face burn, and turned away from Steve towards the inner bar counter. “But we're still on time,” he said, pouring himself a glass of water, gulping it down, and willing the liquid to burn his throat.

“Punctuality was never their strong point, was it?” Steve was suddenly behind Tony, sitting with his arm resting on the bar counter.

Tony swallowed hard and poured himself another glass of water. He drank more slowly this time, before grabbing another glass, filling it, taking a deep breath, and turning to place it on the counter in front of Steve.

Steve raised an eyebrow and managed to smile when he saw that the contents of the two glasses were the same. "Water?"

Tony shrugged. "For now."

Steve smiled out of the corner of his mouth and took a sip. “I wasn't expecting a masked gala. Was it your idea?”

Tony shook his head, “No, I just asked them to surprise me, because I couldn't take those balls anymore. They were unbearable.” Tony made an exaggerated face and Steve laughed. Tony loved making Steve laugh. “Then they came up with this idea and I thought it was great, we've never done anything like this. I might keep this team in the production of the next gala, if all goes well tonight.”

“You must be excited if you're even thinking about the next one,” Steve commented, watching Tony over the top of his glass, before taking another sip.

Tony felt a shiver run down his spine. That look was so wrong, so beautiful, so blue, so right... Tony could stare into those eyes for eternity, and he knew he wouldn't get tired.

“Well, what can I say?” Tony smiled. “I'm excited and I want tonight to be a success. After all, at the end of the night, this is all about raising funds for those in need, right? ”

“That's fair enough,” Steve said, a bit distracted. He touched his own mask, tracing its outline with his fingertip. “Although I must say, I don't see much of a difference in how I'm dressed now from how I dress every day.”

Tony took advantage of the excuse to look at Steve, take in his angular face, his high cheekbones kissed by his long lashes, his straight nose, despite having been broken numerous times (some even by Tony...), and his full-lipped mouth, rosy and so, so inviting it made Tony's mouth water right there.

“I don't think so,” Tony said without thinking and found himself leaning towards Steve, resting his forearms on the counter and the glasses of water the only things between them. “I see you in a mask every day, it's true, but this one is… different.”

Steve turned his full attention to Tony, and it was like being hit by a wave in the open ocean. He also turned his body on the bench, facing Tony completely, and leaned over the counter. Tony smelled Steve's perfume and his head spun.

“Is that so?” Steve narrowed his eyes, but the corner of his mouth was pulled up in a crooked smile.

Tony nodded because he didn't trust his own voice. He was floating in pure Steve essence and woody tones, like being in a tropical forest by the sea on a hot day, when jumping into the blue ocean was all your body needed, but staying under the shade of oh-so-smelling trees was just as tempting. Steve was pure temptation and Tony knew somewhere in his mind that he shouldn't get his hopes up, but he also wondered what was going on here and now, whether there was a chance for something more. Whatever it was, though, he didn't want to know the answer either. At that moment, he just wanted to drown himself in whatever Steve was offering.

"How different?" Steve asked his voice low and melodious, almost playful, a different tone from the ones he usually used. Here, he wasn't the fearless leader, he wasn't the soldier, he wasn't the Avenger, he wasn't even the Steve Rogers of game nights. It was another facet, a completely new one, that Tony amazingly still didn't know, even though he thought he knew everything there was to know about the man in front of him. It looks like Steve Rogers still had some secrets to reveal, and Tony was really enjoying the surprise.

Tony swallowed hard, buying time to find his voice again. "Well, with your everyday mask on, you're still... well, you," Tony scowled. What a horrible explanation. Again. “I mean, it's your uniform, we know who's there, we know it's Captain America,” Tony found himself speaking quietly, his eyes glued to Steve's, mesmerized. I don't know what that is, but please don't let it end. “But wearing that mask,” Tony saw his arm coming up without his direct permission, his hand reaching out towards Steve, who didn't move a muscle, to touch the blue mask that felt like satin under Tony's fingers. "It's like you're someone I don't know yet." Tony withdrew his hand but continued leaning toward Steve. The two of them were locked in each other's orbit, and Tony had never, in all these years, experienced anything like this with Steve. What's going on here?

Whatever it was, Tony wanted to go all the way to find out.

“And is that a bad thing?” Steve asked, eyes locked to Tony’s as their gazes pulled together like magnets.

“What's bad?” Tony was having a hard time keeping a coherent mind in this conversation.

“Not knowing me while wearing this mask,” Steve said.

Tony blinked a few times, remembering that he was the one who made the comparison because that was really how he felt when he looked at Steve with his current mask: still the Steve everyone knew, yet completely different, unexpected. A new territory to explore, as if it was only known through drawings in maps, but not yet in person. And Tony wanted to find out who that person was under the mask, that person willing to lower his voice and lean on the counter to flirt with him– is this what is happening here? Was that his old friend or would Tony discover something new?

“Not bad at all,” Tony replied.

“Would you like to meet?” Steve asked, breathless.

Tony felt his brain short circuit. That question was tricky and went against all of Tony's self-imposed codes when it came to Steve. His heart was beating so fast that Tony was pretty sure it could power an arc reactor the size of New York. But his whole body was hunched over the penthouse bar counter, the glasses of water now smashed against Tony and Steve's arms – the only barriers preventing any physical contact between them. His body wanted, needed, that answer he had refused to have for so long.

“I'd love to,” Tony heard himself say.

Steve smiled so beautifully that Tony's heart skipped two beats. “What do you say tonight, then, at the gala?”

Tony blinked a few times, trying to fit that question into some context where it made sense, but he felt like he'd missed something. Did I get lost in thought again?

"What do you mean?" Tony surrendered and just asked.

“Pretend you don't know me, and I don't know you. Let's meet again today, at the gala,” Steve's eyes sparkled, and Tony realized that he was already making a plan in that strategist’s mind of his.

“Are you suggesting we role-play?” Immediately after, Tony wanted to hit himself. He had just talked about role-playing to Steve. It couldn't get any worse.
Steve blushed and Tony thought it was the most adorable thing, and it made all the earlier embarrassment worth it. “Maybe that's a way to call it,” Steve said, trying to pretend nonchalance at the comment. “But I think it might make the night more… interesting.”

Tony narrowed his eyes, feeling his brain return to basic functions. “And you’re suggesting this because...”

Steve shrugged. “You're not the only one who finds these galas 'insufferable,'” he made the air quotes with his fingers. "Thought you and I could have something more fun to do today."

"You and I," Tony's heart melted. He didn't need anything else. Who was he anyway, finding fault and seeking reasons to role play with Steve Rogers? That's when he had an idea, an idea that went against everything Tony had ever promised himself not to do to hide his feelings for Steve, but the opportunity that presented itself was too good, too precious, not to be taken.

“Just you and me then?” Tony asked.

Steve smirked. “Just the two of us.”

My God, he’s a wonderful menace. "For tonight, we haven't met yet, right?"

"Right."

"Does that mean we can behave as we would with any stranger we wanna meet?" Tony needed to be sure of the details. Years of contracts with odd clauses trying to pass unnoticed had taught him to be cautious.

“Exactly,” Steve said, frowning. “Imagine we have never seen each other before, but this is only between you and I.”

“So, we know everybody, and everybody knows us, but people don't know that we don't know each other?” That had just gotten even better.

"I think we can just leave things between us, so we don't confuse anyone," Steve chuckled and then turned to stare intently at Tony. "What do you say?"

“It's going to be such a pleasure to meet you,” Tony smirked and his whole body perked up as he saw Steve swallow hard.

As if waiting for the perfect moment, the penthouse elevator doors opened, and the two moved away from each other. Tony felt his body suddenly go cold, after having spent so many minutes feeling Steve's body heat, finally realizing how close they had been. Their eyes remained connected though, even after several voices rose around them, excited and loud, oblivious to everything that had just happened.

“Sorry we’re late,” called out Natasha Romanoff, stunning in her crystal-covered red dress and black velvet mask, as she held her hands up in front of her.

Unwillingly, Tony turned to the rest of the Avengers present and couldn't help but think of what it would be like to see them all arrive at the gala together. It’d be a scene that news sites would use to write articles for at least the next month, unraveling every detail, every crystal, every fiber, every step. Tony couldn't blame them as he looked at his teammates. All masked, elegant, and imposing in a way that only these people could. Tony loved being around them.

“Well, we were supposed to be here at seven sharp,” Tony said, looking at his wristwatch, which read seven forty-five. “But what did I expect, right?”

“You should label the buttons on this elevator,” Clint said. “No, even better: you should put signs on every floor showing where the hell we are!”

“You're a SHIELD agent, trained to have an impeccable memory,” Tony snapped. “How is it possible that you don’t know what floor you’re on?”

“This shouldn't be more complicated than a secret military base, Tin Head,” Clint spread his arms out, showing the room around him, and very annoyed. “This is a fucking penthouse!”

"Next time I'll call you when I'm decorating, okay, Legolas?" Tony rolled his eyes, walking around the counter and heading for the elevator. “Since it's so late, you all shouldn’t have stopped here. You should’ve gone straight downstairs where the cars are waiting for us."

“I might as well go flying with Mjolnir, friend Anthony,” Thor said, and it was very odd to see the Asgardian god dressed in a tuxedo and golden mask. It was as if artificial intelligence had created an underwear model and it had somehow come to life.

“And risk having you find something to distract yourself with? Not at all,” said Tony, patting Thor on the back as he guided him towards the elevator.

One by one, everyone went back into the elevator, but Tony felt a hand close around his wrist, pulling him back, and preventing him from entering. The exclamation of outrage got stuck in his throat when Tony saw that it was Steve holding his arm. Tony waved at him that he would stay and turned to press the button for the ground floor.

“We're going down the next one,” Tony said, as the doors started to close.

“Oh, I get it, you just wanted to get rid of us, didn’t you?” Clint grinned the cockiest smile Tony had ever seen.

“Ha-ha, you'd love the gossip, wouldn't you, Birdie? But check it out,” Tony stopped the elevator doors with his arm and pointed to the panel with the buttons, where a red warning sign had lit up. “The weight the elevator can hold is already at its limit.”

Clint snorted. “Like a falling elevator is a problem for us.”

Tony rolled his eyes impatiently. "On any other day it really wouldn't be a problem, but today I don't want to wrinkle my beautiful Tom Ford suit too soon, and I doubt anyone else here would want to be a mess just to stop an elevator," Tony glared at the others, daring them to say otherwise. Nobody said anything. He looked back at Clint. “We can't go all at once. See you in a few minutes,” he smiled, removed his arm and let the doors close.

He was out of control. Tony could feel his body trembling with anxiety, with anticipation. The minutes with Steve before they all arrived were still vividly etched behind Tony's eyes. The scent of Steve's perfume was lingering on Tony. Any composure he'd managed to maintain was crumbling after a few smiles, a hushed conversation, and a proposal to role-play just between the two of them. In a way yes, Tony wanted everyone gone and so that it was just him and Steve and they could go back to whatever those moments had been. Tony stared at the metal doors and exhaled hard.

"You didn't hold me here because of the elevator's overweight warning, did you?"

Steve laughed softly behind him. "No. But I'm glad you noticed. I had no excuse.”

Tony let his head droop wearily and felt the corners of his mouth pull up into a smirk. What can he do to me? He shook his head, turned, and looked up, only to find Steve so close that Tony could smell him again, feel his warmth, and touch Steve without reaching out. But he didn't. No, Tony was strong and clenched his hand tightly at his side, resisting the temptation.

“Why did you want me to stay then?” Tony's question was barely louder than a whisper, but he considered it a victory to be able to say anything under the circumstances.

“I just wanted to be sure of one last thing.”

“Be sure of what?” Tony didn't know how he still had coherence within him to formulate sentences.

“When does it end?” Steve made a face at the last word.

Tony blinked a few times, processing that question. “You mean our game?”

Steve nodded.

“Do you want to pinpoint a specific time?” Tony asked, a little more self-assured because he understood contractual rules.

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. You're the first person I've done something like this with."

Tony felt his jaw drop. I'm Steve Rogers' first role-playing. Okay, don't panic. Tony cleared his throat and shifted his weight between his legs, his hips moving to the right to maintain a straight posture. But the curious thing was Steve's gaze moving away from Tony's eyes for the first time to follow the movement. It was too fast, and soon they were staring at each other again, but Tony hadn't imagined that.

There was no way I could’ve imagined that...

“Well,” Tony rocked his hips to the left, shifting his weight, more slowly this time, and hah! There were two beautiful blue eyes attentively following the movement. Tony's head spun. “I think we can get back to normal once we get back to the Tower, whaddya think?”

Steve turned to Tony's face quickly upon hearing the question and Tony opened a smirk when he saw an adorable rosy shade coloring Steve's face when he got caught. "Okay, when we get back to the Tower then," Steve said without much excitement, and Tony saved that observation for later.

Why had he become so down all of a sudden?

The elevator went back to the penthouse, and Tony felt the blast of air that hit his back as the doors opened, but he didn't dare move. “We need to go.”

Without any trace of the discouragement from before, Steve flashed a sweet smile that would’ve disarmed any army, gripped Tony's chin gently, as if it might break, and leveled their gazes. Tony was sure all of Manhattan could hear his heart beating.

“Well then, allow me to wish you a good gala and wish you luck in meeting someone interesting today.” Steve’s sweet smile turned into a smirk and Tony knew that he was at Steve's mercy right then and there — exactly where he wanted to be.

"Thanks," Tony replied in a choked whisper.

Steve leaned in and Tony was sure that was how he’d die, and that it’d be a glorious death, except that he’d never have been able to tell how he felt to Steve. But Steve kept bending down until his lips touched Tony's face and then, too quickly, they were gone, taking Steve's warmth and good smell with them.

Tony realized he had his eyes closed when he heard the elevator doors closing and his eyes snapped open. He turned around and saw Steve inside. “From now on, we don't know each other, remember?” he said, with a grin. “See you later, stranger.”

Tony was speechless, but he had never felt so electric and excited in his life.

Steve Rogers, what’re you doing to me?

Tony didn't know what to make of everything that had happened in the past hour. That person still looked like the Steve he knew and loved, his best friend, his teammate, the man behind Captain America and the most important person in the world to Tony. But something had changed and changed drastically.

Steve had never, at any point in all those years of friendship, given any hint that he was open to a relationship with men. He had never or shown that he was gay or even bi... Tony's head kept going, searching his memories for anything that might be a clue he'd missed, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But Steve wasn't the kind of person to play with anyone's feelings, no matter what kind of feelings those were. Not even the enemy's hatred. Feelings were very important to him, sometimes even more important than winning an argument.

Feelings mattered because people mattered.

Steve cared more about people than the conflicts they were involved in, and that's why everyone adored him. And that's why Tony knew that Steve would never play with his feelings, let alone just to have fun during a stupid gala. But then, why now? Why has Steve never kissed Tony on the cheek before? Why haven’t they flirted with each other like they did tonight? Because if that wasn't all a big flirtation, Tony wouldn't know how to break the news to the boner between his legs.

The truth is, Tony didn't know what to think, or what conclusions to draw from what had just happened in the penthouse and that was driving him crazy. Knowing things was his role, and when he didn't, well... when Tony Stark didn't have an answer, he went after it, even if it meant answering the question "What does Steve Rogers want from me?"

oOo

CHAPTER 2

When Tony finally got downstairs, he found himself alone. All the others had already left, leaving only his car outside. Tony sighed, straightened his posture, and headed towards the waiting vehicle.

“Good evening, Happy,” he greeted his old friend behind the wheel, noticing that the engine was already running.

“What’s up, Tony?” Happy smiled over his shoulder. “What took you so long? Everyone’s already gone.”

Tony unbuttoned his jacket and relaxed in the backseat as best he could. “I needed to get some… umm… errands sorted out before I left.” It was a way of saying that he had to wait until his pants were comfortable again in the crotch area after his conversation with Steve. The urge to sit right there on the penthouse couch, open the button on his pants, take his cock in hand and give in to the temptation to come from the lingering scent of Steve in his clothes was almost too much, but Tony didn't do any of that. He went back to the bar, drank another glass of water, took a few deep breaths, and forced himself to solve some boring third-degree equations in his head until he stopped thinking about Steve and was able to get on that elevator.

"They haven't been gone for a long time, though, and we're still on time for you to make a big entrance," Happy said, oblivious to Tony's daydreams.

"Good thing it's not too far," Tony commented absent-mindedly.

“Ha, big deal,” Happy chuckled. “We’re still in New York, on a Saturday, and during the Stark Industries Gala night. Even if Ultron decided to attack now, it wouldn't get any more chaotic here."

Tony couldn't help but smile. Talking to Happy brought him back to reality in a way few things could. And he was right: New York itself is the perfect place for delays, no matter how close you are to your destination. But add to that an event like the one night and you have a place full of slow and stressful stuff. “I trust you and your usual magic to get us where we need to be on time,” Tony patted Happy on the shoulder twice, and Happy smiled.

“You're not gonna be late for your own party. Not on my watch.” He sped up out of the Tower at Columbus Circus, headed toward Broadway, but kept through the roundabout, getting all the lights to be green, until he turned right onto W 58th Street.

“Aren’t we going down Broadway?” Tony asked, looking at the avenue through the window, getting behind.

“No,” Happy said. “Everybody's going that way or 68th. We’re gonna take a way that’s a little longer, but faster, just for today.”

Happy drove a few more feet turning right again onto 9th Avenue and turned left onto W 59th Street when the light changed from red to green. At the end of the block, Happy turned right, onto Amsterdam Avenue, and straight ahead, until he turned right one last time onto W 65th Street, stopping at the end of a line of cars that led to Alice Tully Hall, where there was a large Stark Industries logo hung, to leave no doubt as to who was sponsoring it all. A great red carpet had been rolled out, along with much light and brightness, dozens of frantic photographers and ordinary people with signs and cell phones held high spread out on both sides of the large carpet behind guardrails, shouting the names of people as they got out of their cars and waved to the public.

“We're here,” Happy announced.

Tony sighed. “Yeah, looks like it.”

“Oh, come on, it'll be cool,” Happy said, looking at Tony in the rearview mirror. "It can't be worse than the last one."

Tony didn't want to remember the fiasco at the last Gala. At that time, he still hadn't admitted that he was addicted to drink and ended up drinking too much after a tribute to Howard Stark. At the end of the night, completely out of control but still with a full glass in hand, Tony took the stage and gave a speech about how pathetic Howard was, what a terrible husband and even worse father he had been, and how everyone there should be ashamed for sucking up to someone so horrible. Needless to say, the party ended there, sunk into an awkward silence, and doomed to never happen again. At least until today that is.

“This year there's even masks,” Happy went on.

Tony snapped back to the present. The masks. The game between him and Steve. May Howard stay in hell and not disturb my night. Tony shook his head. May he not disturb my life.

“You're right, Happy,” Tony lifted his head and grinned. “This year will be different.”

"That's the spirit, boss!" Happy shook his fist in the air. “By the way, now we really are here.”

Tony looked out the window and saw that the car was parked in front of the building's entrance, camera flashes already pointed at it, fans screaming his name, and reporters appearing from who knows where. Tony sighed, fitted his mask on his face, and put on his best magazine-cover smile.

“Lookin’ great boss,” Happy gave a thumbs up.

“Thanks, Happy,” Tony said as he slid across the seat towards the door. “You can go home. I'll let you know if I need you.”

"All right, Have fun!” Happy smiled and pressed a button on the car's dashboard, unlocking Tony's door.

Tony exited the car and was immediately blinded by lights and voices coming from all around. It had been a long time since he had been through something this intense.

I think I'm losing touch.

He buttoned up his jacket and waved, not stopping to talk to anyone, signing autographs or taking pictures. It would be quite an achievement to make it to the party without tripping after so many flashes blinded his retinas. He followed the red carpet leading to the combined Och Foyer and Morgan Stanley lobbies, with their stunning floor-to-ceiling windows, carefully shielding the interior from prying eyes with dark hues matching the dark sky outside.

Tony reached the top of the steps leading to the party and could smell the food and drink and the buzz of conversation. A shudder ran through him.

Steve is in there waiting to meet me.

With that thought in mind, Tony went down the three steps in front of him and accidentally bumped into someone.

“I'm sorry,” Tony said, grabbing the woman by the arm so she wouldn't fall over. "I was distracted."

“You're always distracted,” she said with a crooked smile.

“Pepper!” Tony pulled her into a hug. “I forgot you’d be here.”

"See? Always distracted,” she shrugged but returned the hug.

“Pepper, remind me to give you a raise. That mask idea was the most genius thing you've ever had,” Tony said as the two walked in together.

“You liked it that much, huh?” Pepper raised an eyebrow behind the white mask she wore that matched her dress.

“You’ve got no idea,” Tony barely managed to contain his smile. He was so, so close...

“Good,” Pepper smiled, looking around, taking in every detail. “I hope everyone who came today is as excited as you are. Excited people spend more in the auction.”

"Auction?" Tony came back from his daydreams.

“Yeah,” she looked at him. “You should know about it; it was in the invitation… Didn't you read the invitation?”

“I did.”

“Did you read the entire invitation?”

“Apparently some information was missing from mine, because I don't remember my invitation mentioning any auctions,” Tony was annoyed.

Pepper flipped through the papers attached by a large clip to the clipboard she carried until she found the one she wanted and showed it to Tony; it was a copy of the Stark Industries Gala invitation. “Read it,” she ordered.

Tony did as she asked and… “Aaah, here it is,” Tony pointed to the last few lines of the invitation, just below where it said it was a masquerade ball. “It says there's going to be an auction,” he looked at Pepper. “That's it? An auction? Auction for what?”

The smile she flashed was almost devilish. “It’ll be a surprise.”

“Tell me,” Tony asked.

“No,” the devilish smile was now cocky too.

"I'm your boss," Tony whined lamely.

"No," she lifted her chin, a petulant expression.

“You're fired,” was the worst lie Tony had ever told.

Pepper had the decency not to laugh. “I won't tell you.”

“Virginia Potts, you are insufferable,” Tony pursed his lips.

Finally, she laughed. “And five minutes ago, you said you were going to give me a raise!” She composed herself. “I'm just going to tell you that I think everyone is going to like what's on offer here today, including you,” she poked her finger on his chest.

Tony felt his body shiver, but he couldn't quite say why. “Fine,” he looked over her shoulder into the hall. “Where am I sitting?”

She checked the clipboard. “Along with the other Avengers, alongside Natasha,” Pepper grabbed Tony's elbow and guided him towards the entrance. “There’s your table, can you see it?”

The hall had been organized with the tables facing the stage, which was to the right of the entrance and sideways to the long bar counter at the back. There were three long rows of tables running the length of the first lobby, continuing to the other side as far as Tony could see. The Avengers’ table was in the middle, in the first row facing the stage.

“Prime location,” he commented.

Pepper smiled. “Only the best for my boss.”

Tony rolled his eyes at her. "You're not gonna let me forget this, are you?"

She tried to hold in a laugh. “Not anytime soon.”

He sighed, accepting defeat. "It’s fine. I deserved it.” He leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek. "See you later."

“Enjoy the party,” Pepper responded already turning to address other arriving guests.

Tony walked into the room and felt the atmosphere change. The warmer lights, the cooler environment, the pleasant smell of food about to be served, the buzz of conversation, and people everywhere – sitting and standing, talking to each other, all masked and appearing happy and satisfied to be there. Tony felt his chest swell a little. This was his gala, after all. It had his name. Although the last one was a fiasco, he was determined to make this one memorable. He straightened his posture, put a subtle smile on his face, and went straight to his table.

“Hey,” Tony greeted Natasha, who was sitting alone at the table that was supposed to seat all six Avengers. He looked around, not finding any familiar faces nearby. "Where are the others?"

She was eating a canapé but managed a smile anyway. "Look who's late now."

Tony rolled his eyes and sat down next to her. “Did you see the traffic outside to get here?”

She shrugged. "I wasn't the one who scolded everyone for being late leaving the Tower."

"I think I missed the memo saying that today was the day that women I know were free to lecture me."

Natasha finished off the canapé with a gulp of what looked like champagne and her eyes sparkled behind her glass. “Have you seen Pepper yet?”

Tony snorted and didn't answer, but that was enough for Natasha, who put her hand on Tony's arm. “It's not on purpose. We only do this because we mean you well,” she said, her voice softer. Tony looked back at her. He let out a sigh.

“You two get away with it so much.”

Natasha smiled one of those rare sincere smiles, the ones that actually reached her eyes and made the corners of her mouth pull up until the dimples showed. “It's a natural talent.” She gave his arm two affectionate pats and walked away, returning to her earlier serious pose.

"So..." Tony started. “Why are you here alone?”

“Everyone had something more interesting to do,” Natasha said. “Bruce is somewhere talking to Reed...”

“...I didn't know the Fantastic Four were coming...”

“...Clint and Thor got sucked into a conversation with the mayor...”

"...I hope they manage to tire him out before he gets to me..."

“...and I just wanted to eat my canapés in peace. So, I stayed here.”

“And nobody came to bother you?” Tony was surprised by the disbelief in his voice. Finding an Avenger alone at a fundraiser, free and available wasn't an opportunity anyone could say they'd ever had. And being an Avenger, alone, at a fundraiser, and getting through the experience undisturbed was even rarer.

Natasha looked at Tony and he could only think of “tired” to describe her expression. “Tony, nobody comes to talk to the Black Widow. Especially if she's alone,” she smirked. “Who knows what terrible, sneaky things she could do and still make it look like it was an accident?”

Tony made a face. “Jeez, Nat. You're not like that.”

She laughed out loud. "Of course not. But people don't know,” she sipped her champagne. “And I prefer it that way. I still have a reputation to uphold.”

“You're an Avenger, not a KGB assassin,” Tony said quietly, still frowning.

“Not anymore,” she said casually. “But seriously, Tony. I don't mind. Besides, I hate socializing when I don't have to.”

That got his attention. “If you stayed here to eat your canapés, how did you get that?” Tony pointed to the champagne flute in her hand, its contents dangerously low.

"This?" She shook the flute. “Oh, Steve got it for me before he vanished.”

And just like that, with a single magic word, Tony's world closed down, focused on just those five glowing letters. Steve. That night could be everything for everyone, but Tony was playing, betting very high, and he didn't intend to walk away without winning… something. Anything.

"So, you don't know where he went, huh?" Tony tried to keep his voice even.

Natasha shook her head. "No."

Then I'll find him.

"Guess I'll go get myself a drink then."

Tony got up, but Natasha grabbed his hand. For the first time, her look was concerned. “You'll be fine, won't you?”

Tony's heart broke into a thousand pieces and stuck together all at once with her love and concern. He smiled. “Don't worry, I'm fine and I'll stay fine. The last gala will not be repeated.”

“I don't care about the gala, Tony,” her hand's grip on Tony's tightened. "I care about you. I wanna know if you're gonna be okay after you go to that bar.”

“Nat, trust me. I won’t get drunk. Promise."

"I'm watching you, Tony Stark."

“I know,” he said, and he smiled at her with all the affection in the world. “That's why I know you're going to rip my ass off if I don't keep my promise.”

“You can be sure I will,” she stuck out her chin, daring Tony to question her.

"Great. But we won’t need to get to that, okay?” He leaned over and placed a kiss on her face. "I love you."

Tony thought he saw a smile on her face as she walked away, but Natasha knew how to hide it well when she wanted to. "Love you too. And don’t be late getting back to the auction.”

“Is this really going to happen?”

With her free hand, she picked up a numbered plaque, like a ping-pong paddle, that was hidden under the floral arrangements on the table and showed it to Tony. “Of course, it’s gonna happen.”

Tony rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll be here when the auction starts, okay?"

He let go of her hand and went to the bar, being stopped every now and then by some millionaire guest to be congratulated for this very pleasant night and to hear their expectations regarding the auction. One of the tycoons even asked Tony what would be auctioned, and Tony laughed. “You know as much as I do, buddy,” he replied and continued his way to the bar.

The bar counter was huge, long, and wide, almost the same length as the hall, and stocked that night with all the drinks anyone could want – including Asgardian beer. Tony managed to reach one end of the counter, and from there he could have a panoramic view of the entire room. By this time, all the guests had already arrived and now it was just a matter of letting the gala take its natural course.

“May I help you, sir?” asked the girl, no older than twenty and looking expectantly at Tony, manning the bar. She wore a black and white uniform, with a button-up vest and pants, and a black mask.

Tony smiled at her. “Hi. Yes. You can help me, yes. A mocktail with lots of ice, please.”

“Any preferences, sir?”

"Surprise me," he responded. Lately, that request had turned out better than Tony could have predicted. Not controlling everything and letting yourself be surprised could be very rewarding sometimes.

“Right away,” she turned away, and in less than a minute – Tony counted – she was back with a glass for him wrapped in a soft cotton napkin.

“Thanks,” Tony said as he raised his glass to her and took a sip. It was delicious, the icy liquid touching his tongue, and the taste unique, unlike anything Tony had ever tasted. He could certainly taste the bitterness and burn where the alcohol should have been, but the liquid went down smoothly, leaving behind a soft, sweet aftertaste, completely unexpected.

Tony only realized he had closed his eyes when he opened them and looked around, getting his bearings. He looked down at the glass in his hand, at the amber liquid lining the ice cubes, and found himself mesmerized.

“Did you like it?”

Tony snapped out of his daydreams. He looked in the direction of the voice and back to the girl who served him.

“It's splendid. Thank you very much."

She smiled. “I can do whatever else you want.”

Tony was no longer paying attention. The group of people who had been standing in the middle of the counter chatting moved, clearing Tony's field of vision, allowing him to see him.

Finally, I found you.

Across the room, at the other end of the bar, was the evening's illustrious stranger, Steve Rogers.

Tony looked over him quickly and realized that he was talking to a couple that Tony didn't know, though he thought that the woman was leaning too much towards him and touching Steve's arm too much for a conversation that should only be between mere acquaintances. Something burned inside Tony, and it wasn't the booze. He turned to the barwoman.

“Can you make me another one of this?” He lifted his glass.

She looked at him with a confused expression. “Is there a problem with yours?”

Tony looked at her for a few seconds, not understanding why she was taking so long this time. “There’s nothing wrong. I just want another one to take to somebody else.”

“Oh,” she said quietly and turned to make the drink.

Quick as before, she returned and handed the glass to Tony, who uttered a barely audible “thank you” in his haste to get through the crowd – did more people arrive? – and make it to the other side.

Tony dodged everyone and tried not to be noticed by Steve. If they're supposed to act like complete strangers, then their first meeting should also be as casual as possible. Tony didn't want to look like a hunter obsessed with his prey.

As he approached Steve and the couple he was talking to, Tony could hear the woman laughing louder than she should have, a forced laugh that Tony knew very well the kind of laugh you give when you want to get someone's attention by making that person feel important and interesting. Tony had been on the other side of that laugh more times than he cared to remember – and had been swayed by it just as many times.

Tony turned his back on the trio but continued to listen to everything. Steve was trapped between the couple and the bar counter, so there was no simple escape for him. There goes my low-key approach.

Tony took a sip of his mocktail, leaving a half smile playing at the corner of his mouth, made sure the other glass was held securely in his hand and turned towards the trio.

“Good evening, everyone,” he said, wedging himself between the man and woman and hugging them by the shoulders as best he could while holding the glasses. At a glance, he saw Steve widening his eyes, but it wasn't time to focus on that side of the conversation just yet. “Are you guys having fun?”

The man, who was also dressed in full military uniform, was old enough to be Tony's father, a few inches taller, and had a huge mustache. He watched Tony through narrowed eyes, and a few seconds later, his expression widened in recognition. The man smiled. “Tony Stark himself! What a pleasure,” he pulled back enough to try and shake Tony's hand.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” Tony smiled and shrugged as he showed his busy hands.

The man laughed. “Don't bother,” he said as he patted Tony on the shoulder twice. “General Johnson, nice to meet you. Me and my wife over here were on our way to get our drinks when we stopped by to talk, right dear?" The man looked at the woman, who nodded in agreement, and Tony turned his full attention to her. She was young, probably half the general's age, with blond hair falling in waves over her shoulders, wearing a simple but elegant black dress with a matching black mask.

Tony looked at the general and smiled. "I thought you had already had something to drink..." He turned towards the woman again and said softly so that the general couldn’t hear: "Because only dizziness would justify holding on so much to another person."

Tony saw her eyes widen and her face flush. A venomous snake contentedly squirmed inside Tony. Yes, I've seen it all. And I won't let you do it again.

“General,” Tony said to the man. “Why not enjoy the bar before the next round of canapés? I hear it's going to be served soon."

“Excellent idea,” the general smiled. “Come on, darling, let them talk. We've already taken up too much of their time. Have a good night, gentlemen.” The general walked past Tony and took his wife's hand, leading her with him to a farther seat on the counter. She didn't say goodbye.

Tony watched the two of them until it was safe to speak again. And then he allowed himself to look at Steve, who was struggling valiantly to suppress a smile. Tony walked over to him, set the glasses down on the counter, and let himself lean against it, tilting his hips as in the Tower. And again, Steve's gaze followed the movement. I'm not imagining it.

“I'm sorry about that,” Tony said when the two were facing each other.

"No, no. It's okay,” Steve said, still trying not to smile. “I appreciate the help. It was getting… uncomfortable.”

Tony smiled in sympathy. “Yeah, it was hard to look and do nothing,” Tony glanced around, taking time to catch his breath and focus on what he had come here to do. Now nothing else stood in the way and he could start putting his plan into action. He turned to Steve, who was still watching him and smiled, holding out his hand. “Pleased to meet you, I'm Tony. Tony Stark."

Steve's eyes sparkled. This was really happening. He took Tony's hand, and the feeling was electric. “Likewise. I'm Steve Rogers."

“Steve,” Tony repeated, drawing out the vowels, savoring the name. Unwillingly, Tony released his hand, took the extra glass he brought, and handed it to Steve. "Here."

"What's that?" Steve asked, looking into the glass.

“I brought it for you.” Tony tried not to be shaken by the look Steve gave him when he heard that. He swallowed hard.

“Thanks,” he smiled, then asked, "Why?" taking the glass from Tony's hand, and letting their fingers touch again. Tony could have sworn pure electricity surged through that brief contact.

"Well, because I needed an excuse to come to talk to you and bringing you a drink seemed like the best way until I had to save you from harassment," Tony shrugged as if none of that mattered. But they didn't know each other, right? Tony could say whatever he wanted to get through to Steve. For the first time since they'd met that day in the Arctic, their relationship was a blank canvas ready to be whatever they wanted it to be.

“So, you wanted to come talk to me?” Steve raised the glass between them, and Tony did the same. They toasted quickly, never taking their eyes off each other, and drank together. Steve licked his lips and Tony was mesmerized. “By the way, delicious.”

Tony blinked a few times, coming out of his trance. "Sorry, what?"

Steve indicated the glass. “The drink you brought me. Mocktail, isn't it? It's delicious."

“Oh, of course!” Tony exhaled sharply and tried to smile. "Mine's the same."

Steve leaned on his elbow propped on the bar. “But you still haven't told me why you wanted to come talk to me.”

“Does a man need reasons?” Tony asked, lowering his voice.

Steve narrowed his eyes and smiled crookedly. “I’d say no, but I’d love to know yours.”

Tony sucked in a breath. He wasn't used to being challenged like that. Usually, his love conquests were much simpler; a crooked smile, a quick small talk, and that was it. Rarely has another person been so mysterious, curious, or let's be honest, the object of Tony Stark's love for years. It sent a shiver through Tony's body, the anticipation, the unknown, the challenge. Conquer Steve Rogers. What a nice way to spend the night.

“What do you do, Steve?” Tony asked, dodging the answer Steve wanted.

“I'm a Captain in the US Army,” Steve replied and took a sip of his drink.

“Oh!,” Tony feigned surprise and, in a bold move, reached up and touched the medals and badges hanging on Steve's chest. Tony could feel Steve's heart beating fast under his fingers and that was the fuel he needed to keep going. “That explains all of this,” Tony looked at Steve and smiled. “You must’ve served bravely to have so many.”

“At first, yes,” Steve said with ragged breath, eyes burning behind the mask, and Tony knew he was headed in the right direction. “But most of them I got working outside the military.”

Tony withdrew his hand. “Have you retired?” He made a face. "You don't look old enough to retire."

Steve laughed softly. “No, I just became sort of an independent agent. Today I work in a team apart from the government, I go wherever I want with my teammates, and I no longer answer to the hierarchy of the army.”

"But you're still a Captain..." Tony said, frowning.

“Yes…” Steve made a face. “Let's just say it's complicated.”

Tony laughed. “I could tell.”

“But what about you?” Steve asked, changing the subject.

“I'm an open book,” Tony grinned, showing his teeth.

Steve laughed and Tony was delighted. “Okay, mister open book, what do you do?”

“Well, I own a company, I fund clean energy research, I invent technologies that are gonna change the world, and I throw gala dinners where I only talk to the most interesting guests,” Tony looked suggestively at Steve and received the most intense look yet.

“Is that so?” Steve asked.

Tony nodded in agreement.

“Then what are you doing here, talking to me?”

Tony's heart sank. He couldn't tell if that was a joke or if it was Steve saying he didn't think he was worthy of interest.

“Oh Steve, you’re the most interesting person in this whole place.”

Steve chuckled through his nose. “No, I'm not, but I'll let you believe that,” he took a sip of the mocktail. “You said you invent new things. So, you're a genius?"

Tony chuckled and shrugged. “Yeah, we can say so.”

“Wow, this is really amazing,” Steve said, more seriously than before, looking deep into Tony's eyes. It wasn't a joke. Tony shifted, uncomfortable with the praise.
“No big deal,” Tony dismissed the compliment with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, it is. Not everyone can say they can make the world a better place and here you are, doing it with your own hands.”

Tony looked at him, suddenly hyper-aware of himself, and tried to smile. “Thanks, Steve.”

Steve's gaze was full of affection. "I'm just saying what I see."

Tony held Steve's gaze for a few more seconds in silence, analyzing, keeping the nuances, the reflections of the lights in the blue of his eyes, the feeling that was there and that had never been there before. Never. Tony had never noticed that look on Steve before. Why now?

Tony blinked out of his silent observation and cleared his throat, bringing them both back to the present. “You came alone, Steve?” Subtle, Stark, very subtle.

“Depends on how you look at it,” Steve gave Tony a sideways look as he set his glass down on the counter.

Tony frowned. "How so?"

“I'm here with some friends,” he replied calmly.

Tony exhaled impatiently. “Anyone else?”

Steve looked at him intensely, like a predator, and took a small step towards Tony, closing the distance between them. As if we were too far away from each other, Tony thought, holding his breath. "That also depends," Steve whispered.

A shiver ran through Tony's body, stopping somewhere at the small of his back and lying there, waiting. He swallowed hard. “On what?”

Steve smirked. “Are you going to tell me why you wanted to come over here and talk to me in the first place?”

“You’re still thinking about that?” Tony heard himself gasp.

“Oh yes, I really want to know why a man like you wanted to talk to me so badly,” Steve was so close that Tony could smell his perfume, like that moment in the Tower, but now that scent was mixed with the sweet smell of mocktail that came from his breath. All those scents were making Tony dizzy and not quite sure what he was talking about.

“What do you mean, a man like me, Rogers?” Was that the important question here?

Steve chuckled softly at his name and leaned in, invading Tony's space. His chest touched Tony's shoulder and his hot breath tickled as he leaned in close to whisper in Tony's ear so only he could hear, "A handsome, elegant, smart, funny man with a killer smile, and so, so fucking hot.” Steve pulled back slowly, letting his face brush Tony's, taking care that the masks didn't get tangled, creating an unexpected and energetic point of contact.

Tony's heart was frantic when Steve finally straightened up and locked his eyes with Tony’s again. Tony's lungs didn't know how to work anymore and his brain, poor thing, had already declared bankruptcy. Steve Rogers thinks I'm hot? What?! Tony was short-circuited.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his ability to form sentences had slipped along with his self-control. Steve Rogers just told me he thinks I'm sexy. One of Tony's wildest fantasies had just come true right there, in the middle of a gala, in the middle of a crowd, completely oblivious to the man of Tony's dreams saying (almost) everything Tony ever wanted to hear. Is it a prank?

An irrational part of Tony, but apparently the only one still working, screamed from somewhere that Tony must go on with the plan, that this was the chance he'd been waiting for all those years, that this was the time. Tony blinked a few times and his gaze returned to Steve's incredible face, still waiting for Tony to recover, looking at him with that predatory look behind the blue mask that Tony was starting to understand as his.

Something squirmed inside Tony, but it was nothing like the venomous, jealous snake from before. This one was proud, vain, and happy to be the object of attention for the man in front of him. Let's see how long he can take it.

Tony swallowed back his nervousness and grinned a crooked little smile. He saw Steve's eyes widen quickly before returning to normal as Tony dropped his glass on the counter and took a confident step towards him, pinning Steve against the wall behind him. Tony could feel the heat emanating from his body, he could feel himself enveloped by the cloud of perfume, and he knew he was sealing the bubble that the two had entered when they decided to start this game. A game I also know how to play.

“You wanna know why I wanted to come here and talk to you?” Tony asked and couldn't help but smile when Steve just nodded. “Well, when I saw you across the room, it was like I was knocked out, you know. I needed to know who you were, and talk to you,” Tony snaked his hand between them, touching Steve's jacket, and kept climbing until he managed to grab his shirt below the lapel and pull Steve close, sticking their bodies together. Tony heard Steve gulp and smiled as he leaned in close and let his goatee brush Steve's ear. “You, Steve, got me all impatient.”

"Really?" Steve was out of breath and hearing him like that did things to Tony.

"Really. I knew it as soon as I saw you,” and Tony increased his grip on Steve's jacket and pinned him in place. Steve didn't protest. “That I needed to lay my hands on you.”

Steve moaned in Tony's ear, and it was almost too much to bear. It took all of Tony's control not to rip that uniform and have Steve right there against that wall.

At that moment, Steve regained his senses because his hands came out of the torpor at his sides, to grip Tony's waist firmly under the jacket, leaving only the light fabric of the cotton shirt as a barrier between his big, warm, strong hands and Tony's body. “What took you so long?” Steve asked, putting his knee between Tony's legs, and lifting it just enough to make Tony moan in Steve's ear and cling to him like he was drowning. “Oh, Tony...”

"I need..." Tony tried to say, but the words didn't come out the way he wanted. He was immersed in a flood of sensations, which even his best fantasies couldn’t have supplied Steve's hands holding him in place, his knee teasing Tony's cock just right, his breath in his ear, his scent around everything... Steve was contaminating his senses in the best way, and they hadn't even done anything extraordinary yet. No, scratch that. Being in Steve's arms was extraordinary in its own right. Whatever came next would only enhance the experience. Tony just didn't know that the extraordinary had so many levels above.

“What do you need, baby?” Steve whispered hoarsely and Tony moaned again when he heard the pet name.

“You,” Tony heard himself say.

Tony felt, more than heard, Steve smile and almost collapsed when he felt Steve's hands sliding down his body, leaving his waist, passing through his lower back, until he reached Tony's ass, which Steve wrapped his hands around and squeezed, moaning low and long, enjoying himself.

Tony didn't hold back and bit Steve's earlobe, moaning with him. Tony couldn't tell whose moans they were because they mingled and melted together. But Tony let his body speak for him because he was no longer in control of what he was doing. He was just feeling.

“You're a delight, Tony,” Steve said, squeezing Tony's ass again, and kissing him just below the ear. Tony felt his body light up.

“You ain't seen nothing yet,” Tony chuckled and wondered how he still managed to tease.

Steve pulled back enough to look Tony in the eyes and the blue was now a thin rim around his pupil, large with desire. His mask made it seem even more intense. Tony licked his lips. “Would you let me see?” Steve asked.

Tony smirked. "Now? ‘Cause I’m one of those people who thinks why leave for tomorrow what we can do today, preferably right now?”

Steve smiled back. “Tony, Tony…you're a temptation,” he cooed as he stroked Tony's cheeks, a gesture so affectionate after a hot and exciting make-out session, that it took Tony by surprise to say the least.

“Well, as complimentary as that is, that still doesn't answer my question,” Tony pouted.

“Tony Stark,” Steve began, and Tony was surprised to hear his full name. “As much as I’d love to put you on top of that counter and blow you until you forget your own name, now is not the best time.”

Tony felt his mouth drop open in shock. Steve Rogers just said he would love to blowjob me. This is a dream. It has to be.

“I can kick everyone out if you want,” Tony found himself saying.

Steve laughed and Tony's heart warmed because he still loved making Steve laugh. “The idea is tempting, like you,” Steve touched Tony's lips with his fingertips, and if Tony hadn't been watching, he would’ve sworn it never happened. “But right now, I gotta go. They’re waiting for me on stage.”

"What?" Tony was completely confused.

“We're still at your company's gala dinner, remember? For the sake of your foundation,” Steve said, withdrawing the leg that was between Tony's, eliciting a groan, but this one disapproving.
"You heard me saying I can send everyone away, right?" Tony said, annoyed.

“When things on stage are over, and if you still want to continue our… um… talk, come find me,” Steve leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on Tony's face.

“You're a danger, Steve Rogers,” Tony said frowning seriously, still holding Steve’s jacket, when Steve walked away, but he couldn't hold the pose for long, with the pout that Steve made. Tony chuckled and let go of Steve's jacket, straightening it up as best he could. “Correction: You’re a menace.”

“And you’re a temptation… we make a great pair,” Steve winked at Tony. “See you later, Tony.”

Steve turned and weaved his way back through the guests, who seemed oblivious to everything that had transpired between the two of them during those minutes? Hours? Days? How long had they been in that corner of the room, trapped in that bubble? Tony had no idea. But he knew it hadn't been his imagination. Nothing had ever prepared him for Steve's hands holding his waist, squeezing his ass, for the moans in his ear, the caresses, the touches, the words… nothing.

You are a temptation. Steve's words echoed in Tony's mind. Since when was Tony a temptation?

Would you let me see? Since when did Steve want to be with Tony?

We make a great pair. There was no doubt about that. They were perfect together. But Tony never imagined that Steve would also think they were a great pair in that one way that, for Tony, seemed always impossible.

Tony turned towards the stage but stopped mid-motion when he felt his pants become uncomfortable. He looked down and couldn't help but smile. It's the second time today, Steve. The erection this time was evident, courtesy of the teasing knee of a certain super soldier full of tricks Tony never thought he'd know. What else are you hiding from me, Steve?

“Ladies and gentlemen, please return to your seats. The auction is about to begin.” Tony heard Pepper's professional voice replacing the music over the speakers.

He sighed. “Can't go back to the table like this,” he said aloud to no one in particular. Looking around, he found the sign that pointed to the nearest men's room and headed there as best he could, avoiding people, and trying to disguise the bulge between his legs.

In the bathroom, Tony looked at himself in the mirror. He was completely messed up, his coat unbuttoned, his shirt completely wrinkled, his pants fighting against the stubborn erection that was still there, waiting to be remembered. His hair was in disarray, his mask askew, but the eyes that stared back at him had never been so bright, so happy, so excited. It had been a long time since Tony had seen such a vibrant shade of blue in his eyes. And his lips were pulled back into a silly little smile that wouldn't go away.

Behold the power of Steve Rogers.

Tony took off his mask, splashed some cold water on his face, and, taking advantage of the fact that he was alone, wet his hand in the cold spray and didn't think too much about what he was about to do. “Sorry, buddy,” he said, and shoved an icy hand inside his pants, making him wince from the heat shock. It wasn't the smartest, nor the most elegant decision he’d ever made in his life, but it served the purpose of making his erection for Steve go down a little. It was still there, but it was now barely noticeable. Tony put the mask back on and walked back to the Avengers table, just in time to see Natasha come down from the stage to a round of applause.

"What were you doing?" Tony asked, eating a shrimp canapé.

“Auctioning a women's self-defense session with me,” she replied as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Oh, right, the auction…
Wait, auctioning? What?

oOo

CHAPTER 3

Tony stared at her.

"What?" Natasha asked and rolled her eyes. “It was my contribution to the auction. A women-only self-defense session.”

“Your contribution to the auction?” Tony still didn't see the point of it all.

“Did you hit your head and now all you can do is repeat what people say?” Natasha asked him impatiently.

“I'm sorry, Nat, but I still don't understand how you got involved with this auction thing,” Tony shrugged apologetically.

She rolled her eyes and exhaled sharply. “Pepper asked us if we could each contribute something to the auction. You know, offering something to raise funds,” Natasha explained before she took a sip of champagne. “So Bruce came up with the idea that each of us could offer something unique that had to do with our abilities.”

“She didn't ask me for anything,” Tony said, feeling offended and left out. “Why didn't she want anything from me?”

Natasha looked at him like a mother who looked at her young son throwing the same tantrum for the millionth time. “Really, Tony? Look around, what else would you like to give?”

Tony snorted in displeasure. "I don't know, Nat, but she could’ve at least told me something."

"What for? For you to be like this when she said she didn't need anything else from you?” She picked up a canapé and stuffed it in her mouth. “Or for us having to put up with you insisting to contribute something until she gets tired and lets you join in?”

“Talking like that makes me sound so insufferable,” Tony said while filling an empty glass of water from a pitcher on the table and drinking.

“Only when you want to,” Natasha smiled fondly at him, still munching on her canapé. “Tony, relax. You've already thrown this whole party, let us do the rest, okay?”

“Fine,” Tony conceded and while he still didn't like the idea of not knowing about this auction in advance, he'd asked to be surprised from the start, hadn't he? Well, he was being successfully surprised. “And what did the others offer?” he asked after a few seconds of silence.

At that moment, Clint Barton took the stage after being announced by Pepper, who was behind a lectern holding one of those small hammers, as if she were really an auctioneer. Tony couldn't help but smile. “The next item up for auction today is an archery lesson with the best archer in the world, the Avenger Hawkeye himself!” Pepper said, more excited than Tony had ever seen her. He had to admit, she was good in the role because her excitement rubbed off on the audience, who applauded. “The opening bid is fifty thousand dollars.”

"It's not possible that someone is gonna-" Tony began to say when he was interrupted by Pepper: "We’ve got fifty thousand!" She pointed somewhere at the back of the room and Tony was too slow to see where it was. "Who wants to give more?"

Tony turned to Natasha. “Is this serious?” he whispered. “Are people really gonna pay to take a class with Clint?”

Natasha laughed and just shrugged.

“Unbelievable,” Tony found himself saying. The archery lesson with Clint managed to sell for an impressive one hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the archer walked off the stage with a huge smile of satisfaction. “How much did your class sell for?” Tony asked Natasha.

“Three-eighty thousand,” she said after a sip of champagne.

“Wow, impressive.”

"Thanks."

Pepper then announced the auction for an Elizabeth Taylor dress and Clint returned to the table to join them.

“Hey, Tin Man, didja see my bids?”

Tony and Natasha exchanged a look and Tony understood the warning. “Yeah, I did, and it’s a shame I arrived late to participate. I would’ve loved a private lesson with you, Katniss.”

Clint gave Tony the finger, who laughed and turned back to Natasha. “What did the others plan to offer?”

“I won't tell you. Watch the auction and find out,” she said.

“I don't know who's been learning from who, you from Pepper or she from you. You get on my nerves, you know?”

Natasha smiled. “Just like you do to us. Now settle down and watch the auction, Tony.”

After Elizabeth Taylor's dress, Tony discovered that Thor had offered a visit to Asgard and a flight with him as a prize. Thor fetched a staggering $600,000 from the final bid.

“How did you manage to convince Odin to let someone into Asgard?” Tony asked after Thor came to join them, taking a seat next to Clint.

Thor laughed out loud. "Father doesn't know yet."

Tony felt his body go cold. “Thor, what is he gonna do when he finds out? Are you just gonna show up with a human there and say hi?”

“Friend Tony don't worry. Let me take care of my Father, will you?” Thor said, smiling. Tony glanced at Clint and Natasha, but neither looked concerned, so he forced himself to relax. If an Asgardian god tells you not to worry, you don't.

Bruce Banner appeared onstage along with Jennifer Walters and the two offered a weekend at a meditation retreat, which would end with a session of "supervised destruction" to "relieve stress". Bruce explained later that that was just a nice way of saying that, in the end, he would let the Hulk out and everyone would smash things in a shed – normal humans would have pickaxes and sledgehammers and be completely safe, Bruce promised. To Tony's surprise, the meditation retreat with the Hulk cousins fetched five hundred thousand dollars from the final bid.

Suddenly, Tony realized something. He looked around the table, mentally counting teammates. One, two, three, four, and me... wait a minute...

“You said everyone offered things to be auctioned today?” he asked, taking care not to sound hysterical.

Calmly she turned to him. "That's right."

"That means..." Tony couldn't finish his own sentence.

Natasha flashed the most devilish smile. "Yes?"

But Tony was cut off by Pepper. “And for the last bid in tonight's auction, before we open the dance floor, I'd like to call on Steve Rogers, Captain America!” Tony gulped.

The entire hall erupted in applause, cheers, whistles, and sheer excitement as Steve Rogers emerged smiling onstage. Tony looked around and they were all on their feet, applauding the Captain.

I should’ve known. Of course, he’d offer something. Tony looked back at the stage and wow, how beautiful did Steve look up there, with the lights shining down on him, making the blue mask stand out on his perfect face, the medals gleaming on his chest. He doesn't even look like the same man I just made a mess of... Steve held up his hand and slowly the guests quieted down, returning to their seats, but the hubbub continued. Everyone wanted to know what the great Captain America would auction.

“Something tells me people like you, Captain,” Pepper said and people laughed. Steve feigned innocence and shrugged as if he couldn't imagine people liking him.

If only he knew...

“Well, let's go, because the dance floor awaits,” Pepper said with a smile, but Tony knew better. Everyone knew that, at that moment, no one was giving a damn about dancing, but she needed to remind the guests that the party would go on even after whatever happened here with Steve. “The last item in our auction is a guided tour around Washington D.C. with our Captain here as your guide. He'll take you to the sights and museums, but he'll tell you his side of the story. Can you imagine such a trip?”

“It's just so like him,” Tony said to no one in particular.

Natasha laughed softly beside him. "What did you expect? A shield-throwing lesson? That thing would kill any unsuspecting person that tried it,” she laughed harder, probably imagining the scene. “That was the best we could help him think of to offer. Don't judge him.”

“I'm not judging, I'm just thinking that maybe Clint can beat someone today,” Tony glanced at Natasha. “Who wants to pay that much to visit museums, Nat?”

“Visiting museums with Captain America, don't forget.”

“Even so,” Tony sighed and looked back at the stage.

“The starting bid is a hundred thousand dollars,” Pepper announced.

Tony flinched instinctively, expecting silence and embarrassment that no one wanted to bid. Poor Steve...

“We have two hundred thousand!” Pepper said excitedly into the microphone, startling Tony.

"What?" Tony couldn't help it. He straightened in his chair.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!" Pepper screamed again.

“No way,” Tony looked around, but couldn't see where the bid had come from.

“We have three hundred thousand!” Pepper said looking at Steve, who smiled a little shyly, with his hands shoved in his pockets.

"What the..." Tony tried to stay tuned to find out where the bids were coming from.

"Four hundred thousand!" Pepper yelled pointing somewhere in the background to Tony's right. “Five hundred thousand over there!” Pepper said right away. "Looks like we'll have a good match for your bid, Captain."

Steve just smiled.

“One million,” said a female voice to Tony's left. A buzz swept over the guests, and this time Tony was able to see who stated the bid. A very pretty woman with long black hair, wearing a green dress covered in sequins that clung perfectly in all the right places, with a revealing neckline that was just the right amount for anyone’s wild imagination. She was smiling with red lips. For a second, Tony thought she was Sersi of the Eternals, but the woman that bid one million dollars smiled and Tony realized she was just a random woman.

“Wow, we went up fast,” Pepper said from the stage. “We have one million. Does anyone want to give more?”

“One and a half million,” another voice rose above the others, now located to Tony’s right. Tony turned and saw a woman standing there, blonde, with her hair falling in waves over her shoulders and back, wearing a dull red dress but with a big slit that revealed her entire left leg, eyes heavy with makeup, and big jewelry on her arms and neck.

"We have eleven thousand for the Captain's bid!" Pepper said excitedly.

“Who are they, Nat?” Tony whispered as the two women dueled with each other, raising the bid for Steve's offer a thousand at a time.

Natasha squinted to the left. “Maxinne Campbell, heiress to a California food conglomerate. She doesn't show up around here much, because her area of influence is, as you might imagine, halfway across the country, but she's already been a big help with the West Coast Avengers, so we keep her around,” she turned to the right and watched long enough to snort. “Candice Norton, hotel chain owner. For every ten hotels in the country today, four are hers. Insufferable little woman. We keep in contact with her because having so many hotels at our disposal is very convenient when we need to do missions.”

Tony watched the two women fight over Steve and it awakened the venomous snake inside him. They shouldn’t get the winning bid and, worse, get a whole day with him in isolated, closed museums, enjoying something Steve loved. Taking advantage of it. No. Tony knew exactly what these women wanted with those bids, and it wasn't to increase their knowledge of American history.

He looked at the stage and his eyes met Steve's, which were impossible to read behind the mask. But Tony knew exactly what the ripple of electricity running through his body meant: he needed to get Steve out of something he couldn't get out on his own and hopefully get something for himself in the process.

Tony turned back to Natasha. “What I really wanna know here Nat is, can either of them compete with me?”

Natasha raised an eyebrow. “Does this have anything to do with what I definitely didn't see happening in the corner of the bar earlier?”

Tony felt his face heat up under the mask, but he didn't look away. "Maybe. This will be a way to find out.”

She smiled one of those rare sincere smiles. “Go get your Captain,” and probably seeing the confusion on Tony's face, she rolled her eyes. “None of ‘em have the money you have, Tony. You’d leave ‘em behind with a snap of your fingers.”

Tony smiled. “That's all I needed to know, Nat,” he leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Natasha picked up a numbered plaque that was hidden under the floral arrangement on the table and handed it to Tony. "You'll need this if you want to participate in the auction."

Tony looked at the plaque. It had the number sixty-nine engraved on it. If Tony was a little more puritanical, he would have blushed, but he could only grin and take that as a positive sign that he should go ahead. He held the plaque tightly and stood up.

“We have one million seven hundred thousand, everyone!" Pepper said onstage. “Does anyone give more?”

Tony held up the plaque. “We have one mil-” Pepper audibly gasped when she saw Tony with his hand raised in the air and needed to pause and drink some water. Steve was beside her, his expression just as surprised. Tony smirked at him.

“I'd like to take advantage of the Auctioneer's break to make a counteroffer,” Tony said loudly, meant for all to hear, although that wasn't difficult because the room was silent, not understanding what the hell Tony Stark was doing standing there butting in the clear contest of two ladies.

Pepper looked at him and her expression was clear: What do you think you're doing?

Tony pretended that wasn't for him and continued with his arm raised. He looked at Steve, then guided his gaze to the plaque, and met his gaze again, raising one eyebrow suggestively. Tony saw Steve wet his lips and his Adam's apple bob up and down. Oh, he got it.

“Mr. Stark, what do you mean?” Pepper's voice pulled him out of the silent conversation with Steve.

Tony looked at Pepper with his best expression of innocence. “I already told you; I would like to make a counteroffer.”

Pepper nervously smiled. That clearly wasn't in her plans, but she needed to let Tony do whatever he wanted to do, or she wouldn't be able to finish the auction and continue the party. She froze the professional smile on her face. "Sure. What counteroffer would that be?”

“Can I put my hand down or do I lose my turn if I do it?” Tony asked and saw Pepper roll her eyes and Steve chuckled next to her. It paid off.

“You can put your hand down, Mr. Stark,” Pepper said, holding on to what little patience she had left, her voice coming out through gritted teeth.

“Very good,” Tony said, throwing the card back on the table. He took a step towards the stage, standing under a beam of light, visible to everyone in the room. "First, I'd like to raise the bid by two and a half million dollars." The guests erupted into surprised conversation and Tony almost couldn't hold back his smile. He put his hands in his pants pockets and waited.

“Second,” he said over the hubbub, drawing attention back to himself. “I understand that the bidding here is going very well, that you ladies are very excited to sign your checks and go exploring Washington's museums, increasing your knowledge of our country's history with our dear Captain here.”

Tony made a point of taking one look at each of the women vying for Steve just once, so they would never forget who had beaten them. The outrage on their faces made it all the better. "But I'd like to triple any bid they bid from now on for the Captain's offer."

More hushed conversations erupted, now not just surprised but also shocked as well. Tony didn't care. He just wanted to show that Steve wasn't for sale… especially to these women.

“Mr. Stark, I-,” Pepper tried to interrupt, but Tony was quicker and kept talking, his voice overlapping hers.

“And I'd also like to amend his initial offer,” Tony looked directly at Steve. Tony wanted him to know that however public the offer, Steve was free to refuse. “We're not going to Washington for a guided tour, but somewhere else to do something the winner chooses. What do you say?” Tony spread his arms, presenting the offer.

The question was officially for Pepper, as she was running the auction, but Steve knew the question was actually for him. The two hadn't taken their eyes off each other, and Tony knew Steve knew what this was about. Tony had made his move. Now the ball was on his court.

Pepper seemed in a daze. She turned away from the microphone, moved closer to Steve and he leaned in to hear her whisper into his ear. Tony watched them talking, Pepper shaking her head effusively, while Steve, much to Tony's happiness, smiled. “Pepper, it's okay” Tony read from Steve's lips.

Please let it mean what I think it means. Please.

Pepper returned to the microphone and her gaze shot to Tony's. She was furious but needed to keep her composure. She flashed her professional smile again. “Very well, Mr. Stark. Your offer-"

"Counteroffer," Tony corrected her and he'd probably pay dearly for that later, but he didn't give a damn at the moment.

Pepper took a deep breath. "Your counteroffer was accepted."

The room erupted in conversation again, which was nothing more than background noise in Tony's head. What he really wanted was to give in to the childish impulses that had taken hold of him, stick his tongue out at the two women, and say “I won, you lost”. Instead, he just smiled beautifully at Steve and got the cutest smile back. “Thank you,” Tony said aloud with a half bow and, again, officially, it was for Pepper, but all of his energy was directed towards Steve.

“The current bid, then, remains at two and a half million dollars,” Pepper attempted to continue the auction. “Does anyone want to give more?”

“Remembering that I will triple any offered amount,” Tony smiled innocently.

“Of course,” Pepper sighed, defeated. "Remembering that Mr. Stark promised to triple any bid thereafter."

Tony was enjoying Steve trying not to laugh onstage and he certainly could have continued with that act all night, but he had other plans that involved Steve much closer to him. He knew how to be patient. So, Tony just sat down, crossed his legs, and waited.

“Tripling any offered amount? A stampeding herd of elephants would’ve been more discreet, Tony,” Natasha said, laughing.

Tony looked at her and couldn't help but smile. "What could I do? Couldn't risk losing the winning bid, Nat."

She rolled her eyes. “You would’ve won even if you had offered a penny. He'd come running to you.”

"That's not true."

“When you find out, come talk to me,” she patted his shoulder twice and got up, heading towards the ladies' room.

"Find out what?" Tony watched her walk away, but Natasha didn't look back.

“Congratulations, Mr. Stark,” Pepper's voice snapped him out of his observation. Tony turned to the stage again. “We have the winning bid of two and half million dollars.”

Tony clasped his hands together in satisfaction. "Wonderful!" He got up and couldn't resist. He turned to the two women and bowed to each of them. Inside him, the venomous snake squirmed, happy and satisfied. He turned and saw Steve walking towards the stage stairs leading back to the ballroom. He's mine.

“Thank you all for your generous bids and we hope you enjoy your prizes, but the party goes on! The dance floor at the back of the hall is now open to all guests,” Pepper announced.

Immediately the lights in the hall dimmed, upbeat music started playing over the speakers, and colored lights illuminated the back of the hall where a dance floor had come to life.

“You coming, Tony?” Bruce asked, getting up, and following Clint and Thor onto the dance floor.

"I'll meet you in a minute," Tony said, not taking his eyes off his prize, who was coming down the stairs towards him.

“You know, when I said you should come find me later, I didn't think it would be like this,” Steve said with a smile a few steps away from Tony. They were now alone at the Avengers table. The tables around it were also empty, their occupants having gone to dance.

"I didn't want to risk having to waste time, you know," Tony said, smiling crookedly.

“So you are the type of man who likes to get straight to the point?” Steve approached and any hesitation that might have been there before was gone. His hands found Tony's waist and drew him close. Tony licked his lips and grabbed the lapel of Steve's jacket.

"Look who's talking."

“Busted,” Steve grinned.

“So, what do you wanna do?” Tony asked, his breath already ragged. “Maybe follow everyone and go dancing?”

“I think you're the one who should say it. After all, you made the counteroffer of the night, I'm at your mercy,” Steve's eyes darkened.

“Oh Steve, you know just what to say to drive a person crazy, don't you?” Tony found himself saying. Not what he intended to say but it was the truth, why hide it?

Steve leaned down, reaching Tony's ear. “Not any person,” and sucked Tony's earlobe, who sighed loudly. "You."

“Steeeeve,” Tony groaned.

Suddenly, the hall lights went out, and the emergency lights came on. Surprisingly, the music continued, and then people started to laugh and kept dancing.

Tony looked around quickly. “Hmmm, must be different phases, so the music con-”

He never finished the sentence because his lips were enveloped by another’s, soft and demanding, hot, wet ones that had populated Tony's wildest, wettest dreams for years. Tony released Steve's jacket, and his hands flew to his neck and hair, keeping him in place, the same way Steve's hands held him, keeping the two bodies glued together.

Steve was kissing Tony with passion and desire as if he had been denied it for a long time. But he wasn't in a hurry, no. Steve was taking all the time he wanted, kissing each of Tony's lips, then both of them together. When Tony felt Steve's tongue on his lips, demanding passage, he willingly opened it, and when their tongues met, Tony could’ve sworn heaven existed and it tasted like Steve Rogers.

Steve explored Tony's body, with his tongue in his mouth and hands on his torso, moving up, down, squeezing, and discovering. Tony's hands were gripping Steve's hair tightly, making the kiss go in only one direction: deeper and deeper, maddening. Tony felt Steve's knee between his legs and this time he sought contact, moving his hips back and forth as Steve slowly sucked his tongue, then kissed his way down Tony’s chin, down his jawline, along his neck, until the base, where he sucked hard, making Tony moan loud.

“Oh, Tony, you’re wonderful.”

Steve went back to Tony's mouth, after gasping for air, and his hands found a gap that took them inside Tony's shirt, straight to his warm skin, which Steve's fingers began to explore slowly, savoring the experience.

"Ah, Steve," Tony said into his mouth.

Tony slid one of his hands down Steve's body, past his neck, shoulder, and chest (still too covered with those medals), until he reached between his legs, where Tony found a deliciously large erection waiting for him.

He stroked Steve through his pants and the long moan Tony got as a reward was almost worth all those years of waiting. Tony increased the pressure, gripping as best he could, and rubbed his hand, pressing just hard enough. “Oh, Tony, yes!” Steve whispered breathlessly into Tony's mouth.

Lucky for them, the music was loud enough to cover up the moans, kisses, and wet sucking, but the light came back sooner than expected, and the two pulled away as if lightning had struck them.

Tony looked at Steve and for Tony, he’d never looked as handsome as he did at that moment, with his hair messed up by Tony's fingers, and his labored breathing and swollen lips from kissing and exploring Tony's neck. His hands were uncertain now without Tony’s body under them, the uniform crumpled by Tony, and oh, that undisguisable bulge right there in the middle all because of Tony. Tony’s mouth watered. He did all that. He had some power over Steve after all.

Steve was looking at him funny, still with that possessive look from before, but there was something else that Tony couldn't quite put his finger on. “You look beautiful, Tony,” Steve ended up saying.

Tony laughed. “I don't need a mirror to know that I'm anything but beautiful right now.”

Steve came over and held Tony's face in one hand and with the other he stroked the back of his neck. Tony closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation. “You’re tantalizingly beautiful, Tony, in any way.”

“Keep talking like that and I'll believe it,” Tony said with a smile.

“Okay,” Steve said seriously, and Tony couldn't tell if he was kidding or not when he opened his eyes. His ability to read Steve had been compromised by that kiss. Those kisses. Oh my God, what just happened?

"I wanna get out of here," Tony heard himself say. What?

“Okay,” Steve said, starting to walk away, but Tony grabbed his arms.

"Sorry, I wasn't clear," Tony looked deep into his eyes. “I wanna get out of here with you.”

Steve smiled. “Wherever you want.”

Tony took his hand and pulled him outside, the cool breeze a welcome refreshment on Tony's burning skin. He whistled and a taxi pulled up a few seconds later in front of them. Tony opened the door and shoved Steve inside. “Your carriage awaits, sir.” Steve smiled and walked in, followed by Tony.

“Where to?” the taxi driver asked.

“Columbus Circle, Avengers Tower,” Tony said, without thinking.

The taxi sped up and soon they were on the move. Thank goodness it's close.

“Um, Tony?” Steve called.

Tony looked at him and, as much as he looked worried for a moment, Tony could only see the man he loved and who had unlocked a dam inside him in the last few hours.

“Shhh,” Tony placed a finger over Steve's lips and leaned over him, replacing his finger with his own lips. Whatever Steve was going to say got lost in that kiss.

Tony was seconds away from sitting on Steve's lap and just letting himself go when the taxi driver announced that they had arrived. The traffic was smoother now that the start of the Stark Industries Gala had already happened. Tony reluctantly pulled away from Steve, paid the taxi driver, and left, pulling Steve by the hand.

“Come on,” Tony called, heading for the Tower's entrance, entering his personal code in the elevator, and throwing himself at Steve just as the doors closed. His fingers immediately went to the front of Steve's uniform and began to unbutton each one of those endless buttons without taking their mouths apart, and without stopping touching even for a minute. The medals jingled more with each open button and Tony understood those sounds as the bells announcing paradise. He was so close...

The elevator doors opened when he managed to open the last button, revealing a white tank top underneath it all. Tony groaned in frustration. He grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him into his penthouse, but once out of the elevator, Steve let go.

“What?” Tony asked breathlessly.

“Tony, we're at the Tower,” Steve said with a frown.

Tony smiled. “Oh well Steve, in addition to being a genius, I also save the world from time to time. I'm an Avenger,” Tony spread his arms, showing the penthouse. “There, now we know each other well enough,” he took a step towards Steve but stopped when Steve held up a hand to stop him. "What’s wrong?"

“Tony,” Steve looked at him, "We're back at the Tower.” Steve took off his mask.

Then reality hit Tony like a cosmic punch (trust me, Tony has taken one of those and it's a lot). A conversation that seemed to have taken place centuries ago came back like a strike to Tony's mind.

“When does it end?”
“You mean our game? Well, I think we can get back to normal once we get back to the Tower, whaddya think?”
"Okay, when we get back to the Tower then."
Was that it? It was over?

“Wait a minute,” Tony said. “It’s over?”

"It was the deal, wasn't it?" Steve said quietly.

"What do you mean?" Tony's brain must have melted because he didn't get it.

“It was our terms,” Steve said. “When we got back here, well...”

“You can't be serious,” Tony said in disbelief, hyperventilating.

Steve just stared at Tony.

“I mean it, Steve. You've gotta be kidding me,” Tony ripped off his mask. “What was this all about then?” He showed the red mask.

"I..." Steve started, but Tony was very angry. This had to be a joke. And a joke in very bad taste.

“You… you played with me this whole time?” Tony found himself raising his voice.

Steve looked up in a flash. "What?"

“I asked if you played with me this whole time,” Tony said bluntly. “All night. What was that?” Tony raised his voice. “What was all that bullshit about total strangers getting to know each other, flirting like hell, getting to the most mind-blowing kiss I've ever had, with you squeezing my ass, calling me sexy, tempting… what for?”

“It wasn't a joke,” Steve said.

“Then what was it?” Tony yelled, throwing the mask away.

Steve turned away, running a hand through his hair, leaving Tony staring at his back.

“Don't turn your back on me!” Tony yelled. “What was all that tonight, Steve?”

Steve turned sharply, eyes red. “I wanted to know what it’d be like if you liked me,” Steve said loudly, but not screaming.

"What?" Tony could’ve sworn he didn't get it right.

“I wanted to know what it’d be like to have you flirting only with me, giving your attention only to me, giving yourself only to me,” Steve said in the same tone of voice as before. “But you had to screw it up and go back to the one place that we agreed would end it all.”

Tony held his hands out in front of him and shook his head, trying to collect his own thoughts. “Woah, woah! Hold on a minute. First: nothing here is my fault. That’s absurd!" Tony huffed in outrage. “Second: what do you mean by flirting only with you? What’re you saying, Steve?” Tony was beginning to think he understood, but the possibility was just too, too far-fetched.

“Oh, come on Tony, flirting is second nature to you,” Steve laughed a sad, mocking laugh. “You flirt with everyone, all the time. Everyone's gotten used to it to the point where nobody knows when it's serious and when it's not,” Steve said, a little quieter this time. “But I wanted to know what it might be like when it's real and not just when it's you being nice.”

“Do you think I hit on everyone?” Tony asked in shock.

“Not like that,” Steve said. “Flirting. To be the guy who wins everyone's hearts, no matter what they're trying to get, and not just for a date or something. It could be to convince us which movie to see movie night; or which restaurant we're going to eat at... it doesn't have to be anything sophisticated. You flirt to get what you want. And that's okay,” Steve shrugged. “But there came a time when I stopped noticing when flirting was a lifestyle and when it was for real, because… well, it was never real.”

“Wait a minute,” Tony asked. “Did you want it to be real?”

Steve looked at Tony for long seconds, an anguished look that didn't match his face, before answering. "What do you think?"

Tony swallowed hard. Oh my God, it’s not possible. “After tonight?”

Steve shrugged again and nodded.

“Well,” Tony took a tentative step towards him. “I’d say yes… Did I get it right?” Tony attempted a small smile, which Steve struggled not to return. Small wins.

“You got it right.”

“Damn it, Steve! Why do all this?” Tony threw his arms wide, helpless. Steve opened his mouth to speak, but Tony cut him off. "No. The right question here is: Why now?”

“Because the perfect opportunity presented itself and I'd be really stupid not to take it,” Steve said simply, suddenly looking small and vulnerable and Tony had to fight himself not to cross the room and hug him. "Or do you think it's easy for Steve Rogers, your friend for years, to come up to you, Tony Stark, and say everything I said today?"

Steve ran a hand through his hair and Tony envied him. “Put yourself in my shoes, Tony. What would you have done if you wanted to take a chance with someone, but you have never had the opportunity, and suddenly it came along? The chance to start over with that person, to pretend that no barriers exist, that there are no impediments? What would you do?"

“I would’ve accepted the offer,” Tony said smiling.

“Of course, you’d have–” Steve stopped suddenly, and his expression was confused. “I'm sorry, what?” Steve said, clearly surprised.

“We're both idiots,” Tony said, smiling.

“Gee, thanks,” Steve made a face and Tony laughed.

“No, listen to me,” Tony moved a little closer, but slowly so as not to startle Steve. Please trust me. “Why do you think I accepted our game today? Why do you think I'm always flirting when you're around? Why do you think I outbid those ladies at the auction?”

“I must really be an idiot because I don't see where you're going,” Steve said.

“I accepted our role-playing today because I also wanted the opportunity to start over with you, without barriers or fears,” Tony didn't stop for a breath, he just kept speaking before he regretted it. “I'm always flirting when you're around because I was hoping you'd realize it was for you. I got you at the auction because the very thought of you spending a nice day with someone other than me drove me crazy.”

"What?" Steve asked quietly. "Why?"

Tony smiled. It was now or never. “Why, Steve, because I've been in love with you since the day we met.”

Steve was frozen in place, chest rising and falling fast, his frantic eyes darting from place to place, trying to make sense of Tony's words, who now just waited. He had made it; he had finally told Steve that he loved him. It was now up to Steve to do something with that information.

Steve focused his gaze on Tony. “Why didn't you say anything?”

Tony laughed. “Oh Steve, just think, how could I? You have never given any hints, no clues, nothing that made me go 'Oh my God, I think he's interested too'," Tony shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged, pretending none of that had hurt him. “Besides, you were always with someone, always with a woman, and you never returned any of my… advances, not even the most obvious ones. What didja want me to do?”

Steve's expression was one of utter dismay. “I never thought those lines were meant for me, Tony! What did you want me to do?”

Tony shrugged again, wondering how he was keeping himself so calm. “Maybe date a man or two now and then, hint that I might have a chance?”

Steve sighed, and his eyes were suddenly sad. “I dated a lot of guys. Nothing serious though,” Steve quickly added, seeing the shock on Tony's face. “But it wasn't something I thought I could say to people.”

“I'm shocked, Steve,” Tony said, hoping his expression wouldn't offend Steve too much. When did he go out with guys? How did I never notice before?

Steve huffed mockingly. “I dated those guys, but I was always thinking that it could be you if I ever got the chance. But how would I ever get to you? How could I confess? What would people think? What would you have thought?”

“Is that what you were thinking?” Tony asked. Suddenly something clicked in Tony's head, and he understood. “Did you think you wouldn’t be accepted if you had a relationship with another man?”

Steve nodded in agreement and Tony's heart broke. It was so unfair. “Over time, it became easier for me to relate to the women you saw,” Steve said. “It was easier to explain, it was easier to make it look easy.”

“Oh, Steve, I'm so sorry,” Tony couldn't help himself. Nobody should force themselves to do anything because it's convenient for others. People should be able to be and do whatever they want just because, without having to think about pleasing anyone but themselves.
And thinking that Steve was afraid to be who he always wanted to be, that he thought he would be judged for it... that hurt more than anything. “But you've been awake long enough to know that things are different these days, Steve,” Tony tried to better understand how Steve saw it all. Steve was afraid to open himself up, to say who he really was. This world is cruel even to the best of us.

Steve smiled in a sad, condescending way, a smile that went well beyond his eyes, and not good at all. “Ah, Tony, this is a lot easier said than done. Can you imagine what people would say when Captain America came out of the closet?”

“Was it all a facade then?” Tony was two steps away from hysteria. “All those relationships?”

“Not exactly,” Steve shrugged. “They did me good, we had good times together. I really liked all of them. Especially Sharon. But she knew that wasn't love.”

Tony felt his eyes widen. "Love?"

Steve looked at him. “Yeah, Tony. I never loved anyone...”

Tony felt his heart sink. "Oh..." He looked away and pinned his gaze to the floor. He didn't want Steve to see the disappointment and pain on his face.

Steve took a step towards Tony so the two were within reach of each other again. Tony's heart sped up. “I wasn’t done yet,” Steve said, leaning over and gently lifting Tony's face with his hand. He was smiling. “Tony, look at me, please.”

Tony did as he asked and there was the fond look that Tony now recognized. “I have never loved anyone… like I love you.”

Tony could’ve talked about how they were two idiots who took so long to look in the right direction and realize that what they wanted so badly was already theirs. He could’ve gone on and made a beautiful speech about how inspiring it’d be for people to know that Captain America, the great American hero, was a bisexual hero and that he was in love with Iron Man. Just imagine what this will do for the next generation, how it will give them courage and strength!

Tony could’ve also gone on to say that Steve would be accepted where it mattered and that his friends would support him through any difficulties, just as they would during a fight. Tony could also have talked about how their love would make them even better, make them be in tune like never before.

Yes, Tony could’ve made a beautiful speech. But beautiful speeches had never been his specialty; he was a man who demonstrated by putting things into practice. Beautiful speeches were more Steve's thing. And at that moment, Steve was too busy with Tony's mouth on his to say anything.

Tony needed that love. That love that was his for so long, and that he was denied for fear of rejection. Tony wanted to show Steve that he would never, ever, under any circumstances, have been or would have been rejected for being who he is, for loving as he loved. Tony would show Steve that he deserved to be loved back. And, oh, how Tony loved him.

Tony wrapped an arm around Steve's shoulders and held him tight against his body. With his free hand, Tony slipped his fingers through Steve's soft hair, holding him, and guiding him in the right direction. Steve had his arms around his waist, leaning slightly over him, covering Tony's back with his firm, warm hands. And Tony found himself sighing into Steve's mouth, finally having the man he loved in his arms and knowing he was loved back.

The hands that held Steve in place slid down his face, and his neck, feeling the muscles working to make Tony sigh louder and louder, reaching his shoulders until he managed to grab Steve's jacket and make it slip through his strong arms. Steve let go of Tony's waist enough to disentangle himself from the jacket and tossed it somewhere on the floor beside them, making the medals jingle.

His hands returned to Tony's body, slowly going up his back until they reached his neck and hair, holding them with the right pressure and tilting Tony's head to the side, breaking the contact of their mouths. Tony gasped for air, while Steve's mouth kissed and licked Tony's exposed neck up and down and again, until he stopped at the base, where Steve sucked hard, drawing a loud and long moan from Tony, who clung to Steve's shoulders and thrust his hips forward involuntarily.

Steve returned to Tony's face, holding it with both hands. Tony had no idea what he himself looked like, but Steve was beautiful, completely frantic, electric, and wild. His gaze possessed all of Tony, taking over everything, leaving no room for doubt or misunderstanding. Tony had never seen eyes as full of desire as the ones that stared back at him and knowing that he was the reason for such desire made waves of hot pride run through him.

“Tony, I…” That voice! Tony grabbed the hem of Steve's tank top and held on, afraid his legs wouldn't hold him up after hearing Steve calling him in that husky, eager way.

“What do you want, my love?” Tony was in another dimension, in a different and special place, a place that was just the two of them, where he could be whoever he wanted and call Steve whatever he wanted.

Steve smiled at him in a way that managed to be both sweet and predatory. Tony felt a shiver run down his spine. “I want you,” Steve stroked Tony's face with his thumb. “I wanna be with you all the time and tell you I love you whenever I want to.”

Tony's heart swelled and almost burst. He felt his face breaking into a smile. “Aw, Steve, this is all so easy to get,” Tony crossed his arms behind Steve's neck, pulling him close.

“Is that so?” Steve asked with his mouth inches from Tony's.

“It really is. Because you already have it all right here,” Tony kissed him smiling, and without looking too much where he was going, he started walking, pulling Steve with him until they reached the penthouse couch.

Steve stopped and dropped onto the sofa, taking Tony with him. The two laughed into each other's mouths. Tony pulled away and got on his knees, straddling Steve, and without worrying if he was looking too rushed - after all he was - he took off Steve's tank top and threw it behind the sofa.

For a glorious moment, Tony just stared. He looked at that man trapped between his legs, breathing heavily, his mouth half open inviting Tony's to close it, and that flawless, perfect chest, with soft skin and strong muscles. And it's all mine. Tony laughed a half-hysterical laugh when saw his hands touching Steve as he had always dreamed of doing.

He slid his hands around Steve's neck and let them slide down to his shoulders, only to replace them with his mouth, to kiss and, in a moment of pure savage instinct, bite the base of Steve's neck, making him moan and squeeze Tony's ass in response.

“Mine,” Tony said so low, he wasn't sure he said it aloud.

Tony pumped his body against Steve’s, touching him with his lips and fingers, as he slipped to the floor. On his way down, he kissed Steve’s right nipple, tongued it, then nipped the hardening nub. Steve moaned and pushed upward, and they both groaned, feeling their growing erections. As Tony kissed Steve’s chest and manipulated his nipples, he slipped one of his hands down Steve’s stomach and found his belt. Tony got on his knees between Steve's legs. Deftly, he unfastened Steve’s belt, unfastened the button, and then looked at Steve. He looked at Tony with surprise and anticipation, but also like someone who's been given something too good to be true. Tony hooked his fingers into the waistband of his pants and slowly licked his lips. Steve followed the movement, mesmerized.

"Up, handsome."

Steve lifted himself off the couch enough for Tony to get his pants off, but Tony was in a hurry. He needed everything right away, so along with the pants, he also took Steve's underwear. His boxers slid over that firm round ass, his cock hit his stomach and the pants and boxers slipped down those muscular thighs for as far as Tony could go, leaving him gloriously naked under Tony's hands and his admiring, lustful gaze.

Somewhere Tony knew he could hear Steve panting, but right now, his world was narrowed down to that, all he ever wanted was that and he would make it good, oh so good, for Steve.

Tony grazed the hard shaft with his fingertips, searching its length until he rubbed over the flared head. Steve hissed and threw his head back.

“Is that okay, sweetheart?” Tony asked, looking up.

Steve looked back at him, his eyes on fire. “Please, don’t stop.”

Tony flashed a crooked smile. “Oh, darling, begging already?” And Steve, God bless him, blushed. “Don’t you worry,” Tony said, rubbing his cock a little harder. Steve closed his eyes and opened his mouth in a silent Ah. “I’ll make it feel amazing for you.”

Tony wrapped his fingers around Steve’s cock and slowly stroked it a couple of times, getting used to its hardness, size, and how perfect it felt in his hands. Let’s see how good it tastes. Tony glanced up one more time just to find Steve was just staring with his mouth open. Tony grinned at him, then moved down to that amazing cock in his hands. He kissed the head, then licked it, earning a moan of such whorish proportions from Steve with a push upward, encouraging Tony to continue.

Tony continued to slip Steve’s cock into his mouth and pushed down, letting the head slide over his tongue, feeling its weight, musky taste, and letting it plug the back of Tony’s throat. Then Tony worked his mouth up and down, dragging his lips along the hard shaft. Slowly, gently, Steve started moving his hips, pushing them upward as Tony’s head descended. They fell into a rhythm.

Steve reached down and took Tony’s right hand that was resting on his hip and pushed it down between his legs.

“Tony, touch me,” he whispered.

And Tony did. His hand slipped down between Steve’s thighs, the fingers toying with his tightening balls. They worked them around and tugged on them making Steve cry out.

“Damn, Tony… don’t stop.”

So, Tony didn’t. He felt Steve run his right hand through his hair, feeling the motion of his head. And Tony couldn’t recall a time when he felt more satisfied than this moment with Steve’s cock in his mouth, Steve’s body wriggling under his hands, seeking his mouth’s heat to find pleasure.

Tony felt Steve’s grip on his hair tightening just enough to make him release his cock with a wet plop. Tony looked up and smiled. “What?”

Steve was completely debauched, and Tony found that he simply loved that look on him. He was panting, eyes a little dazed, and glistening with sweat – even though the temperature in the penthouse was always set on sixty-eight degrees, no matter what. It was a view for him and him only. Tony stroked his thighs.

“Stand up,” Steve said, a little with his commanding voice, and Tony didn’t hold back a moan. That voice of his… Tony could probably come only by hearing Steve talking dirty to him… hmmm, maybe for the next time.

Somehow, his legs hadn’t turned into jelly, and Tony managed to do as he said. He stood up, while Steve got up on his knees on the sofa and kissed him, then he undressed Tony. First the bow tie, then his jacket, and finally the shirt. Steve held Tony’s face and kissed him deeply. Then he touched Tony’s bare chest, making him run out of breath and kissed the sternum, then the left nipple. Tony held him there with one hand in Steve’s hair and the other marking his back. Steve growled and tongued that nipple until it was hard, then he nipped it. Tony shivered and cried out.

Steve slipped Tony’s belt free and undid the pants. He helped Tony kick off his shoes, working the pants off, then he reached for the boxers.

“Let me,” Steve whispered, sitting back on the sofa and looking at Tony from below.

“I’m all yours, baby,” Tony babbled.

Steve smiled and sat with Tony standing between his legs, giving him perfect access to Tony’s crotch. He kissed the front of Tony’s boxers where the head of his cock was pushing outward, and Tony inhaled sharply.

“Oh, fuck… that’s the fourth time today, Steve,” Tony ran his fingers through Steve’s hair.

“What are you talking about?” Steve looked up at him with those damn blue eyes, all the while holding Tony’s ass, running his hands all over his cheeks. Tony would burst into flames.

Tony didn’t mean to say that out loud, but things changed so much in a few hours that he couldn’t care less. “You left me hard for you earlier back in the communal penthou- Ah!” Steve kissed the front of his boxers again. “Then you left me hard for you at the gala, when we talked at the bar counter… oh my God, do that again!” Steve nuzzled the boxers, teasing Tony’s cock in a new way.

“And the third time?” Steve chuckled and squeezed Tony’s ass.

“Ah,” Tony sighed and grabbed Steve’s hair. “In the elevator, getting up here.”

Steve kissed along Tony’s length and tongued the head through the cotton boxers until they were wet and nearly transparent. Tony closed his eyes and cried out. “And is this the fourth?”

Tony pulled his hair, drawing a moan from Steve. “You fucking tease.”

Steve smiled and looked at him through his eyelashes. “You love it.”

Before Tony could think of an answer, Steve tugged the boxers down slowly until his cock popped out free. As the boxers dropped to his ankles, Steve’s lips wasted no time and captured the head, pushing forward.

“Fuuuck,” Tony uttered as Steve buried Tony’s cock in his warm throat.

Steve sucked him until he was rocking on his feet, and his hips were working up to an urgent rhythm. He held Tony’s cock on his tongue and letting him move freely, and fucking into his mouth, seeking that hot, wet, glorious sensation. It slid over his tongue, then pushed against one cheek or the other, and the head slipped into his throat cutting off his air, but he didn’t care. Steve was too busy driving Tony crazy, sucking him senseless, while he also stroked his own cock.
Tony held Steve’s head while he was working on his cock. His soft locks were now heavy with sweat falling on his eyes, framing them every time he looked up to watch Tony’s reactions. He was outstanding.

Steve held one of Tony's legs and supported it on the edge of the sofa, without stopping sucking. Afterward, Tony felt his hand sliding down the length of his leg until it reached his ass. Tony felt a finger touching his opening, raking over it, rubbing around it. Tony moaned.

“Oh, Steve, yeees,” he felt his eyes rolling back. “But if you could reach that side drawer over there, you’d find something… aaah… something to make it even better.”

Steve let go of Tony’s cock with an obscene grin on his face and wiped away a bit of drool that ran down his chin. He stretched out on the sofa, over Tony's leg, and opened the drawer of the little table next to the sofa. Inside, he found a tube of lube. He looked back to Tony, an eyebrow raised.

“Lube in the living room drawer?”

Tony shrugged. “Being prepared can save your life, y’know.”

Steve laughed, putting some lube on his fingers, and returning to his previous task. Tony groaned loudly. “Oh, yeah, Steve, that’s more like it.”

Steve circled Tony’s opening with his lubed fingers, then pressed against its tightness. Slowly, he made it through, and Tony shuddered when he felt that finger inside him. He spread his legs giving Steve greater access and permission to keep going. Steve took his cock back in his mouth and kept fingering Tony, eliciting delicious cries from him.
One finger, then two, then three, twisting and pumping through his tightness until Tony loosened to it. By then, Tony was working his hips up and down, pumping cock into Steve’s mouth.

“Yes, yes, yes, right there, Steve, right fucking there!” Tony babbled, rocking his hips back and forth. “O, Captain, my Captain, that tongue of yours is from outta this world! AH! YES! Keep going, Steve!”

But Steve slipped off his cock, holding it up by his drooling mouth.

“Why did you stop?” Tony was gasping for air.

“Because I wanna fuck you,” Steve said, and as if he suddenly realized what he had just said, he blushed hard and looked up sheepishly. “If that’s ok to you?”

Tony lowered his leg, rested his hands on Steve's shoulders, and gently pushed him back onto the sofa until he leaned back. Without taking their eyes off each other, Tony climbed onto him, trapping him between his legs and, holding his face, kissed him slowly and deeply."I thought you'd never ask," Tony said, still with his mouth glued to Steve's.

Steve was straddled by Tony who stroked his hard cock. It glistened wetly and when he slowly stroked it from the base to the head, it continued to drip clear slick.

“Fuck,” he uttered, then looked at Tony again.

For the first time, Tony saw a little insecurity about what they both knew was to happen next. Steve Rogers is going to fuck me. There was no turning back from there, right? Fuck yeah!

“Steve?” Tony called very softly.

He looked at Tony, his eyes very open. “Yes?”

Tony smiled at him. “I love you, Winghead.”

And, thank goodness, he got a beautiful smile back. “I love you too, Shellhead.”

“Then fuck me, baby, please,” Tony may or may not have groaned a little, just to make a point. It worked.

Suddenly Steve was manhandling Tony, pushing him back on the sofa, and Tony saw him stroke that wet, very hard cock. Tony put one foot on the back of the sofa and rested the other close to his ass, knee up and angled out. He spread himself open for Steve. He stroked his own cock, then touched his opening, letting out a long sigh, as Steve watched.

“Steve?”

“Yeah, Tony?”

“Don’t make me beg again, baby.”

Steve flashed a smile. “Bossy.”

He moved over and Tony felt his cock rake across his ass, then up and down between the spread cheeks. Steve lined himself up and pushed slowly.

“Fuck, Steve. Goddamn,” Tony cried out, throwing his head back, shivering with the penetration, then he held tight to Steve’s waist keeping him in place. “Hold still. I just need to…” Tony squirmed under him, shifting to find the best position. And when he got it...

“Oh, fuck, Tony!” Steve was probably meaning to say it louder, but his voice was nothing but a shuddering whisper.

Tony moaned with the movement, drawing Steve closer and deeper. “Yeah, I felt it too.” It soon felt right, the fullness of his cock inside Tony, so he pushed upward while pulling down on his waist. “Fuck me, baby.”

Steve’s body responded immediately with a growl. Tony hugged Steve tight, scraping his nails on his back, up and down, and holding him impossibly close. Tony felt the flex of muscle along the back, the flex of ass cheeks when he pushed inward, and Steve’s pace increased until he was bumping against Tony’s ass, pushing into his depths with greater urgency. Tony opened his eyes and looked up to find those vivid blue eyes staring back at him, and they smiled. Tony could see the lust, the drive for the pleasure their fuck offered, but what drove him crazy was the love he saw in those eyes. Love for him, for everything they were, for what they could be.
Steve rested his head on Tony’s, as they panted together. Tony scanned down that long muscular body, looked at how the abs flexed and strained with his exertion. God, the masculine nature of him, the heat of his body, the sweat that trickled down and dripped hot against his own skin. Tony was spiraling into a void, and he wanted to stay there forever.

Steve leaned down closer until he kissed Tony’s neck, then nipped at the skin. “You’re delicious, baby. A work of art, did you know that?”

Tony moaned. His cock was pinned between them feeling the rub of hot slick flesh. He could come any second if Steve didn’t stop doing that.

“Don’t stop. Don’t you dare stop! Fuck me. Oh, fuck me, Steve,” Tony pleaded, digging his nails into the soft, warm skin of his back.

Steve laced his fingers with Tony’s and held him down. He kissed Tony again on the neck, then on the lips, his tongue exploring every inch, swallowing every moan. And he fucked. He fucked at a fast pace at first , bodies smacking together, and then he slowed down. He slowed to a pace that let Tony feel every inch slide through his opening. Steve ground his hips against Tony’s upturned ass, cock buried all the way inside. He worked inside Tony, over him, kissing him passionately, touching him with love, with exhales from his exertions hot against Tony’s own hot skin, and all Tony could do was give himself and moan, while he pleaded with Steve not to stop.

But, with one last kiss, he pulled out.

“What the-? Why?” Tony gasped for air, but his voice managed to sound outraged.

He watched Steve walk away a little and sit down on the couch, slowly stroking his cock. He locked his eyes on Tony and tried to catch his breath, to no avail. “I want you to ride me.”

Oh, wow.

Tony smiled. “That’d be my pleasure.”

He held out his hand and Steve pulled him, helping him to sit up. Tony climbed to his knees, straddled Steve’s legs, put hands on his shoulders for support, and moved until hovering over his cock. Steve was watching Tony intently, eyes looking into his own, then down over his body, at his hard cock, glistening with precome. He licked his lips.

“Work of art,” Steve whispered. And, at that moment, under Steve’s gaze, Tony believed him.

Tony bent down, resting his head on Steve’s, who captured his lips in a kiss. And just naturally, he moved his hips down, feeling Steve’s cock teasing him again. Tony lowered himself until he bottomed completely on Steve and they both groaned. Then he began to fuck himself, up, down, over and over, he moved on his cock.

Steve let his hands wander over Tony’s body, sliding from thighs to pecs, to pinch a nipple, to arms, going to his back until his ass, and back to hold his waist.

“Ah, Tony, I can feel you so good! Yes, baby, keep doing that, you’re amazing… AH!” Steve threw his head back, his mouth open in a delighted smile.

“Do you like that?” Tony smirked and clenched his ass around Steve’s cock.

“AH, oh my God, yes, it’s fucking amazing,” Steve opened his eyes to look at Tony. “You are fucking amazing, fucking me like you were made for me. That perfect ass of yours, your body, your mind, your heart,” He leaned and placed a kiss where Tony’s heart was pounding. “I love you so much, and gosh… Oh, please, do that thing again… Ah, yes! Like that!” His hands grabbed Tony’s waist. “How could I wait so long to have you like this?”

Tony was mesmerized by all that blissed babbling. Steve was never that free, that happy, so himself like in that moment under Tony. And all because I love him.
“Don’t you worry, my love, this is just the beginning,” Tony smiled at him and leaned down to kiss him.

Steve snaked out a hand between them and took Tony’s cock, stroking it with the same rhythm Tony had set. Tony broke the kiss to gasp for air and cry out. “Yes, yes, yes,” his pace got more frantic. “Oh yes, Steve, harder, c’mon, hardeeer.”

Steve began to push upward to work his hips while pumping Tony’s cock, trying to sink deeper into Tony. Tony helped him, slamming his ass down finding an ecstatic pace. The smack of flesh against flesh echoed in the room.

“Please, please, please,” Tony panted, looking at Steve. “Don’t stop, please. Fuck me, Steve, c’mon, go on harder, baby. Fuck me fuck me fuck meeee!” Tony closed his eyes for a moment, feeling that heat boiling under his belly, making his body light up with the anticipation, his toes curling in an almost painful way, Steve’s hands all over him, and in a perfect combination, Steve’s cock finding his prostate at the same time his hand twisted on Tony’s own cock in that right way.

Tony opened his eyes. He needed to see Steve. And when he looked at him, into those amazing blue eyes, looking back at him in awe, he let go. The room seemed to shrink and expand all at once. And Tony came, so hard he got blind for a second. It was messy and glorious, and Tony felt all the shivers, his heart pounding in his chest and ears, he felt the universe inside him.

When he came back to his senses, he was smiling, and Steve was looking at him with pure devotion. “You’re beautiful. But when you’re coming, you’re something else,” he said as if in a trance.

“It’s a private show,” Tony said. “Only for you.” He bent to kiss Steve and moved his hips. Steve moaned. “Let’s get you there, sweetheart.”

Tony pounded on top of him a few more times until he felt Steve became erratic, losing his rhythm, pushing harder and faster than before. He suddenly held on to Tony harder, his hands gripping him to leave marks, and there it was, his eyes rolling back, his head falling back against the couch, his body shuddering at each shot, and his mouth opened in an “oh”. Tony captured that mouth and swallowed all his moans and pleas as if it were precious prey.

oOo

EPILOGUE

Tony woke up with sunlight streaming in through the window. He rubbed his eyes and tried to get his bearings. He was clearly in his own room, lying on his bed. But how he got there was still kind of hazy in his memory.

He tried to move, and several things fell into place and made sense at once. First, his body ached but with a pleasant kind of pain, the kind you feel after doing something really good long enough to ignore that your body is going to get tired afterward. Second, he was naked under the sheets. Third, there was another body next to his, with an arm around him and keeping him close. Fourth, Tony was sure all of New York knew he was smiling after moaning and sighing all night in Steve Rogers' arms.

The arm around him tightened pulling the bodies closer. “Stay,” Steve whispered.

Tony turned and found Steve staring at him, lying on his bed, gloriously naked and smelling like strawberries after the shower they had taken last night. Tony ran his fingers through his hair and Steve smiled sleepily.

"I'm not going anywhere," Tony said, giving him a peck and letting his face slip to the curve of Steve’s neck, taking a deep breath and feeling his smell invade his lungs.

"Good, because it's probably still early, and I want to stay here with you a little longer," Steve said quietly.

Tony laughed and looked at him. “Are you sure you're real?”

Steve opened his eyes. "Why?"

Tony shrugged, pretending it was no big deal. "It's just that I imagined and dreamed about this moment happening so much that I can't say for sure."

Steve moved and pulled Tony close, pressing their bodies together, with only the sheets between them. Tony let out a sigh. "It is real, baby. I'm here and I'll stay here as long as you want me around."

"We can start with forever, and then we'll see how things go, how about that?" Tony smiled, but his heart skipped a beat, a little unsure. What if that was too much? This is only the first morning they woke up together after all.

Steve cupped his face and kissed him slowly, just savoring the sensation. When he finished, Tony was breathing heavily. "Forever sounds great," Steve said, his eyes shining under the sunlight. Then he looked slyly at Tony. "Not bad for someone you met yesterday, huh?"

Tony took a second to understand but pretended to be angry when he remembered, pushing Steve's shoulder. “You fucker, all these years making me believe that I’d never have a chance with you, just to drive me crazy with role-play on a Gala night.”

“I already told you why,” Steve said, suddenly very serious.

Tony’s heart melted. “I know, babe. And I love you even more for telling me. I feel like I really know you now like I always wanted," Tony caressed Steve's face. "And I'm going to do everything to make up for all that time we didn't get to enjoy."

"They say better late than never, right?" Steve gave a sheepish smile.

"Finally, I’d say," Tony said. He leaned in to kiss Steve but was interrupted by the sound of a notification on his cell phone, which was on the nightstand. Tony groaned. "I should’ve put that thing on mute last night." He gave Steve a peck, turned to pick up the phone, and came back to snuggle into the hug Steve opened for him.

“To be fair, we didn’t notice too much around yesterday,” Steve said conversationally, stroking Tony’s arm with his fingertips.

Tony shivered and snuggled closer. “Honestly, the world could’ve ended yesterday, and I wouldn’t have noticed,” he looked up at Steve. “You did a pretty good job distracting me.”

“Pretty good?” Steve raised an eyebrow, but Tony could see a smile in the corner of his mouth.

“Well, that was only the first time. I’m a scientist, darling. I need more evidence to work on here.” Tony touched Steve’s abs under the sheets, sliding his hand until he found a nipple and teased it with his fingers.

Steve swallowed and his eyes darkened. “Check your phone, Mr. Scientist, and maybe you’ll get some evidence later.”

A shiver ran through Tony’s body. This man will be my ruin. He looked at his phone screen, where a notification from Natasha was waiting. "Please don't ask us to get out of here. Please, please."

"Go on, read what she's saying," Steve said.

Tony sighed, unlocked the device, and read the message out loud. "I hope the power outage at the gala yesterday was enough to boost both of your energy. Thank me later. Xoxo and a sticking-out emoji.”

He lowered his phone. "Wait a moment..."

At the same time, Steve was saying, "Does that mean..."

They looked at each other. "Natasha cut the power yesterday," they said together, their expressions lighting up.

Oh, Nat, always looking after me.

"I don't know what to think," Tony ended up saying. "Does it mean she knew all along that we would end up like this?"

Steve shrugged. "Who really knows what she knows?"

Tony shook his head and laughed. "She told me I could’ve gotten you yesterday by bidding a penny at the auction and you would’ve taken it."

Steve considered that for a moment, then shrugged. "She wasn't wrong, you know."

"Ah, Steve, but I didn't know anything, did I? All I knew that it my lucky break to have a masquerade ball that stirred something... I don't know, something wild in there," he poked in Steve's chest.

"I should’ve let that wild thing out sooner," Steve said with a smirk. He took the cell phone from Tony's hand and reached over him to return the device to the nightstand. Tony felt the mood in the room change. Steve came back and leaned over Tony, his hands resting on either side of his head.

Tony hugged him around the waist. "Good thing we’ve got plenty of time to enjoy it, huh?" He slid his hands up to grab Steve's ass, squeezing it and bringing Steve close, making their bodies touch without the barrier of the sheets. The two moaned softly.

"No masks needed this time," Steve winked.

Tony laughed. "No masks," Tony leaned and took Steve's mouth in a passionate kiss. "No more fear either. Just you and me."

Steve looked at him and Tony saw all the certainty he felt mirrored in those blue eyes. He smiled and Steve smiled back. "Just you and me."

oOo

THE END