Title: Dinner Date
Author: clarahow // blankspaceslayerbabe // charleybradburies (will be posted after challenge)
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Characters: Steve Rogers (POV), Tony Stark, Friday, mentions of others
Pairing: Steve/Tony
Length: ~475w
Rating: T
Summary: Steve learns something new every day.
Notes: For Challenge #58: Backward (#129: Amnesty #21) & cap_ironman Tiny Reverse Bang | round eight: invincible



Steve really should have learned by now that there was inherent difficulty with trying to romance Tony.

It’s not that seducing him is difficult - no, once the cards were on the table that’s been the easiest thing Steve may have ever had to do. It’s adding to it, building on it, that’s difficult. It’s actually keeping Tony in bed in the morning even when some new project is trying to call his name, going on dates that aren’t for show, kissing when anyone other than Pepper is around.

Whether it’s a matter of pride, or control, or something else entirely, Steve doesn’t know, and he tries to respect that Tony doesn’t want him to...but it’s hard enough realizing that he’s falling in love again without feeling like he’s pulling teeth just to get affection in return.

So it’s surprising when one Saturday that Sam and Nat drop him back in New York after their workout on the Mall and Pepper’s left word with Friday that she’s headed out to dinner with Maria, Steve doesn’t find Tony in his workshop. After winding through the first few likely locations and eventually conceding to Friday’s request to find Tony for him, he finds the unexpectant Tony in the master bedroom...buttoning a silk shirt.

“Going somewhere, hotshot?”

Tony startles at the interruption, but regains his composure quickly enough that Steve won’t mention it.

“Waiting for someone, actually.”

“That so?” Steve chuckles, joining Tony over by mirror and noticing that his star-studded workout gear somehow feels out of place in the often (but not currently) unkempt room.

Tony answers the question nervously before letting Steve have the chance to ask it.

“Pepper’s out, figured we’ve got some time alone.”

“Well, as alone as one can be in a house run by robots.”

“Artificial Intelligence, sir,” Friday inserts sarcastically, in the rhythm of the teasing she and Steve have fallen into.

Which was still kind of creepy, if Steve’s being completely honest. But the fact that she’d been programmed in a way that let her have a sense of humor about it didn’t hurt. Jarvis had, too, but he'd been less of an eavesdropper. Friday accepts Steve's predictable sigh.

Steve raises his eyebrows and watches Tony roll his eyes.

“And you’re getting dressed up?”

“What? Did I painstakingly button this thing only for you to tell me you no longer like men in dress shirts?”

“Dressing up - pardon, getting dressed - isn’t normally how you like to handle alone time,” Steve grins, reaching over for one side of the shirt and pulling Tony closer. “And I hope there wasn’t too much pain involved, because you will be taking it off.”

Tony pops himself up onto his toes to - almost - even out the height difference as his lips coax Steve’s into a series of gentle kisses.

“After dinner, Captain. But actually, I was planning on leaving that to you.”