stardustly | au scenarios open post

"Really?" Tony's eyebrows went up as he put the cap back on the bottle and carried his glass over to the couch. He didn't press himself back against Steve's side, but only because it would probably make eating awkward. Instead, he settled in to face him, entire body pointing in Steve's direction. "You never saw Metropolis or anything?" Now that one he definitely knew predated Steve's deep freeze.

Tony slipped slowly at his drink as he thought about how to explain it. "It's an automaton," he said finally, watching Steve over the rim of the glass. "Something mechanical that moves independently. JARVIS is an artificial intelligence, though. Programming meant to mimic how a person thinks. Or manage it better than people do." He saluted his glass at the nearest wall. "He runs security around here and things."

Eating more of the pizza, he only offered a shrug until he managed to finish a slice. "I was never really into science fiction when I was younger. That was always Bucky's scene. I preferred historical things and fantasy." On one end of things, he enjoyed things based around true life events but on the other end he had a great fondness for dragons, elves and other types of fairy tales. His ma read fairy tales to him in his youth and the love for it all just grew from there. She told him all kinds of mythological stories as well.

"He helps you, then," Steve summarized with a nod, grabbing for another slice of pizza. "Is he the only one you created?" It seemed a little out there to him but he heard the JARVIS speak just moments ago. "Is he - always around?" But something artificial couldn't really see him, could it? At least, not similar to the way a person would?

Tony opened his mouth and then immediately closed it again. This whole actually thinking about what he was going to say instead of just blurting out the first thing that came to mind thing was proving to be actually kind of difficult. Who knew.

"He's the only AI I've made, yeah," he said finally. "I've got other robots, though. You'll probably meet them if you're going to be hanging around here." There was the slightest hesitation over that before Tony moved smoothly over it. He wasn't going to make assumptions. Couldn't.

"And he's always around in terms of the fact that he's a program. He doesn't exactly turn off. But if that...bothers you, we can see about putting in blackout protocols. If you want."

After a fourth slice, he decided not to grab anymore because it seemed a little rude to eat so much, especially around someone new. The whole super soldier metabolism thing could be a bit of a nightmare and he still wondered how he made it through the war on such stingy rations. At least, the current time period from what he had seen seemed to have a lot more food options. It might be a whole new food world possibility.

"Do you want me to stay here?" Steve asked, already picking up on the leave me alone vibes Tony practically radiated with. Tony might not want a soulmate at all and then one so confused and lost about everything.

"No. I mean. It's okay. It'll just take some getting used to. He'll - always answer if I say something to him?"

"That's up to you. God knows I've got the space, but you might want to see more of the modern world than an almost literal ivory tower." Or he might want space from Tony himself. He wouldn't be the first. Tony had been told repeatedly and in no uncertain terms that he could be a bit much. How much more would his soulmate have to deal with?

"But yeah, he's always available. And you can ask him pretty much anything, I guarantee you he's too polite to judge," Tony continued with a fond little smile that he clearly didn't notice he was wearing. Not to mention that there was almost nothing Steve could do or say that would be anywhere near as dumb as anything Tony had already inflicted on the poor AI. JARVIS' patience really was impressive.

He lifted the glass again only to pause when he realized Steve was hovering a little awkwardly over the pizza. "Go ahead and finish it," he said, gesturing with his free hand. "That one's just for you. There's a second in the kitchen."

Eyes drifting around for a moment, he nodded to himself. There were plenty of things he needed to decide with being in the new era. It would be such a big change and no one seemed to want to give him too much time to adjust and try to come to terms with it. SHIELD already wanted to throw him into the deep end and everyone else acted as if he should be fine with everything. Didn't they realize he had lost everything? Absolutely everything, even himself in a way.

"If I stay here - in the tower - would you want me here or another room?" It felt so awkward to have to ask but he didn't want to get something wrong. The way Fury described Tony, well, it painted a certain kind of picture and one without the joy of soulmates in it.

Nodding his head, he grabbed for another slice, giving Tony a small smile. "Thank you. You've been really nice." Manners meant plenty even if he felt out of sorts at the moment.

"You'd probably be one of the few to think so," Tony said with a snort that was mostly amused. Most people just assumed it was self-interest of some stripe. And being nice to his soulmate was pretty much the ultimate in self-interest, wasn't it? His soulmate. Jesus. It still hadn't properly sunk in.

"But probably not a bad idea to give us both space while we adjust, yeah?" Nevermind that the entire building was technically Tony's space. But that was good, giving them the option to be close but not in each other's pockets. The need to keep Steve close and the desperate attempts not to seem to clingy were at constant odds in his head, and it was almost giving him a headache. Last thing he needed would be to immediately scare the poor man off.

"But honestly, if you let me know anything you want or think you might need, let me know and I can probably get it for you." He shrugged, as unconcerned as he could make the the gesture look. Like it was nothing.

Doesn't interact well with others.

One of many offhand comments the Director had about Tony but Steve didn't really know what to think about any of it because wouldn't he have a different experience with the whole soulmate aspect to everything? Then again the space comment hurt a little bit but he made sure to keep the look off his face, keeping most of his focus on pizza eating instead. It gave him something to do with his hands and not look as awkward as he would have otherwise. After he finished another slice, he nodded his head. "That sounds like a good idea. How many floors does this place have?" Plenty of space if they were on separate floors.

No need for him to be the only one reaching out and putting himself out there.

Giving a faint smile, he shook his head this time. "I don't need much. Just some clothes and if you could show me where a gym is." Why work on his problems when he could just punch his way through things? A perfect solution really.

"I don't know, seventy? Eighty? Most of them are for the company, but the top bunch are all residential." Like he didn't know every spec of the building. But he was trying to play it cool, trying hard enough that he didn't register the new tension in Steve at all.

"Clothes, I can do. And there's a gym in the building, it's a couple floors down." He paused, actually glancing over at Steve long enough to flick his eyes over him. "I'll trick out a couple bags for you, set them up for your weight class." He made it sound so easy. As if it wouldn't take sourcing all new materials. But that, at least, he could do. Make him things, give him things. That, Tony understood.

Listening carefully, he gave a little nod of his head since he did need a place to stay. The. Director mentioned a few areas and government aspects to them but Steve would prefer elsewhere. Being so tightly underneath the governments thumb didn't appeal to him at all. He had enough of it during the war and how strict guidelines were had probably worsened over the years. "Is there a floor not being used or barely used?" The question probably put a shine on his reflex to distancing himself but he couldn't help it.

The mention of a gym in the building seeped a little of the tension from his muscles. It'd help with his need for avoidance and bottling everything up. "Isn't it difficult to make something uh for my weight class? Nothing really exists. You'd have to--" With a pause, he gave a tiny smile. "Do you promise to invent things for all the guys you find?" Could that be a small hint of jealousy?

Tony just laughed and let his head fall back against the couch cushions. "Just the ones who need it," he said, a small smile still playing over his mouth. Now that they were here and fed and the knot in his chest that he was pretty sure was Steve was feeling much more relaxed, it was like Tony suddenly remembered how tired he was. It was a good feeling, warm and comfortable, and he tucked himself into the corner of the couch.

"I'm sure I can find a place for you," he added. "I'll start setting things up tomorrow. You have preferences on furniture? And, I don't know, curtains?" What else were you supposed to put in? Tony had barely done it for his own areas, but something in him wanted to make sure he took care of it for Steve. That it was him that put everything together.

The small grin returned to his face, more of the tension and panic slowly receding for the time being. He knew sooner rather than later the pain would return, the loss heavily falling onto his shoulders to drag him through the grim and mud always resting below him. Life kept pushing at him but he never stayed down for long. Worry seemed to ooze away as well but that must have been on Tony's end. How much would they feel from one another? It might make private moments a little difficult and harder to hide.

While he wanted to reach out for Tony or press against him, he refrained and focused on his words instead. "Uhh - sturdy?" Smooth, Rogers. "I mean - never really had much of a choice. Before - kinda took whatever was given or found. It doesn't - anything will be fine." He ducked his head, grabbing for his drink to sip at and give his hands something to do.

"What about tonight?"

"What about it?" Tony blinked at him, then tipped his head in consideration. Okay, he could probably guess where Steve's head was at. Honestly, if he tried, he was supposed to be able to feel exactly what Steve was feeling but something about that felt off. Invasive, if he was doing it on purpose. An intimacy he hadn't earned yet.

"I've got a guest room, if that's what you mean." He waved one hand out at the general space around them. "Make yourself at home. Mi casa es whatever."

A guest room. The remark spoke volumes of Tony's current state with their soulmates revelation and it didn't really surprise him. No one wanted to really be a soulmate of his, either before the war or now because of so much baggage. If he really thought about it did he want a soulmate either? The finality of it and the consuming strength others spoke of worried him, especially with all the expectations he faced and the enemies he collected over the years. It would be easier to not have a bond, to break it for them both.

"Thank you," he remarked, standing up after he set down the glass. "I should get ready. Did you still want to come with me to meet the team?" The director also had a mission for him already, it seemed it didn't matter he just woke up in the new era. They were throwing him head first without a safety belt into the deepest depths.

One of Tony's eyebrows lifted slightly at the invitation. There were so many things he could say, wanted to say. Wanted to ask if he was even actually invited.

What he found himself saying instead was, "sure." The simplicity of it made him pause for just a second, but he didn't try to contradict himself. It was instinctual, that need to keep Steve in sight, as close as he could keep him. He definitely wasn't about to lose him into the bowels of SHIELD and god knew what Fury had planned.

With a quiet groan, he pushed himself to his feet after him. "Now?"

"Like they say - no time like the present," Steve responded with a slight shrug of one shoulder but he added a few seconds later - "Director Fury is expecting a team meet and greet. He has something else to inform me of too." Both made him so nervous, too much of the unknown to contend with and he sit hadn't processed waking up in a new time. When he crashed the plane, he expected it to be the end and to see his family again. It took so long for it to all end for him and now he had to fight again. Now, he had to try and find a new place to belong in, something he never excelled at.

Frowning, he went into the bathroom, gazing at everything. "You wouldn't happen to have anything that would fit me do you? I still smell like hospital and tests."

"Not...handy." Definitely nothing that would actually fit Steve, he thought as he trailed unconsciously after him. He did at least pause in the doorway, leaning against the jamb as he watched Steve inspect the place. "We can grab you something, though. I can have it delivered here if you don't want to deal with going into a store." There were benefits to being disgustingly wealthy, after all.

"Hey," he found himself saying, not-quite-twitching against the overwhelming feeling of loss bubbling up behind his sternum. His hand came up to press against the glow of the reactor, a movement Tony clearly wasn't aware he was making. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure it out."

Attempting to steady himself, Steve gave a shrug of a shoulder. "I can just change back into these clothes. It's fine." He never wanted anyone to go out of their way for him anymore and he preferred to handle everything on his own. He could manage all of it; he didn't have any other choice but to. Walking over to the shower, he fiddled with the knobs as the full weight of loss hit him square in the chest and it took all he had to not start sobbing with it. He lost everyone and now they expected him to be some shining example of a figure head superhero.

"What?" Steve asked, startled by Tony's words as the shower started up. He forgot all about considering the soulmates thing. "Yeah, sure." Another shrug of a shoulder. "I'm going to shower, okay?"

"Yeah," Tony said, tone going somewhat absent. He'd probably have to get some stuff delivered anyway, however much Steve said he didn't need it. Maybe some other stuff too, he'd make a list.

It was a little hard to focus on, though, over the overwhelming pain in his chest. Maybe that was why Tony took a step forward, and before he could talk himself out of it he pressed himself up against Steve's back and wrapped his arms around him. "It'll be okay," he repeated nonsensically.

The sudden feel of arms around him hitched Steve's breath. The first real touch in more than seventy years given before the plane he still had the whole war effort going on. Some of the tension bled from his body as he sank slightly into Tony's body. The warmth and connection felt better than he wanted to admit to.

"I know," he rasped out, fighting to compose himself and not make things worse. He had to keep it together, they were all counting on him already. "I'm okay." Such a lie.

Such an obvious lie that it pulled a quiet huff of a laugh from Tony. "You really aren't." He voice was soft, though. For once, no hint of mockery. "And I say that as a mess of a human being. But you will be." It sounded maybe more certain than he was actually feeling, still so wrapped up in a mire of confusing emotions. But god, he wanted them to be okay. Both of them.

As it was, he dropped his forehead to rest against Steve's shoulder, just holding on to him as best as he could. If he couldn't fix anything else, he could at least do this.

How could anyone be okay in his shoes with ending up in the wrong time? But there were so many expectations resting for him and the upcoming Avengers group. They were going to change the world or so claimed the director but no one really asked what he wanted.

Leaning a little more into Tony's embrace, he tried to hold onto the words. "Together?" It sounded so hopeful to his ears, painfully even. "Are you going to stay?" In the bathroom - in his life.

He wished they didn't have to move because he really enjoyed Tony's arms around him but they were expecting him. "You'll have to tell me more of why you aren't okay."

And Tony shifted a little closer, ducking to just barely brush his mouth against Steve’s shoulder, the barest hint of a kiss. “I can stay,” he agreed softly. If nothing else in his stupid life, he could do that for his soulmate.

It took another second before he finally let go, stepping back. “That’s going to be a long discussion,” he said, trying for a laugh and not quite making it. “We can talk later, okay?”

The feel of Tony's lips, coupled with his words meant everything. It was an acceptance he never really experienced before. Shoulders loosening up, he ducked his head just a little. "I would like that." But it raised one question. "Are you just staying in the bathroom or are you going to-" Awkward but he didn't have any way around it. He would never be smooth.

"As long as you talk to me." Adjusting the water, he turned the shower on and started by removing his shirt.

That did get an actual laugh out of him, even if it was more just a huff of breath. He found himself letting go almost reluctantly, though it did immediately earn him the view of miles of bare skin, so there was only so much complaining he could do.

"I can leave you to shower," he said with a quirk of a smile, already backing towards the door. They'd bared plenty already, actual nudity might have to wait. Unfortunately. "Come find me when you're ready. JARVIS can help you out."

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