[ when Steve stops, Tony stops, eyebrows still raised.]
Uh, you okay there? Interdimensional sickness? Or the sudden overwhelming realization that you aren't in Kansas anymore? Because... both would suck.
[ despite earlier and the lingering eau de alley, Tony steps close and puts his arm around Steve's shoulders, smile on his face soft, before leading him towards the elevators.
you might be good Steve, but he is damn good at reading people, especially you. you aren't nearly as hardened as your universal counterpart. ]
Mmm, Buck still the Soldier where you are? Or-- shit, do you-- fuck, I didn't think about that. Sorry.
[This time, he doesn't pull away from him. God, how long has it been since anyone tried to comfort him? Put an arm around him or hugged him or anything? Too goddamn long. And maybe Tony being touchy-feely isn't the kind of thing he's used to, but he'll take what he can get.]
He's in cryostasis in Wakanda. [He leans against the wall of the elevator, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes until he sees sparks.] He didn't want- didn't want anyone to be able to manipulate him again. T'Challa's scientists are trying to figure out a way to remove the programming, but who knows how long that'll take?
[The casual way he just talks about Bucky being the Soldier is weird. Steve isn't sure he likes it, not when the last time he saw Tony, the man he knew was doing his best to kill Bucky.]
[ as they walk, Tony leaves his arm around Steve's shoulder, giving a reassuring squeeze when Steve speaks about Bucky and him not being here. he knows that there is probably more than a little guilt in Steve right now, a feeling like he has abandoned Bucky to whatever is happening in their home universe.]
Don't worry, I will do whatever I can to get you back, okay? [ he lets Steve lean against the wall, keeps a hand on his shoulder to keep him grounded, this couldn't be fun. ] That sounds like Buck honestly but-- T'Challa? I-- actually you know what, I don't think I want to know. That is nothing like how anything goes down here, just so you are aware. But, sounds like there is a lot less... uh, stuff.
[ what he means is you aren't dead and Bucky doesn't try to kill him so it's kind of a win? ] C'mon, go get clean I'll give you some pants and a shirt and... well you gonna be sad if I burn that outfit there? I promise to make you a new and better one to go back with?
He, well- it's a real long story. T'Challa was just trying to the right thing, and we needed a place to go after things headed south, and-
[Steve sighs as he walks out of the elevator. It's been months, and he's still exhausted, physically and emotionally. He's been trying to keep going nonstop so that he wouldn't have to deal with anything, and it's taken a toll on him. Every line of his body is weary, and when Tony mentions getting rid of the uniform, he just starts stripping out of it right then and there, in the middle of the room.]
Don't get fancy with it. [The new one, he means, and what he's really saying is no red, white, and blue.] You sure your clothes'll fit? [Tony's still in the suit, and he eyes him skeptically, still used to his Tony.]
[ Tony listens and puts things together as best he can with the information he is given, and not given. it is enough to know that wherever Steve is from, he is not on good terms with Tony. which isn't exactly a rare thing, but leaves him curious about why then he was so ready to trust him now, easily.
it wasn't something that his Steve would have done, at least not without yelling at him first.]
So you and your version of me aren't on speaking terms, got it. Uh, I will.... try to get you home to Bucky asap.
[ hurt? what hurt? you're insane.
he manages a smile and a wink at that though, the charm of Tony Stark easy enough to fall back on.] Aww, you ruin all my fun. I will make it amazing though. That is a guarantee. Also, wow, rude.
[ there is a beat before the suit starts to more or less melt off of Tony, leaving him in work worn jeans and a black tshirt. while he isn't the exact height of Steve (it was a universal requirement that Steve's were taller post serum he is sure), there isn't much of a size difference between their build.]
You are not going to bitch about the name brand shit, are you? Took me so fucking long to make Steve stop caring about Chanel versus fucking Target.
[The strange thing is, despite their falling out, he still trusts Tony. He's the one who'd betrayed him (though he'd thought he'd been protecting him), not the other way around. Tony...there'd been a lot of problems between them, but nothing to break Steve's trust. Just an understanding that they're different people, that they see the world in different ways.
It still hurts like someone's driven a knife into his chest, but Steve can live with that. Has to live with it. Because while he'd wanted to blame Tony at first, he can't deny that a lot of it is his fault, too. That he'd overreacted in Siberia just as much as Tony had.
And now...he wishes he could have his friend back. So maybe that's why he's so quick to trust this other Tony, the one who seems like he's never been wounded by Steve the way he and Tony had hurt each other, with words and blows.]
What- [Steve stares as the suit just melts away. What the hell.] That's...that's a hell of an upgrade. You planning on doing that to mine, too?
[And maybe - just maybe - there's a stray thought about how good this Tony looks.]
I- [He blinks in confusion at the aside. Not because he's really confused by what Tony says, but because the swiftness of it all is catching him off guard, because his head's spinning from everything he's still trying to get used to.] Clothes are clothes? I don't really care.
[ Tony and his Steve had gone through their fair share of trials and tribulations; they had both yelled and hit and broken each other down more than once, but they always pulled each other back up. always managed to come back together despite everything that might push them apart. perhaps that is why he seems momentarily taken aback at how Steve seems so hesitant to mention his version of Tony.
still, he moves on and continues to think about how he can make this Steve something interesting to take back (defensive uniform? projection shield?).
he stops though as the armour sets itself in a neat pile off to the side and raises a brow.]
What, not at the fun nanite fluid metal stage of armour for your Tony yet? Oooh, wait, has he done Extremis yet? I probably should spoil that huh.
[ there is another amused smile before he vanishes into a door (the closet, well one of them) coming back out a few moments later with a pair of plain blue jeans, some briefs still in the package, and a blue henley.]
Good, I mean, I don't have what Steve would usually go for, but this should do you. And what are you trying to say with that Steve? Your Tony like 80 and short or something?
His is still in a briefcase. Or...was. [Maybe he's managed to make it even more portable after Steve wrecked it. At least he doesn't have to feel too guilty about destroying the suit - physically, anyway - because it seems like Tony makes a new one every month.
The psychological damage is something different. Tony might not ever forgive him for the crack in his armor, and Steve isn't sure he deserves forgiveness.]
Extremis?
[Something there almost sounds familiar, like he's heard Tony mention it before, but he still doesn't know exactly what it is or what it has to do with the suit.]
He's, uh, got a little gray hair coming in. Don't think he'd appreciate me saying that, though. [Steve takes the clothes automatically, not really caring what they are.] And he's shorter than me. [Is this Tony really taller than him? That's so weird.]
[ that makes Tony laugh, a look in his eyes that might be more than a little teasing. ]
Well this goes in a briefcase too. But I was... not making much in the way of advancements for a while there, so maybe he is just during that stage of things.
[ though he says nothing else about Extremis, because if he does get this Steve back, he certainly doesn't want him to go and stop another him from making terrible but also amazing choices. there are times when Tony misses the constant hum of machines and chatter in his brain, misses the low-level noise that came with always being connected, even if his mind isn't still.
he leans closer, gauging the size of him to this Steve. he is a little shocked to find how much smaller this Steve is. and younger.]
Gray hair would look amazing on me, thank you. Also... yeah, you're a little small compared to what I am used to. [ he lets his gaze trail along Steve, lips tugging into a smirk. Might have to cuff those pants there, sparkles.
I didn't say it looked bad, just that he's - you're - vain. [He wouldn't make that assumption about this Tony, except it's pretty obviously true. And he might be doing a little teasing of his own, as well.
Which would be a lot more effective if he didn't blush as Tony's gaze clearly rakes over his naked body. Steve doesn't care about nudity in the sense that he's used to being efficient and getting naked in front of other people if he needs to change or shower, that he uses his body as a tool. Once sexuality comes into it, it's a whole different story.]
Sparkles?
[Also he's a little insulted about being called small, and there's a touch of an indignant huff in his voice. Not many people ever use the word small to refer to him in any sense. If he didn't know Tony was teasing him, then it might really cause a problem, but he's just...being Tony. It's almost refreshingly normal, and it's so easy to fall back into the pattern of banter with him, give and take and push and pull. It makes his heart ache a little.]
[ perhaps that would be believable if he wasn't laughing as he spoke. and while he may not be vain to the core of who he is as a person, it doesn't hurt to keep up the pretense in order to keep people at a distance. and right now, keeping this Steve at something of a distance might be a good idea.
there has always been a soft spot in his heart for Steve, and he is learning that it apparently translates easily to others that bear his name and echoes of his personality. there is something about this Steve that makes Tony want to protect him, something about him that seems more innocent than the Steve he is used to; not quiet naivety but close.
gesturing to the bathroom he all but shoos Steve away.]
Yeah, despite the scruff and dirt, you're awfully shiny compared to the Steve I'm used to. I am sure you will actually sparkle once you clean yourself up there too.
[He knows about Tony's self-loathing streak - and he also knows that he's perfectly happy in a worn t-shirt and a pair of ripped jeans, covered in grease as he works on something. So maybe he's not exactly vain, but that's the mask Tony presents to the public. And he certainly cares more about outward appearances than Steve does, although that's not hard.]
Uh-huh, I get the hint. [There's something of the rapport they used to share in the boyish grin underneath the beard, wholly incongruous with everything else about him.
(At least Sparkles is better than Spangles.)
Steve heads into the bathroom and finds a towel, and then- then he finds himself staring at the shower. To be fair, there's always that moment of 'what the fuck' when you're first in someone else's bathroom and you don't know how to work their shower, but this is-]
[ maybe it hurts a little bit to hear a Steve say that, to speak to the mask and not the man beneath, but he also doesn't know what their world is like. doesn't know what has happened, so maybe there is more to it than he knows.
for now, Tony just laughs and gestures towards the bathroom again.] Go on, I will be kind and wait until you are actually dumpster free before I make comments on whether or not you smell better than my Steve or not.
[ he tries not to think about the way 'my Steve' sounds possessive, the way it implies something that isn't there despite everything. brushing it off Tony moves to find some food, since he is sure that Steve wants some of that, laughing when he hears the question. he pulls out a few things and wanders back, sticking a head into the bathroom when the shower turns on, Friday's voice quite.]
You just ask, Captain Rogers. Would you like it at a specific temperature?
Nevermind, she got it for you. I will be ordering food, anything you prefer?
[There is something possessive - intentional or not - about 'my Steve', and it makes Steve remember that this isn't the Tony he's used to, that he's a stranger - a surplus Steve - in another world. That he's too eager to get close, too needy.
Maybe, he thinks for a moment, he ought to have Friday give him a cold shower.]
Uhh...pretty hot, I guess. And just Steve is fine.
[Is he telling a computer to call him by his first name? Yes, he is.]
I could murder a cheeseburger and fries right now. Maybe a couple of cheeseburgers.
[Okay, so he could put away at least three cheeseburgers without even pausing.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Uh, you okay there? Interdimensional sickness? Or the sudden overwhelming realization that you aren't in Kansas anymore? Because... both would suck.
[ despite earlier and the lingering eau de alley, Tony steps close and puts his arm around Steve's shoulders, smile on his face soft, before leading him towards the elevators.
you might be good Steve, but he is damn good at reading people, especially you. you aren't nearly as hardened as your universal counterpart. ]
Mmm, Buck still the Soldier where you are? Or-- shit, do you-- fuck, I didn't think about that. Sorry.
no subject
He's in cryostasis in Wakanda. [He leans against the wall of the elevator, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes until he sees sparks.] He didn't want- didn't want anyone to be able to manipulate him again. T'Challa's scientists are trying to figure out a way to remove the programming, but who knows how long that'll take?
[The casual way he just talks about Bucky being the Soldier is weird. Steve isn't sure he likes it, not when the last time he saw Tony, the man he knew was doing his best to kill Bucky.]
no subject
Don't worry, I will do whatever I can to get you back, okay? [ he lets Steve lean against the wall, keeps a hand on his shoulder to keep him grounded, this couldn't be fun. ] That sounds like Buck honestly but-- T'Challa? I-- actually you know what, I don't think I want to know. That is nothing like how anything goes down here, just so you are aware. But, sounds like there is a lot less... uh, stuff.
[ what he means is you aren't dead and Bucky doesn't try to kill him so it's kind of a win? ] C'mon, go get clean I'll give you some pants and a shirt and... well you gonna be sad if I burn that outfit there? I promise to make you a new and better one to go back with?
no subject
[Steve sighs as he walks out of the elevator. It's been months, and he's still exhausted, physically and emotionally. He's been trying to keep going nonstop so that he wouldn't have to deal with anything, and it's taken a toll on him. Every line of his body is weary, and when Tony mentions getting rid of the uniform, he just starts stripping out of it right then and there, in the middle of the room.]
Don't get fancy with it. [The new one, he means, and what he's really saying is no red, white, and blue.] You sure your clothes'll fit? [Tony's still in the suit, and he eyes him skeptically, still used to his Tony.]
no subject
[ Tony listens and puts things together as best he can with the information he is given, and not given. it is enough to know that wherever Steve is from, he is not on good terms with Tony. which isn't exactly a rare thing, but leaves him curious about why then he was so ready to trust him now, easily.
it wasn't something that his Steve would have done, at least not without yelling at him first.]
So you and your version of me aren't on speaking terms, got it. Uh, I will.... try to get you home to Bucky asap.
[ hurt? what hurt? you're insane.
he manages a smile and a wink at that though, the charm of Tony Stark easy enough to fall back on.] Aww, you ruin all my fun. I will make it amazing though. That is a guarantee. Also, wow, rude.
[ there is a beat before the suit starts to more or less melt off of Tony, leaving him in work worn jeans and a black tshirt. while he isn't the exact height of Steve (it was a universal requirement that Steve's were taller post serum he is sure), there isn't much of a size difference between their build.]
You are not going to bitch about the name brand shit, are you? Took me so fucking long to make Steve stop caring about Chanel versus fucking Target.
no subject
It still hurts like someone's driven a knife into his chest, but Steve can live with that. Has to live with it. Because while he'd wanted to blame Tony at first, he can't deny that a lot of it is his fault, too. That he'd overreacted in Siberia just as much as Tony had.
And now...he wishes he could have his friend back. So maybe that's why he's so quick to trust this other Tony, the one who seems like he's never been wounded by Steve the way he and Tony had hurt each other, with words and blows.]
What- [Steve stares as the suit just melts away. What the hell.] That's...that's a hell of an upgrade. You planning on doing that to mine, too?
[And maybe - just maybe - there's a stray thought about how good this Tony looks.]
I- [He blinks in confusion at the aside. Not because he's really confused by what Tony says, but because the swiftness of it all is catching him off guard, because his head's spinning from everything he's still trying to get used to.] Clothes are clothes? I don't really care.
[A pause, and then:]...you're so young.
no subject
still, he moves on and continues to think about how he can make this Steve something interesting to take back (defensive uniform? projection shield?).
he stops though as the armour sets itself in a neat pile off to the side and raises a brow.]
What, not at the fun nanite fluid metal stage of armour for your Tony yet? Oooh, wait, has he done Extremis yet? I probably should spoil that huh.
[ there is another amused smile before he vanishes into a door (the closet, well one of them) coming back out a few moments later with a pair of plain blue jeans, some briefs still in the package, and a blue henley.]
Good, I mean, I don't have what Steve would usually go for, but this should do you. And what are you trying to say with that Steve? Your Tony like 80 and short or something?
no subject
The psychological damage is something different. Tony might not ever forgive him for the crack in his armor, and Steve isn't sure he deserves forgiveness.]
Extremis?
[Something there almost sounds familiar, like he's heard Tony mention it before, but he still doesn't know exactly what it is or what it has to do with the suit.]
He's, uh, got a little gray hair coming in. Don't think he'd appreciate me saying that, though. [Steve takes the clothes automatically, not really caring what they are.] And he's shorter than me. [Is this Tony really taller than him? That's so weird.]
no subject
Well this goes in a briefcase too. But I was... not making much in the way of advancements for a while there, so maybe he is just during that stage of things.
[ though he says nothing else about Extremis, because if he does get this Steve back, he certainly doesn't want him to go and stop another him from making terrible but also amazing choices. there are times when Tony misses the constant hum of machines and chatter in his brain, misses the low-level noise that came with always being connected, even if his mind isn't still.
he leans closer, gauging the size of him to this Steve. he is a little shocked to find how much smaller this Steve is. and younger.]
Gray hair would look amazing on me, thank you. Also... yeah, you're a little small compared to what I am used to. [ he lets his gaze trail along Steve, lips tugging into a smirk. Might have to cuff those pants there, sparkles.
no subject
Which would be a lot more effective if he didn't blush as Tony's gaze clearly rakes over his naked body. Steve doesn't care about nudity in the sense that he's used to being efficient and getting naked in front of other people if he needs to change or shower, that he uses his body as a tool. Once sexuality comes into it, it's a whole different story.]
Sparkles?
[Also he's a little insulted about being called small, and there's a touch of an indignant huff in his voice. Not many people ever use the word small to refer to him in any sense. If he didn't know Tony was teasing him, then it might really cause a problem, but he's just...being Tony. It's almost refreshingly normal, and it's so easy to fall back into the pattern of banter with him, give and take and push and pull. It makes his heart ache a little.]
no subject
[ perhaps that would be believable if he wasn't laughing as he spoke. and while he may not be vain to the core of who he is as a person, it doesn't hurt to keep up the pretense in order to keep people at a distance. and right now, keeping this Steve at something of a distance might be a good idea.
there has always been a soft spot in his heart for Steve, and he is learning that it apparently translates easily to others that bear his name and echoes of his personality. there is something about this Steve that makes Tony want to protect him, something about him that seems more innocent than the Steve he is used to; not quiet naivety but close.
gesturing to the bathroom he all but shoos Steve away.]
Yeah, despite the scruff and dirt, you're awfully shiny compared to the Steve I'm used to. I am sure you will actually sparkle once you clean yourself up there too.
no subject
Uh-huh, I get the hint. [There's something of the rapport they used to share in the boyish grin underneath the beard, wholly incongruous with everything else about him.
(At least Sparkles is better than Spangles.)
Steve heads into the bathroom and finds a towel, and then- then he finds himself staring at the shower. To be fair, there's always that moment of 'what the fuck' when you're first in someone else's bathroom and you don't know how to work their shower, but this is-]
Tony? How do you turn the shower on?
[He pauses for a moment, and then:]
Hey, Friday, can you turn the shower on?
no subject
for now, Tony just laughs and gestures towards the bathroom again.] Go on, I will be kind and wait until you are actually dumpster free before I make comments on whether or not you smell better than my Steve or not.
[ he tries not to think about the way 'my Steve' sounds possessive, the way it implies something that isn't there despite everything. brushing it off Tony moves to find some food, since he is sure that Steve wants some of that, laughing when he hears the question. he pulls out a few things and wanders back, sticking a head into the bathroom when the shower turns on, Friday's voice quite.]
You just ask, Captain Rogers. Would you like it at a specific temperature?
Nevermind, she got it for you. I will be ordering food, anything you prefer?
no subject
Maybe, he thinks for a moment, he ought to have Friday give him a cold shower.]
Uhh...pretty hot, I guess. And just Steve is fine.
[Is he telling a computer to call him by his first name? Yes, he is.]
I could murder a cheeseburger and fries right now. Maybe a couple of cheeseburgers.
[Okay, so he could put away at least three cheeseburgers without even pausing.]