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Tony stares down at his phone, scrolling his email inbox up and down until he makes it to the café door. He bites and rips a hangnail off as he pushes it open. Immediately, the warm air and yellow light from the incandescent lamps scattered around the room wash over him. But the tightening in his chest won't settle yet, not until he makes it up the stairs.
Patrons dot the room with warm mugs and cool glasses, bundled from the early autumn breeze. Raphael, the owner, nods at Tony as he beelines for the carpetted staircase.
He makes it to the second floor, and skirting around the edges of the room, he reaches the balcony door. Through the window he sees Steve, hair gelled and combed, with a white shirt and brown jacket. He looks effortlessly handsome at he gazes at the unimpressive view, the back of the brick apartment building hiding them from the prying eyes of paparazzi.
Steve came back from a weeklong SHIELD assignment as Tony finished a three day lab bender. After a long, long nap on the floor next to the windows in the Avengers' living room, Tony invited Steve out to grab brunch before he leaves for another assignment tomorrow.
Steve's smile is all cheeks when Tony sits down, his long legs folding back toward his chair. Tony has to pick Peter up in an hour and a half, and he settles himself by remembering they won't be here long, just the two of them. One on one. Together. It's fine.
"It's weird seeing you without a suit," Steve supplies to fill the silence.
"What kind?"
"Exactly. The armor, your flightsuit, your actual three-pieces," he lists. "It's all you ever wear."
Tony, embarassingly, furrows his brows and looks down at his outfit: a dark gray crewneck and dark jeans. He rubs his fingers together, suddenly self concious.
Steve leans forward, attempting to hide his grimace. "I meant it as a good thing."
Already an exceedingly awkward brunch- and seriously, brunch is the gayest meal Tony could've chosen while pretending not to be gay for his teammate- Tony almost sings when a notification vibrates the table.
His phone is on silent save for a few contacts, so he checks it and sees a new text from Underoos.
Tony opens the message and huffs a laugh, shaking his head. He flips the screen so Steve can see the link.
"'36 Questions That Lead to Love'," Steve reads before smiling, sitting back in his chair.
"Peter heard about us getting coffee, and he thinks he's hilarious by giving me first date pointers."
"The title is a bold claim. How did they confirm that?" Steve continues.
Tony raises his eyebrows, turning the phone back to him and sending Peter a quick reply. "Why? You wanna see if it works?"
Steve shrugs and smiles into his coffee. Tony clicks on the article. The tension fades and familiarity settles between them.
"Question one," Tony reads. "'Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?'"
Steve bites his cheek in thought, spinning the coffee cup on the table.
Tony spares him and goes first. "Anyone in the world? I'd say Captain America. He's just so dreamy and handso-"
Steve kicks Tony under the table, a dimply smile and blush covering his face. "War Machine."
"No! That's my Rhodey. Find your own."
"Sharing is caring, Stark," Steve bristles.
"Have you ever even spoken?"
Steve shrugs. "Well, that's why we should grab dinner."
Tony shakes his head, exasperated. "'Would you like to be famous? In what way?'"
"God, no. Paparazzi nowadays is horrible." Steve shudders.
Tony tilts his head in thought. "It's not so bad."
"I don't think it counts if you've been famous since birth. Do you even know any different?"
"There was a brief time overseas where the 14 year olds I was bunking with didn't know and didn't care about who my father was."
Steve freezes, eyes wide. "What were you doing overseas at 14?"
"11," he corrects. "Boarding school. They were 14."
"We've led such different lives."
"And yet you're here with me."
"Where else would I want to be?"
Tony doesn't let himself think too much about the comment. "You warm my frozen heart. Question three: 'Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?'"
"Always."
"Really? I never do."
"The confidence thing comes naturally to you, I gotta prepare."
"Did they even have phones in the 40s?"
Steve pinches him on the arm. "I'm not that old!"
Tony grimaces and weighs his hands back and forth. Steve smacks his hands down. "Read the next one you dick."
"That's a bad language word. 'What would constitute a "perfect" day for you?'"
"Morning run, hit the gym... maybe paint? Then team dinner," Steve says, listing it out on his fingers.
Tony holds up his hand for his list. "Day in the lab, Peter joining in for a couple hours, movie night."
"That's, like, everyday for you when the team is home."
Tony winks. "I always live like it's my last day."
The waiter comes outside to refill their cups.
Tony picks his phone back up and snipes a candid of Steve watching his coffee get poured to send to Rhodey.
'How many drinks does he have to buy me before I have to let him get to third base?' Tony texts.
Rhodey's reply comes immediately. 'That's for alcohol, you're buying, and please don't talk to me about debauching American icons while I'm working. You know I can't stop you.'
'I believe War Machine counts as an American icon. Stay vigilant if this one breaks my heart'
Tony jumps when Steve speaks up. "What's the next question?"
He shakes his head. "Sorry. 'When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?'"
Steve pouts and starts spinning his coffee cup again. "They sneak a lot of extra questions into these 36."
Tony ignores him. "I sing to myself everyday. Loud."
"I don’t really sing, I hum a lot though. Does that count?"
"I'd say so. 'If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?'"
Steve huffs a laugh. "I think I already did that."
"Play along, Rogers. I'd want to keep my body. Good looks have gotten me this far."
"I'd go with body because I don’t know how a super serumed old man would work out."
"You already are a super serumed old man, Capsicle."
"Shove it."
Tony smirks into his cup. "'Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?'"
"Battle wound."
"Definitely battle. 'Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common,'" Tony reads. "Super huge, bulging muscles."
"I thought we were supposed to list things we have in common?"
"Eat it, Rogers." Tony leans forward.
Steve mirrors him. "We're both stubborn."
"Got that right. Well endowed?" Tony says inelegantly while pointing down at the table.
"And you confirmed this?"
"Call it a hunch. 'For what in your life do you feel most grateful?'" he pauses. "Pepper, easily."
Steve looks as though he's weighing a thought. "Finding a family again after I lost everything I had."
"Jesus."
"Language."
Tony presses on. "'If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?'"
"Wish I wasn’t such a scrappy little thing. I gave my mother a lot of gray hairs."
"I wish my dad didn't beat me."
Steve sighs. "Saw that one coming."
Tony smirks to himself, the bastard that he is, and continues. "'Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible'."
"Skip?"
"Skip. 'If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?'."
They both pause in deep thought.
"Teleportation," Tony answers finally.
"Invisibility."
"Captain Rogers wants to be a thief? I'm shocked and truly appalled. I can't believe we let the children of America look up you."
"No," he utters through a laugh. "Captain Rogers wants to avoid the press."
"As you always do. Next one: 'If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?'"
"I don't want to know anything."
"Absolutely not. You know what it's like living with just my past? I don't want my future fuckups to haunt me too."
Both men go quiet as the waiter brings out their breakfast. Tony idly checks the time and realizes he has to leave to get Peter sooner than he thought. Once they say their thanks and the waiter leaves Tony picks up his phone and reads the next question with newfound vigor.
"'Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?'" He rattles off quickly.
The question is unfortunately hefty for the time crunch, and to Tony's annoyance he stews in silence for a moment.
"Being a good person," he continues. "It's fucking hard."
Steve blanches. "I think you’re a good person."
"Answer the question, Steven."
"I'd rather not."
"C'mon," he singsongs.
"No, Tony-"
"Fine, but I'll get an answer out of you someday."
"Keep dreaming."
Tony grins at the quip. "'What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?'" he asks. "JARVIS and the armor."
"Finding happiness in a world that wasn’t mine."
"Jesus Christ."
"Language."
"I'm getting deja vu. 'What do you value most in a friendship?'"
"Loyalty," they both say in unison.
"'What is your most treasured memory?'"
Steve smiles, deep in thought. "Family dinner with my ma and Buck."
"Playing in the garden with my mother and Jarvis."
Steve raises a brow. "You had JARVIS as a kid?"
"Edwin Jarvis- my butler. I named JARVIS after him," Tony explains.
"That's surprisingly tender."
"I'm a darling at heart. 'What is your most terrible memory?'" He pauses. "Pass?"
"Probably for the best."
"'If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?'"
"I'd be extremely vocal about my political opinions."
Tony barks out a laugh. "I think you should do it anyway. And to be honest I'm surprised you haven't wrecked havoc on the anti-homeless architecture around here yet."
Steve looks up from under his eyelashes, a mischievous smile on his face. "Don't give me ideas."
"Don't you know it's my secret plan to give everyone on our PR team gray hair?"
"Sticking up for the people is incredibly on brand for me."
Tony nods. "Fair point. 'What does friendship mean to you?'"
"Just having someone to share your life with. Partners come and go but friends are anchors." Steve interlocks his hands and shakes them a little for emphasis.
"You're so insightful," Tony says dreamily as Steve glares. "But ditto, couldn’t live without my Platypus."
"Platypus?"
"Taking him on a dinner date, but you don't even know his full government name?"
Steve sighs. "Rhodes."
"'What roles do love and affection play in your life?' Yikes."
Steve grimaces. "I'm working on it."
"Are you really, Spangles?"
"No."
"'Alternate sharing something you consider a positive characteristic of your partner. Share a total of five items.'"
Tony grins and sets the phone down on its face. He leans forward again and waits for Steve to do the same. They sit a moment in silence, looking back and forth between each other's eyes.
"You have the body of a God," Tony starts.
"It's amazing how fast your brain can work."
"You are stupidly kind to everyone."
"You care so much that you put other people above yourself."
Tony is stunned for a moment, but gets his head back in the game. He can't let Steve win a compliment-off when Tony has the easiest target imaginable. "You're an amazing leader."
"You're still a good man despite your past."
"Debatable." Throw him off his rhythm.
"I will strangle you." Nicely done.
"You have such a way with words."
"You're funny."
"Aw, you shouldn’t have."
"You make my life more interesting."
"You make babies smile."
"So do you!"
"Fine. You have a wonderful laugh."
"I do?"
"Big fan of the boob grabbing when you laugh."
"I don’t boob grab."
"You absolutely do."
"Not."
"Do."
"I'm not doing this with you."
"Nothing to be ashamed of, Cap. No shame in the boob grabbing game."
"Can we move on?"
Victory. Tony spares him. "'How close and warm is your family? Do you feel your childhood was happier than most other people's?'"
"Well, my family is dead."
"Ditto!"
"I had a happy childhood though."
"Less ditto? 'How do you feel about your relationship with your mother?'"
"She was my best friend."
"She was my safe place."
"I wish I met her."
"Eh. I like you pretend you never even met my dad."
"Me too."
Tony ignores him. "'Make three true "we" statements each. For instance, "We are both in this room feeling...'"
"We are both answering these questions."
"We are both a part of the Avengers."
"We were both born in New York."
"You know where I was born? You fan boy you. 'Complete this sentence: "I wish I had someone with whom I could share...'"
"Everything," Steve answers, surprisingly earnest.
"My life. 'If you were going to become a close friend with your partner, please share what would be important for him or her to know.'" Tony pretends to mull it over. "I have a heart condition."
"I don’t like bullies."
Tony shakes his head. "How Captain America of you. 'Tell your partner what you like about them; be very honest this time, saying things that you might not say to someone you’ve just met.'"
"Your eyes," Tony continues.
"Your hands."
"That's kinda naughty." Tony tries not to read into the look Steve gives him at that comment.
The waiter comes back to fill their coffees.
"'Share with your partner an embarrassing moment in your life,'" Tony reads once the waiter is gone.
"Being in the army before the serum."
"When I tried to hit on Nat."
"You tried to... really? Nat?"
"To be fair, I thought she was a perfectly normal assistant and not an assassin."
"You hit on your subordinates?"
"Well I absolutely wouldn't now."
"And you have before?"
Tony sets down his coffee with a thunk and deadpans Steve. "Pepper? Assistant Pepper Potts? Ring any bells?"
"Jesus."
"Language, Spangles. The children of America are weeping."
Steve pauses. "I'm glad you aren't like that anymore."
"Catch me a couple shots into a New Years party and you’ll see that playboy is my natural state."
Steve levels him with a look. "That's a lie."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
The confidence of his answer makes Tony a little hot under the collar. "'When did you last cry in front of another person? By yourself?' Starks don’t cry."
"They should. I cried when I found out my favorite library got turned into a gym."
Tony laughs. "When was this?"
"Last month?"
"I'll buy it for you. 'Tell your partner something that you like about them already.' I like your sass."
"Please don't buy the gym. You don't need to spend your money on me."
"That's not the question, and I fund your paycheck."
"I like when you’re quiet."
"Aw, you love me."
Steve goes quiet with an almost imperceptible nod.
"'What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?'"
"The Holocaust."
Tony scoffs in surprise. "Wow, you just went right for it, huh?"
"You didn’t see it firsthand. Nobody should joke about that."
"I think rape is also off the table for jokes. Even on my worst day I never went there."
"I agree."
"'If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven't you told them yet?'"
"I'd regret not telling the people I care about that I loved them."
Tony reads directly between the lines. "You have a crush?" he teases.
Steve groans and buries his face in his hands. "'Crush' is so juvenile."
"Cap has a cruuuush! Why didn't you tell me?" Tony pouts obnoxiously. Steve kicks him under the table again.
"Because you're insufferable."
Tony gasps. "You lie."
"Well, I guess I haven’t told anyone mostly because I thought it was still illegal, but now I guess I'm scared of ruining what we have." Steve face turns red and a couple bells sound in the back of Tony's brain.
"Wait, wait, wait."
"Tony-"
"What do you mean by illegal?" Tony plasters a shit eating grin on his face.
Steve doesn't meet his eyes. "I thought you were supposed to be a genius."
Tony huffs in surprise. "The conservatives are in shambles."
"You never answered."
Tony sits quietly for a moment, ready to steam roll over the question with a half-truth. But Steve was so honest, wasn't he? "I'm also afraid of telling the person I like because the tabloids will ruin their life."
Steve tilts his head in thought. "I think it's worth it."
"Coming from the pap's number one enemy? What an honor. 'Your house, containing everything you own, catches fire. After saving your loved ones and pets, you have time to safely make a final dash to save any one item. What would it be? Why?'"
Steve shrugs. "My shield. I don't want to ask T'Challa for more material, and honestly I'm sentimental."
"The armor. At least one set. I could go from scratch again but it's easier to make new models when you have an old one. 'Of all the people in your family, whose death would you find most disturbing? Why?'"
"Bucky. Losing him once messed me up, but losing him again would be it for me."
Tony nods, twirling his cup like Steve had. It's soothing. "Rhodey because I've never had someone see all the worst parts of me and love me anyway."
Steve gives him a small smile. "You're such a softie."
Tony clears his throat. "Like a cactus. 'Share a personal problem and ask your partner's advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.'"
"I think you should confess," Tony answers immediately.
Steve's brows furrow. "I don't think that was the question."
"Still."
"Then you should too."
"Fine."
"Fine."
The bill is paid and they both stand to leave, pausing by the balcony door.
"Steve."
He turns and it's just them, and Tony wonders if maybe the questions work because only people who are already in love want to play.
"I'm in love you," Tony says simply.
For a horrifying second, Steve is silent. Then he nods and wets his lips.
"Question 14, something I dreamed of doing?"
Steve drags Tony in by the collar and presses their lips together in a gentle kiss. When they pull apart Steve smiles, and leaves.
Tony's phone buzzes in his pocket.
'Are you still coming to pick me up?'