Happy stockings, Thahire! I loved your prompt for emotional h/c with de-serumed Steve. I tried it with Ults, so it probably didn't fit the emotional or comfort bit as much, but I hope you enjoy it!
----
After Fury called the team meeting adjourned, Tony shrugged his suit jacket back on. His eyes drifted over the conspicuously empty seat by him. Promises from the SHIELD end to put their best scientists on reverse-engineering the serum rung hollow. Really, they had a better chance begging Thor for an invite to his clinically insane family reunion.
Obviously, they could not send Steve back to his shithole of an apartment without his neighbors noticing that their 6’3 neighbor had lost 100 pounds of muscle. Tony weighed his options as he considered their Captain’s temporary residence upon the Helicarrier. He was in no state to use the gym to mope right now. Mind made up, Tony headed toward the living spaces.
Steve didn’t even bother to ask how Tony had gotten into his room without any authorization. The skeleton that the Helicarrier ran on was Stark-designed, after all. Steve didn’t bother to do anything, sitting at the edge of his twin bed on a metal bed frame and staring at the blank wall. Tony hoped he had moved from that spot sometime in the past few hours. The stimulation in this room was just a step above a padded psych ward.
“We missed you at the team meeting.”
Steve’s eyes flicked over to him. “I wasn’t invited.”
“You’re on medical leave, Cap.”
“Cap?” Steve huffed a short laugh. “Me?” He waved a hand over himself, at his gaunt face and spindly limbs, the regulation t-shirt that draped over his chest. “Might as well recruit one of those Coney Island birthday party lookalikes.” He scowled. “At least they’d look the part.”
“Coney Island? Can’t even spring for one of those porn parody Captain Americas? At least then we know they’d have to look the part under the suit, as well.” Tony leered at Steve, which didn’t even earn him an eye roll. Just after the ice, with his short temper and emotions that flipped like they were a switch, Steve had the excuse of and courtesy given for grieving. Now, the man really was sulking.
“Nah, Cap is going to remain on medical leave, and SHIELD, under a lot of pressure from their Stark Industries partner and sponsor, will put all their resources toward making sure that he makes a full recovery.”
Steve scoffed. “And if that doesn’t happen? You think you can tell anyone that Captain America lost the serum and you aren’t sure it’s reversible? The US would be a laughingstock.”
“No one’s advocating for spilling state secrets to the international community. SHIELD just has to keep their priorities straight, and that means making sure of the health and livelihood of the leader of the Ultimates.”
Steve brought one knee onto the bed, resting an arm on it. “Is it worth it, though?” Steve asked. “Look at Hawkeye, and Widow. They hold their own, and they’re human. There are plenty of SHIELD agents with the physical capabilities and tactical know-how. It’d be better to see if there are any suited to wielding the shield. I’m sure that-”
“Nope!” Tony held a hand up, and Steve glared at him. “Not having any of that.”
“I’m using that tactical brain as your leader, and-“
“Well,” Tony started, “there’s the fact that any of those men would jump at the chance to suit up as Captain America. Unlike you, who would send yourself on a wonderful and thorough guilt trip at the idea of taking credit you don’t deserve.”
“I wasn’t Captain America when I looked like this, before the serum. Captain America has to be look powerful enough to lead.”
“And Iron Man is just a suit of armor. It doesn’t even have to talk, really. As long as he flies and shoots repulsor beams at aliens, that’s all the Ultimates need, right?”
That comments earned him, dare Tony think it, that familiar and adorable furrow between Steve’s brows.
“What about Thor?” Tony continued. “Just any long-haired blond with a lightning hammer? We could just pluck anyone out of a hippie van in California.” Tony strode up to Steve. “Forgive me the dreadful platitude, but it’s what’s in here that counts.” Tony taps the side of Steve’s head. Steve, god bless him and curse him in equal parts for how Tony’s heart beats in the staccato of a machine gun, quirked the corner of his mouth.
“Isn’t that finger supposed to go here?” Steve intercepted Tony’s hand in a smooth movement, proving Tony right that his muscle memory remains intact, and pointed Tony’s hand over Steve’s chest. Tony took stock of their positions. Steve’s hand over Tony’s, and Tony’s palm resting over Steve’s heart.
“Spare me that Aristotelian the heart is the origin of the soul bullshit. Even in your ancient times, they knew about the brain. It’s what makes us human. Can’t lobotomize a heart, can you?”
Steve’s smirk was a shadow closer to a real smile. His other hand went to the back of Tony’s head. The constant, throbbing headache subsided. With a groan, Tony’s eyes slid closed. Steve would never tease him about how he pushed his head into Steve’s hand, and Tony would not admit to it under threat of death. Steve ran a finger over the back of Tony’s head.
When Tony opened his eyes, Steve was frowning, and that won’t do.
“Does your head…hurt? Because of the…tumor?”
“It does. That’s why I’m such a pain in the ass all the time,” Tony said. “Like I said, it’s our brain that makes the personality.”
Steve’s eyes scanned his face, that familiar gratification of befuddling Captain America warming Tony’s heart, before Steve sighed. The warm touch of Steve’s hand turned into a slow massage. Curse him. This was exactly why Tony insisted that Steve was the only Captain America. No random SHIELD agent would think to disarm their opponent through such dastardly techniques.
“When I mentioned about how your finger was supposed to go elsewhere, I thought you were going to make an inappropriate comment,” Steve muttered.
“Ooh, were you waiting for it? Sorry to disappoint, love. I have to keep everyone on their toes. Throw enough sincerity into the bullshit, keep them interested and wanting more.”
“Well,” Steve responded, “if we’re talking about interesting, turns out I ran into some free time after getting prodded with enough needles to make every bio-lab this side of the Mississippi happy for the next week. What about you? You’re a busy billionaire businessman, superhero.”
Tony considered it. Even without the serum, Steve’s hand in is hair was big and warm. “Well, Everyone always has time for Captain America.”
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-02-26 04:56 am (UTC)----
After Fury called the team meeting adjourned, Tony shrugged his suit jacket back on. His eyes drifted over the conspicuously empty seat by him. Promises from the SHIELD end to put their best scientists on reverse-engineering the serum rung hollow. Really, they had a better chance begging Thor for an invite to his clinically insane family reunion.
Obviously, they could not send Steve back to his shithole of an apartment without his neighbors noticing that their 6’3 neighbor had lost 100 pounds of muscle. Tony weighed his options as he considered their Captain’s temporary residence upon the Helicarrier. He was in no state to use the gym to mope right now. Mind made up, Tony headed toward the living spaces.
Steve didn’t even bother to ask how Tony had gotten into his room without any authorization. The skeleton that the Helicarrier ran on was Stark-designed, after all. Steve didn’t bother to do anything, sitting at the edge of his twin bed on a metal bed frame and staring at the blank wall. Tony hoped he had moved from that spot sometime in the past few hours. The stimulation in this room was just a step above a padded psych ward.
“We missed you at the team meeting.”
Steve’s eyes flicked over to him. “I wasn’t invited.”
“You’re on medical leave, Cap.”
“Cap?” Steve huffed a short laugh. “Me?” He waved a hand over himself, at his gaunt face and spindly limbs, the regulation t-shirt that draped over his chest. “Might as well recruit one of those Coney Island birthday party lookalikes.” He scowled. “At least they’d look the part.”
“Coney Island? Can’t even spring for one of those porn parody Captain Americas? At least then we know they’d have to look the part under the suit, as well.” Tony leered at Steve, which didn’t even earn him an eye roll. Just after the ice, with his short temper and emotions that flipped like they were a switch, Steve had the excuse of and courtesy given for grieving. Now, the man really was sulking.
“Nah, Cap is going to remain on medical leave, and SHIELD, under a lot of pressure from their Stark Industries partner and sponsor, will put all their resources toward making sure that he makes a full recovery.”
Steve scoffed. “And if that doesn’t happen? You think you can tell anyone that Captain America lost the serum and you aren’t sure it’s reversible? The US would be a laughingstock.”
“No one’s advocating for spilling state secrets to the international community. SHIELD just has to keep their priorities straight, and that means making sure of the health and livelihood of the leader of the Ultimates.”
Steve brought one knee onto the bed, resting an arm on it. “Is it worth it, though?” Steve asked. “Look at Hawkeye, and Widow. They hold their own, and they’re human. There are plenty of SHIELD agents with the physical capabilities and tactical know-how. It’d be better to see if there are any suited to wielding the shield. I’m sure that-”
“Nope!” Tony held a hand up, and Steve glared at him. “Not having any of that.”
“I’m using that tactical brain as your leader, and-“
“Well,” Tony started, “there’s the fact that any of those men would jump at the chance to suit up as Captain America. Unlike you, who would send yourself on a wonderful and thorough guilt trip at the idea of taking credit you don’t deserve.”
“I wasn’t Captain America when I looked like this, before the serum. Captain America has to be look powerful enough to lead.”
“And Iron Man is just a suit of armor. It doesn’t even have to talk, really. As long as he flies and shoots repulsor beams at aliens, that’s all the Ultimates need, right?”
That comments earned him, dare Tony think it, that familiar and adorable furrow between Steve’s brows.
“What about Thor?” Tony continued. “Just any long-haired blond with a lightning hammer? We could just pluck anyone out of a hippie van in California.” Tony strode up to Steve. “Forgive me the dreadful platitude, but it’s what’s in here that counts.” Tony taps the side of Steve’s head. Steve, god bless him and curse him in equal parts for how Tony’s heart beats in the staccato of a machine gun, quirked the corner of his mouth.
“Isn’t that finger supposed to go here?” Steve intercepted Tony’s hand in a smooth movement, proving Tony right that his muscle memory remains intact, and pointed Tony’s hand over Steve’s chest. Tony took stock of their positions. Steve’s hand over Tony’s, and Tony’s palm resting over Steve’s heart.
“Spare me that Aristotelian the heart is the origin of the soul bullshit. Even in your ancient times, they knew about the brain. It’s what makes us human. Can’t lobotomize a heart, can you?”
Steve’s smirk was a shadow closer to a real smile. His other hand went to the back of Tony’s head. The constant, throbbing headache subsided. With a groan, Tony’s eyes slid closed. Steve would never tease him about how he pushed his head into Steve’s hand, and Tony would not admit to it under threat of death. Steve ran a finger over the back of Tony’s head.
When Tony opened his eyes, Steve was frowning, and that won’t do.
“Does your head…hurt? Because of the…tumor?”
“It does. That’s why I’m such a pain in the ass all the time,” Tony said. “Like I said, it’s our brain that makes the personality.”
Steve’s eyes scanned his face, that familiar gratification of befuddling Captain America warming Tony’s heart, before Steve sighed. The warm touch of Steve’s hand turned into a slow massage. Curse him. This was exactly why Tony insisted that Steve was the only Captain America. No random SHIELD agent would think to disarm their opponent through such dastardly techniques.
“When I mentioned about how your finger was supposed to go elsewhere, I thought you were going to make an inappropriate comment,” Steve muttered.
“Ooh, were you waiting for it? Sorry to disappoint, love. I have to keep everyone on their toes. Throw enough sincerity into the bullshit, keep them interested and wanting more.”
“Well,” Steve responded, “if we’re talking about interesting, turns out I ran into some free time after getting prodded with enough needles to make every bio-lab this side of the Mississippi happy for the next week. What about you? You’re a busy billionaire businessman, superhero.”
Tony considered it. Even without the serum, Steve’s hand in is hair was big and warm. “Well, Everyone always has time for Captain America.”