outofthedome (outofthedome) wrote in chances_rpg, @ 2022-05-11 19:25:00 |
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Entry tags: | marvel animated: tony stark, mcu: steve rogers |
THREAD: Tony 2 & Steve Rogers
WHO: Tony Stark 2 & Steve Rogers
WHAT: A real date.
WHERE: Kokkari Estiatorio
WHEN: Recently.
RATING: Low
STATUS: Completed via gdoc.
Tony hadn’t been on a date in years. Was it even a date? Tony wasn’t sure, but he found himself hoping it was one. Still, the normally self-assured and suave Tony Stark was out of practice so he was keeping his expectations in check. Of course that didn’t stop him from dressing sharply in pressed black slacks, a light blue shirt, and a cool looking jacket. It also didn’t stop him from instructing JOCASTA to find the best restaurants in San Francisco. Cost was no option thanks to his wish for his bank account, and he was happy to share his fortune with those he cared about.
He settled on Kokkari Estiatorio, a rustic Greek tavern that was highly recommended.
“Thank you,” Tony said to the waiter as she seated them. He passed Steve his menu first. “Hope this place lives up to its hype.”
Steve's smile was a lot easier than just about any of the rest of him. Maybe, just maybe, he was dipping into his old Captain America persona, just enough to keep the butterflies that had taken residence in his midsection at bay. It hadn't helped all that much. He hadn't been able to stop smiling all the ride over, although it might've been nice to share a car. Then again, there was a chance he would have run out of small talk early on, and the rest of the dinner would have been Steve just desperately casting around for something to say, some topic to keep things light and entertaining.
The smell of roasted meat, Mediterranean spices, and the slight tang of lemon hit him as he walked in the door, making his mouth water, but he ignored that in favor of finding his friend. He was definitely not disappointed when he spotted Tony, and this time his swallow was a lot more rough. Fortunately (or un, jury was still out on that one), they were shown to a decidedly intimate corner table, and he had to wonder if this was Tony's doing or just luck of the draw.
Didn't really matter, and he smiled as he accepted the menu, both at Tony and their server. "I'll have to take your word for it, but the ambience alone would sell me on it. This place is amazing, thanks for suggesting it. How did you hear about it? I'm afraid I don't get out as much as I'd like."
Steve looked good and he smelled even better than the restaurant smells wafting through the air. Tony held his thoughts back though, afraid of coming on too strong. He’d never think about Captain America like this in his world, but this Steve was just different enough to set Tony’s heart aflutter. “JOCASTA, my AI,” Tony replied. “She hasn’t steered me wrong yet. I wanted somewhere special.” He flashed a smile and looked down a little. Did he just admit that out loud? “And we need to change that,” he added. “The getting out part. I hear water skiing is popular around here.”
A pulse of heat rocked Steve to his core. It scattered his thoughts and sent them in unhelpful directions. When he regained a sliver awareness, it was to the realization that he was smiling his goofiest smile and his cheeks were burning with an intense blush. He ducked his head, but there was nowhere to hide. "Give her my thanks, your JOCASTA. Must be nice, having someone like that around. Do you mind if I ask what it stands for? I know the other you is really fond of clever names—which is about as far as I'm comfortable with taking any comparisons between you two." He laughed, which went a long way in loosening the knot in his chest. This was about the time when their waiter returned with some waters and a wine menu, which he immediately handed to Tony. "I'm sure you know way more about this stuff than I do, what with your fancy water skiing and all."
“I actually let Pym name this one,” Tony replied. “He was around six and I think he just liked the name.” He was glad Steve wasn’t making other comparisons between him and Tony; there were plenty of similarities, but Tony would rather not dwell on them in their current scenario.
He chuckled and accepted the wine menu. “Pinot Grigio is easy drinking. The German kind usually pairs with chicken, fish, or shellfish.” Yes, he was trying to impress Steve with his knowledge of wine. He set the menu aside and glanced over the food one. “Any of the appetizers look good?” Sharing food was romantic, right? Maybe dating was like riding a bike. It seemed to be coming back to him.
Pym. The littlest boy, if Steve remembered correctly, from the grim future his son grew up in. It was something he tried very hard not to think about often. Regrets for a universe he never had a chance of saving, no matter how much he wanted to, was not another layer he could add to his already existing Everest. He didn't want to dwell anyway, not when a brilliant, clever, funny, attractive man was sitting across from him. After a moment of consideration and a dawning smile, he slowly ventured: "Justice Over Careless And Senseless Terrible Acts?"
Steve's smile stretched into a grin, all too easily charmed. "I knew I was leaving that choice in way more capable hands than my own." He took a token look at the menu he'd already halfway memorized after a short perusal when they'd first sat down. With his metabolism, he could have devoured every single offering and still had room for an entree—and dessert. But Steve was pretty sure he could be a cheap date if he put his mind to it. "The kolokithokeftedes sound really good, and maybe the saganaki? I, uh, had a coupla Greek neighbors who lived down the way. They were really nice to me after my Ma passed, taught me a few things. Or tried to. I was kind of a disaster. You sure you wanna sign up for that?"
“Now I’m impressed,” Tony said in regards to the acronym. “We should have you name things down at the shop.” Steve’s smile made him grin too and he quickly nodded. “Sounds like you know your Greek food.” Tony wasn’t really hungry. He was too focused on making sure Steve had a good time to think about his stomach. “I think I already signed up for that,” he teased. He reached out and tapped Steve’s hand lightly. The brief contact sent electricity up Tony’s arm.
Just because Steve was a supersoldier, it didn't mean he was made of granite. And even if he was, there was no ignoring the hot zing that went from the back of his hand all the way to the roots of his hair and the tips of his toes. The sensation was almost enough to make him gasp; he most definitely had a desperate need to lick his lips, which he did. Right when he was screwing up his courage to reach over and take Tony's hand, someone who was not their original server came by with their wine. "Oh, my."
Steve looked up. A single glance was all he needed to know what was coming.
"Has anyone ever told you you look like Captain America?"
There it was. A muscle in his jaw ticced.
Tony was once a playboy billionaire who relished the attention, but he knew Steve wasn’t like that. Hell, Tony wasn’t like that anymore. He was a father with children who survived the end of the world. Signing autographs and smiling for paps was a thing of the past. “Nah, he is better looking,” Tony told the waiter as he held Steve’s glass out for the waiter to fill.
Leave it to his date (?)—surely this was a date, right? He wasn't imagining things?—to diffuse the situation so effortlessly. He could still feel the server's eyes on him, but Steve couldn't bring himself to look away from the man across the table. "I heard he's on the moon, anyway." As far as rumors went, it was easily the most ridiculous. Which, of course, made it his favorite. "But thanks for the"—it felt wrong to call it a compliment—"comparison. I get it a lot."
Wine poured for them both, the man moved off, but Steve barely noticed either. A hot flush had taken up residence on his face and didn't seem in a hurry to leave. If he could have scuffed his toe shyly, he would have. "You think I'm good looking? That's…not me fishing or anything. I'm just…thrown? But in a good way."
A+ communication, Rogers.
Of course Steve didn’t realize he was completely handsome. Tony loved his modesty. It wasn’t a quality he shared, but Tony could still appreciate it in others. He sipped his wine and smirked. “Obviously. Have you looked in the mirror recently?” His smirk quickly turned into a genuine smile as he regarded the man across the table. “I like you, Steve, for your charming personality, but you are definitely not hard on the eyes.” Was that too forward? Tony wasn’t used to beating around the bush, but he didn’t want to scare Steve off either.
Summoning all of his famed courage, Steve met his date's smile with an answering one of his own. "Same goes to you. On the easy eye thing. And the liking thing." He glanced around them before taking a sip of the vaguely sweet wine. At the very least Tony had picked one that tasted good. Not that Steve had any doubt about being steered wrong. "If you'd asked me back in the Forties if I thought two guys or two gals could be out like this, sharing a meal—a, uh, romantic meal—I wouldn't have thought it possible. I know things are still pretty crappy in that regard, and we have a long way to go in the way of inclusivity and acceptance, but this is a good step, I think."
God, he really hoped he wasn't reading all this wrong.
“I’m glad you are taking the step with me,” Tony divulged. He grew up in a different time, but Steve was right. Better didn’t mean perfect. There was still lots of work to be done. Still, Tony appreciated that he was sitting in a restaurant openly sharing a meal with someone he cared about. He reached across the table, wordlessly offering his hand to Steve. “We can even do this.”
Steve's gaze flicked toward the movement, but that was his only hesitation before he slid his hand into Tony's. Goosebumps raced up his arm. He ignored them and the shocky kind of excitement that prickled across his scalp. He could pinpoint the exact last time he'd felt anything like that: eighty-two years ago. The first and last kiss he'd ever had with Peggy Carter. It used to be his favorite memory—and the one that hurt him the most. But this was so different, there was no chance of his brain conflating the two. No, all he had to do was smile warmly as his fingers shifted to close over Tony's palm. "I like this almost as much as I like you."
Tony enjoyed the closeness. He was picky about who he showed physical affection to, but he had no problem holding hands with Steve. “I almost want to skip dinner,” Tony joked. He squeezed the hand in his. “I have to say time traveling through different universes was worth it for this moment.”
The corner of lip caught between his teeth was the only thing keeping Steve from leaping headfirst into an ill-advised, but very enthusiastic Yes! In fact, the more he sat on the concept, the more he knew he wanted to take things as slowly as he could. This wasn't the war, when nothing was guaranteed, so a guy had to use whatever foxhole or trench was available. "Yeah, it really is." His lips lifted into a matching smirk, and he leaned in further. "You have no idea how tempting you make it to turn all of this into a to-go order. But I'm supposed to be experiencing life in the city, right?"
Tony felt satisfied with Steve’s response. Still, he told himself to behave. He wasn’t a reckless young man. He had to think about James at home. Besides, he did want to impress Steve with a night on the town. “But after…” He winked.
There was that blush again, throbbing hot up the back of his neck and flooding his face. It didn't stop him from nodding slowly, however. Ever the strategist, Steve's head filled with a bevy of super helpful images that he attempted to shove aside. It was only partially helpful. "After. Definitely after."