Steve was ready for Tony's fingers to slip through his own and he was trying to prepare himself to let him go. That's how it happened, nothing gold could stay. He set his jaw so that the pain might not show on his face and he was ready to assure Tony it was okay, this was his own fault. But it didn't come. Tony hand stayed in his own and they watched, fingers entwined and Steve's heart maybe lifted a little out of the depths of his stomach.
His words, the laugh, it was like a massive weight off of his chest, he could breathe again. "I'm starting to see that," Steve said and his voice cracked a little. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze and reached out with his other to rest on his shoulder.
"I'm done with giving myself away, I'm spoken for," he said seriously. This was what he wanted, what he'd fought for and what had been on his mind for years now. Tony was one in a million and Steve knew this was what he wanted, there was no doubt in his mind as they stood together.