Before last night, Steve never could have predicted that what he likes most about these intimate moments are the little details. He wasn't trying to elicit reactions on purpose, but when he sees the way Tony's body shivers, or how his chest tightens at the hitch of a breath, there's a happy kind of satisfaction in knowing that he can make Tony feel this way. Sometimes, Steve still can't believe it himself that Tony finds him ... something enough to enjoy being together this much. But then he looks up to see that expression on his face, and feels the way he runs his fingers through his hair, and Steve has to believe.
"We both are," he teases, knowing the stubbornness that they've both had to put up with to get here. But when he looks at Tony, there's nothing but adoration in his eyes. And then Tony goes and says that maybe he was just waiting for Steve to come along this whole time, and for a moment, Steve's lips part but no words comes out. It smoothes out though, in the end, into a smile.
"Or maybe, you've always had something to live for."
Before all this, the two of them have never been best friends. Friends, yes, but they didn't stay up late at night talking about their hopes and dreams, or the incredible amount of emotional baggage they both carry around. Steve doesn't know about Yinsen, or details about the things that keep Tony up at night, but he guesses. And while it's true that Steve has never said anything explicitly, he sees the way that Tony fights. All those things he'd said when they first met — about how he's seen the footage, and Iron Man only fights for himself — none of that is true anymore and it hasn't been for a long, long time.
Maybe that's why Steve's always been a little drawn to him, even when he didn't know it. Even though they go about executing it in their own ways, deep down, they want the same things. They're willing to die for the same things, and in a way that no one else can truly understand.
It's clear from the moment Tony gives a little detail though, that Steve's interested. His eyes light up and there's this look that he gives Tony like he wants so sincerely to hear him tell these kinds of stories.
"What happened?" he asks, before gently kissing it once more.
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"We both are," he teases, knowing the stubbornness that they've both had to put up with to get here. But when he looks at Tony, there's nothing but adoration in his eyes. And then Tony goes and says that maybe he was just waiting for Steve to come along this whole time, and for a moment, Steve's lips part but no words comes out. It smoothes out though, in the end, into a smile.
"Or maybe, you've always had something to live for."
Before all this, the two of them have never been best friends. Friends, yes, but they didn't stay up late at night talking about their hopes and dreams, or the incredible amount of emotional baggage they both carry around. Steve doesn't know about Yinsen, or details about the things that keep Tony up at night, but he guesses. And while it's true that Steve has never said anything explicitly, he sees the way that Tony fights. All those things he'd said when they first met — about how he's seen the footage, and Iron Man only fights for himself — none of that is true anymore and it hasn't been for a long, long time.
Maybe that's why Steve's always been a little drawn to him, even when he didn't know it. Even though they go about executing it in their own ways, deep down, they want the same things. They're willing to die for the same things, and in a way that no one else can truly understand.
It's clear from the moment Tony gives a little detail though, that Steve's interested. His eyes light up and there's this look that he gives Tony like he wants so sincerely to hear him tell these kinds of stories.
"What happened?" he asks, before gently kissing it once more.