Stark Industries, Saturday afternoon

[heroic_jawline]

Steve came into the shop and let his shield drop to the ground with a muted clang. He wiped at the dust on his face, then squared his shoulders with visible effort and called out, "Tony? You around?"

Another lead, another fruitless Bucky search, this time in stupidly muggy Singapore. Steve needed a shower, a pizza or three, and a nap.

And a hug, but he was kind of hoping he wouldn't need to ask for one of those.

"I'm back!" he added a little needlessly.

Comments

[imafuturist]

"I know that," Tony said with a little sigh, relieved to get some of this out there at least. "I know. But I would feel a lot better doing that if we weren't going in blind."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve squeezed Tony's hand again. "And I want you to be comfortable," he said earnestly. "So tell me what I don't know. I'm...guessing it's a lot."

[imafuturist]

"I did get some books." Of course he did. Because feelings were still hard. "That you should look through and see what appeals to you. And some of the basics of this. Think of it as advanced lessons in sex and relationships."

[heroic_jawline]

"Will there be a quiz after?" Steve asked, only half teasing.

[imafuturist]

Tony snorted, giving his hand another squeeze for that. "After you look things over, we can talk and see what questions we have for each other."

[heroic_jawline]

"I'm betting you have some already percolating in that brain of yours," Steve said, giving Tony's hand another squeeze before reluctantly letting go and reaching for the food again.

[imafuturist]

"I told you I used to like being tied up," Tony pointed out, digging through their pile to find something appealing to him at room temperature. "That was part of it."

[heroic_jawline]

"Ohhhh, okay," Steve said, finally putting some of the pieces together, even if his reaction to praise hadn't quite caught up for him yet. "So this is reading about ropes and blindfolds and...spanking and stuff?"

[imafuturist]

"Some of it can be that," Tony said with a little laugh. "It's also about not being in control for a time. Letting your mind go and just feeling something else. The other things are just... decorations added onto that for me."

[heroic_jawline]

"I felt that earlier," Steve said, not paying much attention to what he was eating but food, yay, and all that. "The letting go. After the last few days--" he shook his head again. "It was nice to let you take over."

[imafuturist]

"And I really like doing that for you," he replied, digging through a green curry like he was starved. "But something that tells me to stop or slow down where you don't feel guilty or like you're disappointing me..."

He was doing this wrong. He just knew he was doing this wrong.

"Or if you're like me and enjoy the, uh, occasional evening where the word 'stop' is part of the game."

Yeah, this was awkward and terrible. He should have shoved the books at him and fled.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve's first instinct was always to protect, and that had grown to include Tony against whatever was rattling around in his brain to give him that look on his face. He reached back out to squeeze Tony's shoulder. "Breathe, Tony," he said softly. "You're doing fine. Better than fine."

[imafuturist]

"I don't want to make you feel obligated to do something you're not comfortable with because of me," he said, letting out a breath and trying to let his shoulders relax. Mostly failing. "You're so sweet and I love that. I really love that."

[heroic_jawline]

This meal was just doomed to never be appreciated properly. Steve slid his arm around Tony's waist and pulled in closer. "Hey," he said, running his thumb along Tony's cheek. "When have you ever known me not to argue against something I don't want to do?"

[imafuturist]

"You might be in a better place not having past experiences here," Tony admitted, leaning against him like he needed that.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve tightened his grip, suddenly understanding why this conversation needed to be one that they did while wearing clothing. There was enough vulnerability being exposed without also being naked.

"Why do you think that?" he asked softly, still meeting Tony's eyes.

[imafuturist]

"Blank slate. No preconceived notions?" Tony offered, slowly making himself relax--or at least just physically relax--against him.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve kept holding on, sliding one hand up and down along Tony's back. "Other people would judge you for what you like?"

[imafuturist]

Tony hummed, noncommittal. "It's been known to happen."

[heroic_jawline]

"And you're worried that I will, too?" Steve asked, no judgment in his tone.

[imafuturist]

"Steve, I've been with people who I willingly let degrade me," he replied dryly, glancing over at him. "Because I liked parts of it "

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded, filing that away. "Which parts?" he asked.

[imafuturist]

Tony just watched him cautiously for a moment. "I like what we do too."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve gave him a small, shy smile. "I'm learnin' that," he said. "But as you said, I don't have notions about...what else we might be doing, too." He bit his lower lip, then asked, "Are there any...dealbreakers...about things you need if I don't like 'em?"

[imafuturist]

"Dealbreakers?" Tony asked because all of that--that face was cheating against him. He was sort of helpless against that. "You can say no to anything, Steve. I wouldn't stake our relationship on some stupid kink."