Pride Parade

It was Tony’s fault Steve found out about it. Fury had tried to keep it low, as he thought “Steve should get used to the 21st century in slow pace” – Steve was well aware that it was because Fury was afraid of how he would react. No one should mention this issue, along with a few other things selected by the director himself.

Tony never got the memo.

Four months into living at the Avengers’ Tower and Steve was pretty sure nothing else could really surprise him. He was living with five superheroes with zero social skills (yes, Tony is included) and fighting actual science fiction monsters. Besides he had seen Clint shoot a pigeon that casually landed on their window, had walked into Thor braiding Natasha’s hair, had discovered Bruce was an amazing cook and that Tony owned a Captain America’s boxer (he blushed and laughed when Tony crawled into the kitchen with a big hangover, wearing it).

And don’t get him started with the Avengers’ New Eves party, where Thor managed to get him a little drunk. Well, drunk enough to think that playing strip Poker with Tony was a good idea.

During those four months, Tony and he grew closer, and he now felt responsible for making sure he was eating and sleeping on regular basis (which was good for Steve himself, who ended up managing his own sleeping schedule). They started with small talks on the kitchen at odd hours and Steve was just getting used to dropping by the lab with fast food or leftovers – and usually hanging around, drawing and listening Tony talk.

He got closer to Natasha too, and that was a surprise as well – she had a snark sense of humour and a hard cover, but at that point so did he. And, at the end, the avengers were turning out to be the friends he really needed at this freak of a century. They were slowly changing from time-bomb to functional team, and Steve could tell they were a few steps away from (dis)functional family – they were getting there, one movie night per time.

The point being Steve didn’t expect any surprises from them, not big ones.

He could always count with Tony to destroy expectations, as he walked into the living room wearing tight purple pants, a blue bottom-up shirt that was entirely opened, a pink croptop, covering nothing more than his ark-reactor and shoulders and was that eyeliner?

“Has any of you two seem my flag?” he asked casually

Steve blinked, and Bruce looked at him over his book unimpressed.

“Last time you were working on it at the lab.”

Tony sighed.

“Yeah, that was the first place I looked, but thanks.”

Steve blinked again, trying not to look at his exposed dorso.

“Tony, what the hell?”

“Language, Captain.” He joked “And it’s pride!”

Steve was about to ask what ‘pride’ was, but Natasha walked in, looking at Tony with an unsurprised glance as she threw herself on the sofa.

“If you are looking for that flag, Clint hanged it on the fridge.”

“What, Why?” Tony asked, but didn’t wait for an explanation, leaving to the kitchen in fast steps.

Steve blinked again, staring at the place Tony was standing a few seconds before. It didn’t take long for him to enter the room again, a pair of round sunglasses on his hair and a big flag whose colours matched his clothes. Every few seconds a new text showed up In black above the colours: “No homo, full Bi”, “Not confused”, “Bi the way”, “Adam AND eve, not Adam OR Eve”.

“Don’t wait up” Tony shouted, flashing a smile and heading to the door

“Where are you going?”

“I told you, it’s pride. Gay rights and yada yada, you know.”

Steve blinked and Tony’s mouth turned into a perfect “O”.

“Or you don’t, ‘cause you’re from the forties, when it was a crime… And no one ever… told you… oh.” Tony looked a bit exasperated to his wrist watch “Look, Steve, I promise to explain everything to you when I get back, but I’m running late. I promised Kat I would help them with the arrangements, and they will kill me if I don’t show up, Kat is evil. Bye!”

He rushed out, leaving a very static Steve and two silent Bruce and Natasha.

“What?”

“Fury is going to skin Stark alive.” stated Natasha with a slim smile

“Why?” asked Steve confused. His clothes were clearly not appropriated for anything, but Tony was not very appropriated. Ever. So he didn’t understand why would Fury skin him.

Bruce and Natasha exchanged looks.

“Why?” he pressed again, more firmly

“Fury, he…” started Bruce, carefully choosing his words “He was afraid the 21st century would be… overwhelming for you. He selected a few things he believe you could avoid to be presented to you when you were… more comfortably settled.”

Bruce’s light and delicate tone somehow made it worse, and Steve’s face was serious and angry in seconds, his insides starting to boil.

“Fury has been keeping things from me, and you know about it? What things?”

“Small things.” Bruce himself didn’t seem very convinced.

Steve turned to Natasha, his arms crossing over his chest.

“He wanted to keep you dark from things he didn’t know how you would handle, or that weren’t necessary to show you now.”

“What things?”

“3D movies, porn, the avengers fanbase – or any fanbase, for that matter -, artificial intelligence outside starks, the westbro batptism church, LGBT rights…”

“That sounds like a bunch of things to me.” Pointed Steve “Why are you all keeping it from me? How bad can I react to it? Tony took me to see a 3D movie.”

“And you screamed the first time something got close to your face.” Said Bruce “Loud. Tony laughed about it for weeks, you almost got kicked out the cinema”

“Yeah, but it was just initial surprise, Tony didn’t warmed me that would happen.”

“Tony shouldn’t have even taken you in the first place. Fury was afraid it could trigger anything, you know, too loud and too close in your face, jumping around.”

It was a fair point. Steve had jumped in his seat and tensed up too many times during the movie – despite enjoying it far too much. But It was for him to decide it, SHIELD had no business holding information of this new world from him.

“It isn’t on Fury to determinate that.”

“Tony appears to think so too” murmured Natasha

“I don’t think Tony knows,” pointed Bruce “I don’t think he has any idea Fury had some informational boundaries set with Steve. He would have tried to break them earlier.”

Steve chuckled.

“Good point.” Said Natasha inclining her head “That explains why he asked you out on a date without anything as a hey, gay rights are a thing.”

“He did what?!” cried Steve, blushing lightly.

Nastasha had a sly smile, but ignored him promptly, changing the subject. “I came here to watch something, that mission yesterday gave me a really bad stiff neck, I want to just lay here the whole day.”

She deepen herself on the big sofa, pulling her legs closer to her body. Bruce took the remote control on his hands, both ignoring the desperate look Steve was giving them. “I was thinking about marathoning Avatar: Legend of Aang.”

“That child show about some kids who can bend elements?” asked Natasha, raising an eyebrow.

“Hey, it’s a pretty great show, ok? The plot is well written and the characters are complicated. They have strong female leads too. More than one”

Natasha smiled lightly “If it’s boring, I’ll knock you out and put a Russian movie on.”

Bruce was slightly worried “Sounds… fair enough.” He didn’t sound very convinced.

Steve tried to bring the subject back, but neither of them spoke another word of it, leaving him to sulk by himself on his armchair, watching the cartoon along. Not even Clint gave him another info when he arrived and was received by a killer look from Natasha. He raised his hands in surrender to Steve and ignored all his questions, throwing himself next to Natasha and letting her lay her legs on his lap.

“Oh, that cartoon about the kid with arrow tattoos! I used to watch random eps on motel beds during missions, it was kind of nice.”

“We’re not watching it from the start.” Said Natasha, and Bruce proceeded to resume the first two episodes in very few words.

They stayed and watched a few more episodes, before leaving to the kitchen and eating yesterday’s leftovers as lunch. After that, Steve and Natasha left to the gym, Bruce despaired in the lab with Clint – something about new arrows Tony wanted him to test. Steve and Natasha spared for a while, and every time he tried to direct the conversation the things Fury was keeping, she found a way to kick him, obligating him to focus on the fight.

Tony was back earlier than Steve expected – he had avoided google the word “pride” on his phone. First, because he really hated reading on the phone. Second, because he was a little afraid of what would come up (what on earth would require Tony to go out early morning dressed like… well, dressed like that?). Third, because Tony wanted to explain it to him, and Steve was sure any explanation Tony would provide would be better than Wikipedia.

Tony smelled of sweat and weed when he arrived – despite clearly not being smoking it. He was still wearing the same outfit, but had taken the jacket off, tying it on his waist, leaving his body practically shirtless if not for the pink croptop. Steve was back at the living room, watching more of that cartoon – it was incredibly entertaining. As soon as Tony entered the room, he paused it (despite the growing complains from the rest of the team) and looked at Tony. His eyes wandered at Tony’s uncovered body for a couple of seconds.

“We need to talk” he said finally.

“Do we? Oh, ok, we do. Did anyone filled you in?”

“No.” he stated in annoyance “they’ve been delightfully quite.”

“Yeah, ok, let’s get down to the lab” suggested Tony pointing the elevator with his head.

Steve nodded, following him and ignoring every meaningful glance his other teammates were giving each other at his back. He needed to remind himself what was the reason that made him befriended those people in the first place. Tony was uncomfortably quiet in the elevator, so Steve just coughed lightly.

“So, how was… pride?”

Tony smiled lightly. “Brilliant. I always enjoy it, everyone is so excited. Use to be darker, but even back then I tried never to miss it.”

“And what’s with the outfit?”

Tony laughed, and the door opened to his lab. “This? Oh, you should see how I used to dress to pride” Steve wasn’t that sure he wanted to see. “I can put the shirt on if it’s less weird”.

Tony did untie his blue shirt, putting it back on, but not bothering closing the bottoms. It wasn’t really that much better.

“So…” started Tony, clapping his hands and siting on his chair “Gay rights… Where do I start… Wait, you do know gay isn’t happy anymore, right?”

He chuckled. “Yeah. It’s when… Well, when a fella fancies other fellas.”

Tony stared at Steve with a hand on his mouth, hiding a grim. “You couldn’t possibly made that sentence sound more from the 40’s, thank you. Yes, it’s when a man likes the same gender, though it has a wider meaning now.”

Steve blinked at him, and Tony continued.

“When girls like only girls, she is gay (or lesbian), for example.”

“So, you were on a… event to help gay people gain their rights?” asked Steve slowly.

“It’s a parade, but yeah. It’s more of a whole community of non-straight, non-cis people.” Steve blinked again, and he sighed “Really, Bruce is as much queer as I am, he totally could have given you this talk. He would do it better. Ok, baby steps: being gay is not a crime anyone, at least not in America.”

“Oh.” Steve said “that’s… good.”

Tony Smiled “You think so? Oh, great, having a homophobic captain America would… Well, I’m kind of relieved, I thought I would have… Well, good.”

Steve actually blushed. “I’m not against it, I was born in Brooklyn and served in the military, Tony.”

“Good. Great. Well, there are not only gay people, like, It’s not the only sexuality besides heterosexuality.”

“It’s… not?”

“Nope. There are tons of those, really, I can’t keep track. There are other genders as well.”

“There are… what?”

“Ok, yeah, let’s save this conversation for another day, maybe. Just, keep in mind that some people identify with different genders then they were assigned to on birth… And that some of those genders aren’t either girl or boy.”

Steve blinked. “Ok.”

“It’s more of a social… wait, did you say ok?” He looked at Steve in surprise.

“Yeah, ok. I mean, I don’t get it, but I don’t get half of this century. They are just… being themselves, right? Just… being themselves and not hurting anybody?”

“Yeah, pretty much, definitely no hurting.”

“Then ok, yeah, I mean, it’s none of my business, is it?”

Tony blinked once, twice. “Cap, I… I really thought that would be harder.”

Steve blushed again. “So, you were just in a parade to help those people gain their rights? Like, as in it’s been 70 years but people still can’t date whom they want?”

“Yes. Well, I was in the parade to help us gain those rights.”

Steve blinked once again and proceeded to state, “you are not gay.”

“You are just assuming here, Cap.”

“You have a reputation for… dating lots of woman.”

“Good point, but I also have a reputation for fooling with lots of guys too.”

“You… like both? Is that a thing you can do? Like both, I mean.”

Tony smiled lightly “It’s called bisexuality, attraction to same and different genders. Pretty common, actually. Is this… This is not going to be a problem, right?”

Steve wasn’t quite paying attention, staring at nothing with a confused face. Tony waived his hand, snapping his fingers “Steve. Steve. Are you with me?”

“I… sorry, yeah, you were saying?”

“I asked if me being Bi was going to be a problem.”

“I thought I stated that I don’t have…”

“Not having a problem with them it’s different them not having a problem with me. We work together, we live together.”

“You’re my friend, Tony, and my partner.” Tony had a joke about how gay that sounded that he had to bite back “You… Sorry, are you sure liking both is a thing?”

Tony bite back a sarcastic comment as well, because the guy was like 90 years old and handing pretty well everything. “Pretty sure, lot’s of people throughout history are bi. I myself have enjoyed both ever since, well, ever.”

“It’s just… I’ve always thought.”

“Don’t sweat on it, lots of people from this century still have a hard time grasping the concept.”

“It’s not that… It’s just I’ve always thought I was… But the serum…”

The thoughts didn’t make any sense on their on, and he stopped talking, blushing to the roots of his blond hair. Tony stared at him, mouth slightly open, despite Steve avoiding looking at his eyes. The shorter man closed his mouth, frowning his eyebrows and backing his body. He opened it again raising his hand, just to close it.

“Steve, what are you trying to say?” he finally asked.

“It’s nothing” He answered too quickly “I was just… It’s nothing.”

“Are you… identifying yourself in anything I’m saying? Because if yes…” If yes we will have a queer star-spangled man with a plan “if yes I can help you with research and any doubts you have. Really.”

Steve looked at Tony right on the eyes, opening his mouth and hesitating before answering. “I just… I ignored it, for most of it… And maybe the serum would take it away? But It didn’t, but at least I could blame it on it for… messing me up?”

“What are you trying to… Steve, are you attracted to man?”

Tony really didn’t think Steve could blush harder, and he was rarely wrong. This was one of those few times he was.

“It’s not… Wrong, right? Not a disease or something like that, is it? Liking both.”

Tony blinked at him “No Steve, is not, it’s normal. I swear. You don’t… You don’t have to label yourself now, or ever, but if you want some materials I’m sure Bruce or JARVIS could…”

“That… Yeah, that would be great, Tony, thanks. I like the way it… sounds, I guess. Bisexuality, I mean”

Tony smirked “It’s a great sexuality to have. C’mon, let’s go upstairs and have a drink, you look like you need one.”

Steve was about to say he couldn’t get drunk, but Tony was smiling at him and hell, he kinda of needed it. He smiled back, nodding with his head, and Tony turned his back to leave, but Steve grabbed his arm first.

“Wait, Tony… Ah, Natasha said something about that movie you invited me to, the 3D one? She said it had been a date.”

Tony Stark did not blush, no, not ever. His face was reflecting the red light of one of his suits. “Oh, that, oh. Kinda? I thought you knew about the whole not-straight thing being more common now, so, yeah. But don’t worry I don’t expect anything of it or…”

“Actually… I wouldn’t mind if we had another one.”

Yeah, ok, Tony did blush, fuck, but it was only because Steve was smiling tentative at him, face bright red.

“Are you asking me out? You just found your sexuality and you’re asking me out. I like you, tomorrow, at five.”

Steve laughed “I knew I fancy blokes, I just thought… there was something wrong? It’s probably taking me a while to get used to it.”

“I get it, we can go slow, as slow as we want, I can even not hold your hand tomorrow.”

Steve laughed again, bumping his shoulders with Tony “Not that slow, maybe. But thanks.”

“Hey, I did nothing, Bruce can do a better speech, I’m good at holding flags at parades and looking pretty.”

“Modesty? That’s a new look on you, Stark.” He said, still smiling and walking in the elevator, with Tony right by his side.

“Fuck off, Rogers, I’ll have you know I’m well known for my modesty.”

“Said the man with his name written in big, capital letters on one of the tallest building of New York.”

“It’s just an A now, thank you very much.”

They laughed along and in seconds they were back at the living room. The whole team was still sitting at the sofas, back at watching Avatar. They all raised their eyes to Steve and Tony showing up, walking with their arms bruising from time to time, a smile on both their lips.

“I take it went well.” Said Natasha “Did you kiss and make up?”

“Steve is an open minded man.” Answered Tony

Clint looked at Steve and how he was still too close to Tony, chuckling a bit “Yeah, I’m sure.”

Steve blushed again, and he wasn’t sure he had blushed that much on a single day ever since that woman on the military kissed him in front of Peggy.

“Bruce should give him the details on specifics” Tony kept on “I’m not good with all the labels.”

“Yes, you are, you just think you will mess them up” answered Bruce, massaging his eyes under his glasses “But sure, I can do that, whenever you feel like talking Steve.”

“Thanks, It will probably take a while for me to understand everything. I’m glad things are changing, thought, at least on that aspect.”

Natasha gave him a small smile “Sit, both of you, and watch this kid tv-show”

They did obey, sitting side by side, Steve painfully aware of Tony’s body next to him. But it was less weird them before, when they would casually touch, nothing more them a brush of shoulders. This time he… knew, at the back of his brain, it was ok – he reminded himself every time he snapped with the touch.

They did go out, but not on the next day, because at 5 o’clock there were robots trying to wreck New York apart.

“Stark” Steve said through the communicator as they fought the robots “I knew you enjoy weird dates, but you may have overdone it.”

Tony laughed, and his cracked voice made Steve smile even as he hit a robot with his shield.

“What? I thought you would enjoy some excitement, Steve. Shield.”

Steve laughed as he raised his shield towards Iron Man so he could shoot on it, destroying half of the humanoids around them.

“I’d have settle for dinner.”

“How about lunch tomorrow?” he said, and Steve knew he was griming from behind the metal mask.

“Sounds perfect.”

Someone groaned in Steve’s ear.

“Are you aware that this is an open line?” asked Natasha

Steve didn’t ever think he could blush as he punched a robot in the middle of New York in the 21st century, but there he was.

“Nice sexuality talk you gave him, Stark” laughed Clint over the microphone “I can see it worked.”

“Shut it Clint, you’re just mad you’re the straight token friend.”

“I’m not the only, Natasha doesn’t play for the other team either.”

“I don’t play for any teams, mostly, that’s what grayromantic means” she snared “now can someone find a way to stop those fucking…”

“Language.”

They did find a way to stop it, and by the end of it, a goddamn MIT kid had gotten too excited over Artificial Intelligence. They locked her up in the SHIELD hellicarier and Coulson promised they would take care of her – whatever the hell that meant. Tony could’ve argued how the girl just lost control of it – happened all the time, he could’t count how many times he blown his lab up, but he was just too tired (besides, he was half sure she would end up on SHIELD’s university for geniuses anyway).

They didn’t even take their gear of – except for Tony, whose armour came off as he walked inside – as they threw themselves on the sofas. Thor mumbled something about Asgard, but was asleep in no time, taking most of the right sofa. Natasha, on the left sofa had her head on Clint’s lap, who was almost serving as a pillow to Bruce as well. Steve and Tony ended up sharing the smallest sofa, and Steve just stuffed his head on the curve of Tony’s shoulders without thinking about it.

“I want to sleep for another seventy years.” He said, his voice muffled against his neck.

“Didn’t knew Captain America had dark humour” snared Tony

He just moaned in tiredness and rearranged his head so he could look at Tony.

“Hi.”

“Hi. Lunch tomorrow, I promise.”

Steve laughed, hiding his face once again “If we have another invasion tomorrow, I’m not sure I’ll get out of bed.”

“You don’t have to if…” he started

He was sure Tony could feel his face warming up.

“Stop flirting, I was bad enough when Steve wasn’t aware of what was going on” groaned Clint

“We might have to move out” said Bruce, eyes still closed

“Oh, and when Thor brings Jane over and we can all hear them having sex from six blocks up or down none of you complain?” Tony said in response

“Point taken, but…” said Clint

“Shut the fuck up, all of you, and sleep.” and when Natasha tells them to shut up in a voice that smells like murder, they all obey.

Before Steve passed out, he thought how he never, ever, expected his team would just catch up on their flirting. How he wasn’t sure how he felt about it, but none of them seemed to have any problem with the fact it was him and Tony. Actually, as far as he understood, none of them were straight either – and he would ask them latter.

They ended up going to the movies and dinner on the next day, because they slept up until two o’clock and neither of them felt like doing anything but eat the takeout pizzas Jarvis ordered them. Thor ate around five.

“So, movies and dinner? Dates haven’t changed a lot ever since the forties” Tony laughed as he waited in line to buy popcorn. “Except the sucking each other on the back of the theatre part.”

Steve didn’t blush as Tony thought he would, instead he laughed and nodded his head “Actually, I’m pretty sure that happen on the forties too. I was just very much too single or too busy fighting Nazis.”

“I’m getting some mixed feelings here, am I supposed to go slow on you, or suck you off at the back of the movies like a couple of teenagers? Because those two things don’t go together.”

And there it was, the blush Tony had looked forward to, and he smiled prideful as he handle fifty bucks to the person behind the counter and told them to keep the change. “Slow, definitively slow” stated Steve, making Tony laugh as he tied his fingers with Steve, because that was slow, and definitively nice – how their fingers intertwined, fitting comfortably together.

“If I knew there was faggots here, I wouldn’t have come” said a voice behind them, filed with hate and with no intention to lower his tone.

“You shouldn’t have” answered Tony, angrily turning to the man “It would have done all of us a favour.” He was so used to it by now (being out and proud ever since your sixteen had it’s perks), he just kept walking, barely noting how the grip on his hand had strengthen.

“Hey, hey” he said, turning to Steve “It’s ok, he is just an idiot. Do you want to…”

“It’s not the first time I’ve been called that, Tony, it’s not about that.” Said Steve, smiling softly “It’s just… Take me to the next pride, will you?”

Tony blinked a few times “Yeah, of course.” He answered a little distracted before dragging Steve to the theatre – ironically they were watching “Man of Steel”, because Steve insisted that it would be fun (despite Tony claims that “Star Trek: into the Darkness” would be a better call), breaking the expectation Tony had they would watch the new re-run of “Great Gatsby”.

They had penis-shaped spaceships and they had turned Clark Kent on the possibly worse superhero ever (Steve couldn’t help but cry “the civilians” every few minutes), and it was all Tony could remember. Not because of the obvious reasons, since he managed to not kiss (or blow) Steve during the whole two hours or so they were sitting there. Not even because Steve’s hand didn’t left his for nothing but to get his drink. But because he was on his second (first) date with Captain America, and he was too busy avoiding a mental breakdown of why this was all an awful idea.

“The civilians, Tony” said Steve, loudly, as they left the room

“I know, I know. But to be fair, I’m surprised those superheroes movies are still a thing. I mean, we are real superheroes – and we have comics.”

“We have comics?” asked Steve surprised “Oh, is this one of the things Bruce texted me about?”

“That Fury left out of my knownloge, probably.” Tony shrugged “Let’s just hope you handle to those news as well as you handled LGBT’s rights” he laughed, and Steve let his hand go to pass it through his shoulders with a smile.

“I still feel like we’re going to be arrested any second now.” Confessed Steve “When I was young I saw the police invading the house of a couple of neighbours of mine. Just to fellas, over their forties, had been living there for over fifteen years – gone overnight.”

Tony bit his inter cheeks “Did you mean it? About going to pride next year?”

“It’s an annual event? Because yeah, I did, why?”

“Having Iron Man to stand there is a big deal, but Captain America? You could very much start your own revolution after that.”

Steve smiled “I don’t… I just don’t like bullies, Tony.”

“And yet you asked me out, are you sure you didn’t hit your head during yesterday’s fight?”

Steve rolled his eyes, despite the soft smile on his lips “You’re not a bully Tony, you’re a hero.”

Tony promptly ignored that “So, ok, Pride is noisy and full of people, most of them are dressed in different styles. And the press will go nuts, so will half of the country. Fury might eat my ass for corrupting you or whatever.”

“Fury won’t do anything if he is smart. You’ve been going to those ever since you were a kid, right?”

“Yeah, I started it to piss my dad off. Turned out the guy isn’t straight either, didn’t work very well.”

“Howard wasn’t…” Started Steve, but he stopped on sight as he saw Tony’s reaction to the name “You know what? Let’s just grab dinner, we have a whole year to talk about Pride.”

Tony had his costume and balloons ready to Pride 2014 (he had programed them to blow around people shooting things about rights – mostly about bisexuality, but a handful of them about trans and ace and aro). (He had tried to explode one in Natasha’s room, but he was met by a very murderous looking face and a few knifes, so that was a bummer).

Except that, on day before pride, there was the most huge attack on São Paulo, so there went all the Avengers, down to South America as fast as they could – because Loki just couldn’t pick a better day. Tony probably couldn’t believe he was still dating Captain America after a whole year, so he was especially nervous and excited about pride. They both had laid it low during the year – and by that he meant no one recognized them on places.

Piper should be proud of him - she was, actually, she said it out and clear on a phone call he did just before their sixth month anniversary, slightly drunk and overwhelmed worried. Anyway, the point is they would probably be out and proud (no pun intended) and now they were fighting aliens on Brazil (A country, as he would find out three days after he came back, that held the biggest pride walk in the world. Fuck).

So they settled that they would go to the 2015 pride walk – they even convinced the whole team. Thor was the easiest, because Asgard “had no name for the different sex acts”. Bruce and Clint were harder – Bruce was worried and Clint was just bored. Natasha was almost impossible, but they had two years worth of living together to know how to convince her.

On 2015 they had another surprise, but a pleasant one. The congress had passed the federal law on legalizing gay marriage.

Steve took less than five minutes to convince the whole team to go the celebration (Thor even agreed to go dressed up on his God gear).

“Tony, we’re going” Stated Steve, bursting in Tony’s lab in his own Captain America’s uniform.

Tony was completely oblivious, jumping on his place and holding a blowing torch (still turned) just above his head. He stared Steve in surprise behind his safety googles and turned the torch off. “What? Are we under attack? Jarvis! Why didn’t you…”

“We’re not under attack Tony” laughed Steve, as Tony took his glasses of just to stare in more confusion at him.

“We’re… not?” he frowned, looking at Steve fully dressed up.

“Nope.” He popped, a huge smile on his lips as he took a few steps

“Why are you suited up then? Do we have a press conference? Because I’m not…”

Steve pecked Tony’s lips to shut him before saying “gay marriage is legal.”

Tony stared at him as if he lost it “Yeah, I know, we’ve been through this, like, two years ago, remember? New York legalized same-sex marriage in 2008…”

“No, the congress just passed a law, it’s federal.” Tony blinked for a second before arching his eyebrows in surprise, building up Steve’s smile. “They are having a celebration, wanna go?”

Tony smiled, kissing Steve deeply “I’ll grab a shirt.” Steve was not surprised at all when they were met by a few reporters on their way to the celebration. Tony had texted Kat on their way so their presence wasn’t really a surprise, and the whole Avengers leaving to the 5th avenue on the day same sex marriage was legalized? Oh, the news would not miss it.

They had stopped the car (Well, Tony’s car) a few blocks away due to traffic, and were just one block away to reach the people when they were stopped by a woman with a microphone and a man with a camera. The street was happy and colourful, and the dark clothes they had contrasted deeply with the scenery.

It wasn’t a surprise, but it was annoying when Steve recognised the woman from Fox News. It only took him a couple of days on this century to learn he hated Fox News.

“Captain America!” exclaimed the woman “I’m Hanna Hiltt, from Fox news. Can we have a few minutes of your time?”

He forced a smile. He could see people reuniting just around the corner, and he was not about to be late for his first pride (besides, he had heard legends of Kat, and Tony assured him they could very much kill him on spot). The reports seemed to have taken the smile as an invitation, because she called the camera man and started talking.

“We’re here with Captain America live from the 5th avenue. The hero who stands for the rights of the good American people. Captain, what a man with classic views like you plan on doing front this tumult that’s happening today?”

Steve grimed, and from behind him Natasha face palmed as Clint chuckled. “Right now? I plan on attending to it and celebrate as much as I can. Later? I might get married, I heard it’s legal in all 50 states now. So, if you forgive me, we have a friend waiting for us and we don’t want to let them waiting.”

He smiled politely at the woman, who was mouth-opened staring at Steve and back at the camera man in pure panic and surprise. From behind, Clint and Thor both let his laughs echoed at the street. Steve just grabbed Tony’s hand and pulled him away, being followed by the rest of the team, (Clint was last, as he decided he should wait and wave at the camera.

“Steve?” asked Tony, stopping him before they could turn.

“Oh, yeah, right. I said that.”

Tony laughed “Yep, on national television, live.”

Steve stared at him for a few seconds. “Marry me” he blurred out “I meant it. I love you so much and just… Shit, I should have planned this. Maybe get on my knees and… I don’t have a ring.”

Tony chuckled, speechless for a few seconds before he reached for his pocket and grabbed a little black box. He threw it at a very confused Steve. “Here, try again.”

Steve opened the box just to find two golden rings inside. He laughed as he took one on his hand, reading the inside Mr. Stark and Captain

He laughed harder as his eyes searched for Tony’s eyes, who was smiling smoothly despite the obvious blush creeping on his face and the despaired hope on his eyes.

“And here I thought I was the one with no impulse control” laughed Tony

“How long have you had them?”

Tony blushed harder “couple of months. I figured it was too soon to, you know”

“I would’ve said yes.” Said Steve so sincerely that it hurt a bit on Tony

Tony smiled “But that would have prevented you for proposing in front of Fox News live.” He said with a laugh, as Steve blushed harder and hid his face without taking his eyes from Tony’s. The noise around them, the people, it was all pure background. Tony sighed, rolling his eyes despite having a smile that wouldn’t go down, possibly never. He took the box from Steve’s hands “You know, I was trying to plot something romantic and old fashion” he said, going on one knee “You know, fire works and yada yada. I had a whole speech planed.”

Steve laughed, his eyes following Tony “But, yeah, of course it wouldn’t be normal with us. So, Steve, I blame the fact that I’m doing this on my worn out jeans and shirt, on a dirty street of New York all on you. So, anyways. You’re my best friend, and my partner and the best boyfriend anyone could possibly want, despite, you known, having less impulse control than I do. And I want to keep you by my side for as long I as can so… Will you marry me, Rogers?”

Steve laughed, smiling so hard he was pretty sure it was now permanent. “Yes, of course I will, Tony.” He answered still in a laugh as Tony slipped in a ring on his finger.

He pulled Tony up by his hand and kissed him for so long he actually thought that maybe this time they weren’t never letting go. He slid Tony’s finger on the other ring without breaking much of contact, and it actually took him a moment to hear anything that weren’t their heartbeats and breaths.

Clint actually whistled.

And then Thor was screaming and the whole street was shouting and clapping and Steve broke the kiss off in another laugh, pecking Tony’s lips before turning to their team, ringed fingers laced together.

“It was about time” shouted Clint They both ignored him

“We could go back and fuck as an officially engaged couple.” Suggest Tony

“Tempting, but I’m not about to lose another pride.”

“Oh, don’t bother, Kat will kill us for delaying their pride.”

“We were getting engaged.” Pointed Steve, but Tony just turned to him with big eyes

“We were.” He agreed absentminded

“Hey, it’s a real thing, ok? I love you.”

“I’ll ruin you.”

Steve kissed him lightly “You have a lifetime for that.”

“Sounds like our date will be postponded” said Tony, already in his armour

“Do you mean that the robot attack wasn’t part of our date? And here I thought it was part of your plan.”

Tony’s laugh through the communicator made Steve smile. He could see Tony’s eyes crinkling as his smile got wider.

“Mine will be greater.”

“Oh, I don’t know Stark, this one Is kind of hard to beat… On your right!”

Iron Man hit the robot as he laughed again.

“Oh

“The movie thing, it was a date.”

He could feel the blushing rising harder and harder. “I’m not… He’s not… We’re not… No.”

Bruce chuckled a bit. “We should let Tony have this conversation with you.

“Nuclear what?”

“A weapon of mass distruction” stated Bruce with a heavy look “worse thing science has ever done, and this is coming from me.”

“America dropped them at two japonese cities at the end of second world war.”

Steve got up from his armchair.

“And no one thought I should know? How come I didn’t find any record of it when read about it?”

“You did your research on world war II while you still lived at SHIELD’S base” explained Natasha “Fury had the sites under his control”

To say Steve was angry was to say World War II had been kinda bad. “You knew? You all knew and never bothered to tell me? What is wrong with you.”