Halloween is a day of love

At midnight

Loud ominous music was playing nearby, bright multicolored garlands and tiny paper skulls were hung everywhere. All the walls and doors were plastered with posters of Dracula, zombies and werewolves, which caused more laughter than fright. Sam and Bucky stood at the entrance, dressed up in zombie and pirate costumes. They accepted invitations, considering all those who came with an incredulous look, and then let them in, alternately scaring them with a sinister tone in the end.

Steve only grinned wearily at this, attracting Stark's attention.

"Hey, don't act like a victim. You promised you'd go to Halloween with me this year, so hush." Tony took Rogers' hand, twining their fingers together, but when he started walking, he felt that Steve was standing still, as if he had grown into it. Only few seconds later he decided to slowly start moving towards the academy, but Tony weakly pulled him by the sleeve of his leather jacket. "But if you're not feeling well, you can stay at home. Or to warn me that it's worth leaving early. It's still a long way to midnight, but you don't have to go."
"Don't worry. I'm fine. I'm just a little worried," he squeezed Stark's hand a little tighter, looking at him uncertainly, and then looked away, noticing how someone else's cheeks turned a little red. "I don't want to spoil the evening like last time."
"Well, then let's go," and Tony, grinning, went straight to the entrance, not letting go of someone else's hand.

***

It was too bright, noisy and... cramped inside. Almost the entire academy came to the Halloween party, even Director Fury and Hill stood against the wall and sipped cocktails, looking after the students. Steve was guided only thanks to Tony, who dragged him into the thick of it, but did not forget to keep an eye on him and ask about his well-being from time to time.

"Again without a suit?" Rogers felt a light touch on his shoulder and turned around when he saw Natasha. She had devil horns on her head, perfectly matching her fiery red hair and a chic black dress. "I'm surprised that Sam and Bucky let you come in. Have you really not heard their disgusting grunts and promises of retribution?".

"Alas, I didn't bother," he shrugged with a grin, looking back at his boyfriend. "Someone reminded me that the hero of the Second World War can walk in whatever he wants and look like the best creation of the God."

Romanoff smiled warmly, meeting Tony's eyes and, about to leave, stopped for a moment and whispered: "He's staring at you. Go to him." And Steve went.

Tony looked really good today. More precisely, he always looked good, but today Steve couldn't take his eyes off him. At all. Stark definitely looked good in a vampire costume, which Rogers would soon admit to him, but not now.

Glancing at his watch, Rogers swallowed nervously. It's less than an hour until midnight, and the party has actually just begun. I didn't want to spoil all the fun for Tony with my problems, but he understood that he couldn't survive another reincarnation alone. Too scary.

"Steve," Tony wrapped his arms around him from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. He stood up a little on his toes, trying to reach his ear. "It's okay. It's time for us to go home, right?" And, putting his hands on top of the others, Steve just nodded quietly.

***

When he got home, Stark reached into the refrigerator in search of pizza and drinks, and then went to his bedroom for a bunch of pillows and a blanket.

"Jarvis, turn on "Carolina."

"Coraline, sir." Tony just chuckled in response, sending him far away.

Steve, who was standing against the wall, only smiled faintly, crossing his arms over his chest, and then, when everything was ready, he approached the sofa and, hesitantly, as if being wary of something, moved as close as possible to Tony and put his head on his lap, feeling gentle stroking in the area of the back of his head.

"I'm sorry for ruining your evening."

Tony paused for a moment, turning down the volume on the TV.

"Steve, you didn't ruin anything. I had a great time, just like the others."

"I know that's not true. You had to be distracted by me all the time, and because of the damn midnight, we left too early."

"If you need it, then the rest doesn't bother me. You shouldn't be ashamed of it. This could happen to anyone."

"Yes, but it happened to me. It was me who was cursed, not someone else. Last year I turned into a werewolf and ran away. Tony, I could have attacked a man if I hadn't been caught in time," Rogers abruptly stood up, moving away from Stark a couple of meters. There was pain and fear in his eyes. "Tell me honestly, were you disappointed in me when you saw me in this guise? Were you scared?"

Tony didn't answer right away. He got up and slowly approached Steve, and then gently touched his face with his palms.

"I'm unlikely to ever be disappointed in you, even if I really want to, because I love you, Steve. And you know it perfectly well..."

Tony didn't have time to finish when he felt hands around his waist. Steve nuzzled his shoulder, inhaling deeply.

"I love you too."

Tony put his arm around Rogers' shoulders, smiling happily.

"And yes, by the way, you turned out to be a cute werewolf," Stark felt himself lifted off the ground, taken by the waist, and returned back to the sofa, and burst out laughing loudly, feeling that Steve lay down somewhere to the side. "The scariest animal for me is Fury the cat. Don't you dare laugh. Have you seen the way he looks at everyone?"

Steve covered himself and Tony with a blanket, feeling as comfortable as possible. An unimaginable warmth appeared in his chest, and he was once again convinced that he was ready to listen to Tony's chatter forever, even if he was there.

"...I hope you like pizza even in a different appearance."