Our Perfect Never •||• stony

-=35 - Self-Isolation=-

-=Tony=-
It was different from that point on. For both of us. We didn't know how to talk to people without being awkward, which was hard to say for a guy like me, but that's how it was.

It was difficult to go back into society. Act like things were normal. When it wasn't normal. I have been through this before. But not with someone close to me.

We found comfort in each other. We could finally relate to something together. Express our feelings and thoughts without being scared of judgement.

It was how it was.

I had learnt a lot about Steve since we got back. More than I ever thought I would know. And it's surprising how much time has passed. It's the end of Fall. It went so quick with his company.

We spent most of our self-isolation in my lab, which was constantly neat and tidy thanks to a certain someone. I didn't mind. That much.

The things we did together weren't very exciting. Most of the time it was me working on a meaningless project or Steve telling me about his adventures on his daily morning jogs.

I also learnt that Steve's coffee is the best coffee to ever exist. I had never had a cup that had come close with his masterpieces. He didn't tell me his secret to the perfect mug.

It was the most normal I had ever felt. It reminded me of my college days. Being so domestic with a friend you've known for a long time.

It was comforting.

**

"Tony."

"Tony you're drooling."

I shot up from my desk, my eyes wide. I wiped the back of my sleeve across my cheek to realize that I was indeed drooling all over my work.

Steve chuckled as he placed a coffee mug on the desk.

"Good morning." He smiled down at me, the smile that I grew to use as motivation to get up.

"Uhh... What time is it...?" I leant back in my desk chair, the sunlight streaming through the rafters adjacent to us.

Squinting, I used one hand to cover my eyes and the other to cradle the cup of espresso. Scolding hot. Just the way I liked it.

The soldier padded his way to the blinds and shut them with a quick click.

"8:15. Time," He closed his doe eyes for a second, probably enjoying the heater, "For you to get up."

I reached up and grabbed at the air above me, my spine popping more times than I could count.

A disapproving grunt came from my lap and I looked down, noticing Scout, Steve's adopted kitten sitting quite content across my legs, kneading at my thigh.

Or should I say cat, because he had gotten considerably bigger since I first saw him? I don't know. Steve chuckled from across the room.

"I think he likes you better than me these days."

I stroked that cat as I laughed, shaking my head.

"It's probably because I'm stationary most of the time. You and your weird habits. Running around at God awful hours."

"The Lord's name, Tony. Never use it in vain." He raised his stupidly perfect eyebrows at me and made himself comfortable atop a desk. A desk that wasn't covered with paperwork.

Classic eye roll in response. Nice. My back whined as I hunched over, trying to clean the drool off my papers.

"Maybe you shouldn't sleep down here if it hurts your back, Tony." He stated, crossing his large arms over his chest. A habit of his when he doesn't know what to do with his obnoxiously bulky arms.

"You're the one that leaves me down here," I answered simply, taking a sip of my coffee and bringing up holograms of the project I was working on the night before.

"Like you'd want me to carry you to your room," He retorted playfully, moving himself to stand on the other side of my desk.

Muttering under my breath about not caring, I focussed my attention back on the hologram.

The taller man was silent before I noticed his awfully confused looks at the barely complex diagrams.

He stuttered out a "how do you understand this" as he tilted his head, stunning resemblance to a lost golden retriever puppy.

"It would make a lot more sense if you were looking at it the right way." I gestured to the area next to me with a quick flick of my wrist.

Steve nodded, a tint of red on his cheeks and ears before he made his way to the space adjacent to me.

Not uncomfortably close, but close enough for me to smell his aftershave. It suited him. It made me want to lean back into him.

'Nope. Not today, weird thoughts.' I thought.

I shuffled forward in my wheelie chair, pointing to a part of the diagram, his aftershave smell drifting away.

"What do you think?" I questioned. The hologram in question was a projection of the new suit I was designing Steve.

It was better than the stealth suit, which was lost with Steve's shield and his dog tags at the Leviathan base. Well, the truth was, that shield wasn't his shield.

It was a prototype I was working on. It definitely was not close to being as good as his original, which, obviously, was made out of vibranium.

And, with that on short supply, I had to improvise. Some metals that I could hardly say and a hint of Sorbothane, I made a substitute.

Of course, Steve could tell the difference. He told me as soon as I mentioned it. All a man could do was try, okay?

Back to the matter, Steve nodded at the hologram.

"Good job. I think it looks great so far. Maybe stick to the traditional colours though. I like the blue, but maybe it's too much blue." He answered, looking proud of himself.

I stared up at him. He's so... Cute... When he doesn't know what's going on. It made me giggle.

"You know it's all blue because it's a blueprint, right?" I covered my mouth to stifle another laugh. His face flushed again and he nodded furiously.

"Y-Yeah, of course, I knew that-"

"You're such a dork."

***
Canon Date: November 30th
***

1133

Update shout outs:

Nile_1512
realstephenstrange
Cmonmanwhatzuup
starkrogers013
Spiderling_boy
Unknown6669
downeysguy
YeetusDeletus126

•Jupiter