Graduated Time [ 00.00 ] - StevexTony AU

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 31 - 𝙃𝙚'𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙠𝙖𝙮

"Usually it's me hiding and bitching in a corner." Tony spoke, a cheeky smile adorned his lips once Steve decided to look up at his friend. Steve tried to pry a smile out of him but it didn't work, it failed miserably. So miserably that Tony raised an eyebrow at him.

"Got something on your mind, Steve?" Tony asked on a more serious note, sitting down next to Steve. He was nearly soaked from sitting in the rain under a tiny roof for a few minutes. And Tony knew he was cold. Obviously he was, it could be 25 degrees out and he'd probably freeze.

Tony had brought a jacket out with him and placed it over their heads, letting it hang over them while he put an arm around his friend's small body to give him warmth. He heard the blond shuddering and could see the goosebumps on his arms, despite it being dark out.

They weren't outside of the camp that time, just behind the cabin they slept in. Steve couldn't help but embrace Tony's attempt at keeping him warm, he discreetly huddled closer while he was sat in the fetal position. Deep in thought before Tony had showed himself.

It instantly made Steve feel better. And he began hoping Tony would feel the same way he did when he had comforted Tony, feeling safer and loved and like he had a place in the world and a reason to stay where he was.

"My mom...Maria," Tony began after sitting under the jacket with Steve for a minute or two. "She used to, when I was young, she'd sing for me or bake me pie when I was sad. And I'm afraid I can't bake you a pie at this instant," Steve chuckled as he unconsciously leaned his head on Tony's shoulder.

"And I can't carry a tune if my life depended on it. So I'm not sure what to do but to ask what's on your mind and see where it goes from there."
Steve let out a deep sigh, a sigh that originated from the deepest parts of the lungs. It was choppy from the cold and a cloud of steam escaped his lips, in the dim light of the backside of the cabin it looked to Tony like his lips were of a blue tint.

"I...well..before I—do you remember Bucky?" He asked, Tony nodded.

The tall brunet that was going to England. Tony thought.

"It's been a while since he got shipped off to London...and he hasn't written to me. I..I guess I'm worried? I feel like I won't see him again. Like that was the last time I'd see him alive. I can't even—to me it's kind of not possible. He was all I had." Steve explained, spilling almost everything in his head. Almost everything.

He was weary of telling Tony how much he enjoyed being held by him, he thought it might've been weird. Otherwise he probably would've.

"I can't guarantee anything. And I'm not strong enough to tell you that he's completely fine, but you can't block out the fact that there are limited resources there and that letters already take 3 lifetimes to arrive. I'm sure that Bucky is fine." Tony assured Steve.

"But I...that's the thing, Tony. I don't know. And it scares me." Steve's voice couldn't keep a regular tone, either meaning that he's really cold or that he was on the brink of tears.

"It'll be okay, Steve." Tony whispered while stroking the blond's arm softly up and down. "He'll be okay. You got any stories about him for me?"

Tony wanted Steve to think about happy memories he had with Bucky instead, to get him on other thoughts. Sitting here in the cold and the dark won't make Bucky return or write quicker. Sadly that's not how things work...

"He's my only friend, he was the only one that wanted to take care of a...3 pound skeleton with skin."

"Hey, don't say that about yourself. You've come a long way since you started here. And I'm your friend...I hope. I can be a dick."
Steve nodded in agreement and the two of them laughed, Steve already began feeling better.

"Bucky he...keeps me out of fights, when he can at least, and he..he—well he helps me with everything. If I didn't have him I wouldn't be here today."

"Sounds like he's a good friend."

"That's putting it mildly." Steve mumbled, Tony figured that this little sad cloud with amazing azure eyes needed comfort. And a lot of it. A whole bunch. With the arm he had around Steve he put his hand on Steve's head and lightly pressed it towards him so that the small blond would lean his head against Tony's shoulder again.

And then, Tony let his hand slide down to his friend's shoulder which he grabbed onto and stroked with his thumb.

"Damnit, I didn't wanna cry." Steve sniffled while trying to hide his fear and his worry through giggles, which didn't work. Tony saw how Steve wiped his face and how he tried to hide it, he had lifted his head from Tony's shoulder once more and hid his face behind his eyes.

"Heyheyhey, Steve, it's okay. It's alright to cry." Tony comforted, his voice gentle in contrast to Steve's which seemed to be having trouble with keeping to one tone.

"I don't want to." Steve sighed while smiling through the pain, his voice muffled from hiding his face. Tony did feel really bad for his friend, he had never seen Steve that upset before. He felt like he had comforted Steve the way he'd like, he didn't actually know what would make Steve feel better.

"What makes you feel better when you're down?" Tony asked Steve.

Steve shrugged, sniffling. He thought a while. His mom would cook him something good and they'd listen to the radio together, and sometimes Sarah had to clean up his face before all that. He would get into fights a lot, and Sarah had to clean him up.

The smaller one of the pair turned his head to look at Tony, seeing that there weren't a lot of space nor other things to distract them under the jacket on top of their heads Tony saw it and turned his head too.

Don't think unsavory thoughts, don't think unsavory thoughts, don't...what was I thinking about?
Steve thought as he stared at Tony, blown away by his beauty despite it being so dark under there. He could still see the brunet's eyes glimmering.

Is it disrespectful to wish someone would kiss them? Or is it like...weird for me to—no..never mind. Not again. I don't think Tony would've liked me think...ing..

Steve interrupted his own mind when Tony smiled towards him.

"I'm not great at this stuff...sorry." Tony apologized, giving Steve a meaningful look. He smiled back softly.

"I..it helped, Tony. Thank you."

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Another memOryyy

How'd ya like them apples? I like 'em green☁️

Hope you enjoyed this one. I'm having a tiny writer's block rn oh hail to the naw.