Graduated Time [ 00.00 ] - StevexTony AU

𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟯𝟯 - 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 ⎊

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I had something special planned for Steve. I took a while to myself in the lab, temporarily denied the team's access to it so that Steve wouldn't notice while he was training and going on a run with Sam. I had looked into people that had come out, to see what people's reaction would be. From every corner of the LGBTQ+ community, and the support was greater than I imagined. I even had a longer conversation with Vision and later also Clint about what Steve and I coming out would do for people who need reassurance that it's okay.

And better for me too. It'll teach me that I am not what the public says I am. I am who I say I am, no one but me can, or should, change that. But it would be strange to just put out a statement at random, at least I know Steve would be bothered. So Clint and I came up with a plan that Steve and I would take a trip to New York, where we walk around pretty publicly and I grant his undying wish and make sure people find out that Captain America belongs to me.

My main motivator was that night, I'm so grateful for the very specific memory flashes I had. I remember almost nothing from going to sleep that day, but I did hear what Steve had whispered once he thought I was asleep. I did fall asleep right after but that's besides the point. I remember it so clearly.

It was the first time he'd told me "I love you." My iron heart melted, I felt so blessed to be there with him. And the next day when I woke up, at 2 pm, I had a horrible headache so I went to sleep again and slept a further 3 hours until Wanda woke me up for dinner. She and Natasha had made some sokovian dinner thing, it was really good.

Steve was called out around the table for being too much of a sap once people began realizing he had had his hand on my thigh through almost the whole dinner, we were met with playful rolling of eyes and scoffs, sighs of annoyance. It did feel good that the team could joke about it with us, makes it feel like the two of us are less of a burden.

He still seemed very distant during the dinner, like something was bothering him. And I began suspecting he hadn't put his hand there because he just wanted to be cute, he put it there from some type of fear I guess. Why he needed physical reassurance while we were in the same room and while he was smiling I wasn't sure of, and when I asked him about it later he denied it and said he just wanted to get points for cuteness.

"Fine, you dumbass. I give you 10 cute points." I told him. He smiled proudly, I also wanted cute points 'cause I know I'm the cuter of the two of us. So I put my arms around him and simply stared into his eyes, something I knew he could barely handle.

"How many do I get then?" I asked, making my voice softer. He shook his head with a sly smile on his lips.

"What you do at the end of the day doesn't count." I wanted my way, and I was gonna get it. So I kept looking at him, and by the way his eyes began flailing more and more I knew it was working. He can never resist my eyes. Rarely anyone can, I've learned all my life that more things happen between eye contact than between words. And Steve is no exception. He's probably the most easily manipulated in the team, for me at least.