𝑩𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔 - STONY

7

A couple days passed. And Tony was dark and twisty again. It was the lack of technology to tinker and distract himself with, this lifeless castle, seeing his own corpse, knowing he's going to have to start something with Steve in order to get back home, it was all slowly feeding away at him.

He only had Friday. But he was barely able to interact with her since there were guards around him almost 24/7 with Steve's command.

You could say all of this was the reason why Tony was fully clothed and sitting in a tub full of water right now. Though the tub was a little small, so his arms and legs were hanging over the edge. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back and let it rest over the edge as well.

The quiet allowed his mind to drift off. A muffled dark piano tune playing in the back of his mind. After a while, the doors opened and Steve walked in. He froze, surprised to see Tony fully clothed and soaked in the tub. At first he thought Tony might be cold like that, but the room was warm and a little steamy. "Tony?" Steve stepped in further. Tony didn't respond. But seeing as his foot was jumping, he wasn't asleep or unconscious. "Tony," Steve repeated. Again, no response.

He crouched down next to the tub and just studied Tony, taking the chance while the man wasn't conscious enough to run or push Steve away. His eyes travelled from Tony's chocolate locks, to his long lashes, to his small nose, his rosy lips, and then his neck. With his head tilted back, his bare neck was on display.

So Steve leaned over, wrapped a hand around Tony's neck, and then placed a soft kiss right above his sternum. Tony's eyes fluttered open. When he looked down he found Steve's face right in front of his. Those dominant bright blue eyes staring right into his own. But Tony was unwilling to submit.

"Your highness..." The sarcasm in Tony's voice was evident.

"Why won't you just let me love you? What are you so afraid of?" Steve leaned in closer, their lips now barely an inch apart.

"Everything," Tony answered almost a whisper. Steve hovered a bit more, but then he decided to back away, noses brushing past as he did so.

"C'mon. Let's get you changed into new clothes before you catch a cold" Steve helped Tony out of the tub.

The cold air hit Tony right off the bat as soon as they stepped out of the bathroom. He quickly picked out some clothes to wear. While putting his pants on he pondered on how he's put something off for too long. Something being the decision on whether he'd actually try to get on Steve's good side or not. He had to right? The witch said Steve was the only one who knew how to get to Gloomburg.

It's not like there was internet in the 1800's for the suit to find this place on the built in gps and fly to it. So, the answer was pretty clear. He'd just have to get on Steve's good side, the best and quickest way he knew how. Just without allowing himself to feel any sort of emotion. Maybe...some time tonight?

"Listen, I like this poet shirt, I really do," Tony told Steve who was watching him put his arms through the sleeves. "However, over my dead body will I wear that vest and top coat. I mean look at this, this is not a nice top coat from the 2000's, it's a hideous one from the 1800's"

"Button up your shirt properly, and then we can negotiate" Steve told him.

Tony looked down at his shirt. He still had yet to button it up. "I don't want to" he shrugged, knowing it would piss Steve off.

"Tony surely you understand that you can't walk around the castle with your skin exposed like that" Steve sighed.

"...watch me" Tony walked past Steve and to the doors.