om_main | Steve R and Tony (backdated to Saturday)

Building motorcycle engines turns into something with a lot less clothes.

"JARVIS, could you let him know I'm coming in?" Steve smiled at the reply as he took the steps down to the workshop two at a time, buzzing with excitement. He'd only been back to the tower for about fifteen minutes, just long enough to get Sharon settled in and change into his undershirt and the jeans he'd sacrificed to motorcycle building, stained with grease.

The door opened for him, unlocked by the AI, and he smiled at the sight of Tony working, Dummy moving around the space. He missed having this every day.

"Hi, Tony," he said, patting Dummy's claw as he passed, and he leaned against the counter a few feet away, waiting for him to be done.

"Hey," Tony said distractedly, busy frowning at the text scrolling over his multiple monitors, "be with you in a second." There was a flurry of typing before he finally let out a sigh and spun his chair around to face Steve. Only to immediately go still.

"Now that's just not fair," he said, giving him a thorough once over. "You're expecting me to concentrate with all that?"

Steve flushed, but his grin was pleased as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "I think you'll find a way," he teased, and he tugged Tony up out of his chair and into a kiss. When he pulled back, he grinned and ruffled a hand through his hair. "Are you gonna sweet talk, or are we going to work?"

"I'm pretty sure I can multitask," Tony said with a rapidly expanding smirk, but waved him towards the bit of the workroom he'd sectioned off for automotive work. "So what's the plan, Captain?"

"Well, those parts came in, right?" he said, walking backwards and grinning big. "I was thinking we could get started building the engine."

He pulled his Swiss army knife out of his pocket and flicked the blade out to start opening the boxes. "It's your day to pick the music."

"I think you are forgetting that this is my space and therefore every day is my day to pick music," Tony said airily, and went to start pulling tools. "I simply allow you to on occasion out of the goodness of my heart."

Steve glanced up to roll his eyes at Tony. "Oh, don't even start," he said with a grin.

"Far to late for that," Tony said cheerfully. "JARVIS, gimme so working music." And apparently JARVIS knew what that meant, as the opening notes of Run To The Hills filled the room.

Steve tossed an empty box at him, still grinning as he laid out the pieces neatly. "Don't worry, Dummy, we're just playing," when he heard the bot rolling around, though he didn't see what he was actually doing, he just preferred to not risk upsetting him.

Tony batted the box away and then did the same thing to Dummy, clearly much less worried about him than Steve was. "You're supposed to be cleaning. Go clean."

"Come here, buddy, you can take these to the recycling," Steve said, gesturing to the boxes he'd stacked together.

"Okay, come here and remind me how we're going to do this."

"He's never gonna learn if you keep being soft on him," Tony said with mock exasperation, but ambled his way over to where Steve had parked himself. "You got your design handy?"

"You have your methods, I have mine." He grinned and elbowed him as he passed to pick up his sketchbook. He opened them up as he walked back, offering it out to a series of detailed sketches. "Here you go."

Tony just barely glanced at them before setting the sketchbook out. "JARVIS, scan all of that and then project it?" He waited for a moment or so before each of the sketches appeared hanging in front of him.

Steve beamed and gaped for a few moments to see his sketches like that, larger and projected in the air. "This would be perfect for creating murals," he said, largely to himself, before taking his sketchbook back and carefully closing it.

"Yeah?" Tony said absently as he tugged at the floating images, fitting them together and occasionally adding line here and there until it became a three dimensional outline of the whole engine. "You'll have to try it some time."

"Yeah, you don't have to fiddle with trying to get a projector and transparency just right, add and remove or change he size once you see how it looks on the wall- I think I will. Maybe next summer." He was half rambling, still caught up in watching Tony mess with his drawing, and something warm caught in his chest- this really was their project, seeing his sketches digitized and manipulated by Tony and his program drove it home and made him smile.

On impulse, he wrapped an arm around Tony's waist, pulling him back in against him, and kissed his temple. "So what first?"

It was easy to get lost in the work after that, the two of them managing to work surprisingly seamlessly together. Steve may not have had Tony's instinctive understanding of the mechanics of it, but he was an incredibly fast learner. And considering he'd designed the thing, he knew exactly what he wanted out of it.

The engine was definitely taking shape as Tony stepped back, absently attempting to wipe motor oil off his hands onto an already filthy rag and not really noticing that it didn't help much. "Well?" He asked, flicking a glance over at Steve.

Steve dropped back onto his ass, hanging his arms over his knees as he took stock of how much they'd done. "It's looking good," he said after a moment, and he hung his head back to look up at him, grinning big. "We work well together."

"That's because I'm amazing," Tony said with an easy smirk and made a show of adding almost as an afterthought, "you're not too bad yourself."

Steve leaned forward, propelling himself to his feet, and pushed at Tony, not really caring about the greasy prints it left on his arm. "And humble too," he teased, then pushed his hair out of his face as turned his attention to the projected engine blueprints, using his hands to manipulate it, pulling it apart, examining the pieces.

"Naturally," Tony agreed, leaning in against his body without a second thought as Steve stood there playing with the wire frame. "Wanna keep going or call it a day for now?"

"I could use some food," Steve said into Tony's hair, having leaned his head down to kiss the top of his without looking away from the blueprint. "As usual." He'd eaten a protein bar while they had worked, but with a metabolism like his, it didn't last long.

"I don't really want to stop, though," he admitted after a moment, un-exploding the blueprint and making minimizing it finally. "It's addictive."

"And to think you mock me for getting caught up," Tony said with a none-too-small smirk. Good thing Steve wasn't looking. "Okay so, food and then get back to it? We can probably finish this tonight if you really want to."

"I think mocking is a strong word," Steve said, elbowing him before pulling away and heading to the work sink. He turned on the water with his wrist, scooping out some of the heavy duty hand cleaner and glancing over his shoulder to Tony as he worked it in. "So, food. What do you want? I would like a side of fries, whatever we get." He'd had a hankering for them all day.

"We can do the thing. JARVIS, order a thing with fries," Tony echoed distractedly as he reached for the image Steve had left, tugging at it to do his own inspection. "And, I don't know, burgers or something. Lots of them, for Mr Hollow Leg over there."

"Oh good, now I won't need to steal yours," Steve teased, flicking droplets of water onto the back of Tony’s neck as he passed by, looking for a relatively clean towel to dry his hands with. "Thank you, JARVIS."

"Of course, sir," JARVIS replied, polite as ever, and Tony snorted at both of them.

"Yeah, whatever. Don't think that I don't know the two of you collude behind my back. Traitors, the both of you."

"I have no idea what you could mean," Steve said, the picture of innocence. "Do you have any idea what he could mean, JARVIS?" He did have a habit of meeting with the AI, who, at Steve's request, took notes on what Tony talked about so Steve could look it up or study it later, but he wasn't about to tell Tony that.

"I'm sure I have no idea," the AI returned blandly, and in lieu of being able to glare at him, Tony shot Steve a look though didn't quite manage to cover his amusement.

"Hey, if you two want to work on your buddy comedy act by all means, I've got other stuff I can work on."

"Keep it up, and I'll talk him into rehearsing 'Who's On First?' with me," Steve said as he fell back onto the couch, pillowing his head with one arm as he watched Tony. "Tell me about what else you're working on right now."

And utterly without thinking, Tony promptly launched into a high-speed rundown of his current projects, occasionally pulling up the blueprints of whatever he was talking about with an absent gesture. It wasn't until he had a full 3D model of Noriko's gauntlet hovering over his head that he began to wind down, "and I have no idea what I'd do with it, but I'm thinking I can use the basic concept pretty easily.

And...you didn't catch most of that, did you?" He trailed off ruefully as he finally caught a glimpse of Steve's face. "Sorry. I'm getting pretty used to people 'checking on my progress' and usually if I throw enough words at them, they go away."

Steve tried not to frown - he knew it could be frustrating for Tony, the way things were set up now, and wished it could be different for him. But he didn't want to get into it now, so instead he just side stepped it and smiled, hanging a leg off the side of the couch. "I followed along... okayish."

He smiled again, this time warm and fond. "Here, how about this- explain your favorite project. I like hearing about what you're doing. Just, slower, maybe."

With the most deadpan expression he could manage, Tony gestured wordlessly to the still-in-progress engine a few feet away.

Steve would have rolled his eyes, if it wasn't for the hot bloom of feeling in his chest that was steadily working its way through the rest of him. Instead, he smiled big and bright, holding a hand out to him. "C'mere."

Tony complied without a second thought, though he did give him a curious look as he went. "What?"

Steve grabbed on to Tony by his belt loop to tug him down on top of him, keeping an arm slung around his hips as he did a sit up to kiss him. "You can just be very sweet sometimes," he said, once he'd flopped back again.

He'd gone down with a startled exhale, but once he was there, Tony couldn't actually bring himself to mind. Steve was surprisingly comfortable. "I have no idea what you mean," he said with great dignity, or at least as much dignity as he could muster while sprawled all over him. "And if you're referring to my allowing you to come in here and steal away the affections of my minions, then you can make it up to me with shirtlessness."

Steve chuckled and blushed, though it was a soft pink rather than the hot red flush he used to get any time Tony so much as flirted with him. "Well, I can do that, I guess," he said after taking a moment as if he were considering, then leaned up again, grabbing his shirt by the collar and tugging it up over his head.

Once he'd dropped it on the floor, he put his arm behind his head again and smiled at him, completely aware of the way his arms looked from that angle. "That better?"

"Much, thank you," Tony said with an appreciative hum. "Chippendales does car repair, I dig it." And if the look in his eyes said a little more than that, well, he was probably entitled. And really had to remember that food would be coming eventually.

Steve's blush went darker, creeping down his chest, and he was definitely going to blame that on comparison to male strippers and not from the way Tony was looking at him. "Anytime," he said dryly, the corner of his mouth turning up into something like a smirk.

He let his eyes drift over Tony, swallowing hard as he dropped his hand onto his waist, slipping his fingers under so he could grip his hip, his thumb making circles. "How are you feeling about yours?" he asked, trying to force lightness into his voice. This was dangerous territory, and he had to step carefully.

Tony hesitated for a moment, then let out an annoyed huff that was directed more at himself than at Steve. And without giving himself time to think about it, he sat up properly and tugged the shirt over his head in one slightly jerky motion, revealing a lot of skin and a fist-sized circle of metal in the center of his chest, light leaking around the edges. "Better?" He asked with a kind of forced casualness.

Steve, who had begun to expect a no at the hesitation, felt his heart swell when Tony pulled off the shirt. "Much," Steve said, echoing what Tony had earlier, the corner of his mouth turning up. This meant a lot, Steve understood, and the fact that Tony was trusting him with it was even better than seeing him shirtless. Which, in itself, was pretty great.

He started to slide his hand up Tony’s stomach, the other steady at his hip, up to his chest, just exploring slowly. After a few moments, he let his thumb gaze just under the metal seam on the way to the other side. It must hurt, and he wondered how he could breathe with that heavy metal on top of his lungs, but the light that seeped through was beautiful.

"It reminds me of that quote by that astronomer, I forget his name," he said quietly, as his fingers traced the length of his collar bone. "We are all made of star-stuff." He was being sentimental, and Tony might tease him for it, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "I guess you a little more than the rest of us, but that makes sense."

"For future reference," Tony said with an almost helpless smile, almost ignoring the way he shivered as Steve went exploring, "quoting Carl Sagan at me is pretty much always a good thing." Leave it to Steve to take one look at him and go the poetic route.

"Also," he adding, trying to force his voice back to a more normal tone, "you should probably stop that if we don't want to give the delivery guy a show."

"I'll keep that in mind." He had a feeling he was going to be very familiar with Carl Sagan very soon.

He frowned at Tony's reminder, and let out a little irritated huff of a sigh. He had to stop starting things he couldn't finish. He caught Tony's gaze and held it as he traced his thumb along the seam again, this time deliberate. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked, and swallowed thickly around it. It wasn't like JARVIS couldn't handle it, and if it got cold, that's what microwaves were for.

Tony's eyes narrowed as he studied Steve's face for a long moment. "JARVIS?" He said finally without looking away, "can you take care of the delivery when it comes?"

"Of course, sir," JARVIS replied without inflection, and Tony's mouth curved into a smirk.

"Well," he said and leaned over him. "Now you've got me. Where do we go from here?"

Steve's heart started up double time, and he took a deep breath to try and steady it. "Well," he started, trying for calm and achieving something more excited and nervous. "I guess that sort of depends. What do you want?"

"I pretty much always want to touch you," Tony said, sounding a whole lot more even than he was actually feeling, and skated his hands over Steve's shoulders and down his arms like he was illustrating the point, "so why don't you tell me what you're feeling comfortable with?"

"I always want to touch you too," Steve admitted with a huff of laughter, shivering at the feel of Tony’s hand on him. He bit his lip and closed his eyes, his hands going for the button on his own jeans, then pausing again, clinching and releasing his fingers with a huff of impatience at himself, much like the one Tony had given earlier.

"I would very much like to have some kind of sex, if that's alright with you," he said, because blunt was simple, he could be blunt. "I just. Please tell me that you don't care that I'm not cis." He was blushing hot enough that he could feel it, right up to his ears, and that was just great. Very attractive, Rogers. "I know- I know you don't care. I just. Need to hear you say it." He lifted his eyes back up to Tony, worrying at his lip, because there was no point in attempting to seem as though he wasn't nervous right now.

Part of him wanted to laugh a little at the ridiculousness of both of them, but he somehow doubted Steve would take it the right way, and he didn't actually want to traumatize him. Instead Tony just leaned over until they were practically nose to nose, looking as serious as he ever got. "I," he said clearly and firmly, "do not care. At all.

"Besides," he added, one side of his mouth quirking up into a small smile, "if we're defining ourselves based on body parts I'm probably in serious trouble. I'm pretty sure you don't have a necrophilia kink."

Steve burst out laughing, pulling a hand over his face and shaking his head. "Oh jeez, Tony," he muttered, then leaned up to kiss him, cupping his face.

"We really know how to set a mood, huh?" he said when he pulled away from the kiss. He smoothed his hands down over Tony, over his shoulders and down his back, then tipped him sideways between himself and the back of the couch. He kissed him again as he unbuttoned his jeans, hands just barely trembling, and shucked them off with very little grace, leaving just his grey boxer briefs. "There," he said, and he slung a leg over Tony's hip. "The briefs can come off, I just. Didn't, yet." He cleared his throat and rolled his eyes at himself. "Clearly."

Part of him wanted to suggest that they move the party to somewhere that was not a slightly-too-small couch, but Steve was already jumpy enough that the break might make him start second guessing. And Tony couldn't deny that it was kind of nice to be in a space that was unequivocally his while they navigated their combined issues. Though if they were going to be keeping it up, he really was going to install a cot down there.

"Okay," he said with a small smile, and smoothed a hand over Steve's hip. "We'll get there. Seriously, if you think that's how it goes, I have so much to teach you about the wonderful world of foreplay."

Steve closed his eyes and swallowed hard at Tony's hand on his hip, goosebumps raising even at the simple touch. "I don't," he admitted, palming at Tony's side. "I'm just nervous, and I tend become... Goal oriented, when I don't know what to do." His brain geared towards strategy and problem solving, and didn't always get the memo that something didn't actually need fixing.

He closed his eyes and took a breath, worked on shutting that part of his brain down, to narrow his focus on Tony and the feel of themselves pressed together, and let the insecurities fall away. Tony knew that this was Steve's first time, and he would never be cruel if Steve did something wrong, or didn't know something. He wanted Tony, Tony wanted him, and Steve trusted him completely. Everything else was just details, and details were easy to work out.

Eyes still closed, he carded a hand through Tony's hair, and smiled. "I'm sorry I'm a mess, but...I'm glad it's you," he said softly.

Tony's smile was almost incongruously soft for all Steve couldn't see it as he leaned in to kiss him again. "We're both a mess," he said quietly as he pulled just far back enough to get the words out. "We'll figure it out. I have it on good authority that we are smart people.

"And," he said, the smile almost audible in his voice, hand slowly sliding up Steve's side, "if I do this right, I guarantee I can get you to stop thinking."

Steve let out a low chuckle, flushing yet again as he leaned in to give Tony another kiss. It was easier now, he felt far calmer than before. Normal, despite the way his heart was still beating hard.

"You really think you're up to it?" he asked, his voice quiet and all teasing as he raised an eyebrow as he opened his eyes enough to look at him. The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk, and as he spoke, he slowly slipped his hand down his hip, then into Tony's back pocket. "I bet you're all talk."

"I think you like it when I talk," Tony countered, rolling his hips against Steve's in a way that wasn't particularly subtle. "But if that was a hint for me to get on with it, I can definitely do that."

"I do like it," Steve admitted, and sound he made was as much a groan as it was a laugh, his fingers digging into Tony for just a second.

"And it was, but, uh, just- hold on," he said, getting pink again as he rolled onto his back, pulling Tony on top of him so that he would fit, and using one hand to feel around for his pants. He dug out his wallet, opening it and tugging out a condom that he checked over for any wear and tear before setting it on the couch arm. "I, uh, thought it would be a good idea to keep on me, in case, well. This happened," he explained, a little sheepish.

"Hm, forward thinking," Tony said with a slowly growing smirk. Good thing too, considering Tony hadn't thought of it, but Steve had a real talent for being surprising like that. With a mental note to stock up, he leaned in to bite lightly at the line of Steve's jaw. "I like it. Now pay attention, there will be a quiz later."

Steve had taken in a breath, ready to say yet another thought that'd crossed his mind. It died at that scrape of teeth against his jaw, for which he was grateful, and it exhaled with a shudder. "Okay," he said, and it sounded absent, too focused on turning his head to give him room and threading his fingers through his hair to give it any mind.