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Steve wrapped his arms around Tony just a little tighter as the stars lay above them, dotting the sky like freckles. He’s missed the way that the stars sprawl across the sky. You can barely see them back in New York.
They laid there in the serene countryside field on the grass with a blanket that Tony had rolled his eyes at when he had put it in the quinjet, stars twinkling above them.
He removed one of his arms from Tony’s grasp and propped himself up on his side to look down at his boyfriend, his lover, who lazily opened one eye at him before poking his tongue out and closing his eyes again, huddling a little closer. Tony looked like an angel, backlit by the still flaming left engine of the quinjet on the grass behind them.
Gently, he removed his other arm from Tony’s grasp, who pouted a little at first but relaxed once Steve rested a hand on his cheek. He smiled again, that soft smile where he didn’t show all his dazzlingly white teeth like he would for the media, but it was something smaller, shyer, like he wasn’t quite sure if he was allowed. It made his heart swell every time he saw it.
“I love you, Tony.” Steve said, barely a whisper, like if he spoke too loud he might break the serene bubble encasing them.
At that, Tony opened his eyes halfway, his eyelids drooping a little but looking at him so lovingly. Like Steve was something to be worshipped. It gave him butterflies seeing Tony look at him like that so freely.
Steve would often catch Tony staring at him with those adoring eyes, but he’d snap himself out of it before Steve could get a good look. Like he’d forget that he was allowed to now.
Steve got that. This… thing, this relationship still felt like a bit of a dream. Not in the sense that they didn’t bicker or fight or tease or snark. No, the world would have to be ending for that, but that Tony loved him.
Tony loved him.
He pressed a chaste kiss to Tony’s lips, who smiled back into his mouth and kissed him back. It was so soft, the kind of warmth that Tony always had a lid on, that Steve would have to fight to see glimmers of. The kind that Tony would always crack a joke to cover, never allowing the moment to unfold.
Maybe that was for the best because right now Steve felt as if his heart was going to swell until it burst out of his body, pride and joy and love and care mingling into a warm tingly feeling that he was drowning in.
He laid back down on the blanket, where Tony immediately buried his neck against Steve’s shoulder, Tony’s breath tickling against his ear. He wrapped himself around Tony tightly, wanting nothing more than to stay here, to never let go. Tony doesn’t need protection but Steve wanted to protect him anyway. He wanted to make sure nothing bad ever happened to Tony.
He knew that it was just a fantasy, that it was impossible. They’re superheroes, it was their job to throw themselves into danger to protect civilians, but in this moment, where time has stopped and the world is hushed with the exception of the faint crackling of a now dying fire, he let himself hope.
He let himself savour the feeling of body on body, Tony wrapped tight with only his suit and Tony’s undersuit between them. He let himself appreciate cuddling for the sake of cuddling, peppering Tony’s face and ears and neck with kisses for the sake of it. Slow and unhurried, no goal, no buildup, he just let himself hone in on Tony’s heartbeat as he loosely nibbled on Tony’s earlobe, the soft sounds of their breathing.
“I love you, Tony,” he whispered, his voice cracking with all of the pent up love and longing, for every time he had to hastily look away from Tony. Every time he had to pretend that Tony hadn’t shown him the world, that Tony wasn’t his home. “So much… I love you so much.”
And he didn’t realise he was crying until Tony brought up his hands and wiped away his tears. Then Tony kissed him again, and even though Tony hadn’t said a word he could hear them all being poured into the kiss. Then Tony pulled away, and said the unspoken words.
“I love you too” Tony whispered, and it was impossible for something to be so quiet and so loud at once.
Then Steve sat up, pulled Tony onto his lap, and buried his face in Tony’s neck, his arms wrapped around Tony tight.
Steve wanted to stay here forever, gently swaying with Tony with nothing but the moon and the stars to keep them company, but all too soon his ears started to prick with the familiar hum of a quinjet flying down to them.
Clint strode out of the plane with his ever present swagger a little dimmed, and big circles under his eyes, accentuated by the moonlight.
“Jesus, we spent two hours getting out here just to find you fuckers cuddling?” Clint said, just sounding resigned.
“Sharing body warmth, Barton,” Tony replied, almost immediately pushing himself up to standing, wincing a little when he put pressure on his injured leg.
Steve’s grateful for being rescued, of course– it would turn into a problem if they weren’t… but some not so small part of him wished for just a moment longer with Tony in his arms. How he wanted that to last forever, he wanted that feeling always.
He stood up as well, supporting Tony to help ease the pressure on his leg. Tony grumbled a little, and, while he’s trying to be grateful it happened, he’s already missing the warmth of Tony being pressed closed, of the unashamed love that Tony radiated.
But then as Barton pulled ahead, Tony looked at him with those eyes, that same smile. Tony held his gaze for a couple of seconds before blinking a few times and looking away with a delighted smile he was trying to wrestle down.
Steve knew it was going to be okay.