Work Text:
" Too difficult because he’s in a wheelchair? These people make me crazy when they automatically assume that anyone with a disability is incapable of holding down a job like running a club or a thousand other jobs! If they saw a fraction of the grit and bravery I see people display every day, they would be ashamed of themselves! "
"RIP HIM APART, STELLA!" Tony whoops, chucking popcorn at the TV.
The cushion under Tony's thigh starts vibrating, shaking the bag of popcorn resting on his leg. A couple pieces fall out of the bag and onto the carpet. He groans and pauses the TV. He tosses the remote onto the coffee table, cringing at the sound it makes as it slides across the glass surface.
He flops over, shoving his hand down in between the cushions to try and grab his phone. It stops vibrating before Tony can reach it, so he shrugs and sits upright without the phone, unpausing the TV.
After about a minute of peace, someone starts knocking at the door. Tony's parents are out of town, like out of the country out of town, and they won't be home until Saturday.
He stands, grabbing the remote and turning off the TV.
Tony walks quietly, brandishing a fire poker as he moves to the door. He makes sure the door is locked before he puts an eye up to the peephole.
He sighs when he sees a particular set of blue eyes staring back at him.
Tony puts the fire poker away and goes back up to the door. He unlocks it and swings it open, trying his best to look unimpressed at Steve's impromptu visit.
He and Steve aren't exactly close. If it weren't for their science teacher assigning them as lab partners, they wouldn't even be friends at all.
Steve's a social butterfly with a loyal, rowdy group of friends. Tony has had the same two friends since elementary school and would rather teach his classes than take them.
However, Steve's persistence in making himself Tony's best friend was frankly remarkable. ( No matter how much Tony reminds Steve that the title of best friend belongs to his Platypus and his Platypus only ). Even without his iron will, Steve is a whole problem on his own.
He's an entire head taller than Tony, which normally wouldn't be a problem except that Steve likes to lean down to make direct eye contact. It makes conversations with him more intimate than they ever needed to be. And along with being unfairly tall, he's also built like a football player. His large presence is unavoidable. And damnit, Tony did really try to fight against being friends with him in the beginning. However, his fate was sealed the moment Tony became Steve's target. Steve will try his hardest to get what he wants, through hell or high water. Tony just happened to be the new conquest.
It also didn't help that Tony trying to ignore Steve only added to the challenge.
And did Tony mention that Steve's stupidly attractive? He's got these big blue eyes and this soft blond hair and it drives Tony crazy. He's like modern-day James Dean and it's completely unfair. He likes to flash Tony this cheesy little smile with his perfect teeth and it definitely doesn't do things to Tony's stomach.
"What are you doing here?" Tony asks, not moving out of Steve's way.
Steve pushes past him anyway and looks around the living room. "I just got back from the gym. Nice house," he says, peaking his head into the kitchen and nodding his head. He looks out of place in Tony's ultra-modern and lifeless home. He's too warm to look right in a place like this.
"That doesn't answer my question," Tony says, subconsciously starting to pick up the living room while Steve is distracted looking at the house. He cringes at the amount of popcorn that missed his mouth and landed on the floor.
Steve turns to him. "You got a shower I can use?" He gives Tony his most convincing smile and Tony nods, pointing him upstairs before he remembers that Steve should not be here!
Steve goes up the stairs without further reply. Tony quickly throws the bag of popcorn away and follows him. He looks down at his feet as they go up the stairs to avoid staring at Steve's ass, no matter how tempting it is.
They get to the top and Steve stops abruptly, causing Tony to slam into his back. Tony lightly punches him in the back. "Can you maybe not do that?"
Steve shushes him and looks around. "Don't tell me anything," he says conspiratorially.
He squints and studies each door in the hallway, deciding on something that Tony doesn't understand.
"This is your room. Definitely. Right?" he asks with a hopeful smile, pointing at the second door on the right. The door does, in fact, lead to Tony's room.
Tony shakes his head in disbelief. "That's kinda scary. How did you know that?"
Steve shrugs and looks at the door expectantly.
"What makes you think you're using my shower?" Tony asks, crossing his arms.
"Please?" Steve pleads, leaning closer to him. Tony opens the door like a fool, motioning to his en suite.
Steve wastes no time going to the bathroom and turning on the water. He sets his bag down on the counter and takes off his shirt. Tony swallows and looks away.
Steve runs out of the bathroom and over to Tony's bed, plopping down like he owns it. It takes Tony a second to see through the fog of Steve's naked chest to realize he's getting his sweat all over Tony's sheets.
Tony pinches the bridge of his nose as Steve laughs. He walks over to smack Steve on the arm.
They have an ongoing argument in class about Steve leaving sweaty handprints on Tony's side of their shared worktable. Steve claims he has clammy hands, Tony thinks he's secretly a jerk. Or not so secretly, based on the mischievous smirk on his face.
"That is so disgusting. I'm never gonna forgive you."
"I'll make it up to you," Steve says, getting up and walking back towards the bathroom.
Tony goes back downstairs to find his phone. When he retrieves it from the couch cushions, he sees that he missed a call and three texts from his mom.
He dials her number and puts it to his ear.
" Anthony! Why haven't you been answering? "
"Sorry, Mom. I lost my phone."
" It's fine. Don't worry me like that. We have dinner plans tonight. Look nice. I'll be there in ten. "
Tony's eyebrows furrow. "I thought you wouldn't be home until Saturday?"
" It is Saturday, Anthony. "
Shit . "Okay, Mom. See you in ten. I lo-"
She hangs up the phone before Tony can finish. He sets it down and goes back upstairs to change. His navy suit should already be ironed.
He climbs the stairs and walks into his room, shuddering at the sight of his soiled comforter.
"Steve, did you see my cologne in there?" Tony waits for a response as he rummages around in his dresser, looking for his bottle of Gendarme V.
Steve's response is muffled by the sound of running water.
"What?" Tony yells.
"I don't know. I'll look when I get out," Steve yells back, obnoxiously loud.
Tony huffs and walks up to the en suite. "My mom's gonna be here in like ten minutes and I'm not making her wait for me because you want to use all my hot water!" he yells through the door.
"I thought your mom was a philanthropist? I don't get hot water at home, Tony. It's for a good cause!"
He bangs his head against the door. "It's not my fault you let Bucky use your shower! Why don't you go steal his hot water?"
"I like your water pressure more!"
Tony jiggles the handle and is shocked to see that it's unlocked. "Can I just come in and grab it?"
"Whatever!"
Tony rolls his eyes and walks in, trying very hard not to think about what's behind the shower curtain. He accidentally slams the door behind him, the loud bang making him jump.
"Everything okay out there?!"
"Yup!"
He checks every drawer in the vanity twice and still can't find the damn bottle. Tony huffs and turns towards the door when a series of loud knocks nearly gives him a heart attack.
"Anthony! Did you take my aftershave?"
Why the fuck is Howard home?
Shit.
Steve's in the shower.
Tony tries to calm his beating heart and squeaks out, "What? No! Check your own bathroom!"
"I already did. I know it's in here! I'm coming in!" He sounds pissed off and Tony is running out of options really fast.
In a panic, Tony throws open the shower curtain and hops in just before Howard opens the door. Steve's eyebrows raise to his hairline as they both freeze. Steve goes to say something but Tony clamps a hand over his mouth on autopilot.
Tony looks everywhere but in Steve's direction as he waits for Howard to stop searching through the bathroom.
"I guess it's not in here. If you find it just give it to Jarvis. Don't take too long in there either; your mother is waiting." The door clicks shut and Tony releases a loud sigh, only for it to be sucked right back in when the door opens again. "I also packed your cologne for my business trip by mistake. I'll leave it by the sink."
The door clicks shut for good and Tony takes a risk by looking at Steve. Tony drops his hand and sees the shit-eating grin on Steve's face.
"What?"
Instead of answering, Steve grabs Tony by the neck and pulls him in, kissing Tony breathless. His legs must have given out because suddenly his entire weight is on Steve. Steve grabs him by the waist and deepens the kiss. Tony wraps his arms around Steve's neck, one of Steve's hands traveling up the back of Tony's shirt. At this point, Tony couldn't care less about the water soaking through his clothes.
After a minute Tony begrudgingly pulls away, staring at Steve wide-eyed. He tries his hardest to keep his eyes from traveling lower.
Steve grins. "I like your shampoo."
Tony's heart pounds.
"Get out of my shower, Rogers."