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It's good to know what you're up against. It is. It's good strategy and it's good business sense. That's how she always starts her armor projects - check the newest and weirdest crop of criminal activity and plan accordingly. It doesn't matter what they try - and the stuff they've come up with lately is seriously really really over the top -, she will find a way around it. It's what she does. More than lasers or armor or blowing shit up - which is cool, obviously -, that's what defines Toni Stark - an astounding ability to work around obstacles.
But, and she knows that, that approach may not work well with the more fragile matters of the heart. She takes a hard look in the mirror and sighs. Her hair is a mess, the tanktop has become a greasy rag, she's wearing boxers and, more importantly, she's up against the embodiment herself of confident, elegant, kick-ass femininity. Aunt Peggy wouldn't be caught dead looking like that. Drop dead gorgeous even literally, probably. What did her father used to say when Toni went to galas in jeans and sneakers? Right. He didn't say nothing. He just pointed at Aunt Peggy.
Because both her parents knew that Toni's style was, clearly, not the traditional Stark style - kind of flashy, slightly kitschy but really, really expensive - and nobody had any hope that she could ever be the kind of socialite her mother was - she did admire her mother in that sense, having to walk the fine, fine line between 'too vanguardist', 'too old fashioned' had to be exhausting -, but they also expected her to look like a heiress and Peggy Carter was the closest to a role model she had.
At least Aunt Peggy never said anything. They had gone out shoe shopping once. Toni had come back home with a very sturdy and functional pair of boots. It's the girliest thing she owns if you don't count the very sturdy and functional pair of boobs she's rather proud of.
But, she thinks, merely functional boobs will never be enough for Captain America, if he even knows what boobs are. She's not sure if he knows what an ass is either, but damn he's got a fine one and it's because of shit like this she'll never ever be a 'dame'.
She briefly wonders if she should wear a red-and-gold dress to the event - the colours, Pepper assures her, are a hot trend right now in Milan and Pepper intones that word with a mix of awe and eye-rolling sarcasm that she usually reserves for Toni herself.
But red-and-gold is not a bad choice, and really, what's cooler than Iron Woman showing up in full armour?
***
He starts striding toward her even before she's touched ground. And damn, he looks so... she'd say 'perfect' and that's true, he is perfect - but it's not that. She knows perfect dudes. They throw themselves at her (it's her money, she knows it because in galas they always watch supermodels and actresses and waitresses with longing, wistful eyes.).
If she has to be honest and let her inner little girl describe him, Steve Rogers is basically a princess. A princess with rock-hard abs, sure, but a princess nevertheless - all wide eyed and smiley and sunny and huggable and with shiny, perfect hair. And Toni is quite sure she'd climb every tower and kill every dragon and kiss every frog only to get one of Steve's handkerchiefs (or preferably in order to get him out of his costume and into her bed).
She lands and mock-salutes him. 'Hi, Cap. Where's your hot date?'
'Eh. She couldn't make it. Sudden assignment.'
She shifts her weight from leg to leg, trying hard not to start digging in Steve's emails and phone-calls and text messages - although given how analogic Steve still is, she'd probably have to hack his messenger pigeons. 'Is she in college or something?'
He laughs and really, she'd kill every frog in the world just to make him laugh. It's a little scary. 'It's Natasha.'
Oh. Natasha. She's second in her 'kick-ass dames' list. 'Wow. You asked her out? You're even braver than your comics said.'
'Ask her...? Oh, no. It was just...' he flails - just a little bit. 'It was just that she thought I'd need the company. I'm not really cut out for this kind of thing.'
She looks around and sees the people sashaying around the room, like fish in the water. In the armour, Toni mostly feels like a submarine. 'Trust me, Steve, few people are. We all fake it, you know? Just stand around and look confident. You're Captain America, all you have to do is smile and even the sharkiest of the sharks will melt.'
Steve shakes his head, slightly. 'I'm not like you, Toni.'
'Yeah, you are a terrible liar.'
He looks indignant and it shouldn't be so funny, but it is. 'That's not what I meant. I'm not... charming like you. And I'm not used to this kind of party. Everything looks too expensive.'
'Everything is too expensive. And, Steve, I'm wearing my armour. Does that really sound like somebody who enjoys this? I'd rather be doing paperwork.'
'Don't let Pepper hear you say that.'
'Oh, she's with this really hot guy from Accounting. She won't.'
'I see...' He looks around for a second and then focuses back on her. 'And what about you and your hot date?'
'Just this snarky, charismatic British dude I know. Great voice.' Steve looks around again and Toni rolls her eyes. 'I meant JARVIS, Steve.'
'Oh.' He looks dejected. Maybe he's into British guys. Or maybe he thinks Toni is weird.
'It was a joke. I wouldn't date one of my creations, I'm not that self-involved.'
'Right, sorry, I wasn't... I just thought that... wait, you'd date him if he wasn't your creation?'
'Well, I could build him a robotic body, couldn't I? And he'd be the perfect boyfriend. Hot, smart and with a mute button.'
'So you're alone, then.' It's weird how Steve manages to sound both assertive and hopeful. But it's not weird how those words make Toni blush. Because she's positive she's blushing. 'We can keep each other company then, right?'
She offers him her arm. He doesn't take it and instead punches her lightly in the shoulder. 'I can tell you're smirking underneath that, Stark.'
She opens her faceplate and if she's grinning like an idiot, well, she doesn't care if everybody sees it.
***
So she spends the night talking to the shadier people in the room and checking whether or not Steve is okay. He seems to be. He's smiling at some young heiress, probably because he doesn't know she's appeared in tabloids more than Toni herself has and not for fun reasons. He glances her way sometimes and when he does, she lifts the faceplate and winks at him. He doesn't seem to mind.
***
But they also talk on the phone sometimes and sometimes meet for coffee. They go to museums and occasionally concerts. Toni hesitates to call them dates, because they've never even held hands and while the 40s were probably more conservative, he would have made a move if that's what he wanted. No matter how cute or awkward he can be sometimes, Steve Rogers is, fundamentally, a stubborn ass so if he really wanted her, he'd already have her.
But at the same time, she can't help but hope. It flows naturally and the last time things went that smoothly with a guy... she can't actually remember a time when that has happened. Even their fights have a rhythm she's grown used to. So she can't help but hope.
***
Of course.
Of course.
He says it quietly, like it's some kind of secret. A secret as sad as the smile he has plastered on his face.
She knows who Bucky is. When she was little and played pretend, she always wanted to be Bucky. Howard always felt slightly offended than his own daughter wouldn't choose to be him - and Maria was always slightly worried that she didn't pick Peggy -, but it wasn't her fault that Howard made the guy sound like the third coolest guy on Earth after Cap and himself. And Cap was her childhood crush and Howard was her father, so of course she always picked Bucky.
'You're so easy to talk to and even when you tease me, I know you mean nothing by it.'
But still, she wipes her face with a greasy rag and asks who he was.
'He was... my best friend. We grew up together.'
And even as a part of her keeps going 'friend zoned, friend zoned so hard', she listens to him and treasures his confidence.
'You remind me of Pepper, not gonna lie,' she says, when Steve has finished talking. 'You know, annoying and overbearing.'
Steve shakes his head and keeps working. And Toni knows that even if she has to be the tomboyish best friend for the rest of her life, she's still willing to go and kill every frog in the world and make fondue with them, just to keep Steve close.
***
And she gets to touch him. A lot.
And he makes her lunch, which is great and amazing.
'Your sandwiches are way better than they have any right to be. What's your secret ingredient?'
'Love, of course. Also, don't talk with your mouth full,' Steve deadpans and Toni pulls a face.
'Sometimes, I don't know if you're for real or not.'
He laughs and butterflies invade Toni's stomach. They're annoying, so she puts down her sandwich, turns around and goes back to work on her armour.
'You're not going to help me with the bike today?' he asks.
Toni massages her shoulder and stares at her armour. It's not in the best shape and aliens could attack New York any moment now - although the last three attacks recorded have been in Anchorage, Singapore and Ushuaia (apparently the ones that attacked Ushuaia were actually lost and locals managed to sell them overprized souvenirs before they left, in a clear demonstration of the strength of the human spirit) -, but Steve is probably looking like a sad puppy right now.
'JARVIS, put away the armour for now.' While JARVIS does exactly that, she takes off her tanktop - it's way too filthy, even worse than normal - and starts wiping her workstation with it. It's automatic, it's something she always does and she doesn't think there's anything wrong with it until she realizes that she hasn't heard Steve for the last three minutes.
So she looks over her shoulder. He's standing at the door, eyes wide open. She turns around, crosses her arms and stares at him. 'Is something the matter, Steve?'
He coughs and tries to say something, but only a strangled sound comes out of his mouth. He coughs again and dons his Mom Face. She hates that face. 'You're in your underwear!'
She rolls her eyes. 'It's a sports bra. And I'm wearing shorts. And it's too hot in here. If you get to walk around shirtless, I get to prance around in my underwear.'
Steve looks down and focuses on his feet. He even frowns. 'That's not the same. It's not the same. It's just not.'
'No, it's not, because at least I'm not showing my nipples. Steve, look at my face and stop staring at your shoes. I bought them, I know they're not that interesting.'
Steve lifts his head and suddenly it hits Toni - he's not looking at her in the face, because he's staring. At her boobs.
'My eyes are up here, soldier.'
Steve goes red and goes back at staring at his feet. 'That's why you have to wear a shirt.'
'Because you're an idiot? Come on, they're just breasts and they're not even that remarkable.'
'But they are! That's the problem! You're all... remarkable. And you're in your underwear.'
Toni tilts her head. 'I'm not remarkable. I'm above average, maybe, but not remarkable. You have enough self-control not to stare.'
'No, I don't, not with you.' Steve lifts his face and he has that determined look about him, the one that makes Toni melt. And it's being fully directed at her. Stupid Captain America and his stupid charisma. 'You are remarkable, Toni. You're smart and beautiful and strong. You're the most remarkable woman I know.'
Toni's eyes widen and then she laughs. 'Captain Rogers, do you mean you... like me? As in like-like? As in 'yes, Toni, you can fuck my brains out'?
He crosses his arms. 'Do you ever take anything seriously? And yes, I do like you. Like-like you even.'
She approaches him and she can see a hint of fear in Steve's demeanor. 'Sorry, but I don't. You should know that by now.'
She's cornering him against the wall already and Steve whimpers. Honest-to-God whimpers. 'I... If you don't want something serious, I can't... I'm not... like that.'
'You can teach me to be serious. I could be serious for you. I could kill dragons for you,' she whispers against his lips. She slides her hand under his undershirt and she can feel Steve shiver and then lean into the touch.
'If we ever fight dragons, I'm blaming it on you,' he answers and then they kiss and damn, it's the kind of kiss that can wake up any princess from her slumber.