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Steve had expected a lot of things when he had woken up alone in bed. But nothing could have prepared him to find his family and friends all in the living room of Tony and his floor at the tower. And he was even less prepared to see them all with their eyes glued to a computer screen, shouting at each other about whatever it was they were doing.
“Well, good morning, sleeping beauty,” Tony’s voice sounded as he greeted him, eyes not lifting from the screen for even a second. “Glad you have decided to join us. Now go sit over there, we still need a second healer.” Well, what a warm welcome it was this morning.
Steve just shook his head, not wanting to participate in whatever they were doing. However, Peter just then decided to look up, looking like a hurt puppy. A groan escaped his lips and he walked over to the computer, looking at the screen.
It clearly showed what he could only assume was a game. Something was written in the top left corner in bold, white letter.
OVERWATCH
Steve looked at everyone who seemed completely engrossed by what he could now see was a game, ending with his gaze locked onto Tony.
“Have any of you eaten?” No reply came, giving him the answer he needed.
“Have any of you slept?” He tried again, asking Tony more than anyone else. He knew the other would often skip out on sleep but usually Steve would just find him in the workshop and drag him to bed. Or he would often use certain methods to make his husband join him. Last night he had dragged Tony to bed with him, so waking up alone had, in fact, left him quite confused. And annoyed.
“I tried, couldn’t sleep. Got back up and found Peter playing. It’s actually really fun.” Tony was still not looking at him and Steve found himself scanning the room.
“The others?”
“Came back late from a mission. We found those two playing and Tony offered for us to join them. It’s actually fun. You know, just shooting at stuff without anyone actually dying. I should have played this sooner,” Nat gave as explanation as to why they were all sitting there. “Log on already, we still need a second healer like Tony said.”
Steve decided that if none of them cared for their health, he’d have to do it. “J.A.R.V.I.S, please cut the power for their systems. They need to sleep.” It was actually still kind of strange, but for some reason his worry for Tony was appreciated by the AI and it did cut the energy. Making a disgruntled Tony look at him.
“Really, Cap? Low blow. Really low.” Steve just rolled his eyes, standing next to him.
“All of you, to the kitchen. There’s pancakes waiting for you there. You’ll all eat something and then you will be going to bed,” Tony immediately opened his mouth to protest, but Steve just sternly looked at him. “After you’ve all got a few hours of sleep, I’m going to try this game with you. But you all,” he made sure to point at everyone, including the members of the team that had been silent up to now, “need to rest first. Understood?”
Peter was the first to get up, stretching and actually yawning. Bucky followed soon after, having had a century to know that Steve would be much too stubborn for them not to do as he said. So he was already walking out of the room to find food as the others were getting up and stretching, getting rid of the stiffness they had developed after God-knows-how-many hours of playing.
The only one that didn’t leave right away was Tony. He just sat there like a pouting child, pointedly not looking at Steve. “Tony, I’m going to carry you out of here princess style if you don’t move on your own.”
Now that seemed to have some effect on the other, as he finally rose, complaining too quiet for Steve to understand what he was saying. “Fine, but you’ll have to play Mercy for this,” was the only thing he understood as he too moved to the kitchen.
Steve watched him leave – for multiple reasons, some of them he would rather keep a secret – and followed soon after. He made sure everyone ate, having made more than enough for all of them. And he himself had already eaten earlier. After making sure everyone was in bed and resting for at least a few hours.
And then curiosity got the better of him and he sat down in front of the system, asking J.A.R.V.I.S to turn the power back on. He did as he was told, also starting the game as if reading Steve’s mind. He sighed, deciding to give it a try. He did take a few minutes to look at everything, then started a game, deciding it was best to just try it out.
He sighed as he looked at one of the characters, having to shake his head slightly at what he saw. He did pick that one but only because he was curious about it. And sure, that that… skin? If he remembered the word correctly from when he was looking through the things, was slightly familiar. And that Tony had picked it out for him to see for a reason.
And so he ended up playing for most of the day. He did play mercy for a bit, wanting to know why Tony considered it punishment to make him play her. However, during the round when someone was standing behind him, he had decided to try out a character called “Soldier:76”. Her turned and saw Tony was awake already. Checking the time, he decided that he had not only gotten completely lost in the game, like the others had, but also that multiple hours had passed.
So far only Tony was back but Steve didn’t mind. He knew the other barely needed sleep unlike everyone else. “Well, what do you think, does have some similarities, right?” Steve couldn’t help but laugh, leaning back in his seat enough for Tony to press a soft kiss to his lips. “Still, you’ll have to play Mercy when the others are back up. Or do you want to play now?” There was mirth sparking in his eyes and Steve just knew he could never refuse Tony when he was looking so excited for something.
And so Tony joined him, guiding him through the basics of playing the healer he was supposed to play for the group. He was not sure how long they had spent like this, Steve already regretting that he had sent Tony to bed earlier. Playing as Mercy quickly could get frustrating. But he decided to pull through. For the sake of his husband and son.
It was evening by the time the others joined them again, immediately logging on while Tony was ordering takeaway for them to east while playing, not wanting to upset Steve again. After all he was finally doing what he wanted from him.
Tony started the game after having invited everyone to a group. Steve was checking everyone’s characters, having read up on them earlier when he was alone so he knew basic skills.
Clint was flying around their base in an attack game, having picked Pharah. “Well, maybe we should trade bow and suit some time,” he said, looking up at Tony while he nearly blew himself up. Tony laughed slightly, watching as Clint basically hit a wall and drifted to the ground. The door opened just seconds later and everyone was running out. Tony immediately missing pretty much every shot and Clint… well, he seemed to have run out of fuel and was slowly falling into his death, face going stern. “Or maybe not.”
Tony shrugged, never looking up once again. Natasha suddenly started shouting at him. “Can you stand still for one minute? See, that’s why I hate Shimadas!” Peter in turn was standing in the middle of the objective. A block of ice. In the middle of five enemies. Screaming slightly as the time of his ability ran out.
The sixth enemy seemed to be causing quite some trouble for Bucky and Steve kept trying hard to keep him alive. However, he kept being thrown out of his mech. “Honestly, Stark? Can you not keep shooting your storm arrows at Genji while he is defle-?” He was cut off when an arrow got stuck in his head, killing him in a single clean shot.
Tony just let out a silent ‘oops’ and kept playing.
Well, so much for teamwork, Steve thought, deciding not to say anything as the two of them started bickering again. Instead he just tried to heal his team. Which was in fact, rather futile. None of them were really working together. Some were even playing against each other as he could see.
Steve sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. “Tony… Remember that thing you suggested to me? With the three colours of rope? Red, white and blue?” He looked at the other, having decided that he needed to do something to make this work. He still was their leader, after all. And he would make sure they could play as a team.
Tony sat up straight, turning to look at Steve at the mention of rope. “Yes?”
“Well, I’m willing to try that. If you stop killing our tank.”
“Can you not discuss you sex life in front of me please? It’s bad enough that I’ve heard you two before.” Steve turned to Peter, shrugging.
“If you want us to stop, group up with us. If you go in alone again, I’ll make sure you can hear it all the time.” Steve knew he was playing dirty but what else was he supposed to do? He needed to make these people return to being a team.
“Alright, alright, I’m here.”
“Nat, stop trying to kill people and focus on healing please. I can’t do it alone. And before you say anything, you will only get details of it if you play properly.”
That made three of five people focus on working as a team. Clint and Bucky just looked at each other, shrugging. Steve was about to say something, when Clint interrupted him, “We get it, play as team. Please, just stop. We don’t need to hear more.”
Steve shrugged and looked at the time, thinking about what he had learned about Eichenwalde in the hours he was alone... “Okay, we have 60 seconds left to get that point. Everyone ult status?” A few messaged popped up and Steve nodded, deciding that it was their last chance. “Okay, it’s our last push. Bucky, ult over the building. Clint, go around the back. I’ll go with him. Nat, buff Clint once we’re in there. I want you to ult them as they’re trying to evade Bucky’s ult. Peter, you go running in there right away when Bucky ulted. You need to make sure we get the Overtime. Understood?”
Everyone nodded, though Tony seemed slightly baffled by Steve’s strategy but nodded, seemingly knowing that he was right. The female announcer voice suddenly sounded through the game, announcing that they had 30 seconds left. Everyone immediately started moving.
Steve was focused on what he was doing, following Cling around to the enemy backline. And somehow they got through without being detected. The announcer suddenly called out the last ten seconds and time was running out, they were still far away, however the self-destruct landed and wiped both of the enemy healers, leaving them vulnerable.
He could see how Peter took the chance, pretty much jumping through the enemy lines, managing to get onto the objective with very little health and in the last two seconds. Overtime flashed and Natasha boosted Clint, who released his barrage from the backline. Tony also managed to land some good hits while Bucky dashed onto the objective, followed by Steve who healed their Mei.
The words “Team Kill” flashed on the screen and three of them finally stood on the objective they hadn’t even managed to touch up to this point, capturing it quickly while Tony made sure to keep his Sonar up and defend them from possible incomings.
The rest of the game went by in a blur. And the whole time Steve gave orders. They did win, earning him quite a few honours from his team and a salty enemy.
He sighed, leaning back in his seat as he looked at the others, who all were staring at him in amazement. He just shrugged, looking at them “I played the whole day. Caught some strategies from the people I played with. Remember, I have a good memory.”
Nat just shrugged, accepting it. “Well, then let’s play some more. I actually like it with him. We can actually win.”
And so they continued. By the end of their session they all could play as a team without trouble, managing to even counter rather strong teams. Simply by managing to work together. Steve didn’t need to make every call anymore, he could just trust the other by the time everyone but Tony logged off, leaving them alone. It seemed they all were rather tired for once and he was glad, that they were taking care of themselves at least.
Tony though, he just looked at Steve. “Okay. How?”
Steve looked at him, raising his eyebrows. “How what?”
“How can you play this game so well? What did you play today?”
Steve shrugged, looking at Tony. “I just played until Level 25 and then decided to try this Competitive Play?”
Tony looked at him, for once lost for once. “You played Comp?” He did sound rather incredulous so Steve just nodded. “Okay, wait…” tony was clicking around on the screen, opening Steve’s career profile. And then just stared at it.
Steve was looking at him, starting to get slightly worried. “Tony?”
“How the fucking hell is this possible? You-How-What-?” He had never seen his husband that confused. And they had been together for quite a while.
Steve though, didn’t understand why Tony would be so confused. Was something wrong? He had just played normally.
Tony was still staring. “Six hours on Mercy? I thought you were playing Soldier!”
“I wanted to try the one you wanted me to play and… it’s actually fun if your team works together. So yeah… Also, I didn’t want to make a fool of myself so I played her.”
Tony was still staring at his profile, jaw pretty much dropping. He got up, moving behind Steve and opening the ‘Play’ option. Where he once again ended up standing there with his mouth agape. Steve wasn’t sure what he had done wrong, but it must have been quite bad to get such a reaction.
All he could see was his rank in the competitive mode of Overwatch. Nothing unusual for him by now. He had been climbing quite a bit after all. He didn’t want to be left behind by the others who surely had higher ranks. They had to with how much they played. Though, he kind of doubted it now after seeing how badly they played until he joined them.
“Tony?” he asked carefully. But the other just shook his head in response.
“So much for the ‘man out of time’ title you have.”
Steve looked back at the screen, shrugging before he closed the game, still remembering what had been written there.
Master
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