Work Text:
It started with a doodle.
A simple doodle sketched in no time and posted last minute on Steve's Instagram account on the 8th of June.
A baby Iron Man, flying around the Stark Tower with a flower in his hand, celebrating the beginning of a new era, of a greener world. Celebrating Tony Stark, quite simply.
It was just supposed to be a nod at his boyfriend, give him his full support for the launching of the first arc reactor. Years of labor and battle that culminated into one of the greatest accomplishment in the twenty-first century. So excuse him if he was being a bit of a fanboy but he was gloating.
What he hadn't anticipated though, was the reception it would have. The fan base was going crazy. The whole thing even made the seven o'clock news on three national channels and brought once again the couple to the spotlight.
Three weeks later, SI tweeted about the release of the next Avenger movie.
From then on, it became a thing.
Steve doodled about every Stark-made novelties.
Tony tweeted about the Avengers series, or anything Steve-related, every time a new issue was published or upcoming. He mentioned Steve's deeds, in passing, about every time he talked in public.
The media never stopped commenting on the undying support they had for each other's careers and how they kept promoting each other's work through their respective jobs.
And then Stark Industry created a prototype of the Iron Man armor on the occasion of the release of the first Iron Man Series. One that could hover about one foot above the ground for at least thirty seconds.
And then Steve started to hide secret messages addressed to his boyfriend or nodding at him here and there, in each of his publications. Everyone hastened to find out where they were and competed to find them first. It became a thing. A huge thing. One that went way beyond either them.
And then Stark Industries came up with a limited edition of Iron Man phones.
Steve created FRIDAY in his latest Iron Man issue. A powerful AI he based on JARVIS.
Stark Ind. launched the FRIDAY App.
And Steve dedicated an entire board of his next Captain America Issue about Stark Industries, whose boss became an ally to Iron Man and Captain America.
Everyone went on with their own theories.
Meanwhile, Steve and Tony kept supporting each other, alluding to each other every time they got the chance, ignoring the gossips.
"Mr Rogers, you once said in an interview that Iron Man was one of the most complex character you ever created. What do you think about the theories that say you based our favorite antihero on you current boyfriend, aka Tony Stark?"
"That it's preposterous. I do find inspiration in real life, I'm artist. Artists are reinventing life. That doesn't mean my characters are real people, and conversely. Even if I were to base my characters on real people, at the end of the day they would still be characters who keep growing and evolve on their own paths, with their own issues, their victories and their failures. Saying Iron Man is Tony Stark, or inversely, would disrespectful to both of them. They are so much more than that. Iron Man would be but a pale copy of the man that is Tony Stark."
The crowd cheers and applauds.
"Are you familiar with Baron Zemo's theories?"
"No."
It was a lie. He was, very much indeed, familiar with Baron Zemo's pseudo-theories on Steve's work. The guy was one of his most fervent fans. An out-and-out supporter and critic of The Avengers series—one of the creepiest too, bordering on stalker. He dedicated his entire life to decrypt Steve's artwork in every detail and published his discoveries on his Youtube channel.
His latest video got more than two million views.
The problem was that journalists started to get intrigued by his theories and made research and one of them had published a very detailed article that compared Steve's personal life with the different plots in his series with disturbingly accurate concordance. On obvious things as much as on very subtle details.
"What would you say to the fans who believe your entire work is based on your private life and mainly your relationship issues with Tony Stark?"
"To get a life."
"So, you are denying that, as many of your followers suggest and believe, you are Captain America and Tony Stark is Iron Man?"
"This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."
"Is it true that Civil War happened because of your second break-up in 2016?"
Steve felt a shiver all over. How did they even know that?
"Are Iron Man's longtime addictions with alcohol referring to your boyfriend's past and/or current ones?
"We learn in the issue #7 that Iron Man's father was beating him, was that pure invention or was Howard Stark a violent man?"
There was a moment when Steve stopped listening. The questions whizzed and Steve was blind and deaf to them. He just saw red. He probably was red too. He was enraged.
You see, he wasn't good at this. He had never been good at handling the journalists or anything that required for him to speak in public. In fact, he was an absolute disaster when he needed to speak in public and tonight just proved his point once again.
The press conference was a complete disaster and Fury kept throwing looks at him, brows furrowed deep and creased at the middle.
"These are just unfounded and despicable theories," Steve snarled. "You, people, really need to get out in the real world, get back to your pathetic and unfulfilling lives and stop projecting your fantasies on us. I'm sorry to break it up to you and tell you the sad truth but Captain America and Iron Man are just fictional characters and don't exist in real life. Thank you. Next please."
Fury was furious. "You need to stop disrespecting fans like that!"
Steve said nothing but he texted Tony.
There were flashes and a huge crowd and Steve should have expected it but every time it happened, he was just as helpless and unprepared as he was the first time.
Tony instinctively shielded him, flashing his best smile. The one only Steve knew the edges were strained.
"Mr Stark, what did you think of Age of Ultron?"
"It was great, although a cinematographic adaption can never truly do justice to Steve's work."
"Aren't you disappointed that Iron Man was made the bad guy here, the one who created the evil they needed to fight?"
"Why would I be disappointed?"
Tony's flashy smile with a glimpse of sheepishness had always been his best protection. It would protect Steve too, apparently.
"Mr Rogers, is it true that you're planning to kill Iron Man during the Infinity Wars?"
"I've thought about a hundred of different ways to kill Iron Man already," Steve deadpanned, throwing an amused look at his boyfriend. "Those are just rumors."
"How do you feel about that, Mr Stark?"
Tony shrugged, smile undying on his lips. "I always feel ecstatic about what's going on in Steve's mind."
"Despite all the controversies surrounding the Avengers series, you never stopped supporting each other. Your couple has been facing criticism since SHIELD last press conference but it seems to have brought you two even closer. You have been through so much together, it must have hard on your relationship?"
Steve was livid. He huddled behind his boyfriend, grabbing his arm for support. Tony kept flashing his best smile as a protective shield.
"And yet it seems your couple is only getting stronger? What's the next step? Are you gonna get marr—"
"Oh, I know what you're gonna ask and the answer is yes." The assembly was awed, for about a split second, the time needed for Tony to finish his sentence."SI is manufacturing Steve Rogers-shaped smart dildos. The prototypes have been tested and approved by the CEO himself. We have created this new skin-feeling material and they will warm up after you switch them on. The touch is so soft, you're gonna go crazy over them. Take my word for it, this is gonna wreck homes... Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention. They're for my private use only. Sorry ladies. You don't know what you're missing, though." He keeps on while waggling his eyebrows suggestively. "He's so big."
Steve facepalmed and shook his head. He felt a blush creeping on his face and was probably crimson red to the tip of his ears. He could even start to imagine what he was going to face the next day at work. He felt shivers running down his spine just thinking about it.
Tony squeezes his hand and cooed. "Oh look at him, all blushing. He's so modest."
"Mr Stark, Mr Stark, one last question please."
"Yes?"
"We would like to know your opinion on the article published by Christopher Everhart last month?"
Tony's eyebrows shot up.
"I know it's confusing," he answers looking pensive. "But it's one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a super hero."
"No-one said you were a superhero."
"Didn't?" He asks falsely innocent. "Well, good, because that would be outlandish... and fantastic. I'm just not the hero type." He mumbled Clearly. "With this... laundry list, of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."
He paused, smile growing on his lips. "Oh fuck it..." He swiped the papers on his desk and flashed his best smile.
"I am Iron Man."
The assembly cheered. Tony looked at them impishly and shrugged off a shiver. "I've always dreamt to say that."