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The first thing Tony was aware of was the vile taste in his mouth.
He coughed, trying to twist onto his side to spit, and groaned when his muscles protested against the movement. “What the fuck –“
“Tony!”
He blinked his eyes open just in time to see Steve jump out of his chair before he leaned over him, eyes wide with relief and something that Tony couldn't quite place. "Hey, sweetheart. Are you okay?"
"Never better," Tony croaked, pushing himself up just enough to work out the crick in his neck. He licked his teeth, wrinkling his nose at the taste. "Egh. Did I kiss a skunk or something? What the hell is that?"
Steve's face shuttered. "The Red Zone. You –"
"Oh. Yeah, I remember." Tony grimaced, wiping a hand across his mouth. His lips were completely numb, along with most of the lower half of his face. Giving mouth to mouth to the person he loved had always seemed a little more romantic in his mind. "Sorry I called you a skunk."
Steve took a deep breath. “Tony. What happened back ther–“
“Oh, that was so yesterday,” Tony said, waving him off. “What day is it anyway? How long was I out?“
“You shouldn't have done that.”
Tony frowned. “And what? Let my boyfriend die?”
"You almost died," Steve said gravely, and Tony huffed, waving a hand at him.
"Dying shmying. Did you get the Red Skull?"
"This isn't funny, Tony," Steve gritted out and Tony rolled his eyes.
"Y'know, you could just be happy that we're both alive for once. It doesn't have to be this whole... thing."
Steve just glared at him and Tony raised his hands, wincing when the motion pulled his sore chest tight. Okay, yeah, that kind of hurt.
“Look, you would've done the same for me, alright? And if you want to hear me say I'm sorry, I'm really not. I'd do it again. Every time.”
"How can you –" Steve broke off, his head sinking as he sat down on the edge of Tony's bed with a defeated slump in his shoulders. "Fuck. I can't do this."
"Cursing so early in the morning? How very unlike you." Steve didn't lift his head, so Tony lowered his, trying to catch his eye. "What? No kiss for your knight in shining armor?" He grimaced. “Actually, scratch that. My mouth tastes worse than an ashtray right now.”
Still no reaction.
“You're not going with the silent treatment, are you? Cause let me tell you, if you think I can't deal with a bit of silence you've got another thing coming.”
Tony watched Steve's shoulders heave with a deep breath before Steve looked up, his eyes so unyielding that he seemed to be looking through Tony.
“What?” Tony asked, feeling dread pool in his stomach when he noticed the red rims under Steve's eyes, the slight tremble in his fingers. “Steve –“
“Marry me.”
Tony blinked. Blinked again.
“Did –“ He sucked in a breath, eyes widening when he saw the hint of red on Steve's cheeks. Now hold on a damn minute – “Did you just propose to me? In a fucking hospital?” Tony asked shrilly, and Steve's brow twisted into a frown.
“You don't leave me a choice at this point!”
“What does that even mean?” Tony made to sit up but Steve pushed him back down with a firm grip. “Stop, I can fucking –“
“They wouldn't let me in!”
Tony's mouth snapped shut and Steve's face twisted as he closed his eyes for a second before he glared right at Tony.
“Family only. I sat out there for hours and I couldn't come into your room because they wouldn't. Let. Me. In.”
Tony swallowed hard at the pain in Steve's voice, reaching up to grab the hand Steve still had on his shoulder. Steve's fingers were trembling underneath his. “Come on. I wasn't going to –“
“Three days. And every time the door opened I thought this is it, they'll tell me you didn't make it.” Steve took a shaky breath, his brow creased in an agonized frown. “I can't do that anymore. I love you, Tony, I – if something happened to you... I wouldn't know how to live with myself.” Steve squeezed his hand tightly, not quite meeting his eyes. “And if something does happen I want to be by your side. Until the very end.”
Tony couldn't swallow past the lump in his throat. “Steve –“
“So marry me.”
Tony stared at him for a long moment before he breathed out heavily, closing his eyes in defeat. “Okay. I know this was a very emotional time for you, but –“
“It's a yes or no question,” Steve cut in, and Tony gave him an annoyed look.
“Technically you haven't asked me anything yet.”
Steve blinked before a rueful smile crossed his face. “Tony. Will you marry me?”
Jesus. It didn't get any less surreal with time.
“This is insane. You know that, right?” Tony asked because someone had to be reasonable here, but Steve just kept looking at him with those eyes, god damn it, he knew what that did to Tony –
“Yes, I'm aware.” Steve's expression didn't change and Tony felt his heart hammering at the resolve he saw there.
“If I were to... say yes.” God fucking hell, what was even happening? “What would that – I mean, what would you do?”
Tony swore he felt something melt in his chest when Steve suddenly smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
“Well. I'd probably do this.”
Steve leaned over him, boxing him in with his arms as he leaned down until their lips were barely an inch apart, the air between them crackling with anticipation. It was Tony who finally closed the distance, eyes sliding shut as he hummed into the kiss, unable to resist when Steve gently coaxed his mouth open, gentle and demanding all at once.
“You do taste disgusting,” Steve mumbled against his lips and Tony snorted, pushing at his shoulders.
“Oh, fuck off –“
“Wasn't complaining.” Tony really wanted to call him out, but before he could say anything Steve reeled him in for another kiss, which – yeah, why was Tony still thinking when he could be doing this –
His hands slid up into Steve's hair to pull him even closer, tilting his head so he could slip his tongue inside. The choked groan he drew from Steve made heat bloom low in his stomach, his blood singing with every press of their lips. He was so lost in the kiss that he almost forgot what was happening until Steve pulled away to look him straight in the eye.
“Is that a yes?” Steve asked, his breath hot on Tony's lips, and Tony shivered at the feeling even as his stomach sank. God, he wanted this so much, but –
“Look. I know this seems like a good idea right now, but you should really think about the consequences before you –“
“I've wanted to marry you for months.”
Tony blinked. “What?”
“I had a plan.” Steve grabbed his hand, holding it in both of his as he looked at Tony. “Dinner first. I'd take you up to our spot, get some pizza and soda on the way. We'd share a blanket and you'd probably complain the whole time –“
“Okay, that's a gross exaggeration –“
“But you'd let me pull you close because you said you were cold.” The look in Steve's eyes was so soft that it brought a lump to Tony's throat. “And once I'd pull out the ring you'd say something along the lines of me being an idiot because cheap pizza isn't engagement food, but you'd secretly be pleased because it's us and not some fancy dinner, which is just a regular Tuesday for you, and –“
Steve made a muffled noise against Tony's lips, but Tony didn't give him room to breathe, wrapping his arms around Steve's neck to pull him even closer. Thankfully Steve got with the program just in time to keep Tony from overbalancing and falling right off the bed, his hands digging into Tony's waist with just the right kind of force to send a shiver down Tony's spine –
“I can't even feel my lips,” Tony mumbled and Steve snorted, pulling away to give him an amused smile as he grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers.
“You can feel this though, right?”
Tony swallowed hard, squeezing Steve's hand as tightly as he could. “Yeah.”
“So.” Steve cleared his throat. “Anthony Edward Stark, will you marry me?”
Tony chuckled. “I think you've asked me that already.”
“Well, I've yet to hear an answer.” He said it with a joking tone, but Tony could see that familiar hint of vulnerability underneath, like he was seriously unsure whether or not Tony would actually –
“Yes,” Tony blurted before his brain caught up with his mouth, and for a second he felt a frisson of panic in his gut because this was actually insane –
But the smile that spread across Steve's face, slow and sweet like the sun rising in the blue of his eyes – yeah. Tony couldn't think of a single reason not to do whatever it took to keep it there.
“I love you,” Steve said quietly and Tony didn't even think before he pulled him in for another kiss, his heart pounding in equal parts disbelief and joy. He hummed when Steve's free hand slid around the back of his neck, his skin prickling with goosebumps wherever Steve touched him. His lips were still numb and his lungs still hurt, but this? This was perfect.
He couldn't help but smile at the tiny groan that escaped Steve's lips when Tony finally broke the kiss and rested their foreheads together, his chest glowing with happiness.
“You better give me a real proposal when I don't look like a zombie anymore.”
Steve laughed quietly, rubbing a thumb over the back of Tony's hand. “Don't worry. I have a diamond ring and everything.”
Tony's smile widened. “That's a bit cliché, isn't it? Even for you.”
“I think it fits.” Steve lifted his hand to press a kiss right where a ring would– was going to sit. Holy hell. “They use diamonds in grinding wheels, did you know that? Because they're abrasive.”
Tony raised an eyebrow. “I feel like I should be insulted.”
Steve laughed. “Don't get me wrong, diamonds are beautiful to look at. But their real value is in the fact that they can sand down even the roughest edges. They make things easier.” Steve looked up at him, his eyes so warm that Tony felt something twist in his chest. “You make things easier. I don't know where I would be without you.”
Tony smiled shakily, his heart suddenly pounding. “Well. I think people would argue that you're a much better influence on me than I on you.”
“Then they would be wrong.” Tony tried hard not to squirm when Steve gave him an oddly serious look. “I was so confused when I first got here. This world is so fast and loud and for a while I had no idea if I would ever find a place in it, but somehow you still made it feel like home. I can't thank you enough for that.”
“Steve,” Tony said a little breathlessly, and Steve smiled at him, his eyes full of promise.
“You make things easier, Tony. I feel like I can do anything when I'm next to you. And if you'll have me I'll spend the rest of my life trying to give you even a fraction of the joy you've given me.”
Tony laughed, steadfastly ignoring the tears prickling behind his eyelids. “I already said yes, you idiot.”
Steve chuckled, and Tony didn't think he was imagining the choked up undertone. “You said you wanted a proper proposal.”
“Yeah, when I can actually climb you like a tree.” Tony sniffed, wiping a hand across his eyes and pretending that he couldn't see Steve grinning at that. “Otherwise what's the point, Steve?”
“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know every proposal came with a dose of dry-humping,” Steve said, and Tony snorted, poking him in the ribs.
“Just saying. If you want to get lucky for our engagement you'll have to wait a while, buster.”
Steve grabbed his hand and Tony just stared as he brought it up to his face to press a kiss to it.
“I'm already the luckiest man in the world.”
Tony scoffed, under no illusion that Steve couldn't see the way he preened at those words. “You're the worst and I can't believe I'm stuck with you.”
“Well,” Steve said cheekily, giving Tony a kiss that made his spine tingle with the promise of more. “It's only for the rest of your life.”