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If anyone had asked him who was the insecure one in their relationship, Tony would have said it was him without a doubt. Having grown in the shadow of his father, trying and failing to fill the shoes of a man that hadn't wasted a single oportunity to remind him of his failures, it seemed like the most obvious conclusion.
If you add that to the fact that he's a forty-something man dating someone that, at least physically, hasn't reached his thirties, the result is as clear as water.
To discover that the opposite is true to Steve is jarring to say the least.
It's a Friday night, and Tony's already given in to the pleasant fuzz he's used to feeling after having a couple of champagne glasses in a gala like that. Steve's there by his side, his arm around his waist helping him keep his balance. Tony's head is almost resting against his chest, so close he can almost heart his heartbeat.
Both of them are doing their best to keep up with the conversation at hand, but Tony's focus is constantly drifting off that what's-her-name senator, focusing instead on the circles Steve's thumb is drawing against his waist.
Then, he feels Steve tense behind him, yanking him off the buzzing feeling and bringing him back to reality. A reality where something that senator is saying is bothering his fiancé.
"You're very lucky to have such a fine man as Mister Rogers as your soon-to-be-husband, Mister Stark," the senator is saying, a gentle smile on her lips.
Tony's about to open his mouth to agree with her when Steve beats him to it, his voice tense and his laugh filled with nervousness.
"Not at all, ma'am," Steve says, earning him a lifted eyebrow from Tony. Still, Steve refuses to look at him and keeps his gaze focused on the woman in front of them. "Tony's a brilliant, kind man. His inventions are changing the world for better, and, well," he chuckles, a sound that's way too forced, "he has't been elected bachelor of the year so many times for nothing. If anything, I'm the lucky one here."
Bullshit, Tony thinks as he squints in his fiancé's direction. It's clear he's trying to pretend this is just the typical thing one says in this situations, but the suddenly firm grip on his waist, as well as the fact that he's no longer drawing shapes over his suit, speaks volumes.
Steve really believes the words that come out of his mouth, and not necessarily in a good way.
But that's not the moment to confront him about it, so he chooses to smile silently and allow the conversation to evolve from that topic.
Later, when the limousine is taking them back to the Tower, he turns to look at Steve with an arched eyebrow. "What was all that about?"
Steve tilts his head, feigning confusion and failing miserably at it. "We don't need to talk about it, Tony."
"The hell we don't," Tony says.
"Everything I said is true," Steve says calmly.
"It's not so much about what you said as it is about how you said it, as if me being all those things puts me over you or something as twisted as that," Tony says, moving his eyes franctically, searching for a sign that Steve doesn't actually believe that.
"It is what it is, Tony," Steve shrugs. "I have no problem with it."
"Well, I do," Tony says, reaching Steve's cheek with his left hand and making sure he's looking at him in the eye. "I’m not half as good at—at anything as I am when I’m doing it next to you. And that’s the truth."
Steve's gaze, defensive until that instant, melts, giving way to something softer, almost emotional. His voice is a mere whisper when he asks, "do you really mean that?"
"Of course I do," Tony whispers too, resting his forehead against Steve's. "You're amazing, not only because of all the great things you do..."
"I don't—"
Tony rolls his eyes. "Shut up, or I'll start naming all the people you saved just this month." He smiles sweetly when Steve squints in his direction, but doesn't try to argue. He goes on: "If you want me to accept everything you said about me back there, you have to admit you're amazing too. You are, and the thing I admire the most about you is how you bring out the best in me."
Steve looks at him in silence, his teeth playing with his lower lip. Then, he whispers, "I'm also a better person with you by my side, Tony."
And Tony does the only thing that makes sense at that point: he leans it, closing the small distance between them and kisses him as he whispers, "I love you."