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Getting old was something Tony spent a lot of time thoroughly denying. He refused to have a mid-life crisis because he refused to believe at any given point his life was already half over – though there were parts of his life that could be argued as such. Like the Iron Man suit, in a way. Yes, Tony built the suit for a purpose of greater good, but it was also a toy for the man.
Some guys built cars or train sets or ships in bottles, and Tony? He built the world’s most sophisticated prosthesis that (let’s face it) was sort of a weapon of mass destruction as well.
Although everyone would admit aging was quite graceful to Tony. His skin had lost a little color, and his hair wasn’t as shiny as it once had been, but that still wasn’t a gray strand anywhere in sight. Tony was as witty and agile as ever, and while he didn’t expect to suit up for the rest of his life, he wasn’t quite ready to let go of Iron Man just yet.
The world seemed to need the Avengers a little less nowadays anyway.
Time had also mellowed Tony out. Though that could be contributed in great part to Steve, as well. The solider, Tony’s loving husband and, according to Tony, the billionaire’s better half (Steve continued to call it Tony’s money when it was in all ways their money). Over the past few years Tony spent less of his days in the lab and more of them doing petty things like going to the cinema or museums or galleries and such. He had plenty of work to get done but Tony had more responsibilities and commitments than to just himself.
For example, the older Peter got, the less content he became watching Tony work or watching cartoons, and the more he wanted to do actual activities. Not always with his parents – those rebellious teen years were coming like a freight train – which did sadden Tony some when his son wanted to be with his friends instead of his family.
Tony understood, Peter was living the childhood he deserved and that Tony himself never got a chance to experience due to the vastly different conditions he was raised in. He’d rather Peter be embarrassed or temporarily annoyed with him than resent him the way Tony did Howard. He’d rather Peter go out and do (mildly) reckless things with friends he made than grow up faster than he needed like Tony had.
Even when he argued with the fourteen-year-old (which was few and far between), Tony was more than proud of his son and the relationship they had created together. Tony may have never known what it was like to have a loving father, but he did know what it was like to be one, and in Tony’s mind that was the greater of the two.
There were also more days like this one when Tony found himself on the couch in the middle of the day watching some crappy movie or TV show he didn’t understand with his husband. He was leaning against Steve with one of the man’s strong arms wrapped tight his shoulders in a way both loving and possessive all at once. It was something that Tony had come to love a little too much.
“What’s bothering you?” Steve asked softly at one point, hand brushing up and down Tony’s bicep.
“Hmm?” Tony hummed first because he had been zoning on the black-and-white images on the television. “Oh, nothing,” he answered after when his brain caught up and repeated Steve’s question.
The other man sort of snorted, jostling Tony’s head a bit where it rested against Steve’s chest. The man brought his hand up to cup Tony’s face and tilted it back to look into his eyes. “I’ve known you almost twenty years, Stark, and have been married to you for nearly ten. I know when something’s on your mind.”
“No you don’t,” Tony smirked, and then, “And that’s ‘Stark-Rogers’, thank-you-very-much,” he corrected. Steve chuckled and dropped his head down to kiss Tony.
“When something’s on your mind you’re tight and tense, and you have this weird breathing pattern. Every breath is slow and long, almost as if you aren’t breathing at all.” Steve stroked Tony’s hair back away from his face, smiling down at him. “Your eyes get distant and glossy, and your eyebrows furrow together slightly while you keep the tip of your tongue clamped between your teeth drawing your lips in a straight line.”
Tony blinked up at his husband. “I can’t decide if that’s romantic, or creepy,” he said with some amusement.
“You’re my partner,” Steve said, bringing his arm around Tony and tugging the man entirely into his lap. “You’re my husband, and my lover. Of course I know you – what every subtle twitch of muscles and shaky breath means. You can’t hide from me, Tony Stark-Rogers.” His thumb slipped beneath the loose waistband of Tony’s pants and rubbed at the warm skin stretched over his hip. “So tell me, my love, what’s on your mind.”
As rarely as either of them used any form of pet names with each other, Tony loved the way his heart fluttered at the two simple words addressed towards him. Tony settled his head on the bone of Steve’s collar and sighed, “I’m getting old,” like he had so many times before.
“You’re not old,” Steve dismissed quickly. “You’re still as smart and beautiful as the day we met.”
Tony closed his eyes, rolling them behind the lids. “Nice try, but I definitely look older. No super-serum in me to make me the gorgeous and spry hundred-and-something treasure that you are.”
“You sure fooled me,” Steve teased. “Because I’d swear we were going back in time instead of forward. You look a little younger and a little more stunning every day.” Tony had to press his face into Steve’s chest to keep quiet as he trembled with silent laughter. As ridiculous as it sounded, Steve always knew exactly what to say.
Even if it was a butchered version of a cheesy pick up line.
Steve put his hands on Tony’s hips and with a small amount of effort turned the man so Tony was straddling Steve’s lap instead. Tony’s knees dug into the plush cushion on either side of his husband and he naturally moved his arms to rest lazily around Steve’s neck. In turn, Steve’s hands moved down to Tony’s butt, briefly gripping the full curve that stretched his fingers pleasantly before continuing down to hold Tony right behind his knees to keep him close.
Tony instantly connected his mouth to the soft lips of the other man, giving his lover a few brief kisses before Steve’s mouth opened enough to grant Tony’s tongue access to territory he knew well. There were no imperfections at all in Steve’s mouth – no fillings or cavities in bright white teeth. No rough patches on the moist and tender lining of cheeks and lips from where bites may have been taken either by mistake or nervousness. It was smooth and warm and lovely.
Tony spread his legs farther to drop down into Steve’s lap completely; rolling his hips forward into Steve and smirking as he swallowed the soft moan his husband released. While it wasn’t the most important thing between them, necessarily, Tony loved how healthy and regular their sex life had remained throughout the years. It wasn’t a daily occurrence, they both had plenty to get done on their own, but it still surpassed the majority of any other couple; even those a third their age and newly married.
Not that the ‘honeymoon phase’ ever truly left for them.
“Tony…” Steve exhaled out when Ton pulled away from his mouth to kiss along his firm jaw instead. Normally a warning about privacy and someone walking in would follow, and Tony would joke that they could put on the best porn-show on earth then laugh as Steve slapped the back of his head, except the tower was as empty as the day(s) Tony built it a near lifetime ago.
Bruce and Natasha were off in India playing doctor and wife to less fortunate people. Bruce liked to visit the place about once a year and, when he learned what the man did there, Tony had a nice office with good supplies and equipment built for Bruce to effectively work from. And more often than not Natasha accompanied him, claiming to be his protection and to make sure everyone’s favorite green rage monster didn’t make any surprise visits – though Tony knew it was because they had some (what they believed to be) secret love affair going on.
Tony called her Bruce’s wife once and woke up with half his signature goatee missing. Now he only referred to the woman as such in his mind; and only when he knew she was far in the distance.
Thor was once again in Asgard – he rarely came to earth anymore. As awesome and powerful as the demigod was, and as good a friend he had become to all of them, his place truly was in his own realm. Besides, he had moved his girlfriend Jane there and made her his queen, and had a daughter as stubborn as a mule and tough as nails. Thor had a family and a kingdom. They missed him and they loved him but were happy that he was at peace with his father and people at last.
The last inhabitants of the tower, the happily married Coulson pair, were off on some top secret SHIELD mission in an undisclosed location for an undetermined period of time. Or, as Tony liked to describe it, they wanted to fuck like bunnies while evil terrors were at record lows without anyone like Steve accidentally walking in on them, or Tony trying to video record it (again).
Tony claimed it was all in the name of research, and that it was imperative he know if Phil’s face was actually capable of showing emotion. He got an angry rant from Phil, a nipple piercing from Clint (scary. fucking. aim. and. accuracy.), a black eye from Natasha (what the hell), and a rather firm slap from Steve that took a pleasant turn of events to one of the most sexually adventurous and amazing nights of Tony’s life.
Steve’s fingers trailed back up Tony’s thighs and the brunette rolled his hips forward again, very much so enjoying where their afternoon was heading. It had been a few days since he’d felt his husband intimately. Having an entire tower to themselves was like being the only people in Disneyland – you had to take advantage of the lack of lines for all the best rides.
And Tony definitely had something in mind he desperately wanted to ride.
Steve’s hands moved farther up Tony’s body, dragging the thin fabric of his shirt with them, forcing Tony to sit up and away so Steve could properly strip him. As always, Steve’s hands moved to press gently against the now scarred patch of skin on Tony’s chest where the reactor once sat but, thanks to modern medicine, Tony was finally able to dispose of.
He knew Steve missed it, and in a way so did Tony because it had been a part of him for so many years, but the man was more than glad to be rid of it. They had kept it, of course, just like Pepper had kept the original, and hey – that saved his life once. The same had been done of the latest reactor too, only instead of having it in the lab or bedroom where Steve wanted it, Peter had expressed a desire for the ever-glowing ring of metal.
Tony knew it had special meaning and memories for his son as well, and handed it over as soon as it was apparent he was going to survive without it.
Steve’s hips pushed back against Tony, and his hands explored Tony’s newly exposed upper body, pulling a moan from Tony as the man crashed their mouths back together. He was starting to get a great rhythm when – “Oh god, seriously?! Can’t you two stay off each other for five minutes?! You’re like horny teenagers!”
Tony pulled back and dropped his head to Steve’s shoulder, sadly laughing. “Steve,” he said between his quiet laughs, “Your son’s home.”
Steve, head falling against Tony’s, replied, “It’s Wednesday. He’s your son.”
“Can’t you two be somewhat normal?” Peter sighed from the direction of the elevator. “Most people your age sit quiet and happy on the couch thinking about the good ol’ days. I sit on that couch, you know.”
Tony lifted his head to rest his chin on Steve’s shoulder and smirk at their son. “You also eat at the table and use the elevator,” he commented, enjoying the scandalized look on the teen’s face. Steve smacked him as though silently telling him to behave, but Tony arched his back and moaned, “Oh, yeah, baby, just like that!” in an overly dramatic way.
“Dad!” Peter hissed. Some high-pitch giggles followed; a young girl with red hair suddenly appearing from behind the boy with sparkling eyes and a bright smile. “Dad, Daddy,” yeah – he totally still called Steve ‘Daddy’, “This is Mary Jane. MJ, these are… my parents.”
Tony frowned. “Why do you say that with hesitation and regret?” he asked with a pout.
“Because you’re an embarrassment to humanity and I try to forget I’m related,” Peter muttered.
“I think you two are cute and awesome,” Mary Jane said, stepping forward confidently. “Peter talks about you all the time. He’s lucky to have parents like you. Most kids our age have parents that are divorced or hate each other and should be.”
“I like you.” Tony beamed at the girl. “What have I not met you before? Peter, why haven’t we met this lovely girl before?” He climbed over the couch and strode proudly across the room.
“Dad, will you put on a shirt?” Peter groaned as Tony approached.
Tony ignored the teen and grabbed the girl’s hand, kissing the top. “Enchanté, dear. It’s nice to know my son actually has a friend.”
Mary Jane laughed again as Peter squeaked, “I have friends! You’ve met my friends!”
“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Stark-Rogers.”
Tony rolled his eyes. “’Tony’, please.”
Steve joined them and put an arm around Tony’s waist, giving him a gentle tug that moved Tony away and closer to him. Not because he was jealous of the teenage girl who was clearly gushing over the man before her, but because Steve had far more sympathy for Peter than Tony did. Meaning Steve didn’t try and embarrass their son for the fun of it like Tony often did.
“Leave them be,” Steve softly scolded. “It’s nice to meet you, miss,” he then smiled and offered a hand to the girl. Tony frowned at Peter’s relieved smile.
“MJ and I are working on some things for the school paper,” Peter said, taking his camera out of his bag and setting it carefully on the table.
“We’ll get out of your way then,” Steve offered and their son nodded gratefully. “There’s food and drinks in the kitchen, but you know you can order whatever you want.”
Tony hummed and nodded. “Except porn. I put the parental block on there for Clint but it really does come in handy.” Peter groaned and rubbed his face as Steve quietly chided Tony again.
“Tony, excuse yourself,” Steve instructed and gave a little push at the man to urge him towards their room.
Tony grinned even more and took Steve’s hand. “If you need anything just ask Jarvis. It was lovely to meet you and hope to see more of you,” he started walking backwards and yanking his husband along, “But right now I’m going to make wild, passionate love to my husband.”
Steve shook his head and sighed heavily while Tony started laughing again as a suffering whine of, “Dad!” echoed after them.