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Day 18: Doing Something Together
The two men stood at the entrance hall, sleeves rolled up and hands on their hips, scanning the place left and right. The taller glanced once at the shorter, then sighed.
“It’s not much, but… I’ve been living here for a while now….”
“I understand that, Steve, that’s why we got two rooms cleared out for you back at my place.” Tony turned to look at Steve appraisingly. “Unless you still want to think about it-”
“No. We’ve already talked about this.” Steve answered, smiling faintly. “Let’s just start packing.” he said, glancing at the living room. There was nothing there that actually belonged to him. Most of his belongings were in other rooms.
~
They’d been seeing each other for several months now, almost a year - exactly a year if they’d been counting, but neither would admit to being that sweet about the other, not yet, at least. Tony had been the first to bring up the idea of moving in together, after an entire month they’d spent in one another’s beds. Steve had said it was a good idea, but that he wasn’t ready for that step yet. The guy liked his independence.
~
“You take the kitchen. It’s all my favorite appliances, so be careful…” Steve instructed. He hadn’t mentioned those were his only appliances, that really didn’t need mentioning. “I suppose the fridge can stay, though.” he said with a sheepish smile when Tony saluted at him and walked off to the kitchen. He heaved a sigh and went to the shower-room. Moving in with Tony… The thought made him more happy than unsettled. He’d been to the guy’s place as often as he’s been at his own apartment, but to leave these SHIELD-provided quarters felt risky. He hoped he’d made the right decision. It was supposed to be a one-year-anniversary celebration change, but Steve hadn’t mentioned that to Tony.
~
They had spent about a month discussing the repercussions of moving in together. First, there was the fact that what was until then a hushed rumour would become common knowledge. The press never really cared about the famous’s privacy. Then, there was the added danger they were obviously taking on by declaring, to some extent, that they actually cared about someone - a weak spot one was aware of was still a weak spot. Strategically speaking, it wouldn’t be the brightest move.
~
The bedroom was the last room to take care of. Steve’s clothes, the uniform - both kinds - and the bed-sheets Steve liked. His weights, a night-lamp he liked too much, the contents of the drawers and shelves. It was all packed away nicely and before long, the two stood at the entrance once more. Two duffel bags and a couple of cardboard boxes already propped into the SUV downstairs. All of Steve’s belongings in one car, he wondered what that said about him, and smiled.
~
There had been battles. Some attacks on Tony Steve wished he could’ve been there to help with. Wished he didn’t have to ride his bike like a madman halfway across town to be of any use. He knew SHIELD had agents practically everywhere but it wasn’t the same. He couldn’t calm himself, those times, until he saw the man, injured and rattled but still flashing that irresistible grin of his, alive. That had been the largest motivation to take Tony’s offer despite the dangers. It seemed danger was abundant, regardless of their living arrangements.
~
“You wanna ride with me or in the car with Happy?” Steve asked then, glancing at Tony. The smile he saw on the man’s face was a variation of those Tony sometimes gave him when they woke up next to one another on a quiet Sunday morning. It lacked the sideways-slur feel it had in the morning, and Steve finally realized what it meant.
“I’ll ride with you, Cap, anytime.” Tony said, patting Steve’s shoulder once before pulling his phone out of his pocket and calling Happy, telling him to head back to Stark-mansion.
~
It all moved smoothly ahead once Steve conceded that moving in together was the only logical step to take. They had been seeing each other every day, spending the night and waking up together constantly. He didn’t think Tony would be insulted if he waited longer to move, but he saw no reason, anymore, to wait. Tony had been so excited when he told him, that he nearly pulled Steve out to start packing in the middle of the night, and it took some persuasion of the kind they both liked, to get him to wait until morning.
~
They descended the stairs and Steve tucked the apartment keys in his pocket. He wasn’t going to give the place up entirely, after all. It could serve as a safe-place for them, and Steve liked to have a solid backup plan. They mounted the bike, and Steve had to smile when Tony’s hands rested on his sides, the warmth seeping in through his shirt. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d ridden so fast, but the reward was great. Tony’s arms were fastened tight around his waist and Steve just knew that if they hadn’t been wearing helmets, Tony’s head would be resting on his shoulder. This shared moment was priceless, and he cherished every second of it.