And back again [open]

[noparachute]

Who: Steve Rogers and anyone
Where: Tony's room and around the city
When: February 23rd
Summary: Steve comes back after staying in his world for about 70 years. Cue making sure that Tony is okay and reorienting himself with Saeng Seong.
Warnings: Steve being a grumpy old man.


[Locked to Tony]

Steve wasn't very happy, to say the least. He thought that he would be getting a little time to himself after the battle in New York, time to maybe adjust to the new era or at least see how much had changed since his frozen slumber in the ice. But no, he woke up in another unfamiliar place without any warning. Of course the unfamiliar place became familiar once his memories came rushing back. Saeng Seong, right. He was... small when he was last here. It seemed so long ago. Steve briefly wondered if any of his friends were still here, how much time had passed in this place.

Oh, and Tony. He was here before. So was Loki- and okay, he needed to see if his teammate was alright and if Loki had done anything since his disappearance. Exploring the city would need to come after.

With that task in mind, Steve headed to Tony's apartment and knocked on his door, trying to remain calm despite the frustration he was feeling. He was getting sick of being transported to places without knowing how much time had passed.

[option a; open]

After being reassured that Loki hadn't done anything destructive yet and getting an explanation on how much time had passed, Steve decided that it would be a good time to walk around Saeng Seong again. Although, barely any time had passed since he was gone, almost the opposite of how it was on Earth.

Figures. A small part of him wished that only three days passed when he took the plane down.

Still, he had to do this. It wasn't like he remembered every single detail of this city... and he just really needed the fresh air. So Steve could be found around the districts, stopping every so often at different shops with a look of surprise. Surprise that it remained unchanged even though he knew it had only been a short amount of time. Or Steve could be seen walking down the street and turning his head at everything in almost a daze.

[option b; open]

Afterward, Steve was just sitting down on a bench in the park, staring down at his folded hands and looking a bit distracted. He needed a little time to take this all in still. Maybe he was overreacting, but just seeing the city almost unchanged... it was just a bit mind-boggling to him.

"Just three days..." Steve mumbled to himself, although his voice was clear enough to be heard. He also was a little angry about everything, but he tried to keep things to himself as he sat there on the bench.

Comments

[noparachute]

"You also asked me before how I was responsible." Steve managed to bit out, his voice definitely frustrated once more. And what, he didn't sound like he was before? Stark of all people should know that people change. "Well, I'm trying to be now. You always talked about Captain America and wanted him here." That was what he thought at least, but now Stark didn't want Cap or even a leader. Steve didn't really get it.

"And clearly you need help, Stark. Going for a year like this isn't healthy and you know it too." He couldn't stop himself from looking a little hurt by Tony's comment though. So he was only trusted with this information because he was the last resort. It stung, but Steve tried to push it down, keep his face neutral.

He felt a little bad for not noticing it earlier, but he couldn't change the past. He just needed to do something about it now. "I'm not going away or ignoring it now." Even if his earlier attempts were blown off, Steve didn't want to leave Tony by himself. Not until he got some rest at least.

[ironyman]

"You're not responsible for me, Rogers!" Tony snapped, turning suddenly to glare at Steve.

Almost immediately, though, he looked away, anger cooling rapidly. His gaze fell to his hands--damn, note to self: don't work with 30 gauge wire around Rogers.

"I don't know where you're getting your information," he grumbled, putting the broken wire aside. At least he wasn't working with the soldering iron. "Because I'm really not the poster boy of the Captain America fanclub. I mean... Okay, we both fly into a cold, dark abyss with a nuke. Look at how you come out."

He gestured at Steve.

"Now look at... this." And another lethargic wave at himself and the general area. He let the hand flop back into his lap and stared morosely at the table.

"I'm screwed up, Rogers, and I'm out of ideas to fix it. I built the suits because... because for a long time it was just me here, and I had to protect these people. And because if I get caught without one, if I don't have a suit, I'm just a guy. I'm not a super soldier or a god or a super anything. I'm just a man in a can up there flying around fooling himself. And I don't need a big star-spangled reminder of that following me around."

[noparachute]

Steve's retort died when Tony continued to talk, his eyebrows furrowing as he listened to him. He knew about Tony's sacrifice, going into that portal, but he never thought that his experience with the ice was relatable. Not before now, at least. The cold abyss, drowning before being frozen in the ice. He still had nightmares about it, probably couldn't be in freezing temperatures for that long if Steve was honest with himself.

And Tony thought that he dealt with all that? At least in a healthy manner? He was comparing his state to Steve's supposed wellness... Maybe he should mention his own nightmares, it seemed like Tony understood to some degree at least. And just let him know that he wasn't perfect or anything like that either.

"Tony..." There was a lot Steve wanted to say to him. Reassure him that he wasn't just a man in a can that flew around like a fool, that he was a hero. Maybe he didn't have anything 'super,' but Steve didn't think less of Tony for that reason. Stark was a genius, an irritating and arrogant one, but still a genius that wasn't just about show. Steve didn't think he was better than Tony for being a super soldier either, far from it.

He wanted to say all that, voice those thoughts.

"You're an idiot."

...That wasn't what he intended, really.

[ironyman]

As soon as Steve said his name, Tony knew he'd made a mistake. Well, lumped a mistake on top of a huge pile of mistakes. He really should have gotten rid of the guy when he had the chance.

Rogers just wouldn't get it. He couldn't. It wouldn't calculate in that stupid optimistic brain of his no matter how much Tony tried to beat it into him. Tony braced himself for the next onslaught of this isn't healthy or you really are a hero, I believe in you or--

Wait. What?

Tony sat up straight, turning to Steve with a thoroughly bewildered look. Did... Did he just call Tony Stark an idiot? Tony glanced behind him on the slight chance that maybe Rogers had spotted something more deserving of 'idiot' behind him... like DUM-E. Or a mirror.

He looked back at Steve, switching through an array of frowns. Really, how was someone with an unquantifiable IQ supposed to respond to this?

His face finally settled on perplexed and even slightly impressed, and he crossed his arms.

"Gotta say. Didn't actually see that coming."

[noparachute]

"Guess I'm full of surprises." Part of Steve felt that he should apologize for calling him an idiot, but he felt that wouldn't go over well with Tony. Also, Tony was being an ass and making him angry before, so Steve allowed himself that 'insult.' So, no choice but to continue on, maybe actually voice some of the things he wanted to say to him. Although, he wasn't counting on Tony to look a little impressed by his comment.

Figures. Try and be supportive only to get brushed off. Call him an idiot and get his full attention. Guess it's a Tony Thing... and maybe Steve understood him a little bit more now. Sorta. Still, he was going to try this again.

"You don't have super powers, but you're a genius. The one that built Iron Man, you are him." Steve still wasn't fully saying what he meant, but better than his last attempt. "But honestly, there's no easy way to fix you, any of us- I mean"

Steve paused for a moment, obviously struggling to admit something to him. He knew that he wasn't emotionally healthy, not dealing with all his issues, but to actually say them out loud to another person... it was difficult. He wasn't the type to bleed on others, he just wanted to appear strong so that people wouldn't be disappointed in him. They pulled him out of the ice so he could do more good.

"...I get nightmares, can't sleep most of the time. Dream about the ice too often. The war."

[ironyman]

Tony leaned back in his chair a little to watch Steve struggle to recover from calling him an idiot. Rude, much?

Attempt one apparently was to say Tony was a genius. True, but a pretty obvious backpedal. Real smooth, Rogers. Next was the usual I am Iron Man shtick. Why did Rogers feel the need to remind him of all this? It wasn't like he would forget.

Tony scowled at one of the new suits at the table. It was a piece of shit, really. Sure, to anyone who wasn't, well, him it probably still looked bitchin', but it was a pile of junk. They all were, to some extent even the Mark 42. He cocked his head with a puzzled frown. And he expected these to stand up to Loki? Even Rogers saw how pointless that was--and this was the guy who thought going into the army as 90-pound kid with twigs for bones was a good idea.

Oh, hell no. Not acceptable. Tony Stark was a genius. He built Iron Man in a cave out of spare missiles. He'd stared death in the face more times than he cared to count (not more than he could count, that number was far, far higher) and given it a big ole one fingered salute. Surely he could MacGyver together something good enough to take on a bitchy goth-phase Asgardian with the tech he'd squirreled away and one dumbass super soldier. Speaking of...

Tony looked back to Steve still with that odd tilt to his head, just in time to see the soldier having some kind of internal crisis. Only to confess that he couldn't sleep either. Ugh, insomnia was such old news, Rogers. Get with it.

He suspected Steve's reluctance was not due to pride, though. Unfortunately, non-selfish motives were kind of outside Tony's area. And Rogers tended to be self-deprecating, if the tiny version screeching about not being Captain America was anything to go on. Maybe that was it? Being compared to Cap sucked... so Tony could grudgingly accept that maybe being Cap sucked even more.

He was supposed to say something supportive. Or grateful. Or amiable. Fraternal, even. Tony shrugged.

"Okay," he replied brightly.

[noparachute]

It wasn't like he felt better when he admitted that out loud, it really didn't work like that. Maybe he should've kept quiet about it, but it was too late to take it back now. He thought it was a good time to bring it up, but maybe Stark still didn't want to hear this. The billionaire had been quiet for a while now and Steve wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

He might had appreciated the silence some other time, but not now.

And after all that, Tony just uttered one word. Well, that was... surprising. He didn't laugh or seem to look down at him though, so that was a plus. Steve wasn't expecting anything real comforting from him anyway. "Guess what I'm getting at is... I'm not prefect and you shouldn't compare yourself to me."

[ironyman]

"Couple decades too late for that, Cap," Tony said with a little humorless chuckle.

Oh, back to Cap. How long had it been since he called Rogers 'Cap'?

"People've been comparing themselves to you for 70 years, Rogers, I don't think that's gonna change any time soon."

Shit, that was going to make him go back into Captain America mode, wasn't it? Tony kicked himself mentally. Right when he had a... empathetic... sympathy... understanding-ish thing with the big idiot, too.

"But, you know," he sighed. "I appreciate you trying. E for effort and all that."

[noparachute]

It shouldn't be surprising that people were comparing themselves to him- no, the myth of Captain America. Not all the stories about him were even true, just exaggerations about what happened in the war. But even though it shouldn't be surprising, Steve still thought that it wasn't needed. He just wanted to do his part, protect people, stop bullies, inspire others.

He also didn't expect that Tony would compare himself to Captain America. Steve honestly thought that he wanted to be nothing like his alter ego, but... Howard. He could have said something, it seemed obvious now. Howard helped him a lot during the war and he respected him. According to Fury, he looked for him too while he was frozen.

"Howard... did he compare you to me a lot?" His Cap voice wasn't back at least.

And Tony still appreciated his efforts? Even if he received a low grade, it was a little strange to hear the billionaire say something like that. It made him feel less angry, less upset about everything while giving him more determination to do better.

[ironyman]

The question hit Tony like a punch in the gut. He looked away from Steve--the moron was so painfully earnest when he asked that Tony knew he had no idea the can of worms he'd just opened. He glanced at the suits and couldn't help wondering what Howard would think of them, of Iron Man and his kid's attempts to set right what their company had done for decades. Old man would probably prefer that crappy new paint job Rhodey was sporting, the bastard.

"God, you know how to kill a mood," he muttered with a bitter chuckle.

Tony got up from the table and went to the small kitchen, opening a cabinet to retrieve a glass and a bottle of whisky. He was going to need it if this conversation went the way he thought it might.

"That would've required the old bastard to actually talk to me," he replied smoothly with a composure that betrayed a wound scarred into an ugly mess long ago. "So. No."

[noparachute]

Steve realized, a bit too late, that he really poked a sore spot here. When Tony looked away from him, that was really all the answer he needed. He felt like he should apologize, but he wanted to know what went on between Stark and his father. Maybe it was none of his business, but he wanted to know, especially if his legacy had an influence.

He watched as Tony grabbed a glass and a bottle of whiskey, deciding not to comment about that. It wasn't like he was against alcohol.

"Howard just ignored you?" He wasn't the closest of friends with Howard, but he liked him, thought he was a great engineer that helped out. It was a little surprising to hear what kind of father he turned out to be, disappointing too. "Why?"

[ironyman]

Tony gave Steve a scowl like he was about to ask what an absolutely moronic question that was. How was he supposed to know why the old man barely paid attention to his own son when the cameras weren't watching? He'd have fixed it if he knew. If summa cum laude from MIT at age 17 didn't do it, Tony sure as hell didn't know what would have.

For a moment he looked like he was going to make a snappy remark, but then apparently changed his mind and poured the whisky, downing it in one gulp.

"You'd have to ask him," he replied, voice just a touch raspy from the burn of the alcohol. Damn cheap booze.

"Wouldn't shut up about you, though," he continued, looking away from Steve to refill his drink.

"I was a kid. I drew my own conclusions."

[noparachute]

This conversation really took a turn for the worst. Steve kept on poking on the wound and he should really leave it be, but he kept on going. Tony was scowling and that wasn't a good sign, but he still answered him. It was something. Steve wanted to learn more about his teammate until Tony said that he wanted to stop talking about it.

Steve watched as Tony downed the entire glass in one shot, wondering how much he could drink. Even though he wasn't against alcohol, he would keep a mental note about how much Tony drank.

"You started to compare yourself to me when you were just a kid?" Tony said that Howard didn't compare him, but he wasn't so sure if that was the whole story. Not with the way he looked away from Steve and continued to pour more alcohol for himself.