strangetrip | [GP/EP] Check-In Day: Pastabilities

The last check-in day had come and gone as quietly as most other days, but Tony had made it a point to linger around the lobby every two weeks. It was tradition, after all. You could only be cynical about a pink eldritch prison for so long before you felt the need to inject some decorum, however half-assed.

During a quiet trip to a Wisconsin suburb Otherworlds, Tony had snagged an old Harley-Davidson calendar at a garage sale (why not), unique in that the previous owner had filled every single square with national holidays. Today was National Linguine Day. Truly, the most hallowed of all holidays. To celebrate, he made an order to the kitchen to bless the inn with trays of pasta, inclusive to all diets. No gluten or dairy for him, see how long that lasted.

Despite the swift approach of fall, San Luis Obispo boasted sun and 70 degree weather, so Tony arranged a chair and table outside and fiddled with a little mechanical orb the size of a jawbreaker. He prodded at its insides with a screwdriver while his half-eaten pasta dish sat ignored, his glasses magnifying the orb's internal features.

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Tony waved his teammate down, hoping the look on his own face didn't look that bad. He was just going to be honest... This isn't scary. HE isn't scary. C'mon, Stark.

"I've been involved with someone for awhile." He cleared his throat. "Here."

Steve nearly laughed with relief. That wasn't something to worry about!

"That's excellent news, Tony! Congratulations!" Steve reached over and clapped Tony on the shoulder, gently. (Because hey, he was strong, and it wouldn't do to accidentally put Tony's shoulder out of its socket.)

"You deserve every happiness in the world!"

Unable to help but blink and smother a yelp (thanks nerves) at even the gentle handling, Tony gestured with his chin at some room unseen but whose direction he was very certain of.

"You know 'em. Him." Nerves. Nerves. Nerves. Nerves. "Call me thunderstruck."

Him? Steve's face fell just slightly at that revelation. Of course, Captain America was nothing but accepting and understanding, but this did come as a bit of a surprise to him. Tony was that way? The 1940s in Steve took over for a moment, and he felt some of those old (really really old) societal stereotypes for men of that persuasion come bubbling up in his mind.

Thunderstruck. Thunder. Wait.

"Thor??" Steve asked, more shocked than anything else.

Tony merely reached for his coffee to fill the silence. It would have been natural to expect the punchline, there, but he was going to make it clear that wasn't one.

"It's a weird place, but we're weird people. We find each other." He took another sip, unable to tell what was warmer--his face or the drink. "Love with a capital 'L.'"

Steve's reaction was probably not very encouraging. He was shocked and speechless for a moment, mouth opening and closing like a fish as he tried to figure out what to say.

"Well, that's just... I'm happy for you. For both of you, really I am. I just--I had no idea."

"Yeah, that was me." Even if he didn't say it outright, and he so rarely did, the apology was hidden somewhere in his voice. "Thor wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I wasn't gonna tell you...not for awhile, anyway."

Steve lifted his mug of tea as if in a toast. "I'm glad you did." Then he clinked his mug against the mug of coffee in front of Tony.

Now Tony and Thor didn't have to pretend in front of him, or put on a show, or change the way they acted. Steve wasn't sure how this was going to all play out, but he was going to be supportive. That's what he did. He wasn't lying when he said he was happy for them. He really was. Steve loved them in a very, very different way from the way they loved each other--lower case l--and was truly happy they found one another here.

"Cheers." He said, then sipped his tea.

"Cheers." Tony took a sip, feeling him settle back into his chair with a slow burn of relief. "And another. To our health."

[ooc: fade?]

[GP/EP] Check-In Day: Pastabilities

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~

Re: Steve and Tony~