Chapter 5
Steve was hurt. Tony, his husband doesn’t want Steve to touch him. It’s like, he uncomfortable by anything Steve trying to do to him. Tony said he wants to examine the device on his own, he doesn’t need Steve help; which is hurt for Steve because he used to Tony get clingy to him. It was foolish thought; Tony and him might be not having the best relationship in that world.
But, how?
No one will argue if Steve’s says that he only love Tony the best in this world; and he was pretty sure if there’s any other Steve in the world who supposed to be his other self, that Steve will love Tony the same. Because, well, if that’s true this Tony who says that he’s been swapped were not his Tony, then, how can that foolish guy that suppose to be Steve doesn’t like him? This Tony is so similar to his Tony—with slightly different personalities—but if everyone has to see both of them on the first glance, they will think they were twins. Because they are that similar, with those pair of gorgeous eyes and lean body that entice Steve everytime, how can any Steve in the universe can be so blind?
“Tony, i brought you food.” Steve keep trying to get in this Tony favor. When the guy were locking himself up in his workshop, steve come with Russian food that Natasha make for Tony. They all worried about Tony, but doesn’t want to crowd him.
Tony hitches a little—despite his clear effort to hide it—when he’s entered the room. JARVIS must be told him already that Steve is coming, but he still seems a bit startle by him coming. “Thank you, but you doesn’t need to do that.”
“Natasha will get hurt if you don’t eat this.”
“Natali—black widow make me this?” Tony’s eyes is widen a bit, nosing at the delicious smell food that Steve brought, and how that appetizing looking food served infront of him.
“You called Natasha with her made up name?” Steve looked pretty confused about that fact.
“Uh, yeah, i don’t really close to her in my world.”
Steve looking baffled by that, “Well, that’s weird, because you are so close with her in this world, so much that i sometimes get jealous.”
“Why you are jealous?”
Steve look at Tony with that look, a look that as if he’s sad, but trying to cover it; as if Tony something that he wants to have but he cannot. “Well, i am your husband, so i have the right to be jealous—"
“W-what?!” that was the most shocking thing he heard after the fact that he has been swapped. He, married Steve?! There is a world where he married Steve Rogers, a man who always looking at him like he is some sort of burden and annoyance?
“Hey, hey, calm down.” Steve softly trying to soothe Tony that almost roll his eyes out, out of surprise. “I am not trying to burden you with this fact, can you not avoid me after this, please?” Steve, again, almost sound begging.
“No, i just— i just startled. Steve Rogers and me not, not— not having that kind of relationship in my world.”
“He is an idiot, then,” Steve declares, firmly. “It will be make more sense if he confessed and you refuse, but it’s doesn’t like the case, isn’t it?”
Tony nods, with his stilled blank face. “Yes. Our relationship more like, professional one.”
“He never tries anything to you?”
“W-what? No, of course!”
“He’s idiot.” Steve states again. Put the food in the nearest table and urges Tony to move himself without touching him, and Tony is thankful for that. He sits in the table where Steve serving the food, and the glass of water.
“W—why are you so sure that Steve in my world should’ve like me like you like your Tony?” Tony asked carefully.
Steve prompts, “Why not? You are the loveliest man in the world.”
“That’s your Tony, not me.”
“Well, Tony in my world sure is a little bit—lots actually—different from you, but if those eyes of yours never does it’s magic to him, you better tell me that your Steve is blind or i’ll make him be.”
“T—that’s not—”
“Tony.” Steve cut him off. “I can imagine a world where i never love you.” He said, he place himself infront of the table, across from Tony with that firm look of his. “You are the first who do not see me with amazement—who i already get enough of—not pry me with questions that make me uncomfortable; you offered me home, you offer me company, you offer me— you give me the best thing i ever had, your love.”
“That’s not me.” Tony refuses.
“But that’s probably what you do to me in your world.”
Tony shakes his head, “Just some of it.”
“That’s enough,” Steve says. “I actually do not want everything you give to me. Sure, i appreciate giving me a home to return to, but whenever you give me anything else; i feel like i am just—i don’t know, i don’t like the feeling like i am using you for your money, and i thought you— you— um.”
“—me what?” Tony urges. Well, Steve looks troubled to tell him, but he want to know what he have to say. Tony always, always curious about as to why Steve never like him, never see him the same way as Steve look at Wanda, or his friends, or with Bucky— with that fond look of his. Maybe this Steve can answer that because they are technically is a same person.
“I don’t want to say it.”
“Please.” Tony begs. With that puppy eyes of him—that he doesn’t realizes he make—that same look who always worked on Steve. Steve bits lips. Unable to look away, but doesn’t have a heart to refuse the cute eyes.
“Well. Please don’t get me wrong because this is in the past. I think you trying to buy a friend and you treat me the same like you treat your employee.”
“I am not!” Tony quickly scream, denying the words like it’s some kind of the most ridiculous thing in the world. “I never think of you like that!”
“I get it. Please, calm down.” Steve then offered his hand, not touching Tony without permission still. “Like i said, it’s in the past, and i still feel shit that i ever think of you like that.”
“I am not...” Tony ponders. Thinking. Is his Steve thinking like this too in his world? That’s why he don't like him?
“Well. It’s make me mad at you and you know, maybe treat you coldly at the first month. But when i tried to get to know you, i realizes that everything you do to me is not because you are some kind of rich billionaires who think they can buy everything they want with money.” Steve continues, “I realized that, that’s your way to adore everyone you like. You wanted them to stay, and just this is, giving things is your way to do it. So i am trying to understand and appreciate that, but also let you know that you are not the only one giving the affection.”
Tony silenced. He never, never heard someone can guess him like an open book, or at least, someone who know him enough to say something like that; not even Pepper thinking the same, or at least, make amends to this thing. Pepper is always trying to put up with him, of course, because she is an amazing woman, but Tony never thought that she’ll thinking like what this Steve thinking.
This Steve.
“I am sorry i make you feel like that.”
Steve eyes widens at that. His mouth pressed together for a minute before then opens, with a soft smile, “Wow, i receive the same apologize, from the same person with for the same thing, twice, now. I still wonder why that stupid guy in your world never realize what’s he missing.”