Huh… that’s kind of catchy?
Chapter 13
Huh… that’s kind of catchy?
‘Architectural Digest’, Tony was going to kill him if he saw Steve reading that magazine since the publication told Tony that his cover was a bit too 'ostentatious' and Tony, in turn, told them to politely fuck themselves.
Steve sat next to Tony's hospital bed as he waited for him to wake up. He had been in the Private hospital for a day now and although the doctors said that he would make a full recovery, Steve knew that he would not have any peace of mind until he saw Tony wake up.
Steve closed the magazine and sat it down next to him as he replaces the magazine with his phone. As Steve looked at his phone, he saw that he received a message from Rhodey, sating that there was, unfortunately, going to be a press conference and within the next few days, he needed to tell him if there were any changes whether or not Tony would be able to make it or not.
Steve was going to reply when he heard a groan.
Turning to face Tony, Steve had a slight smile, “ Welcome back to the land of the living, Mr Stark.”
“Stevie, I almost die-”
“No shit hey?! after that stunt you pulled, forcing me to push the button while you were on top of the roof, Tony!” Steve interjected.
“I wasn't finished,” Tony said as he sighed, “ I’m honestly grateful that if that were my last day, I would have died seeing the one person who has never let me down.”
“Well, Mr Stark-”
“Tony!”, he said, as he interrupted Steve, “Stevie, it's Tony. Like for fuck's sake, I give you a speech, a great speech... a one of a kind Anthony Edward Stark speech, and then you ruin the moment by calling me, Mr Stark.”
Laughing Steve looked at Tony and said, “ Tony, I’m angry at how you wanted to end thing. But I understand that you needed to do it. Next time you want to drag me into one of your ‘adventures’ make sure that it does not play an indirect cause to your death again- I still need to forgive you for that bat-shit operation stunt you pulled.”
“You love our little adventures Stevie,” Tony replied as his lips curled up into a slight smirk, "by the way, ask Dr W. to release me, please".
Standing up Steve rolled his eyes before looking at Tony, “No problem, but you sure? Anyway, if he does say it fine, then I should be able to schedule a press conference at SI. For either tomorrow or Thursday?”
“Make it on Friday?” Tony asked.
“I’ll see what I can do, Mr Stark,” Steve said as he made his way towards the door. He opened it and the looked back at tony, in a barely audible whisper, Steve said with a teary smile, “I’m happy that you're alive and well Tony, I truly and undoubtedly am,” before walking out of the door and closing it.
—————————————-
Steve always hated press conferences.
During the duration of him working at Stark Industries, and then working directly for Tony, Steve slowly began to hate this common occurrence.
Standing in Tony's office, Steve knew that it was going to be a madhouse downstairs in Stark Industries reception area, where all their press work was done. In the background where Steve and Tony were standing, on the news that was being broadcasted live on tv, Steve heard Rhodey’s voice as he was giving his speech “There have been unconfirmed reports about a robotic prototype malfunction and caused damage to the Arc Rector…”
Focusing on Tony, Steve help the powdered make-up in his hand, as he tries to get rid of any noticeable scarring that Tony received on that dreaded night.
“Move the paper to the left, please… thank you,” Steve said as Tony was more focused on the newspaper article in his hands than the press conference.
“Iron man? Huh… that’s kind of catchy?” Tony voiced, “ it has a nice ring to it but its not technologically accurate, you see it a gold, titanium alloy…” Tony said as he lifted his nose into the air as Steve gently ripped the bandage off from it. “but its kinds of a provocative the imagery of it anyway”
“Here’s your alibi,” Phil said as he came in as he tried to hand Tony a set of cue cards.
Tony looked at Phil, “I don’t like being handed things.”
Sighing, Steve placed the makeup on Tony’s lap and reached out to grab the cue cards from Phil as he then placed said cards into Tony's hands.
“Here,” Steve said softly. Please do as you are told, Tony.”
“Sure, no problem,” Tony said as he glanced at the cards that were placed in his hands.
“Okay? So how does this work?” came the questioning answer from Tony.
Steve reached out to grab the powder, that he placed on tony’s lap and began to powder Tony's nose, as he listened to Tony and Phil's conversation, “You were on your yacht, we have court papers that can prove that you were in Avalon all night, with sworn statements from 50 people.”
See, I was thinking we should maybe just say that it was Steve and me, alone… doing things…adult things on the yacht, oooww! Tony said as Steve rip the band-aid that laid on his forehead.
Tony looked into Steve eyes where he found a hint of a smile forming before Steve snapped the lid of the powder shut and turned around.
“Nope,” Phil said as he emphasized, “just read it word for word,”
“Alright.” Tony said sighing, Steve saw Tony scan the cards when he heard, “Huh? There’s nothing about Stane here?”
“That’s being handled,” Phil stated “, his on vacation… small aircraft, they have such a poor safety record.”
“But what about the whole cover store? A bodyguard? His my bodyguard? That’s kind flimsy? Don’t you think?” Steve snorted as he listened to Tony complain about the convincing cover.
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr Stark. Just stick to the official statement and in no time, this will be behind you”
Phil looked between Tony and Steve before saying his goodbye’s in the form a slight order, “You’ve got ninety seconds, good luck.”
“Oh yes, Phil… I mean Agent Coulson,” Steve said as to be quickly jogged to stand right infant of Phil, “I just want to thank you, very much for all of your help.”
Phil smiled,” That what we do, you’ll be hearing from us”
"From the Strategic Homeland Interv-”
“Just call us S.H.I.E.L.D”
“Right... S.H.I.E.L.D, ” Steve chuckled, “thanks again,” Steve said as he watched Phil turn to walk out the door. He turned walked towards the ottoman, that held Tony’s blazer and picked it up as he turned to Tony and said, “Let us get this show on the road”
“You know, it's actually not that bad? Even I don’t think I’m Iron Man,” Tony expressed as he stood up and walked towards Steve.
“You not iron man remember,” Steve told Tony, as he rolled his eyes.
“I am so” Tony stated as he ignored Steve.
“Not-”
“Nope, don’t even reply to that but you know? If I were to be iron man… hypothetically, I’d have this boyfriend, he thinks his short but I honestly I think that he is the perfect height, who knew my secret identity. He’d be a wreck… always be worrying if I’m okay yet, he’d be so damn proud of the man I’d become. He’d be wildly conflicted, which would make him more… I don’t know” clearing his throat as he stared at Steve, “crazy about me. Tell me you never think about that Stevie? Tell me you never think of that night?
As he placed the blazer on Tony and adjusted it, Steve looked at Tony with a quizzical look, “What night, Tony please be specific? Are you talking about… the night were we danced? Where you held me, twirl me and then held me some more? Where we went to the roof and then… and then you went downstairs to get me a drink and then left me there, all by myself? Is that the night you are talking about?”
“Ahem,” Tony cleared his thought as if owing up to his guilt.
“Thought so,” Steve said as he fixed tony’s blazer’s breast pocket, “Will that be all, Mr Stark?” Steve asked.
“Yes well, thank you, Mr Rogers”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Steve mumbled as they walked out the door together.
—————————————
Steve stood at the back, where he was slightly spared from the commotion that was going on, he saw Tony walking up to Rhodey on the podium.
“Uh, it's been a while since I’ve been in front of you… so to keep my incredible assistant happy and I in his good books, I think, I'll just stick to the cards this time.” Tony started.
A murmur of laughter swept the room as Steve heard Tony give out a slight cough.
“There’s been speculations that I’ve been involved in the events that occurred on the freeway, the rooftop and-”
“Sorry Mr stark, do you honestly expect that we as the public should believe that that was just a bodyguard in a suit? That conveniently appeared, despite that fact that you have said that…” ‘Christina Everheart, that bitch’ Steve thought as he heard he voice. He knew for a fact that she was up to something, he just knew that she was trying to rile him up and it was working.
“I know this does seem confusing, for you, for all of you,” Tony said slightly condescending, “but it is one thing to question the official sorry but to come here and make up an entirely different one only this time with your accusations to say that I’m a superhero.”
‘Tony!’ Steve mentally screamed, ‘ just stick to the fucken cards.’
“I never said that you were a superhero”
“Didn’t… good because that would be outlandish and uh… fantastic”
“I… I… I… I’m just not the superhero type,” Tony stuttered, “clearly with this- uh laundry list of character defects and all the mistakes I’ve made largely mainly public,” Steve noticed Rhodes lean in to whisper something into Tony’s ear.
Steve looked at Tony as Tony made eye contact with him, Steve felt a smile tug on his face as he knew with certainty what Tony was going to do next. Steve smiled at Tony and slightly nodded his head as he noticed Tony exhaled before a mischief look came in his eyes, he winked at Steve then uttered words that would change their life forever…
“Truth is… I am Iron Man.”