Ex-husband

Bzzzzz. Bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzz.

"Hello?”

"Finally! I keep calling and calling you-"

"I am sorry, who is this?"

"What the fu - Steve, don't play dumb!"

"This is not Steve, I am afraid you have the wrong number, pal."

"Steve, I am gonna - no matter, no matter, just don't do this!"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Steve, I am serious. Don't. Do. This. Do you remember how heartbroken you were when things went down with Tony? Don't do this to yourself all over again."

Steve listened to Bucky talking on and on, not commenting. It felt wrong to turn off his phone and just disappear, and the phone constantly vibrating and displaying Bucky's number was really distracting. Steve kept ignoring the calls but felt safe to answer when he heard Tony starting a shower in the bathroom adjoined to their small hotel room. White sheets, white walls, furniture finished in polished brown wood and a mini-fridge with overpriced snacks. All of it didn't matter when there was a king-size bed and long curtains Steve had drawn together, sheltering them from the rest of the world.

Did he remember? Of course, he did. His life after signing the divorce documents, after watching Tony walk out of his life to never return was pretty miserable. Full of microwave meals, stretched out clothes and doing nothing that required more than laying on the couch, swallowing one Netflix series after another. Back then it wasn't so bad, Steve had thought he was managing nicely, but he could see why it had been so alarming to Bucky. After meeting Tony the other day... Steve felt like coming back to life. Like things made sense again.

What he was going to do, couldn't be so bad, if it already made him feel so good.

Just when Bucky started to ramble that Steve finally got himself out of sweatpants and started brushing teeth regularly, Steve decided to weigh in.

"I will be fine, Buck."

There was some silence on the other end, purely because Steve finally recognized who was calling him, instead of pulling that 'who that' crap.

"Maybe for now! But how are you going to feel about this tomorrow when you wake up alone?!"

Bucky was worried. Very. Steve could hear it in his voice and appreciated the concern, but, again, it wasn't Bucky's decision. It was his. His life. His choices.

And his choice was Tony.

"Sorry, buddy, I have no idea what you are talking about, you have the wrong number - "

"Steve!"

" - I am hanging up. Byeee."

"Don't hang up on me you, ass-!"

This time Steve turned the vibrations off and put his phone in the drawer of the nightstand, hiding it away. He closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of fresh sheets, and trying to find his balance again.

Was he doing the right thing?

Tony had made it very clear from the very beginning - this was not going to mean anything. They were not getting back together. They were going to spend just one afternoon together, fulfill their needs and move on with their lives and away from each other. Live separate lives again.

Just seeing Tony...

Seeing Tony was wakening up in him all those feelings he thought were gone a long time ago. It was quite scary. Divorce was always tough and Steve thought that he was going through it like every person did. It was just taking him a bit longer to pull himself back together. He needed to answer himself one question - after today, would he be able to get closure and move on or would just fall back down and again into an unending void of self-loathing?

Maybe it wasn't worth the risk. He could still get out. Just bolt away, run through the door and never look back. Was one amazing afternoon with Tony worth all the heartbreak he would have to endure all over again?

"Is everything alright?"

Steve opened his eyes, turning his face at the person standing in the bathroom door. Tony. Hair still a bit damp and dripping, already curling while air drying, some adorable locks forming on his head, Steve had loved to kiss in the evenings. A white robe with the hotel logo on it, wrapped snuggly around his body, a belt tied in the middle, ending mid-thigh and showing muscled, thick legs.

Steve's mouth already started to water and all reason flung itself out of the window.

"Yeah, sure," Steve sat up on the bed and leaned his back against the bed frame, the thin sheets sliding down his body and showing a naked torso. Steve didn't know what was the protocol for meetings for casual sex, but he felt that he should at least take his clothes off while leaving underwear on. Somehow it seemed polite in his head.

To his surprise, Tony looked away, as if shy, but Steve still caught him staring at his bare chest. If not for the fact that Steve was also staring, it would be quite adorable how drawn to each other they were.

"Come here," Steve said gently, beckoning Tony over.

Looking back on their shared nights, Tony was never the shy one in the bedroom. He knew how he wanted it, where he wanted it and if anything eventually surprised him, was that Steve after learning the basic principles, was the one who took initiative often and liked to spice things up, Tony always willing to participate in whatever kinky game his husband came up with. This, this was like going back to the past, where they had been discovering each other bodies and trying to find the right rhythm.

"Closer," Steve took Tony's hand and guided him just where he wanted him. Tony swung his leg over Steve's and straddled him, warm weight settling on top of Steve's thighs, the mattress giving in slightly under their combined weight. Steve just couldn't get his eyes off Tony, taking in the sight how gorgeous his ex-husband was.

"You're so beautiful," Steve said, reaching his hand up and resting against Tony's warm cheek, caressing the skin. It had been a while since he saw Tony up close and the sight was just breathtaking. Mesmerizing brown eyes, long eyelashes casting shadows on the cheeks, soft lips framed with a dark goatee and mustache.

Tony smiled shyly, his eyes crinkling with the movement. Just like when...

"I am going to kiss you now," Steve said in one breath and Tony nodded. It was awkward to say that but seemed like a good way to start and push things forward. They leaned in closer, Steve slid his hand to Tony's nape, pulling him in gently, lips meeting in a shy kiss that lasted and lasted.

The world stopped and became quiet. It was just them, rediscovering this amazing feeling of closeness, their lips moving in the same rhythm again and again. Slow, intimate and sweet. Steve never wanted this to end.

It wasn't his decision. Suddenly, with a wet sound of partying lips, Tony leaned back, slipping away.

Steve didn't understand. He looked at Tony, curled away, and holding a hand pressed to his mouth and avoiding eye contact.

"Something wrong?" Steve asked, stinging panic taking over him. Was it something he did? He immediately remembered Bucky's words, something about his oral hygiene being a bit wonky, and dammit, maybe he should have brushed his teeth and not just get half-naked like an idiot, and before he could spiral completely, Tony shook his head, locks flying adorably around his head with the movement.

"No, everything is fine," Tony said, rubbing the skin around his lips, "I am just not used to this."

Steve opened his eyes way too wide, not understanding. Used to what? Kissing? Sneaking off to a hotel with his ex-husband for no-strings-attached sex? Or maybe in general no-strings-attached sex? Was Tony regretting it?

A giggle got Steve out of his thoughts. Tony was laughing at him, seeing the panic flashing in the blue eyes. Steve jutted his lower lip forward in a confused pout.

"I meant this," Tony smiled in an apology and draw a circle around his own mouth.

Ohhhhh. It took a moment, but finally, the realization came. The beard.

Steve rubbed his chin, feeling prickly hair. During their dating time, Steve had kept his face smooth, maybe sometimes just having a light stubble, but never the full beard. He could imagine why it was distracting.

"Uhm, sorry," Steve said, feeling awkward that they were discussing his facial hair while Tony was still spread on top of him, "I can shave if you want to, there should be a disposable razor in the bathroom -"

"No," Tony shook his head, leaned in closer again, kissing Steve quiet. Just a small peck, but worked like a charm. "I like how you look," Tony said, shyly, casting his eyes down before smiling warmly at his ex.

That was a nice ego boost. Steve felt his senses becoming a bit sharper, and his appetite growing.

"Oh, you do?" Steve said in a low voice, putting one hand on Tony's thigh.

"Yeah, I do," Tony confirmed, his smile growing, feeling light fingertips going up his robe. Steve's mind short-circuited a little when he almost reached the hip and still didn't feel any material underneath. He wanted to reach around and cup Tony's wonderful ass, but that would be too greedy. There was a whole lot of Tony to enjoy first.

"Too bad I can't return the compliment," Steve said in a light tone, and before hurt could set for good in Tony's eyes, he continued, "this gets in my way of fully appreciating you," he grabbed one end of the bathrobe belt, slowly pulling on it and untying the loose knot.

"Steve," Tony meeped out, biting on his lower lip, suddenly feeling timid all over again. Soon, the belt hung down loosely, and Steve pushed the material away, uncovering Tony slowly, inch by inch until the bathrobe slid down his arms and plopped on the bed with a soft sound.

His earlier presumptions were right, and here Tony was, all naked and straddling him, heavy and warm and thick in all good places. Delicious. Steve might have even licked his lips.

"Beautiful," Steve praised, both hands gripping Tony's round hips, feeling warm, soft skin. "So beautiful."

"Steve," Tony repeated, his breath becoming a bit short and his softer belly moving in a mesmerizing pattern.

This time Steve didn't ask for permission. Their mouth clashed with each other, nothing like the sweet meeting earlier, just pure passion and tongues swirling with each other. It just felt so good.

And Tony spoiled it again by breaking the kiss.

"Ahhh, I need a moment to get used to it," Tony giggled when despite wriggling away from the kiss, Steve held him close anyway and pressed scratchy kisses over his cheek and jawline.

"I will help you," Steve offered with a hungry grin. His mouth slid lower, pressing open mouth kisses to Tony's throat. "Tell me when you get used to it," he breathed out, planning to kiss every inch on his husband's body.

"Definitely - not yet," Tony gasped when Steve's lips grazed a particularly sensitive spot on the side of his neck. "Mmm, Steve!"

Steve didn't answer, occupied with pressing kisses into the sweet spot he knew drove Tony crazy and squeezing his husband's sides greedily. Tony was so wonderfully soft, Steve couldn't help himself.

Down the throat, through the sternum, until his mouth hovered over one dark nipple. One lick and Steve could feel how hard it already was.

"Mhhhhm," Tony hummed delightedly when Steve's warm mouth circled the hard bud and sucked. "Ahh!" Tony's whole body arched when one of Steve's hands came up and rubbed on the other nipple.

This was just a warm-up and Tony was already so wonderfully responsive, it was blowing Steve's mind.

"Mmmmm, Steve, ah... Don't," Tony asked, when Steve's mouth slid lower, just below his chest, hinting on the upcoming kisses.

"Not until you get used to this," Steve insisted, gently moving Tony away and pushing him on his back. When Tony sunk into the covers, Steve moved forward, just taking a moment to look at his ex-husband.

It was somehow alarming how very timid Tony had become since he had gained a bit of weight. Steve remembered Tony always being so confident, bordering on cocky, and it showed in the bedroom too. This time, Tony was quiet, his short breath showed how nervous he was, and he was looking back at Steve with this kind of startled look in his eyes, almost expecting him to bolt away or ridicule him.

Steve needed to be very, very gentle and ease his ex-husband.

The mattress dipped again when Steve leaned down and pecked Tony's lips. Sweet and reassuring, and smiled at him lovingly, some warm feeling taking over him when he saw that Tony, still looking a bit startled, blushed, just from that simple kind of affection. Continuing his journey, Steve moved down Tony's body, kissing every inch on his way. Neck, shoulders, chest, until he reached the place he had stopped earlier and the pleased gasps and hums from the earlier treatment suddenly were silenced.

Steve looked at Tony's belly, thinking that it was a lot of soft skin to kiss and he couldn't wait, his mouth watering. He didn't want to keep his ex-husband waiting and sunk, placing the first kiss just on the upper part of the stomach. Much to his surprise, Tony twisted underneath him and sunk his belly in, but it wasn't in an attempt to escape. More like feeling something very pleasurable and not being sure how to handle it. Steve smiled to himself, remembering that Tony always had a liking for his belly being touched - rubbing, kissing, biting. Granted, back in the days when Steve used to do that all, Tony's stomach was leaner and Tony didn't shy from his touch.

But bigger belly meant more to kiss and touch, right?

Feeling encouraged, Steve continued. Curious lips peppered a line down the soft skin, pressing more and more until the kisses became more bold and wet.

"St-Steve," Tony gasped, fingers holding on the covers and his head arched back. It felt so dizzy and good, he tried his best to stay still and not end the moment.

Steve wanted to shower Tony with compliments. Tell him that he looked great. That he tasted delicious. That his wonderfully soft skin and curved shapes were driving him crazy. It just all sounded patronizing in his head, so let his mouth and hands do all the talking.

"Ah, fuck!" Tony gasped when fingers dug into his sides and a tongue twirled around his belly button. "Ah ah, Steve!"

"Mhm, you always liked this, remember?" Steve hummed, brushing his lips sweetly around the middle of Tony's tummy and kissing his outie belly button.

"Mhhhm!" Tony's eyes opened wide, an electric like feeling running through his whole body, blood culminating in one point. It was almost embarrassing how strongly he was reacting to such simple touch.

Steve was in heaven. His hands grabbed and squeezed Tony's wonderful soft sides, his tongue kept playing and finding new spots on his ex-husband's tummy, that made him tremble and moan. Steve felt courageous enough to even gently bite on the small curve the lower belly was, causing Tony to twist and scream in pleasure.

"Steve, please - ah!"

Not yet. Even if the sight of Tony's already curling upwards cock was delightful, Steve had more skin to cover. He spread Tony's legs and held him pressed down to the bed by the hips, while his lips rediscovered the sensitive thigh area. Tony always had wonderfully muscled thighs, but they gained an extra layer of softness which was so good to feel and gently nip on.

"Shit shit shit, Steve!" Tony chanted, going positively crazy when Steve altered between teasing his thighs and belly, avoiding the crucial spot in between. It was getting harder and harder to keep himself down. "G-g-od!" Tony wailed, eyes rolling back, when a languid and wonderfully warm tongue swiped up from his lower belly, through his belly button and all the way up to his chest.

"I don't remember you being so religious," Steve smiled, resting his chin on Tony's sternum, covering his ex-husband's hot and trembling body with his muscled one.

Tony laughed, looking back at Steve's smug and pleased face. Opposite to him, Steve looked calm and in control, while Tony felt like a complete wreck. How the roles reversed.

"You are a menace," Tony breathed out, Steve's smile growing as if it was a compliment.

"You are just fun to play with," Steve said gently, fingers rubbing little circles into Tony's sides.

"Mhm!" Tony's body jerked up when the soft touch turned into a more greedy one. "I cahahan't," Tony laughed, when without his consent he grabbed on Steve's wrist, stopping him, just at the same moment when his cock gave another impatient twitch, Steve could perfectly feel.

Steve's smile grew again, appearing almost feral when coupled with his dark beard, and nothing like the sweet guy from Brooklyn Tony had been used to. He easily freed his hands from Tony's half-hearted grasp and sat up. "Turn on your belly."

It was a short command, and Tony's heart jumped when his eyes slid down Steve's body and he could clearly see the bulge forming in his ex-husband's underwear, before looking up again. Steve's eyes were dark and everything in his posture told Tony, that he was going to eat him up. Not having to be asked twice, Tony eagerly obeyed the earlier command.

Steve slightly lifted himself to make the roll easier, mesmerized by the newly presented sight. The view of Tony's rounder, softer belly and fuller thighs and hips was lovely and sweet like a sugary snack before a proper meal, but this was the main course. Despite his newly gained pounds, Tony retained a subtly narrowed waist, which just emphasized how gloriously plump his ass became. Steve's boxers suddenly felt two sizes too small.

"Holy fuck, Tony," Steve gasped, suddenly becoming religious too. Well, the sight he was seeing was certainly something to be grateful for. Before Tony could read it all wrong, Steve pressed his hips into the appetizing curves. "Can you feel what you are doing to me?" Steve asked, laughing desperately.

Tony gasped at the new feeling and nodded, hiding his face in the covers. So. Damn. Hard. It didn't add up in his head, that Steve could find him that attractive.

"You feel great," Steve praised in a hushed whisper, each hand cupping each cheek and digging in and rubbing, enjoying the soft and firm feeling. Tony always had a great ass, round and juicy and the additional weight just filled up the curves more. Steve wanted to slap that ass and watch it jiggle and become red, but spanking wasn't something they did during their dating time and it didn't seem like a proper moment to start. Maybe another day.

Still, there was a lot of fun things he could do with this ass.

"AH!" Tony yelled out when hard teeth pinned into his left cheek. The pain soon melted into a very nice tingle and he made some incoherent pleased sound.

"Mhhhhmmmm," Steve answered, his lips following the curve and softly biting here and there, just like if Tony's ass was a juicy, ripe apple. At least, it was becoming a bit red just like an apple, whenever Steve's beard grazed the tender skin. "Tell me if this will feel uncomfortable," Steve said, pulling Tony's hips slightly up.

"Wha - HAAA!" Tony gasped, Steve's warm and wet tongue breaching in between his butt cheeks and moving. In addition to that feeling, there was a rough scratch of the beard on the delicate skin, and the contrast was driving him wild. "Ah, fu- ah Steve!"

This was very familiar, and neither of them had it in a while. Tony kept trembling, blood coursing faster in his body and shamelessly moans heard all over in the room, while Steve's gentle tongue kept lapping and pushing and his beard kept leaving a burning feeling. It was all too good.

"Steve - Steve - please," Tony moaned, voice coming out needy and wet, as his cock kept dripping. He was burning inside and wanted to feel Steve fully. "STEVE!" Tony cried in need, Steve's tongue reaching a tender spot inside and his whole body trembling.

Steve plucked his tongue out and moved away, taking a deep breath. Back in the days, Steve liked to joke that Tony's ass would suffocate him and seemed that it wasn't far away from the truth. But, oh boy, what a way to go that would be. Steve wouldn't regret it at all.

Neither of them could hold back any longer. Steve took his underwear off and tossed it aside, feeling wonderfully free. Tony felt absolutely limbless and the thought that everything he had experienced so far was just a warm-up leading to a grand finale, was very distracting and he couldn't wait for the continuation. Just then something hit him, something that could ruin everything.

"Do you have -"

"Yeah," Steve answered, not letting Tony finish and Tony heard a characteristic rustling of a plastic wrapping being ripped open. He turned around and saw Steve, with an already pulled condom on and lubing himself up, squeezing the transparent substance from a small, plastic bottle.

"The heck-" Tony blinked rapidly, wondering if Steve came prepared for their meeting.

"When you took a shower," Steve answered shortly. It wasn't difficult to rush to the nearest drug store and get what he needed.

"Well, I always appreciated your level of preparedness," Tony joked, turning back on his belly and waiting, spreading his legs shamelessly.

"Hey... I want to look at you."

"What?" Tony turned his head around again and looked at Steve. The difference between Steve's hard cock, standing up and all ready, and the sad, almost pleading look on his face was so unfair. At that moment, Tony felt that he also wanted that. He wanted to come while looking at his husband's face, wanted to see his face heating up, mouth opening with every moan and blue eyes clouding with bliss.

Wait, husband?

It would be easier if they finished while not looking at each other. They didn't need another moment of personal closeness to pile up on the guilty feeling tomorrow. It was the only logical way to end everything and move on.

No, screw that.

Tony turned on his back and opened his legs invitingly. Steve brightened and didn't wait too long.

It felt beyond amazing. Their bodies pressed tightly together, rocking in one rhythm, lips brushing in heated kisses, breaths mingling into one.

It felt good, it felt right, it felt like finding a piece of yourself that went missing.

Despite the break, they still finished perfectly synchronized, pulling the pleasure out of themselves mutually and prolonging the moment.

And they stayed like that. Satiated and exhausted and in a warm embrace.

***

As in most of the places, the hotel day ended at 10 am. Steve and Tony didn't agree on how long they would stay in the room, and it seemed obvious that they won't use the whole time available. Just, the first make out changed into a second one, the second one changed into a third one, and it was then, when they both had collapsed, finally fulfilling every need. The amazing thing was that with every new attempt Tony became bolder, feeling accepted and encouraged by Steve's appetite. The last make out had ended with Tony straddling Steve and riding him like a cowboy riding a bull almost to sunset, and Steve was delighted, loving how Tony's body had moved on top of him, while he had held tightly to thick thighs, marking them with finger shaped bruises.

It had been 6 am when Tony fell to sleep, in Steve's arms, among crumpled covers, their hot and exhausted bodies wrapped around each other tightly. Even if Steve's head was bobbing down, he did everything he could to stay awake. Instead, he tried to keep himself distracted and focused on breathing in the scent of his husband, warm and spicy, ran hands over his sleeping body, caressing the soft sides and curved hips, wanting to remember this feeling.

He wouldn't risk falling asleep and wakening up without it all. He just couldn't let Tony slip out of his life again.

Unfortunately, as on every day the sun had to came up eventually, and when the room started to became bright with light sipping in through the curtains, Tony moved in his sleep, hinting on wakening up. Steve watched that moment closely. The way Tony opened his eyes blearily, brown eyes coming into focus and the brief confusion running through his face, as if he already forgot why he was where he was, and the moment of realization when memories came flooding back. And then he saw Steve looking at him and Tony smiled. He wasn't surprised at all, knowing that Steve wasn't a type of person to escape after a shared night, but at that moment, Tony wished he was because that would save them both a lot of pain and that's why the smile he gave to Steve had a sad undertone to it.

"Hey," Tony said, enjoying the last shared moments and cuddling closer to his ex-husband. Just for a bit longer.

"Hey," Steve said back, rearranging his hands around Tony's body. Was it bad that he wanted to pull the covers over both of them and hide from the rest of the world? Extending their stay was just a phone call away. It wasn't a part of the plan, but Steve just couldn't let Tony go. Not yet. Not ever.

Before Steve could propose any of that, Tony smooched his neck and moved away, taking the covers with himself.

"So, uh, I am gonna get going," Tony said, sitting up and putting his bare feet on the floor.

And there it was again. Tony was slipping away. Steve couldn't let him.

"Wait, Tony," Steve sat up and reached for Tony's hand. He couldn't let him walk away. Not again.

"Steve," Tony said, his arms sagging down and voice dropping sadly. He turned his head to look at Steve and there was so much sadness and defeat in his whole posture, Steve felt almost scolded with causing it. "Please, don't make this unnecessarily difficult. We agreed that this won't mean anything."

True. It was just a one night adventure. Nothing to dwell on.

Except that it wasn't nothing.

And to prove it, Steve leaned in, placing both hands on Tony's cheeks and pulling him into a kiss. After the initial surprise, Tony responded beautifully, facing Steve better and wrapping arms around his ex-husband's shoulders, lips moving together in a greedy, almost bruising way.

A goodbye kiss. Appropriate after a shared night.

That's was a lie.

"Don't go," Steve whispered between gulps of air, pressing more kisses to Tony's lips. "Stay. Please."

Tony felt that he shouldn't. It took him a lot of time to get over Steve, and he couldn't allow himself to go through it again. He needed to protect himself. He needed to be strong for both of them.

"I can't," Tony said, the kisses not stopping. "I really, really can't," he denied the offer over and over again, and yet was climbing on top of Steve once more, closer and more intimately, needing him more than he needed air.

"Tony," Steve breathed out, hands going down his husband's body, lower and lower.

"Don't!" Tony called out, yanking himself away before Steve's hands could reach their destination. They had an amazing night together, but that was all. It wasn't supposed to repeat, not now or ever again. And if he would break and allow himself another moment of weakness, he won't be able to move on. He needed to get out. "I have to go. I am going."

"I won't give up on you."

Tony's heart stopped. He didn't want to hear it. Tony closed his eyes, feeling tears building up under his eyelids. Why Steve had to spoil everything again?

"Back in the cafe, you said you never wanted me to leave you. I don't want you to leave me either. Can't you see we want the same thing?"

Tony didn't dare to look. The weight on the mattress shifted and Tony could feel Steve next to him. He smelled him, felt the warmth radiating off his skin. It was unfair how good Steve smelled to him.

"You don't know what you want, Steve," Tony sniffled.

"Is this about me being younger than you again?" Steve asked, sounding irritated and an unpleasant shiver ran over Tony's body, triggering bad memories.

"It is not just that!" Tony burst. To be clear, it wasn't that big of a difference, because what was a five years age gap, but more things came with Steve's younger age. "God, Steve! You knew me for six months and you already proposed! And six months later when things started to crumble, you decided to divorce me! This is not a way I can live!" Tony didn't mean to yell, but it was the first time he voiced out his pain. They both had rushed into this relationship like dorks in love, not thinking through what kind of commitment it was. Dating and being married were two very different things.

"I know, I know," Steve said, his voice trembling, "I just - I know," he gave up, not knowing how to voice himself. All he knew was that he needed Tony. From the first moment, he saw him, standing in that art gallery, all fancy and posh in an expensive set of clothes and way out of his league. Steve got the guts to approach Tony only after he had bite a mini hot dog and the ketchup squirted on his hands and clothes, and Steve rushed with a napkin, helping him to get clean. During their third date, Tony had confessed that he did it on purpose because Steve seemed so intimidated by him.

Tony laughed wetly. "I guess we both know," he said, losing the will to run. He could also play it differently. Propose a couple's therapy for example. Listen more to Steve, instead of shielding himself with work and letting Steve grow cold and distant. He didn't want to end hurt again, but he also didn't want to make Steve's life miserable. He wasn't worth it. "Steve, I miss you," Tony admitted, looking at his ex-husband, having a moment of complete honesty. "I really do. I just can't let myself become so hurt again and I don't want to hurt you," Tony said.

Steve didn't answer for a while. What Tony said, made a lot of sense. But on the other hand, there was a frightening void that Tony's absence left and there was only one way to fill it.

"How about this," Steve swallowed, knowing that what he was about to say could end either very badly, or led to something good, "you give me another chance, and in exchange, I promise not to propose for at least a year."

There was a moment of shocked silence before Tony giggled.

"You can't be serious," Tony said, trying to control his laughter.

"I am," Steve said, smiling on his own, Tony's laughter contagious. "I am sorry for everything, I shouldn't let you walk away and I want to try again. Just, slowly. So, Tony Stark," Steve said, reaching for Tony's hand again, "will you be my boyfriend? Again?"

The question hung in the air and Tony stopped laughing. There was an old saying about not stepping into the same river twice and that applied to their situation perfectly. But when Tony looked into Steve's eyes, those sincere blue eyes that showed a lot of longing and hidden love for him, and some personal growth Steve did while they had been apart, he felt that maybe they both had matured enough to a steady relationship.

"Yeah," Tony said, a smile showing on his face, when Steve blinked owlishly, clearly not expecting this to go so smoothly, "yeah, I will be your boyfriend again."

Needless to say, Steve had to call the reception and extend their stay.

***

"I missed this."

"I missed this too."

"My thighs are burning though. Is that normal?"

"Well, you did spread your legs a lot in the last twenty-four hours."

"Good thing I don't have to be anywhere today."

"It certainly is a good thing."

There was no rush. Only the two of them, kissing lazily and staying in each other arms, letting the hours pass on doing sweet nothings. There was a lot to discuss, but they wanted to stay in the moment, not worrying about facing the world and letting everyone know about their newly rekindled love once they would leave the hotel.

This was good.

"STEVE!"

"Uh," Steve didn't move from the bed, hoping that he misheard. Just Tony lifted his head from Steve's chest and looked at the door, hearing some ruckus in the hallway, confirming Steve's suspicions.

"STEVE!"

"Is that - " Tony didn't finish when more voices joined.

"Sir, I have to ask you to leave immediately!"

"STEVE, I KNOW YOU'RE HERE!"

"Security!"

"No, no, no, no need to call security, ma'am!"

"Oh God," Tony whined recognizing the second voice. Steve felt frozen, listening to the unfolding chaos.

"Ma'am, I am Colonel James Rhodey from the US Air Force, that man is Sergeant Barnes, he had lost his comrade on the front and is experiencing one of his flashback episodes -"

"What the hell are you talking about! STEVE, WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"Yes, yes, Steve, we are all looking for Steve! I am so sorry to disturb, I am gonna take him out -"

"Ow! The fu- Let me go, I am not crazy! STEVE, GET YOUR BUTT OUT HERE!"

The voices silenced with time and Steve and Tony stayed in bed, completely mortified.

"Uh, should we go after them?" Tony asked, turning to Steve.

"We have a paid room until tomorrow morning," Steve reminded and Tony looked amused at him. Well, he would call Rhodey later. Rhodey was his best friend, he would understand for sure. Unlike Bucky. Steve would have a lot of explaining to do.

"Since you put it like this," Tony smiled and let it go, turning around and going in for more kisses, Steve was eager to give. "So, seeing that we have some more time..."

"Yeah?" Steve encouraged, sliding his hands down and gripping Tony's wonderful ass, hoping that Tony would propose what he was thinking about. With Tony's restored confidence in his body, Steve could say with all honesty that their last make-out sessions were the best ones they ever had. And Tony looked damned appetizing and Steve just couldn't get enough of him.

Tony reached his hand to the side and grabbed something from the nightstand, which turned to be the hotel phone. "Let's order room service!" he smiled hungrily.

Steve laughed, realizing that except the overpriced snacks from the mini-fridge, they didn't eat anything to keep them fully sustained, and peanuts and miniature-sized candy bars were not a lot to keep them satiated. And if Tony wanted food, Steve wouldn't deny him any.

"Sure, let's order something," Steve smiled, leaning against the bed frame and watching his ex-husband, no, his boyfriend call room service to order every single item on the menu and a double portion of dessert, a wonderfully familiar feeling coming over him.

This was the way it was supposed to be always between them. This finally felt right.