Chapter 3
Steve had meant no aggression in the words, though he supposed it would have been warranted.
Tony’s dark eyes sparkled at Steve’s question, and the irritation grew in the pit of his stomach.
“Excellent question; what do I want? Well, I think I already told you, I'm going to figure you out, Rogers. And the fastest way to know someone, truly, is to know their limits. What gets under your skin? What will make you snap out of that cool facade?”
Steve just frowned. “‘Facade’? Maybe some people just don't care all that much about petty stuff. Would rather get along then fight for pride.”
Tony looked at him a moment, and the just burst out laughing.
Steve rolled his eyes.
“No I'm sorry - I'm-” He panted out another laugh, and then caught his breath. “Sorry - I bet you actually meant that.” His expression shifted slightly, something of a serious look in his eyes. “No it’s not about pride, though, it's called having boundaries. Boundaries keep people from impressing their will, and keep people from hurting you irreparably.”
Steve pressed his lips together in a feeble attempt to hide is surprise at the mood shift. “Well, so much for that flippant playboy, who knew you had a sincere side?”
Tony smirked. “I could show you another side if you're into that,” He said suggestively.
Steve rolled his eyes. Tony had to go and ruin it. “Really though, not everyone needs to be guarded like that.”
Tony dropped his roommates gaze. “That's what anyone who hasn't been hurt yet thinks.”
Steve clenched his jaw, looking away. “Right, there's no way anyone could just come back stronger from it.”
“Bingo! And you would know that how, Mister Open Book?” Despite his insensitive words and mustered attempt at a casual tone, Steve looked back up to find that deadly serious look had returned to his eyes.
He looked rather like a general who was trying to navigate a minefield, telling his soldiers he knew what he was doing when in fact he hadn't even known there was a minefield.
A brave attempt, and Steve didn't miss the look even as Tony quickly withdrew his gaze again.
A moment of silence passed between the two, before Steve spoke up. “Skeletons, I suppose. That was a long time ago, but my point stands.”
Tony just nodded, drawing his hands to his shoulders.
The two sat that way for a while - Steve watching Tony without even realizing it, as the raven stared off into space, occasionally shuddering - until they were interrupted by Janet’s return.
As soon as the doorknob turned, Tony was gone - the bed creaking as he situated himself on the top bunk - and their young roommate came into the room like a hurricane.
“You would not believe what I found out!” She exclaimed, a grin on her face as she sat on her bed across from Steve.
He raised his eyebrow as a signal for her to continue as she took off her shoes.
“I was just minding my own business, sitting my Psych 101 classroom waiting for Professor Xavier, when in walks none other than-”
“Natasha?” Tony interrupted from the top bunk.
Janet looked like she'd seen a ghost. “Yeah! How’d you know?” She asked excitedly.
“She told me,” The raven replied. “It's her major.”
Steve couldn't see the smug look on his inventor friends face, but he could practically hear it in his words.
“When did you two become so close? I thought she didn't like you.” Steve pointed out.
“I'm hurt,” Tony said flatly. “We were just talking on the way back from TE, which I think is her minor.”
“Unless she's double majoring in both.” Janet speculated.
Tony scoffed. “No way anyone could handle the paperwork, double majoring in two of the most complex and difficult courses the public education system has to offer. Not even her.”
Steve could hear him laying down as he spoke, as though there was no reason to continue this conversation further.
Steve rolled his eyes, unable or unwilling to pursue the issue further as well.
Janet shrugged, as if she didn't really care either, and pulled out her phone.
Steve picked his book back up and continued reading.
The four roommates drifted in and out of the room between classes, until around six when Steve was unpacking from his last class of the day.
He decided to go exploring outside of the campus, and see if anything (the little shops and bakeries) caught his eye.
The man wandered a while, before coming upon something that most definitely sparked his interest; it appeared to be a self-proclaimed old-fashioned diner.
In chalk on a sign out front, it read Daily Special: Homestyle Apple Pie.
And on another sign posted in the window, it called, Come on in! Travel back to the 1950s and relax a while! And below that; Free WiFi
Steve paused outside, and then decided what the heck and made his way inside.
It was pretty empty, soft music over the speaker accented by the sounds of about five people's silverware on porcelain dishes.
He eased his way into a barstool - they were bright red with silver legs, matching the general aesthetic in the diner - and looked around.
Posters hung, some of a woman with a red bandana, her arm in the shape of a bulky muscle, some of shiny cars, one was a black and white shot of a man and a boy, sitting in a diner quite like this one, the man speaking to the boy on the barstool beside him.
“What can I get for ya, sugar?” A woman with a faint southern accent addressed him from behind the counter, and he looked up.
She had her blond hair pinned up, brushed forward and curled back in the front with a red bandana tied around it.
Something about her dark eyes was hauntingly familiar, but Steve couldn't place it.
“Um, I'll have the special. Oh and a coffee, black.” He gave her a polite smile.
The woman nodded cheerily. “Comin’ right up.” And she went back around the divider between the kitchen and the restaurant.
Steve went back to examining the room.
The floor was checkered white and red, the fluorescent ceiling lights making the tiles shine.
Silver booths with red leather cushions lined the wall beside the door, opposite the bar.
He heard a soft clink and turned back to the bar to see his apple pie and the waitress, setting his coffee before him.
“One special, and one coffee. Black.” She smiled, as she set the dishes before him.
His gaze must have lingered a moment too long, because she looked away. “Have a nice meal.” She said, still rather cheerily, and then retreated.
Steve winced at his obliviousness. “You too, ma’am.” He called after her, turning to his pie.
He found their pie really did taste like it was homestyle, and decided to note the location of the dinky little diner.
Another place he found that interested him was in a strip mall about a quarter mile off-campus, a modest used book shop, called Parker's Palace.
He wandered inside, to see a man and a woman behind the counter looking over some notes, in what appeared to be an otherwise deserted shop.
The man looked up when he walked in, and gave a friendly smile. “Welcome to Parker's Palace, can I help you find anything?” After giving Steve a brief look, he came out to meet Steve and continued. “You're one of the college students, right? If you're here for textbooks, we are low on stock this time of year, but you can find them to the back left corner of the shop, under S for School.”
Steve gave a polite smile. “No I uh, just wanted to browse.” He wasn't even sure what had really drawn him into this odd little shop, and was about to walk away from the man when he heard a sharp gasp, and tiny footsteps.
“Are you Captain America?!” Asked an excited voice.
A small figure topped with a mop of light brown hair, coming up to about Steve’s waist hurried toward the blond, carrying a plastic Captain America shield.
“Captain America is the coolest!” He informed Steve, bouncing with excitement. “Someday, I’m gonna be as strong as him! I bet you already are,” He poked Steve’s bicep.
The man standing across from Steve gave a chuckle. “That’s right Petey, you sure are.” He ruffled the young boy’s hair before turning back to Steve. “My son, Peter. He’s pretty into history.”
Peter wrinkled up his nose. “Not history. Just Captain America! You know he was most of why we won World War Two - him and his howling commandos!”
Steve gave what he hoped came out as a lighthearted laugh. “Sure, they played a part, but so did all those soldiers who fought alongside them. And you know, he didn’t even get into the army when he first tried.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “No way! They wouldn’t turn away Captain America.” He crossed his arms indignantly.
Steve shrugged. “He had asthma. But you know why that’s important?”
Peter shook his head.
“You can never let what someone says stop you from doing what’s right. For Captain America, that was serving his country.” Steve gave a smile.
“He was a hero. I’m gonna be a hero, too.” He nodded, as if deciding that was definitely right, before taking off back into the bookstore.
His father smiled, watching him go.
When he turned his attention back to Steve, he was still smiling. “Where are my manners?” He extended a hand. “Richard Parker.”
Steve shook his hand. “Steve Rogers.”
Richard raised his eyebrows. “Steve Rogers? Interesting.”
“Named after the Captain, of course.” He added quickly.
Richard just nodded, a slightly disbelieving look on his face. “Of course.” He echoed. “Well, Steve, it was nice meeting you, and hope you enjoy your browsing.”
Steve gave him a nod, and the man returned to the counter.
Wandering around the bookstore was an easy way to pass time, getting lost in the familiar smell of books and the serenity of the quiet store.
A few people came and went, and what seemed like not long into being there, Steve glanced out the window to see the sun had gone down.
He pulled his phone out of his pocket to see it was nearly eight-thirty.
With a sigh, he made his way to the checkout counter; he’d found two books that caught his interest; Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of WWII’s Most Dramatic Mission, and Vietnam: A History.
Thinking about it, Steve knew he shouldn’t really be spending unnecessary money on books, but he couldn’t help it; he would just have to not buy more.
Richard and Peter were not at the counter when Steve checked out, so he simply smiled politely at the woman (likely Peter’s mother) who did scan and bag his books, and wish him a nice night as he left.
When he entered his dorm it was nearly nine, and it was quiet.
Natasha was on her bed, earbuds in and a book in her hand, and Janet was sitting at the desk, typing on her laptop.
Janet looked up, smiled and gave him a small wave when he walked in.
Steve looked up to his left, where Tony’s won top bunk was surprisingly empty.
The blond made his way to the living area, and found Tony sitting on the floor, his legs under the small coffee table, little pieces of technology scattered about it.
The raven looked up when Steve walked in, and in a dramatic gesture, bit his lip and winked, looking Steve over blatantly.
“Where you been, Apple Pie? It’s certainly past your bedtime I’d think.” He continued tinkering with what Steve now was pretty sure was a cellphone.
Steve rolled his eyes at that comment, settling down on the couch behind and next to Tony. “Bookstore.” He gestured at the mess of technology before him. “What are you doing?”
“Well, I’m trying to rig up my old phone so that… Basically so that I can use the internet for free.” Steve was appreciative of his friend’s choice not to explain exactly what he was doing, as it probably would have been over Steve’s head.
Still, he frowned. “Is that legal?”
Tony waved it off like this was an unnecessary question, instead turning the conversation back on Steve. “You spent, what, like three hours at a bookstore?”
Steve frowned. “Yeah, and?” He had gone to that diner first, but he figured that was richer teasing material than even the bookstore, so he didn’t mention it.
Tony turned around to look at him for a few moments, blinked a couple times, and then turned back to his work with a scoff. “Of course you would. You know you talked up about having nothing to figure out, but then…” He shook his head as if that sentence didn’t even need to be finished.
Steve crossed his arms. “I really don’t get what’s so interesting.” The blond was starting to get irritated with the constant inquiry. “I went to a bookstore. Is that so crazy beyond you?”
Tony whirled on Steve. “Yes, you, a 2016 living, smart-phone-carrying, gay-marriage-supporting, apple-pie-having, newspaper-reading millennial. And yet.” He shook his head.
Steve didn’t feel like this conversation was going anywhere, and stood.
As soon as he began to walk away though, he felt a solid smack! Right on his behind.
Steve reached down and grabbed the front of Tony’s shirt, lifting the raven from the ground about an inch, breathing hot air on his face.
“Oh, Captain my Captain!” Tony whispered dramatically, a smug look on his face, his eyes almost saying I dare you.
Steve thought about the girls in the next room over, and how this would look if one of them walked in.
The blond clenched his jaw, as Tony stared up at him defiantly.
Steve allowed a smirk to creep onto his face, and Tony seemed more alarmed by this than the scowl.
He gently set the raven back on the ground, and then sat back down on the floor this time, right next to Tony, so their thighs touched.
“Um, Steve, you’re blocking my light.” Tony didn’t look up.
“Oh, sorry.” He made sure to use Tony’s thigh as a support when he stood up, and felt the raven’s body tense.
Steve settled back into the couch behind and next to Tony, and picked his book up off the side table.
The dorm was quiet a long while, when Tony stood - paying Steve back in true form, using the blond’s thigh as support, and squeezing as he gave Steve a signature Stark smoulder.
Steve watched the raven go into the bedroom with narrow eyes. Where was this game taking them? Steve wasn’t sure he was willing to go there.
He moved from the couch to his own bed, where he lay down to continue reading.