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Everyone knows Steve Rogers doesn't date. Ever. He used to. There'd been a time when he freely shared his heart and love with people, hoping they would be The One. It always ended in heartbreak and eventually Steve decided he couldn't do it anymore. He would live his life without a romantic partner and he decided he would be content with having friends and a nice job. Clearly he wasn't meant to have more than that. He’s okay with it. Honestly.
Speaking of nice jobs, he’s ready to start at his new job as a graphic designer at Stark Industries. Pepper Potts herself had seen some of his art on Instagram and approached him with a job offer. Of course Steve had said yes. Everyone knew Stark Industries paid their employees well and that the benefits were excellent. So when their CEO personally asked you to work for them, you couldn’t exactly say no.
He enters the building and approaches the front desk where his employee badge is ready for him. Then Ms. Potts comes down to meet him for a tour around the building. She’s not alone.
“Good morning, Mr. Rogers,” she greets him. “Mr. Stark will be joining us on our tour. He likes to visit the different offices the company has. I hope you don’t mind?”
“Of course not,” Steve says, making sure to offer her and Mr. Stark a pleasant smile.
“Excellent,” Mr. Stark claps his hands together. “You should also really drop the formalities. So boring,” he says.
It’s brief but Steve catches Ms. Potts roll her eyes. Then Mr. Stark extends his hand and Steve shakes it.
“Seriously, call me Tony,” he says. “And you are? Because I am about to make so many Mr. Rogers jokes and it will be terrible for all of us.”
“I‘m Steve.”
“Steve. Solid name. Good. Good. I like it,” Tony says. “Pepper, dearest, the tour?”
“Yes, the tour,” Pepper says. “Do you think you can behave yourself?” Her voice is stern but she’s smiling.
“I make no promises,” Tony grins.
“Of course not,” Pepper says fondly. “Well, follow me gentlemen.”
The tour is mostly informative. Steve gets a good sense of the building, the other people who work there, and what is expected of him. Though Tony makes a lot of jokes, Steve can tell he takes the company seriously, especially the well-being of his employees. After the tour Steve has lunch with Pepper and Tony in a nearby restaurant.
“So tell us more about yourself?” Tony asks. He seems genuinely curious.
“I graduated from art school 6 years ago. I’ve done a lot of freelance stuff up until now. I have a dog called Biscuit. I spend most of my free time with my friends. I work out,” Steve says. He blushes a little. “I’m a pretty boring person, I guess.”
“No, no,” Tony says, “this is all very exciting. Though I might be a bit biased. Most of my days revolve around my 6-year-old, Peter, so any adult company is great. Also dogs are cool. Peter says so, so obviously it must be true. But, uh, no Mrs. or Mr. Rogers?”
“No,” Steve says awkwardly. “I don’t do romance.”
He’s pretty sure he shouldn’t tell his sort-of boss and his boss his sob story of terrible dates and relationships and heartbreaks. Luckily Pepper saves him from actually needing to do that.
“You can’t ask people that, Tony,” she scolds. “Especially not employees. I will make you attend another one of those courses.”
“Sorry,” Tony says sheepishly.
“It’s fine,” Steve reassures him. “So your son likes dogs?”
Tony launches into a story of the first time Peter met a dog and how he’s been begging to have his own dog for the past two years.
“But, anyway, I am trying to teach him that he can’t have everything he wants immediately just because we have money. Especially not things that are, you know, alive. Teach him responsibility or something. Plus with how often I travel for work it’s just not convenient,” Tony explains.
Steve nods. “That makes sense, yeah. Dogs need a lot of attention."
They chit chat some more. Pepper talks about an art gallery she visited recently, one Steve has been meaning to visit. Before they know it, all the food has been eaten and it’s time to get back to the office.
The rest of Steve’s first day passes by quickly. He gets assigned his first projects and gets to work.
Steve settles into the job with relative ease. He just works and enjoys himself. It’s an interesting challenge to work at an actual office and to switch his life to a more 9 to 5 routine. He doesn’t see Tony for another month or so. He doesn’t question why that’s so relevant to him, why he keeps hoping he will run into him again. The man is just his almost-boss. Nothing more.
After a month, he runs into Tony in the elevator when he’s just done with work. Tony’s got his kid with him who is babbling excitedly about a school project he did.
“Look, Peter, this is Steve. Steve has a dog,” Tony says when he spots Steve.
“Hi,” Steve greets them.
“Do you really have a dog, sir?” Peter asks.
“I do. She’s called Biscuit. Would you like to see a picture?”
Peter nods excitedly so Steve gets his phone out of his pocket and shows Peter a few photos. One he took the other day in the dog park, some of when Biscuit was a puppy, and one of her napping in the sunlight.
“Can I meet Biscuit?” Peter asks.
Steve makes eye contact with Tony. “Only if your dad says it’s okay?”
“Please. Please. Please,” Peter jumps up and down and tugs at Tony’s jacket.
"Well if you really don't mind," Tony says to Steve.
"I don't mind at all, I think Biscuit will like it," he says with a smile.
"Okay then," Tony says.
Peter shrieks with joy. They decide Peter might as well get to meet Biscuit now since Steve is done with work anyway and Tony has cleared his afternoon too.
They take Tony’s car to Steve’s apartment. It's a fancy car. It's definitely a lot fancier than taking the subway. During the car ride Peter chatters and bounces excitedly. Steve smiles at him fondly and catches Tony doing the same.
When they arrive at Steve’s apartment, Tony picks up Peter. They walk up the stairs to the third floor where Steve lives and Steve opens the door. Biscuit runs up to him immediately, happily wagging her tail. Tony puts down Peter with a reminder to be gentle and Peter greets Biscuit excitedly. Biscuit licks his face and Peter laughs joyfully.
Steve exchanges a look with Tony again, both of them smiling.
“You’ve made his week,” Tony says.
"I'm glad," Steve says.
He offers Tony a cup of coffee and they sit down on his couch while Peter continues to play with Biscuit.
"I'd been hoping to run into you again," Tony says after a while.
"You were?" Steve asks, surprised.
"Of course. You made an impression on me."
Steve’s cheeks heat up. "Oh. Wow," he says, feeling his heart skip a beat.
"I'd been wondering if I can take you on a date, get you to rethink your stance on romance?"
Steve wants to but he can’t. He likes Tony and he doesn’t want that to be ruined like dating so often kills his love for people. He doesn’t want to get his heart broken again. And it will. It always does.
"I'm sorry," Steve says softly. "I can't. I like you but I don’t think I can date anyone right now. But… I'd like to be friends, if you want to?"
"This is the gentlest way someone has ever turned me down," Tony mumbles. Then he smiles at Steve. "Of course we can be friends. I like spending time with you. So does Peter."
"I like spending time with you, too," Steve smiles.
Months go by during which Steve opens up to Tony about all his heartbreaks, about every insecurity he has. He opens up about all the highs and lows of his life. Everything that made him swear off romance.
Tony opens up about his own life, too, and they have so much fun together. Their friendship becomes deeper each time they see each other. Steve doesn’t think he has ever hung out with another friend as frequently as he spends time with Tony, not since leaving high school where he was forced to see people every day. With Tony no force is needed.
And then one day it hits him. He has fallen in love with Tony without trying to. Oh no. He's going to get his heart broken, even though they are just friends.
He calls Bucky in a panic.
"Buck. I'm in love with Tony and I don't know what to do," Steve rushes out the words.
"Ask him out," Bucky replies calmly.
"I can't," Steve says. "What if we break up? I can't lose him and Peter, they are everything to me."
"Can you watch him fall in love with someone else? Can you watch him move on?" Bucky asks.
The very thought of that stings. No.
"I can't," Steve says.
"I'm not saying it could never go wrong, pal, but you really like him and I think he's different. Didn't set off any alarm bells for me when I met him, at least, and you know I always get a bad feeling about your usual dates."
"I'm not sure I know how anymore," Steve admits.
"Just try it. Call him. Spend time together. Then tell him."
"Okay. Thank you," Steve says.
He says goodbye to Bucky, hangs up, and immediately texts Tony to ask him to hang out. He has to take this leap of faith.
After texting back and forth, they decide to meet up at Steve’s. He waits anxiously for Tony’s arrival, tapping his foot on the floor over and over while he stares at the door. When the doorbell finally rings, Steve nearly trips over himself to open it.
"Hi," he says a little breathlessly.
"Hi," Tony replies with a bright smile, immediately hugging Steve.
He follows Steve inside and they sit down on the couch. Biscuit curls up next to Tony, getting as close to him as Steve wants to be.
"So I have something I need to tell you," Steve says.
Tony’s eyes widen. "Are we friend-breaking up?" he asks.
"NO. No. No. Absolutely not," Steve quickly reassures him. "I just need to tell you that… that you made me rethink a lot of things. I've really fallen in love with you and if you are still open to dating me, then I'd really like to."
"Steve, I'd like nothing more," Tony says. He reaches out and takes Steve’s hand, squeezing it gently. "Are you sure?"
"Very sure. I know life has no guarantees but I know for a fact that not having you in it would make me miserable. I've never liked anyone this much," Steve says.
Tony leans in and kisses him. "I've fallen for you hard too. I figured if I could have your friendship, it was better than not having you around at all. But I'm so glad we can have more," he says.
Steve kisses him again.
"Wanna tell Peter?" Tony asks.
"Yes," Steve answers with a smile.
Peter is possibly even happier than the two men. He's been hoping he could keep Steve (and Biscuit) around forever and have them be part of his little family.
Sometimes love truly has a happy ending as Steve will discover over and over while he has Tony by his side.