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I was afraid you'd say that.

[ but he'd noticed it too. ]

You think she's listening now?

Oh I'm sure she is. [Which clearly pisses Steve off. He goes on a rant as a result. If there's one thing he's good at it's doubling down when something truly makes him mad.] I don't care. I'll bite my tongue with the others, but she's not going to make me lie to my teammate's face to spare her feelings. She screwed over Earth, Tony. She tooks its best defender away just when we started making progress on cooling things down. Now I can't be sure what's going to happen without you there to find a way to cut the wire when the next threat comes.

[ woah caps is mad. it's kinda cute. ]

I know you're not talking about yourself in the third— oh.

[ steve thinks he's the earth's greatest defense? something a little bewildered and raw enters his gaze and he's pulling out his cellphone to type a message. if this whole place is bugged, they can find ways to communicate she can't catch onto. he'll get more clever going forward, for now this seems safe. ]

Not lying. But we can use it to feed her false info. Capiche?

[ he lifts his eyebrows as he shows steve the screen, low enough that if there are cameras they shouldn't be able to pick up the message. ]

You've been here for weeks, but you haven't been gone. It's gonna be the same for me. We're gonna get home before the toast, okay? Promise. [ he reaches up with his free hand to tap steve on the cheek affectionately. ]

[He nods in agreement. Steve will play along as needed. He knows Tony will come up with a safe way for them to talk sooner rather than later. He just has to be patient. That doesn't erase his very plain concern even if he didn't outright say it.] I hope you're right. I'm worried about them. I don't mind helping people. You know that. I don't like that it comes at the expense of our own.

[ steve is looking to him to fix this, he trusts him to. he covers over the fear in his gaze and picks up his flower crown off the ground. what? it might be useful for something. ]

You live in there? [ he puts his phone back in his pocket and points ahead to the temple. ]

[He follows Tony's finger to the temple and nods.] Yeah I've got a room. [Finally something clicks in his brain. All that stuff he woke up with.....] .... With your stuff. And robot children. Be slower on the uptake, Rogers.

[He murmurs to himself as he starts to speed walk towards the place. Another thing is hitting him.] I probably shouldn't have left the kids for so long, huh? I'm a terrible babysitter.

[ with his stuff? what is- ]

Robot children?!

[ he's following after at a slightly slower pace. he's not getting winded in front of cap day one!!! ]

The ones with the funny names. [Steve explains. It takes a second for him to pull it up in his head.] Dum-E and U?

Those morons? You'll be lucky if you still have a room by the time we get there.

[ tony rolls his eyes, but inside he's panicking. what are they doing here?? and more importantly, why are they in steve's room? ]

I wasn't supposed to be gone for long! [Steve argues as he's gonna jog on over. Sorry not sorry. Catch up with him, old man. He's got places to be.]

[ wow steve is... really taking this seriously. he could almost laugh. he's winded by the time they get to the room (goddamnit) but at least he didn't have time to get too spun up about the weird faceless guys.

the second steve is inside the room, dum-e is whirring excitedly like he's glad to see him. u sways back and forth, more sedate but just as "happy." but when he sees tony he really gets pumped, reaching out to touch his pincher against the man's face. ]

Watch it, that's cold. [ tony gripes even as he pats the front of each bot, a frown creasing his face as he tries to work it out. he doesn't have time to work that out because the next thing he sees are the beds. two, identical, headboard against headboard. um... ] Now I know I'm being Punk'd. Ashton, come on, I thought we were friends.

[ there is way too much to process here. just... give him a minute. ]

[Steve is relieved to see his room, however bare it is, in one piece. The reunion is a sweet one even if he gets the impression Tony is overwhelmed. Steve opts for a seat on one of those beds to wait him out.] You okay?

What? Oh yeah, never better.

[ he's just going to take the time to wander around the room, get his bearings. two desks, two beds, two dressers, two robots. that's pretty much it. it's almost barren otherwise. ]

Do you want to give me a hand? Think there's an empty room across the hall?

[ not that he likes the idea of staying here at all, but in the short term there doesn't seem to be much choice. ]

[Steve doesn't even try to hide his judgy face from Tony. He seriously can't believe the man is suggesting that. Normally he's the one with the dumb ideas about doing things alone. Clearly he's serious so Steve needs to hit him over the head with logic.] You think separating is a good idea?

[Even his tone is judgy.]

[ does he think it's a good idea...? judgment, meet confusion. ]

Wait. You want me to stay here? [ u gives out a protesting little trill. ] Us. The adults are talking! Jesus Christ... fine, fine. You want us to stay here, with you? Roomies.

[ of course he doesn't think separating is a good idea, but he never in a million years considered that steve would want to dorm it up with him. ]

[He's going to look from the kids to Tony. Wow they really are like actual children. It never ceases to amaze him.] I'm willing to take in the children too.

[Just so everyone is on the same page. Steve quickly gets serious and lets out a sigh of frustration.] Yes, Tony. Between the two of us, we have issues getting attacked where we sleep. You've had your house destroyed once. An alien strolled into your building like he owned the place and launched an invasion from there. I've gotten the only apartment I ever rented by myself shot up. We clearly need to stick together if we plan on surviving for that toast.

[ steve does have a point there. he nods, going to slump onto what he assumes is "his" bed. he really didn't want to move furniture after all that anyway. ]

So this is a tactical move. [ that makes a lot more sense - and is a lot easier to agree to. ]

[He nods even if the suggestion doesn't seem quite right. Steve doesn't know how to explain he doesn't mind rooming with Tony in a way that doesn't sound weird or random.] We're stronger together.

I snore. [ the only warning steve will get. it's not entirely literal, but it does belie his worry about annoying the other man with his presence. (he also occasionally does snore, for real.) ]

[Steve grimaces. He guesses he owes Tony a warning about this.] I don't sleep peacefully too often. I wouldn't recommend touching me after I do fall asleep.

Why would I touch you after you fall asleep?

[ it's instant, he wants to take it back. but he doesn't. so steve has dreams too, he supposes that tracks. it makes tony's seem smaller by comparison, less earned. he worries his lip. ]

I don't really snore. Or sleep. Sorry in advance for keeping you up, 'cause I will.

[Steve stares at him. He think it's obvious. Maybe the question has him a little defensive.] In case you needed to wake me up for an emergency. I can sleep through bombs, but I jump when someone touches me. Go figure.

Are you saying you can sleep through actual bombs? Because that would be super inconvenient.

From a certain distance. [Steve explains like that's totally reasonable.]

[ oh... uh. he's serious, isn't he? ]

Cool. I won't touch you.

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