st_arkravinghazelnut | Stars, Stripes, and Iron

Tony Stark was not a religious man, which would come as a surprise to approximately no one. The offerings of The Temple were for strict documentation purposes in his endeavor to map the hotel to his internal database, but he found himself sticking around for the aesthetics. He was a seasoned traveler, so much so that that novelty of the unique worldly sights had long since worn out. But being trapped in a singular hotel for over a month with nothing but the kitschy aesthetic or woods or desert in any given direction to look at, the dignified sanctity of The Temple wasn't an unwelcome sight.

Tony wiped a bit of sweat from his brow and sought shade in shadows of the interior. Summer, late as it was, was staying out its welcome. He unzipped his loose sweater and cinched it around his waist. Many more days of not operating on a caloric deficit and he hoped he didn't feel the need to carry around another layer wherever he went.

Taking a swig off his water bottle, Tony wandered the common area. The first thing to catch his eye were the Memorials erected. Ever curious, he wandered closer and inspected the plaques--names of people who had "checked out?" Interesting. He leaned in, taking a note of each name via the scanning function of his nanoparticle composite glasses.

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That cold fury dissipated at Steve's admission, but only slightly. "You thought you were shielding me somehow. Right?"

The question was rhetorical. He could recount Steve's final letter word-for-word.

"That's--that's what you do best. So good they named a damned organization with its hooks in every world power after you. Rogers--look. When I got the truth out of you, it ended with me on the ground and you absconding with Barnes to god-knows-where. That's not what the world needs."

"No. It's not what the world needs, and it's certainly not what we need right now. You and I are in this together, and," Steve couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle that was more stress relief than amusement. "Thank God we are. There isn't anyone in the world I'd rather be trapped in this place with than you." Tony could figure a way out of this place. If anyone could do it, Tony could.

They'd been partners on the team. Tony was the brains of the operation--him and Bruce together. Steve may have had a few leadership skills, but when it came to solving problems, that's where Tony's strengths lay.

"So tell me what I have to do to start making things right between us again."

Tony turned his head away on reflex at Steve's proclamation and then let it fall well back to suck a breath in through his teeth. Was he going soft in his years? If this had been five years prior he would have laughed in Steve's face out of sheer indignation and concempt for the man's relentless selflessness.

"Where I'm from? Jury's out. Where you're headed? There's hope. Hence why I'm bothering at all." He let his chin fall to level a look at the taller man. "Trust me. That's what I need."

His throat suddenly clenched as the next words entered his head. The devil on his shoulder held his pitchfork to his tongue, refusing to let Tony say them, but he spat it out.

"I need you."

Well, at least that wasn't a no, or a get out. There was still room for their friendship, and that was all Steve could hope for. He wanted them to be okay, wanted them to work together. Actually, more than anything, he wanted Tony to understand that it wasn't Bucky who did those horrible things. It was Hydra. It was the monsters who kidnapped him, mutilated him, manipulated him, and weaponized him.

Baby steps.

"I do. I trust you." Steve nodded, meeting Tony's eyes. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." Even if he had a choice, he wouldn't.

"Yeah. None of us are. Hence the rub." Tony took a slow step forward, then another. Part of him couldn't believe that Steve Rogers was here--that he was tangible.

That they had a second chance.

He extended his hand. "Captain."

Steve reached forward to clap his hand into Tony's. It felt good to shake his friend's hand.

"Stark." He said, then broke into a little smile. For the first time since arriving to this place, he was starting to feel like this was home.

As Tony brought his hand back, his elbow brushed against his pocket, reminded of the weight of Rogers' parting gift. His hand twitched, tempted to return it to the man before him, but it remained still. After all, this wasn't the same man who gave it to him.

And that was for the best. It had to be.

"Lunch?" Tony shrugged, breaking the moment of silence in the peaceful temple. "On me."

"Lunch sounds great." Steve smiled over at Tony. It was a soft, tentative smile. He was hopeful that they'd get back to the way things were. Or maybe they could be even better friends. Steve didn't want to have secrets anymore. They had to work together, to trust one another.

"Lead the way." He said, and then turned to follow his friend to the dining hall.

Stars, Stripes, and Iron

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