My Stony Rec List

Howard's daughter drives her nuts.

“You know,” Tony mumbles, because Tony never stops talking. “When you say shit like - like that, it’s… It’s hard.” His voice is slurred now, his eyes closed, as if he’s not even sure he’s still saying anything aloud. “Because I know I should believe you, but I – I wanna believe it so bad, so fucking much, that it feels like I shouldn’t. Like, the second I believe it, the other shoe’s gonna drop, and you’re gonna find out you don’t mean it.”

-

Tony drives off.

Well, he wants to.

But he can’t.

Because.

Steve Rogers is in front of his car.

Dummy is not the only one with a secret photo album. Or: JARVIS watches Dummy watching Tony and Steve.

(When JARVIS finds out about the content of DUM-E's Special Memories collection, he decides not to tell Sir. Instead there's a "DUM-E-watching-Sir-and-Captain-Rogers" folder stored deep within JARVIS' servers now. He likes keeping tabs on all his charges, after all.)

Iron Man is a vigilante, mercenary and murderer. He is also, quite clearly, Tony Stark; even if the authorities can't make it stick.

Peter Parker is nearly four, dying, and Iron Man's biggest fan.

Steve has reigned as king for ten years, and in a few days peace will finally come to his kingdom. Representatives of the Kree Empire are soon to arrive for the negotiations that will end the war between them once and for all. Steve is looking forward to settling down, with his hand-picked Avengers at his side -- led, of course, by the masked knight Iron Man -- and also his trusted advisors, the most beloved of whom is Tony, his court magician, the most powerful mage in all the land.

Steve has always believed that a soulbond is a blessing -- a rare and beautiful miracle, joining the thoughts and feelings of two people forever, from the first time they touch. Steve knows he's not going to be one of the lucky ones. He knows Gail isn't his soulmate. But he loves her, even if they're not soulmates, and he's going to do right by her. After the war's over, he's going to marry her, and they're going to settle down. They'll buy a house. They'll have children. He'll see his family again. Maybe Bucky will live next door. It's going to be a good life. He doesn't need a soulbond. He'll be fine without one.

Then Steve wakes up sixty years in the future to find that his wonderful life has moved on without him. His family is long dead. His fiancée married his best friend. And the only purpose he has left is leading the Ultimates, a misbegotten team of superheroes with flaws too numerous to count. Steve hates everything about the future -- but most of all he detests Tony, flashy and flirtatious, who embodies everything Steve hates about a world he never wanted to live in.

Steve's not sure if he'll ever understand Tony Stark, but it's good, living here. If he still wakes up sometimes convinced this was all a dream, well, it's better than it was before, and that's something, isn't it?

“Mr….Mr. Stark?” the man asked, shaking his head as if to clear it, grip convulsing spasmodically on Tony’s hand.

“That’s me,” Tony responded gruffly. Of course the man recognized him. His face had been everywhere before the whole Iron Man thing and now…well, now…so yeah, totally understandable. Guy was probably thinking of his lawyer’s speed dial number. “Look, ambulance is on its way, okay, so just sit tight. You’re going to be fine.”

“I—I think I missed my date,” the blond man said. And promptly passed out.

Or, how Tony accidentally kidnapped Captain America and then wanted to keep him.