#tasha giving steve pointers to shower tony with affection

[naferty]

Please, I'm begging you, what happens after tony flies away from Steve in the twins au?? How can they recover from that?

Steve is left standing alone as he watches Tony fly further and further away, unable to find the wordings to call the genius back. Not that he thought Tony would even come back. After the outburst and confession Tony just gave, Steve had no doubt the last person Tony wants to talk to is him. 

Steve kicks at a pebble on the pavement absentmindedly. What now? If he tried to talk to Tony the genius would just run away. He might even make it worse by pushing and pushing, but if he doesn’t do anything then it will get worse as Tony will likely spend the time convincing himself he’s done right and the damage will become irreversible.

Steve meant it when he said he wanted Tony. So confident and sure about it. So much so he thought Tony himself was reassured about their relationship. Their very brief relationship. He didn’t think twice when he admitted to the genius about his previous affection for his sister. He thought they were past the awkwardness that was ‘dating even though Steve once had feelings for Tasha’ and Tony had been okay with it. 

Turns out, Tony didn’t even know. 

If Steve had known how hurt Tony would be from it, he would have never told him anything. But then, what kind of person would that make Steve? 

A misguided one. 

With no other options, he made his way to the source of all this. Tasha. If anyone could talk to Tony, it would be his older sis. The two were close like peas in a pod, cut from the same fabric, thick as thieves, and from the mischief the two are able to get to, that last description is very accurate. 

And just like Steve, she’s guilty of withholding information. She knew they had been dates, Steve knows she did, but she decided to act oblivious in order to let him down easy and somewhere along the way she thought adding in Tony to the equation had been a good idea. 

It was, Steve will say. At the time it felt disrespectful, but once Steve got Tasha was not, in fact, going to return his affection, he settled in and watched as the siblings showed what they’re best known for. A well-oiled machine with a dash of sarcasm that would put Deadpool to shame. And a side of Tony Steve had never seen. 

After a while, Steve had looked forward to Tony joining them until one day Steve decided to just skip asking Tasha and instead ask Tony. He thought it’d be a bit awkward at first without Tasha, but no. Tony kept all manner of conversation going smoothly. There was hardly any moment of pause. And it had been fun. So much so that Steve didn’t want it to end. 

It hadn’t been until the next day that Steve realized… it had felt like a date. Exactly what Steve had wanted when he asked Tasha. Only, it ended with Tony instead. 

Were they dating now? Was Steve interested in Tony? 

The simple answer; yes. 

The complication; they didn’t know it. Not at first.

Now. Steve wants Tony, but Tony won’t believe him. Will he believe Tasha if she explained? Steve can only hope. 

He found her in Stark tower. Usually where either twin is always located. Can’t find one? Always check there first. Almost a guarantee they’ll be there out of class time. They’ll be in their lab working nonstop on projects, but Steve found her sitting alone, no project, no goggles, and no tools in hand. Just alone staring at nothing on the table. Head in her hands. 

“Tash?” he calls to her. 

“Tony is in his lab,” she says without prompting. Starks are geniuses. It’s only natural she knows why he’s there. 

“Will he talk to me?” 

A beat of silence. “No.” 

“He thinks I don’t want him.” 

She sighs. “Yeah, I figured.” She lifts her head and looks at him. “What did he say?” 

“I settled for him.” The words feel wrong on his tongue. Like poison. He can’t imagine how Tony feels when he said them. 

“What else?” 

Steve shakes his head. Tony admitted a lot in a moment of vulnerability. His feelings and beliefs. Steve won’t repeat those. Not to his sister. Not to anyone. “Not my words to tell. He’s - he’s hurting though. A lot. Because of me and you.” 

She rubs her forehead. “Yeah. That’s been our life for the longest time. I get all I want and he gets hurt because of me -” 

“You don’t have to tell me.” 

“No, you have to hear it. If you’re serious about Tony you need to know.” She invites him over to sit next to him. “Tony and I - to the world, it looks like we’ve been equals our whole lives. We share the company. The tower. The Iron armor. Everything, but it’s far from the truth. I grew up expecting everything. Tony grew up expecting nothing.” 

Steve frowns. That doesn’t make sense. How can twins grow up in the same environment expecting different? 

“Because of Howard. From the start, he’s treated us differently. For some damn reason, he valued me more and dumped what little was left on Tony, if there was anything left on that drunk asshole. I never knew. I could ask for anything and I always got it. Tony could barely ask for gloves. Gloves without holes if he was lucky enough.” 

Tony’s trail of thought now made sense. His insecurity and distrust didn’t just stem from one simple relationship admission. It started in childhood. Trauma. Resentment. Insecurity.

Loneliness. 

All thanks to the man that’s supposed to be their rock for protection and love. 

“I can tell you our whole life story, Steve. About me being a grade-A bitch, Tony’s injuries, Howard’s selfishness, but it won’t get you any closer to Tony. You need to hear it from him, if he ever wants to tell you. What we need to do right now is figure out how to convince him,” she slams her fist on the table. “Howard is in his head. We need to get him out.”

“I already tried to explain. He won’t believe me. What else can I do?” 

“Show him. Think of something that will prove it. Don’t go too big, though. Tony’s never liked show-offs. Small things that mean the most to him. Small things that you can do every day.” Tasha’s eyes go wide. “Jarvis! Write this down.” 

“Of course, Ma’am,” came Jarvis’ electronic voice. 

“You ready, Steve?” 

Steve nods. Slow and serious. Ready as he’ll ever be. He’ll get Tony to believe him. No matter how long it takes. 

Wish him a good morning every day

Buy him coffee

Get him chocolates

Leave him notes on his books

Text him - the sappier the text the better

Bring him lunch - burgers preferably

Thank him for all his hard work around campus

Tell him how smart he is

Compliment his smiles

Laugh at every joke - no matter how cringy

Paint him stuff when you have time - Tony doesn’t admit it, but he actually likes paintings a lot

Hug him every chance you get - careful of his chest

Steal his jacket and wear it - assert dominance

Invite him to places you go

Tony doesn’t like long walks - take him on your bike - long bike rides

Ask him to dance - make him laugh while dancing - your old dance should work!

Can’t go wrong with flowers

Ask him about his day - projects too - ask about Dummy and U

Tell him he is hot - don’t point out a specific body part - let him know all of him is hot - if you mention his ass I will kill you

Thank him when he gives you things - kiss his forehead if he resists the thank yous

Hold his hand - ask him to hold something when he resists and make your move then

Don’t mention sister - not so early - let Tony gain confidence again

When the time is right tell him it’s him and only him

If you decide to pick a ring you better take me with you - not that I’ll let you right now - it’s too early! 

One day tell him you love him