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Tony was exhausted, the board had been eating him alive, and to say that the whole coming out thing was going well was- a blatant and nasty lie. It was totally worth it for the way Steve lit up when they watched the interviews, or the way Steve kissed Tony, right there in front of pretty much the whole world.
Being loved so blatantly and completely, made up for a lot. But it didn’t make the long days any shorter or the people that seemed hell bent on stressing him into an early grave any less annoying. Tony rolled his shoulders, and loosened the tie. He was fighting the good fight. Pink shirt, rainbow tie, trans pride and intersexed pride buttons on his lapels... Fuck it was hard not hiding. He knew it was supposed to be freeing and liberating and- all that shit. Freeing and Liberating had been designing a fake flesh and nerve relay that was insertable and looked, acted and reacted exactly like a cis male’s cock over his little cock. It had let him bang pretty much anyone he wanted- and had stood up to the blowjob test no few times. No one ever would have known he was born intersexed. Howard had him ID’d male at birth, and had fought to keep it that way. Literally the only thing that old bastard had done for him.
And here Tony was pissing on it. No, unfair. Tony sighed and banged his head on the wall of the elevator. He wanted a drink so badly it hurt. Literally. It hurt, right there in his liver. Ugh. He didn’t know if he could do a smile when he got home. Steve deserved a smile... but Tony had only come out for Steve so- your mileage may vary. The elevator dinged open, and Tony slumped through the door. Maybe if he looked pathetic enough Steve might have mercy on him and let him have some not-whiskey. It wasn’t alcoholic but it at least had the TASTE he craved.
Tony dragged his eyes up, staring at how Steve was shifting like a school boy caught being naughty, hands behind his back. Tony’s brow quirked up and he was quite literally too tired to self edit. “If it’s a puppy, you better plan to do all the walkies and training because no.” He says, and Steve flushes, but only says “Not a puppy.”
Tony eyes him, and the shifting weight is bouncing from point to point faster. “Okay, whatever it is, I promise to only rag on you like, five minutes tops, just show me already. You’re making me nervous for you.” Steve looked him over then, was thrusting-
“You seriously got me flowers?” Tony asked, half incredulous. They were- kinda pretty. Also kinda hideous. They clashed.
“They’re a meaning bouquet- these red ones are Amaryllis. They mean worth beyond beauty. Bird of Paradice, joyfulness, wonder, enthusiasm and zest for life. The Daffodil means rebirth and new begining and there are four so that they also mean joy and happiness. The lavender in between them means admiration, and the white heather on the sides means protection and wishes will come true. The sunflowers- mean adoration and dedication, as well as consistent love. The red roses, well.” he shrugs a little, and Tony takes it all in. “Did you really research all of that- to give me an intersexed pride circle in the middle of my old arc reactor... in the middle of my suit of armor... and have me maybe not see the pattern after like, two seconds? Because you got me a red and golden yellow bouquet with a purple and yellow ring in the middle surrounded by bright white. It’s not subtle.”
Steve grinned a little and then pushed the flowers at Tony. “wasn’t meant to be.” Tony laughed, rolling his eyes and taking the flowers only to have his brow furrow. “Wait-“ He shifted the stems and frowned, pulling out- “Really?” He half shoved the bouquet back to the grinning man he loved, who should be ashamed this was just- ridiculous. Really?
Tony totally blamed his shaking hands on his long day as he opened the ring box. All thoughts of being tired, of anything but that they were going to get married, were gone, as Steve slipped the ring onto his hand and kissed him.
Yeah. It was all worth it.