( video; stark )

[inebriety]

[Tony and Loki staring at everyone with shiteating grins on this great fourth of July.]

We’re happy to present the American Eagle. Customized for this very celebration, Captain America’s birthday. It has many features. Note its colourful plumage and the fact that it can sing the national . . . anthem? I believe that is what it called. Though why a nation needs its own song, I know not.

[Tony rolling his eyes.]

Because God Bless America etc etc. Our great nation was created so we may all look upon those asses today.

And since I blessed it last year, I have come again to bless it once more. With this eagle and my continued presence to his ass.

[Presenting the burd. It starts to sing.



Tony meanwhile is taken aback.]

Wait what? When did you hit that? Which one?!

Comments

[livingsymbol]

I guess you could. You might not have as much fun as you think.

[Wait.]

The what me?

[inebriety]

He's got this shine to him that says he hasn't been in the business as long as you. So shiny Steve.

Unless you want to be shiny Steve, he can be nice Steve then.

[However they are getting side-tracked from something important.]

Are you dating horny Loki or not?

[livingsymbol]

Are you saying I'm not nice, then? Why can't we both just be Steve?

[Why do they have to have separate titles?]

Wait, "horny Loki"? Did you give everyone nicknames?

[inebriety]

Compared to him, yeah.

[And then continues on like he didn't just say Steve isn't nice.]

I have nicknames for everyone that has a doppelgänger, it saves the other person from having to clarify who I'm talking about. I'm trying out different names for Loki though, maybe greasy is better.

[livingsymbol]

You could come up with better nicknames than those.

[He isn't sure how much he appreciates being the not nice Steve or if the ones he's heard so far for Loki sit very well. He actively frowns at that last one.]

Tony. [That's a warning.] I appreciate the thought, but your names aren't really that flattering. Are you nicknaming yourself?

[inebriety]

Hey, that's nothing compared to 'guy who murdered my parents'. Doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily, but I don't talk to him much.

Anyway I'm pretty sure you all think of me as the drunk Tony so I'm being downright nice here.

[livingsymbol]

[Steve gives Tony a flat expression, serious and sincere as he meets his eyes.]

That isn't how I think of you.

[inebriety]

[Steve is really going to skip over that first part, huh?

Tony scoffs because he doesn't believe Steve.]

Oh, really? Then how come you still haven't answered my question? You're brushing me off by humouring me on other topics. That's painfully obvious and you only try that on someone you think is impaired.

[livingsymbol]

[ That isn't an argument that is any of his business as far as he's concerned. Tony is only waving it around to get a rise out of him and neither he or that Bucky care too much for Steve, so he's not about to answer an obvious bait that's personal between the two of them.

The heart of the issue is what he did answer. Tony's picking on others because he feels they don't respect him and Steve is honest when he says that isn't true. ]

Your first question? I'm not brushing you off, Tony. I didn't think it mattered that much to you. Honestly, I don't really know how to answer. Dating makes it sound...

[inebriety]

[Well that hurt more to hear than he thought it would. He knew it was coming the moment he wasn't getting a straight answer, but he didn't realise it'd be so upsetting.]

It doesn't, but it matters to you and we're supposed to be friends, right? It'd have been nice to hear that something good had happened to you.

[But this is Steve's birthday and he's not going to mess things up by being himself.]

It's a little late now, but congratulations.

[livingsymbol]

We are friends. You don't seem to like to talk about personal things, so I figured my personal business wouldn't interest you.

[Especially when he still doesn't know what to really say about Loki and him. Is that dating? Is it lasting? Nothing really feels lasting anymore. When he tries and fights and rages to keep what matters most to him, it ends up causing even more problems for everyone. Trying to get to know these other Avengers has really only managed to ever upset them. Steve clearly does not understand why Tony would want to know about who he hooked up with. Maybe because it's Loki?]

Thank you. I'm sorry, Tony. I guess I haven't really talked about it.

[inebriety]

[Come on, Steve. He overshares all the time. He wants to keep arguing this, but that's tipping his hand about how much this really bothers him.]

You should. [Jokingly, but not really.] Otherwise someone might end up thinking you're ashamed of him.

[livingsymbol]

[Steve doesn't feel like Tony has ever intentionally shared too much of his own past. Maybe that is a mark toward Tony's nature, making it seem so natural, or against Steve's, being so unaware of what is secret and important and what simply is. He tends to brush his life aside anyway, not seeing the need to burden others with it, and when he runs into conversations like this, he stumbles.]

I'm not ashamed. Of anyone. [Nice lack of personal name there, Tony.]

I would like you all to trust me. Eventually, if you can. And believe that I value your friendship as much as anyone I have ever met.