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Steve extricates himself from the pool volleyball game, letting Sam take his place to keep the numbers even. He swims for the shallow end, where Tony sits on the edge sipping a drink.
“Hey, how are you doing?” Steve asks as he coasts the last few feet, causing as few ripples across the top as possible.
When he gets close enough, he lets his body sink so that he’s kneeling in front of Tony’s legs that are dangling in the pool. The water is shallow enough so that Steve’s head and the top of his chest are still above the surface.
“I’ve got the sun, a drink, and you in a speedo. What more could I want?” Tony replies with a grin. He waves his drink - something pale yellow, with maraschino cherries, ice, and an umbrella - that Nat had made him.
Steve pushes his dripping hair out of his eyes, smoothing it back.
“Not an answer,” Steve replies. “How are you?” he presses again. With Tony keeping his sunglasses on - completely logical with the glare of the sun - Steve needs more of a verbal answer.
“Fine, fine,” Tony says with a sigh. “Quit your worrying.”
There’s enough of a smile - a genuine one - that Steve’s shoulders relax.
“I worry because I care,” Steve retorts. He lightly grabs Tony’s ankles, checking to make sure the touch is okay, before he massages Tony’s skin.
Tony had been working his ‘thing’ as he calls it, with water. The chlorine smell from the pool helps Tony separate what happened in Afghanistan and what’s happening now. Having the Avengers around helps too, according to Tony.
Still, small steps. The fact that Tony is sitting right by the water with his feet in is huge, at least to Steve. Tony deserves a reward, Steve decides, and maybe a more positive association with water.
Steve lets his hands slowly slide up Tony’s calves, massaging as he goes.
“You want to know what I would do if we were alone right now?” Steve asks, pitching his voice low. He lets his fingertips drag more against Tony’s skin.
Tony grins, lifting his sunglasses off his face so Steve can see his bright brown eyes. “Steven Grant Rogers, where is your mind at?”
“On you,” Steve whispers, ducking his head closer to the water. He smirks up at Tony as his hands drift higher. “On leaning just a bit more forward. On letting you squirm, just a little, as you waited.”
“Wait for what, hm?” Tony asks, then taking a sip of his drink. Steve watches his throat bob. “What should I be so eager for?”
Steve grins. “Something slow. Something nice, something easy. Something tight and warm and wet,” Steve says, then blows a directed line of air at Tony’s groin. “Right there.”
Tony shifts, just a little, and Steve let’s his hands settle at the back of Tony’s knees. Steve leans over and kisses Tony’s skin, on his knee that rests just above the water.
“Not sure I like the sound of everything on that list,” Tony says, voice dropping.
“Oh, you’ll like it. I know you’ll like it,” Steve says with a dirty grin. “Make you beg for it, really. Draw it out, all afternoon.”
“That is not nice,” Tony replies, kicking Steve in the side.
Steve licks his lips and grins. “What, you don’t think it’s nice when I swallow you down and -”
Tony jerks back with a shout of warning, but Steve senses the movement. He rips his arm back to catch the volleyball thrown for his head before the ball hits him.
“I can hear you, old man,” Bucky calls out. “And I really don’t want to. Get a room!”
“Get your own pool,” Tony calls back. The ice in his drink clinks against the glass, and he sets it down and sits on his hands to disguise their shaking.
Steve whips the ball back at Bucky’s head, who merely laughs and catches it. He turns back to Tony, but Tony is already pulling himself out of the water.
“I need a refill,” Tony explains, sliding his shades back on his face. He gives Steve a small smile though. “And maybe a break,” he says honestly.
Steve nods in understanding, appreciating the honesty.
“Avenge my dignity,” Tony orders, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Wait, what?” Bucky yelps. He tries to duck behind Nat, out of Steve’s line of sight, but Sam simply dog piles on the both of them, sending them under.
Steve grins up at Tony. “I’ll continue that later,” he promises with a wink. Then Steve pushes off from the side of the pool to send him shooting back to the other side, where Bucky awaits retribution.
“I’m holding you to that!” Tony calls out after him.