[Steve is slow in his appraisal of his new husband. He doesn't mean to be, doesn't mean to look at him so critically, but they've known each other hours and have to spend the rest of their lives together. He'd agreed to do this. That didn't mean he never wanted to meet Anthony before their union. They could have cultivated a relationship and found what they had in common. If anything, it could have smoothed the transition but there's nothing for it now. It's time they'll never get to have.
He's handsome. Dark haired and attractive. And he sounds intelligent. Possibly kind. Steve wasn't sure but it was enough to relax him the fraction it would take to sit back down. He crosses the room to sit in a chair, eyes still on his husband.]
The same to you.
[He was also not sure if Anthony was going to report back everything that happened between them. He'd have to be careful with his words and tone until he knew him better.]
You're not what I expected.
[Steve rests his hands on his lap and then stands again, unable to stay seated. He places his hands on his hips and eyes narrowed, watches the other for a reaction.]
Are you ready?
[He didn't want to do this. Sex, in his opinion, should mean more than what it did now. Tradition. The joining of two countries and families. Unfortunately, neither of them were allowed that privilege. Not unless they both decided to wait and agreed to keep it a secret.]
[ Scrutiny is something Anthony is used to. The appraisal from Steve means little to him as he finds himself constantly assessed and reassessed by those closest to him daily. He was the only child of his parents and so the weight of leadership had been thrust on him at a very early age.
He's not sure about this man. He knows what he's heard. Good and steadfast. Loyal. He hadn't heard about how handsome he was, but then he'd apparently been very sickly as a child. Was he still, or had the ill Queen received her miracle? He sits down in the chair that's next to the one that Steven chooses, and leans back.
It doesn't last long, though, and the other man is up again. He can't help the slightly incredulous laugh. ]
Eager wasn't something I pegged you for. [ He clears his throat and stands, arms crossing over his own chest. ]
Sure, if that's what you want. [ There, he said it. Report back to whoever the hell for all he cares. ] You can let me know if I'm wrong but the prince I met a very, very long time ago had these whims and notions and ---frankly, I thought he thought that this whole deal was archaic.
Cold.
I'll bite with that. Not with the idea that you're just not feeling it cause I don't tick any of your boxes cause I'm everyone's boxes.
[Steve's pacing stops, eyes narrowed on Anthony again. He doesn't like what he feels is a criticism, judgement on his behavior, but the rest of what is said strikes a chord. His mouth falls open as he really looks at his new husband.
Over the years, Steve has met so many people that a few were bound to slip through the cracks. He does his best, as it's his duty, but every now and then he forgets. This time, it's the number of years that it has been coupled with how young Steve was when they met, that contributed to the loss. But he remembers now.
He'd been eight or nine. Sick, again, but settled out in the royal gardens to get some fresh air. An older boy, closing in on adulthood, had found him there and they'd talked for hours. Steve had lamented the archaic traditions of their courts and how one day he'd have to marry, probably a stranger. It was the first and last time Steve had met anyone that understood him so quickly. Now that man was his husband.]
Tony? You're Tony from the gardens?
[He shakes his head and moves closer, tries to see the truth of it in Anthony's expression.]
I don't want any of this. I thought.. It's what we're supposed to do. I didn't know what you might say once we left this room.
[The union could be dissolved. Steve would loose his credibility and it would ruin the alliance his mother had worked so hard to obtain. There was a lot riding on their night together and Steve's real feelings weren't supposed to play a part in any of it.]
[ Anthony is quiet, waiting for the other man to piece it together and figure it out. If Steve is going to be extra sensitive about things, then this isn't going to work out. Biting sarcasm and sass is a heavy Stark trait.
He shrugs a little, humming through pressed lips, and sighs, reaching up and scratching the back of his neck anxiously. ]
That's me. Unless there's another Prince from by the sea that gave you shells cause you'd never seen it. In which case, I think I'm allowed to be a little jealous, so.
[ Cause snark is a way to deal with this right? He sighs. ]
Look, nobody outside of this room knows what happens. They know what we say. If we say it happened, then it happened. We don't even have to cuddle if you don't want, and while we're on the subject of words that might get said: I don't know what you'd say either.
This isn't going to work if we don't trust each other.
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no subject
He's handsome. Dark haired and attractive. And he sounds intelligent. Possibly kind. Steve wasn't sure but it was enough to relax him the fraction it would take to sit back down. He crosses the room to sit in a chair, eyes still on his husband.]
The same to you.
[He was also not sure if Anthony was going to report back everything that happened between them. He'd have to be careful with his words and tone until he knew him better.]
You're not what I expected.
[Steve rests his hands on his lap and then stands again, unable to stay seated. He places his hands on his hips and eyes narrowed, watches the other for a reaction.]
Are you ready?
[He didn't want to do this. Sex, in his opinion, should mean more than what it did now. Tradition. The joining of two countries and families. Unfortunately, neither of them were allowed that privilege. Not unless they both decided to wait and agreed to keep it a secret.]
no subject
He's not sure about this man. He knows what he's heard. Good and steadfast. Loyal. He hadn't heard about how handsome he was, but then he'd apparently been very sickly as a child. Was he still, or had the ill Queen received her miracle? He sits down in the chair that's next to the one that Steven chooses, and leans back.
It doesn't last long, though, and the other man is up again. He can't help the slightly incredulous laugh. ]
Eager wasn't something I pegged you for. [ He clears his throat and stands, arms crossing over his own chest. ]
Sure, if that's what you want. [ There, he said it. Report back to whoever the hell for all he cares. ] You can let me know if I'm wrong but the prince I met a very, very long time ago had these whims and notions and ---frankly, I thought he thought that this whole deal was archaic.
Cold.
I'll bite with that. Not with the idea that you're just not feeling it cause I don't tick any of your boxes cause I'm everyone's boxes.
no subject
[Steve's pacing stops, eyes narrowed on Anthony again. He doesn't like what he feels is a criticism, judgement on his behavior, but the rest of what is said strikes a chord. His mouth falls open as he really looks at his new husband.
Over the years, Steve has met so many people that a few were bound to slip through the cracks. He does his best, as it's his duty, but every now and then he forgets. This time, it's the number of years that it has been coupled with how young Steve was when they met, that contributed to the loss. But he remembers now.
He'd been eight or nine. Sick, again, but settled out in the royal gardens to get some fresh air. An older boy, closing in on adulthood, had found him there and they'd talked for hours. Steve had lamented the archaic traditions of their courts and how one day he'd have to marry, probably a stranger. It was the first and last time Steve had met anyone that understood him so quickly. Now that man was his husband.]
Tony? You're Tony from the gardens?
[He shakes his head and moves closer, tries to see the truth of it in Anthony's expression.]
I don't want any of this. I thought.. It's what we're supposed to do. I didn't know what you might say once we left this room.
[The union could be dissolved. Steve would loose his credibility and it would ruin the alliance his mother had worked so hard to obtain. There was a lot riding on their night together and Steve's real feelings weren't supposed to play a part in any of it.]
no subject
He shrugs a little, humming through pressed lips, and sighs, reaching up and scratching the back of his neck anxiously. ]
That's me. Unless there's another Prince from by the sea that gave you shells cause you'd never seen it. In which case, I think I'm allowed to be a little jealous, so.
[ Cause snark is a way to deal with this right? He sighs. ]
Look, nobody outside of this room knows what happens. They know what we say. If we say it happened, then it happened. We don't even have to cuddle if you don't want, and while we're on the subject of words that might get said: I don't know what you'd say either.
This isn't going to work if we don't trust each other.