Chapter Text
“Shit! Steve, did you do that thing!”
Steve sighed and rolled his eyes. “Yes. Tony. I sharpened the knives.”
“When's your mom s'posed to be here again?!”
“Tony, she said she'd arrive around 3. Relax,” he said patiently, putting the vacuum back in the closet.
“But it's her first time here, and I don't want her to think I'm making you live in a pig-sty—I want everything to look nice for her, and oh fuck the guest room!”
“ Tony . We did the guest room together . Yesterday .” He walked across the room to grab his lover on the way up the stairs to check the guest room. “It's. Fine.”
“But the flowers!”
“We didn't put the flowers out because they'd have wilted by the time she got here.”
“Right.”
“Tony. Breathe.”
Tony let out the air he was holding in and then sucked in more air.
“Let it out.”
He exhaled.
“Relax. It's just my mom. And if things are a mess, she'd be fine with it because we're two guys, and she knows I'm messy.”
“You're not messy,” Tony wailed. “You're just saying that because I'm messy, and I'll make her hate me, and—”
“Jesus. Is that what this is about? Tony .” Steve rolled his eyes and gathered Tony close to his chest.
“I just...”
Steve could feel Tony's hands fluttering at his sides. Nervous habit.
“I just want her to...to be impressed.”
“Oh she'll be plenty impressed. Trust me.”
“Yeah, but she...”
“Tony, you've already impressed my mom. You don't need to win her over again. She's not going to change her mind. She's a good judge of character,” Steve soothed, rubbing his hands over Tony's back, checking his watch over Tony's shoulder. “Why don't you go shower. It's almost noon, and that'll take time. Maybe we can make some lunch, get dinner started, and before we know it, she'll be here.”
Tony nodded against Steve's chest and then took a deep breath. “Join me for shower sex?”
Snorting, Steve smacked Tony's ass. “You're ridiculous. I showered earlier.”
Tony pulled back, grabbing Steve's wrists and grinning madly. “I'll do that thing you like. And it'll relax me.”
“You wheeler-dealer,” he laughed.
“C'mon!” Tony tugged him towards the stairs. “Let's go.”
Steve laughed and allowed himself be pulled up the stairs to the shower.
By the time Sarah got there, Tony was relaxed and in control again. She cooed over the house, certifiably impressed. “It's so big !”
“That's what she said,” Tony mouthed over his shoulder to Steve.
Steve retaliated by pinching Tony's ass and then smiling sweetly when his mom turned to him. After the tour, lead charmingly by Tony, they sat for drinks and then Tony served dinner (not quite as good as Sarah's—he was still learning, but still quite good). They talked for a while after dinner before showing Sarah to the guest room and settling into bed (at the opposite end of the house) themselves.
“See,” Steve yawned. “Nothing to worry about.”
“I know,” Tony said sleepily. “Just me. Worrying. 'Cause. You know. It's what I do.”
“Actually, it's not what you do.”
“What?” Tony blinked at him.
Steve smiled. “Tony. You were waiting all night for her to say it.”
“Say what?”
“Say how proud she is.” If it were a little lighter, Steve would be able to tell for sure if Tony was blushing.
“I was not.”
“ Tony . When she finally said it, you practically melted into the sofa you got so relaxed.”
“Shut up, Steve.” He pouted.
Steve kissed him. He was conditioned to the pout. “She's proud of us. She really is. She meant it.”
“I know,” Tony sighed. “I just... I didn't want to disappoint her.”
“She knows you're taking good care of me. Just like, hey, look at me. Just like she knows that I'm taking good care of you.”
“Huh?”
He chuckled in the dark. “I'm not the only one she worries about anymore. She loves you too.”
“What?”
“She likes to know that you're being taken care of too.”
“Oh.”
Steve let his arm drape limply around Tony's waist, waiting for him to continue.
“I love your mom.”
“Yeah. I know.” Steve grinned. “She loves you too. How did you miss what she said when she got here.”
“Remind me?”
“She said, 'there's my favourite boys!' You got a hug and a kiss on the cheek too.”
“I did, didn't I,” Tony said a little dreamily. “Imagine how happy she'll be when I ask you to marry me.”
“ You're asking me to marry you ?!”
“SHIT.”
“ TONY .”
“No I ruined it all!” Tony wailed.
Steve laughed and gave Tony a shove. “You idiot.”
“Stephen Rogers, will you marry me?” Tony's voice was low and serious.
He opened his mouth but the sound wouldn't come out, emotion locking up his voice.
“Steve?” Tony said quietly before repeating his name with a little panic.
Steve surged forward and sealed his mouth to Tony's, pulling him in tight.
“O-oh...” Tony said, dazed, when they separated.
“Yes,” Steve said breathlessly when he found he could. “Yes, yes, yes, yes yesyesyes!”
Laughing with relief, Tony sagged into him. “Oh. Good. Had me worried for a minute.”
“I couldn't speak,” Steve admitted.
“I have a ring. Can I get it in the morning?”
“Propose again in front of my mom. She'll be ecstatic.”
Tony laughed, rolling on top of him. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Steve sighed, heartbeat slowing gently as he held Tony and drifted off to sleep.
