Inell's Fanfiction Archive

Dress casual. That’s all Clint had said earlier when Steve asked what he should wear for their date. Casual, it turns out, is a pretty broad description. Steve isn’t sure if it means a nice pair of khakis and pullover shirt or jeans and a t-shirt. He finally decides on jeans and a pullover, since it mixes up both of his options. Clint’s more of a jeans kind of guy, so that’s probably what he means by casual. It feels a little strange to be wearing something so informal for a first date, but he thinks it’s probably more comfortable than a suit, so he can’t complain.

It’s still a little early, since they aren’t meeting until seven, but he doesn’t want to risk being late, so he’s already taken his shower, found something to wear, and brushed his hair. He’s not sure if he should wear cologne or not, because it’s not something he generally wears but it seems to be appropriate for a date. He’s still debating that choice when he hears a knock on his door. “Come in.”

When Bruce enters the room looking sheepish, Steve’s somewhat surprised. He’d figured Tony would be the one to drop in to give him the pre-date speech, if one of them actually bothered with it. Bruce is probably the last one he’d expect, other than Thor. Bruce doesn’t seem uncomfortable, but there’s some awkwardness there. “Hey, Steve, how’s it going?”

“Did you get the short straw?” He sits on the end of the bed and stares at Bruce. It’s nice that his teammates care, and he knows they mean well, but sometimes it’s like they forget he’s a grown man who fought in a war. He might not know all the modern stuff, especially the pop culture things that Tony seems to find fascinating, but he’s picking things up pretty quickly. Sure, he’s never had a real romantic relationship and having feelings for another man is something new, but he’s pretty sure that happens to people everywhere, every day, so he isn’t all that special.

“Actually, rock, paper, scissors.” Bruce shrugs a shoulder. “It’s okay. I threw the round because the last thing you needed was Tony checking on you about this. Pepper’s taking care of Clint, since we decided Nat’s too close to be objective about anything.” He sits on the other side of the bed and smiles. “So, dating.”

“First date. Clint told me to dress casual.” Steve motions at himself. “I thought this would be good.”

Bruce nods. “Seems casual without looking like you wandered in from a thrift store. I think it should work.”

“I’m not planning on hurting him, if that’s part of this conversation.”

“It’s actually not. We all agreed that there’s no real risk of that, not intentionally, at least. Accidental hurting is excused since it can’t be controlled.”

“Be sure to tell Natasha that. I don’t foresee it being a problem, but I’d rather not find myself on her bad side.”

“She wasn’t very vocal in our discussion, but I think you’re safe. Hopefully.”

Steve arches a brow. “That’s good to know.”

“You’ll be fine.” Bruce smiles slightly. “Anyway, date night. You ready for it?”

“Yes.” He nods emphatically. “I never thought I’d feel like this about another man, but it’s how I feel. He’s got some fears, and I’m worried about a few things, but I’m definitely ready for it.”

“I’m not sure I can help with the wanting another man issue, but I think it’s pretty much the same as wanting a woman. There’s just different equipment down there. I mean, personalities are different regardless of gender, so I think it’s mostly sex where the differences become most obvious.”

“I don’t need a sex talk,” Steve says, interrupting just in case that’s where Bruce is going. He still finds it rather embarrassing to talk about something intimate openly without having to whisper or keep it private, but it’s not like he wasn’t friends with a bunch of guys who had stories that would even turn Tony’s ears red. He blushed about it back then, and that just hasn’t changed. He’s not sure it even will once he has some experience of his own.

“You sure?” Bruce looks at him. “I know it might be awkward, but I’m here to help.”

“I went to Duane Reade today and bought lubricant and condoms. My research on the internet said those were necessary tools when one becomes sexually active. I also spent a couple of hours researching what it means to be gay, following links around, and I learned a little more about the physical side as well as several essays about what it means to specific people.” He sees Bruce blink at him and has to smirk. “I might be a virgin, but I’m not a prude. I want to know what to expect and how to be prepared when it happens so Clint and I can have an enjoyable and rewarding sexual relationship.”

“Well, I’d just say don’t watch porn. That stuff is fake, and it won’t help. Real men don’t have that kind of recovery time, and most people don’t like getting semen on their face like they seem to love in those movies. Though some couples enjoy watching it together, for, uh, obvious reasons.” Bruce laughs softly. “I have to admit, I didn’t expect for you to be so matter-of-fact about it. I’m slightly flustered now.”

Steve’s pretty proud of himself, even if he’s not going to admit it. There’s still a lot he doesn’t know, but he’s got the knowledge now to at least move forward and learn the rest with Clint. He knows he’d rather do that than just read about it anyway. “It’s part of life, and I still believe it should be personal and intimate, but I know you mean well. I appreciate you caring enough to want me to be prepared. I just happen to have most of that covered already.”

“Good for you. Before you become sexually active, make sure you and Clint get tested. You might be a virgin, but you’ve been the subject of a lot of medical research, so you’ve used hypodermic needles before. I know the serum probably has your body chemistry all out of whack, so it’s unlikely a sexually transmitted disease would survive, but it never hurts to be safe. If you want, I can do the testing for you both, once you reach that point.” Bruce gives him a stern look. “Use condoms until you’re both clear, and you should always use them if there’s any doubt about monogamy.”

“I think you should film a safe sex advertisement,” Steve says, wondering if Clint would be offended if he suggested getting tested tonight.

“Or I can let the Other Guy do it.” Bruce’s lips quirk slightly. “Hulk says use condoms!” He snorts. “God, it’s nice to be able to joke about that. Don’t tell the others, but I can’t really remember how long it’s been since I’ve felt like I belong somewhere.”

“I don’t think you’re the only one who feels like that.” He glances at the clock and feels a twist of excitement in his gut. “Cologne or no cologne?”

“Cologne. You don’t wear it usually, so it’ll make Clint want to sniff you.” Bruce grins. “I’m glad my advice could be useful, not that you really needed it. Enjoy your date, play safe, and have him home by midnight.”

“I thought he and I were Mom and Dad, according to Tony.” Steve shakes his head and follows Bruce into the hall. Clint’s room is on the same floor, fortunately, so Bruce grabs the elevator while Steve continues past it to knock on Clint’s door.

“Just a minute.” The door swings open and Clint answers. “Oh. I was planning to come get you.”

“I couldn’t wait any longer.” Steve smiles before he leans in for a quick kiss. “You look very nice.”

“You, too.” Clint ducks his head and smiles as he rubs the back of his neck. “Um, just let me get my wallet. Pepper was here distracting me, so I’m running behind. Or not, since it’s early, but you’re here and. Right.”

Steve’s actually relieved to see that Clint’s nervous. He’s excited about this, but there are always nerves. Bucky used to say that he felt like he was going to puke before his very first date, but then it got better. Steve feels more like he’s got butterflies in his stomach, but he can understand where Bucky was coming from. “What did Pepper want?”

“Uh not a lot.” Clint’s actually blushing, which makes Steve grin. “She wanted to remind me to be a gentleman and that sort of thing.”

“Really? Bruce gave me a sex talk.”

“He did not!”

“Well, he tried, but I beat him to it.”

“You did?”

“I told him I did research on the internet with JARVIS helping me last night.”

“JARVIS helped you research sex?”

Steve nods. “I felt less ridiculous asking him. I told him it was for you, so he didn’t mind helping. He’s got a crush on you.”

“You’re crazy.” Clint laughs as he puts his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. Steve’s pretty surprised that it fits considering how indecently tight the jeans are. He’s trying not to stare, but it isn’t that easy not doing so.

“About you?” Steve decides not to mention the lubricant and condoms because he doesn’t want to seem pushy. Clint’s been talking about going slow, which, well, he’s not again but he’s also not planning to take forever if they’re ready and both want to move forward physically.

“So corny.” Clint’s smiling again, looking flushed and surprised and flattered. Steve knows he’s going to be doing whatever it takes to get that expression from him more often. “I got you something.” He grabs something off the table and hands it over.

“It’s a bouquet of chocolate Tootsie pops.” He looks from the candy back to Clint. “You remembered that?”

“Course I did. I remember everything you tell me.” Clint shrugs and smiles. “I thought you’d rather have those than flowers.”

“This is great.” Clint’s always been interested in hearing stories about his childhood and growing up back in the thirties and forties, but Steve can’t believe he actually remembered some offhand comment about not being able to afford to get more than a couple of Tootsie pops at a time. If he weren’t already falling, he would definitely be doing so now.

“Great.” Clint leans up to kiss his chin. “You smell good.”

“You do, too.” Steve leans down to kiss Clint’s lips. “Come on. Let’s shake a leg and go.”

“Fine. My leg’s shaking.” Clint laughs and takes his hand, shutting the door behind them. Steve stops off at his room to drop off the bouquet of candy before they catch the elevator.

He isn’t sure where they’re going yet, since Clint seems to love surprising him, but they walk to the nearest station and have to make a couple of connections. He doesn’t mind since it’s crowded on the subway tonight, which means they have to stand real close together. Clint has him biting his lip to keep from laughing as he gives a running commentary on the fashion of the subway, and Steve has to elbow him a few times to get him to stop when it gets particularly funny.

When they finally reach their destination, Steve is surprised. It’s a good surprise, fortunately. “Bowling?”

“I thought it might be fun.” Clint smiles as he opens the door so Steve can enter first before following him inside. “I haven’t been in years, but I used to be pretty good.”

“I’ve seen you play darts, Clint. Don’t give me any of that pretty good nonsense. Besides, it’s a first date, so you wouldn’t bring me here if you didn’t know you were going to impress me.” Steve brushes a kiss against Clint’s forehead. “I used to be pretty good, too, for the record. Bowling’s one of the only areas where I could always beat Bucky, before the war.”

Clint punches his arm lightly as they walk to the bar to get something to drink. “I wasn’t trying to impress you, Captain Ego. But I feel a wager coming on.”

“What kind of wager?” Steve orders a beer, even if the alcohol won’t affect him. Clint gets one, too, and also orders them a basket of hot wings.

“Winner picks the next date?” Clint takes the bottle of beer from the guy behind the bar and shrugs a shoulder. “I don’t know. You got any ideas?”

Steve takes a drink and licks his lips. “Winner gets a blowjob?”

Clint spits out his beer and starts coughing. “What did you say?” he manages to ask in between gasps.

“Oral sex. Loser gives and winner receives? Or it’s winner’s choice, because I’m not sure which I’d rather do if I win.” Steve smiles his most innocent smile when Clint gapes at him.

“Slow, Rogers. Blowjob talk on the first date is not slow. Damn, you nearly killed me with the choking and now I’ve wasted half my beer.” Clint takes his hand and leads him to the front desk, where they pay for a lane and get smelly shoes in their size.

“I still don’t understand this slow thing of yours.” Steve puts the shoes on and admires Clint’s fingers as he fastens his laces. “So, should I start making a list of things I want to do that we can start working on whenever you determine slow’s over? And I think I should get some say in the pace of the physical side of things.”

“You want to make a list?” Clint clears his throat and stands up. “You’re not playing fair. Besides, this, us, it’s not just about sex, and you should be glad that I respect you and us enough to not want to rush into that so fast. I’ve done the sex for sex’s sake thing and I thought we wanted something different.”

“I want it all, Clint. I just don’t want one thing to be put on hold because you think I’m not ready for it. We can go slow, okay? I get it. I do understand. But I want you to understand that I want everything.” Steve wonders if he’d be able to make more sense if he just tried to draw pictures.

“I do, too, babe. Let’s save blowjob talk for the second or third date, though.” Clint grins and nods towards their lane. “For now, let’s forget about a wager and just play. I want to see if I’ve still got the skills, and you can show me what you’ve got.”

Two hours, a basket of hot wings, a basket of cheese sticks, two sodas, and a bottle of beer each later, Steve’s ready to admit defeat. Clint’s hit a strike every single time he’s thrown the ball, and it doesn’t even look like he’s trying half the time. Meanwhile, Steve’s got good aim, too, but he’s managed to break sixteen pins from the force and speed of his rolls because he keeps forgetting himself and rolling the ball with all his strength. He’s pretty sure the manager’s going to ask them to leave if he plays another match.

“She’s giving us dirty looks again,” he whispers, sneaking a glance at the woman who’s had to send someone to pick up shattered pieces of bowling pin several times.

“So? Her product is obviously subpar and not made to withstand the force of a strong man rolling a ball.” Clint grins at him. “Besides, you’re having fun when you’re not breaking pins.”

“I am having fun.” Steve smiles. “But I think I’d rather not get barred from ever coming back here. Maybe we can grab some dinner and see a late movie?”

“Do you want to see a movie or see a movie?”

“Uh. What’s the difference?”

“Well, for the first one, we actually choose something we want to see and pay attention to. For the second one, we choose whatever’s playing, sit in the back row and kiss a lot. I’ve never done it before, but it’s like a dating ritual, according to pop culture.”

“I choose kissing. If it matters, if there’s ever an option that includes kissing? That’s my choice. I really like kissing you.”

“It matters. And, yeah, kissing you is definitely moving high on my list of favorite things. I can’t remember ever kissing just to kiss, and it’s nice.”

Steve leans over to kiss Clint because, really, that says it all. He licks at Clint’s lips again, happily surprised when Clint licks back at him. Reaching over, he grips the back of Clint’s head and presses closer, moving his tongue and just losing himself in the moment. When they pull apart, he hears clapping and wolf whistles, which reminds him they’re in a rather crowded bowling alley with a rowdy group who cheers him on every time he breaks another pin.

“Well, I don’t remember hearing applause after a kiss before. You definitely don’t do things half-way, Steve Rogers.” Clint smiles and pulls back.

“I’m pretty much an all or nothing kind of guy, Clint.” Steve returns the smile and stands up, dragging Clint after him. “Let’s go to the movies. I’m looking forward to learning all about that dating ritual.”