Lessons in Rule Breaking and Other Reader-Inserts*Steve Rogers*Reader*

State Your Name (for the Record) - Pt.1/1

He smiled awkwardly, fiddling with his fingers then and lowering his gaze.

It was easy to imagine what – or rather who – was coming next. Steve wasn't confident he could take it. He had felt uncomfortable stinging in his eyes two videos back, few tears at bay, but he wanted to watch the rest.

The floating sensation overwhelmed his brain and he was honestly surprised he was still breathing, because he felt too stunned to do so. And he felt... moved. Appreciated. Cherished. Hell, he even felt the confidence he needed in the field to the exact quick decisions Bruce had mentioned slowly returning.

His team, his friends... they trusted him. They doubted him less than he doubted himself.

The picture got blurry once more, Tony's incredulous voice crystal clear.

"So you want me to write a video equivalent of a love letter to him," the billionaire stated sceptically and despite himself, Steve grinned.

Tony was a complicated person, but leave it to him to be sarcastic and lift the spirit in his own very specific way.

"No! That's not- Tony. Please?"

"You know, this puppy eyes shit only work on Rogers, not-" he wavered and Steve laughed as the recording cleared and focused on Tony's torn expression. Oh, he was going to give in to Steve's amazing girl, Steve could tell. "-shit. I can't believe you're making me do this. You're infuriating."

"I know," you sing-sang as Tony sunk further into the chair in his workshop. "And thanks."

"Fine. Hey, Capsicle."

Steve could practically hear your eyeroll at the nickname and for a good measure, he rolled his eyes too. Capsicle. It used to irritate him more, the word Stark used the first time they met. Now it was-- Steve was only mildly annoyed when Tony called him that. There were worse names he had been called.

"Steve. I bet you know, unlike like Miss America over here, that I only give nicknames to people I like," Tony made a point, looking at you with a smirk and Steve was sure a light-bulb appeared above his own head as he realized that... it actually made sense.

"There aren't many of those and even less of them realize they are part of that exclusive club. Look, I do stupid shit. I built robots for fun and to cover for the fact I couldn't exactly fight without them and I'm terrible with people. Fury didn't even want me on the Avengers initiative, because I'm known for being a selfish bastard and not a team player, which you recognized within five minutes of meeting me."

Steve felt rather bad for such an early assumption. Admittedly, he had been harsh on the man, letting the information he had received cloud his judgement and became a willing victim of prejudice. Hearing Tony self-reflecting his faults, eating the humble pie, it only proved how wrong Steve had been. Hell, Tony had turned out to be the man to make the sacrifice the very same day Steve had accused him of his inability to do so.

Which was why Tony's next words knocked the air out of Steve's lungs very effectively, striking his heart with deadly precision. He honestly had no idea what to do with the knowledge he came to.

"The thing is, your stupid blond ass is making me want to change that. I hate saying this, because I'm aware it can be used against me, but you're my friend. I respect you and I admire you. You inspire people. I will always brag about the time I carried a nuke into a wormhole, but the truth is, as much as I liked Coulson and his death was something that brought us together, without you, I don't think I would have done it. I will bitch about you, I will call you names, I will be an arrogant ass, because that's who I am, but it won't change the fact I look up to you. ...'kay. I think that I did ok-- are you crying?"