"I found it at a comic con! How awesome is that!" Sam exclaimed, watching the team pass his newly purchased treasure around the group. "It looks just like Steve! Check it out!"
"What were you doing at a comic con? I swear, Wilson, you're such a nerd."
The group silenced and turned to stare at Tony, fully in disbelief at what he had just said. "Come on, you're like...the Nerd King," Sam chuckled, reaching out to retrieve his game from Clint, who had just challenged Nat and Thor to the first round. "Your suit alone is like a prepubescent nerds's wet dream."
"Then it's a good thing that I built it post pubescent," he smirked, snatching the box from Sam's hands once again. "I have standard issue cleaning mechanisms installed in that event, just in case."
"Why the hell would that be standard issue?" Clint joined in. "It's gross."
"I also have urine filtration systems in every model. It comes out so clean, you could drink it."
Natasha reached out and plucked the game from Tony's grip, throwing it down on the center table. "Alright, I'm thoroughly disgusted. Are we gonna play this, or what?"
"What are we playing?" Steve asked, entering the common room after his routine morning workout. His hair was slightly disheveled and his brow slightly furrowed as his caught his breath, but it did nothing to dissuade Tony from staring and trying to see the very young version of Steve that adorned the box resting on the table.
"Mystery Date."
"I'm sorry?"
"Come on, Cap," Tony goaded, "you know. Don't act like you don't."
"I'm not acting," Steve shrugged.
Sam retrieved the game and handed it to him, looking at the Captain with a wide grin in anticipation of the certainty of an embarrassed reaction. When he got no such thing, his disappointment was obvious.
"That's Evans."
"No it's not!" Sam exclaimed, moving to stand next to his friend to look at the box again. "That's totally you!"
"Yeah, Rogers," Tony added, now standing to flank Steve's left, "there's no way for you to blame this on him. Look at the eyes!"
"Tony, how could this be me? I was this age in the 40's."
"They de-aged you. Photoshop. CGI. Hey, like they did to Downey in the Civil War movie!"
"That was some creepy shit," Sam coughed under his breath.
Despite the boisterous round of laughter that filled the room, all Tony could do was stare at Sam with annoyance and the insinuation. "I think they did an excellent job. He looked just like I did back then."
"Then you were a creepy looking dude."
"Alright, enough," Steve broke in, "the point is, that's not me. At any age."
"What's the matter...Tyler..." Clint laughed out loud at the character's name in the game, "don't be like that. No need to lie to the group. We still love you despite your questionable decisions. But seriously, was it the cash? Did you fall on hard times? Making a bank roll in case the whole "Captain America" thing didn't take off?"
"It's not me!" Steve pulled his phone from his sweatpants pocket with a swift resolve and quickly pulled up Chris' number. "Here, I'll prove it!" The other line rang and rang until he was just about to give up before the answer finally came. He hurried to open up the speaker so that everyone could finally hear the truth and maybe get off his back about it. "Hey, man. I need you to clear something up for me."
"Sure, Cap," came the uncannily similar voice from the other end of the call, "hit me."
"Did you model for a character on some board game a few years back? Called..." he paused, turning the box over in his hands, "...Mystery Date?"
"Nope. Don't know what you're talking about. Wasn't me."
Click.
"Why do I even talk to that guy?" Steve mumbled quietly, staring at the closed line on his phone for a moment before mournfully returning it to his pocket.
"Don't be sad, Tyler," Tony smiled, leaning back into the couch with a satisfied and cocky smirk, "I'm sure a quick round should cheer you right up! Maybe when we're done, we can catch some waves!"
Steve dropped into the seat next to him with an audible groan, crossing his arms in resolve that he had already lost before the game even started. "Shit. This isn't going away any time soon, is it?"
"Come on, Cap, language!" Steve leaned forward and rested his face in his hands at Tony's comment, completely exasperated and just done. His words were muffled, but clear enough for Tony to feel completely satisfied in his efforts.
"I hate you."