#the sweetest steampunk au on the face of this planet

[peachbabypie]

Exchanging of Hearts — A Steampunk!Starker AU Patreon Commission for @starkravingspiders​ and a scene from their steampunk AU!Starker fic (that they’re currently writing) which they’ve graciously shared with me to share with you! It’s so sweet and pure and good — and then head over to their blog and tell them how amazing they are

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Peter wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up here.

When he ran into Tony a few days ago, nothing had gone how he thought it would.

Most people would have made sure he was okay and that his dress hadn’t ripped. That would have been it. Not Tony though. Instead, the beautiful man had practically kidnapped him for the rest of the day, including dragging him to his panel which Peter had no business being a part of. Tony, however, didn’t care. He had kept engaging Peter in some of the questions and surprisingly, it had worked.

Tony was amazing but he was also a billionaire with a lot of money he could use to play around with for tech.

Meanwhile, Peter’s mechanical creations were made via dumpster diving or thrift shops. Having him at the panel seemed to get Tony more involved in technical questions than he usually got at one of these Pop culture conventions. Of course, some people still only showed up for Tony Stark, owner of SI, even if he didn’t manage the company at all. However, a lot of people were there for the technical and costuming questions of steampunk.

The following morning, Peter woke up to Tony invading his hotel room under the guise of wanting to play with all his tech. Peter suspected he just wanted to lay claim to Peter before anyone else did but he didn't mind at all.

He kicked Tony out of the room and dressed himself carefully. He also grabbed a little piece of tech he’d actually made a long time ago but  had only gotten inspired to add something to it the day before. He had been following Tony’s Steampunk creations and poured over photos of him online for two years and the one thing he had noticed about Tony Stark? He always, for every single one of his outfits, wore a strange locket with a triangle on it in blue.

So, a year ago Peter had made a mechanical heart. It glowed the same gentle blue color and had sensors that would beat with the heartbeat of whoever wore it.

The night he met Tony though? He had been inspired and changed the design. He made a matching ring and synced the ring wearer's pulse with that of the mechanical heart.

Whoever wore the mechanical heart would feel Peter's own heartbeat and there was no one else he wanted to give his heart to than Tony Stark.

He stashed his creation in one of his little pouches but hadn’t gotten up the courage to give it to Tony.

“Hey, sweetheart, what’s got you off in the fields?” Tony’s voice broke him out of his thoughts.

Peter couldn’t stop the besotted smile that crossed his face when Tony’s arm went around his waist. He leaned into the other man and shrugged ever so slightly.

“Just thinking. I never really expected any of this and I’m still not sure if I should be up here on stage with you, Tony! These people are very serious about their judging rules.” He reached out and gently traced along one of the buttons that decorated Tony’s chest, a delicate T stamped into the cool metal.

“It’s fine, beautiful. Everyone knows you're here to keep me company because I’m easily distracted,” Tony murmured softly to him. He tightened his hold and brought Peter closer, pressing a soft kiss into his hair.

Peter blushed darkly, it was amazing... He and Tony hadn’t even had a real official first kiss and already, their relationship felt deeper and more meaningful than anything in his whole life. They hadn’t even really talked about a relationship either but Peter knew there was something so deep and true blooming between them.

“Tony,” he admonished gently and shuddered a bit as Tony’s chuckle was felt more than heard from where he was pressed against the other man.

“Now, sweetheart, what kind of tech do you have in this little bag of yours? I saw a glowing bit of blue.” Tony asked gently, fingering the soft leather bag he had in his hand.

Peter bit his lip, eyes traveling to where the costume contestants were being told the route they would walk prior to getting to the stage and the judges. He was intimately aware of all the eyes resting on him and Tony. Also, this really wasn’t the place, but...

“Well, I wanted to give this to you, but I keep chickening out,” he said softly as he gently held the little pouch in his hands.

Should he?

He glanced up and saw that same soft look in Tony’s eyes that made something inside him melt. It also strengthened his resolve and without caring who was watching, Peter gently opened the bag and put his hand in, not yet pulling out the little mechanical heart.

Tony brushed a hand over the fringes of some of his hair that fell over his forehead, pushing them back into place.

“Something for me? You don’t need to be worried, love, I’d adore anything from you.” His voice was soft and gentle and Peter just wanted to listen to Tony talk to him forever.

Very gently, Peter pulled out the heart and turned his hand over. The little golden heart, glowing blue, rested in his palm. He could feel the beating pulse against his palm, a bit rushed because of his anxiety.

He designed it so that it could either be worn on a chain around Tony’s neck or have straps added to either side to be attached to Tony’s chest. He bit his lip nervously as Tony’s hand covered his gently. “Sweetheart?” Tony questioned softly, feeling the beating against his hand. Soft and quick, like a bird wanting to escape its confines. His hand was warm against Peter’s and Peter knew his cheeks were bright red.

“It’s… It’s my heart?” Peter said, almost like a question.

He was terrified of Tony’s reaction and suddenly wondered if he had read everything completely wrong. His eyes were burning as he met Tony’s eyes again and was surprised to find the older man was now staring at him in wonder.

He looked back down and was surprised to see Tony’s hand hovering over the little mechanical heart as if he was afraid to crush it, like it was something precious and alive. As if he was cupping an entire life in his hands. His blunt, scarred fingers rested on it gently as if feeling out the heartbeats.

“Peter, honey, is this your heartbeat in real time?” Tony’s voice was pitched so low and awed that Peter couldn’t help but blush again. He motioned to his ring.

“My ring is a sensor and transmits it to the heart. So when you wear it, you’re wearing my heart. Please take care of it?” He asked lightly, but his words held a heavy note to them.

Tony stared into his eyes and Peter waited anxiously for a moment before Tony took the heart with a tender hand.

“Sweetheart, this…” Tony sounded choked up and Peter was surprised that his eyes looked a bit damp. “I’ll treasure this until my last breath. I’ll... fuck... Pete, honey, I’ll keep it safe from anyone who wants to hurt it. I’ll treasure it more than my own heart.” Tony’s voice was thick but Peter could hear the echo of his own words in it. “I hope you don’t regret giving me your heart, precious.”

Peter shook his head, no hesitation, and smiled tenderly as Tony nuzzled into him and pressed another kiss to his hair. “Never, Tony. It’s safe with you, I can tell. I’ll never regret giving you my heart.”

“Well, now that our real life love story moment is over, maybe we can get our costume contest started?” A voice over the speakers brought them out of their soft moment and Peter’s face flushed darkly again at seeing the MC staring at them with a smile. There was a round of applause as Tony led Peter over to sit next to him at the judges' table, left hand still gently cupping the heart like a treasure.

Later, Peter would be helping Tony pack up his booth for the night and watched in shock as Tony stripped off his outer layers and then his shirt. Using some thick straps, he secured the heart right against his chest above his own heart. He promised Peter he’d carry it against his heart until he died.

After that, people got used to seeing a soothing blue light emitting from under Tony’s clothes, in and out of fancy dress wear. And Tony, himself? He never got over the feeling of Peter’s heart beating against his.

xx Gosh, wasn’t that just so fucking cute?