PART II
The Less I Know the Better (Part II): 5 Years of Secrets
Part (II/?): 5 years of Secrets
Silence hung in the air as Peter struggled to avoid eye contact with Steve. They were sitting at the long avengers table in the conference room — how professional. They sat on opposite sides of the table - width-wise. A big blue “A” was sprawled across the table in between them. "Peter…“ Steve placed his elbows on the table and straightened his back. ”…I think you know why I brought you here.“
“Look, if this is about last night,” Peter nervously bit at his lip. “it’s really none of my business what you and Mr. Stark do, I really am sorry–”
“It’s okay, Peter,” Steve smiled as he leaned back into his seat and crossed his arms across his chest. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I should be the one apologizing,” Peter finally looked up to meet Steve’s intense blue eyes. “That was not appropriate for us to be doing out in a public area, it won’t happen again.”
Was Captain America really apologizing to me? Peter questioned to himself.
“I know it’s not any of my business,” Peter looked down at his hands. “But do the others know about this?”
“…uh,” Steve looked away as he thought about his response. “No, they don’t…I’m not sure they ever will…” Steve trailed off, deep in thought.
“Sir?”
“Call me Steve.”
“Uh..Steve…if this is a secret, I won’t tell anyone…” Peter let out a sigh. “I just feel like Mrs. Potts should know…” Peter avoided eye contact, knowing he was asking about a sensitive topic but he just had to know the truth. Tony was his hero after all and he still had hope that Tony wasn’t a scumbag that would cheat on his fiance.
“Things are complicated, Peter,” Steve explained, still staring off in an other direction, lost in his own thoughts. “I wish Tony had the courage to come talk to you himself… to explain his reasoning…but he was a coward about it.”
“Is he going to keep avoiding me?”
“I won’t allow it,” Steve turned back around to face Peter. “He’s your legal guardian now, and he’s going to act like it…. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Thanks Steve,” Peter smiled. “Can I ask one more thing?”
“You’re pushing it, kid,” Steve smiled. He stood up, placed his hands in his pockets, and started walking towards the door. “– but sure what is it?” He turned back to face the teenager.
“Are you and Mr. Stark in love?”
A faint blush spread across Steve’s face before quickly composing himself. “That’s enough questions for today.” He gave a small smirk before leaving the room. Peter smiled to himself. It had to be a yes.
“Mr. Parker?” Jarvis suddenly spoke into the room catching Peter off guard. Did he hear that whole conversation? Can Tony hear us?
“Yes, Jarvis.”
“Your 10:00 am tutor is here.”
“Tutor?”
“Yes, his name is Mr. Wade Wilson, he is going to be your English tutor,” Jarvis explained. “He’s waiting downstairs in the lobby for you.”
“Thanks Jarvis,” Peter rolled his eyes and slumped back against his chair. Time for school…ugh.
–
“Hey Cap, what was that about?” Steve stopped to talk to Rhodey who was sitting on a bench outside of the rec room, putting his stilts on. “Hope you’re not being too hard on the boy.”
“Just had to brief him on a couple things… you know… the usual,” Steve helped Rhodey stand up from his seat. “Your legs are getting stronger everyday, the rehab is really working.”
“Yup, I just have to get rid of this damn limp and I’ll be good as new.”
“The team needs you back out there, keep working hard,” Steve smiled and patted Rhodey on the back as they parted ways.
Steve walked briskly across the building towards Tony’s room. He passed one of the many bathrooms in the building just as Natasha walked out.
“Where you going, big guy?” She asked suspiciously, as she dried her red hair with a towel. She was in her robe, fresh out the shower. “Geez, you would think Tony would give us our own private bathrooms by now…” she mumbled as she walked past Steve to her room.
“I’ll let him know, I’ll see you around Nat,” He continued walking further down the hall until he reached Tony’s room.
He knocked softly. “Tony, open up, it’s me,” he said in a hushed voice.
“Jarvis, door.” Tony’s sleepy voice could be heard from the other side. The door opened and Steve walked into the room. The blinds were still closed and Tony was still in bed, probably hungover from the night before.
“It’s too early Steve, visiting hours are between 4-5 pm,” Tony mumbled from underneath the sheets.
“We have to talk, Tony,” Steve sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from Tony. “It’s time for you to tell Pepper.”
“What are you talking about?” Tony groaned before sitting up. The billionaire’s hair was pointing in every direction and he had some dried drool on his chin. “Tell her what?”
“Tell her about us Tony!” Steve sighed. “I can’t keep doing this…it’s not right…Pepper deserves better.”
Tony was silent.
“Do you even feel any guilt?” Steve whispered under his breath, not wanting to look at Tony’s face.
“How dare you say I don’t feel any guilt?” Tony pulled Steve around to look at him. “It kills me every fucking day!” Tony’s eyes welled up with tears as they darted back and forth examining Steve’s face. “I hate that you’ve turned me into this…” Tony said in between clenched teeth, hate filling his eyes.
“Me!?” Steve backed away from Tony, he could feel both shock and anger taking hold. “What do you mean me?!”
“Keep your voice down, Rogers,” Tony rolled his eyes. “I was never into dudes until you came around.”
“I never forced you to do anything, Tony,” Steve looked away, trying to control his breathing.
“You have a history with other men– if I recall correctly,” Tony reached over to grab the liquor bottle from his night stand. “What was his name again, the one that almost tore this group apart?– oh yeah! – your dear ol’ Bucky!”
“Tony, don’t even,” Steve stood up, placing his hands on his hips. “You have no right to talk about Bucky, leave his name out of your mouth!” He pointed a stern finger at Tony.
“I’m just saying, you were boning other guys before you came around and decided to do the same to me,” Tony took a swig from the bottle.
“You’re really acting like I turned you gay?” Steve threw his hands up in frustration. “Tony, you practically flaunted yourself for me, if I recall correctly.”
“Well,” Tony took another swig. “I never felt anyway about a man until you pranced in – so I think you had something to do with this.”
“Tony,” Steve stood in the center of the room staring at Tony in disbelief. “You have some serious issues. You have a lot of internalized hatred, and you need to accept yourself.”
“I’m not gay, Steve.” Tony grabbed his remote and turned on his television to drown out the conversation. Steve reached across the bed and snatched it away, turning off the TV.
“Tony, I love you.” Steve looked directly into Tony’s eyes, hoping for any type of sign signaling that the feeling was mutual.
“You know I can’t say it back,” Tony broke the eye contact and looked down at the bottle in his hands.
“Why not?”
“Because, I can’t, I have Pepper…” A small tear rolled down Tony’s cheek and Steve reached over and wiped it away. He rested his strong hand on Tony’s cheek. “I just wish things didn’t have to be so complicated.”
“Tony, I love you but I can’t keep doing this to Pepper, she deserves better, and you know it too,” Steve brought Tony’s face closer and kissed him on the forehead, taking the bottle away with his free hand. “I deserve better…” Steve muttered as Tony reached up and placed a hard kiss on Steve’s lips.
5 years. It had been 5 years of secrets. It all started one drunken night after the events in New York. Tony had offered Steve a room in his mansion in California. As Pepper slept soundly in the master bedroom, Tony and Steve had stayed up in the party room, drinking away while Steve shared stories of his war days fighting Hydra. Tony had kept moving closer and closer with every drink, until there was almost no room between them. Steve made the first move, cautiously bringing his lips down to Tony’s. The kiss was chaste and Steve was shaking with nerves. Being a homosexual in the 1940’s was not easy by any means and rejection could easily mean a death sentence. 2012 was a more accepting environment but that worry of rejection still lingered. Tony stood shocked after the kiss, unsure of how to process what had just happened. “I’m sorry Tony – I thought –” before Steve could finish his apology, Tony was on his lips again.
This secrecy continued on for years. Tony would tell Pepper he was on “business trips” up in New York. In reality, he was hiding out in Steve’s apartment in Brooklyn. They would lay in bed for hours, discussing their pasts, their futures, their fears, their passions. They explored each other’s bodies, discovering new pleasures unknown to them. Sometimes, Tony would show up unexpectedly at Steve’s door, drunk out of his mind… occasionally crying. Steve would hold him for hours as he sobbed about Pepper, his parents, his self hatred….
There were times when they were both busy and they wouldn’t see each other for months at a time, but Tony always came back, and that spark was still ignited every time they were reunited. Steve knew he was in love with Tony from the start, but whether Tony returned that love remained a mystery.
Things became even more complicated when Steve heard about Bucky Barnes’ reemergence. Bucky was his first love. They shared one night together before Bucky’s death and Steve would forever cherish that memory. He had longed for Bucky throughout his teenage years, never having the courage to express his love until that night. They had woken up in each other’s arms, quietly pondering what had happened between them before going off to war for the last time. Of course, it only made sense that when Bucky came back, Steve dropped everything for him. If Tony wasn’t going to love him back, Steve was going back to his first love, the man that always watched out for him, the one he could rely on….but the damage was too severe. All the years of brainwashing had left Bucky incapable of returning Steve’s love, he was a broken man, far too broken to ever be repaired.
Steve went into hiding after the civil war, mourning over the loss of his dear friend Bucky, and mourning over the fact that he may have lost Tony as well.
He eventually made his way to Tony’s door one night, months after the fight. He was greeted with soft kisses as Tony took care of him. They shared an intimate night, no sex, just soft kisses and reassuring whispers. Steve’s heart swelled with love for Tony and he wished things could be this way forever.
Now here they are, 5 years deep into an affair. Tony attempting to deepen the kiss, eager hands roaming under Steve’s shirt, feeling the layer of muscle on the soldier’s abs and chest. “Tony – I’m serious,” Steve broke the kiss.
“Ok, ok, I’m totally gay,” Tony latched onto Steve’s neck, sucking on it hard enough to leave a hickey, hoping to silence the soldier. His hands grabbed at Steve’s white shirt, pulling him down onto the bed. At least he was finally admitting it, Steve thought to himself.
“Tony, please,” Steve tried to stay focused on the conversation as Tony’s hand moved down to the soldier’s belt buckle. Tony always used sex as a means to avoid confrontation, but Steve was not going to let that happen anymore. “Tony, stop!” Steve pushed Tony away. His belt was undone and neck was littered with hickeys.
“You have to figure this out, either tell Pepper or I’m done,” Steve threatened. “I don’t care if you decide to stay with her, or if you decide to be monogamous, I just need to know that she isn’t being cheated.”
Tony hesitated before mumbling a “fine” under his breath.
“It’s only right Tony, plus Peter knows now,” Steve sighed. “Better she hear it from you then from a 15 year old boy.”
“Right… Peter…” Tony rolled his eyes and moved over to the edge of the bed. He winced as his feet touched the cold floors.
“You’re going to have to start treating him a little better, Tony,” Steve stood up and began buckling his pants. “You are his hero, y'know? You owe him an explanation.”
Tony placed a hand over Steve’s to stop him from buckling his pants any further and then pulled him closer to the bed. “Fine, I’ll talk to him…” Tony removed Steve’s belt and unzipped his jeans.
“And?” Steve asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Tony.
“And I’ll talk to Pepper…” Tony rolled his eyes and tugged down on Steve’s pants.
“And?”
“And, yes I’m gay, I like dick I admit it, and you had nothing to do with it,” Tony rolled his eyes again before tugging down Steve’s briefs to expose him. “Someone’s happy to see me,” Tony’s pupils dilated with hunger. Steve blushed and looked away from Tony.
“Finally, you admit that this isn’t my fault – there’s nothing wrong with being ga–” Steve let out a groan as Tony wrapped his warm, wet lips around Steve’s throbbing erection. They could always just talk about it later.
–
A/N: Part III coming soon
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