Summary: Howard Stark was the greatest inventor, pioneer, entrepreneur and mass murderer of his time. All his murders were like his work, sleek, elegant and extravagant. He was smart and meticulous that he almost never got caught but one small mistake cause his secret to come to light shocking the world. In his suicide note, Howard proudly boasts about his murders. He confessed to murdering his son, Anthony Stark, as one last hurrah before he took his life. Ever since then Stark mansion has been a dangerous and haunted place...
...Fast forward a hundred years into the future there is young Steve Rogers landing the biggest job of a lifetime: Stark Mansion. Steve has worked so hard to prove the validity of his team, the Avengers, within the Ghost Investigation community and now they were given one of the most coveted jobs in their field. It was perfect. Especially since it allowed him to escape the disaster that is his personal/love life.
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Stony
Author's Note: IMPORTANT! This story starts with Stucky BUT the end game is Stony NOT Stucky. Bucky is an big ass in this story but I want to make clear that I love Bucky Barnes but I wanted a story where Steve chooses Tony over Bucky in a sense. This is in no way a bashing of the character. If you are a big Stucky fan I'm sorry this is not your story.
Let me know what you think! :D
Steve was so excited when he received the call. He finally was able to get his team an actual job. They have been at it for months working their reputation up from the ground. It was a hard business being supernatural investigators but Steve loved helping those who were stuck in their world to move on. He had found his calling while on a dangerous mission in Iraq. It was a story he had never talked about but loved to remember. So, here Steve stood in front of the Avengers investigators, his friends, his family telling them about the call he got. Clint looked super excited and began picking out the equipment they would need while Natasha began to research. Steve watched Wanda prepare the rituals they were going to use as their psychic medium. This scene filled Steve with both pride and love for those in the room.
The job was in the old Stark mansion that was owned by the notorious Howard Stark, cannibal. His last victim before he killed himself off was his twenty-one-year-old son, Anthony. It made Steve sad that a father could kill their child or how any human can kill another in cold blood to consume them. It made Steve sick. Steve researched as much as he can about the mansion. It was said to be haunted by Howard Stark himself because ever since he died anyone that lived in the house that was not the helping hand was killed within a few days of staying. The man that called was a descendent of the original butler, Edwin Jarvis, that worked for Howard requesting his help. He stated that he is inviting multiple teams and asked Steve if he was interested. Steve had jumped at the idea.
The doorbell to their office indicating a customer had come to visit and Steve turned so quick to see Bucky standing there with a crooked smile that always melted Steve's mind. But now that he knew what he did, it no longer had the same effect. Steve shook his head, he had decided long ago to play dumb because he couldn't lose Bucky. It was selfish of him but Steve needed the man so much.
"Hey Stevie," Bucky smiled stepping deeper into the room almost running into a jumping Clint. Steve laughed genuinely at the two as they scowled at each other. Finally, after Bucky's little spat with Steve's favorite video equipment technician, Bucky placed a kiss on Steve's lips. His boyfriend tried to deepen the kiss but Steve pulled back keeping a tight smile on his face.
"We got a job," Steve explained the growing mess around them. Bucky's face flashed in annoyance for an instant before it disappeared. Bucky hated Steve's job but tolerated it for him. He felt like he was wasting so much time traveling across country for things that don't really give great payoffs. Steve was glad that Bucky had let go of trying to make Steve see how silly his profession is. Not that Steve was complaining, Bucky was a secret agent that was constantly put in danger. Steve never knew if his boyfriend was the one knocking on the door or a government official. Though Bucky will never hear Steve complain.
"What's the job?" Bucky asked sitting down on the customer couch. Steve swallowed nervously. Steve knew Bucky would not like what he was going to say.
"The Stark Mansion," Steve replied and Bucky's face hardened even more. He was not liking this at all. It partially made Steve angry and glad that Bucky cared enough about his wellbeing to try to convince him not to take the job. "I already told them yes, Buck. You know I don't back down from an agreement."
"Yeah, except people die there Steve!" Bucky shouted getting up from his seat. His eyes were a bit wild and he looked ready to lock Steve up making Steve square his shoulders readying himself for a battle.
"I can take care of myself, James," Steve growled, "I am not weak and don't need coddling. Each one of my members are grown ass adults and we can make our own goddamn decisions."
"Just...be careful Stevie," Bucky sighed cupping Steve's face into his hands leaning in for the kiss, "that is all I ask."
And they were kissing and Steve felt like puking. Then Bucky was gone; Steve can finally take a breath.
All thoughts of Bucky left his mind as Clint came in asking Steve questions on questions about how Steve exactly wants to execute their investigation. From what Steve understood from the current housekeeper, they wanted to cleanse the souls that died there. It meant they would depend on their talents to the max to contact the spirits of the house. Steve worried that none would respond because spirits, especially victim spirits, have a tendency to hide away from the living.
Steve loved this job. He always had a knack for getting spirits to interact with him. Steve loved that part. They were people who were stuck and needed a little help moving on. It was Steve's job along with his team to get those lost souls back to where they belong, the after life. Now, Steve can use his skills to save the poor victims of Howard Stark's rampage of 1904-1916. It brought Steve a feeling of calm and content that he always felt starting a new job.
Steve was in their team van driving down to the dealer shop, Banner's Tech. They needed a few more backup batteries for their cameras and flashlights. Steve met their dealer, Bruce, a few years ago while on tour in Iraq. He was not a solider but a doctor who was helping the civilians who could not afford medical care. After coming back from Iraq he set up shop in New York selling technology. He was a very smart guy who sold and fixed tech at a very low price. Steve sometimes invited him to their investigations but he always refused. Still, Steve asked every time.
The van whined as she pulled up into the parking spot in front of the door indicating to Bruce that Steve had arrived. Steve grumbled about needed a new vehicle but knew that at the moment they could not afford it. They barely made meets end but this job would change everything. He just knew it. Stepping out of the car, Steve opened the door to the shop and walked around the mess of hardware until he found the front desk. Steve always wondered how the man kept this place open when it was a constant hazard.
"Hey Steve," Bruce smiled turning around in his chair holding a circuit board, "how can I help you?"
"Hello Bruce," Steve responded with his own smile, "I need more batteries for both our cameras and flashlights. The same ritual, Clint is always paranoid that we would run out of either and not be able to charge them."
"Ah, Clint and his paranoia. It's why I always keep them in stock just for him," Bruce chuckled moving from his place to look for the wanted items. Once he found them he weaved his way back asking Steve questions about his day. Steve answered them all as honest as he could.
"So what's the next job?" Bruce asked, like he always did. Steve's smile broadened at the question.
"You have to come Bruce," Steve started.
Bruce sighed, "I can't, Steve-"
"Not this time, we are taking Stark mansion and you always talked about it whenever we see each other. You can't refuse!" Steve cut Bruce off before he could reiterate the same 'I'm real busy, Steve' line. It gets tiring to listen to after a while.
"Stark mansion? As in THE Manhattan Murder house?" Bruce's eyes instantly lit up and Steve knew then that he was going to join. It made Steve want to laugh but refrained in fear of making Bruce change his mind. The man was overly self-conscious ever since his science experiment fiasco. Steve never got the details and he hated to pry into subjects people did not like to talk about.
"The one and only," Steve answered taking out a wad of cash to pay for the batteries. Bruce shook his head stating that if Steve let him join his investigation team for this job, it would be payment enough. Steve grinned, "when have I ever denied you anything?"
Bruce just chuckled handing Steve a bag of his new batteries before turning around to close up shop. Bruce asked Steve to wait for him so they could swing by his apartment to grab a few things before heading back to the Avenger's office space. There was a new spring in Steve's step because he finally got Bruce to join the team. Once Bruce got a taste he will never go back to just being plain old tech guy again, it's got the Steve Rogers guarantee.
Steve got home for his final night before the investigation to find the apartment lights out. Good, it seemed that Bucky was not home. Lately Steve could not stand in the same room as Bucky without it turning into a screaming match. They used to get along so well. It broke his heart a bit that it was happening. They were best friends first, hell Buck was Steve's oldest and closest friend and now that friendship was falling apart.
Walking into the kitchen, Steve opened the fridge and dug out last night's dinner. It was pizza from the shop down the street. They weren't the best but it was cheap and close so that was usually the option they went for. But Steve did not mind, it allowed him to spend more time on other things than having to walk the distance it took to get a decent meal that tasted better than cardboard.
After throwing the pizza in the oven, because Steve has a vendetta of never using a microwave, he settled down on the couch and began to sketch images that came to his mind. He first began sketching Peggy, a British soldier that he met while on tour. She was beautiful but was already promised to someone else and Steve was not a homewrecker. He never made an advance on her but enjoyed her company nonetheless. It was getting harder though drawing her from memory. He had not felt the want to draw someone other than Bucky in a long while. This, whole situation made his head hurt and his heart feel heavy.
"What have we become, Buck?" Steve whispered to himself as he heard the oven's timer go off. Finally, he could get his pizza.
Steve ate his Pizza standing watching the street light across from their apartment flicker on and off wondering why has the city not fixed it yet. It has been going on for months. It should not be so hard for them to change a light bulb. Still, the flickering light calmed Steve's mind and allowed him to get a bit distracted. His mind wandered to the job they were given by the last member of the Jarvis family who wanted to put Stark mansion to rest. The man loved it dearly and would continue to live there until the end of his days but wanted to try to get some closure on some spirits who were ensnared in the house from what happened to them. Steve had asked him why them, he answered that his team was one of many but after reviewing a lot of potentials their team seemed to be genuine. It made Steve smile thinking someone out there thought they were doing the job right.
Coming into the Supernatural Investigation field, Steve realized that a lot of the media has come to over exaggerate and dissettle the spirits. Most of the time, ghosts do not respond to extreme actions and will shy away from those who demand things of them. Steve has seen time and time again, investigators getting overly aggressive which is never the right way to do it. Ghosts in essence are people who have unfinished business in this world who already jacked with emotions. Adding in the investigator's does not help the situation at all. Often times causes spirits to lash out in violence. He was glad to have found people like Nat and Clint who are very stealth and like to assess the situation before acting. Nat always gives off the air of silence which allows spirits to take the reigns while Clint is playful and kind of nudges them into interacting with him. Steve, on the other hand, just acts like himself. He asks them questions that don't necessarily matter and kind of coax them into trusting him to talk. Their methods work, Steve has seem them do it.
These thoughts brought Steve to think about the other investigation teams that were joining them. Mr. Jarvis was not specific about who their companions are but he prayed that they cared about the spirits and victims in that house more than just trying to capture something on camera. Steve never cared about the content of what was being filmed as long as he was helping those who are suffering.
Steve heard the door open and he stiffened expecting a fight. Steve turned his head to see Bucky shuffle into their place like it was not one in the morning. Steve knew that Bucky worked for special forces and had odd office hours but he always told Steve if he was going to be late because of them. So this time, it was not his job that was keeping him from coming home.
"How was your night?" Steve asked looking straight at the flickering light trying to calm his raging mind. He was tired of being angry.
"Fine," Bucky huffed. Steve heard the creak of the couch knowing Bucky had fallen onto it face first. He always did that.
"That is all you got for me? Staying out until one and just saying 'fine'," Steve growled. He promised himself he was not going to do this but here he was playing the devil's advocate.
"What do you want Stevie? An apology? Well I'm sorry I was not home before you waiting on the couch like a good little boy," Bucky spat back. Steve's breath hitched as some tears began to well up in his eyes. Bucky was never this rude to him. Never this...mean. What ever happened on that mission three years ago changed him.
"You know what, it's all good that you leave your boyfriend, no actually your best friend, out in the cold like he doesn't need to know that you will be a little late coming home," Steve sighed heavily just walking back to the kitchen to put the dirty plate in the sink, "if you want dinner you can heat up the rest of the damn pizza. I am going to bed, sleep on the fucking couch tonight."
Steve could see Bucky visibly flinch on the couch from Steve's word choice. He never cussed unless he was angry and well Bucky made him angry. Steve caught his lover's eyes and they looked apologetic but Steve could not bring himself to care.
"Good night, Buck," Steve whispered. All he got was silence in return.
