A/N: Soooo… My head's been in a lockdown in a couple of days now, typing vise. And I've wondered why, until this little beast came to life. I SHIP CLINTXLAURA AND TONYXPEPPER VERY, VERY HARD. BUT, apparently my stubborn brain wanted to test something different. (smirks sheepishly)
WARNINGS: CHARACTER DEATH, SLASH (I'm trying to avoid making it so descriptive that it gets uncomfortable – if you guys survive this first chapter, it doesn't get steamier than that!) (NO CHEATING, because that's a 'no turning back' thing for me and OOC from both characters), language (sorry, Steve…!), author taking some small creative liberties with medical stuff (NO MPREG, though, sillies!), general weirdness… Uh, anyone out there…?
DISCLAIMER: This hurts, ya know? But okay, because I don't want to get sued… ME OWNS NOTHING, but my DVDs and Hawkeye-figurines. (POUTS) In my dreams, though… (smirks) TITLE IS ALSO USED FOR AN ACTUAL BOOK, TO WHICH THIS STORY OR ITS PLOT HAVE NO CONNECTION. The one who created the picture used is a GENIUS.
Awkay, because I'm close to chickening out… Here we go! I REALLY, REALLY HOPE that you'll enjoy the ride!
The Bridge to Neverland
Prologue – Hi
Tony Stark swallowed once, twice. The bitter taste in his mouth refused to go away. He wasn't aware of the tears filling his eyes. His mouth opened five times before the words began to pour out. "I, eh… I'm Anthony, and… I've got… a problem. You know, with alcohol."
"Hi, Anthony", the group gathered around him greeted.
Tony barely heard them. Barely even noticed their presence. His hand squeezed even more tightly around a stunningly beautiful, arrow-shaped silver pendant. "I'm only here… alive, I mean, 'cause… I met someone, and he…" The memories hurt, almost more than he could bear.
/ A kiss. /
/ A moan of pleasure. /
/ … "… promise me, Tony…" … /
/ An embrace, tight, desperate. /
/ A hand going slack in his. /
It was the first time Tony was seen crying in public. "We… didn't know each other long, but…" He choked on his words. "He's… He's gone, and… I've gotta try to do at least something right. I promised him."
Ten Months Earlier
"Thirty years." James Rhodes smirked, shaking his head. Hilariously and obviously drunk. "Tony Stark, you're officially getting old."
Tony rolled his eyes. Wishing he was drunker than he was. "That joke was funny the first six times", he grumbled.
Rhodey rolled his eyes. "You…" The man pointed a neon-colored, brightly shining straw accusingly at him. "… are a real killjoy today. Did you fight with Pepper again?"
Tony emptied his glass of alcohol and tried to remember what it was. "We haven't been fighting since we broke up." After all the tears, shouting, misunderstandings and heartache it was almost anticlimactic. Well, at least there was that tiny bit less drama in his life, now.
Rhodey's eyebrows furrowed. "Then why not inviting her, too?" The man then blinked and nodded slowly, face filling with drunken clarity. "Oh, yeah… Would've been weird, huh?"
'Weird' was definitely one word to describe it. "Yup", Tony confirmed. He ditched the empty glass with a scowl. "I need a new drink. Maybe that'll make me feel less sorry for myself." Because honestly, hadn't this whole day been one big self-pity-party? Usually any excuse to celebrate would've had Tony glowing like a disco ball. (He wished he remembered which one of his friends once said that.) His birthday was the only exception. Which was why less than five people in the whole world knew the date and he'd opted to celebrate at a horribly noisy bar with just Rhodey.
Rhodey frowned. Suddenly appearing far too sober. "You sure that's a good idea? You're pretty well…" The lines on the man's forehead deepened with concentration. "… juiced up already."
Tony smirked and patted his friend's shoulder. "So are you, buddy. So are you."
By some miracle Tony was able to convince a suspicious looking bartender to serve him. But the club was as crowded as it was loud. He was at least twenty steps away from Rhodey when a sudden shove from behind broke his balance, sending him to a collision course with someone. His drink, something disgustingly blue, flew through the air and landed on a black shirt. A shirt… which covered… what appeared to be sinfully well-developed abs…
Tony lifted his gaze slowly, slowly. A dopey and wicked smirk appeared to his face when he met a pair of completely and utterly surreal eyes. "Hi." That had to be the worst pickup attempt ever…
It was the last coherent thought and the final thing he remembered of that night.
Tony woke up to the worst headache he'd ever experienced. Which was saying a lot. He groaned, attempting to bury his face into a pillow. Or maybe he was trying to suffocate himself with it. It would've chased away the hammer swinging in his skull…
Rhodey's gonna be so pissed off…!
Slowly becoming more aware, Tony began to assess his condition. Mainly to convince himself that he was actually still alive. His head was a mess. His stomach was making motions it shouldn't have been capable of. And certain… private areas of him… Oh, boy, he knew this throbbing!
His eyes flew open. He was two seconds too slow to foresee that it was a big mistake. Once he was actually able to see without it tearing his brain to pieces, he discovered a few things of varying degrees of concern.
Number one, he wasn't in his own bed. Or in his own home, for the matter. Number two, if the state of the sheets was anything to go by someone had just done some rather kinky stuff on them. Number three, he was able to notice number two because the other side of the bed was empty. Number four, he had absolutely no idea who the person he had… funky times with was. Number five, the room's air smelled of dust and… peaches?
Tony turned his head far too quickly. For a while black spots danced in his line of vision, blurring the human-looking mass quite nearby. Entirely too slowly for someone as impatient as him his vision cleared enough to reveal a young man who was just putting on a black coat. His eyes roamed more hungrily and eagerly than he should've been able to manage in his current condition.
That… was a very, very nice ass stuffed into a pair of sinful black leather-pants.
"Your wallet's untouched, if that's what you're worried about. And I'm not planning on blackmailing you." The coat having been handled, the stranger began to pull on a pair of heavy boots. "For future reference, Tony, someone as famous and loaded as you should be hell a lot more careful with their chosen bed-partners."
Tony shrugged. It was disturbing, really, how little he cared about the potential hazards of bedding a total stranger, especially with how defenseless he was the night before. He needed a cigarette. And he wanted to squeeze that ass, badly. "I only regret that I don't remember a thing about last night", he croaked, sounding and feeling like he'd swallowed a cactus or two. He saw a barely distinguishable amount of tension and felt his eyebrows furrow. "Look, if I…"
"Don't worry, it was fun while it lasted." The man peered at him over his shoulder with those entirely too captivating eyes, which did funny things to several parts of Tony. Pale face, surrounded by a disheveled bush of blond hair. That face…
Christ, how young is that guy? Tony swallowed thickly, feeling like throwing up. "You're not… a minor, are you?"
The man stared at him incredulously for a moment. Then shook his head, appearing insulted, exasperated and amused all at once. "I'm twenty-one. So you can wipe off the deer in headlights look, there's no lawsuit headed your way."
Tony winced, both at his headache and clumsy wording. Well, at least he hadn't suspected the poor guy of being a prostitute… "In that case…" He wiggled his eyebrows, something warm and far from innocent stirring to life inside him. "If you're not in a hurry… You think you're up to some morning-fun?" At least he'd remember that one later.
The stranger snorted. Almost laughed. "Sorry, Romeo. But I've got an appointment. And I doubt you'd be up to any funny business just yet." A wink was aimed his way. "Thanks for last night. I've always wanted to check out this hotel."
"Wait!" Tony didn't mean to sound that needy. Or loud. He went on as soon as his ears stopped ringing. "We just… had hanky-panky. Can't I at least have your name?"
Was that a grin or a grimace? "No. Trust me, knowing me is the last thing you need." The stranger was already at the door, and the billionaire was entirely too aware that he wouldn't be able to follow. Even if his pride would've allowed it, which it didn't. "There's a mug of coffee and two painkillers on your nightstand. Use them well." With that the door opened and closed, separating them.
Tony stared. Then grinned, despite having been left feeling disappointed and… charged. He had a strong feeling that he'd see that guy again. And that eventually, he'd find out a name.
That stubborn knowledge was his comfort as he stood in a painfully hot shower an hour later, taking care of a problem his guest refused to solve.
It was the beginning, and the beginning of an end.
TBC
A/N: Now THAT, was a steamy beginning…! But as you've seen, there's heartbreak ahead. (winces)
Sooo… Are you guys ready for a bumpy flight? Or should I just delete this and pretend that this was never born? PLEASE, do let me know! Hearing from you means A LOT, especially when a brand-new story's beginning to stir to life.
THANK YOU, so much, for reading! Who knows. Maybe I'll see you again…?
Take care!
