The Bitter Suite
Chapter One
It was all over now, the world had been saved, the Chitari had been destroyed, the war criminal had returned home to Asgard with the blonde bombshell. Now there was nothing to do, but throw a 'We saved the world party' and Tony Stark sure did know how to throw a party. The whole of SHIELD was there in his mansion, the drink flowed freely. The music pounded out in every room provided by Jarvis, the lights flashed. Every one was having a really good time, well except for one Mr Steven Rogers that is.
A man out of time, he didn't belong here with these people. He had never liked parties, he sat on the outside of the room drinking a double whisky with ice, just watching the others. Clint and Tasha were in an advanced state of excitement, grinding together on the dance floor. He doubted that it would be very much longer before they both snuck away for a little privacy. Agent Hill and Fury were busy chatting, Pepper Potts acting as a sweet hostess making sure that everyone had what they needed. Hulk was chatting animatedly with Stark.
His heart froze, and he finished the drink in one gulp. Grabbing another two glasses off a waiter as he went by. Seventy years ago after his treatment, he'd discovered drink no longer affected him. Now though that was clearly no longer the case. He didn't know if the drink was stronger then he was used to, or if the time in the ice had changed him, but he certainly felt the warmth of the potion colouring his cheeks. It took a little while longer then it would have before the operation, but it was certainly getting to him.
He had admired Stark for all they had argued during their time at SHIELD. They had worked together eventually. After Coulson's death, he'd seen a side of that brash, egomaniac he'd never expected. He really did have a softer side, and a heart of gold. He really did care about others, even though he tried to hide it. When he had undertaken that suicide mission to save them all, it had been far more then Steve had ever expected. And it was a side of him that Steve had found himself greatly attracted to. That poor fragile man inside the suit, wanting to hug him and take away the pain from his tired frame.
The emotions shocked him, being gay in his time was a wrong and disgusting act that you never spoke of. That's why he had always hidden those urges away, repressing them as much as he could. He had enough reasons to not be allowed in the army without that stigma as well.
Then Tony had crashed back through the portal into the world again, and the Hulk had saved his life. Steve had come to see what could be done, Thor had ripped off the face plate of the suit, but without tearing off the whole machine it was hard to see what could be done to help him. And it would be impossible to treat him medically. Steve's heart had been crushed when he thought the man dead. The relief he had felt when Tony had opened his eyes again, he had nearly cried. He had stayed strong as long as he had been able to, until he was alone. Pushing those feeling back down like he had done so many times before. Burying everything about how he felt, just like he always had. Just like he always would.
Tonight however he was finding it far harder, with the whisky deep in his veins. He'd been watching Stark that whole evening in that sinfully tight black suit which left nothing to the imagination. The other had not once cast an eye in Steve's direction as he flirted his way across the room. Watching the billionaire touching a girls arm and kissing her, the green eyed monster raised his head inside of the Captain again. He wanted nothing more then to stamp across that room, grab Stark and kiss him until he would take no more.
Steve drank several more glasses before finally shaking his head and leaving the mansion. He hadn't gotten two steps down the drive before Stark was after him. "Going so soon Captain?" he had asked.
"Didn't think anyone would notice me leaving." Steve bit back.
"Well you were a wall flower all evening, so you can hardly expect long meaningful conversations from your whisky glass!" Tony said.
"I didn't notice my host paying any attention to what I was doing!" Steve growled back.
"Are you drunk?" Tony asked surprised.
"Wasn't that the whole point of this evening?" Steve asked, "Getting drunk and making a good time."
"I thought my fathers notes said you weren't capable of it actually affecting you."
"Well, your father was wrong!"
"Unless you wanted to be drunk?"
"If I did, then that's up to me and no business of yours. Last time I checked I was more then seventy years over the legal age to drink in the U S of A. Now you have a room full of women to work your way through, so don't let me keep you from them!" Steve snapped. Then seeing the look on Tony's face he wished he could take the words back, damn his lose tongue.
"Are you jealous?" Tony asked, "I could introduce you to a few.
"Just forget it, I'm drunk. I don't know what I'm saying!"
Steve walked away but Tony grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Oh I think you know exactly what you are saying, and I think you need to finish that sentence right now big man!"
"Why?" Steve demanded, shoving him roughly away. "So that you can know how damaged I really am? So you can find out that I'm a deviant? That I'm broken inside so very badly I can't even entertain the thought of being touched by a woman? You don't need to know any of that! SO just forget it and tomorrow we will be back on the job like nothing ever happened."
Tony was floored trying to work out what he was being told. Then it dawn on him slowly, "You are gay!"
"Don't say that to me, I'm not gay!" Steve said squaring up to him.
"Oh yes you are, it makes perfect sense. You do know that being gay isn't looked down on anymore right? Men marry other men every day!" Tony said.
"SHUT UP!" Steve shouted, "You know nothing about me, or how I feel or who about!"
"Oh this is just too perfect old man, you come out of defrost and you have a man crush already! Who is it?" Tony asked, "Thor? No too pretty. How about Legolas? Do his arrows turn you on?"
"I'm so not doing this!" Steve said walking away.
"Oh come on Cap, its only a bit of fun."
"Love isn't fun, its pain and sorrow when you lose those you love!"
"Oh tell me that its Banner? That would be just too perfect. Captain Fancy pants, who has no emotion, with the huge green rage monster!" Tony joked.
Steve turned sharply, "Its you, you bastard okay!"
Stark sobered instantly, "Come again?"
"Ever since I saw how hurt and frightened you were after Coulson's death. When you lost your first solider on the battlefield, I knew how that felt. I lost my best friend too, he died because of me! All I knew when I saw you almost crying was I wanted to protect you, keep you safe from the world. When I thought you ahd died, I wanted only to die as well, so that I didn't have to live without you. So go on, joke all you want about peoples emotions!"
Tony looked at him, his mouth open. Words just wouldn't come, it was so unexpected. He wouldn't lie and say he hadn't had a few dark thoughts about that fine ass, but then again guys weren't usually his thing.
Steve shook his head and drove away pretty unsteadily on his motorbike.
"At least let me drive you home!" Tony shouted.
He was ignored, "Oh hell!" Tony said, "Jarvis, keep a track on him!"
"Yes sir!" The machine said with its usual level of sarcasm.
"And get my suit ready, he's gonna crash in this state." Tony said heading inside.
"I already did in readiness of your desire."
"Smart alec!" Tony grouched.