The Visitor
Tony sat on the couch looking worse than he ever has. He has a full bottle of whisky on the table and a small glass full of melting ice. Playing on the T.V. front of him was he and Steve's wedding video. He wanted that drink so bad, but he knew it would be another promise he'd break. He promised Steve he wouldn't and whether Steve was gone or not, he was trying his best not to give in to temptation. It was hard, though, the video was reaching his favorite part. The vows.
"Tony, I promise to keep you by my side and to love you and protect you no matter what. I will love you, all of you, no matter how annoying you get when you don't stop talking. Tony Stark, I love the way you sing around the house when you think no one's listening. I love the way you get so caught up with building things that you can't even remember what day it is. I love the way your eyes look every time you've completed a project. Most of all, I love fighting alongside with you. You are wonderful man, Tony, and I promise with all of my heart, to be here with you. Forever and ever."
Tears stream down Tony's face in the video and in real life. Steve broke it. He broke that promise.
"Steve, you know I'm not good with speeches and everything. But, you have made me the man I am today. You've saved my life countless times and you mean the world and more to me. There wouldn't be a Tony Stark here today without Steve Rogers. I love you, the real you, the skinny kid from Brooklyn. Sooner or later I'll find a way to take the Iron Man suit into space and I'll bring you the moon, I swear. Steve, I love you with all of my metallic heart.
Tony's sobs are interrupted by a small voice coming from the hallway.
"Papa?" Tony looks over to find Peter standing in the middle of the hallway, in his Captain America pajamas, clutching his blanket. Tony paused the video, walking over to 4 year old Peter and kneeling in front of him.
"Peter, it 3 A.M., what are you doing up so late? Go back to bed."
"Papa, where's Daddy?" Tony sighs and puts a hand on Peter's shoulder.
"Peter, we talked about this, remember? Daddy isn't with us anymore."
"When is he coming back?" Tony fights back the tears as he looks his son in the eyes. Peter is a spitting image of Tony, dark messy brown hair and the facial features to match. Everything except those blue eyes. Tony can see Steve in those blue eyes.
"Daddy's not coming back, Peter." Tony says, unable to look at Peter anymore.
"But I want Daddy!" Peter says, almost in tears. Tony pauses and sighs.
"Let's get you back to bed Peter." Tony stands up and shuffles Peter to his room.
After about thirty minutes, Tony finally get Peter sleep. He's back in living room again, sitting in silence and staring at the haunting bottle before him. It's been almost ten years since he had a drink. Ten years he kept that promise to Steve after the alcohol poisoning. The promise that he's on the verge of breaking. He sighs and twists the cap off the bottle. He pours himself a glass and holds it in his hands for a bit. With another sigh, he brings the glass to his mouth. Right as he is about to taste the sweet burn of golden liquid, he hears a voice calling his name.
"Tony." It was soft at first but now, it's getting louder. Tony set down the glass and looked around the room trying to find the source of the voice.
"Tony." Tony jumped when he saw Steve appear, standing in the corner of the room.
"Steve? Is that you?" Tony squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. Steve was still there and he was now slowly moving forward towards Tony. Tony let the dam break and began sobbing to the point of hysteria.
"You bastard! Why did you leave me? You should've let that building crush me! You shouldn't have died for me!" Tony says through tears.
"Tony, I had to. I did it because I love you." Steve says, keeping his tone calm.
"Bullshit! You broke it! You broke your promise! You said you'd never leave and left! How could you do this to me? How could you do this to Peter? What am I supposed to do without you, Steve? I love you!" Steve stood in front of Tony and swiped away the wetness from Tony's cheeks.
"I love you too. And I love Peter." His tone and face are still so gentle. Tony pulled away from Steve's embrace and slumped onto the couch. He picked up the glass of alcohol and held it in his hand, staring at the golden brown liquid.
"So are you an angel or something?"
"I was sent here to keep you from destroying yourself. Tony, please put the alcohol down." Tony looked up at Steve with eyes full of anger and sadness and strife.
"Why should I? You're not real." Tony says bitterly.
"Does it matter?" Steve sat on the couch next to Tony and gently took the glass out of Tony's hands.
"Tony, I meant everything I said the day of our wedding."
"Except when you said you'd be with me. Forever and ever. Now, Peter has to grow up without you. Without you there for his first day of school, his first date, his prom, his graduation, his wedding...his first kid." Tony face flooded with tears again, thinking of all the memories that Steve will miss. Steve pulled up Tony's chin to look him in the eyes.
"I never broke that promise. I'm here with you right now, aren't I?" Steve placed a soft kiss onto Tony's lips. "You take care of Peter. Protect him and love him and embarass him like every parent does, you hear me?" Tony smiles and nods his head.
"I'll always be with you, Tony. Right. Here." Steve points at the blue glow in Tony's chest. "I'll be watching." And with that, he faded away. Tony spent the rest of the night dumping out every bit of alcohol he had and he told Jarvis to keep him away from it to the best of his abilities.
Tony knows when Steve's watching. He can feel it. He sees signs of Steve. A swirl of leaves on an Autumn afternoon. A star that shines a little brighter at night. A twinkle in Peter eyes. Tony knows when Steve's watching. And Steve knows that he'll always be with Tony.
Forever and ever.
Author's Note: I cried when I was writing this. Inspired by an episode of True Blood. Yes, an episode of True Blood. Oh, writing this stabbed me right in the feels. How will I ever recover? please review and tell me what you think!
-KAYTHANKSBYE!(: