*Authors Note: I apologise in advance if this is formatted strange, I will not get my laptop back for a few weeks so please bear with me, this is being written on my ipod*
Tony continued down the beaten dirt path to a small farm at the edge of what appeared to be a mass of woods. The house was white with blue shutters, a small red barn out back and a pasture full of cows and horses. Loki gently nudged Bucky in an attempt to ebb his tears.
"Look, Buck, look at all the animals!" Bucky sat up and peaked out the window, his eyes filling with absolute wonder.
"I wanna ride a horse!" Tony laughed and came to a stop, parking behind an old beat up looking pick up truck.
"You'll have to ask your great uncle Edward about that."It was apparent that Edward Stark was living a much simpler life than his brother Howard ever had, and it made Loki particularly curious.
"Couldn't your father have moved his only brother out into the city? I mean especially after he so generously adopted their dying infant..." Tony shook his head.
"My uncle never would have accepted that. He's a humble, proud man, and he enjoys being out here and working the land. He used to always tell me farming was the great love of his life. Even when Arno's medical bills crippled him with debt, he refused any money my mother offered him." This touched Loki, though it also troubled him. Edward seemed like a man who would be awfully protective of his son, and he didn't see this visit going too well. Nonetheless, the three of them climbed out of the Impala and headed for the back porch. Tony knocked twice.
"Little Tony Stark, is it really you?" A fond voice asked as the screen door was pulled back. Behind it was a short little old man with salt and pepper hair, wearing a worn pair of overalls and sporting a slight sunburn.
"Uncle Edward! It's great to see you!" Tony exclaimed with a pleasant smile, pulling the elderly gentleman into a bear hug.
"Likewise! And who are these two fine lads?" He asked, gesturing with a wrinkled hand to Loki and Bucky. Tony wrapped his arms around Loki's waist and grinned.
"Well, this is my husband, Loki, and the little one here is our best friend Pepper's little boy. His name is Bucky." Edward looked shocked but took Loki's hand anyway, giving it a firm shake.
"Nice to meet you. Wish I had known, I would have come to the wedding." He added, shooting Tony a look.
"Oh no sir, that's absolutely fine. We eloped in my homeland, just the two of us." Loki said quickly, earning a raised eyebrow from his extended family member.
"Oh? Where are you from?"
"Sweden." Tony lied, not missing a beat. Edward appeared a little suspicious but he didn't say anything, holding open the door for this three houseguest's. One can imagine the first words out of Bucky's mouth as they entered the small kitchen.
"Can I ride one of your horses?" Edward laughed and pointed toward one of the back bed rooms.
"Well I sure don't have a problem with it, but how about going and asking my son Arno? They're his horses and he just loves children." Bucky nodded eagerly and ran off to the second bedroom on the left while the adults all sat down at the kitchen table.
"How's he doing?" Tony asked, a sad smile spreading across his uncles face.
"Not good, Tony. They've told me since the day I first held him in my arms that he was dying, but look at him! He's made it to 50, so can you really blame me for thinking he could pull through anything? I never really expected to loose him, until a few weeks ago. Doctors told me his other lung will be collapsing soon and that his cancer has eaten the majority of his body. He won't make it much longer." Tony reached across the table and patted his hand.
"I'm so sorry." Edward took a deep breath and looked from Tony to Loki and back with a sigh.
"Why have you two come?" Tony still seemed to be lost in the news about Arno, so it was Loki who spoke.
"Well, five years ago, when our daughter was about to be born, I was um..." Loki choked and Tony immediately took his hand.
"He was raped by one of my former friends, who proceeded to taunt me with the fact that Arno...is actually my brother." Edward was quiet for a moment, his eyes burning with an emotion Tony couldn't quite place.
"Well your friend is full of manure, and what is this about a daughter?" Edward looked hurt, and Tony didn't know what to say.
"Yes, our daughter. We would have brought her but we didn't want to disturb you more than we already would having to bring Bucky along." Loki explained, running his black fingernails soothingly along Tony's arm.
"He was friends with Dad back before I was even born, Edward. He knew." Tony interjected, a silence falling upon the three of them for a while. Tony was the first to speak, his voice coming out a desperate plea.
"Edward just tell me, is Arno my adoptive brother?" Edward sighed heavily, his old tired eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and depression.
"Yes, okay? He's your brother." Loki and Tony both asked impassioned questions silmutaneously. Loki wanting to know if he had told Arno, and Tony wanting to know who his real parents where. Edward didn't look like he wanted to answer either one.
"Let me ask you something, Tony. Why does this matter so much to the two of you? No Arno doesn't know, he doesn't need too, and I'm sorry, Howard and Maria never told me who they adopted you from."
"It matters because we are both adopted, and we both know the absolute horrors of having to live without knowing what could have been, who could have been...it isn't fair." Edward almost looked offended.
"Isn't fair? Oh I see, sure. My brother taking you in and raising you versus you growing up in an orphanage wasn't fair. You having everything you could ever want isn't fair, and I suppose you think me adopting Arno instead of allowing your father to throw him away wasn't fair either, huh?" Tony blanched and a dull, hallow expression crept onto Loki's face.
"You think adoption is always all it's cracked up to be? You think the pretty picture never has a fracture beneath the globs of acrylic on the surface? You're a naive man, Mr. Stark." Tony stared hard at his uncle, allowing Loki's unsettling works to sink in for a moment.
"Do you really mean to tell me you didn't know that he beat the shit out of me constantly?" Edward refused to answer him, and Tony shook his head in disbelief.
"You're a real piece of work, you know that? I'm telling Arno, he deserves to know before he passes. He deserves the truth." Edward stood and slammed his fist hard against the table.
"You can't do that!"
"Why the hell not?!"
Meanwhile, Bucky was sitting on the edge of Arno's live-in hospital bed having the absolute time of his life. Arno, who looked nearly identical to the late Howard Stark, had Howard Stark been skeletal and pale, was playing I Spy with the little boy, who had now completely forgotten about the horses.
"I like you! You're fun, I'm gonna bring my friend Frigga next time I come, she'll have lots of fun with you too!" Bucky gushed, a loving, happy laugh coming from Arno.
"Oh please do. I hardly get company, and your such a sweet boy." Bucky giggled and swung his legs back and forth off the side of the bed.
"Are you related to my Uncle Tony?" He asked suddenly, surprise taking over Arno's demeanour.
"Tony Stark? He is my cousin! I didn't realise you were his nephew, is he here?" Bucky shook his head.
"Oh he isn't REALLY my uncle, I just call him that. But yeah he is in the kitchen! My best friend Frigga is his daughter." Arno's entire face lit up.
"How wonderful! I didn't know Tony had any children, I have to meet this little one! You've made my day." He said sweetly, patting the side of Bucky's face softy. All of a sudden, Tony burst through the door, Edward and Loki hot on his tracks.
"Arno, we need to talk."He smiled broadly at his cousin, though Tony couldn't find it within him to smile back.
"It is wonderful to see you! What brings you by? Seems important."Edward pushed Tony out of the way and stared hard at his son.
"Don't listen to a word he has to say!" Arno's expression twisted into one of confusion as Loki shoved his way to the other side of the room and lifted Bucky off of the bed to get him out of the way.
"What's going on?"
"Your 'father' won't let me tell you something you and I both should have been told years ago!" Tony growled, glaring daggers at his reddening uncle.
"You ought to let it alone! Arno, you're happy aren't you? Tell Tony you don't want to know, it's only going to make your situation harder on you, son." Arno seemed to think for a moment, his decision careful, smiling kindly at his elderly father.
"It will be okay, father. Allow Tony to tell me, nothing can be worse than stage four cancer right?" He asked with a tragic laugh, as if to lighten the mood although it certainly didn't.
"You and I are both adopted." Arno's face fell.
"What?" Tony shot him a sympathetic look.
"Don't worry, at least you're still part of the family. You are Howard and Maria's son, Arno. Edward adopted you...and your parents adopted me. I came here hoping I could find out who they were...my real parents. But you and I, I mean technically, we are brothers." He smiled at Arno, but this time it was he who couldn't find it in his heart to return one.
"What was so wrong with me that they had to give me to my uncle? Was it...was it because I'm ill?" Arno was usually so happy, and to see him like this broke Tony's heart, but he knew it was right to tell him the truth. He took his brothers hand and have it a squeeze.
"Of course not. It was guilt, Arno, our dad made your illness worse and he thought uncle Edward could take care of you better than he ever could. Honesty he made the right choice, you had the better father. I just wish we would have known, I'd have come around more..." Tears were steaming down Arno's face but he nodded and squeezed Tony's hand back.
"I know you would have. Thank you for being honest with me." It was then that Bucky struggled free from Loki's grasp and ran back to Arno's bedside.
"You're sick? You'll be okay won't you?" The concern plastered on Bucky's tiny face warmed Arno's heart.
"It's okay sweet one, I've come to terms with it long ago." Bucky smiled at him and came closer, sticking his little head up close to the older mans face.
"Don't worry, my daddy used to be small and sick, but then he grew into a super soldier! Maybe you will too!" He whispered, a curious look crossing Arno's face.
"What's his name?"
"Steve Rogers." Arno kissed Bucky's head in gratitude for his kindness, though the child's words were still running through his head.
Super soldier...
"Um, if you guys don't mind I'm growing tired and I'd like to be alone for a little while." The others in the room nodded, each giving Arno a hug and dispersing.
When the couple made it home, Tony was completely drained physically and emotionally, and he was almost certain his uncle would never speak to him again. He sat down on their bed, head in hands, and sighed.
"You alright, my darling?" Loki asked gently, crawling up on the bed and wrapping his arms around him.
"No...I don't know if I made the right call or not." Loki shushed him and gently kissed his neck.
"Don't question yourself, love, he deserved the truth. You're so tense..." Loki nipped and bit at Tony's neck and shoulder for a few moments, earning a few relieved grunts from his husband.
"Here, I think I know what might help." Loki turned out the lights in their bedroom and lit several candles, returning to his spot on the bed and beginning to message Tony's shoulders.
"Ahhh...Loki..." The god tenderly continued to plant kisses all over Tony as he worked out his knots, enjoying the sweet sounds floating from his tired lips.
"Would you like to take this to the bathroom? The hot water will relieve some of the tension." Tony nodded and helped Loki relocate the candles. As the bathroom filled with the scent of pomegranate, Loki's favourite candle scent, Tony undressed them both and began to run the water. He pulled Loki's bare body against his and lightly ran his fingers down his abdomin.
"How are you feeling about the injections? Do you think—" Loki put a finger to Tony's lips and smirked.
"Uh-uh, don't jinx it."