Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Challenges listed at the bottom.
Word Count - 2010
Play To Keep
Tony arrived fashionably late, as was his way. The ballroom was already filled with people, and he greeted people as he walked past them, smiling and waving at others. He was pretty sure he knew almost everyone in the room.
The Maria Stark Gala was one he never missed, not for anything. Looking around, he soon spotted the woman he knew he had to see first.
"Pepper!"
She turned to hug him, and he pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"You look beautiful," he told her honestly, taking a moment to appreciate the teal dress she was wearing. "As always."
She grinned at him. "I'd reprimand you for being late, but I guess for you, this was a timely arrival."
"Who was late?" he asked, looking around them mockingly. "Certainly not me."
"Uh huh. Go, mingle, do what you were born to do and make people spend their money," she said, waving her hands at him.
"Save me a dance, Miss Potts?"
"Of course, Mr Stark."
Tony stopped off at the bar for a drink, because liquor was definitely always a necessity at these things, and then did as Pepper had advised and started on the charm offensive.
It was easy, slipping into his Tony Stark skin, though not as easy as it had once been. He spent much more time being just Tony these days, so it always felt like he was donning armor when he had to be anything else—even if this armor wasn't quite as obvious as the crimson and gold one he flew around in.
Steve, Natasha and Clint were all present, and he grinned at them when he passed them, but he didn't stop to engage any of them in conversation. That would come later, when he'd done his job and could relax a little bit.
After an hour of mingling, Tony was definitely ready to be done. Thankfully, the auction was coming up and that meant everyone would be returning to their tables. Pepper had been a dear and put Tony with the other Avengers, Rhodey and Happy, on a table for six, so he would be able to relax.
"Tony Stark."
Tony froze. He knew that voice. He didn't want to be hearing that voice, and he closed his eyes briefly.
"This won't end well," he muttered to himself, before he turned and greeted Tiberius Stone with the fakest smile in his arsenal.
"Ty," he said, nodding his head. "What are you doing here?"
Tony knew for a fact that he wasn't on the guest list, because Pepper hated him.
"Miss Hartley required a plus one, and my evening happened to be free. I couldn't turn down the opportunity to come to a Maria Stark Foundation Gala, could I?"
Tony raised his eyebrow. "Well, I suppose it's not like you can get in on your own name, is it?"
…
Clint could see the tension in Tony's back, his fitted charcoal grey suit doing nothing to hide it. He was talking to a taller man in a traditional black tux, and Clint frowned when he saw Tony leaning back on his foot, as though he was trying to lean away from the man without being obvious.
"Something is going on over there," he murmured to Natasha. She turned, the movement making her pale yellow dress catch the lights of the room.
"That… I believe that's Tony's ex boyfriend," she said, brow furrowing. "As far as I'm aware, he's not on any of the guest lists to any of SI's parties."
"Tony doesn't look happy to be speaking to him, does he?" Clint asked, head tilting slightly.
"You should go and save him," Nat agreed, though she smirked. "Everyone appreciates a knight in shining armor, right?"
He stared at her blankly for a moment. "I hate you."
She patting his arm in a way that he was sure was supposed to be comforting. "No you don't. But yeah, go save our boy. He really looks uncomfortable right now."
Clint nodded and left her side, striding across the room towards the bar.
"Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?" Tony asked, as Clint reached the bar.
The man tilted his head, an amused look in his eyes. "Come now, Tony. I know we have an… interesting history, but you can't hate me that much!"
"It's not that I hate you," Tony was saying. "But if you were on fire and I had a glass of water in my hand, I would rather drink it."
Clint snorted. At home, Tony was witty and his banter was always on point, but he never felt the need to unleash his tongue fully. It was always amusing for Clint to hear him use it on some poor unsuspecting schmuck.
"Sorry to interrupt," he said, resting his hand against the small of Tony's back. "But everyone is going to be sitting down soon, and I really don't want to be stuck between Cap and Nat, so you need to come sit with me."
"Tony is busy," the other man said, sneering at Clint. "So you'll just have to manage, won't you?"
Clint blinked. "I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced. You are?"
"Tiberius Stone. Tony's only boyfriend."
Clint could feel Tony practically vibrating beneath his hand and he scowled at the man before he turned to Tony.
"You've always had the worst taste in romantic partners. Except Pepper, obviously. But really, Tones, you should totally just run away into the sunset with me and leave all these losers behind."
Tony snorted. "Come on Katniss, let's go and sit down."
"We're not done here, Tony," Tiberius said, reaching out to grip Tony's arm. The way the blood left his fingers told Clint it wasn't a light hold.
"Actually, I think you are," Clint said, slapping his hand away. He turned, wrapping his arm more firmly around Tony's waist and led him away.
"Do we have time to—"
Clint changed direction, heading instead for the balcony. Tony was pale, and Clint hated to see him so shaken by a person. Tony was usually one of the most confident people Clint knew.
…
The fresh air felt great on his overheated skin, and Tony took a moment to just let it hit his face, the chilly breeze of the night helping him relax a little.
He couldn't believe he'd let Tiberius get under his skin like that. It had been so many years since he'd seen him, it really shouldn't matter what he said. Tony was waaaay past that stage of his life now, so it really shouldn't affect him so much.
"You wanna talk about that?"
"I want to forget," Tony replied, running a hand through his hair. "Tiberius was my first… real boyfriend, I guess. I thought I was in love, you know? I thought. Well. Whatever I thought, I was wrong. He wasn't a good person then, and he isn't now."
Clint frowned slightly. "Tony… did he hurt you?"
"He broke my heart," Tony replied quietly. "I was an idiot. I didn't learn, really, not even then. I didn't really learn until after Pepper. Love just… isn't for me I guess. Maybe I wasn't meant for it?"
"If you don't stop talking bad about yourself, I will physically fight you," Clint said, reaching out to grip Tony's hand in his own. Tony looked down at their linked fingers. "Of course you were meant for love, Tony. Everyone deserves love, but especially you."
"Nobody else sees it that way," Tony replied, rolling his eyes. "Cause they've all gone away."
"You're an idiot," Clint scoffed. Tony looked up at him, surprised to see the fondness and affection in his gaze. "Tony, look around you. The team are still here, and none of us are going anywhere. Pepper is still here, she didn't leave you when you didn't work out romantically. Rhodey and Happy are both still here. We all love you, you dumbass."
Tony sighed but nodded. "I know. I know, you're right, I'm just feeling sorry for myself right now. I didn't expect to see him and it threw me off for a minute. I'll be okay, Clint."
Clint nodded and seemed to take the hint. He squeezed Tony's hand and winked at him. "I'll save you a seat."
…
Tony slipped into the seat beside Clint just as the auction began.
Clint raised an eyebrow at him in question, and Tony wrinkled his nose in reply. Good. Clint nodded and they turned their attention to the host.
Honestly, Clint wasn't interested in most of the items they were auctioning off. It was all rich people stuff that he just… didn't care about.
Except…
Across the room, Tiberius Stone put in a bid on a long weekend holiday in Tony's villa in the Alps. Almost before he'd realised what he'd done, Clint put in a higher bid.
Tony looked at him, his eyes twinkling, as Tiberius bid and then Clint again.
"I'll cover you," Tony muttered quietly, proof that he was just as immature as Clint.
Clint loved it.
Sure, it was an unorthodox way to get someone back, but it was amusing to see how angry Tiberius was getting across the room as Clint grinned his way and upped the bid again.
"Sold to the gentleman in the purple shirt," the host yelled, pointing at Clint.
Tony shook his head at him, smiling. "You're on a crusade to protect me, now, Legolas?"
Clint smiled back. "Maybe."
…
Tony spun Pepper out and pulled her back in, laughing when she shook her head at him. "You're a menace, Tony."
"Probably," he agreed. They danced around the floor for a while, until Pepper was stolen from his arm by Rhodey.
He was about to go back to the table when Clint swept in and spun him, making him stumble.
"Clint! What are you—"
"Dance with me," Clint said, no request as he took Tony in his arms.
"You've been… different, today," Tony said, looking up at Clint. "More… there, I guess. It's a nice change."
"I never… I guess I don't really ever know if you want me around more, but… it seemed like you did tonight. So."
"Of course I want you around!"
Clint raised his eyebrow. "Really?"
Tony blushed and glanced away. "Yeah. I. Yeah."
"You know… green really is your colour," Clint said, glancing down at the silk shirt Tony had on beneath his suit. "You should consider making an emerald and silver suit. You could totally pull off being a Slytherin."
Tony choked on his laughter. "You're such a nerd. Besides, I think I like being a Gryffindor. Brave and bold and courageous. I think it suits Iron Man."
"You're a nerd too," Clint muttered, pulling Tony closer. He felt him shiver against him and smiled. "I like nerd Tony. I like brave Tony, and bold Tony, and shy Tony, and sleepy Tony and—"
"I get it," Tony said, laughing. "You like me."
"I do. Think… think you wanna take a chance on a hatstall that only wears purple because no single house could handle me?"
"Oh my god, stop with the Harry Potter references!"
Clint pressed a kiss to Tony's temple. "If you let me take you on a date, I promise I'll stick to Star Wars."
Tony snorted. "Well, you've met the ex. You know I have terrible taste in men."
"So you'll let me sweep you away into the sunset then?"
Staring up at him, Tony nodded. "Yeah. That sounds… kinda perfect."
Clint bent his head slightly and kissed Tony softly, drawing a sigh out of him. He heard a glass break, and when he looked up, he saw Tiberius standing on the edge of the dancefloor, the stem of his wine glass broken in half.
It looked like a villa in the alps wasn't the only thing Clint had won this evening. He smiled viciously at Stone and then spun Tony out, his smile softening at Tony's giggle.
Luckily for Clint, he didn't just play to win.
He played to keep.
Written for:
Assorted Appreciation - 17. "You've met the ex."
Disney - C3. Someone recounting past events.
Trope - 9. Unorthodox
Book Club - 3. Leo - Proof / Immature / Winking
Showtime - 2. Crusade
Attic - 20. Yelling
Press Play - 20. "If you don't stop talking bad about yourself, I will physically fight you."
Scamander - 14. "I want to forget."
Basement - 11. "It's not that I hate you, but if you were on fire and I had a glass of water in my hand, I would rather drink it."
Film Festival - 10. Comforting
Marvel - 2. "You're an idiot."
Lyric - 15. 'Cause they've all gone away.
Funfair - Apple Picking - Tree 1 - Shiver.
Horror Movie - Dialogue - 2. "This won't end well."
Monster Mash - Accessories - 3. Dragon Scales - Charcoal Grey
Galleon - Crimson
Zodiac - Libra - Green
Pumpkin Toss - Medium - 12. Purple
Sticker Album, Rare, Halloween set 1 - 2. Bat - Something happening at night
Days of the year - 10. National Boyfriends Day - A Slash pairing
Autumn - 7. Change
Colour - 5. Teal
Birthstone - 8. Opal - "Do I get bonus points if I act like I care?"
Element - 4. Fresh
Bake a Cake - Butter - Yellow
Ravenclaw - 2. Witty
Religious Events - 16. Simchat Torah - Someone dancing
365. 313. Liquor