Tony smiles to himself as he hears Steve approach, recognising his heartbeat as if it were his own. He wished it were his own, if Steve could give his heart to him freely without fear. But that was not to be.

It was like Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. He was a Stark, a proud vampire clan going back probably as far as there were vampires. As the only surviving Stark it was his job to carry the clan. Sure he had his half-brother Greg and his cousin Morgan, and they shared the Stark name… But they didn't have the pure Stark blood.

He couldn't go falling in love with a werewolf, and certainly not one of the Rogers' at that. But he did. But it couldn't last, in the end he could have Steve's heart. Like himself, Steve had expectations on his shoulders to carry his clan forward.

The Rogers' were a long line of full-blood werewolves. Steve would be expected to mate with another full-blood and have pups, to carry on the Rogers lineage.

They were never meant to be together. Never should have fallen in love. When he will look back on this centuries in the future he would blame young, foolish love. For now they will share what they can, like this run down hotel they meet up in and any other stolen moment's they can find away from the eyes of their clans. For now they can pretend like this love was something they can have. But one day they will have to brake this off and fulfil their duties to their clans.

Tony gets up from the hotel bed to open the window to let Steve in.

He opens the window and freezes. Something was wrong. Steve's heart was beating wrong, too fast, frightened, plagued by too much adrenaline. Tony mentally and physically started preparing himself for what he could feel was coming.

It wasn't long before Steve arrived at the hotel and jumped in through the open window. He looks terrible.

Steve is soaked in blood and visibly wounded. Cuts hang open all over his body, revealing the muscle beneath the skin. There is isn't much that can hurt a werewolf like this: specialist tools wielded by hunters, powerful supernatural beings, very dangerous managing… and most concerning, other werewolves.

Millions of scenarios play through his head. What if the Rogers' pack Alpha Joseph found out about them and turned on his own son? What if a competing clan of werewolves had moved in and had taken the Rogers down? That would pose a threat to his own family. The Rogers clan were trouble enough for his vampire clan, but adding a new werewolf group into the mix wouldn't end well or anyone. What if it were a hunter? And Steve had too close a call? Were the Rogers' clan safe? Was his own safe? What if it w-"

Steve whines pitifully and presses his face into Tony's suit. Tony's heart twists at Steve's cries.

"Beloved?" Tony says, running his hands though Steve's blood slick fur. "What's wrong?"

"Ma's dead." Steve says, ducking his head under Tony's chin.

"What?" Tony is shocked, it feels like his heart is dripping acid into the pit of his stomach. While the Rogers and Stark clans had feuded for hundreds of years for generations, and vampires and werewolves longer than that… he had liked Sarah Rogers. She was a good woman.

"Da, he… He was drinking again. Got into a fight with Ma like he does when he comes back to the den drunk. But he wasn't-… wasn't gonna stop."

Tony swallowed down the bile that was suddenly working its way up his throat. He ran his fingers though Steve fur as soothingly as he could manage.

"I tried to fight Da off her, but he wouldn't stop." Steve continues. "So, I killed him. I killed him but it was already too late. Ma was dead. I-… didn't even get to say goodbye, tell her I love her one last time."

Steve drops to the floor with a heart wrenching sob, breaking down in front of him. Tony drops down onto the floor besides him and holds him close as Steve cries.

It was horrifying to think that Steve was covered in not only his own blood, but that of his mother and father. Tony whispers comforting nothings in his ears, hoping to sooth him in this moment.

Roughly an hour later Steve picks himself of the floor and sits up beside Tony. Steve curls up close to him and rests his lupine head on Tony's shoulder.

"Tony?" Steve calls softly, his voice wobbly with emotion.

"What do you need, Steve? I'm here" Tony says.

"I know it's too much to ask, Tony. But I'm running away with Bucky, Clint, Bruce and Natahsa. Tony, please, I don't want to do this without you. I'd understand if you can't, if you had to stay for your clan. But please, Tony, come with us." Steve begs, desperately pawing at him.

"Steve…" he says. Steve whines, his ears flattening against his skull, his eyes big and pained. Tony sighs. "I suppose it's no secret that most of my clan would kill to be to the 'head Stark', with no love lost. I don't think I have anything to lose. I will follow you."

Steve lets out a relieved huff and licks his nose. Tony lead Steve over to the bed.

They curl up together on the bed, Tony protectively cradling Steve close, pressing little kisses into his fur.

"We could maybe be together now..." Tony whispers.

Steve looks up at him, eyes big and hopeful. "Like together-together? Letting all our friends know – out in public together?" the werewolf asks.

"Out in public may still be a little bit dangerous… but yes" Tony says.

"You know what I mean: no active hiding." Steve says, his voice full of awe. "I love you" he whispers.

Tony kisses Steve's nose sweetly. "I love you too"

The End

Notes: For the MHEA Harlequin Hoopla, Suspense Prompt - Feb 6th: Clans at War