Author's Note: Here we are, next part. Awesome news the rough draft is done, and I have been asked to work a very neat prompt, so I'm pretty stoked just need to get this one done and up. Hopefully I get this done soon, thanks all for reading and reviewing!
Ravingbeauty, you are awesome lets do it.
That Has Such People
Part IX – They do not love that do not show their love.
Peggy tried not to laugh; she really did.
She knew Steven would be hurt that she found it so amusing, but truthfully she was sorely tempted. The face he was making at the tabloid would have anyone wanting to burst out in giggles.
The headline read "LOVE AMONG THE AVENGERS?" Below it, in full color, was a picture of a half-naked Captain America and a disheveled Bruce Banner wearing his uniform top. Disgusted, Steve tossed the paper aside and turned to glare out the plane window, brow pulled into a frown.
Curiously Peggy opened the gossip rag to find more pictures of the pair inside. Some of the images were taken from suggestive angles; if one squinted, they almost looked romantic.
"It's ridiculous," Steve muttered.
Peg played dumb. "What is?"
"That," the blond said vehemently, pointing at the pictures.
"Why?" she asked innocently. "I believe Anthony is free to love anyone he chooses."
Steve did not like hearing that.
"Of course he is – just not Banner," he huffed before turning to look resolutely out the window.
Peggy was close to losing her composure. Every glower, every glare, only succeeded in confirming what the woman had already suspected: Steven Rogers had a crush on Captain America.
-#-#-#-
"What the hell, man?" Clint demanded, waving the paper in front of his friend.
Tony looked up curiously, a cigarette dangling from his lips as smoke curled lazily upwards. Dark eyes tried to track the photo the archer was so incensed by. Eventually giving up, he sighed and focused on his friend instead, "Welcome back."
Clint had just returned from his assignment. Tired, hungry, and soul weary, he'd been keen to finish his debrief and return to the Tower. He'd only been at SHIELD a grand total of five minutes, though, when he'd been slapped in the face with the latest buzz on social media: Captain America and a mystery man that many speculated was a romantic interest. Not many people knew Hulk's alter ego.
But Clint did.
Pulling the cigarette from his lips, the older man sighed deeply as he got a look at the picture. "You don't really believe all that, do you?"
The archer had a carefully crafted speech he'd been rehearsing on the way over, ready to ream the man he'd thought had been his friend. And just like that, the Cap had taken the wind right out of his sails.
Dejected, Clint slumped down in the lounge chair across from the other. "No," he sighed.
Grinning, with dark eyes crinkled in amusement, Tony tugged off his glasses and tucked them in his shirt pocket before turning back to the archer. "You had a whole speech, didn't you?"
The agent hung his head. "Yeah…"
Amused, the super solider cocked his head, "You can still give it to me if it'll make you feel better."
This time the blond laughed outright, "Kind of pointless now, but I would like to know what happened."
Taking a final drag of his cigarette, Tony shrugged, "Bruce was nude after his transformation. I just loaned him my shirt – keeping an eye out for him, as promised."
Clint gave him an almost disbelieving grin, "You're far too good to be real."
Laughing loudly, the man shook his head modestly. "Naw, I just look after my friends."
Clint finally relaxed and leaned back in his chair. "So, how much trouble did you get in with Fury for that little stunt?"
"Not a lot," Tony said with a shrug and a grin. "He was angry, but that dame, Sarah, said it was positive feedback for SHIELD."
Clint laughed aloud, the infectious sound making Tony chuckle as well. "Don't laugh! Here, look," Tony said as he pulled out his phone, tapped the screen open, and handed it over.
Clint watched the video, roughly a minute long. The amateur footage showed Tony holding his hand up in a gesture Clint recognized as looking for a high five. Hulk returned the favor, and Tony went flying into a car.
Clint hooted with laughter. Gasping, he watched the clip twice more, tears of mirth streaming from his eyes. Eventually he looked up to find Tony grinning at him widely.
"Most viewed video on YouTube," he said proudly.
At that, the archer lost it once more, doubling over and laughing with abandon.
Suddenly Clint felt better, calmer, like he was home…
This was home.
-#-#-#-
He was not jealous.
There was no way he could possibly be jealous. Because if he was jealous, it would mean admitting the truth. And he was trying extremely hard to ignore the truth, though the task was becoming more and more fruitless by the day.
Half-heartedly Steve pushed around the designs floating before him. He didn't want to think anymore. All he ever did was think. Think about dark hair, dark eyes, and a crooked grin. An easy laugh, a smile that someone could fall in love with…
Groaning, he buried his face in his hands. This was getting him nowhere. He couldn't, wouldn't… shouldn't be having these thoughts, these feelings. There was a laundry list of reasons why it was futile to even entertain the notion. Yet he couldn't help but want, couldn't help but feel jealous.
The heart, he was learning, knew nothing of reason.
No matter how much he tried to change it.
Watching Bruce and Tony together had been hard, and seeing the fallout afterwards even harder. Peggy didn't seem to think there was anything between the two, but Steve wasn't so sure. Bruce was a good guy and, according to YouTube, Hulk and Cap were bros.
Sighing, Steve rubbed tiredly at his face. He knew he was being a coward – hiding in his lab wasn't going to solve anything. Truthfully, he'd wanted to see Tony the second he'd gotten home, but he'd hesitated. He didn't think he could bear seeing the two of them together.
"Sir, Captain Stark is outside requesting entrance," the AI announced smoothly.
Blue eyes blinked in surprise. What was he doing here? The smart thing to do would be to leave the door shut and say no. Then again, Peg had said that for someone so smart he could be incredibly stupid.
"Ok," was already falling from his lips.
The door hissed open. "Steve?" Tony's tentative voice echoed around the lab.
"Over here, Cap," he called. A dark head and the grinning face of Tony Stark appeared around the corner.
"You're back," he said, coming to stand before the inventor fully.
Steve, unable to help it, found himself returning the grin, "It would appear so."
Dark eyes glanced from him to the holo screen and back, "Am I interrupting?"
Steve shook his head, "Nah, I'm sort of in between things at the moment. What can I do for you?"
Suddenly Tony looked nervous and hesitant, "I umm, I have something I wanted to give you."
Steve watched curiously as Tony opened his sketchbook and tugged out a single sheet of paper.
"I'm not great with color, but I thought I'd give it a try," the man mumbled as he handed over the drawing. As Steve saw the picture before him, though, he found it suddenly impossible to comprehend what Tony was saying.
The drawing was of Iron Man and himself. Steve was in his suit, arms crossed and a smirk playing about his lips. Beside him Iron Man stood ready for battle, the armor rendered in amazing detail. The colors were bright and vibrant, blending and fading together; it was gorgeous.
Unable to hide his amazement, Steve looked up at the other man, "You drew this?"
Tony nodded, neck reddening, "Yeah."
Steve couldn't believe it; he'd noticed Tony sketching all the time, but had never really taken a moment to really look.
"Do you have more?" he found himself asking softly.
Tony blinked in surprise. "Oh yeah, sure. Lots," he said, unable to help his amazement. He handed over the sketchbook he currently held, "I've got more in my room, but you can look at the ones I have here."
Eagerly Steve flipped through the book, astounded by the sheer number and variety of drawings – everything from epic poses of the Avengers in costume to simple everyday candids to panels for comics. He chuckled at one in particular, which showed Fury berating a bored-looking Cap. The next one, though, had him hesitating. He grinned widely and laughed, unable to hold back the giggle that bubbled up. It was the Avengers… in chibi form.
Natasha stood, arms crossed and annoyed, while Thor waved his mini hammer. An adorable, pint-sized Hulk blushed as a small Hawkeye hugged tight to his neck. In the foreground, back to back, sat Iron Man and Captain America. Tony was asleep, leaning on his shield, while Steve played with his phone. It was very sweet, intimate, and adorable… just like the man who'd drawn it.
Steve loved it immediately.
Tony felt his heart stutter in his chest. The look of reverence and awe in Steve's face as he regarded the little doodle was humbling.
"You can keep it," he said softly, neck on fire as he met hesitant blue eyes.
"Really?" Steve asked, unable to help but glance down again at the work, drawn like a magnet to the miniature Cap and Iron Man.
"Yes," Tony insisted. "I have so many more. Always drawing," he said, running a self-conscious hand through his dark hair.
Steve looked up at him again. "You could be an artist," he said encouragingly.
Tony cocked his head playfully, "I was."
The genius felt his brow furrowing, "Really?"
Nodding the larger man shrugged, "Used to do comics before the war, and some during."
Steve stared at him for a moment before an odd sort of look fell across his features. Without a word, he turned and purposefully crossed the lab, heading for a pile of musty looking boxes. Tony waited curiously as the inventor rooted around for several moments before returning with a bundle of yellowing papers.
As he silently handed them over, Tony glanced down at the thick stack, taking a moment to recognize his own work. A slow, sad smile crossed his features as he gently touched the cover of the comic, The Adventures of Captain America.
Steve felt a sudden clench in his heart at the expression on Tony's face; it was so sweetly melancholy.
"I was wondering why that was in dad's old things," he explained softly. "He didn't strike me as the type to collect comics."
"I didn't get as much time when we were overseas, but I tried to get some done… Captain America meant a lot to some people. He provided an escape, always coming out on top."
Steve swallowed thickly, "You speak as if he's someone else."
Tony's lips twisted. "He is. I'm just plain old Tony Stark."
As Steve Rogers looked into those soft dark eyes, he realized with an amazing, horrifying clarity the truth he'd been running from for so long – he'd fallen head over heels in love with Tony Stark.
-#-#-#-
Margaret Carter was a smart woman. Really a brilliant woman in her own right, but she was still a little surprised when she noticed Steve dragging himself into the office looking very lackluster – an anomaly for a man who prided himself on being brisk and polished in every aspect of his life.
Peggy glanced through the window of his office and spotted the man staring off into space – no phone, no holo screen, nothing. Steve was always doing something; the man had never once been still since she'd known him. Amused, she watched as he sighed like a lovesick teenager and looked down at something on his desk, a soft, genuine smile creeping across his features. Peg had to bite her lip; if that wasn't the look of a man in love, then she didn't know what was.
Shaking her head, she made of point of nosily opening the door, biting her lip to keep from smiling as she managed to startle the man.
"Steven," she said, voice rolling softly with her accent.
"Peg," he returned, hurriedly covering what it was he'd been looking at.
"What can I do for you?" he asked, all business now, and looked up at his CEO.
"I need you to meet a client for lunch," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
Steve frowned, "Why?"
Tapping away on her tablet, she looked down at him blandly. "It's a big investor for SRI." Not a lie, actually; Tony Stark was part owner of the company. Howard Stark had made sure his brother was well looked after, should he ever be found.
"Must be an important client," Steve grumbled, eyeing her suspiciously.
"Yes, so make a good impression."
Snorting, the blond waved airily, "Anything else?"
The smartly dressed woman was already striding away, heels clacking noisily on the expensive floor. "Don't be late," she called as she exited the office.
Once outside, she mentally checked off stage one of her plan. Moving on to stage two, she opened her cell phone and selected one of her contacts. Smirking, she headed to her office and listened for the other to pick up.
"Stark," came the brisk answer.
"Hello, Anthony, it's Peggy," she said, sounding every inch the professional she was.
"Hello, ma'am. How are you?" he replied politely.
Peg felt a soft smile tug her lips at his old world manners. Tony Stark was a breath of fresh air in a society that sometimes forgot where it came from.
"Very well," she returned, entering her large office. "Sorry to bother you, Anthony, but I have a favor to ask of you…"
-#-#-#-
"You're making a face, Cap," Clint commented from his position sprawled on the couch.
"I bet I am," he murmured, looking down at his phone.
The blond contorted on the couch and managed to look at him over the arm of the furniture, "Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, Miss Carter wants me to meet someone for lunch for her," he explained, tucking the phone away and pulling off his glasses thoughtfully. His quiet confession got the archer's attention immediately.
"Like a date? Steve's CEO is setting you up on a date?"
Tony froze. A date? He had a sudden attack of nerves. He wasn't so good with dates. His sudden horror must have shown on his face.
"Whoa… easy, Tony. What's wrong? You look like you just saw a ghost."
Groaning, the soldier buried his face in his hands. "A date…" he groaned and looked up at his friend. "I never really did well with dates. I mean, I've had dates but they were… and then I went into the ice."
Clint felt his heart break for the man. "I was just kidding, Tony. It's probably just some Captain America fanatic that wants to have lunch with their hero," he tried to placate.
"That doesn't sound much better," he muttered, giving his friend a mulish look.
"What doesn't seem much better?" Bruce asked as he entered the room, tablet in hand.
"Cap has a mystery lunch date," Clint said, tossing the curly-haired man a small grin.
Bruce joined them immediately looking interested, "Really? Is it a date-date?"
Tony groaned, "Not you, too…"
The scientist gave him a small smile, the corner of his mouth dimpling as he sat on the couch arm beside Clint.
"Not necessarily a date. Could just be a fanboy looking for a one-on-one meeting with the Cap," Clint nobly defended.
Bruce laughed, "You're right, that doesn't seem much better."
Tony still had his face in his hands, suddenly dreading this little favor. This hadn't seemed like such a big deal at the outset.
Bruce felt the uncomfortable roll of the other guy in his mind. It wasn't an angry vibe, though – it was one of concern. Big Green was very fond of Tony and wanted to help. Bruce felt himself smiling in response as he promised he would.
"How about this, Clint and I will follow you to the restaurant and stay nearby just in case," he offered.
Dark eyes looked up at him gratefully, "Yeah?"
Both Clint and Bruce nodded. "We got your back, Cap," Clint affirmed, expression resolute.
-#-#-#-
Steve was running late. He hadn't meant to be late – he really, truly hadn't – but he'd gotten caught up at R&D. Those little geeks never ceased to amaze him, though he'd go to his grave before admitting it.
Now hurrying into the fancy restaurant, he tried to straighten his tie as he slid his jacket back on. The hostess smiled prettily at him, "Mr. Rogers?" Nodding, he tugged at his cuffs, already falling into his cool, aloof persona. Just another business lunch, nothing to worry about.
Only when he rounded the artfully decorated room did his steps falter as he recognized the big, dark haired, nervous-looking man sitting at the table. What was Tony doing here?
Steve felt his heart thump harder in his chest as his palms grew sweaty. It took all his self-control to make his legs move towards the table as dark eyes finally noticed him. The wide, genuine smile Steve got was like a punch to his arc reactor.
"Steve, what are you doing here?" Tony asked, standing automatically as the billionaire joined him.
Steve Rogers was no dummy; he knew a set up when he saw one. "I think I'm here to have lunch with you," he said as they settled at the table.
Tony lit up, "Really?"
Amused, the genius accepted the menu, suddenly ravenous, "Yes."
Tony couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh, "I'm glad – I was worried Miss Carter was trying to set me up." Steve's smile suddenly felt a little brittle, the offhand statement reminding him why his crush was futile.
"You ok, Steve?" Tony asked, concern in every line of his face.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry. It's just been a busy day at the office," he replied, looking down, steadying himself. "So, you hungry?" he asked as he turned to look at the menu again.
Tony gave a dramatic sigh, "Always."
-#-#-#-
"You're kidding," Bruce whispered, looking at his companion across the table.
Keen grey eyes watched the drama unfold across the restaurant, "Nope, it's definitely Steve…" Hazel eyes widened as the scientist sat back in his chair.
"Why would it be Steve?" he asked more to himself than the other.
Clint gave him a look, as if to say it was obvious, "I think it's a set up."
Bruce cocked his head, "Set up?"
Nodding slowly, Clint turned back to Bruce and gave him a wide grin – one that had Bruce's pulse fluttering. "It was definitely a date," Clint said.
-#-#-#-
"I should fire you," Steve announced loudly as he stormed into Peggy's office. Her administrative assistant jumped, looking horrified, but the CEO simply looked up at him, unperturbed.
"You won't," she returned, handing over the last of the documents to the still-terrified woman, who immediately bolted.
Unconcerned about the assistant's flight from the room, Steve huffed and settled into an oversized chair before Peggy's desk.
"Did you not enjoy your lunch?" she asked, sitting back in her own chair.
Steve glared at her for good measure before running an agitated hand through his hair. "Why did you do it, Peg?" he asked softly, trying not to let his heartache creep into his voice.
She felt a wash of guilt, "I just want you to be happy, Steven. Anthony is good for you."
The small blond smiled hollowly, "I don't think he feels the same way."
-#-#-#-
Tony was the man with a plan.
He figured it was a damn good plan, too. As a matter of fact, he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner. It was time he took matters into his own hands where Clint and Bruce were concerned. He wanted to see them happy. Both of them were his friends and he knew they'd be happier together – and today his lunch with Steve had struck a chord.
He knew it had just been a meeting with a friend for lunch. Deep down, though, a part of him wished it had been more, wished it had been a date… Shaking his head, he firmly set his jaw and navigated through the kitchen, deftly handling pots and pans.
Life was too short to wait on love, to wait for that perfect moment in time. Sometimes love needed a little bit of a hand, and he was going to be the one to provide it.
-#-#-#-
"Bruce, dinner," Tony called, sticking his head into the lab in time to see the scientist look up owlishly from his microscope.
"Oh, is it?" Bruce asked, glancing at the time even as his stomach grumbled audibly.
"Yeah, I'm just going to grab Steve. See you up there."
Nodding, Bruce smiled his thanks as the soldier disappeared.
After saving his work, the scientist wandered up to the kitchen and halted just inside the door, eyes widening in surprised amazement.
The table was set for two, candles flickering intimately as covered dishes steamed invitingly on the table.
Mouth still open in shock, he heard another set of footsteps approaching. Bruce was unable to do more than stare as Clint strode in from the other side of the kitchen and stumbled when he saw the scene before him.
Slowly the archer turned to look at Bruce, and the scientist was stunned to see Clint blushing. Colour high on his cheeks, the normally talkative man seemed lost for words. Hesitantly Bruce stepped further into the room, offering Clint a hesitant smile, "Clint?"
Hawkeye had no idea what to do… He was helplessly drowning in those beautiful hazel eyes. He knew what he wanted to say, but the words wouldn't come.
Bruce looked back towards the table and spotted a piece of paper folded neatly in the middle. Curiously he picked it up and carefully unfolded it. It looked like a page out of comic book, but rougher. The panels featured he and Clint having dinner, smiling at one another, hands clasped as they looked at one another lovingly. There were no words, but the message was clear enough.
Wordlessly he handed the page to Clint, who'd come to see what it was. The archer went white as a sheet as a sound close to a whimper escaped his lips.
"Bruce, I…" he took a breath and looked down at his hands, watching them clench and unclench as his heart and stomach twisted unpleasantly. Nervously he looked up again to find Bruce waiting for him. Without hesitation, the scientist pressed a clumsy, awkward, incredibly poignant kiss to his lips. It was quick and sweet and left the other man in shock.
Bruce blushed and began to turn away, thinking he'd made a mistake. Clint caught his arm, though, and pulled him close once more. "No way, Freckles," he breathed and kissed him properly, and very thoroughly.
Bemused hazel eyes blinked as the Hulk purred in contentment in his mind. For the first time in a long while, everything was right with the world. They parted sometime later, flushed and giddy, smiling shyly at one another.
"Shall we eat?" Bruce asked, and Clint nodded as they settled at the intimate table, hands clasped, each man thinking they'd have to thank the Cap...
Later, though.
Tonight… tonight was for them.
-#-#-#-
"You look awfully smug," Steve commented, eyeing Tony over the pizza.
Tony Stark couldn't help but smirk. "No real reason," he commented, trying to look composed. Inside he was yelling in happiness; he figured it was going well as neither Clint nor Bruce had chased him down.
Blond brows raised, but the engineer gave him a shrug and let it go. To say he'd been surprised when Tony had shown up at the lab, pizza in hand, would be an understatement. He really hadn't been expecting anything after the nice, but depressing, lunch they had earlier. Steve had firmly decided that his crush was utterly futile, that he was doomed to his unrequited love.
So when the handsome man had shown up with food, the billionaire had been unable to say no. Hell, he didn't think he'd ever be able to say no to Tony. Heaven help him if the man ever figured that out.
Tony watched as Steve moodily stared at the pizza in his hand. He knew something was on the man's mind. "Steve?" he asked softly, waiting until blue eyes met his.
Steve felt his breath shudder out all at once; the concern in the soft brown eyes was genuine. Tony was everything he could ever hope for. Steve felt his mouth open unbidden, the words ready to tumble out. Even if it ruined whatever this tentative thing was between them… he wanted him to know.
The alarm blared balefully around the lab.
The two men shared a regretful look before hurrying towards their respective suits.