Chapter 2

I helped Harry from the Quinjet and we walked through the wards. "Aah safe at last, and what the fuck is Steve Rogers doing here?" I growled "Tony, I want you to control that hot-blooded temper, anger will serve you ill" I grimaced "Yes dear"

Harry grinned as he made kissy faces at me and I rolled my eyes as I smiled.

Steve rushed up to me and started apologising "Tony, I'm so sorry, I've been a total idiot since I've met you, I don't expect forgiveness, I will do anything to earn it"

"Puh-lease, spare me the all-american contrition dance and I guess you can stay for the wedding, and get our wedding garden ready. Who punched you?"

Steve looked down at his feet and murmured "Rhodey, but I deserved it, then I set up the rows of seats and the archway on the dais for the actual ceremony. Fred and George Weasley are here. Do you know them?" Steve gestured

Harry smirked "Watch out, those two will prank you to hell"

Steve smiled awkwardly "Harry, I owe you a huge apology, I misjudged you because of your magical abilities. I've barely been out of the ice for 7 months when Loki attacked New York. But I can see you love Tony and that he loves you" Steve turned to Tony "Um, Tony, um"

"Spit it out" Tony yelled and Steve flinched, but he still continued.

"Bucky's here, he wants to talk to you"

I sucked in a breath and Harry grabbed my hand "Be calm Tony, Bucky was their slave just as much as I was when the weasel tried to have me killed. We didn't know about Alexander Pierce then, nor Brock Rumlow, or even Strucker the fucker until the weasel gave me to them" Tony rolled his eyes "I'll be calm" Harry nudged me towards the garden and I went around the back passage to the garden.

Harry's POV

"Steve, can you walk with me, please? There's a few things I want to say" I said seriously

"Shall we go onto the veranda?"

"It looks relaxing so why not"

I gestured that he should walk beside me, and not behind me.

"You have the makings of a good leader, you know, but you are very judgmental of Tony, I know you had a pre-conceived notion of what you thought the man was like?" I glared at Steve "Howard Stark was off searching for you while he neglected Tony's mother and Tony, himself. A full twenty-five years before Tony was born, he threw everything into finding you, Why did you keep nagging Tony to make him do things your way, he is not a soldier"

"I'm sorry for everything I said to him, I've been an idiot" Steve looked ashamed

"No, you are not being an idiot now" I huffed "Just keep in mind I love Tony and I won't let anyone else hurt him, he was tortured in Afghanistan, then he came back to me a different person. He stopped making weapons for the US Government and became iron-man"

"Please, stop with the kicked puppy look, just answer me one thing, did Wanda get into your head too, and are you in love with Bucky?"

Steve's head snapped up "Yes, and yes to both. Is it legal?"

"Oh Steve you really have been out of the loop for too long. LGBTQ+ rights are in full swing right now and two men can get married to each other, it's legal. You should tell him you love him. Time and love are endless, infinite"

"I'm scared" Steve mumbled "I've disappointed him, I just want to wrap him up in cotton wool and protect him. The feelings I have for him…oh gosh…big feelings"

"This is not the 1940's anymore, like I said, you are operating inside a twenty-four year old body that is real anxious to get on all the ride, you don't need to jump his bones, love and sex aren't just interchangable, put the two together and it's like a chemical reaction, enjoy it"

"I have an idea, you know about protection symbols, right, runes?"

"I have spoken to Thor, you know, the vikings worshipped him and his brother"

"I know, so did George and Fred" I got lost in my memories of the twins. Fred had died in the final battle, that's why I left. Everyone, Molly, Ron, the assholes turned on me because I took Hermione's side. "Harry!" I looked up "Sorry" I was shedding tears "I was thinking about George's twin, Fred, they were magical twins, George was suicidal after Fred died, practically comatose, the last battle turned up some things I didn't like, information, that has been kept from me deliberately, according to my potter-black account manager at Gringotts. Dumbledore wanted me to be a good little soldier, his wind up toy that he sent off to die, the weasel would then claim my fortune as 'reparations' for the 'damage' I've caused.

They were after my money and fame of being the boy-who-lived' sidekick" A tear appeared unbidden in my eye. Then I met Tony in my club Enchanted. I knew that he was it for me"

"That has got to be the most beautiful love story that I've ever heard"

"Yeah well, I don't think any 'How I met your father' story will ever top that" Steve chuckled

"So about this rune?" I grinned and Steve squirmed "Will this hurt?"

I shook my head softly "I'll apply a numbing charm, where do you want the mark?"

"Thumb and forefinger" My head shot up "Both, you sure, tattoos are very painful?"

"Yeah, I'm sure" Steve murmured "Wanda can't be allowed to infect anyone with her mind magic again, what I saw was just a fantasy. Peggy's dead and I can't do anything about that, but I can do my part to protect the team"

"You ready for this?" I asked

"Do it"

I used my ambient magic to raise some dirt from the ground "Terra mox sanguinem" I chanted. The ashes and dirt landed in the bowl and I slit my palm with a knife "Give me your hand quickly" Steve laid his hand flat and I cast a wandless numbing charm.

"Secta" I chanted as I placed the rune tattoo on both his thumb and his forefinger Algiz, the mind protection rune and sowilo the mother of magic protects. "Removeo spiritus" I chanted

And Steve collapsed as he groaned in pain, lots of red mist left his body "Oh shit!" I swore "I had a feeling that her nasty mind magics effected him more "Tony!"

Tony came running "Bright eyes, why the panic?!"

"Wanda has been influencing Steve since Ultron, we haven't been seeing the real Steve since you rescued me in Sokovia"

"No shit Sherlock, the witch messed with my mind too, I saw things that I don't ever wanna see again, awful things"

Steve shot up "What the…?"

Tony pulled the big guy up "Are you okay?"

"I think so, oh shit, Tony, I treated you like shit, I had no idea that Howard was a shitty father, I'm sorry, can I hug you?"

"Oo-kay" Tony stuttered as Steve pulled him into a manly hug "M'sorry" Steve said as he wiped away his tears. "Hey buddy, it's okay" Tony patted Steve's back awkwardly.

Steve pulled back and grinned "I had better find Bucky, he probably wondered why you disappeared" He clapped me on the shoulder. "Hold on now Steve, you have just relived the fact that you were under the scarlet witch's magic, sit down and take a breath that you are free. Have a beer"

"I can't get drunk" he turned and walked to Bucky who had appeared "I love you" he said outright "I love you too, punk" Steve fisted Bucky's jacket and pulled him towards his lips smooshing their lips together "I've waited 70 years to say that and do that" Bucky snogged Steve in front of us again "Get a room!" Tony whined and I laughed "Good advice, love" I grinned widely

TBC

Please review and please be kind