Chapter 2 The Cafe Shop Incident Part 1


Hearing a little boy only tall enough to reach their knees call out their full names with the sternness of a school principal taking roll call was unsettling at the best of times, but when considering the fact he and Tony had don disguises this morning before leaving (for fear of being discovered by the media and having an article run on their adoption before they were sure Harry was comfortable with it) - thus should not be recognized by anyone, let alone a small child - the experience was doubly so.

This whole scenario defied logic and reason, he concluded. Mainly because this child couldn't have been more than four years old.

In Steve's experience - although it wasn't as extensive as some people might think - four-year-olds were typically still grappling with their basic language skills, doing their best to keep their sentences straight, in addition to having a limited understanding of the world. There were a lot of things they shouldn't have been able to do, namely see through disguises that not even seasoned detectives could see through. It was as if the laws of the world had been momentarily suspended in Harry, and Steve found himself taken aback by this unexpected development.

Almost instinctively and in sync, Steve exchanged a puzzled glance with Tony, who shrugged, a universal sign he too had no idea what was going on.

With his brows still furrowed, he returned his focus back to Harry, the little boy quietly observing them from his seat, his face expressionless in a way that momentarily reminded Steve of horror movies.

But that was just stupid.

Harry, no matter how he was acting, was just a little kid and not some kind of demon offspring. Steve was just bewildered by this unexpected development. It was his own fault really he had limited knowledge of this word, he shouldn't take it out on Harry just because he saw something his brain couldn't comprehend.

But still, he really wanted to know how Harry knew.

"You recognize us," he stated somewhat dumbfounded. The words were supposed to be a gentle question, a gentle probing of some kind, but came out rather like an accusation, with an edge that actually made Steve wince a little, hoping Harry wouldn't be able to catch on. Beside him, Tony stood, silent and observant, not wanting to express an opinion before he had more facts.

"Oh," Harry actually stupefied by their surprise, his little face animated for once. "You don't know? Haven't they told you?"

He asked the question in a tone that would suggest he really couldn't understand why the Dursleys hadn't given such important information to Steve before they had transferred over the rights.

"Told us what? Were they supposed to tell us something?" Steve furrowed his brow, growing increasingly concerned about the unusual direction this conversation was taking.

This was not at all how he had envisioned their first conversation to go.

In his mind, their first conversation was supposed to be awkward in a way, but definitely surrounding topics a child with new guardians might be concerned with, such as where he was going to stay from now on. But Harry didn't play by the rules, first by dropping the bombshell that he could see through their disguises and then telling them the Dursleys had forgotten to give them some crucial information they might need.

This child was proving out to be more than what met the eye.

"About my powers," Harry replied nonchalantly, shrugging his tiny shoulders in a decidedly adult way. He didn't seem to be bothered by the fact he supposedly had powers and didn't think it was something that should be hidden. "It's difficult to explain. I just know things; things no one is supposed to know. The Dursleys of course thinks it's freakish. That's why they told me they were going to get rid of me."

And with that explanation, Steve suddenly understood even though a part of him wished he hadn't.

While a child might genuinely believe they were abandoned by their previous guardians because they had powers no one else had, an adult could see through the fabricated story to the true motivations behind it.

Steve exchanged a knowing glance with Tony, both men silently acknowledging the sad reality of the situation. At that moment, Steve was grateful that Harry was still at age where he was naive enough to believe such explanations; it beat having to accept the fact that it was him his guardians no longer wanted and not some made up imaginary powers.

There were no supernatural powers involved of course. It was simply two adults who no longer wanted to care for a child they had once taken in. To absolve themselves of the guilt, they took advantage of Harry's imagination, fortifying in his head the idea that his maturity and hightened intellect was because of some freakish power and used that as an excuse to blame him for making them send him away. By all accounts, it was a terrible thing to do, one that shows their complete disregard for Harry's mental well-being, not even caring what damage it might cause the child if he hadn't been mentally resilient enough to deal with it.

Suddenly seeing the whole situation under a new light, Steve relaxed, no longer regarding Harry as…different then other children, but a poor child brainwashed and abused by adults he should have been able to trust.

"That's their loss," Steve tried to smile despite the storm raging inside him; at that moment, he found himself seriously wanting to punch the Dursleys in the face, despite how un-Captain America-ish that might sound. He tried to keep his voice levelled as he continued, hiding his inner turmoil to avoid Harry doubting himself based on Steve's reaction. Steve looked at him and said the next words with a sincerity that surprised even him. "It would be an honor to have a child who knows things other people don't."

"I was just like you," Tony finally chimed in, having made his own conclusions in his head and feeling confident he was yet again in control of the whole situation. He smiled down at the boy, open and reassuring, looking more like a big brother then a father.

But if he had known at that moment what Harry had meant by "knowing things" was vastly different then what he had meant by "knowing things", he never would have said the following words and made Harry think he was exactly like him.

"I too knew things other people didn't, but I wasn't worried at all, even when I was also called a freak at school. I just didn't care, because I had something they didn't, something they would have loved to have. They were just envious of me so I should feel smug instead of sad. "

"You too?" Harry sounded delighted by the revelation, his eyes bright as he regarded the billionaire. "You don't look like it though but that doesn't matter. I thought I was the only one."

"Of course not, the world is a big place, kid. The more you travel, the more you'll realize just how normal you really are." Tony scoffed, not understanding what Harry had meant he didn't look like it. He didn't look like a prodigy? Well, to be fair, he probably didn't look like what one would typically expect a prodigy to look like; huge glasses, lack of a social life and lack of interest for anything other then their field of study. Tony on the other hand partied like crazy and dressed like a supermodel. If thought in this manner then yes, he really don't look like it.

Harry didn't offer any further explanation to his words, for once looking extremely happy at being called normal, making Steve want, not for the first time, curse the Dursleys for the damage they had done on Harry's psyche.

"Don't worry kid, you're in good hands with us." Tony reassured him with an innate confidence that came with being Tony Stark, genius inventor.

For what it was worth, Harry actually looked reassured.


After both man had successfully convinced Harry that he wasn't a freak and that they weren't going to send him way because of his powers, Tony offered the boy a one-armed hug - which he accepted - before asking him if he had eaten and if he wanted anything from the cafe. Seeing their interaction, Steve was briefly caught off guard by how unexpectedly mature Tony was being and how easily Tony had transitioned from genius billionaire to concerned father in the blink of an eye. "Maybe," Steve thought to himself, beaming at the two most important men in his life, "This will work out just fine."

"I am rather famished," Harry was saying when Steve turned to look at him. He had a small hand gently patting his own stomach, looking, in Steve's eyes, adorably like a self-satisfied panda. The sight made both man smile the smile that anyone would have facing something so cute, but Harry's next words immediately dampened their moods. "The Dursleys didn't bother with feeding me before leaving me here."

Harry's admission tugged at Tony's heartstrings and successfully stoked the fires of anger in Steve's eyes.

"Those Dursleys," Tony muttered quietly - just within Steve's earshot, but not loud enough for Harry to hear - his gaze veiled by a complex blend of sympathy and righteous fury. He couldn't help but lament the fact that the Dursleys were most likely already on their way back to London by now - judging by how eagerly they have left a few moments ago; otherwise, Tony would have been more than happy to show them just what he thought of their abhorrent treatment of Harry. In his mind, he couldn't understand how any responsible adult could be so neglectful, so heartless, toward a child under their guardianship.

"Don't worry buddy. We'll get you fed up in no time," Tony reassured Harry with a smile, offering a comforting pat on the boy's shoulder as Steve got up from his kneel and went to take a seat next to the boy. "You know, this place serves the most incredible cheesecake. I'm sure you'll absolutely adore it."

Steve watched the interaction with a mix of emotions, his heart going out to the young boy who had endured so much at such a tender age. But it didn't matter anymore because Harry was with them now and they have confidence they will raise him to be a well-adjusted member of society.

"Yes, cheesecake," Steve echoed, even though cheesecake was probably the last thing on his mind. "This is my first time tasting this cafe's cheesecake too. Tony, any recommendations?"

"Just a moment," Tony responded, reaching for a menu and flipping through it until he found what he was looking for. "The last time I was here, I got Pepper the strawberry one," he told Harry, "Pepper is the CEO of my company by the way. She's a great person. You'll like her. Anyways, Pepper absolutely loved it, couldn't stop raving about it. Maybe you'll like it as well? Want to try it out?"

Harry briefly examined the picture of the cake before shaking his head in refusal. As he did so, Steve could have sworn he saw, just for a second, Harry's eyes flash an unusual shade of red, like a lantern in the dark. But as soon as the thought came, Steve dismissed it, attributing it to a mere trick of the light.

"I'll take the Oreo one," he said, extending one small finger and pointing to a photo next to the strawberry one.

"Sure," Tony shrugged and turned to Steve.

"I'll take the strawberry one," he said, deciding to trust Pepper on this one. Pepper's culinary tastes hasn't let him down yet.

With both of his companions done deciding what they wanted, Tony looked around the shop - probably in search of a waiter - and froze when he saw something he hadn't been expecting to see.

"Steve," he suddenly hissed, grabbing on to Steve's arm in a tight grip, surprisingly the blond so much he nearly fell from his seat, "Tell me I'm not hallucinating."

"What?" Steve blinked, not understanding where Tony was coming from or why he was suddenly looking so agitated.

"Steve," Tony hissed once more, pointing subtly in the direction of the counter, "I think I'm seeing double."

Steve's gaze followed Tony's finger and immediately understood what he had meant and why he had been surprised. He too was a little bewildered by the sight but had the decency not to react so outrageously.

Standing behind the counter were two individuals who, at first glance, appeared to be mirror images of each other; same build, same height, same hair, same features. It was almost as if someone had cloned one of them and placed them next to each other. Having seen the Shining a little too many times, it was understandable Tony was a little freaked out.

Tony had seen his fair share of identical twins in his life - and had even dated some of them, but these two were on a whole new level of similarity. It was almost surreal how like each they were. If it wasn't the fact that one of them was wearing a blue beret with a blue necklace and the other was wearing a red beret with a red necklace, with the way both of them were wearing the same uniform, Tony was certain that for the life of him, he wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

"I'll be back in a moment," Tony informed his companions, rising from his seat almost in a daze, his eyes still fixated on the twin girls. If it wasn't for the fact that Steve knew just what had captivated Tony's attention, he would have doubted whether Tony was interested in them in that way.

"Wait Tony," Steve grabbed on to Tony's arm to prevent him from leaving, as a thought entered his mind. "Our disguises. Are you sure they work?" Steve asked, suddenly remembering how easily Harry had seen through them.

"What?" Tony turned to Steve, his question successfully pulling him out of his stupor. "It's fine," he laughed, ruffling the top of Harry' head, much to the boy's dismay, "Harry is a genius. We can't expect everyone to be like him. Just watch, nothing will happen."

And with an air of confidence, Tony left the table, sauntering away with no care in the world.

Deciding to trust Tony's judgement on that matter - even though a part of him was still worrying, Steve turned back to Harry, wanting to take advantage of this Tony-less moment to have some one-on-one time with his new son. He loved Tony, he really did. But sometimes Tony can be a bit…to much. When he was in the room, he unconsciously commanded all the attention, leaving other people, such as Steve, in his shadow. It was the same with Harry, Steve noticed. When Tony had been there, Harry's attention was almost always on the billionaire and while that made Steve slightly jealous, he couldn't fault Harry or Tony for it.

So with Tony occupied elsewhere, he decided to make an effort to communicate with the little boy.

He leaned in, a smile evident on his lips, and asked about the only thing he could think of at the moment: Harry's choice of cheesecake flavor. The question naturally was less about cheesecake and more about building a connection with the young boy. Steve wanted to know more about Harry's preferences, his likes and dislikes, and perhaps even gain a deeper glimpse into the boy's personality.

"Strawberry not your thing?" Steve gently inquired, his tone exuding warmth and an underlying desire to kickstart a conversation. Social situations weren't exactly his forte he must admit, and unlike Tony, he didn't relish the act of initiating discussions with strangers. But this was different; this wasn't a stranger. This was his son, and Steve felt an inherent responsibility to forge a stronger bond with the child. It was his duty as a parent to get to know Harry better, to cultivate a deeper connection, and to build a bridge of understanding between them so that Harry would feel comfortable coming to him with any problems he might run into growing up.

To Steve's genuine surprise, in response to this simple and innocent question, Harry answered with an earnestness that struck him profoundly, his words carrying an unexpected weight, spoken with the solemnity of someone sharing deep insights.

"I don't think they'll have any strawberry ones today," Harry revealed, his words causing Steve to blink in mild astonishment. There was an air of significance in Harry's response, as if the boy possessed knowledge that transcended the everyday choices of cheesecake, making Steve's mind flash back to Harry's earlier admission.

"I know things," he had said.

"Oh?" Steve replied, once more pushing the notion aside and mentally berating himself for attaching such significance to the words of a four-year-old, regardless of how impressively mature Harry appeared. He constantly reminded himself that this was, after all, a child, and children had a knack for indulging in fanciful make-believe. It certainly wasn't the first time a child had acted as if they possessed extraordinary powers, and Steve knew it wouldn't be the last.

Steve's own childhood came to mind as he tried to maintain a balanced perspective. He remembered the days when he had engaged in his own childhood fantasies, pretending to be a hero or imagining himself as a great explorer. It was a part of growing up, a natural and essential process that helped children make sense of the world around them, to make them feel more in control then they really are (and in Harry's case, as a defence mechanism against the Dursley's mistreatment).

He remembered his friends from his old neighbourhood, and the countless hours they had spent playing in the streets, their youthful imaginations turning everyday objects into treasures. Back then, superpowers and magic had been the stuff of dreams, tales to be spun in secret clubhouses and whispered about under the cover of night.

It was a part of Steve's past he held dear, and though his own childhood had been marked by hardship, it was also defined by the simple joys of youth. As Captain America, he had witnessed the extraordinary, but he never lost sight of the simple magic that came with being a child. Now, as a parent, Steve recognized his responsibility to safeguard Harry's innocence, to embrace the boy's fantastical imaginings, to assure him that age didn't diminish the significance of his thoughts. It was his job to walk the delicate line between nurturing Harry's sense of wonder and maintaining a rational, adult perspective.

Steve shook his head in disbelief at how weird he was acting. He was a father now, he reminded himself, he needed to set up a good example for Harry. It wouldn't do well for the boy to see his new guardian acting so neurotic.

Seeing Harry was still looking at him, waiting for a response, Steve offered him a small smile.

"Why do you say that? Did you overhear something?" His tone was light, as if Harry's words had not impacted him in any way. Despite everything, he was still genuinely interested in Harry's reasoning, wondering if the young boy had somehow picked up on a detail that had eluded the rest of them.

It was possible. Children were perceptive in the most unexpected ways. Just when you thought they weren't paying attention, they will show you just how much information they have actually absorbed.

Harry, on the other hand, simply shook his head, his eyes darting towards the counter where Tony stood, chatting animatedly with the two young women behind it. Steve was growing increasingly perplexed by the boy's enigmatic demeanour, deciding to make an attempt at getting an explanation.

"Harry?" Steve inquired, concern evident in his voice, as he continued to observe the young boy.

For a brief moment, Harry's eyes shifted back to Steve's, and during that split second, an uncanny feeling washed over Steve; the feeling that the gaze that met his own didn't belong to a child, but to someone much older, a sensation akin to witnessing a mirage in the desert. The feeling passed as quickly as it had emerged, leaving Steve somewhat bewildered and unsure about what to make of it.

"It's complicated," Harry finally responded, his small face creased in a frown, indicating a reluctance to divulge any further. This abrupt change in Harry's mood left Steve feeling slightly off-kilter, and he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

God, he really wasn't accustomed to interacting with children, no matter what Tony believed.

Steve let out a quiet sigh as he tried to make sense of the situation, contemplating what to say next. The perplexing exchange with Harry had momentarily shaken his confidence. Just when he was beginning to feel at ease with the new addition to their family, the boy's frankly nonsensical behavior threw him off balance.


Luckily, it didn't take too long for Tony to return and break up the awkwardness (at least, for Steve).

"What's wrong?" Tony asked in surprise when he returned to a table filled with silence, Harry attentively watching the counter, and Steve quietly observing the boy.

It was an unusual scene in every aspect and even Tony didn't know what to make of it.

However, when Steve seemed unsure of how to respond, Tony chose not to push the issue - at least for the moment - as there were more important things to discuss.

"By the way, Steve," he turned to the blond man and gestured to the counter with one arm, "Grace, that girl over there, with the red beret? She told me they don't have any strawberry cakes today and asked if I wanted to change to Oreo flavored instead."

"Oh that's fine," Steve replied distractedly, mind still on Harry. That is, until Tony's words finally sunk in to him, making his heart skip a beat, "Wait, what did you say!?" It took everything for him to remember to keep his voice down.

Tony nearly jumped at Steve's sudden excitement, frowning a little as he observed his husband. It wasn't like Steve to be so…neurotic, he dared to say. Steve had always been the stable one in their relationship, the voice of reason that would bring Tony back to reality when his imagination got the better of him. But right now, Steve looked…weird, his eyes bulging, his expression worried.

"I said, Grace told me they don't have any strawberry cakes today and wanted to know if you minded changing to Oreo," Tony dutifully repeated, leaning in just a little bit so that his voice could better reach the man, "God Steve, what has gotten in to you? Why are you so jumpy?"

Steve's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, not knowing how to reply. What could he say? That Harry had made some premonition about there being no strawberry cakes today and it came true? It sounded ridiculous even to his own ears. Tony would probably laugh at him and call him naive. And he would be, naive to believe that.

Besides, the boy was probably just messing with them, Steve finally concluded, and by coincidence what he said came true; that happened sometimes. It didn't mean anything. It's no big deal. It's not as if he could really see the future.

"Nothing," Steve glanced at Harry, trying to ascertain the boy's reaction, but if he had been expecting Harry to look back at him all smug for having scared him - at least, for a moment - he would have been disappointed because Harry was still looking at the counter, ignoring everything around him and staring as if he was in a staring contest and couldn't look away.

"What's wrong with him?" Tony couldn't help but ask, finally noticing the intensity with which Harry was staring at the…twins? If Harry had been any older, Tony would have joked that the boy had a crush or wanted to try something with them - something he couldn't really specify in polite company. But since Harry was just four years old and both twin were probably 4 times his age, even Tony couldn't be so vulgar.

Steve shrugged, not knowing how to answer.

He didn't know what was happening anymore.

God, were children always so impossible to understand?

"Riiiight," Tony gave one last look at Harry before turning away, looking unperturbed by everything, Steve noted with some envy. "I'm going back to Grace with your new order. Don't miss me too much when I'm gone."

"As if," Steve snorted, rolling his eyes, his shoulders relaxing a little as he suddenly realized something important; whatever was happening, he still had Tony. Tony will know what to do; he always did.


Tony, on the other hand, had run into other unexpected issues while trying to obtain their food.

"What do you mean the Oreos ones are gone as well?" he inquired, struggling to maintain his composure. First, they were out of strawberry, and now the Oreo flavor too? How could they run out of them so quickly? Especially with the shop being so empty today! Who was consuming all those cakes?

"I'm really sorry. I didn't know if you wanted the Oreo one, so when that customer over there asked for it, I couldn't say no." Grace apologized sincerely, looking extremely uncomfortable. Her right hand fiddled with the necklace she wore around her neck, likely a nervous tic. Her sister Kate stood next to her, also looking at Tony in silence, also fiddling with her necklace. It was frankly a little creepy how even their tics were identical.

Tony followed her finger to an oversized man in his late forties sitting near the window, already indulging himself in his fourth or fifth plate of cheesecake, while his companion looked on, seemingly horrified.

Tony could sympathize.

He had never seen a human being able to consume 5 huge slices of cheesecakes in such a short amount of time - that man had been on his first plate when Tony had entered the cafe some time ago. With the way this man was eating, Tony wouldn't be surprised if this cafe was out of all flavours by the hours end.

No wonder he was having so much difficulty in getting his order fulfilled. It didn't matter if the cafe was almost empty if they had a customer who could eat for 8.

Tony turned back to Grace with a sigh, the young woman silently observing him, while unconsciously biting her lower lip, an universal sign she was feeling rather apprehensive at the moment.

"I have chocolate and matcha left?" She offered tentatively, smiling nervously at Tony in a way it made the man immediately feel guilty for his outburst.

Really, he berated himself, why are you taking it out on an innocent woman. It's not her fault someone was quicker than you.

"It's fine," he waved his hand dismissively, deciding he had enough of this whole affair. All he wanted was some cheesecake. Was that too much to ask for? "the thing closest to Oreo is chocolate right? I'll take that one."

Relieved, Grace was about to ring his order in and Kate about to get him his food when the opening of the Employees Only door attracted both of their attention; Grace and Kate looking to see who it was and Tony looking because he was bored.

A young man in his twenties entered the room, exuding an air of arrogance that was hard to ignore.

Dark, impeccably styled hair that fell just right - a testament to the care he took in his grooming, sharp and well-defined features - giving him an alluring and confident look - chiseled jawline - that accentuated his masculinity, and deep-set eyes - that were both piercing and commanding - made him in to one of the best looking specimens Tony had seen in a while - Steve included (not that he would ever admit it). In addition, to his already impressive handsomness, the man possessed a set of strikingly blue orbs, a stark contrast to his dark hair and an arresting feature that drew attention wherever he went.

Beneath the white and brown of the cafe's uniform was the body of a dancer, lithe and dangerous. The young man carried himself with a swagger that bordered on cockiness, his posture erect and confident. If Tony hadn't been happily married, he definitely would have asked for his number.

But since he was married - and to Captain America at that - all he could do was stare and hope Steve wouldn't mind - or notice.

The young man must have noticed his stare though because he turned slightly to look at him and - to Tony's surprise - winked at him and licked his lips in a very suggestive way, not hiding the way his gaze stopped momentarily at Tony's crotch.

Beside him, Grace froze. Kate murmured something under her breath that was way to soft for Tony to catch.

"A…Allan, you're here," Grace was the first to break the silence that had fallen upon them at the sight of the young man. She was stuttering in a way she had never stuttered before, even with Tony literarily yelling in her face. Tony turned to look at her, a little surprised to see the way her fists were clenched by her side. "I thought you weren't working today."

"Grace, Kate," the young man, Allan, nodded to them both before joining them at the counter.

"I wasn't. Max was supposed to be here today," he admitted nonchalantly, shrugging elegantly, "But I had a thing next week so I cant come in on my normal shift so I asked him to switch."

"Ah," Grace seemed to have totally forgotten Tony's presence, too busy staring at Allan and trying to come up with what to say next.

Kate for some reason was looking at Grace, her lips pursed in a thin line.

Despite being stared at so intently, Allan seemed to have no interest in Grace whatsoever, even with the girl being rather pretty by conventional standards. Delicate features that gave her an air of elegance and charm, long chestnut hair flowing down her back in loose waves, framing her face with a natural grace, bright, expressive eyes that sparkled when she talked, and a soft voice that would make any man melt…at least, any man interested in women. Too bad this Allan was probably as gay as they go.

"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," Allan turned to Tony, smile inviting and bright, deciding to take over the job of tending to the customer. "Grace seemed to have forgotten we have extra strawberry cakes down at the cellar. I can go get them for you if you are willing to wait."

Figuring a few more minutes of waiting won't do him harm, Tony was about to agree when Grace suddenly - and rather rudely - interrupted them.

"I…I need to go to the bathroom," she explained, her face an inexplicable shade of red. She was trembling, head down and decidedly not looking in Allan's direction. Her declaration was so out of the blue that Tony wondered for a sec if he had just misheard.

"Grace!" Kate gasped from beside her, sounding as if Grace had said something outrageous, something she cannot wrap her mind around. Tony wondered why they are making such a big deal about going to the washroom. Sure it had been weird for Grace to simply blurt it out like that, but it definitely didn't deserve the look Kate was giving her, an outraged disbelieving look that made Tony wonder if going to the washroom was an euphemism for something.

He laughed at himself for that ridiculous thought. It was most likely that Kate grew up prim and proper and couldn't accept the fact that her sister had been so rude in front of other people.

That made more sense.

"I really need to go," Grace repeated and left without another word, with Kate hot on her heels, still calling her name.

Tony's eyebrows rose in confusion as he turned to Allan, a silent question between them.

"Don't ask me," Allan shrugged, "Those twins have always been…something," Allan didn't say what that something was but Tony could guess. "Especially when they are together, it's 10 times worst. They sometimes fight…well, that's not very accurate. I would say. It's more like they always fight. I think it's because they grew up separated so don't really know how to interact with each other. Kate says Grace is crazy but she herself doesn't look very sane either. I remembered when we were together, Grace was always so suspicious of everything, and doing random things out of the blue. It got worst after Kate showed up. After a while I just had enough. It's why we broke up."

"You were together?" Tony asked, a littel surprised. He had pegged Allan to be 100% gay, what with the way he had been eyeing Tony just a few minutes ago.

"For 2 years," Allan admitted with a shrug, as if breaking off a 2 years old relationship didn't affect him in anyway. Tony wondered if he was pretending or simply didn't care. "I broke up with her last year around this time. Then I started dating her brother."

"Oh wow," Tony's eyes widened, not knowing what to say except wow. He knew youth nowadays can be wild when it came to relationships - open relationships for example - but he didn't think they could be this wild. Breaking up with your girlfriend and dating her brother? That's something Tony has ever seen in books and never in real life.

"I don't think she ever forgive me for it," he continued, still sounding as if he was narrating someone else's story, "She thinks I pretended to be straight to be with her so I could get to her brother. Kate says she's crazy for believing that but I sometimes wonder…"

He trailed off.

Tony blinked.

"Well, did you?" Tony pressed, eyes bright with curiosity.

Allan rolled his eyes, luckily, not all offended by Tony's rather rude question.

"Of course I did," he said sarcastically, giving Tony a stare - and not one of those fun once either, "Couldn't you tell?"

Tony laughed at the exaggerated way he had said those words, his opinion of Allan changing by the moment. At first, with the way he had made his entrance, he had thought the young man to be arrogant and unapproachable, someone he definitely wouldn't like. But as it turned out, he was actually pretty down to earth.

"Right, sorry," Tony laughed, patting him on the arm, the only place he could reach at the moment. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know," Allan shrugged, "I'm used to people thinking I'm some kind of playboy because of my looks. But I'm not. I'm really serious when I get in a relationship but when I get out, I move on really quickly."

They fell silent after that as they waited for the twins to come back from the washroom.

To their surprise, barely seconds after they had stopped talking, and 30-40 seconds after the twins have left, Grace came tumbling back out, looking harried and unbalanced, her hair a little messy as if she just had a fight with someone, her red beret askew, a stark contrast with how she had looked just bare minute ago.

"Sorry," she stuttered, trying for a small smile. She bowed to Tony in a way that made Tony want to tell her to forget it. "I…I was very rude earlier. I just…I don't know what came over me."

"Didn't you need to go to the washroom?" Tony asked in confusion. That was barely enough time and open and close the door let alone finished an entire bathroom trip. And shouldn't Kate be the first one to come back? Considering she had been the one to follow Grace to the washroom and not the other way around.

"I…I just felt so guilty," she mumbled, "so I came right out." She stole a fugitive glance at Allan who was looking at her, a strange and indescribably expression on his face.

"Right…Grace," he said, sounding weird in a way Tony couldn't really explain, "Since you are back, can you take care of the customer while I go get the cakes from the cellar?"

"Sure," she nodded, trying for calmness but failing. "Be careful. The light is broken so make sure you don't fall."

"Sure," Allan waved his hand lazily at them before disappearing through the Employees Only door, leaving Grace alone with Tony.

"Are you okay? You look kind of…harried."

Tony didn't want to say she looked kind of crazy because that would be rude.

"I'm ok," Grace took a deep breath, her hand instinctively going to her necklace as if that would give her balance. But for some reason, the moment she touched it, her face changed and she instantly turned around, starting busying herself with cleaning the already cleaned countertop.

"Right." Tony took a step back, deciding to give her space. "Can you ring up my order? I'll pay now and you can bring my food to my table when it gets here."

"Yes," Grace blinked up at him, seemingly still in a daze, thoughts occupied by some undisclosed problem. "Thank you."


"You're back," Steve greeted him a smile, warm and sweet, as Tony took his seat next to him, "Where is the cake?"

Tony grimaced at the reminder and told Steve his little adventure at the counter.

"Wow," Steve laughed, shaking his head, also not knowing what to say. He understood women even less then he understood children so he was not in any position to give any opinion on the matter. If Tony Stark, who has seen more women then Steve could count, didn't know what was going on, it would be crazy to think that he, Steve Rogers, Mr. 70 years old virgin, could give a better explanation.

He decided to concentrate on the aspect of Tony's narrative he could actually relate to.

"So this Allan, he went to the cellar to get the cakes?"

"Strawberry ones," Tony added absent-mindedly, finding it strange when those words actually made Steve jump a little before relaxing. Steve had been acting really weird since he left him with Harry the first time and Tony couldn't help but wonder if something had happened. He would ask Harry but the boy was still staring at the counter even with one of the twins still missing.

Tony really didn't understand what was so interesting about that counter and why Harry seemed to intent on staring at it when he could be talking to them.

He extended a hand and tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Hey buddy, what are you looking at?"

The question had been intended as a conversation starter, as an outlet for Harry to tell them his thoughts, but that plan fell down the toilet when Harry turned to him with raised eyebrows, as if asking him why he was asking such a stupid question.

"Why are you asking when you already know the answer?" he said matter-of-factedly, clearly not following Tony's train of thought.

The thing was, Tony didn't know the answer and didn't understand why Harry thought he knew the answer - he had totally forgotten he had told Harry he was just like him.

"Humour me," Tony tried for a smile.

Harry shrugged.

"Fine," he sighed, as if he was the parent and Tony the petulant child.

"So?" Tony pressed, leaning slightly towards him, "What were you looking at?"

And Harry answered with two words no four years old should even know.

"Human nature."

What now?

"Ah, that's interesting," Tony replied, not entirely sure how to respond. What was one supposed to say in a situation like this? "What about human nature?"

"Jealousy, hatred, envy," Harry responded, his words carrying a weight of experience that seemed far beyond his years. Then, as if to lighten the mood, he added, "But also love, twisted though it might be."

What on earth did that even mean?

Tony shared an uneasy look with Steve, who had been observing their interaction in silence. If was obvious he could not offer any more of any insight on the matter then Tony, which was understandable. If even a social butterfly like Tony couldn't continue a conversation, Steve sure couldn't.

"How long has he been like that?" Tony murmured in to Steve's ears so only the man could hear. Harry had gone back to his counter-watching when he realized Tony wasn't going to ask him any more questions.

"Since I asked him why he choose Oreo," Steve replied just as soft, eyes flickering between Harry and Tony, "I don't know why that question seemed to have flipped some kind of switch in him. He had been fine before, a little cryptic sure but still normal in a sense, but now he's like…this."

"Maybe its a phase," Tony suggested helplessly, "Maybe we should wait it out?"

"Not that we have any choices," Steve mumbled, this time both of them silently oberving Harry.

This parenting thing was turning out to be more complicated then they had initially thought. Tony hoped that once Harry was back at home, he could get Pepper over to look at him and give him a little bit more insight on the matter. Although Pepper was also childless, Tony still had fate that she would know stuff he didn't.

"Yeah," Tony muttered to himself, leaning back in his chair and suddenly feeling very very tired. "Don't worry Steve. We'll be fine."


Waiting for food is not an enjoyable experience, especially when you have nothing to keep your interest while you waited. Tony was bored and hungry and he was extremely impressed that Harry, who had claimed to be famished some time ago, seem to have totally forgotten his hunger in favour of whatever he was doing right now.

At their table in the furthest right corner of the room, Tony sat, drumming his fingers impatiently on the tabletop. He had been waiting for Grace to appear with his cake for what felt like an eternity. Twenty minutes had passed since he placed his order, and his stomach rumbled with hunger.

"Where's on earth is that cake?" he muttered to himself, his impatience growing by the second. "Why is it taking so long?"

"Maybe you should go ask what's going on," Steve suggested, looking away from Harry, "It's been 20 minutes. I don't think that's normal."

Tony looked up from his watch, shooting Steve an exasperated glance. "Of course it's not norma. It''s just a piece of cake. How long does it take to go down to the cellar, get the box, come back up and cut me a slice?"

He stood up.

"Alright, I've had enough. This is the worst customer service I have experienced in a long time. I'm going to go see just what they are doing back there that's taking so long."

And like a man on a mission, Tony marched up to the counter.

"It's been 10 minutes, why aren't our cakes here yet?" he demanded, trying to keep his voice calm despite his frustration.

Grace looked up at him, expression blank as Kate, who had made her return from the bathroom, gave her jab in the arm.

Tony ignored their little antics, focused on getting his food.

"Grace, why isn't Allan back yet?"

It should have been an easy question, either you knew the answer or you didn't, but for some reason, the inquiry in to Allan's whereabouts made Grace jump so hard that she dropped the glass she had been cleaning on to the floor.

It shattered on impact.

Beside, Kate made a noise that sounded disturbingly like an enraged beast before she rushed to get a broom to clean up the mess.

"I'm so sorry," Grace stuttered, looking so distraught that it actually made Tony guilty to press her for information.

But nonetheless he soldiered on.

"Our cakes Grace," he reminded her, "Can you go check on Allan?"

"Ah," she blinked as if Tony has been speaking in some foreign language all this time. "Ah yes, Allan. I'll go take a look."

She turned to Kate.

"Kate, Allan?"

Kate bit her lips before nodding.

"I'll go," she patted her sister on the arm, looking as if she was about to go to war, instead of going to check up on a missing colleague. "You stay here."

Grace looked relieved and Tony wondered if both twins hated the cellar so much it pained them to even think about going.

While normally it wasn't in his nature to force women to do things they obviously did not want to do, but at the moment, he really didn't care anymore. It's been an hour since he had made his first order and he still hasn't gotten anything. That was unacceptable for a cafe of this reputation.

"I'll wait here," Tony told the twins, hoping it would give them a little pressure so they can hurry the hell up.

"Right," Kate mumbled, disappearing through the Employees Only door.

Tony had expected to hear back from Kate very soon - or otherwise he was going to call up the owner of this place and complain - but not in a million years would he have expected to hear back from her in the form of her terrified scream mere minutes later.


Tony had heard many women scream in his life time; some out of joy, others out of pleasure, and in Pepper's case, out of pure exasperation. But this was the first time in a very long time he had heard a woman scream so…terrified. It was a blood curdling scream that cut through the silence of the room like hot knife through butter, making Tony's hair stand on end.

With no time to think, Tony circumvented the counter and rushed towards the door Kate had disappeared into mere minutes earlier, ignoring the screech the chair made against the floor as Steve stood up from their table to follow suit.

"Where is the cellar?" he yelled to Grace who had followed him through the door.

"O…Over there," Grace stuttered, pointing the way for Tony.

They found the cellar entrance quite easily with Grace's guidance. As the door was still open, Tony didn't hesitate to rush down the stairs, afraid that Kate might be in some kind of danger.

But when he did reach the cellar's bottom, he was met with a chilling tableau.

There, sprawled out on the cold, uneven stone floor, lay Allan's lifeless body, his eyes staring blankly into the darkness, a thin trail of blood snaking away from his battered head, his neck twisted at an impossible angle. Judging by the fact he had been found at the bottom of the stairs in a very dim room, Tony could already make some guesses on how Allan had met his demise. And yet, despite knowing this was most likely an accident borne from a lack of care, his heart still sank as he surveyed the tragic sight. A single flickering candle stood as a sentinel by Allan's side, casting a flickering, ghostly light upon his body..

Tony's gaze then shifted to Kate, who stood nearby, her silhouette wavering in the candlelight, her expression a haunting blend of shock, fear, and something he couldn't quite define. Her hands trembled at her sides, and her eyes bore witness to the terror of the moment.

"Call the police," he instructed, trying to keep voice calm, for his own sake and for Kate's, who looked like as if she was on the verge of fainting. "We need to get them here as fast as possible."

"Oh dear god," he heard Steve mutter from behind him as he finally arrived at the scene. Even Steve, who have bore witnessed to the horrors of war, sounded a little bit unbalanced by this new unexpected development.

As they busied themselves with calling the police, upstairs, still sitting at the same table they have left him, Harry finally looked away from the counter and with a sigh, shook his head, muttering initellibly to himself, his emerald eyes flashing red for just a second before returning to their normal colour.


Note: The next chapter is already finished and should be uploaded soon. If you would like give your support for this fic, please drop a review - in which you can also give things you would like to see in this fic, which I might add if it fits the plot - it'll motivate me to upload faster as I am just getting back in to writing. I am also prioritizing fics with the most interest.

Thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter.