Chapter 16
"Love, Actually"
Day 13: Wednesday, December 23
Pietro opened his eyes and sat on the bed rapidly. A hand on his chest and his breathing coming out fast as he recovered from his latest nightmare, he let out a tired sigh and ran a hand through his hair. He jumped when he felt something move next to him. Clint mumbled something and then went back to sleep.
Pietro remembered after they left the parade they went to Clint’s bedroom, since the tower was apparently empty he didn’t have to wait for everyone to fall asleep so he could sneak into the man’s bedroom.
He laid his head on Clint’s chest listening to his heartbeat. Unlike Pietro’s rabbit-like heartbeat, Clint’s was normal. He then felt Clint’s hand on his back, caressing him slowly.
“You alright?”
Pietro nodded, “I wake you again?”
“Not really” Clint said, and yawned afterwards.
He left a kiss on the top of Pietro’s head and stretched on the bed before standing up, he started looking for his clothes on the floor. Pietro yawned and laid on the bed. Clint entered the bathroom and after a few seconds Pietro heard the water from the sink running.
It was the first time Pietro stayed more that a few minutes in Clint’s bed. Always leaving in a hurry. He loved the smell of Clint’s pillow, the way his sheets now smelled like both of them and Pietro knew he wanted it to be like this forever. He had lovers before, back in Sokovia, but it was never like this.
Clint was out of the bathroom a few minutes later, dressed up and drying his face with a towel.
“I think I’m in love with you, Clint” Pietro said simply, staring at the ceiling.
Clint took a few seconds to take it in. He had lovers before of course, but nothing like Pietro. He loved Pietro, he knew that of course, and he had been thinking about that so much for the past few months, of a way to say it without scaring the kid. And now he was there, in his bed, looking absolutely unbothered and saying it like it was as easy as breathing.
“You don’t need to say anything, you know?” Pietro said, looking like he wanted to laugh, a mischievous smile on his face. Clint chuckled and grabbed Pietro’s ankle, dragging him towards him. he kneeled on the bed and pulled Pietro into a kiss.
“I think I’m in love with you too” He said.
He reached with his free hand for the clock on the nightstand. He stared at the hour for a few seconds. Pietro had already sat on the bed, stretching and yawning, so he turned and stared at the young man.
“Don’t freak out” he said, “It’s almost nine”
Pietro frowned, “We slept all day?”
“Nine in the morning”
It took Pietro a few seconds to catch up.
By that time all the avengers where up, and eating breakfast. Breakfast that Clint made. Breakfast that wasn’t there now because Clint was there, in his bedroom, with him.
“Fuck” Pietro cursed, he stood up rapidly and reached for his pajama pants on the floor, he pulled them up quickly and almost falls down.
“It’s too damn dark here” Clint grunted, “FRIDAY, open the window curtains,” He was also up, dressing up as fast as he could, “You could use superspeed, kid”
Pietro was about to say something when the doors opened.
While FRIDAY opened the curtains, the sunlight entered making the room way too bright. Wanda entered with a smile in her face followed by Vision.
“Clint hurry! Thor is about to burn down the kitc-“ She stopped mid-giggle and stared at both men.
“Look, Wanda, Pietro is here” Vision said casually, as if they had been looking for him before.
Clint finished putting his shirt on while Pietro stood on the other side of the bed awkwardly.
“It might sound cliché but” Clint looked at Pietro, “It’s not what it looks like”
A loud laugh bubbled from Wanda’s chest and filled the room. Vision chuckled alongside with her, not really understanding why was she laughing like a maniac. Pietro frowned deeply and Clint scratched his chin nervously.
“Wanda?” Pietro said, “Why are-“
“I know what it is” Wanda said, the laugh dying down, “but now I am more interested in knowing how would you explain it if I didn’t” she put her hands on her hips and tilt her head a little bit.
“Slumber Party?“ Clint answered, “Wait what?”
“You knew?” Pietro asked Wanda.
Wanda nodded and then shrugged, “and I didn’t even have to look into your heads” she said triumphantly.
“Neither did Natasha” Vision added with a nod.
Pietro looked at Clint, “Natash-“
“Or Steve, or Tony” Wanda said, “Even Thor!”
“I’m not really understanding-“ Clint started.
“But that’s because Dr. Foster told him” Wanda said, more to herself than to them, she then looked at Vision, “And Darcy told her” the man nodded.
“Wait” Clint said loudly, and the three others looked at him, “Natasha said-“
“She’s saying she knew, and the others too” Pietro said, “Not that she told-“
“Yeah, yeah, ok,” Clint waved his hands, “But Darcy and Jane-“
“And Stark and Steve” Pietro said.
They stayed in silence, trying to examine the situation. Wanda sighed heavily and rolled her eyes.
“Everyone knows!” She exclaimed, Clint and Pietro looked at her, “Also everyone is starving!”
“And Thor is about to burn down the kitchen” Vision reminded her.
“Yes!” Wanda nodded, “He’s making burncakes!” she laughed at her own joke.
Clint frowned at first. But then a faint smell of smoke reached his nose.
“I was thinking” Natasha’s voice woke him up.
After the airport they had gone to a 24 hour coffee shop and talked a little bit. Bruce had promised her that he would get her a ring first thing in the morning, even though Natasha insisted she didn’t need one. They went back to the tower and after a shower, they had fallen asleep in Bruce’s bed.
Bruce opened his eyes and looked at the clock on the nightstand, he yawned. It was almost nine. Natasha was looking at him, he smiled softly and ran his thumb on her cheek.
“What where you thinking?” Bruce said.
“Do you think people recognised us yesterday?” Natasha asked, “I mean, we are Avengers and the airport was packed” she said, “Right?”
“Mmm” Bruce nodded, “Don’t worry about it” He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, “It probably happens all the time” he said.
Natasha snorted, “Right” she rolled her eyes, “It’s only everyday that someone proposes in the middle of the airport while handcuffed” she winced, realising how stupid she must have looked.
Bruce smiled at her.
She leaned forward and kissed him. He deepened the kiss and cupped her face, then rolled them until he was on top of her. He dipped his hands under the pajama shirt Natasha was wearing, and caressed the skin of her stomach soflty. Natasha bit his lips soflty and then pulled back, she pulled from the hem of the shirt and took it off. It wasn’t until a few seconds later when Bruce broke the kiss.
“Wait, wait, wait, wait” he said
“What?” She asked, “Something- something wrong?”
Bruce inhaled deeply, “Do you smell that?”
Natasha did the same, “It smells like…”
When Tony woke up he was alone. He yawned and streched himself the best he could, not that Steve’s bed was small (he had ordered a California king size bed for him), it’s just that when you are in you late forties, things aren’t as flexible.
He stared at the ceiling, if was an afterlife, Howard Stark was probably frowning at him. Steve Rogers AKA Captain America AKA America’s righteous man AKA Howard Stark’s pride was Tony’s. He could almost hear Howard complaining about it being another thing for him to ruin. He was pulled out of his thoughts when Steve was out of the bathroom, dressed in blue sweats and a thin cotton shirt.
He ordered FRIDAY to open the curtains, as soon as the light entered the room Tony covered his face with a pillow.
“Morning” Steve smiled, he sat on the bed, reaching under it for his shoes.
Tony groaned at the realisation that Steve was a morning person, “What time is it?”
Steve looked at the clock on the wall, “Almost nine”
Tony muttered something that sounded like a curse. Steve chuckled and took the pillow from Tony. The older man narrowed his eyes at the bright sunlight and then hid his face under his arm.
“You are a morning person, of course you are a morning person”
“You are grumpy without coffee, of course you are grumpy without coffee” Steve chuckled.
Tony nodded.
He sighed heavily and sat on the bed narrowing his eyes at Steve. He yawned and ran a hand through his face taking a peek at the clock on the nightstand. Steve smiled softly at him, Tony wasn’t the same without his morning coffee, he immediately made a mental note to make sure he made coffee for him every morning.
His eyes moved to Tony’s arms, and then his chest, it was also more marked than it used to, not that Steve had been looking before. Ok, maybe a little. He blinked several times noticing the severe scarring.
“Tony” Steve said, and he sounded serious, Tony hummed looking at Steve with one eye, “Nothing” he said and then he sighed, “I didn’t know about your…”
Tony uncovered his face and then looked at Steve with a questioning look. He realised Steve was looking at his naked chest, immediately Tony turned to look for his shirt. He had forgotten he had taken his shirt off the night before and he hadn’t had time to mention the team about the surgery. And the scars, the horrible scars. Only Thor had seen them, while they were training. He had said something about scars being a sign of bravery but Thor was always that dramatic.
“I didn’t mean to stare“
“It’s from the surgery” Tony explained, “After they took out the shrapnel it… it’s fine, really” he waved a hand, “Doesn’t hurt or anything”
“Pepper might have said something” He kissed Tony’s forehead, something nothing had done to him before, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable”
He was about to stand from the bed when Tony grabbed his wrist, “It wasn’t… you… it’s just that, it’s just… I don’t really- I hate them” he said and then scratched his beard.
He looked around at the room not wanting to look at Steve. He tried to think about a joke or something that would make the tension he was feeling go away but he came up with nothing. Steve put his hand on Tony’s chest, right where the reactor used to be and Tony looked at him. His blue eyes were looking at his chest, while his fingers traced the scarring. Tony noticed Steve’s big hands were soft. Softer than they should be and softer than his own rougher ones.
“That right there it’s you” Steve said, “the reason you have those, Tony” Tony swallowed, “You are a fighter and- and you are fearless and brave”
Steve Rogers was going to be the death of Tony Stark, and he couldn’t be more happy.
He kissed Steve. He wasn’t sure he believed him yet, maybe it was just Steve trying to see the good in everything but just having him think that was enough for now. They had time to figure the rest out.
“Tony” Steve frowned, “It smells like… something is burning”
Tony groaned.
Beep beep beep beep
Thor tried to turn the stove off but the strange food making machine seemed to had broken down or something. He ran back and forward while he tried to keep everything under control. He could barely hear FRIDAY over the annoying beeping of what he thought was the fire alarm.
Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep
“FRIDAY turn that off” Thor yelled, it was about the third time he told the AI.
“I’m afraid I can’t, the protocol 1-2-8-6 can only be deactivated by Mr. Stark” FRIDAY replied, Thor sighed heavily, “However, I can suggest you deactivate it manually“
Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep
“I’m on it!” Thor yelled, looking around for something that looked like a fire alarm.
“The fire alarms will activate in exactly one minute”
Just when FRIDAY started the countdown, Pietro entered the kitchen. Thor was about to tell him not to worry, when Wanda, Vision and Clint arrived. Then, Tony and Steve appeared behind them and Bruce and Natasha followed.
I took Thor less than a seconds to notice all his friends where there. Including Bruce, who was suppose to be in Seoul. The Avengers stared in confusion to each other, they were all half dressed and had entered in pairs.
Thor, who was still in his pajamas and covered in flour grinned widely. Almost forgetting the smoke, the annoying beeping sound and the terrible burning smell.
Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep
Steve looked at Bruce, “Weren’t you in-”
“I stayed” Bruce explained and grabbed Natasha’s hand, the woman smiled and rolled his eyes when Steve grinned.
Wanda frowned to Tony, “Were you in Steve’s room?”
“No- I mean I- um-“ Tony looked at Steve but Steve chuckled and Tony groaned, Wanda grinned at them.
“Seems that Clint and Pietro weren’t the only ones having a… slumber party?” Vision added, his tone more innocent than teasing.
“Come on, man!” Pietro whined covering his face, his ears turning red.
“Nice one Vision” Natasha exclaimed, “Clint you-“
“Someone turn that alarm off!” Clint cut her off.
Tony pointed at Bruce’s left hand, “Bruce is that-“
The elevator doors opened and Maria Hill and Pepper entered, apparently arguing something with Nick Fury. Pepper pointed at Bruce and Maria waved what seemed to be the morning newspaper at them. The three newly arrived people freezed, their faces showing confusion.
Fury looked around, “What the fuck“
“Language” Steve said.
Pepper coughed, “Is that smoke?”
Maria wrinkled her nose, “It smells like-“
Beep beep beep beep Beep beep beep beep Beeeeeeeeeeeeep
Thor remembered the alarm a little too late and water started falling on all of them. Steve pressed his lips, Tony started cursing his AI, Clint facepalmed, Vision looked at the ceiling curiously, while Wanda and Pietro looked up and opened their mouths. Pepper and Maria both shrieked trying to cover their heads in vain. Fury just glared at them, lucky him, he had an umbrella and was the only one not getting wet.
“It’s raining!” Wanda chanted.
“Deactivate security protocols 1-2-8-6!” Tony yelled.
The water then stopped falling on the a few seconds later.
“What happened in here!” Fury yelled, “I leave for two hours, two hours!”
The avengers all stared at Fury and then at eachother. They were all now half dressed and dripping wet from head to toe. Fury tapped his foot on the floor and they all bursted into laughing. Maria and Pepper started laughing and Fury sighed heavily.
“Thor” Tony clapped the man’s shoulder, “Don’t ever try this again” he said, chuckling.
“Very well, my friend” Thor grinned.
“Leave the cooking to Clint” Natasha added.
“I am the only one worthy of carrying this pan” Clint said, taking the frying pan from him.
“Well, I don’t think you’ll be able to make that stove work” Wanda said, trying hard not to laugh. Vision chuckled.
Pietro grabbed of the burnt pancakes that, for some reason, were on the kitchen counter. He took a bit and shrugged, Wanda wrinkled her nose and took it from him.
“Maybe we eat outside?” Steve suggested and it was met with approving noises.
“I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave the tower” Maria looked at Pepper, who suppressed a smile.
Steve frowned, “What happened?”
Fury the threw a folded newspaper on the kitchen counter for them to see. Steve grabbed it and they gathered around him, he unfolded it and read the front page. On the very first page of the New York Times, there was a shaky picture of Bruce and Natasha.
Natasha sighed, “Well…”
“The Beauty and The Beast?” Bruce chuckled, “How original”
“So that is an engagement ring” Tony said, grabbing Bruce’s hand and examining the ring.
“You are getting married!?” Wanda shrieked and Pietro, who was next to her covered his left ear.
“Wanda!” Pietro said.
Wanda ignored him, “Oh my god!” she hugged Bruce tightly, catching him by surprise.
“No fucking way!” Clint hugged Natasha.
Steve put his arm around Bruce’s shoulder, “Congratulations” Bruce adjusted his glasses and smiled.
“Natasha was the one who propose?” Tony asked, “Very 2015” he added with a smirk and Natasha rolled her eyes affectionally and nudged his shoulder.
“Congratulations, Natasha” Vision said.
Wanda hugged Natasha, pulling Vision into the hug, “Pietro come here”
Pietro shook his head at first but then Clint nudged his shoulder, “Wanda gets all huggy huggy” He told Thor, before he joined his sister, Vision and Natasha.
“Clint” Wanda called, Clint sighed and joined them, hugging Pietro and Vision awkwardly.
Steve looked at Bruce and shrugged, “This is more normal from her than you think” he smiled and joined, pulling Bruce with him, “Tony”
“Science Bros” Tony said putting his arm around Bruce’s shoulder and Steve’s waist.
“I will be honoured to be part of this fraternal embrace!” Thor hugged Vision and Tony, “Let it be symbol of our unity, unity that will only grow stronger and stronger until-“
“Or just a group hug” Clint suggested.
A hard sob made them turn towards Maria, Fury and Pepper. Maria snapped a picture with her cellphone while Pepper made an ugly crying face.
“This is so beautiful” Pepper sobbed and smiled, tears running down her cheeks.
“She’s sensitive” Maria patted her shoulder.
The group separated slowly, “We never talk about this again” Tony said, making them all chuckle, “Pep, enough waterworks” he offered her a handkerchief.
Pepper grabbed it, “God, I am starving” she said.
“I’m afraid I am no longer aloud to cook” Thor joked, and Pepper laughed.
“We can have someone to bring food here” Maria said, already pulling her phone out.
“You are a doll” Tony winked at her, “Triple portion of everything and anything”
They all hummed in approval.
Once they were all dry and dressed, they met in the floor where the tree was. Maria, Pepper and Wanda were talking with Natasha about her proposal, Steve could only hear them shrieking and the occacional “Aw” while Natasha insisted it wasn’t that romantic. Pietro was trying to teach Vision to play videogames, that was after he had pulled Vision out to the balcony and they had a talk about Wanda and the man’s intentions towards her. needless to say Wanda was as red as a tomato afterwards.
Tony, of course, was teasing Bruce, making jokes about him and Natasha wearing green at the wedding, while Clint laughed. Bruce didn’t seem to mind, Thor had never seen him more relaxed.
“Food should be here any minute” Fury mentioned, he sat on the couch and grabbed the newspaper.
“Where is Maria?” Tony asked sitting next to him, he had a drink in his hand and a stupid smirk on his face.
Fury looked at him over the newspaper, “She said she was going to handle the press” he answered, looking back at the newspaper, “Pep mentioned something about… Rogers and you” he raised one eyebrow to him.
Tony scratched the back of his head, the smirk gone from his face, “Yeah- um, he- we-“ he took a long sip from his scotch, looking at Fury over the rim of the glass.
Fury was narrowing his eye to him, lips pressed in a hard line and the newspaper folded on his lap. Tony finished the drink without realising, then he sighed, ready for the speech Fury had probably prepared. Maybe something about their relationship being dangerous or whatever.
“Lay it on me, Fury” Tony said, forcing out a grin.
“Lay what?” Fury raised an eyebrow, “I’m pretty sure you don’t need the bird and bees- or the bird and the bird, or-“
Tony laughed loudly, he stopped when Fury glared at him, “Forget it” he stood up and was about to leave when Fury’s voice stopped him.
“I would have” he said, and Tony threw a questioning glance, “I would have given the old Tony Stark a speech”
“What’s that suppose to mean?” Tony sat back down.
“You have changed” Fury said, and then he opened the newspaper and continued reading.
Tony stared at Fury in silence. It reminded him of what Steve had told him that morning, maybe some people did saw Tony for what he was now. He turned and stared at his friends… because they were his friends, his family. Maybe they saw him for what he was too, he couldn’t see it yet but something inside of him told him he would.
The elevator doors opened and Pepper entered with a smile on her face, followed by a familiar petite frame. Jane Foster smiled at them followed by Darcy , who looked like she had just woken up, her hair sticking out in places and a pillow on her hands.
“Look who I found!”
“Hey, Avengers” Jane waved.
“Jane!” Natasha stood up, she was about to hug her when Thor stood up.
“My love!” Thor exclaimed, he ran towards her and lifted her up, kissing her lips and hugging her waist.
“Always so dramatic” Darcy groaned.
Thor and Jane chuckled, “Hello to you too, Darcy” Thor said and kissed the back of her hand.
“I think I’m already used to it” Darcy said with a grin.
“Hello, ladies” Natasha said behind Thor’s wide frame, Thor moved and Jane and Darcy hugged her, “How was the flight”
“Don’t ask-“ Jane started.
“Worst longest flight of my life!” Darcy groaned, “I have never wanted to jump of a plane so badly, and the food was british so it was really bad and they played twilight! Like three of them!” she rambled.
“I should have not asked, huh?” Natasha asked Jane and she giggled shaking her head.
“Bruce!” Jane exclaimed and hugged him, “I saw the newspaper!” she smiled.
“Yeah” Bruce nodded, “Good picture, right?”
“It did you two justice” Jane nodded.
“The headline was genius, right” Clint added, a small smirk in his face, and Bruce snorted, Jane laughed and hugged him.
“Jane Foster” Vision extended his hand at her, Jane smiled and hugged him, “I have been reading your theories and even saw some of your conferences on the internet” Jane blushed, “Very fascinating”
“Thank you” she said.
“Miss Foster” Wanda said next to Vision, “He’s a big fan” she added smiling at Vision.
“Wanda” Jane hugged her too, “Call me Jane” Unlike Darcy, she had never really been able to meet the twins personally.
“Where’s Pietro?” Darcy asked and Wanda laughed.
“Darcy” Pietro said behind her sister, “Jane” he shook their hands.
“My brother might be a little shy” She told Jane and Darcy hugged him, making both woman chuckle.
“Hey, ladies” Steve said.
“Steve” Jane smiled at him and he hugged her, “I saw your painting on the entrance” she said, and Steve turned to glare at Tony.
“It’s a masterpiece” Tony explained, hugging Jane and Darcy, “You didn’t really think I was going to hide it in my lab” Jane and Darcy looked at each other, “No need to Exchange those looks, I’ll say it out loud, Steve and I are dating yes” he said with annoyance, which only made Darcy and Jane giggle harder.
The elevator doors opened again. This time, it was Maria Hill, she was on her phone arguing with someone and behind her there was a man pushing a stroller with several plastic containers. Maria hung up the phone.
“Food’s here!” She exclaimed and the avengers all cheered.
Pepper, even though she was pregnant and wearing heels, was the first one to walk over there, “Food, food, food” she clapped excited.
“Real food I hope!” Darcy said and Jane followed her.
“I would have come up ten minutes ago but there wa a bunch of people taking pictures” said the man pushing the stroller.
“It's crazy downstairs” Maria said, pulling a check from her purse.
“Not that I mind my picture taken” the man chuckled and Pepper smiled.
“Yeah, sorry about that” Maria said, “I already threaten a few people with the police and they are leaving” she handed the man a few bills, “I hope that covers”
“Perfectly” the man said.
Maria walked him towards the elevator and shook his hand. The old man smiled at her and then looked at the Avengers, who were standing with matching confuse expressions.
“Have a merry christmas!” he waved and the elevator doors opened.
“What a nice old man” Pepper said, she was already eating pancakes.
“I know right?” Maria said, and Fury nodded.
Pepper then looked at the others, who were talking animately on the living room, “Aren’t you guys hungry?” She asked them.
They all looked at each other and nodded.
“Did that man seemed familiar to you?” Fury asked a few minutes later to Maria.
“Umm no” Maria said, “Why?”
Fury just shrugged and kept eating.
“God only knows what I'd be without you”