Chapter 12
When Stiles sleepily made his way to the kitchen, he was surprised to find Clint and Natasha making breakfast, while Phil was sitting at the island, nursing a cup of coffee, laughing at something Clint had said.
He stood frozen in place for a moment, confused before Natasha noticed him and waved him over. “I hope you don’t mind us coming over now that the cat is out of the bag. Clint has been impossible since we had to stay away. We won’t take away from your time with Phil, we promise.”
Stiles shook his head smiling. “I don’t mind you guys being here. If you make my Uncle happy, you’re welcome to move in for all I care.”
Clint turned around to face him, beaming and placed a plate on the counter for him. “Don’t tempt us. We were all discussing it before you moved in. “
Natasha rolled her eyes. “Moving in can wait, we can start by visiting more often and you getting used to having us around and knowing Clint a bit more.”
Stiles nodded before setting his laptop down and booting it up while taking a bite of his breakfast and groaning. “Man, this is delicious! I’m definitely keeping you!”
Clint smirked at Natasha who punched him in the arm playfully.
When his laptop was finally logged in he pulled skype up and the expected volley of ringing commenced.
He cancelled them all out before opening up a group call.
When everyone connected, they started to speak all at once, much to Stiles amusement.
Finally he quieted them down with a wave of his hand. “Guys, I’m sure you’ve seen the news. I brought you all here to let you know that no, Steve and I are not dating.”
Scott’s face fell before he finally spoke up. “Dude, have you not told him how you feel yet?”
Phil eyed him from the side, amused and Stiles pinched the bridge of his nose. “Thanks for outing that little tidbit of information to not only my Uncle but also Hawkeye and Black Widow.”
Natasha snorted. “Like it wasn’t obvious kid, the only one not aware is Steve himself.”
Clint laughed. “The guy threw himself over you to shield you from paint balls. I’d say it most likely goes both ways.”
Allison perked up on camera at the voice and Stiles couldn’t help but chuckle. “Clint, Natasha, want to come say hello to everyone?”
They rounded the counter, leaning over Stiles shoulder, Natasha draping herself over him before speaking. “Ooh, which one is Scott?”
Stiles grinned pointing to the middle screen. “The one with puppy eyes and a slightly uneven jaw.”
Natasha waved. “Aww he’s cute.”
Scott blushed and Clint nudged Stiles to get his attention. “Which one is the archer? I remember you mentioning a crossbow accident.”
Stiles chuckled pointing to Allison. “Allison, say hi.”
She waved and Clint grinned, waving back.
Stiles laughed. “So Uncle Phil, want to come say hi, since both Nat and Clint already did.”
Phil rolled his eyes but nodded and Stiles rotates his laptop so Phil was also in the shot. “Guys meet my uncle Phil. Uncle Phil, meet Scott, Alisson, Lydia, Jackson, Danny and Derek. “
Nat and Clint took this time to drape themselves over Phil. Obviously staking their claim, now that Stiles was in the know, much to his amusement and his friends shock. “That’s right, apparently Black Widow and Hawkeye are dating my uncle.”
Stiles screeched as Natasha launched herself onto Stiles, catching him in a chokehold, ruffling his hair. “I yield, I yield! Woman, I haven’t even eaten breakfast yet, have pity! I deserve a last meal!”
Phil chuckled. “Nat please don’t kill my nephew. We have that press conference coming up, he should be eating his breakfast and then getting ready for it. If he’s not ready in time Pepper will probably flay us all alive.”
Natasha let him go with a sloppy kiss to the cheek and a ruffle of his head, causing Stiles to squawk loudly once again, wiping his cheek in mock disgust. “Alright guys, I just wanted to let you guys know that no I am not dating Steve and we are going to be doing a press conference with the avengers today to clear up the whole thing.”
Everyone waved goodbye, Jackson with a passing snarky remark and Stiles quickly ate his breakfast before getting ready.
By the time Stiles walked out of his room, he was dressed in one of his nicest suits. A European cut slate grey plaid suit with a deep red shirt underneath, with no tie and two buttons left open. He had styled his hair messily and paired the suit with a pair of Black Italian loafers.
Natasha and Clint gaped at him when they caught sight of him, Clint the first to speak up. “Wow, kid. You clean up very well. You can definitely tell you are related to Phil.”
Stiles snorted but was saved from answering by the doorbell.
Phil buzzed Tony in and they were quickly greeted by the billionaire who was dressed just as impeccably as Stiles. “Nice choice kid. You’re getting good at this!.”
He looked around at everyone, taking in everyone’s outfits. “Clint, I really wish you would add some color to your wardrobe, would bring out your eyes. Alright, is everyone ready to go? Pepper is waiting downstairs in the limo. She will coach Stiles on our way to the press conference. Steve, Bruce and Thor are already waiting for us there.”
They were all quickly piled into the limo and on their way to the press conference, Pepper going over what Stiles should and should not say while speaking to the press.
When they arrived at the building, they were quickly ushered into their designated waiting room, which was more like a huge conference room.
Steve was waiting for them and smiled brightly when he saw Stiles walk in. “Glad you could join us. Stiles this is Bruce Banner and Thor Odinson.”
Stiles shook Bruce’s hand, surprised that such a meek and quiet man could turn into a raging green monster. “Nice to meet you Stiles.”
Thor stepped forward, clasping Stiles hand in a firm and vigorous handshake. “Do not worry Stiles, nephew of Coulson. We shall not allow the media to spread falsehoods related to your person.”
Stiles couldn’t help but grin at Thor’s exuberance. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
A woman holding a clipboard walked into the room with intent. “Is everyone here? The media is all set up and we are ready to record.”
Everyone looked at one another before Pepper nodded. “We’re good to go.”
Stiles was flanked by the avengers from all sides as they walked into the large room were camera after camera was set up to record the press conference.
He was practically blinded by the flashes and wobbled in his step but Steve quickly righted him, not missing a step..
They settled themselves down at a long table and the announcer introduced everyone, explaining why everyone was brought here today as if no one knew.
Stiles was the first person to speak and he was nervous but felt both Steve and Natasha press against him in comfort. “Hello, my name is Stiles Stilinski. Most of you know my face from the pictures on the news recently. I would like to start first by clearing up one thing. No I am not in a relationship with Steve Rogers. Though he is a very good looking man, we are just friends.”
Steve grinned and the reporters tittered before breaking out in questions which were quickly silenced by the announcer. “ I moved here to live with my Uncle and on my first day at school I had both the luck and misfortune to bump into a bully, gay bashing someone This was good luck because he became a good friend but misfortune because the gay bashing bully then decided to target me as well.
I did an internship at Stark Tower under Pepper Potts and that same boy got in under an internship in the security department. One day when I was coming back with Pepper and Tony’s coffee orders I was grabbed from behind and dragged into an alleyway where he proceeded to beat me up.”
Stiles felt both Steve and Natasha’s hands on his shoulder in comfort, not having realized he had been trembling. He saw Tony shifting in his chair, from the corner of his eye, uncomfortable with this part in the story. “Tony found me in the elevator and carried me into Pepper’s office and talked me out of my panic attack. After that he and Pepper kind of unofficially adopted me. He took my friend and I shopping and introduced us to Steve, where I was advised that he was going to be my self-defense instructor.”
Questions once again started but were quickly quelled. “Once I started training with Steve, Natasha heard about it and showed up and decided that she wanted to join in on my training since she was bored and after a while she found out that I was a decent shot and wanted to up my training but Steve didn’t want me to waste away my childhood so he agreed only if I went out and did things with friends. Since I only had one friend my age here, he suggested that we go out and do something once a week so we started this thing where he shows me what he did when he was a teenager and then I show him what I do as a teenager, hence us eating at the Diner. That night I didn’t come out of his apartment because I decided after a call of duty marathon we needed to watch the Star Wars marathon and I made it through the first two and passed out halfway through the third movie.
Steve nodded grinning. “They were good too.”
Stiles grinned. “Of course they were man, it’s Star Wars!”
The reporters once again chuckled, obviously charmed by Stiles, who grinned. “As for the talk Steve did at Safe Spaces, that was my doing as well. The first meeting I went to, a lot of the members talked about how they didn’t think that the avengers would ever be allies and I asked Steve if he would come talk to my group to show them just how supportive he’s been with everything I went through.”
He looked to Tony smirking teasingly. “I didn’t ask you because, no offense Tony but you have no filter and just as likely to insult someone without wanting to.”
Tony lifted his hands in a sign of nonchalance. “No offence taken, I probably would have, Pepper tells me quite often that I have no tact.”
Stiles once again looked to the cameras, smiling. “So that’s my story. I’m just your run of the mill bisexual boy who just ended up befriending superheroes. No elicit romance or other fun business the media somehow got stuck in their heads.”
The reporters exploded with questions and the announcer cut them off. “Mr Stilinski will not be answering any questions.”
The announcer continued to speak and Stiles noticed Thor frowning and leaned forward. “What’s wrong Thor?”
The reporters all hushed, wanting to hear what the Norse god had to say.
Thor looked pensive for a moment before he leaned finally spoke up, frowning. “Am I to understand that the reason behind this press conference is that people mistook you for being in a relationship with Steve?”
Stiles stilled for a moment, unsure how Thor was going to react. “Uh, yeah. That and people were surprised that Steve came to speak to a support group for gay teenagers. Kids who like people of the same sex.”
Thor balked. “And this is a problem in your world? What is wrong with that? If you love someone, gender should have no effect on that lest you are trying to procreate. I myself have loved several of my shield brothers in my long life. And if my father Odin the all-seeing bears this no ill will then why should any other? ”
The silence in the room was so thick you could have heard a pin drop before the press lost their minds, practically frothing at the mouth.
Stiles couldn’t help but laugh as the reporters’ questions started to fly.
“Mr. Odinson, are you saying you are gay?”
“Mr. Odinson, are you dating anyone now?”
“Thor, what does your mother think of this?”
The announcer tried her hardest to quiet down the questions but Tony only made it worse as he chuckled before speaking straight into the mic. ”Well, I'm not a huge fan of any dick but my own, but I might be the only avenger to feel that way.”
Bruce turned to Tony in outrage. “HEY!”
Tony snorted. “Please Banner, Remember that drunken night in Cabo, besides, I wasn’t just talking about you.”
Clint turned bright red and Natasha just shook her head as Pepper walked right up to Tony and smacked him upside the head , murmuring something into his eat that did not sound happy and must not have been since Tony looked fully chastised when she walked away.
Their PR announcer looked like she was going to have an aneurism or quit before Steve leaned over and called for quiet.
He rose to his feet mic in hand and spoke, oozing confidence. “I would ask that you please respect Stiles as well as the avenger’s privacy. In all honesty, the medias fascination with the highly private and personal lives of others makes me very uncomfortable. Respect our right to privacy. Respect our personal lives. What someone does behind closed doors and whom they do it with does not reflect on a person's character, morals or humanity. A person can be straight, gay, bi, transgender or other and still be a hero. The avengers have always fought for freedom and to keep this country safe and we stand as allies in the fight to wipe out homophobia. Thank you and that is all.”
He nodded to the others who rose as a whole, stiles included and they walked out of the room to a cacophony of reporters calling after them.
They were all ushered by Pepper into the limo and driven to Stark Tower where Pepper had catered a meal for all of them in her office.
Stiles was the last one to serve himself, piling up the food onto his plate.
Clint eyed Steve while taking a bit of his sandwich before he spoke. “"Ok, man. Personal boundaries and all for the media but seriously.... Are you JUST an ally?"
Stiles, eyes went wide as he made his way to his chair, placing his plate on the table getting ready to sit down.
Steve stared at Clint for a moment before looking at everyone else and shrugging. "I don't fall in love with what's in a person’s pants. I fall in love with who they ARE."
Stiles missed the edge of his seat and crashed to the ground, causing everyone to turn their gaze on him. He blushed brightly before dusting himself off and sitting down. “No one saw that…”
Tony smirked at him behind Steve but everyone else just nodded and returned to their conversations.
Stiles half-heartedly chewed at his food, mulling over the new information he had been given, wondering if he was giving himself false hope over these new revelations.
It wasn’t like Steve would ever see him as anything else but a kid right?