“What word could be used to described this situation the best?”
“Snake?”
“Or maybe defrauder”
“No were not at a bank”
“What about Deceiver? I like that”
“But it’s not quite what I’m looking for yet, how about Swindler? To funny?”
“It’s not funny. Perhaps scammer, or is that to much of a simple situation?
“Hmm no, that’s to much of someone that tries to fool with a tourist in Italy”
“I would like to go to Italy, to the sun and beach, delivered tasty food...And the man..oh God, looking so good all tanned, such a hot accent”
“But such a shame they are rats, and small, but that’s beside the point. You don’t need to go to Italy to meet rats”
“I can name two right here right now. Two large fucking rats”
“At last, Cheater is probably still the best way to describe him”
“Who even came up with that word? ‘Cheater’ only a true cheater I can imagine. You see the word ‘liar’ is to harsh and ‘devastator’ is to emotional. And oh no, let’s not be to emotional now. Why be emotional? Keep it in, don’t cry, don’t even whine about it. It’s never the cheaters fault. Maybe I wasn’t good enough, or maybe I didn’t try enough. Was it the sex? Did he wanted more then I can give”
”Never their fault my ass” Tony was sitting on a barstool, upper body half laying on top of the counter. One of his hands were clenched around an empty glass of whiskey as the other was used as a somewhat comfortable pillow for his head.
His eyes were red, half lidded and to tired to keep open. His head felt like he was laying in calm water. It took him away and maybe if he closed his eyes he would wake up somewhere else.
His best friends since highschool was sitting next to him. Rhodey had his hand on Tony’s back, carefully caressing his back listening to the somewhat slurred yet clear and aching words. it hurted him to see his best friend like that.
In the past Tony had countless casual hook upas and one night stands. When Pepper came, he started to change, really change. He tried his best and practically threw his old ways out of the window for her. Yet it didn’t last. It was something Tony felt and Pepper saw. The realization hitted them both. It hurted, a lot. They seemed to be made for each other, just platonic.
Tony was dense back in the day, but the way he looked when the first super soldier showed up was a look Rhodey would never forget. It was a strange look, so lovingly and admiringly. But Pepper saw it. And after a while, they broke up.
They ended on good terms. She said she understood and supported him fully and would still love him with all her heart, just like he would love her. With more then he could give.
Steve and Tony weren’t always on the same page. There were often petty little discussions and Rhodey had to admit, even back then, something just didn’t feel right. He warned Tony once or twice about it. But he saw the way Tony seemed to soften when Steve was around. And it felt good seeing him like that. It was like he found peace.
It was after the big brawl, when Steve couldn’t let go of an childhood friend and risked everything things changed between them. If Rhodey had any say, he would never let Steve near Tony again. For heavens sake, he almost killed Tony that day. But the multi-miljonair was an brave, strong man and could hold his own.
So when Steve slowly came back, seeking excuses to be near his best friend with that silly look on his face, Rhodey simply couldn’t do anything but watch. Watch how they slowly became closer again, closer then they had ever been.
Rhodey and Pepper watched the super soldier and they knew Steve knew that too. But he never made an mistake. The promises he made were so sincere, the dates they had were more then lovingly and the way Tony lit up comforted them.
And how stupid was that of them. Sitting here, as Rhodey made soft patterns on Tony’s back while he was mumbling about being blinded by his heart made him realize he should have followed what his gut told him long ago. Then this would have been spared. Somewhere it felt a little like his fault. Just how many times did he tell Tony that there was no reason to be afraid to truly love someone? To risk it all.
And risking he did.
They were currently in ‘House of Yes’ one of New Yorks best and most experiencefull clubs. A place Tony and Rhodey visited often in their younger years, in the years Tony didn’t let anyone take his heart and just had fun. It was a large club. There was an common place with a bar with different lights moving and changing onto the loud beat of the speakers.
Above the thundering music a small bell was heard and as Rhodey not much later saw Pepper Pots walking in, frantically looking around for her friends and once she spotted them quickly walked over and sat down on Tony’s other side. Worry written in her face as she took of her coat and saw his slumber state.
“ I came as fast as I could” she spoke softly turning to Rhodey as he sensed the her an message. “I can’t believe it”
Rhodey shook his head. “I can, I always knew. I just didn’t know exactly” he mumbled in the same soft volume as Pepper spoke in.
The blond pursed her red lips and shook her head signing this was not Tony needed. But she didn’t deny it either. She felt that way too. She placed her hand on Tony’s neck and gave a small message in his neck, something she used to do when they were together and he was upset.
”He killed something” Tony eventually said after an moment of silence. He sat up and took her hand into his. Maybe it was the alcohol speaking, that whatever he was about to say was embarrassing, it felt embarrassing. It felt embarrassed to even be embarrassed about this. “He killed me. When my back was turned. I can’t believe it..he actually made me feel...made me..feel” Tony swallowed, lips pursed into an thin line.
Pepper felt her heart break at the words, his rheumy eyes stared forward and for the first time, The amazing Tony Start lowers his guard, really lowered it. Revealing an vulnerable, cristal heart. That he had trusted to Steve. A heart that was shattered in a million pieces.
She moved closer and rested her head on his shoulder. Feeling the way his breath tensed and his hand grasped her tighter. The way his chest weaverd up and down, trying to calm, trying to keep stop that sob.
He hadn’t told what exactly had happend. All Rhodey knew was that he got called two hours earlier. Tony was yelling, in the middle of an anixiety attack. He wanted to meet, half blubbering about Steve and Bucky. He didn’t need to say more and he understood. They decided to meet here at the club, where Tony was already on his way too.
Tony shuddered and closed his eyes for an second “ I was just going over, we uhm.. we were going to meet but he didn’t respond to my texts or calls. I didn’t want to be late so I decided to come over his place. To see if everything was alright” he took a breath, laughing coldly “oh and everything was alright. He was perfectly fine”
Pepper traced the small scars onto his hand “ He gave me the key, I didn’t need to know, wouldn’t that be crazy! If I did had to knock how things...Anyway, so I open the door. It was dead silent. Most lights were turned off. Maybe he was in the bathroom taking an shower, but then you would have heard the water running right?” He scoffed opening his eyes. “ so maybe the bedroom then, maybe he fell asleep and he forgot, maybe he was just getting ready to leave”
He signed the bartender for another glass and glanced for an second at Peppers fingers “ So I turned the corner and I saw light coming from underneath the door. I was about to go in when I hear..I heard” he sighed and pinched his nose bridge trying to form the words. They were there, but he couldn’t say them, annoyingly on the tip of his tongue, physically stuck. “You know.. s-sounds...I heard sound”
Rhodey looked at three new glasses being filled “ if you don’t want to”
”I want to” Tony cut him off taking an pauze. He wanted to share, Pepper told him a long time ago that even when it’s hard that sharing what is bothering can be releaving and they shared so much with him, now it was his time to share “ So i listend, quietly i walked over the door and looked an cartoon that listend with his ear in the door door. Hearing those sounds, disgusting, squeezing and weepy noises. I heard it all” he spat the words out like venom taking a quick shug from the freshly placed glass.
”Names being moaned out. How about that. Who knew ever that I would have the fucking honor to hear Bucky moan. To hear Steve say something so filthy about someone else... someone that is not me” his words started to falter. “ I knew it, maybe deep down I already knew, but I didn’t want to know. Was it so wrong for me to hope he actually cared about that bastard” he muttered, tears stinging pin his exhausted eyes. His whole body felt exhausted, the images replying and playing in his head. Like a fresh cut every time he heard it.
”no, no” Pepper squeezed his hand “ not at all, never tony. Steve he’s just, he’s just-“
” a fucking assholl that’s what he is. Scumbag that didn’t deserve you” Rhodey helped her out looking from his glass to Tony with a little smile Tony couldn’t return.
”i opend the door” he said looking Rhodey in the eyes “ And I was right, he was perfectly fine” he barely said with an whisper “ their hands were everywhere, everywhere” Hot tears spilled down his cheeks leaving an burning wet sensation quickly followed by more. “And I-I left”
“Fuck” he mumbled “ fuck!” Tony bowed over again, hands governing his face and he couldn’t dare to look up and cry, cry outloud. Sobbing. Dreadful tears seemed to cut his heart, it ached, so so bad. Steve fucking did this to him. He lied to him. All the promises. Fuck fuck fuck-
He felt peppers warm body pressed against his, giving him one of her passionately hugs, soon followed by Rhodeys from the other side. It should made him feel better, make him say I’m all good, thank you guys. Make him stand up and go further. Instead it hurted even more. It hurted everywhere. And he couldn’t stop himself, he couldn’t stop from crying, from feeling miserable.
“It’s okay..it’s okay. Let it go” Peppers soothing voice whisperd, leaving a small crack in her own. It made her tear herself. God, Tony was the one that was betrayed but it was her heart broke for him.
Rhodey waved the barman and had himself somewhat trouble to not just cry too. It was so damn different then they were used too.
Something came to Rhodey, as he comforted his friend he slightly sat up and got a tissue. He made Tony sit up again and whipped some of his tear. “Then fuck him”
Tony looked at him puzzeld and possible more fractured “ I really don’t thinking fucking him is what I need Rhodey”
“no, fuck him. Fuck it, Fuck Bucky. You don’t need him Tony. He was just someone in your life and I know it hurts. It ducking hurts and it will stay that way a while”
”jeez Rhodey”
“Not finished yet” Rhodey spoke again ”you are Tony Stark and you are not with Steve anymore. You are free of him now! He can’t do shit and demand shit anymore. Tony you are not bonded and should fucking celebrate for being free”
Pepper giggled slighty, putting a hand over her mouth for disguise “Oh Rhodey that was a lot of fuck and shit” Tony started. “ are you saying I should whore around?” He asked in slight disbelieve with a small laugh that was more like a huff.
Rhodey felt a little embarrassed, ofcourse that is how Tony would describe it “ yes, yes I do. You can get anyone here, hell they would be happy to be even near you, we know it and you do too. You know we love your decent years but for now get that all out of the way and just loose it. Go drink, fuck do whatever and we join. This isn’t a night of sadness but a night of celebration of being done with that loser”
Through the tears Tony laughed and raised his glass. His friends followed his example and they toasted “ We aren’t 24 anymore, I don’t know if we can handle that. But I’m sure I haven’t lost my touch let’s get fucked!” He said loudly as three cheered clunking their glasses together and tossing it back. “ let’s get absolutely totally fucked”