“I got here as fast as I could” Tony rushed to the emergency room with hands full of shopping bags
“Were you out shopping?” Steve looks at his best friends in disbelief
“Not important” Tony shrugged
“Why did you buy an inflatable pool?”
“The woman in the store said it was good for labor”
“Tony, I was tackled during a game and i think i got a mild concussion” Steve tries to explain it as slowly as he could “and I had a whole set of different types of reproduction organs”
Tony blinked once, twice, and slowly turned his mouth into a small o shaped “Right....”
“Were you panic-buying everything within your reach?” Steve mused
“I may have” Tony slumps on the chair next to the bed “how are you?”
“I’m good. Except for earning myself another migraine by your stupidity” Steve scrunch his nose “what’s that smell?”
“My new cologne, you like?” Tony shoved his wrist playfully in front of Steve’s face which he swatted away
“You smell like Febreze”
The curtain slides open and shows a blonde man holding a clipboard “Good news Mr. Rogers. Your scans are all clear”
Holy shit…
Tony just couldn’t stop staring at the blonde doctor standing in front of them. Clad in a white robe and dark scrubs which clearly two sizes smaller on his arm, his face looks tired but still beautiful nonetheless. The blonde handsome doctor starts flipping the pages on the clipboard.
“No signs of concussion and oh…”
“Hi” Tony smiles
“Hello” Doctor blondie smiles back at him, eyes flicking on the multiple shopping bags on his feet “shopping?”
“Care package for the all-American beefcake, actually” Tony pats Steve’s hand
“How’s my test, doc?” Steve rolled his eyes at the two men shamelessly flirting in front of him
“Oh right, your result” doctor blondie grins and flips the pages again “your test cleared. No sign of concussion, no brain damage. Just plenty of rest and make sure your boyfriend stays hydrated until tomorrow –”
“Roommate” Tony cuts it quickly
“Excuse me?” doctor blondie looks at him again, Tony notices his green eyes glint
“This is one of my roommates, doc” Steve rolled his eyes “which, unfortunately, is also my emergency contact”
“Tony” Tony smiles and winked at the Doctor
“I’m Ty” Doctor blondie grins, fighting back the wolfish smug grin that forms on his face “I will get your roommate from release”
“I’ll be here” Tony smiles. He may or may not, not so subtly checking the doctor out “you didn’t tell me your doctor was hot!” Tony playfully smacks his hand
“Damn it, Tony. I’m injured here” Steve moves away feeling annoyed
“You heard the doctor. Your test came back clear” Tony grins
“Well, well, well. Look who just got back from their date” Clint whistles as soon as Tony closes the door behind him
Rolling his eyes “Very mature, Legolas” Tony sits on the couch next to them grabbing the leftover cold pizza
“Isn’t it like the fifth date? why are you still eating here? The doctor didn’t feed you enough?” Steve pop a pepperoni into his own mouth
“They are probably busy playing doctor” Clint nudges both of his eyebrows suggestively
“That is disgusting. But not wrong” Tony shrugged
“Last week you went on and on about Steve making fun of your new cologne, but nothing about doctor blondie?” Clint carelessly wipes the crumbs on his sweatpants to the floor, ignoring Steve's protest
“Wait, I never told you he was blonde”
“We saw you two made out behind the loft’s alley half an hour ago” Clint shrugs and waves his phone “and I send the video to Nat” the phone chimes “Nat was impressed how you two didn’t come out for air for a very long time”
Another chime from the phone
“Sharon also asked when we are going to meet Doctor hot lips” Clint makes a face at the last sentence
“You’re not” Tony rolled his eyes and grab the phone leaving a voice note “it’s new and I was afraid all of you would tease me”
“We would never” Clint answered mockingly “so, does the doctor prescribe satisfaction?”
Steve just snorts into his own drink, Tony can’t help but also join the laughter
“Ooh, Sharon asked if you got all the booster shots from the doctor”
“I live with children” Tony shakes his head
“Okay, what is this emergency meeting about?” Steve is looking at Nat, Sharon, and Clint in their shared kitchen
“Where’s Tony?” Sharon looked around “is he around?”
“No, he got morning classes and most likely will not come back home until tonight” Clint pours himself a cup of coffee “should we wait for him?”
“We did some digging on doctor hot lips” Sharon points at herself and Nat “he’s married” she whispered
“What??” Clint and Steve look at them in disbelief
“I know, we couldn’t believe it either” Sharon shakes her head
“Do you think Tony knows?” Clint asked, coffee in his hand long forgotten
“Tony would never date a married man” Steve shakes his head
“We have to tell him” Nat steals Clint’s coffee
“Not it” Clint immediately says while everyone else is looking at each other in worry
**
Tony is closing the door behind him while whistling, his train of thought suddenly stopped when he spots four sets of eyes looking at him. Suddenly feeling crept out since no one make a sound or movement
“Not going to lie, this is getting creepy” Tony tries to crack a joke
“Just sit down, Tony” Nat points to the seat next to her
“Is this another intervention for the late-night explosions? Because I swear last time it was Bruce, not me” Tony frowns
“It’s not” Sharon looks at him with an unreadable expression
“Tiberius Stone is married” Nat suddenly spoke
“Sorry man” Clint pats his shoulder
“At least you found out now than later” Sharon as always, the optimistic
“Oh, I know he’s married” Tony shrugged, waving his hand dismissively
“YOU DO?” Steve and Sharon shrieked in unison
“Yeah” Tony just shrugged
“Really?” Clint frowns
“I know it’s not ideal, but I’m fine with it” Tony shrugged and gets up “anything for dinner? I’m starving” he opens the fridge and scanned for food
“Wait a minute, you knew the whole time that your new boyfriend is married?” Sharon looks at her cousin who are nodding and popped a blueberry into his mouth
“Tony, how are you okay with this?” Clint looks at him
“Well, you don’t understand. We had this instant connection. I have never been with someone who is this really into me. it was amazing” Tony shrugged
“Yeah, I bet he was so into his wife at one point too” Nat answered flatly
Tony just sighed and rolled his eyes at her remarks.
“Tony, he says he will leave her for you, but we all know he won’t” Sharon looks at him in pity
“It's okay, because I am fine with things the way they are”
“Tony” Clint gritted his teeth trying his best to calm himself “that guy is married. He got a wife. A real person with feelings. You knew you are hurting her, and yourself”
“Clint, come on”
“No, I’m sorry but this is what you do. You think you fell head over heels for a guy, you put him first before everything, even us. you get attached. You change yourself for him, and you try to convince yourself that you were okay with it, but deep down you know that you’re not. And then you’ll fall apart and we will be there to pick you up and then magically you were ready for another man to ruin you again”
“That’s enough Clint” Steve warns
“Is that what you think of me? I’m sorry I met someone because I know how much you hate it when I’m happy” Tony retorts
“Oh, that’s bullshit!” Clint starts to shout louder
“Tones” Sharon sighed in defeat
“No, you know what I think? I’m happy and you can’t stand it! All of you” Tony finally snaps and stormed to his own room and slammed the door leaving the four of them looking at each other in awkward silence.
The cold war between Tony and Clint lasts roughly about two weeks. What used to be morning breakfast with the girls turns into a slight curt nod between Steve and Tony. And Tony childishly ignored Clint at his usual corner eating his cereal. The weeks of radio silence finally drive Steve crazy so Steve invites Clint to join them for a night out with Nat and Sharon dragging Tony out of his sweatpants from his own room. Awkward doesn’t even describe it. Steve, the mother of the group, the problem solver as ever keeps nudging Nat and Sharon as a buffer between the two. A few shots of drinks later finally the ice slowly melted between the two.
“I’m glad you guys inviting me to have a night out” Tony gulping another shot “having a boyfriend who’s out of town celebrating his wife’s birthday on a long weekend is rough”
“Even though we are highly disagreeing with your life choices, we are all happy that you’re here with us” Nat place a kiss on top of Tony’s head
“Yes, thank Steve for talking some sense to Clint. I hate seeing you two not talking” Sharon adds
“Well, you are still our friend. Even though you’re an idiot for doing what you’re doing” Clint shrugs
“Clint” Steve warns
“Fine” Clint rolled his eyes “I’m sorry for what I said the other day”
“it’s cool, man” Tony nodded
“But I stand for what I said”
“I know,” Tony said, as a sheepish smile tugged at his lips
Steve is sketching for his homework when he sees the shadow of Tony standing near him. Noticing the grim on the smaller man's face, Steve paused at the sketch and picked up the scattered drawing tools on the couch next to him so Tony could plop down and hug his own knee while looking at Steve.
“Something bothering you?”
“We broke up” Tony puffed his cheek. Steve clearly did not think Tony look adorable. No, that would be silly, of course.
“Oh,” Steve clearly lost for words “I’m sorry about that. if it makes you feel better, I think you made the right choice”
“It wasn’t my choice, it was his. His wife’s pregnant” Tony waved his hand nonchalantly still pouting
“Ouch” Steve should have not felt relief. No, he’s definitely not. But he did anyway
“Can we say it was my decision if anyone else asks?” Tony’s big brown eyes looked at Steve with a hopeful look “, especially Clint”
“That’s what I heard” Steve rubs small circles on Tony’s shoulder, letting Tony’s head hang forward-leaning to Steve’s shoulder
“Why you didn’t say anything that day?”
Took Steve a while to understand what day Tony was talking about, but then Steve just hummed “honestly, I didn’t think it was my place. You both grown-ups, you know the consequences, it was between two consenting adults. It was, right?”
Tony just snorts at the comment “of course it was, no one force me to date him”
“Why are you dating him anyway? You’re young, you’re good-looking, and you can date literally everyone, why him?”
“Honestly? At first, it was exciting. The secrecy, the thrill that I could give him something that his wife couldn’t, it made me feel special. I know it's wrong but I choose to be wrong because I thought I get the love that I couldn't get from anyone else. It was exciting, that's why I wouldn't mind. That’s how pathetic I am”
“No, Tony. You’re not pathetic. Misguided, maybe”
“Thank you” Tony breathes out gratefully and Steve smiles as he moves his thumbs in small circles on his shoulder
Neither speaks for a very long time, as Steve quietly still rubbing Tony’s shoulder in sympathy, glancing at Tony’s closed eyes and steady breathing, Steve just let Tony snuggle closer to his chest, ignoring the brown curls that begin to tickle Steve’s jaw.
If Natasha would describe Steve Rogers in one word, she would say Oblivious. Steve didn’t realize he was attracted to both gender until he was in his twenties, and it took weeks of revelations and self-discoveries (with the help of Tony and everyone) to let that thought sink in. Steve is the type of person who wouldn’t notice that he’s the only one who got free cookies from the barista around the corner from their loft. Steve would be the last one to notice that Tony had been secretly putting his laundry on Steve’s pile so Steve could wash it for him for the last five months. Steve just realized this morning that Tony’s usual fresh citrusy-woody cologne – which Steve never fails to make fun of – is long gone each time Tony went home from his date with the doctor. Steve just noticed how perfect Tony’s lip is. With a note of natural pink voluptuous pout and how it perfectly shaped like a bow. Making him itch to rip the pages on his sketchbook and starts another sketch. Steve had never really noticed just how long and dark his eyelashes were, how captivating his brown eyes were, like the exact same shade of his favorite chocolate bar. And his wild untamed dark curls, his fingers, his wide toothy mischievous smiles when pranking the girls with Clint,
And that’s when Steve knew he was noticing too much.
**
Steve can hear the faint click on the door and keys jiggling before the door finally opens showing Sharon holding some groceries. The blonde woman pauses, looking at the two snuggling on the couch facing her way. She was about to open her mouth when Steve hurriedly brought a finger to his own lips and pointed at sleeping Tony with his eye. Slowly the corner of Sharon’s lips begins to form into a knowing smug smile.
“Not a word!” Steve mouths at her
“Aww” Sharon mouthed
Steve scowls deeper, Sharon almost afraid it would turn into a permanent wrinkle on his forehead
“We were wondering how long it'd take you to notice" She whispered
Steve scowls at her “Shut up!” he hissed
Sharon just shrugged and pinched her fingers together mimicking a zip on her mouth, the stupid annoying smirk still doesn't leave her face the whole time.
Steve just rolled his eyes, telling himself that Sharon didn’t know what she was talking about. She's delirious. Yeah, that must be it. All that Jane Austen must have done is something permanent to her head. Clearly, he would be the first one to notice if something happened between him and Tony.