Malibu
THE MINUTE THAT RHODEY HAD stepped into Tony’s apartment after getting back from study abroad, he knew something was up. He knew Tony well, a little too well in the brunets opinion. Rhodey could easily call out his bluffs (which made poker games much less fun), know when he was lying and even determine what Tony was going to say next without him saying it first.
But Tony wasn’t going to let Rhodey break down his walls that easily. Steve Rogers was a subject he didn’t want to talk about.
His best friend persisted, day and night, text after text, begging Tony to tell him what had happened so he could help. The brunet was stubborn about it at first, thinking that he could overcome this on his own. As the days passed by, Tony realized that maybe he did need Rhodey's advice and support. So he caved in, explaining to Rhodey in detail of what had happened between him and the blond.
It hurt to remember it. Steve was always a part of Tony’s thoughts. The only difference was that now, the brunet did other things to occupy his mind. School work, reading, working out.
“So… what?” Rhodey asked him after he had finished explaining his ordeal. “You just gave up on him? Just like that?” He spun himself around in circles in an office chair.
“What else was I supposed to do?”
Go back and profess his love for someone who didn’t feel the same? Pathetic.
“Wow,” Rhodey raised his eyebrows. “I’m gone for six months and apparently you still haven’t learned how to communicate.”
“Rhodey—“
“Don’t think I didn’t notice how you chose not to say his name. Who is this guy?”
Shit.
“It’s Steve Rogers, okay?”
“You mean the guy you’ve been crushing on for over a year now.”
It was true.
Tony had only heard of Steve because of his gaining popularity. All the girls were talking about him, obsessing over how they would get him to date them. Tony wanted to figure out what all this fuss was about, only to find out that the blond was extremely good looking -- not to mention talented. No wonder the whole student population was swooning over him.
Tony had seen Steve around on campus a few times after that, chatting with friends in the dining hall or in the library trying to get a textbook. He had made a promise to himself not to catch feelings, because football players like Steve were straight. But his own heart betrayed him.
Rhodey had heard all about Steve Rogers and Tony’s crush on him before he went to Germany.
“Don’t remind me.”
“And you’re just letting him go.”
“You didn’t hear what he said, gummy bear.” Tony could still see Steve’s face in his mind the moment he said that they had used each other out. That they weren’t ever friends. It was all just a game of play pretend to Steve. “He… he doesn’t like me.”
He should’ve expected it. But he didn’t, of course he didn’t. Tony was right when he said that the blond had good charm.
“Right,” Rhodey rolled his eyes. “And that explains him going out with you for ice cream after one of your study dates, and him complimenting you and him asking to dance with you at all of these galas including the one where he ended things with you.”
The brunet kept his mouth shut, picking at his fingernails -- which were freshly painted black. Would Steve have liked this color? No, don’t think that way, he scolded himself.
“Give up on him if you want to… but I know that’s just not in your blood.”
✰
TONY AND RHODEY SPENT THE rest of the day packing cardboard boxes in Tony’s apartment. At least a dozen of them had already been packed up and stacked on top of one another by the front door, ready to be put into the trunk and backseat of his car.His apartment was nearly empty now, except for the furniture, some dishes and clothing that wouldn’t fit into the other boxes.
The brunet had made the impulsive decision to move down to California with his father, where a new Stark Industries building was being constructed. He would stay there for a year to help Howard get everything set up, before returning back to this college to finish his degree. Tony wasn’t sure if he regretted this decision just yet.
“Since when did you get these?” Rhodey questioned, holding a pair of shoes in his hands. They were coated in a thick layer of black glitter. It reminded Tony oddly of the shirt he had worn to Steve’s football game.
“Natasha,” the brunet told him.
“Figures.”
“You know what--” His phone started to vibrate in his pocket. He retrieved it, looking at the name displayed brightly across the screen: Stevie. Tony’s heart beat wildly in his chest. “I’m gonna answer this.”
“Who is it?”
“No one,” he responded defensively. He slowly clicked the answer button.
“Tony?”
Hearing Steve’s voice for the first time in two weeks almost made him faint. “St-- Rogers?”
“I knew it!” Rhodey exclaimed loudly, dropping the shoes, which landed on the floor with a loud clunk.
Tony covered the edge of his phone to block out any sound from his side, “Shut up!”
“Tony, hi. I… could we meet up? And I-- I’d totally understand if you don’t want to, but I left things off badly and I need to… can we just meet up?” The blond requested from the other side of the phone, the nervousness in his voice evident.
“Where? I need to tell you something, too.”
Tell you that I like you. Tell you that I’m moving away because I couldn’t handle being pushed away by you.
“Oh?” Steve paused, “Well, the fountain in the campus park, 8. Don’t be late, brown eyes.”
The brunet hung up without another word, staring blankly at the dark screen of his cellphone.
“You okay, Tony?”
“Always.”
✰
STEVE HAD BEEN WAITING IN the campus park for nearly forty five minutes, sitting patiently on the edge of the running fountain. His anxiety was getting to the best of him. This reminded him of a time not long ago, when he was sitting in the library -- only waiting for Tony to show up. This time, though, Tony had every reason to not show up without a word. Things were different between them now.
“Just deal with it, Rogers,” he told himself, leaning his head down. “He’s not showing up. Damn it.”
The blond knew he couldn’t be upset at him, that he couldn’t be mad. Steve was the one to end things. It was his fault.
“Steve,” he heard a voice out of the blue.
The blond looked up, a smiling fighting to make its way on his face. “Tony.”
“I’m sorry I was late, but I had to… I had to finish packing,” the smaller boy explained, his eyes everywhere on Steve’s face except for his eyes.
His heart sunk in his chest. He was more expecting the lab emergency excuse. Not this. “Tony, I-- wait… packing?”
Tony swallowed, “I-- I’m leaving. I’m taking a break year to work at the Stark Industries headquarters in Malibu.”
“You’re moving to Malibu? When?”
“Steve… I’ll be out of the city by the end of next week.”