Justin
In the grocery store, Tony was picking up some radish as he thought about some ways to make it up to Tal and the others. He had no doubt that he was being rude earlier, and he planned on making a picnic with Steve next week. It was just that everything felt so new between them, especially for Tony, who hasn't had such a... Healthy relationship before. He didn't want to overwhelm the man in any way.
"Tony, baby boy!" Just great. Just his luck. The person who caused this havoc in the first place was there, calling his name. Closing his eyes and taking a big breath, Tony forced a smile as he turned to Justin.
"Justin, how are-"
"I'm good, you? Bet not so great before you saw me, huh?" Cockily, Justin rested against the shelf housing the products in the store like some cliche greasy bad boy from a 50's movie. "Anyway, how about me and you go for some drinks right about now? They're on me~"
"I-I don't drink, but thank you." Tony said quickly, not giving Justin a chance to cut him off. Taking a deep breath, Tony said as gently as he could. "Justin, I don't want to go for drinks with you. Or anywhere. I'm sorry, I have a boyfriend who's really, really amazing to me, but overall a kind, precious, wonderful human being who I honestly don't deserve and whom I am very happy with right now. Sorry again. I hope you find someone." Listening to Tony's speech, Justin watched the man with a pitying gaze as he settled his hand on Tony's cheek, who stood frozen in place.
"Oh, honey." he said like Tony was some naive child. "I'm so sorry you think that. Tony, he's just playing with you. Don't you know? He's not the guy for you."
"W-What?" Tony stepped back "Don't talk about Steve like you know him, he's not like that! Steve wouldn't do that to me!"
"He would if it meant getting his runt a babysitter." Justin shrugged, making Tony even more creeped out. "I mean, really, Tony? I knew you were naive, but this is something new. Look, sorry, but if you think Rogers stays with you because of the power of love or whatever, but you're wrong."
"H-How did you-"
"I know things, Tony, don't worry about it." Justin waved him off, giving Tony a quick hug, accompanied by a kiss that felt so, so wrong on his cheek. Tony was just overwhelmed by all of this, just being petrified in place. "Listen sweetheart, when Rogers breaks your heart, just know I'll be there to pick up the pieces. I'll see you around, okay? Okay. Good boy."
'Whatthefuck' repeatedly played over in Tony's head as he watched Hammer walk out of the store, leaving Tony confused and... Slightly worried about what he had said. "Steve wouldn't do that to me..." he murmured to himself as he continued his shopping with shaky hands. "He wouldn't. He's not that kind of person, Hammer is WRONG. He is wrong. Wrong..."
Just as he was walking around the corner he noticed Steve, not really paying attention to what he was throwing into his basket.
Gulping, Tony pretended he didn't see him and turned the other way, praying to whichever God there was his boyfriend didn't notice him. "So, care to tell me what's actually wrong, or are we going to play around like this for longer? Asking for reference." The universe hated Tony Stark, and he won't ever believe otherwise. Turning to Steve with a smile between forced and surprised, Tony scratched the back of his neck.
"Um, Steve! Pete, hey! Wasn't expecting you guys here..."
Peter seemed confused, he had been running through the aisles when he had seen that scary man approaching Tony. He had seen what had happened and he didn't want to go near that mans smell, it wasn't a nice one, and Tony smelled of him. "I don't know what I did this early on to make you think you can't trust me with whatever's going on, but I know from experience that someone forcing themselves to hide something this much that it's never a good thing. So don't treat me like I'm stupid, because I'm not. I know this, I've lived it before. I just thought you'd be honest with me." Steve spoke, calm and collected, but his wolf was ready to force the information out if need be.
Tony felt like a child being scolded for doing something they weren't supposed to. After listening to what Steve had to say, Tony raised his eyes to meet Steve's, softly saying. "Earlier...When Fury called to tell you something and you agreed over the phone. When we had that argument. When I asked why, You told me there were things you needed to be in charge of, some things you have to solve alone. You asked me to stay out of things you don't consider I should be a part of, and I understand that. I respect that. You ask me to not get in the way, and I do..." he spoke gently, looking up at Steve "Right now, I'm asking you to do the same. Okay?"
But Steve's wolf wasn't as eager to listen. If Steve was honest, neither was he. There was a difference between raising his own son and Tony sneaking around with other humans scents all over him. Possessiveness from himself and his wolf leaked through him, wanting nothing more than to shout from every rooftop of the city that Tony was his and his alone, and that he was Tony's, and no one could ever tear them apart. They'd have to go through Steve first. Tony saw something shift inside of Steve's eyes, and for a moment, he wondered if he wasn't hallucinating. He took a step back, even if he knew Steve wouldn't hurt him. "Steve? Are you okay, honey?"
"But this is different, isn't it Tony." Steve folded his arms, not answering the question, trying not to look at how heartbroken his son looked. "I asked you not to be so forceful with my son, I told you why, I explained fully. All while trying to get you to stay healthy and not put yourself out over a simple cold that me and my people know how to fix, and we have." He didn't take his eyes from Tony's as he spoke. "But this is secrecy, and not the ok kind, this is the sneaking, hiding, trying to make sure I don't find out something. This is different. And it hurts me that you think if this is something for me not to worry about then you don't think you can tell me. It hurts me to think that you already have something to hide from me. It hurts me that you think I sent you away because I didn't want you around." He picked up Peter. "I can't be in another relationship full of lies and hiding and deception. So if there's something you need to say, you need to figure out how to say it." He already knew, Peter couldn't keep control of his thought projections when he was upset and Steve had seen through Peter's eyes the other man kiss Tony. "I'll see you later, Tony..." Steve mumbled when the other man didn't say anything. "Thanks for trusting me..." He left, leaving his shopping basket on the shelf, he wasn't interested in what he was buying anyway, he had come here to clear his head, and had bumped into his partner and now just felt even more tangled.
"No no no!" Tony murmured. "This wasn't...No, this isn't...This wasn't what it was supposed to happen..."
Did he go after him? Did he let time fall between them and allow both of them to cool down? What should he do? Had he made a mistake? Yes, he did, keeping secrets wasn't okay, ever, but especially from his boyfriend... Was Steve even his boyfriend? Only he could mess up a relationship that started in only one day. Sighing, he quietly continued the rest of his shopping, going to an empty home and table. He could... Call Natasha. Or Tal-no, they were probably off the table for now. Tony still had to apologise.
He grabbed his phone, finger tracing the screen that had presented Steve's number, and wanted to call him. Desperately so, because he hurt him, and he wanted to make amends. If Steve won't want to be together anymore, he'd respect that and leave him alone, but he should make sure, right? What if he called him and told him all the mess? No, that's not something to be discussed over the phone, was it? "This is a mess..." Tony whimpered as he laid in the pillow face first, tossing the phone aside. In the middle of the night, He decided that, he will tell Steve about it. And what was going to happen would happen and he wouldn't have a say. It just would.
He managed to fall asleep not long after, it had been a long day.