America the beautiful (tony 16-17)
Tony does not like Steve, sure he loves Captain America and has done since he was, well since forever. But he does not like Steve.
When Steve walks into the waiting room where Aunt Peggy and he are waiting with a few other S.H.I.E.L.D agents Peggy cries, Tony is really confused because he thought she’d be happy, but then he realises she is. She’s so happy to see Steve that she’s crying tears of joy.
In that moment Tony realises he’s lost her.
Tony lived his whole life being compared to Captain America and falling short, but that was Howard, Howard who is cruel and capricious and has never told his son that he love’s him, never said that he like’s him, never even shown the smallest amount of kindness. Peggy kisses his cheeks, calls him her darling boy, and says I love you as easy as often as her eyeliner is perfect (that is to say every time Tony can remember seeing her since the day he was born.) but Peggy loves Steve and while she would never compare Tony to a dead man, he’s right here in technicolour and Tony knows he just knows he doesn’t and could never measure up.
He knows it isn’t Steve’s fault, Steve himself is kind if aloof, he greets Tony when he comes into a room and follows all the other pleasantries of polite society, but nothing further. It doesn’t help that he’s nice though it makes Tony’s hatred feel so much more unjustified. If Steve were just a little less perfect he could say he doesn’t like him because he’s flawed’ but no the only thing that Steve has ever done wrong was fall in love with Peggy Carter and well it’s Peggy Carter she’s the coolest person on the whole entire earth, so he’s not really to blame.
Tony is very glad that Steve has moved into the mansion because at least he’ll get to see aunt Peggy when she comes to visit him. It’ll hurt when she ignores him but at least Tony will know she’s alright when she comes home from her missions.
Tony as it turns out is wrong when Peggy comes to visit Steve to discuss grown up stuff (which turns out to be the resurgence of hydra as tony discovers later) he gets swept up in her arms and kissed on his cheeks and forehead. He is then sat beside Aunt Peggy on the couch as she regales Steve with everything good Tony has ever done ever and he has never hear so many positive adjectives in his life, by the time he’s dismissed his olive skin is bright red and he’s close to combusting from embarrassment, but as he runs to his room to hide one thing is very clear Aunt Peggy still loves him very much.
Tony of course dives under his bed grabs Bucky and presses him so tight to his chest they may spontaneously absorb one another to become one single being, rolling on to his back Tony kicks his legs back and forth in tiny arcs to dispel some of his energy. Finally he stills, gasps and breaths “it’s gonna be okay Bucky,” when he comes back downstairs to bid farewell to Peggy his cheeks hurt from smiling and Bucky has been thoroughly informed of the events that have just occurred.
His regard for Steve has much improved, and now Steve will tussle his hair if they bump into each other in the hallway instead of backing away hastily.Steve goes on a mission, and to Tony’s surprise Tony misses him.
He destroys hydra and returns with a brooding former assassin in the shape of one James Buchannan Barnes.