Chapter 34
“Tell me about your family.”
Brigitte said with a small smile. Sydney tilted her head in confusion. “I want to know you.”
“Well,” Sydney started with a soft smile. “My parents were in love since maybe the moment they were born, much to my grandparents’ joy. I have a little brother who is a walking nightmare, but I love him anyway.” Brigitte chuckled as she watched her talk intently. “I have a big family. We’re pretty close. They made me the leader of a team of superheroes who are pretty much my brothers and sisters.”
“A team of superheroes.” Brigitte whispered in awe.
“Yeah, the future’s threats are more dangerous, so we’re needed to keep the world safe.”
“And you are their leader?”
“Yeah.” Sydney blushed at the admiration and awe that she could see in Brigitte’s eyes.
“I need to ask, what is your relation to Castiel?” she stepped even closer to Sydney. “I can’t help but see the resemblance between you.”
“Can I tell you a secret?” Brigitte nodded excitedly. “He is actually my grandpa.”
“But how? Dean and Tony are close friends with him and they don’t look old enough to have you!”
“Because we are from different times. I am actually from a further future than theirs.”
“Oh! So, that’s why you weren’t in the two pictures Tony has.” Brigitte stopped and frowned a little as she thought about something. “I didn’t see except two women in one of the pictures. Castiel did seem to be very close with Dean and-“ she stopped as her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh my God, Dean isn’t just a close friend to Castiel, is he?” Sydney shook her head as she watched her with a smile. “And I noticed the Steve in the second picture was giving Tony a too intimate look, too. That means that Steve and Tony in the future are also-“
“Yes, they are.” Sydney confirmed with a small nod, glad that Brigitte was figuring everything out.
Brigitte turned her eyes towards where Dean and Tony were sitting against the wall. Dean was rolling his wedding ring in his finger absent mindedly as he stared up at the ceiling in deep thought, while Tony was gazing at Steve, who was still talking with Bucky and Peggy, with sad, longing eyes.
“There are a lot of things I still don’t understand.” Brigitte shook her head in awe and looked up at Sydney. The brunette was taller than her with maybe five inches or so. She doesn’t know why she finds that exhilarating. “But there is one thing I need to make sure I understood completely. In the future, this is okay? That it is not necessarily to be a man and woman? It is okay?”
“Yeah. It is okay.” Sydney confirmed gently. “They can even get married. Have a family. Have a nice life.”
“That sounds amazing.” Brigitte was now a few inches away from Sydney. “So, you’re okay with it?”
“More than okay.” Sydney whispered as her eyes fell on Brigitte’s soft lips then back up to her eyes.
Brigitte leaned in the last few inches and then they were kissing. And it was amazing. Everything she ever wanted and needed. Better than she imagined.
Sydney pulled away and Brigitte found herself trapped in her intense eyes.
“Is there somewhere more private?” Sydney whispered while licking her lips.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
***
Tony noticed Sydney and Brigitte sneaking out of the room while sending each other secretive smiles. He nudged Dean’s shoulder with his to get his attention.
“Looks like Syd is going to get some action.” Tony murmured with a smile.
Dean looked over to where he was pointing and smirked a little.
“That’s probably my genes in their natural charming habitat.” Dean commented with a cheeky grin.
“Are you crazy? These are definitely my genes. In case you forgot, I was a famous playboy before Steve.”
“Sam used to call me a man whore before Cas.”
“And you are happy about that?”
“It sounds better than ‘Playboy’.”
“No it doesn’t-“
“Hey, Dean!” he was interrupted by Bucky rushing towards them with a smile.
Tony had to admit that it was really painful to look at this Bucky. The Bucky he met in the present was a broken version of this one. When he managed to break free from Hydra’s control, he went off the radar until Steve managed to track him with help from Tony. But the man refused to come to the tower with them. Saying that he still didn’t trust himself and needed to sort things out on his own first. It broke Steve’s heart but he understood. They still didn’t hear from him since then.
This Bucky was completely different. Full of life with an easy, friendly smile. A Bucky who still didn’t get on that train and got his life ripped away violently from him.
So it really hurts to look at him, knowing the dark future waiting for him.
Dean looked up at Bucky when he reached them, titling his head at him in question.
“I told Peggy that you know the angel Castiel. She is fascinated with him from what she heard about him. Come on, we want to hear some exciting things.” Bucky grinned as he gripped Dean’s arm and pulled him to his feet.
Dean was confused and looked back at Tony who just shrugged with a smile. Dean chuckled and let Bucky drag him to where Peggy was waiting patiently with Steve by her side.
Tony made the mistake of looking at Steve to see him staring intently at him.
He immediately looked away from his stare and got up on his feet to find an empty tunnel he could set quietly in.
Which was weird. He usually hated the quiet since the whole thing with the portal in New York. He didn’t deal with quiet places very well since then. But right now, his brain was doing all the noise he needed. He just wanted to sort through his erratic thoughts and stay away from Steve so he wouldn’t do anything stupid like shouting his love for him or something.
He was stopped by a hand placed on his shoulder, he turned to look who it belong to and groaned internally.
Looks like that even past Steve could tell when he was trying to escape from him.
“Hey, are you alright?” Steve asked with real concern. “You look unsettled from the moment we met up with Peggy and the resistance. Is everything alright?”
“Yup. Everything is peachy. Superb even.” He muttered while shrugging the hand off his shoulder, even though he desperately wanted it touching him, and tried to continue his escape.
“Then why are you avoiding me?” Steve demanded but the hurt note in his voice was what made Tony stop and turn to look at him. He could see hurt and confusion in Steve’s beautiful eyes. How does he always manage to hurt Steve one way or another?
“I am not avoiding you.” he denied weakly.
“You are literally trying to escape from me right now.” then his face crumpled as he seemed to get suddenly nervous. “Did I- did I make you uncomfortable? I didn’t mean to-“
“No! God no. You didn’t. Believe me.” Tony rushed to reassure him.
“Then what is it?”
“I was just giving you some space. You seemed to be enjoying your time with your best friend and your… girlfriend. Didn’t want to intrude.” Jealousy burned in his heart by just saying the word.
“Oh, no. Peggy and I are not- we’re not-“ Steve blushed and looked away.
“You’re not?”
“No. We’re not. Not really.” Steve just shrugged, still looking away but his eyes landed on Tony’s hand and frowned. “You’re married?”
Was that disappointment in his voice and he was trying to hide it? It certainly sounded like that.
“No. Well, yes. But not currently.” This conversation was making Tony tired and sad.
“I’m sorry to hear that. She must have been really special.” Steve was wording his words carefully. Like he was fishing for information or something.
“Yeah, he was.” Tony answered looking intently at Steve’s eyes to see his reaction to his words.
“Oh!” Steve blinked with wide eyes. “That’s-that’s okay? From where you came from, I mean?”
“Yeah. It is.” Tony was vaguely aware of the looks Steve was giving him. So even this Steve felt that spark? Felt that rightness? A Steve who obviously was fighting his non-straight tendencies for the sake of not being prisoned?
Was Dean right? Are they really Soulmates that a touch could make them feel things even from first meeting?
“That sounds amazing.” Steve murmured, looking both happy and bitter about that fact. “Uhm, Brigitte told me you have pictures with me in them. Can I- can I see them?”
Well, shit. That can’t end well.
But he could never deny those beautiful eyes. He could never say no to Steve.
He sighed while pulling out his wallet and grabbing the Christmas one first to hand it to Steve.
Steve’s eyes widened as he traced the picture in awe.
“I never saw a colored photo with such vivid colors.” He muttered in wonder. “How far are you in the future?”
“Far enough.” Tony murmured quietly as he handed the other photo.
Steve’s brow furrowed when he looked at the second one. Obviously noticing the lovesick look on his face that was directed at Tony then, if the looks he was giving Tony right now was anything to go by.
“I look young in both pictures.” He murmured in confusion. “Maybe a handful of years older. But you seem to be pretty far in the future. How is that possible?”
This conversation was hurting him. He wanted a hole to swallow him and take away his pain. This man will be the death of him. This was too much for his fragile heart.
“I can’t tell you how.” Tony muttered grimly and sadly. “The only thing I could tell you is that you’ll be okay. You’ll have an amazing life. A family that will love you with all their hearts. A partner that-that will adore the life out of you. You’ll be a hero, Steve. The whole world will respect and love you.”
“I will have a family? And a partner?” Steve whispered in awe, his eyes widening in wonder. “And I will be a hero?”
“Yes. You will have all that. You’ll be okay. You’re everyone’s hero. My hero.” That made Steve’s face blush a little as he stared at Tony with wonder. Then, Tony pointed at the Christmas photo. He knew he was probably fucking up the future right now but he couldn’t stop himself. “This is your family.”
Steve looked down again at the photo, then turned to look back at Bucky and Peggy, probably wondering why they weren’t in the photo too and it broke Tony’s heart even more.
Steve’s eyes trailed on the second photo and then down to Tony’s wedding ring. Tony knew that his brain was working hard. That he was probably understanding what Tony didn’t dare to say. What he wished to say. But he didn’t want to drive Steve away. Didn’t want him to reject his future. But at the same time, he wanted him to make the choice on his own. Not forced against his will.
Steve finally looked up to Tony’s eyes. A soft look in his eyes as a hesitant smile was settling on his face.
“Well,” he started softly. “I guess I will have to take your word for it, Tony.”