hey! I saw your post asking for prompts, what about stevetony meeting at a wedding au? :)
Ooh, Stony!
This one is a little inspired by the wedding I went to last week, if only the weather. 😅
Background Winterhawk because they had to meet at someone's wedding.
*
Tony may be at the wrong wedding.
Rhodey’s left him five voicemails. In Tony’s defence, he put his phone on silent for the ceremony - it’s only polite.
He grabs another canape from the tray passing by and scans the crowd for anyone he recognises, but no. He’d thought it was strange he didn’t recognise the names of the grooms. He’d thought it was strange that there were two grooms when he swore he remembered a bride on the invitation, but honestly, he gets invited to events like this every year and most of the people he’s only ever met in passing.
Out on the lawn, the grooms are being arranged in progressively more bizarre poses by the camera women, and Tony watches in amusement as he hits the button to call Rhodey.
“Tones, where the fuck are you?” he asks as soon as he picks up.
“I’m at the wedding, where are you?” Tony replies, making a show of looking around even though he knows Rhodey isn’t here.
“I’m at the wedding,” Rhodey tells him. He sounds stressed. “You are more definitely not here. Everyone is asking me where you’ve got to. I’ve had to make up an emergency involving your cat and some volatile chemicals, but sooner or later someone’s going to remember you don’t have a cat.”
“Tell them it’s a robot cat,” Tony suggests with a shrug. “That sounds like me. I’m at Appleford House,” He continues, looking around. “You know, the address on the invitation. The ceremony was lovely - the ring bearer was a one-eyed dog - and the canapes are…” he pauses. “They’re mini cheeseburgers and tiny pizzas. I think I’m in heaven.” He snags another one and a glass of champagne. The champagne is… not as good as the canapes.
“Applefield House, Tony. Applefield House.” Rhodey sounds like the vein at his temple is probably throbbing again.
“Calm down, honeybear, it’s not good for your blood pressure to get so worked up.”
“I’m worked up because you promised me you’d be here, Tony. You were supposed to be my wingman. And you’re miles away at someone else’s wedding - Hi Chris, good to see you. Yeah, lovely ceremony,” Rhodey says with forced happiness to someone Tony can’t hear.
“This does explain why why I don’t recognise James and Clint,” Tony muses. “They seem very nice though. The vows were very touching. Apparently they met when Clint literally tripped and fell into James’ lap - head first.”
“That’s great Tones, but you’re supposed to be at Cara and Jason’s wedding, and now I’m here alone, my ex just told me how sorry she is things aren’t working out for me and Justin fucking Hammer has offered me three different jobs.” Rhodey hisses the last part and Tony bites his lip to keep from laughing out loud.
“I hope he’s offering to pay you as much as you’re worth,” he tells him.
“Tony, you couldn’t pay me what I’m worth,” Rhodey tells him. “And no, so far his offers have all been offensive - on multiple levels. But if you leave me here much longer, I might take him up on it just to shut him up.”
“Set off the fire alarm,” Tony says. Quick getaway.
“A) I’m not ruining Cara and Jason’s wedding. B) I don’t need a quick getaway because you’re going to leave whoever’s wedding you’re at and come here, like you promised.” Tony considers the offer. He could, theoretically do it, Jarvis is already bringing up possible routes for him. But… he snags what seems to be a tiny savoury doughnut from another canape tray.
“I’ve already missed the ceremony,” Tony tells him, “it would be rude just to arrive for dinner.”
“It’s ruder not to show up at all,” Rhodey growls down the phone at him. Tony might be intimidated if he didn’t know better.
“Appleford, Applefield,” Tony says. “It’s an easy mistake to make. And I bought Cara and Jason a present, didn’t I?” He pauses, trying to remember. “Didn’t I?”
“Yes, Tony. You bought them a set of fine china dinnerware. It was very tasteful. Pepper chose it herself.”
“Great, then I doubt they even care whether I’m there eating their overpriced salmon en croute. Tell them I was called away by an urgent business matter. Make it sound impressive.”
“I am not lying to the bride on her wedding day,” Rhodey hisses again.
“Why not? Everyone else is - I mean, they’re all telling her she doesn’t look like a meringue and that she and Jason are so perfect for each other and we all know that she’s cheating on him with her best man and he’s only marrying her because Mummy dearest will write him out of the inheritance if he doesn’t ‘settle down’.”
“Tony!” Rhodey says.
“You know I’m right.”
“You can’t just say that.”
“I think I just did,” Tony says. “Besides, I like this wedding. It’s charming - even if the champagne probably cost less than ten dollars a bottle.” He wrinkles his nose and sets the glass back down on the next tray to whisk past him.
“And you can’t just crash someone’s wedding. They’ll have a table plan. Where are you planning to sit? What if someone recognises you?”
“They haven’t so far,” Tony says. “Do you think I should be with the groom or the other groom? If someone asks.”
“I think you should be here with this bride and groom. Who actually invited you,” Rhodey grinds out through gritted teeth. Tony sighs. He’s going to be really mad over this one. He’ll have to buy him a whole case of that whiskey he likes - and maybe season tickets to the football, some really good seats.
“It was an honest mistake,” Tony protests. He must have said the wrong name when he told Jarvis to give him directions, and Jarvis chose today to be deliberately obtuse about the whole thing. Although, come to think of it, J had asked if he was sure that was the address he wanted. Huh. Maybe he should have listened.
Tony wanders around the corner of the wall and into another section of the gardens. This place is like a maze.
“Tony-” Rhodey starts again.
“Rhodey,” he replies. “You can do this. Deep breaths. Remember you’re a strong, independent lieutenant, and you don’t need no man.”
“You’re not coming, are you?”
“Good luck! Enjoy the speeches,” Tony says, and hangs up, looking up at the summer house he appears to have found, nestled in a secluded corner of the gardens.
“Excuse me,” a voice says, and he turns to see what is probably the highlight of this whole misadventure. The man’s tailcoat and vest lovingly hug broad shoulders, then taper in to a trim waist. Honestly, arms that broad should not be allowed out in public. It’s indecent.
“Your tailor is a lucky man,” Tony says, as his eyes drift up to the stranger’s face. He recognises tall, blond and buff from earlier. The best man, he thinks. He’d admired that figure from the other direction during the ceremony. And there had been a lot to admire.
“Uh…” Best Man says, blinking rapidly. “Look, I don’t know who you are, but I’m pretty sure Bucky and Clint don’t know you either, so unless you can show me your invitation, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Tony looks Best Man up and down and smiles.
“You show me yours and I’ll show you mine,” he says. The Best Man sighs, but actually reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket. Tony blinks, then stares as he actually pulls out an invitation and holds it out.
'Mr. James Barnes and Mr Clint Barton cordially request the presence of Steven Rogers + 1 at their wedding,' it reads.
“You’re actually carrying your invitation?” Tony asks. The man who must be Steven Rogers straightens up and… huh, he’s even taller when he’s trying to look intimidating, and when he crosses his arms over his chest it genuinely looks like he’s about to rip the seams out of that jacket.
“I-”
Whatever Steven Rogers is is cut off as an ominous rumble splits the air and the heavens open.
Tony’s soaked to the skin in seconds, visibility practically disappearing as what seems to be the entire contents of the atlantic ocean empties from the skies.
A large, warm hand touches his back and he’s being towed along to some destination or other. He goes easily, figuring that anywhere has to be better than waiting to drown out here.
The feeling of rain cuts off as they stumble up the steps into the summer house, though the sound of it doesn’t. Between the columns that surround them sheets of water are still hurtling to the ground, turning the world grey-white.
Tony looks at Rogers, who is just as wet as Tony is, although on him it does look more like the middle of some thirst-trap instagram post - or an advert for cologne, maybe. The suit pants are clinging to his thighs lovingly and Tony takes a second to appreciate the view. The man looks like a male model - until he shakes his head like a dog.
“Hey!” Tony protests, and Rogers winces guiltily.
“Sorry,” he says. “I was just…” Thunder rolls overhead again, louder and more insistent and Rogers looks down at the soaking mess of his outfit. “This was a rental.”
“I’ll pay for it,” Tony says. Rogers looks up at him, brow furrowed.
“That’s not- Why would you do that?” he asks.
“Honestly, the view is more than worth it,” he comments, smirking as Rogers blushes a brilliant red. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to step on the toes of your plus one.”
“Oh, I… I don’t have one,” Rogers says, pushing a hand through his sodden hair and grimacing as that just relocates more water down his back. “I was - I did have, but we didn’t make it.”
Tony tries to make a suitably sympathetic face, but it feels fake.
“Let’s face it, if she isn’t here to see you dressed like that-” he waves up and down at the whole picture of Rogers in his Best Man gear, “then her loss is absolutely my gain.” Rogers blushes again.
“Thanks, I think,” he says, then he looks Tony up and down.
“See something you like?” Tony asks, aware that his own outfit is clinging to him just as tightly. He grins a little wickedly.
“You’re going to catch your death if you stay like that,” Rogers says. “Are you staying at the hotel?”
“Would you like me to?” Tony asks, but receives a blank look for his troubles. “No, I haven’t got a room at the moment.”
“Do you have a change of clothes?”
“I wasn’t expecting to get caught in the next great flood, so I foolishly thought the one outfit would do,” he says.
“I’ve got a room,” Rogers says, and Tony likes where this is going. “I can probably find you something dry to wear.”
“I’m not sure your clothes are going to fit me,” Tony points out.
“We’ll work something out,” Rogers says, sounding like he’ll alter the clothes himself if he has to. It’s sweet, and Tony can’t quite keep from smiling at the stubborn note in his voice.
“Do you often offer your clothes to complete strangers?” he asks.
“Do you often turn up at weddings you weren’t invited to?” Rogers counters, and Tony grins.
“I thought I was invited,” Tony says. “Or rather, I thought it was a different wedding.”
“There aren’t any other weddings here today,” Rogers says, looking around. “It’s just Bucky and Clint.”
“It’s a long story,” Tony says, looking around. The rain is still hammering down outside their small shelter, miniature rivers are forming along the winding garden paths.
“Well, I’m not planning on going anywhere right now,” Rogers says, sitting down with a slight squelch on one of the low benches lining the back wall. “Unless you fancy a swim?”
“OK,” Tony says, settling himself down too. “So I have this friend - Rhodey…” And he explains the whole thing until Rogers is laughing and shaking his head and Tony feels a thrill of pleasure at having made the man smile.
The conversation flows easily, and they’ve hardly noticed that the rain has stopped before there’s a cough and they both look up to see a man standing on the steps, looking between them with amusement.
“Bucky!” Steve says, jumping to his feet.
“Hey punk. You are planning on giving a speech, right? Only everyone’s in the hall waiting for them to start.” Rogers’ eyes grow wide and he looks down at his watch before swearing.
“My fault, we got a little distracted,” Tony says smoothly, stepping forwards. “Congratulations,” he says, offering his hand. “The ceremony was lovely.” The groom smiles, seemingly almost in spite of himself.
“Thanks,” he says, shaking Tony’s hand, before the smile fades into a suspicious frown. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but what the fuck are you doing at my wedding?” Tony laughs. “It’s just I don’t remember inviting you, and I think Clint would have mentioned it, so I gotta ask: do you have an invitation?”
“I’ve got his,” Steve says and Tony starts, turning around to watch as Steve pulls his invitation from his pocket again and holds it out.
“That’s your invitation, punk,” Bucky says.
“And it says plus one,” Steve says, his shoulders straightening. “He’s my plus one.”
Bucky looks between them, eyes narrowing for a second.
“Sure, great. You invited Tony Stark to my wedding. Of course you did.” He sighs and shakes his head. “Look, I’ll go hold off the dogs. You two do something to stop looking like drowned rats, okay? Or you’ll ruin the wedding video and I’ll never hear the end of it from my ma.”
“Thanks Buck,” Steve says, and herds Tony out of the summer house.
“And be quick!” Bucky calls after them. “No funny business, or I’m setting Natasha on you.”
They hurry along the path towards the hotel.
“So, you’re really Tony Stark?” Steve asks. “I mean- I thought maybe you just looked like him.”
“I do look like him,” Tony says. “Exactly like him. Because I am him - me.” He spreads his arms wide. “Tada! Honestly I’m a little hurt that you didn’t recognise me right away.”
“Because it makes so much sense to meet Tony Stark when he’s crashing my best friend’s wedding,” Steve says dryly.
“Look,” Tony says, serious for a moment. “If this is weird for you, I get it. I’m not - I’ll just head out and I’ll send Bucky and Clint a present or something, to pay them back for the canapes.” What do newly weds want? Tony wonders. A house? He can get them a house. Or a car, maybe?
“It’s not weird,” Steve says. Tony raises an eyebrow. “It’s a bit weird. But it’s not too weird. Unexpected, but… uh… not unwanted.” There’s a flush to his cheeks again and Tony grins.
“I’m your plus one, huh Steve?” Tony asks slyly. Steve shoots him a sharp look, but he relaxes after a second.
“I figured if you liked the canapes so much, it would be rude to deprive you of the three course meal.” The look Steve gives Tony is weighted and heavy and Tony congratulates himself on choosing to stay rather than giving in to Rhodey’s unreasonable demands.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
