Summer lovin’ - Starker
break up make up fluff, some possessive/jealous tony, and some healthy relationships over here!
It feels damn good to be back for Senior year.
Summer settles neatly onto the past of Tony’s shoulders, and he steps through the main entrance with a smile on his face.
Immediately, his crew flock to him. Abandoning their lockers- newly painted after summer- and eagerly inquiring after lunch plans and new timetables.
“I heard about Pete,” Steve says quietly, bumping Tony’s shoulder in solidarity. “That sucks man, I’m sorry.”
“I’ve had all summer to get over it,” Tony sighs. He’d hoped it would be old news by the time school started. They’d had over two months for the gossip to die down. He should’ve known it was a long shot. “It was amicable. Mutual.”
“Doesn’t have to be,” Natasha grins slyly, “we can say you dumped his sorry ass.”
He knows she’s teasing, but he trips her up just in case she’s not.
*
It only takes a week to settle back into old routines.
He cruises by in classes like always, relying on his natural flair and intelligence to get him by, and football season starts up again. The freshmen learn their place quickly, check the rungs of the social ladder and know where to sit in the cafeteria. Tony’s at the top, of course, and it’s all pretty great. He likes seeing new faces of admiration to add to his narcissism bank.
He’s walking down the hall on a Tuesday morning, when he looks up and by chance, catches a glimpse of Peter Parker setting books into his locker.
It’s the first time he’s seen him in a long time. Summer’s done him good. His freckles are all pronounced, hair longer and curlier than Tony remembers, in a cream sweater and tight green pants that should awful but just look good.
“Tony,” Peter smiles, voice soft, and Tony had thought he was over it, but his heart jerks and flips like he was punched in the chest.
“Pete,” he manages, coming to a staggered stop by the boy’s locker. “How was your summer?”
Peter bounces on his heels the way he always does when he’s excited. “Math camp was awesome!” and he barrels into an enthusiastic regaling of the few weeks away. “I haven’t- haven’t seen you since we’ve been back.”
Tony nods. “Big year.”
Peter meets his eyes. “I’ve missed you. We could…hang out, if it’s not…I mean, it’s probably weird-“
“Not weird.” Tony murmurs, even though it is weird. “We could get milkshakes sometime when you’re free.”
Steve and Natasha are sending him curious looks from across the hall.
“That’d be great,” Peter beams, “I’ll text you?”
*
He’s over it, he says to himself, watching Peter suck down a strawberry milkshake with extra whipped cream.
He’s over it, even as Peter manages to pry him open the way even his own mother can’t.
He’s over it, even when Peter touches his wrist and says that he doesn’t have to play football if he doesn’t want to. And that MIT will definitely accept his college application.
“I was thinking,” Peter’s cheeks blush, a lovelier shade than the milkshake, “I might apply to MIT too. That could be kinda fun, right? Imagine if we both got in?”
Totally not over it, Tony thinks to himself, as he imagines four years of college with Peter B. Parker.
*
“So, what’s the 411?” Nat asks in the cafeteria, squinting at her pudding cup.
“The what?”
“The lowdown, c’mon, Tony, you and Peter broke up right after the semester finished. No one saw you all summer. And now you’re friends? I want details.” Her eyes light up with possibilities, “was he cheating with that guy from Harrison college like you thought?”
He has to close his eyes, shame rushing through his system, “no, he wasn’t. We’re- we’re in a good place. It’s good.”
“Where were you all summer?”
“I was working on myself, that’s all. A little fine tuning, here and there. It wasn’t too hard. Can’t really improve on perfection.”
She throws her pudding cup at him.
*
Contrary to popular belief, Tony’s never actually started a fight before. Never thrown a punch.
He has now though. There are bruises on his knuckles.
“We have to break up,” he says to Peter, on the last day of school, tucked away under the bleachers near an empty field. Everyone’s pulling pranks inside as per tradition.
Peter nibbles on his bottom lip, and his lashes are long and his eyes are huge. “We love each other,” he points out, but he doesn’t sound beseeching. He’s nodding, like he thinks they should too.
That gives Tony the final push. He’s making the right decision. “I love you so much, Pete.”
“I love you too, Tony. But I think you’re right.”
“Is Harry okay?”
Peter looks away and Tony feels ashamed. “He’s fine. He’s not- he’s not angry with you or anything.”
“Tell him I’m sorry again, anyway,” he swallows hard, ducks his head. “And are you…are you okay?”
“I can’t believe you thought I’d-“
“I didn’t, really-“
“I would never do that to you, Tony.”
“I know, I know.” Tony takes a breath. “I know you wouldn’t. I’m sorry. I’m- I’m gonna change. But I think we should…”
“Be apart.”
“Yeah.”
Peter nods, and he smiles, tiptoeing up to kiss Tony right on the mouth. Sensual and full of longing. Tony groans against him. “Just something to remember you by this summer,” Peter sighs, winking, and Tony laughs.
He moves out of his parents house that summer and in with his aunt.
His dad is a bitch to get out of his head but every day it becomes easier and easier to ignore him.
*
They tread carefully around each other. There’s a new friendship on top of an old foundation and they want to make sure everything’s solid before moving too far.
“Separate timetables,” Peter confirms, sliding his back into his pristine notebook. “But we’re still on for Karaoke this Saturday? You can bring your friends.”
“Not a date,” Tony chuckles, “just friends hanging out.”
“Just friends.” Peter beams, “but…we should bring people. A lot of people.” Tony quirks an eyebrow and Peter sighs: bashful. “To resist temptation.” He explains.
Tony laughs at that, loud and delighted.
*
“Maybe take another route to class.” Steve mutters, hands warning on Tony’s arm, trying to tug him back. “Let’s go around the west block-“
But now Tony has to see. He rounds the corner and- and-
There’s Peter, his hair ridiculously, adorably mussed from the wind outside and he’s in a flannel shirt with fucking dungarees, but more important than any of that- there’s a letterman jacket on his shoulders.
The name B A R N E S - 12 embellished on the brilliant blue.
And that must be the name of the guy leaning against Peter’s locker, and looking down at him with interest. The guy’s built, with slicked back hair and dark combat boots and a weird sort of brooding intensity.
“Who the fuck is that?” Tony asks, voice level, tone quiet.
“New guy.” Steve winces, “James, I think? Peter’s his assigned tour buddy.”
His knuckles ache with the memory of Harry, and he turns away.
*
Peter gets a new profile picture on facebook. It interrupts Tony’s flow of memes to see Peter balancing on a hay bale against the sunset looking like a country child. He smiles, before noticing-
It’s a video pic.
Tony plays it.
“I’m king of the world!” Peter yells in delight, nearly losing his balance, arms flailing.
“You’re a moron!” Someone behind the camera hollers fondly and Tony recognises the voice. The low, brooding timbre.
*
“So, you and James, huh?” He asks, going for nonchalant as he catches up to Peter as they walk to the parking lot after school.
Peter quirks an eyebrow in surprise. “Who?”
“James, new guy, very built, very tall.”
“Oh, Bucky,” Peter laughs, “I’m his assigned tour guide, I think he wants to try out for football so you could have another player on your team!”
Tony gets to his car and feels like everything’s slipping away. “How your MIT application going?” He asks desperately, and Peter hums.
“Sent it off yesterday, how about you?”
Relief courses through Tony’s system. “Sending it off tomorrow.” He promises and Peter gives him a ludicrously adorable thumbs up.
*
The next morning, Peter is wrapped up in a leather jacket three sizes too big, and Bucky Barnes is at his side.
Tony’s knuckles ache. He tries to pretend to be interested in the contents of his locker, but his ears are straining-
“Dinner, tonight?” Bucky says, voice low and inviting.
“I promised Ned we’d finish the Lego death star. You can join us if you like.”
“A movie on Friday.”
“Buck…”
“Think about it. Please.”
The bell rings.
“Wait, take your jacket-“
“Keep it. I like seeing you in my clothes.”
Tony slams his locker shut.
*
With blood pouring from his nose, Harry still manages to gargle out: “I’m straight, you dick!”
“Tony!” Peter cries in horror, rushing back to the booth. “What’s going on? Oh my god, Harry-“
Tony feels the world slipping out from under him. “I thought you were-“
“Oh fuck, it hurts! I think he broke my nose!”
“I don’t understand- someone call an ambulance! Tony, why are you even here?”
The words sound disgusting as he spits them out. “I followed you.”
Peter eyes are huge and astonished. “Why?”
“I thought…” He can’t say it.
Peter gasps.
Tony doesn’t have to.
*
Peter’s still in the band room after school, and Tony slips in silently, and just watches for a moment. Then he clears his throat. Peter jumps, before beaming at him. It’s a smile that makes you feel like the centre of the universe.
“Why aren’t you going out with Barnes?”
Peter gapes, looking stunned, before scoffing. “Don’t be ridiculous, Tony, I couldn’t-“
“Why not?” He presses. “He’s handsome. He cares about you. You like each other.”
“Tony…”
“Pete.” Tony shakes his head. “Please, for the love of god, don’t think about me. Think about you. Do what makes you happy.”
Peter’s hazel eyes are swimming. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He admits after a long moment, and it stings Tony more than he’ll ever admit.
“I have nothing to be hurt about. You’re my friend, Peter, and I only want you to be happy, okay? Do what makes you happy.”
Peter gives him a long look, before sniffling. “That’s really cool of you, Tony,” he whispers gratefully.
Tony lets out a wet laugh, but has to admit that though it hurts- it feels a little good too.
*
“Alert, alert,” Nat whispers frantically, “incoming!”
Tony turns in his seat in the cafeteria, only to feel warm lips press against his own.
Someone whoops.
“What makes me happy,” Peter whispers, once Tony’s returned to reality, “is you.”
Tony could fly. He gets up, cups Peter’s face in his, and grins. “Well then, I can only oblige. As a friend.”
“As a friend.” Peter giggles, and they kiss again.
*
“Don’t be too upset about it,” Steve consoles Bucky in the corner of the cafeteria watching the couple kiss. “They’re kind of endgame.”
Bucky gives him an unimpressed look. “And who are you?”
“Steve Rogers. I play football.”
Bucky scoffs, but can’t stop himself from admiring the way Steve’s shirt clings to his chest.
