keeping a low profile | AU-gust Day 11: Farm/Ranch AU
AU-gust masterlist
disclaimer: i haven’t actually watched Hannah Montana The Movie
//
Tony mimes cleaning out his ears, dramatically and theatrically in a way that makes his father roll his eyes.
"I must've misheard you," he says, sending his father a significant look, "so why don't we try that again? What is it you wanted to see me about, father mine?"
His father pinches the bridge of his nose, and Tony is equal parts ecstatic that he managed to garner such a reaction and worried that he's made things worse, "I said - I'm sending you to Crowley Corners Tennessee, to go live with your Aunt Peggy."
"But I don't even know my aunt Peggy! Besides, I have a life here, a life that you can't just tear me away from. You can't send me, I refuse to go."
His father scoffs, "A life? What life would that be?" he grabs a magazine from the pile stacked next to him and flings it across the desk at Tony, "A life where you get into fights with Tyra Banks over shoes?"
"Or is the life where you pass out drunk in the back-alley of nightclubs?"
"Or," he takes a second to look at the magazine cover, and Tony fights the urge to sink into his seat, "and this is my personal favourite - is it the life where you make your bestfriend's birthday party all about you?"
Tony would very much like it if the Earth could open up and swallow him whole, much like it did in that one story his Ma used to love telling him as a child.
"That was," Tony splutters, fumbling for some sort of explanation, "that was a mistake. I didn't mean to make Rhodey's party all about me!! But Hammer was just following me everywhere, and I couldn't shake him off - and you know how paparazzi are just like bloodhounds and I just…"
He trails off when Howard gives him a look. Mostly because he knows there's no excuse for this one. He's still working on getting Rhodey to forgive him for ruining his eighteenth birthday party, but it's slow going.
"You're going to Crowley Corners Tony," his father says in a voice that Tony has learnt to mean no arguing or pleading or begging will change a thing, "the fresh air and countryside will do you some good. Turn you back into that child that your mother loved so much instead of this, media monstrosity you've become."
/
Ordinarily, if Tony was travelling anywhere, he prefers flying. He isn't enough admitting that he's got a taste for the finer things in life and he learnt long ago that unless he was completely comfortable with the company - land journeys were not his thing. He was a big believer in popping a pill before the flight took off, pulling a mask over his eyes, and being gently woken up by a pretty air hostess when the flight landed.
Howard however, disagreed, which is why he was in a ratty bus that moved maybe 5 miles an hour and had seats so thin that Tony could feel it digging into his skin and making a home there. This is about getting back to your roots, Howard had said when he saddled Tony with two large suitcases and then left him off the side of the road to fend for himself.
He's been trying to sleep for the better part of an hour, but funnily enough - leaning your head against the dusty window made it rattle like you were in a laundry machine and that wasn't very conducive to a good night's sleep. And since Tony was surrounded by strangers and he had some survival skills, he wasn't about to pop a pill and make it easier for the homeless guy two seats away from him to kidnap him.
His only small comfort was in the fact that once Rhodey had found out where Howard was shipping him, he'd laughed so hard that he'd forgotten why he was mad at Tony, or, more likely, he decided that Tony's life was already hard enough without him also having this weighing over his head.
His exact words were: You think I'm going to miss out on you slumming it with countryfolk? Nah we're good as long as you promise to update me every single day.
Given that there was nothing to do in Crowley Corners Tennessee (he knows, he googled it), Tony didn't think that was a hard ask.
The bus finally halts to a screeching stop, and Tony cups his hands over the glass and peers through the window to see the sign better. C-owley C--ners, it reads, in faded red paint, and Tony is fairly certain that this is his stop. He gently pushes back the large man who'd plopped into the seat next to him over an hour ago and makes his way off the bus; rocking back and forth on his heels as he waits for the bus driver to unload his suitcases from the trunk.
While he's waiting, he takes a cursory look around at the town that's supposed to be his home for the next summer. It's painfully obvious that they're no longer in the city, because Tony can't see another person for miles. Reaching into his back-pocket - he pulls out his phone and starts thumbing through his contacts, trying to look for the number that his father had sent him earlier.
"Tony!" he looks up at the sound of his voice, and sees a tall woman walking up to him, with blonde hair that curls around her shoulders. Aunty Peggy, his mind supplies, thinking back to the photos he'd seen of her. There's a touch of familiarity as she gets closer, even though Tony knows it's been years since he's seen her.
"Aunt Peggy," he replies weakly, and that's all he gets out before he's pulled in for a tight hug.
"Oh it's so good to see you darling," she says, and Tony realises with a jolt that she has a british accent. She pulls back and cups his cheeks, not unlike how his Ajji does when he goes to visit her, "you look so much like your mother."
Tony ignores the tug in his heart when he hears those words, mainly because nobody ever tells him that he looks like his mother, and says instead, "It's good to see you too."
"You must be so exhausted from your journey, let's get you all settled in."
/
Despite his preconceived notions, Aunty Peggy actually does have a nice house. She's got a jeep parked just off the side of the road from the bus-stand, because apparently Crowley Corners isn't big enough for more than a small bench at the edge of town; and Tony dutifully drags his suitcases all the way to the jeep and hauls them over to park them in the back.
Riding in the jeep isn't too different from the bus, except that it's less stuffy and Tony can feel the wind on his face. He isn't sure if that's a good thing yet, but he silently marks it down as a point for Crowley that he doesn't immediately hate it. It's a short journey, no more than five minutes - and soon Aunt Peggy is turning the corner into what looks like a very nice house, with a man in crutches standing at the door.
"That's my husband Daniel," she explains, as they step out and Tony goes to grab his bags, "He injured himself a couple years back and was forced to retire, and New York was no longer fun without him, so I joined him out here a couple months later."
"What happened?" Tony asks, out of politeness more than anything.
"He got shot at," Aunty Peggy replies, but before he can ask whether she's serious or not, they're at the front steps
off the house and Mr Sousa is making his way down the stairs. Aunty Peggy meets him half-way, tilting her head up ever so slightly to kiss him hello, because he's still a step above her - and then smoothly shifting under his arms and helping him back up the stairs.
He thinks he can hear Aunt Peggy scolding him for trying to come down the stairs, but he isn't sure. They remind him a lot of his father and his Ma, before she died, and he turned into a tyrannical asshole. Before that though, he remembers them being happy.
"Come on in Tony!" Aunt Peggy calls after him, and Tony moves to grab his bags, when movement from the side of the house catches his eyes. Huh, he thinks to himself, I didn't know anyone else lived here. He wants to ask Aunt Peggy who it is, but she's already gone inside, so he feels a bit foolish yelling after her.
"Hello?" he calls out hesitantly, "Is anyone there?"
There's a shuffle and then a boy who can't be much older than Tony steps out; with mud on the scuffs off his boots and wearing an honest to god cowboy hat.
"Howdy!" he says brightly, while Tony tries to wrap his head around the cowboy hat, "You must be Mrs Sousa's nephew." He wipes the back of his hand against his cotton tshirt, which is so thin that it's practically see through, "Clark Kent. I help out with Mr and Mrs Sousa's ranch sometimes, on account of Mrs Sousa being away a lot and Mr Sousa's leg injury."
"Tony," he says back, and up close, Tony notices that his thick framed glasses and wide brimmed hat are hiding blue eyes, "Tony Stark."
"Nice to meet you Tony Stark," Clark says with a twinkle, "I guess I'll be seeing a lot of you 'round here."
"Yeah," his tongue feels heavy, but Tony manages to unstick it just enough to say, "yeah I suppose you will."
Both of them stare at each other for a couple of seconds longer, missing the way Peggy looks at the pair of them with a private smile playing on her lips.
“—and the stupid thing is, your pretty doesn’t even make sense! Like, okay, I’m pretty, Nat and Diana are pretty, Thor is pretty, hell, sometimes even Steve is pretty, but your pretty is also handsome, because you’re Superman, and you’d expect your handsome to be the manliest of the manliest, except your also pretty in a delicate which makes fuck all sense and—” the rest of Tony’s sentence gets drown in a pillow that he forces over his face. Clark, the pretty-handsome-bastard that he is, gently tugs it away.
Tony just had the pleasure of being doused in a gas (thank you, Mr. Mxyzptlk) that forced him to spill all his thoughts in the past six hours, in hopes that he’d blurt out Stark Industries trade secrets on megaphone to the entire eastern seaboard, however, Superman, his, as the ever-credible Daily Planet like to put it on occasion, ‘knight in blue spandex (that really, really leaves deliciously little to the imagination, Tony’ll tell you) and fluttering red cape’, came and saved the day and any potential secrets from being found out.
Unfortunately, the effects of the gas stayed. Clark has been fully prepared for a spiel about engineering he had maybe twenty percent chance of understanding (his engineering knowledge extends to old tractors and whatever Bruce likes to talk about when he’s stressed), he hadn’t, however, been expecting a long unbroken stream of pure Tony ‘legally certified genius with many many PhDs’ Stark thought on the paradoxical nature of his bone structure.
His boyfriend is cute when he’s talking (who’s he kidding, his boyfriend is cute always) and he’s especially cute when he’s talking about Clark. So sue him, he likes to hear that’s he’s ‘pretty and handsome in a way that isn’t even human because he’s an alien but Zod was incredibly ugly so it’s not a Kryptonian thing, just a Clark thing’.
“—and the thing is, you’re very classically attractive, like Prince Charming, except that would make me a princess which the Planet already think I am, though that might just be your influence, but then again who wouldn’t listen to someone that good looking, even in those glasses and the awful flannel you’re so goddamn pretty and handsome, and have I ever told you, sometimes i wish you forget to take your flannel shirts when you leave so I can wear them because you’re very big and smell nice.”
Tony lets out a long breath, “I think that’s it,” he says, sheepishly.
Clark does what any good man in his situation would: he tackles him down and kisses him silly, until he’s breathless and panting and flushed a gorgeous pink with his hair in a complete and utter disarray and Clark doesn’t ever remember getting a punch in his chest as hard as the one that slams through his ribs with the realisation holy shit, I’m wholly, inescapably, incomparably in love with him.
Prompt: Clark thinking back on the first time he met Tony Stark and just how wrong his guess was as to just who Tony was (arrogant, selfish, playboy, etc) and how that all changed little by little when he is forced to work with the avenger to stop a villain as per Batman’s request. He couldn’t help but smile at the man standing in front of him now, teary eyed as Clark slipped the ring onto his finger.
AN: this took for ever to write and it went one direction and then another but I finally did it. Thank You @raquel6354 for this prompt and sorry for the wait.
Ao3 and Fanfiction Links available
He knew his mother would be disappointed in him, and he tried. He really tried to not let the media influence him but for some reason, Tony Stark rubbed him the wrong way and got under his skin. Of course he never met the man, only saw him in passing when he was doing his work as a reporter or saw him on TV but for the most part he was basing his opinion off of gossip rags and it bothered him.
It wasn’t until Bruce and the Justice League that his opinions started to change.
“I don’t understand why we have to work with Mr. Stark.” Clark was not throwing an adult sized temper tantrum no matter what anyone said.
“Honestly Clark, I don’t understand what the problem is, Tony’s a good guy. Did he sleep with your girlfriend or something?” Bruce had his back turned, looking over some stuff while he prepared for Tony to come by their headquarters. That was another thing, why did Tony Stark know that Bruce Wayne is the Batman? The team had decided a while ago that it was easier to know one another’s identities for missions (mostly so they didn’t have to sit in costume and act stupid around one another all the time). Otherwise the Justice League is pretty tight about keeping their identities under wraps. But when Bruce told him about this meeting with Stark regarding collaborations among the Justice League and the Avengers he made no move to protect his identity.
Well now it seemed he was going to get some answers.
Loud hulking footsteps were coming from the entrance to the bat cave. Bruce turned away from the computers and smiled at the Iron Man armor walking towards them. The mask looked pretty intimidating with its blank metal stare. When Iron Man was about four steps from a casually dressed Bruce and a fully decked out Superman the armor open up and Tony Stark stepped out dressed as casually as Bruce. It was different from how the man normally looked out in public. Instead of Armani suits that cost more than his life savings and expensive designer shades he had on some well-worn jeans and a long sleeve tee.
“Batsy!” Stark stopped in front of Bruce and thrust out his hand. From where he was standing off to the side and slightly behind Bruce he didn’t see his teammate’s reaction but he did reach out for the other’s hand. Tony was smiling and shaking the others hand when suddenly Bruce tugged him forward into a bear hug. “Brucey-kins nooooo! You’re messing up my image.” He grumbled and attempted to push himself away from the other man who seemed to be smothering him.
Clark was speechless, he never thought of his teammate as affectionate. Bruce just let of this vibe that screamed Don’t Touch and he always seemed so serious that seeing him smother the Avenger’s billionaire like this was downright strange.
It took a lot out of Clark to keep his jaw from hitting the floor at this moment, watching Tony pout as Bruce rocked and petted his head in the comforts of the taller man’s arms. “Are you done yet?”
“No.” Clark honestly didn’t know if he should leave the room or not, Bruce was rubbing his face in Tony’s soft hair and making happy sounds. Footsteps were approaching and Clark had to drag his gaze away to see who it might be.
Alfred was entering the cave, drinks set on his serving tray. “Master Wayne please release Anthony, you’re upsetting him.” Bruce grunted but didn’t make any moves to let go. “Don’t forget you have another guest present and Anthony did come for other reasons than getting smothered to death.”
“Right!” Bruce allowed Stark a bit of leeway but kept an arm around his shoulders as he turned them to face him. “Superman, Iron Man. Tony, Superman.”
“Hey man, I’m normally cooler than this but it’s really nice to meet you. Thanks for all you done for the world and keeping this idiot safe.” Clark was thrown by how genuine the guy was with him. He reached out for the hand Tony was offering him and returned the sentiment.
Now that greetings were out the way they all went to gather around the meeting table and set to work. Again he was left shocked on the side lines as Bruce and Stark got to work hashing out the collaboration details. Working on guidelines that calls for interference or borderlines for what each team considered their jurisdiction. Often enough the genius would ask him for his input or if he had any arguments towards his ideas. For the most part Tony Stark was considerate and professional about their work as superheroes.
He even found himself enjoying the meeting, him and Bruce normally butted heads on a lot of things which made problem solving a bit difficult and meetings were a drag to deal with. But Tony made it different somehow, they bantered but casually, shooting ideas around the three of them and making suggestions that would benefit everyone involved. Tony took into account everyone’s fighting styles and their strengths and try to pair them up according to those traits. Overall he learned a lot about team dynamics and was actually a little excited about this collaboration effort.
Maybe he did judge the man a little too quickly.
Three months later and things were going great. The Justice League and Avengers had a few sit down meetings where the teams got to meet the other’s they’d be working with and ran a few drills together. They learned that even though Aqua Man and Thor got along swimmingly, they didn’t work well together when it came to combat. Particularly their fighting styles, their unique powers hindering instead of helping one another.
Wonder Woman and the Hulk were a power house team that could take down any army by themselves, plus Hulk thought strong lady’s hair was super soft and Wonder Woman adored Hulk. Both came to an agreement that Wanda needed more training with her newly acquired powers before she took on some bigger missions. Vision worked well with everyone but volunteered to stand by until he two could learn more about his powers.
Steve and Wonder Woman didn’t do well together on the field, and neither did Clint and Clark so they worked around it.
A few missions came up where they brought in some help from the other team depending on who was available and who needed the help but for the most part everything was going fine.
And then it wasn’t.
The people weren’t happy. Super powered individuals running around doing as they pleased wasn’t sitting well with the governments. Bruce and Clark both knew this was an issue. It’s how they met. People were afraid of Superman and wanted him to face the courts. But it seemed as though America was the loudest to voice their questions or complaints. While the Justice League was off the radar in Superman’s hide out, the Accords were being served to the Avengers front door.
And for most we know how that turned out.
The League had been sitting around Superman’s hideout or as Aquaman liked to call it, The Fortress of Solitude, when he heard it. Zoning out of the meeting and focusing on his super hearing he pushed all the unnecessary chatter away. Using all his concentration on focusing on that voice, Stark’s voice.
“-se……” There was a hitch in his voice, was he hurt? In distress? He was starting to wor – “…Bruce, somebody. Help me.” He was–he was sobbing.
“Bruce!” He quickly turned to the other man, completely cutting off the conversation the others were still engaged in.
“Bruucee? FRI-FRIDAY? Please…” another broken sob.
“Clark what’s–”
“We need to go, it’s Tony.
“WHAT!?” Bruce jumped from his chair, marching over to the alien. “What’s going on?”
“I can hear him, he’s calling your name.”
“Take me to him. Take me to him now.”
Diana stood from the table, “I’ll follow in the jet. Just keep your tracker on you.” Everyone quickly jumped into action. Clark and Bruce took off to put their gear on before taking off. Diana and Arthur following behind them in the jet, Arthur coming along in case for any reason they might need back up. Barry and Victor staying in the lair on standby and to prep medical (you never know with these kinds of things).
Bruce and Clark arrived first to an abandoned base, stranded in the middle of a snowy tundra. The second his feet hit the ground Bruce was racing into the base, “TONY! TONY WHERE ARE YOU?” His shouting echoed and bounced around in the empty concrete walls. Clark was following behind Bruce when they came across these pods with five people sitting in them. Bullets shot into their skulls and a single screen resting in the middle of the room, static running on the screen.
“TONY! DAMN IT TONY ANSWER ME!” He took off again. Clark took another look around the room, “TONY OH MY GOD. CLARK!” Running off in the direction Bruce went he ran down a corridor and then turned the corner into an open room.
His breath caught in his throat, tucked in the corner suit crumpled and broken was Tony. Left arm curled in tight, right had free of armor and holding his head down, sobs wracking his entire frame. Bruce was crouching down next to him, trying to get the other man’s attention. It took a little but it seemed Bruce finally got through to him.
“Come on Tony, please look at me.” Finally Tony peaked up at him, he looked awful. A bruise consumed his right eye, blood trailing down his face from the gash on his left temple and busted nose, mixing with the tears streaming out of his eyes. Bruce was mask free, inching closer to his friend. “Tony…”
Tony’s eyes finally started to get some focus and fixed themselves onto Bruce. For a moment everything was still, Bruce was holding his breath, waiting for Tony to react. “Bru-” the name got caught in his throat but it must have been what the man needed because he was quickly on top of the other man. Hands never stopping as they ran over the other. Checking him for injuries while trying to pull him close for a hug. “Bruce, you-you’re here. Wha-Ah! Ow ow oww.”
“Shit, Tony, fuck. I’m sorry. You’re hurt. Where? Is it your arm? Jesus. What happened!? Tony, who did this? I’ll-” Bruce was bouncing between emotions, nervous concern, guilt, then he was back to being worried. When he started asking the real questions his voice dropped into something dark.
“Bruce. I wanna go home…. Please.”
After that everything seemed to go in a blur. Carefully they worked together to remove the disabled armor from Tony except for the part wrapped around his broken left arm. Bruce asked him to get Tony to the jet while he gathered the suit remains. As carefully as he could he lifted Tony into his arms, said man was quite aside from a hitch in his breath. His right arm clung to his neck, face hidden in his shoulder.
They made their way through the base and outside to the jet where Diana had just landed. She was lowering the ramp when she noticed Tony in her arms.
“Superman, does he need medical.” Diana’s face was coated in concern, you could tell she wanted to check on the man that had become a friend to all of them over the past few months.
“I’d gather the supplies, Bruce is going to want to take a look.” Diana nodded and then briskly climbed back into the jet. He looked down at Tony, the man hadn’t moved since he picked him up. He was trying to figure out if the man was still conscious when the breeze picked up and caused the man to shiver. Not wanting Stark to get sick on top of everything else that’s happened to him Clark quickly carried him inside. Arthur was standing in the arch way to the cockpit, eyes questioning but not pressing for answers.
Suddenly Bruce was boarding the jet and dropping the broken armor off to the side. His strides brought him quickly to Clark who handed over the injured man. Despite what pain he must be in Tony was quick to reach for Bruce and settle in his arms. Bruce sat against the wall in one of the seats tucked off to the side, Tony securely in his arms. For a moment he took a second to just sit a breath, knowing Tony was alive and safe now in his arms.
The next month was crazy, if Bruce wasn’t with Tony he was in the in the gym or in the streets, fighting off his aggression. Clark found himself spending more and more time with the genius. Tony didn’t like being alone after what happened. His nightmares were awful and sometimes it got to be too much for Bruce. Seeing his friend in this condition and not having been there to prevent it, Bruce really started to beat himself up. So Clark stepped in, he cared for Tony, not as deeply as Bruce (he didn’t think anyone would top Bruce’s love for Tony) but enough that he would lay in bed curled around the genius while Bruce terrorized the villains of Gotham.
With most of the Avenger’s on the run from the Accords, the Justice League with Batman and Wonder Woman in the lead took on the responsibility they had so foolishly hid from. While Tony was healing, Bruce, as Batman, worked hand in hand with the Accords council, attempting to navigate the laws in place and fix them to help, guide and protect the Super Hero community while also taking the people into account. Diana there and helping him through it all.
Of course Bruce was still there for Tony but without the outlet of Steve Rogers face to take his aggressions out on he wasn’t being much help to the other man.
But Clark didn’t mind, sitting with Tony watching movies and making him coffee didn’t bother him. When Tony got quiet Clark would talking about the story he was working on, making jokes on how egotistical he must be to write stories on himself.
When this would happen Tony would make his way closer to him on the couch, until he was basically curled under his arm, looking down at his notes with him.
The longer Clark and Tony spent together, the less his nightmares haunted him. Yes they still happened but Clark’s presence eased his mind, cutting back their frequency.
It had been three and a half months since they found Tony in Siberia when he asked to go to the compound.
“Clark.” Said man looked up from where he was making them sandwiches at the breakfast bar. It was lunchtime and it was just him and Tony today. Bruce caught in meetings, Diana off doing what she did, and Clark had the day off. Tony was sat across for him in one of the bar stools, watching him make ham and cheese sandwiches.
“Yes Tony?”
“Will you go with me to the compound?” Clark was surprised, since they got back Tony had been avoiding all things Avengers related. Only accepting calls from Rhodes and checking on his braces, making sure they were helping him. He would text with Vision but never accepting his calls, his voice got to be too much sometimes. Happy was monitoring some Parker kid for him, sending him daily reports even though Tony hacked his phone so he could see all the messages Parker sent Happy.
“Only if you want me to,” he waited, Tony nodded a quiet I do whispered, “okay then. When would you like to go?”
“Do you have time this weekend?” He was almost timed, the way he asked.
“This weekend is perfect, I’m all yours.” Clark didn’t miss the little smile that formed on Tony’s face, nor did he miss the way it made his heart flutter.
Clark drove them, Tony’s arm is still casted and he was content to sit in the passenger seat and watch the scenery. When they pull up to the building it’s weird. Clark would relate that experience to pulling up to a haunted house. It’s eerily quiet. The breeze is nearly none existent. The building big but empty, the Parker kid never lived here from what Clark could understand. Rhodes was staying somewhere else while he was going through physical therapy, and Tony had told him not to long ago that Vision was with Pepper. Educating himself while traveling with the CEO, helping her out when he was able too.
Clark gave it a moment, silently watching Tony take in the building and process whatever was going through that head of his. Taking his time, he climbed out of the car they borrowed from Bruce, walking around to the other side he opened Tony’s door. “You ready?”
Tony closed his eyes, probably burning the image into his mind before sighed. Climbing out of the car he stood beside Clark who closed the door for him. Both men looking at the building like it would eat them alive and spit their bones out. Clark was so caught in the moment he almost startled when Tony grabbed his hand, he looked to the other but Tony continued to look straight ahead, “Let’s go.”
Together, hand in hand they entered the building, walking the empty halls. A fine layer of dust had started to appear but there was still things lying around, showing that a team once resided here. Sam’s running shoes by the door, Wanda’s jacket laying there on the back of the couch. Natasha’s weapons everywhere and Vision’s recipe book still open to whatever he was ready to try cooking that day Ross came to their doorstep.
Clark and Tony took it all in, walking passed it all until they got to the hole in the floor. The one Wanda created using Vision as nothing more than a tool. Tony’s hand squeezed his own. “I’m selling the building, handing it over to the accords.”
“I think that’s a good idea, it’s not your job or responsibility to take care of it.”
Tony looked at him, smiling, and “Thank you.” Clark smiled back, giving their connected hands a light squeeze. He leaned forward, projecting his movements and allowing Tony every chance to move away. When he didn’t, Clark leaned in those final few inches and kissed him.
“You’re welcome.” He stayed close, taking in those beautiful brown eyes that he so greatly misjudged all those months back. Tony was nothing like he pictured, yes he put up a display to the general public, but he had too. Seeing the way he was beaten and let behind, hurt by his team. It was a shield, to protect himself, he saw the difference now. When he would go out and act a certain way for the crowd but stand there and fake pout when Bruce smothered him.
How he handled the press, saying everything that was needed to protect himself while giving them what they wanted. It was different from seeing him in an interview versus the man that encouraged the team to work through issues in meetings and work through every opinion. He, like many, had been blinded by what Tony wanted the people to see. If he weren’t part of the Justice League he would still be living under the notion that Tony Stark was just some arrogant billionaire playing at being a super hero to boost his ego. He would have missed the amazing man he is. The one whole loves his friends with all his being. The man that works like a leader but is treated like an add on. A man that has been wronged left and right so many times but still finds the strength to get up and help others, even though they’ve never given him a reason to do so.
And Clark loved him. He only hopes he can do right by Tony and maybe one day be worthy of being loved back. But for now, they’ll take it one day at a time. “Come on, let’s wrap this up, this place gives me the creeps.”
Tony laughed, soft and sweet as Clark started dragging him away, “Yeah, okay. Let’s go home.” Clark’s heart swelled, hearing Tony say that. He was ready to say the hell with it, pick Tony up and fly out of their but a sudden tug on his hand stopped him in his tracks. He looked back at Tony who was looking across the room, “There’s a box.” Clark followed his eyes. Across the room, on the floor was a box that sat innocently on the ground outside Tony’s office door. Quickly using his x-ray vision he looked inside the box, a paper and phone. Nothing dangerous and he told Tony such.
For the first time since they exited the car, Tony dropped his hand in order to go investigate the box. “There’s no return address.” He flipped the box over, inspecting it. “Help me open it?” With his cast, Tony wasn’t able to pry the box open so Clark quickly came over and opened it for him. Just like he saw, there was a paper and old flip phone in the box. He gave Tony the letter without much thought and grabbed the phone, looking it over and opening it up. When he looked up Tony’s hands were shaking.
“Tony, what’s wrong? What’s it say?”
“It’s from Steve.” Tony’s voice was empty, no emotion. The only reaction being the subtle shake of his hands where they held the letter. Clark was going to say more, turning to Tony, he wasn’t sure what he was going to say but they were interrupted. Almost like a summoning, the phone rang, an old basic ring tone and the screen lighting up. Steve flashed on the screen. It rang, the sound echoing around the empty room as it blared with noise. So badly did Clark want to answer the question, demand answers of Rogers. Ask him what nerve he had to do this. But that option was taken from him.
On the fifth ring Tony snapped, with his good hand, Tony snatched the ringing device from his hand. Without another thought, he turned, pulling his arm back he threw the phone as hard as he could. Watching the device fly into the wall, and break into pieces, Clark watched. Tony was panting, the rage coursing through him making him look as though he was vibrating.
“FUCK YOU!” He screamed at the broken phone, he dropped the letter. Letting it fall to the ground as he turned and walked away. Presumably back to the car. Clark bent down, picking up the letter and reading it. He too felt rage build the longer he read the words on the page. This wasn’t an apology, it was bullshit.
“The Avengers are yours, maybe more so than mine.” WHAT AVENGERS!? Rhodes was in therapy, Vision is still learning to be human. Who’s that leave? T’Challa and Spider-Man were never made members, Thor and Banner have been MIA since after Ultron was dealt with. Everyone else is with Rogers.
“My faith is in the people, I guess.” You mean the people that listen to you right? Because the people of the world are afraid of you. The letter continued, more bullshit that Clark couldn’t believe he thought was needed to be said. Before he knew it, his eyes were glowing and he was burning the remains of the letter. Tony didn’t need that, speaking of…
He ran outside, looking for the other man when he finally turned and saw him. He was crouched low against the building, head in his arms. “Tony …”
“Fuck him! Fuck him and his half ass apology. FUCK!” Clark got his good arm loose, grabbing it he pulled him up and into his arms. Tony immediately changed his hold so he could wrap his arms around Clark’s neck. In return Clark wrapped his arms securely around Tony’s waist, allowing the shorter man to hide his damp face in his chest.
While Tony breathed, attempting to calm himself down, Clark gently lifted them into the air. The hovered over the ground and when Tony didn’t make any protests, even though it was obvious he feet were literally no longer touching to ground he continued up. He brought them higher, clearing the roof of the compound and high above the trees that surrounded it. They were a good thirty feet above the compound when he stopped. Leaving them suspended above the ground a good three to four stories up.
“Tony, no matter what they say or what they do, I will always be here to lift you up.”
A laugh punched out of Tony, it was sad and weak but it was still a laugh. “You know,” he brought his good arm down to whip at his face, “most people would mean that theoretically, not literally.” Now he was leaning far enough back that they could see each other. Tony’s eyes were red and wet, eye lashes clumping together from the tears that were drying on his cheeks.
“Well I’m different.” He smiled, gazing down at Tony as he laughed at him. They were going to be okay.
A year and a half had nearly passed since that day. The Rogue Avengers were still Rogue, the Justice League was a united front with Iron Man. Every day super heroes and super villains were coming out of the works.
But today, today was about them. Today was Tony Stark and Clark Kent’s wedding day. It was a beautiful event, private with only friends and family. A guest list that remained under a hundred people. Clark stood at the altar, suit sharp. Diana stood tall as his best woman, while the other Justice members stood in line behind her as his grooms men. Minus Bruce, who was walking Tony down the aisle like a proud papa bear. Barely holding himself back from crying. Rhodes stood as Tony’s best man, Pepper, Happy and Vision in line behind him.
Parker and his Aunt were among the guests in the crowd, along with his mother. The warm spring day was beautiful as they read their vows.
Tony was staring up at him, talking about how Clark had been the rock he needed when times were hard. Clark listened, smiling the whole time, “… but the moment I knew I loved you and wanted to spend the rest of my life with you was when you told me you would always be there to lift me up. Clark Kent, I promise to love and hold you for the rest of my days, as long as you continue to lift me up.”
Teary eyed, Clark gave his vow. Explaining how like so many others, he judged you without really knowing you. That he was blessed the moment you stepped out of that Iron Man armor and let Bruce ruin your image by smothering you like the mother hen he is. The crowd laughed along while Bruce blew rather dramatically into a tissue. Alfred, rubbing his back with resignation. “Since that day I’ve only found myself falling more and more in love with you. I promise you, I will lift you as high as the heavens as long as you promise to love me like I love you.”
The priest went through the rest of the ceremony and then they were slipping matching wedding bands onto their fingers.
“You may now kiss the groom.” The cheers of their friends and family was nothing compared to the love they poured into that kiss. But that one kiss was just a promise of more.
