Secrets Don't Make Friends

Chapter 2: Cabin in the Woods

Chapter 2:

The next couple of days practically flew.

There was much to be done, and many kinks to be worked out. Tony had to tie up loose ends, trusting in Pepper to finish whatever he couldn't get to in the span of 48 hours. He hired moving crews to pack up his homes in Malibu and New York, and sold off the international villas and homesteads.

He had a feeling with Captain America as his new mate there would be no need for lavish vacations. While he still had control of his accounts there were some things he had to take care of. Funds to be set up. Tony had to be very careful that those funds were no longer in his name and under his control. Off-shore accounts had to be opened and closed, money squirreled away for what Tony considered to be his most important charities.

And then he had to pack.

Rogers had been pretty clear that Tony's lavish lifestyle was going to come to an end. The man hadn't outright said it during their negotiations, but it was there in the stern line of his jaw and the flash of disapproval in his eyes whenever they spoke of Tony's assets.

 So Tony packed simply. He brought only a few pairs of jeans, his favorite band shirts, socks and boxers, and the penlight multi-tool that Pep had given him for his birthday the first year as his assistant. And of course, Jarvis. Well, sort of. It was a watch that his father had given him for his 8th birthday.

Tony had, of course, reconfigured it to suit his needs. He would be able to communicate with Jarvis through the watch, not to mention that it also acted as a homing beacon - just in case.

Aside from a few toiletries, there was no point in bringing anything else. He knew Rogers would most likely confiscate it. 'Less is more' Tony scoffed mentally, throwing his duffel over his shoulder and approaching the town car waiting outside of his home in New York.

The contract had been signed on that first day. Tony had brought it himself, shame and embarrassment an oily coating inside of his guts, as he stood before Rogers with his fisted hands buried in his pockets.

Rogers himself looked nonplussed. A man on top of the world, although a man who was currently faced with a task he found most unpleasant.

Yeah well, he wasn't the only one. Tony certainly hadn't asked for any of this. It wasn't as if he had put Rogers name on his list of potential suitors. But once he had seen it, Tony realized that there was no one better suited to keeping his weapons off the market than the man who was continually sent out to combat them.

Rogers had a lot to gain from an alliance with the Stark name. Combating terrorism or threats to national and global security wasn't cheap. The man's pack was currently funded through the government, and under their purview, but surely the narrow sighted Rogers had the mind to imagine what it would be like to be out from under the government's thumb. Stark Industries stock, and Tony's own personal fortune, was a great start to independence.

Plus there was the fact that Tony had come out as an Omega to the media.

He was now the conservative Rogers' Omega, one who the Alpha-ruled world unanimously agreed that needed to be put in his place.

It started on day one. Tony fought the blush that wanted to rise to his cheeks at the memory of how Rogers had made him kneel before him while he read the contract.

It was then that Tony had learned of Rogers list of demands. Tony was not to leave the Avengers compound.

He was not to leave the pack house without express permission from one of the Alphas.