The Angel and The Billionaire

Forty Five

Tony

The smell of sweat mixed with old beer and some really sweet perfume fills my nose as I walk back to the couch with new drinks. I spread them around a set of teammates with different levels of drunkness and this marks the first time in months I walked into a room and none of them glared at me. Not one. 

It's easy to see the alcohol has been running loose for a couple of hours. The super soldiers have the serum and Nat is Russian so they can pass a sobriety test, but that's where it ends. Wilson is passed out, sucking on his thumb like a 5-year-old. Barton is intoxicated, more cheerful than usual but nothing dramatic. Sharon lost one of her shoes but is having fun regardless. Wanda is drunk enough to slur her words and Vision has to keep her from using magic for stupid shit like giving Sam a Cinderella costume. He has to blackmail her with ice cream and the bird boy owes his reputation to Vision knowing Wanda so well. Scott is having a heart-to-heart with a fan and will probably join Wilson on the sleep team soon. Rhodey went to bed a while ago, aside from him and the secret lovers everyone is here. The fact Bruce and Thor think I don't notice when they leave together is funny to me. And a little insulting if I'm being honest.

We've been here for almost two hours, talking and laughing at the most random things while looking at the mess around us. I'll give the cleaning crew an extra, the place looks like a dystopian scene, 'remains of the last party before the virus' kind of disaster.

Rogers has been all over his girlfriend the whole night, which is kind of cute in a slightly gross way. It upsets me because Grace and I would be like that, probably even worse, but we can't. She looked sad when she was dancing with Wilson. I felt the same way, I wish we could've been there instead.

Laura joined us as soon as everyone who doesn't live here left and the doors closed. She and Katniss keep their life and kids a secret but there's no reason to be careless.

- I never took Clint for such a romantic. - Wanda jokes, probably about some story of the early days of Barton's relationship.

- He is. - Laura giggles, holding his hand. - But not when other people are around to see it.

Barton rolls his eyes dramatically but doesn't argue.

On the other side of the room, taking advantage of the stocked bar, Carol and Valkyrie are heavily flirting. It wasn't surprising, at least not to me, but from what has been said, my teammates didn't see this coming.

It's past 2 am when Banner and Thor return from wherever they've been for the past 3 hours. No, the team doesn't seem to find it suspicious they keep disappearing. I keep quiet because I don't wanna know where they were or who was fucking who. I'd rather not have that information and Thor might be just oblivious enough to reveal it by accident. Grace and Barnes exchange a smirk when they sit with us, which makes my blood boil.

- What about you, Tony? - Laura turns to me. I can't appreciate enough how nice she has been tonight. - Anyone ... special in your life?

- Well... - I try to come up with an answer that won't turn into more questions. - It's complicated.

- I thought you were with Pepper. - Rogers says, not particularly interested in the conversation.

- Not anymore. - I do my best to not look in Grace's direction. - We broke up a while ago.

Bruce offers me a sad smile, probably thinking back to our conversation in the shawarma place months ago. Thankfully he doesn't say anything about it.

- So I'm guessing the answer is a lot of women. - Barton jokes, earning a giggle from the room. - I haven't seen anyone so you must be good at sneaking around here.

- You have no idea, Legolas. - I hope this wasn't a trap because if it was I'm toast.

- Oh, I bet he can sneak people around. - Sharon is drunk but I don't think she'd say anything compromising.

Right?

- Why do you say that, sugar? - Roger asks, frowning.

- It's his tower. - Her words slur more than Wanda's. - So he must know all the blindspots and least used hallways and all that shit. Grace told me...

Wrong.

- What? - Steve presses but she catches her slip, faking a cough to think of an answer.

- That she thinks there are secret passages here.. - She gives Grace a desperate look. - Like... in.... like in Hogwarts!

- I mean, there's no way there isn't at least a secret basement here somewhere. - Grace adds, laughing like she didn't almost have a heart attack. I did. - But it's probably just my imagination.

- Stark, anything to say? - Rogers speaks to me directly, a playful tone in his voice.

- No comments. - I carry the joke. - I'll keep plausible deniability for later.

Sharon and Wanda laugh loudly because drunk people find big words funny. Scott is now cuddling with the fan, dead asleep.

The rest of our after-party goes on without more invasive questions. Aside from having to see Barnes openly flirting with my girlfriend and being unable to do anything about it, I have a good time.

Something that brings me comfort in this secret relationship is that Grace sleeps with me. We might not have sex, although she turned out to have a big appetite, but she always drops by or asks me to go to hers. It's the only constant in our turbulent day-to-day. We don't have dates, Instagram posts, or introductions to parents but we have our nights.

I wait until everyone leaves, soldiers carrying drunks and Natasha coordinating to make sure everyone gets to bed alive and well. I soundproof the saloon, blocking the view with mirrored walls just to be safe, and turn off the cameras. When everything is ready, I text Grace to meet me here in her party attire.

- Hey. - She walks in a few minutes later, looking confused as I lock the door she used. I did the same with all the access points. - What are you doing?

- Just give me a second. - I press buttons on my phone and after a moment, the lights dim and 'Moonlight Serenade' starts playing on the speakers. The volume is low, but it works. 

Grace's eyes widen. The room now has a similar energy to a 40s bar, or at least that's what I was going for. She covers her mouth with one hand and her eyes water a tiny bit. I fix my suit and step closer, extending a hand.

- May I have this dance, my lady?

- Tony... - She giggles. - Yes, of course.

She takes my hand and I snake the other arm around her waist, her free palm resting on my shoulder. We sway to the rhythm, slowly and calmly. Every time I think she can't get prettier I'm proved wrong, she is and continues to be the most stunning woman I've ever seen.

- How'd you know? - She asks, her face inches away from mine.

- It was written in your eyes as you danced with Wilson. And to be fair I was thinking the same thing.

- This is amazing. - Grace beams. - I wish people danced like this in the 21st century. It's one of the few things I miss about life in 1945.

- We can dance whenever you want. Just say the word and I'll make it happen.

Her smile goes straight to my heart. The music changes but we continue, just looking at each other and enjoying the moment. Life would be better if we danced more often. It's like I could stay here forever.

- I love you. - Grace wraps her hand around my neck as mine goes to her waist.

- I love you more. - I reply, kissing her forehead.

A moment where there's nothing but me, soft jazz, and the incredible woman who for some reason chose me to be here with her. And to think it all started in a HYDRA base.