Take Off The Mask // Son of Stark 2

Chapter 12

Tony walked down the long hallways, searching for Steve, Peter by his side. The man had walked off, after their last talk. They were quick to find him in a glass office, which happened to overlook the control room.

"Hey, you wanna see something cool? I pulled something from Dad's archives," Tony said, picking up a small black case. He grinned, showing Peter the contents of it. "Felt timely... FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most."

"Cool..." Peter replied absentmindedly, trying to stay out of the headspace that overcame him every time he saw his Pops. It was nothing personal against the blond- well maybe it was, but it more to do with the tension that surrounded them that started whenever they were left alone together.

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war."

Tony span on the spot to face the soldier. He couldn't quite believe what he was hearing. He took a few deep breaths, before figuring out what to say: "See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. I'm trying to... What do you call it? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?"

Peter raised his hand, in the same manor a student would do to gain the teacher's attention. "Is Pepper gonna be here soon? You said she'd pick me up so I wasn't stuck here the entire time..."

"Pepper?" Steve questioned. He knew the woman; she was a kind, intelligent, if somewhat stubborn person, who managed to get even Tony Stark to do as she said. Steve wouldn't be ashamed to say he admired her.

"We're kinda... Well, not kinda..."

"Dating?"

"Yeah," Tony lifted his right hand to scratch the back of his neck. "We've always had the chemistry, just didn't know we both had the feelings..." His smile faded, when he realised that Steve was still frowning at him. "What? What is it, Rogers?"

"It's just... it seems a bit like a rebound relationship," the blond shrugged. He was quick to add, "To me," after noticing that Tony was now sending him death glares.

"And you and Mr Metal Arm aren't also a rebound couple? Excuse me for thinking but I believe it's been over half a year since we broke up. This isn't rebound. Your's was rebound-"

"Tony, we-"

"No! I don't care if you had feelings for him before the freaking war. You said you had feelings for me, too... Maybe you were wrong. Maybe we were both wrong." The brunet glanced down at his phone, which had just vibrated and had begun to glow. "Pep is here, kiddo. You know your way out, right?"

"Yep..." The teenager hurried out of the room, glad to be free from the heat of the discussion between his parents.

"I didn't realise you liked her in that way," Steve continued, trying to piece together everything about Pepper and Tony that he could, in his mind. "But, I can kinda see it working. She's got a lot to work with."

"Maybe I am a handful... but she won't leave me after one little thing."

"It wasn't just one thing, Tony. You and I both know that."

"Dad was always the pain in the ass, you know. I'm following in his footsteps. But anyway, he and mom always managed to make it work," Tony stated. "Me and Pepper will be able to, too."

"You know, I'm glad Howard got married. I only knew him when he was young and single."

"Oh, really? You two knew each other? He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you."

"I don't mean to make things difficult."

"I know, because you're a very polite person."

"If I see a situation pointed south... I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could."

"No... No, you don't."

Steve smiled thinly. "No, I don't. Sometimes."

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see you gone. We need you, Cap. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center... instead of a Wakandan prison."

Steve frowned, picking up one of the fountain pens. He began to pace, eagerly trying to come up with a plan, where everything ended on a good note. He turned to Tony, not yet noticing the multiple screens on the walls, which were in the control room beyond them. "I'm not saying it's impossible but there would have to be safeguards."

"Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated..."

"Wanda?" Steve asked, his eyes widening in panic. "What about Wanda?" The girl was too young to get mixed up in all this. She was practically a child compared to the rest of the team.

"She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company."

"Oh God, Tony! Every time. Every time I think you see things the right way..." He craned his neck, looking up at the ceiling in disbelief, before forcing his eyes to make contact with the genius'.

"What? It's a 100 acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people."

"Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony." He slammed his fist again the table, flinching when a glass fell and shattered. They both ignored it.

"She's not a US citizen, Steve..."

"Oh, come on, Tony."

"And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction," he continued.

"She's a kid."

"GIVE ME A BREAK! I'm doing what has to be done... to stave off something worse." Tony didn't like all this blame, this guilt. It wasn't his fault. He was trying to do what was best for the team. There wasn't much to work with. He was doing his best.

Steve nodded faintly, "You keep telling yourself that, Tones." He placed the pen down. "Hate to break up the set." He walked out of the office, leaving Tony to himself.

The genius' eyes flickered to the screens... the ones showing Bucky. He began to watch intensely at the scene that was taking place.