cap_ironman | Fic: Coming Out.

Title: Coming out
Author: Cat_13145
Fandom: Marvel comicz
Pairing/characters: Steve/Tony, Avengers, Howling Commandos, Kid Commandos, some OC
Rating: G
Disclaimer: If I owned them, Steve would not only be alive, but he and Tony would be married. But I don't, I just borrow them to play with, then carefully put them back in the cupboard when I'm done.
Written for the lgbtfest challenge Prompt: 31: Any Fandom, Any character, what is it like to agonize over coming out, only to learn that your family and friends already knew/don't care
Summary: He knew he had to tell them. He wasn't sure how they'd react, but this definitely was what he expected.
Author's Note: I'm not overally keen on this story, something has gone wrong in and I'm not sure what. Advise gratefully received. Davey is David "Davey" Mitchell, a.k.a. the Human top. He was a member of the Kid Commandos (a team of teenage Superheros in WW2, led by Bucky). Cat is completely mine.

“You got any idea what this is about?” Davey asked as Cat slid into the room. Given the groan that Cat directed in his general direction and the fact that she was still in her British Uniform, Davey guess correctly that her plane had landed little over an hour ago and poured a cup of tea.

“Thank god for Jarvis.” Cat sighed, putting the cup down on the work surface. “No. I’ve no idea what this is about. What about you Barnes?”

Bucky, looking strangely natural in the black SHILED uniform, merely smiled.

“I promised Steve I’d let him tell you.”

“Meanie.” It was an old childish insult but it reassured Davey, taking him back to the simpler days of the Kid Commandos. He didn’t say this out loud, because that would have been inviting Cat to remind him of the complexities of those days, so he contented himself with looking around.

The Avengers, past and present, were all there, with the sole exception of Iron man. Nick Fury and what appeared to be the surviving howling commandos were sitting seeing who could flick the most cards into Dum Dum’s bowler. Destroyer, or Roger, as he was now supposed to call him was standing by the kettle drinking a cup of tea and regarding the situation with a mild look of interest. Next to Namor he looked, if he could be excused for the awful pun, like a fish out of water. With the arrival of Cat, all the surviving Kid commandos were now here. Also all the Invaders were present, though the Torch was nowhere to be seen but one look at Cat persuaded him against asking where he was. Nick probably would have told him, but experience taught him that if she chose to, Cat could fight really dirty.

Instead, he joined Gwenny and Tony speculating about what this could be about. It had to be important for Steve to call everyone here.

As if on cue, the old English (and he was English no matter what certain persons who would remain nameless but who had a certain fondness for tea might say) butler pushed open the door.

Steve Rogers stepped through it in civilian clothes. Davey had never met the dark haired man by his side with the Van Dyke beard but he was up enough on the news to recognise him as Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man. He also noticed how close they were standing together.

Steve gave a small cough though there was no real need. The room had fallen silent when he entered.

“Um. Thank you all for coming.” He said, softly but firmly. Davey turned so that he could see better. “I know how busy you all are and...”

Subtly, but deliberately, Tony pressed his hand to Steve and the embarrassed babbling that threatened overtake Steve was averted. Steve drew a deep breath and continued.

“I call you here, because I, WE,” he said, squeezing Tony’s hand. “Have an announcement to make.”

The look that Clint was giving Carol informed Davey that they had money riding on what this announcement was going to be.

“There’s no easy way to say this.” The commandos had stopped their card game, Gwenny looked worried. Steve took what seemed to be an even deeper breath. “I’m bisexual.”

There was a moment of silence before Cat said slowly, “and?”

“And Tony.” Steve glanced at the man whose hand he was holding. “Tony and I are dating.”

“And?” Clint repeated it this time.

Steve looked kind of surprised. “That’s it.”

There was a moment’s silence and then Fury landed an Ace in Dum Dum’s hat.

“Who had eighty?” he asked of the room as a whole. As Eric raised his hand and there was a general digging for wallets, Clint spoke up, squinting at Tony.

“Are you pregnant?”

“Clint!” Cat, Carol and Bucky said it so quickly as one that it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

“What?” the archer raised his hands expressively. “Like I’m the only one thinking it.”

“I think what Clint is trying to say,” Carol said, glaring at him, “is why are you telling us this now?”

Steve looked surprised and Stark actually blushed.

“I mean,” she looked around at the others fro support. “Is this leading up to something? Are you engaged?”

“Why isn’t this enough?” Steve seemed genuinely confused which was probably why Cat decided to help him out.

“What? We weren’t supposed to know.” At Steve’s expression, she rolled her eyes. “Cap, we had one telepath, at least two with heightened senses, Destroyer and Union Jack, and we were sheltering in buildings that continually threatened to fall down around us while we slept. Believe me, I don’t think there was anyway we could have reached the end of the war and not known.”

Fury, who was trying to get what looked like the king of hearts into the Hat added.

“Known sexual partners of Anthony Stark: Summerset Bain, Bruce Wayne, Tiberius Stone, Whitney Frost, Bethany Cabe, Stephen Tobias,” he let out a small noise of triumphant as the king landed in the hat.

“Captain America.” Namor had got to his feet. “I think I speak for all of us from the old days, for all the Invaders, all the Howling commandos and all the Kid Commandos when I say that we do not care what sex the person you are sleeping with is.”

“But we reserve the right to kick their butt if they ever hurt you.” James volunteered and the others nodded in agreement.

“That goes doubly for the Avengers.” Carol said firmly.

“For both of you.” Peter added.

“Come on.” Cat said, getting to her feet. “I’ve got about five hours before my flight. What do you say we go toast the happy couple with Cola?”

“Make it a beer and you’ve got a deal.” Clint said, grabbing his coat. They were still arguing as the Commandos, Howling and Kid, Avengers and Invaders, picked up their gear. Davey paused for a moment by the door.

“Cap.” He said, firmly. “Whatever happens, however you guys decide to run it, we’re all cool with it.”

He stepped out as Tony gazed at the still shell-shocked Steve.

“I guess we weren’t as careful as we thought.” He muttered softly.

“Hmm.” Tony agreed, nuzzling into Steve’s chest. “Either that or I need to do a better job at blocking Fury’s bugs.” He paused slowly. “How does it feel to be out, Mr Rogers?”

Steve couldn’t help smiling. “Scary,” he admitted, “but good.”

Fini.