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“Tony, please.”
“No.”
The blond man huffed and turned to face his husband, currently lying on their bed with a massive frown, pretending to be reading a book using the light from his chest to see.
He yelped when it was snatched from his hands and thrown carelessly on the floor.
“Hey! That’s a rare book!”
“Listen to me.” the blond man hissed poking his arm. “Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and you know how much Peter cares about this. About Wade.”
“Don’t.” Tony interrupted him, rolling his eyes. “Don’t say that name, Steve, or I’m gonna have a rage fit. I swear, I can feel my blood boil and I’m sure a vein is throbbing right here, see?”
“There’s no throbbing vein on your temple, but it’s going to be on mine if you don’t listen to me.” Steve looked really angry now and it wasn’t the kind of ‘angry’ that Tony considered sexy. That kind leaded to awesome sex or cuddles, this kind was only the premise for something scary and dangerous.
So Tony gave up, not wanting to face Captain America’s rage, and sighed.
“Okay, honey. I’m all ears.”
“Good. They have been seeing each other for almost a year, Tony, a year, and you still don’t want to see that poor boy.”
“First of all, he’s not poor.” the billionaire replied; he didn’t want to make Steve angrier, but his pride and tongue were too strong for him to stop them. His husband narrowed his eyes, but let him continue: “He isn’t as wealthy as us, but you can be damn sure he’s not poor, not with the job he has.”
“He doesn’t do that anymore.”
“And how do you know it?” Tony was the one whose voice was annoyed now. “Did Peter tell you? Hell, Steve, that boy would tell you his boyfriend has a puppy day care to reassure you about their relationship!”
“No, Peter is intelligent. He… knows lying would be useless and rude, I trust him.” Steve’s expression softened. “So I believe him when he says that Wade isn’t a mercenary anymore. He helped us in some battles, don’t you remember?”
“That doesn’t mean anything, but maybe you’re right. Let’s pretend he really isn’t a killer for hire anymore.” Tony grunted and changed position to better see the blond man. “We arrive to my second point. He is not a ‘boy’, as you called him.” His eyes rolled again and Steve fought the strong urge to smack him on that thick head of his. “He’s a man, Steve! A man! Older than Peter, with more experience than Peter in several things, less naïve than Peter.”
“That’s also wrong. The experience and ‘less naïve’ thing, I mean.” and the soldier was smirking smugly now. “You would know if you spent at least one hour with him.”
“C’mon, Steve!” Tony groaned and rubbed his face, already regretting this conversation. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand and complained again. He needed to be at a meeting in less than three hours…
“This time I can swear I’m right, Tony!” the soldier insisted as his husband hid the face in the pillow not to hear him anymore. “He helped me in some missions, we met and talked several times. He… he is a good man.” He laughed softly and the sound made Tony curious, because it was fond and amused. “Peter adores him. Okay, maybe he’s not what we imagined for him, but I have always trusted Wilson. He may be… particular. Odd. But he can be very good too.”
“He can?” Tony raised an eyebrow. “Or he is? There is a difference, Steve.”
“Why do you nitpick every little thing I say?” the other man hissed smacking his arm again. “He is! He is good and he had a hard life.” Steve looked sad now and Tony felt a bit guilty. “Like everyone else we know, Tony.”
“We didn’t become mercenaries though.” the billionaire pouted, but he wasn’t serious this time and his eyes lingered on the picture on the wall behind Steve. It was a photo of a smiling Peter.
“He really is that happy?” he mumbled and Steve nodded, cuddling next to him.
“Yes.” he answered kissing the dark hair. “I’ve seen them alone. They are really in peace with each other. Wilson looks like another person when he’s with Peter. And Peter is bright with joy and excitement.” The soldier sighed and Tony shivered pleasantly as his breath caressed his face. “Give him a chance, Tony.”
The other man groaned again, pretended to be thinking hard about it - or maybe he was really doing it - then gave up.
“Fine!” he snarled and he looked like he had eaten a lemon. “He can come tomorrow if he want to.” Before Steve could hug him and thank him, he raised a finger: “But no frick frack! No cuddles where JARVIS can’t see them!” He looked up at the ceiling. “Okay, JARVIS?”
“Of course, sir.” the AI responded with its usual calm tone.
“And don’t let Peter fool you with some kind of promise or deal! I know he did that in the past.”
“… It won’t happen again, sir.”
“Thanks, Tony.” Steve said with a smile, embracing his husband in his strong arms. The other man hummed, still not sure, but willing to make Peter happy.
“I won’t let him go near my lab though.”
- - -
“Wade, please.”
“No.”
The older man rolled on the bed, giving his back to Peter, and repeated before the other could speak again: “No.”
“Wade, look, Pops has sent me a text. He says Dad has finally given up now.” He showed his boyfriend the joyful message on the cellphone screen and his voice contained only excitement and relief: “We can do whatever we want for Valentine’s Day and then go to eat at the Stark Tower!” He leaned it to kiss a scarred cheek. “Together. For the first time.”
“Your dad - well, one of them - hates me, Petey! He made that clear already and we never even saw each other!” Wade groaned rolling further. Peter’s super-strength was too much for him, though, so he was forced to roll back and face the young and sweet face where a prayer was very much visible.
“Pops talked to him last night. Everything will be fine, Wade. Just…” Peter showed a small smile. “Just don’t be too rude with Dad. I know he hasn’t given you a chance until now - and I’m so sorry for that - but you know how he is.”
“He’s a dick.” the scarred man pouted, but then he finally looked at the text from Captain America and sighed.
Petey,
good news!! I talked with your father about Wade and he accepted to see him! So you can spend the rest of St. Valentine’s day here at home if you want to. Dad promised he won’t make stupid jokes or offend Wade in any way. We would be very happy to have you both for dinner.
Let me know!
“He learnt how to write and send a text!” Wade exclaimed with a fake gasp. “Even if it looks more like a letter… Well, I’m impressed.”
“Stupid.” Peter laughed and kicked him playfully under the sheets. Then he turned serious and worried again. “So… what do you say?”
Wade sighed, pouted again, spent some time looking at the clear sky and gentle sunlight coming from the window in his bedroom, played with Peter’s hair and when the young man was going to repeat the question with more urgency, he answered: “Okay.”
“… You didn’t really think about it, did you?”
“Nope.” Wade grinned. “I just wanted to make you wait.”
Peter sighed fondly and nested in his arms, tracing the scars on the hard chest.
“Don’t give him reasons to treat you badly.”
“I exist, that’s reason enough for him.”
“Wade, I’m serious.”
The other man hid the face in the crook of Peter’s neck and listened to him, pronouncing occasionally some hums or monosyllables.
“Please don’t make fun of his past alcoholic… problems. He’s way beyond them, now, but he doesn’t like being reminded of them.” Peter held the other tighter. “Be yourself, but with… tact.”
“I don’t know how to do that!” Wade moaned like a child, his voice muffled by Peter’s neck. “I can be nice only with you!”
“Then do this for me.” Peter pushed him and straddled his hips, smirking down at the now surprised scarred man. He moved a bit, feeling a slight hard-on under his naked ass.
“Are you bribing me with sex, Petey?”
“No.” Peter’s smirk grew. “I’m just reminding you that my ‘fabulous butt’ - as you call it - won’t be near your crotch for one entire week if you don’t behave yourself with Dad.”
Wade was a master in being childish, so he didn’t miss this occasion to petulantly whimper and grind against Peter, who just lifted his hips and ignored the erection under himself.
“I swear! I swear I will be an angel!” the other man yelped, trying to push him down. “Goddammit, I hate your super-strength sometimes!”
“That’s not true.” Peter laughed and he finally straddled him again. Wade let out a happy whimper this time. “Since you swore and I know you will do your best, here is your reward, knucklehead.”
He leaned down and kisses the chapped lips as he rubbed lightly against the hard manhood.
“Happy St. Valentine’s Day, Wade.”
“Wait to say that until this evening.” the other man mumbled before returning the kisses.
- - -
“Tony, I swear to God, don’t scowl like that. You look ready to kill someone.”
“Maybe I am ready to kill someone.” the billionaire bitterly replied, glancing at the digital clock on the wall. “They are late. Why are they late? What if that asshole’s present for Peter is just sex? Sex in the elevator. Sex in a dark, dirty alley…” Tony shuddered, visions of his son being a reluctant bottom filling his poor mind. A whimper escaped his lips.
“Actually I know what Wade gave our son, more or less.” Steve said crossing his arms and looking very ‘Captain America’. “He asked me some advices and I gladly helped him.”
“You talk with that idiot?! You have his number?!”
“Of course, Peter gave it to me! That’s why I told you I know he’s a good man! You won’t believe how much worried he was about his gift.”
Tony now looked ready to kill himself.
He was probably going to drink something to drown in despair and solitude, when JARVIS announced: “Sir, Peter and his boyfriend are entering the apartment. Should I tell them you are here in the dining room?”
“Yes, please, JARVIS.” Steve answered and he was glowing with joy. At least until he caught Tony’s glare. “Honey. Please.”
“What? This is my normal face, okay?” the dark haired man said throwing up his hands in exasperation. “If Wilson doesn’t like it, he can go fuck…”
“Tony!”
- - -
“Wade, breathe. You look like you are going to die on the spot. Or like you have to take a dump really bad.”
“Both.” the man whispered as they walked through the hallway that lead to the dining room. JARVIS has kindly informed them about Peter’s parent’s location.
Wade had never been in the Stark Tower and initially he had joked, made appreciative comments about the wealth and richness of it, the cool interiors and tech stuff. He had looked like a child in a candy store and only a good amount of patience from Peter had convinced him to take the elevator and finally enter the apartment zone.
“I will show you the labs later, okay?” Peter had promised.
Now every trace of excitement was gone from the man’s body. He had been giddy with happiness all day, especially when they had gone to that fancy restaurant for lunch and to the cinema to watch Frozen. He had been tense, but in a good way, when Peter had opened his present and he had laughed and kissed him until their breath was gone when Peter had given him his own.
Only now, when he was finally going to meet his boyfriend’s parents in an official way, he appeared terribly scared and nervous.
“Your Dad is going to hate me. He already does, but…” he glanced down at his marred hands and suddenly felt aware about his disfigured look, aware like never before. Peter had helped him with that, Wade could go out with him wearing only his hoodie and jeans and not feeling a little bit nervous. But now those old, familiar fear and self-hatred came back like a cold ice wave.
“Honey.”
Peter stopped in the hallway, just before the door, and take his head in his hands, kissing softly the tip of his nose.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
“I-I don’t want to ruin your Valentine.” Wade looked down at his feet. “You know I was serious this morning, don’t you? I… I swear I will do my best, but…”
“Wade. Even if something goes wrong, don’t worry.” Peter took one of his hands and squeezed it. “This day has been fantastic. An embarrassing dinner with my parents won’t ruin it.”
Wade nodded slowly, trying to calm himself, and didn’t let go of Peter’s hands. They entered the dining room, where a smiling Steve and a scowling Tony were waiting for them.
“Hi, Pops, Dad. Sorry for the lateness.” Peter said as Captain hugged him. The blond man then looked at Wade, who shakily returned his smile and shook his hand.
“No problem. The movie was good, yes?”
“Disney doesn’t disappoint.. The sister chicks were very pretty and funny.”
They heard Tony scoff in the background and Steve turned to him with a glare.
“Honey, don’t you want to greet our guest?” he said through clenched teeth and the billionaire waved ironically at the scarred man… who returned the gesture with a brave smirk.
“Uh…” Peter cleared his throat and exclaimed: “Why don’t we sit down and start eating? Jeez, I’m starving!”
“Didn’t your boyfriend buy you popcorns, son?” Tony asked as they took place around the table. Peter blushed, not because Wade didn’t buy him food, but because he actually did and his dad’s snipe wasn’t nice at all.
Wade intervened before he could reply: “We ate some popcorns, mister Stark, but they sucked ass, so we preferred to wait for dinner.” He looked down at the filled plates with an appreciative grin. “This looks much better, right, Petey?”
“Thank you. I’m not a great cook, but I can prepare something if I put the right effort into it.” Steve said and Wade raised a hairless eyebrow.
“I thought the invisible robot did this kind of stuff.”
“JARVIS isn’t an invisible robot.” Tony corrected him with a snarl. “He’s an AI, it’s completely different.”
“But wouldn’t be cool if he was an invisible robot who lived in the house and everybody thought he was just an AI, but in reality…”
“Honey, you are wandering off again.” Peter giggled gently nudging him.
The dinner wasn’t that terrible, but Tony kept glaring at Wade for the whole time, noticing how his scarred hands - damn, his skin really was bad. How the hell did Peter manage to kiss it? - touched his son’s, how rudely he ate and how crude his jokes and answers were.
But Peter was happy. He laughed, blushed and touched that odd man without problems, his eyes were bright and he looked relaxed and happy.
Then Tony saw them. Both Peter and Wade were wearing a bracelet, one he hadn’t seen on his son’s wrist before. It looked elegant and nice, a silver band with something written on it.
Could it be…?
He had to know and he had to talk with Wilson, just like his husband had told him. So when dinner was over and Tony got up to have a drink at his personal bar counter, he invited Wade.
“I thought you didn’t drink anymore, mister Stark!” the scarred man exclaimed looking rather surprised. There was no malevolency in his tone, but it was clear he had wanted to have a dig at him, albeit without exaggerating.
Peter and Steve gasped, but Tony repressed the annoyance growing into him and grumbled something that sounded like “come with me or I’m gonna shoot you outside the tower with my suit”.
When they were at the counter, far enough for not let Peter or Steve hear, the billionaire started without hesitation: “I don’t like you.”
Wade jumped a bit, but he took the blow remarkably well.
“Oh. Well, you wouldn’t be the first, mister Stark.”
“But Peter does - he really does - and I want him to be happy.” Tony continued filling two glasses with bourbon, not even asking Wade what he wanted to drink. “So I want to give you a chance.”
He lifted the two glasses and Wade reached for one, but the billionaire drank both their content with ease and speed. His face was redder, but when he talked again his voice sounded perfectly normal and Wade felt a little intimidated. That man sure loved alcohol.
“If you are gonna make him suffer, I swear to God I’ll put a missile up your ass.” Tony frowned. “I don’t know if you are really out of the mercenary world or if Peter lied to Steve to reassure him. I’ll do some research and if you two told the truth, then you will gain points, Wilson.”
“Hey! It is true, I don’t do that anymore!” Wade interrupted him and for the first time he looked almost angry, as if the implication of him putting Peter in danger was a terrible offense. Well, it was and Tony felt guilty seeing how much the other man was disgusted by the idea.
“I don’t have a normal job yet, I admit it, but I don’t kill for hire anymore. I’m not that stupid, I know it would be dangerous for Peter.” His frown was as big as Tony’s. “I love your son, okay? Seeing him hurt is the last thing I want, for God’s sake!”
“Okay.” Tony said putting up his hands defensively. “Sorry. Now I don’t hate you as much as before.” He snorted and pointed at the bracelet around the scarred wrist. “Is that Peter’s gift?”
“No. Peter gave me this cool hoodie.” Wade blushed and avoided Tony’s eyes. “This is my gift.”
“Oh.”
Well, that was surprising. Steve had told him he had helped Wilson with his gift, but he didn’t expect that.
“Your husband suggested me something wearable.” Wade was talking in a low, embarrassed voice. “So I looked everywhere for something cool, but matching sweaters were just too corny and Peter and I don’t like wearing necklaces.” He absentmindedly touched his inflamed neck and Tony nodded understandingly. “So I made these.”
“You made them?”
Wade glared at him.
“What? I can use my hands for things that aren’t eating, killing or touching your son, you know?” He shrugged, but it was clear he was pretty proud of those simple silver bands. “I melted my guns and written our names on these. Romanticism Wade Wilson style!”
Tony gaped at him, at the bracelet, at his empty glasses, then filled them, this time with something stronger.
Wade patiently waited for him and when the glasses were empty again, Tony spoke (and his voice still wasn’t hoarse, Wade thought with a hint of admiration): “You are really weird, Wilson.”
“I know. I heard that a lot too.”
Tony looked at him and there was a small smile tugging at his lips.
“Treat my son well, okay, Wade?”
The other man nodded, almost solemnly and completely serious. He was about to say something when Peter approached them.
“Wade, come see my room! There is that invention I wanted to show you since forever!”
Tony watched them go, laughing and giggling as they headed upstairs, hand in hand. Steve came near him and asked, anxiety written all over his face: “What did you talk about? Is everything okay?”
Then JARVIS interrupted them: “Sir? Do you want me to check them in case something… lewd should happen?”
“No, JARVIS.” Tony answered making Steve look incredulous. “They need their privacy.”
“Very well, sir.”
“Dear God, are you okay?” Steve whispered and Tony chuckled, filling one of the glasses with simple, clear water.
“Never been better.” He smiled at his proud husband. “Happy St. Valentine’s Day, honey.”