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This was exactly how Tony Stark wanted to end his day. Here he was, soaking wet and alone leaving the hospital after hearing life altering - more like life ending - information.
He was always alone these days though. Steve hadn’t even set foot in their home in weeks. He wasn’t sure why he expected anything different. There was always another mission, always a friend in need, always someone who needed a shoulder to cry on. Never mind that Tony needed a shoulder, now more than ever.
Tony began to acknowledge that there might have been an issue with his health when he started coughing up blood. He’d been convinced that it was just a cold. Sure, it was a cold that had lasted months upon months but what else could it be? He’d be fine! Right?
Wrong. He was not fine.
Pepper insisted that he make an appointment at the hospital to get checked out. JARVIS could only scan so much. His scans just showed a low oxygen count and weight loss. Tony also noticed that his chest constantly hurt, even more than when the arc reactor was in place. Tony was downright miserable so he agreed to make the appointment. Not only to keep Pepper from nagging but also to try to find some relief.
He made his appointment and, even being Tony Stark, he still had to wait weeks to get in with the specialist. He called Steve as soon as the appointment was made to see if he’d accompany him. Steve never answered. Tony knew Steve had been sent on a covert mission but that should have been long over. Natasha didn’t answer his calls either. Fury answered but just ignored what Tony initially called to ask about and began enquiring about the latest upgrades for SHIELD.
Tony resigned himself to going alone. He honestly didn’t think anything would come of it. Maybe get a prescription and he’d be good as new in no time.
He was never that lucky though.
It was cancer. Stage 3 lung cancer. The doc said that because of all the damage from Afghanistan and the arc reactor, he’d be lucky to see another 2 years even with aggressive treatment.
Tony pulled his phone out of his damp pocket as he sat in the driver seat of his car and opened his contacts. He just stared for a moment at the photo attached to Steve’s name. It was a photo that Tony had taken on their honeymoon. Steve had been standing on the balcony of the little villa in Italy that they’d stayed in, his back to the camera and his head tilted slightly to the side showing his profile with a soft smile on his lips while he watched the sunset. It was a beautiful memory and Tony had had so few of those lately.
Tony shook himself out of his reverie and pressed the call button. Finally, just as Tony was sure that voicemail was going to pick up, the line was answered.
“Hello?” the voice on the other end of the line said.
“Oh… Um… Barnes? Is… Is Steve around?” Tony hesitantly enquired. Why was Bucky Barnes answering Steve’s personal phone calls?
“He’s busy, Stark. What do you need?”
“Well, I really do need to speak with him. It’s kinda important. Like, life or death kind of important.”
“Yeah, right. I’m sure it is.” Barnes scoffed. “What’d you do? Pour a drink and fall in it?”
“What? No!” Tony argued, absolutely appalled that Steve’s best friend would speak to him like that, especially about something so sensitive. Tony had been sober for more than 5 years at this point. “It’s not any of your business. I need to speak with my husband! Now! Put him on the phone, please.”
“Your husband? You don’t have a husband anymore. According to Steve, you haven’t been married for months now. He’s been in my bed every night. I wake up to his kisses every morning. You need to quit with your delusions, Stark. They’re really getting out of hand.” Barnes declared before he disconnected the call.
Tony just sat there, numb with the phone still held up by his ear.
He’s been in my bed every night.
What did that even mean? It made no sense. It wasn’t computing in Tony’s head and Tony was a genius.
Haven’t been married for months? Delusions? Was he delusional? He’s pretty sure he’d have been aware of signing any paper work for a divorce.
As he sat in his silent car, his arm slowly lowering to rest in his lap, he stared, wide-eyed and blankly at the steering wheel. He slowly put the pieces together of his fallen and failed marriage. Of course there were no month long missions. Not even SHIELD could be that cruel to their operatives. Of course Steve didn’t have to train with Barnes on Tony’s birthday because SHIELD was in such desperate need of Barnes’ service.
Steve had been lying to Tony for months and didn’t even have the decency to tell him to his face! He had his paramour tell Tony in a phone call that Tony had placed in the first place. Was Tony so unimportant to Steve? Did their history, their experiences, the life they had shared mean so little to Steve that he couldn’t even give Tony the satisfaction of an actual ending?
Tony wiped away the single tear that had slowly trekked down his cheek, turned the ignition on the car, and drove away from the place where his whole life came crumbling down around him.