The Lucky one Chapter 2
Sep. 11th, 2009 04:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cat_13145Title: The Lucky one: Chapter Two: Surivour
Rating: R
Fandom: Marvel - probably Movieverse, but it can be read as AU.
Pairings: Tony/Tiberius, pre-slash Steve/Tony,
Part word count: 787
Genre: Drama, angst, hurt/comfort, character study
Warnings: This is a horrible fic, and I have no idea what Tony Stark did to make me do this to him. This first chapter contains references to: Non Con/Rape (I'm not sure what the difference is), Child abuse, Physical and Mental abuse, vomit and Voilence. The warnings will probably increase as the fic progresses
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters and make no profit from them
Part Summary: The aftermath of a mission, or Tony really needs a friend
Thanks: [Unknown site tag]a terrfic beta
Author's note: Please, please, please do not kill me for what I do to Tony. I promise it will get better.
Thank you for any and all comments
"Really?" Tiberius said, smiling, "so what would that make you? Marc Antony."
Tony flushed, suddenly feeling stupid. "Only my Dad calls me Antony. For everyone else, it's Tony."
"Only enemies call me Tiberius." The lecture has finished and everyone else is leaving but neither of them have noticed. "Friends, they call me Ty." And he leaned in and kissed him.
Things were going fine between them, until second year when Tony went home. On a whim, he invited Tiberius with him.
It was a mistake.
Obie wasn’t dumb; he picked up on what was between them almost immediately.
A slight cough made them both jump and spin around. Obadiah was there, staring at them. Tony tried desperately to look calm and collected, like his tongue hadn't just been down Ty's throat the whole journey down here.
"Obie. This is my...friend, Tiberius Stone. Ty, Obadiah Stane."
"Stark Industries right hand man." Ty said, reaching out to shake Obadiah's hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Stane."
"I wish I could say the same." Obadiah said, with a fake smile. "But Tony, he never calls home. You'd think we were behind the Iron Curtain, the amount of phonecalls we get."
"My Dad says the same." Ty was smiling uncomfortably, and indeed the whole situation felt awkward.
"Guest room upstairs?" Tony jumped slightly.
"Yeah. Along the corridor, third door on the left." Ty grabbed his bag, and headed upstairs, muttering that he'd give Tony a while to "catch up with the family stuff."
Obadiah led the way into the study. It was empty, not that was surprising. Howard and Maria weren't due back till tomorrow, that was partly why he and Ty had come back now. He was starting to regret his decision.
"So," he jumped and forced his attention back to Obadiah. "You and Ty Huh?"
Tony shifted, uncomfortably. He wanted to tell Obadiah that it was none of his dammed business, but he knew if he did that, Obadiah would tell his father. Howard Stark...wasn't all that tolerant.
"He's a good looking lad, can't deny that." Obadiah was pouring whisky into glasses, his eyes never leaving Tony's face. "Smart too, understand he's there a year early."
The lip of the decanter slid in with a clink.
"Looks to me like you really like him."
This time, Tony nodded, because he did like Ty. Like all the stuff they did together too, even the stuff he'd done previously with Obie. With Ty, it just...felt good, felt right.
Obidiah had moved, he was now standing against the desk, leaning against and regarding Tony like he was a high class steak.
"I Think I could show you something that he'd really like."
"Tony..that was...really... wow!"
Tony nodded, wiping his chin with the back of his hand, and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Obadiah had been right, Ty looked...he couldn't come up with any words, but he was clearly impressed.
"I mean it Tony, that was really good." He looked up and saw Ty looking at him. He couldn't understand the expression on Ty's face, like he was angry or something. But he couldn't be. He'd done it right, Ty had said so.
"Where did you learn it?"
He couldn't admit to that.
"Nowhere , Ty."
"Don't Lie To Me!"
He didn't even see the fist coming at him, just felt its impact and fell off the bed. He couldn't get up, just lay there, on the floor, stunned.
"Ton? Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Ty was suddenly on the floor beside him, his arms wrapped around him. "I'm sorry Tony. It's just, I love you. I don't care who taught you that, I just can't stand you lying to me, you understand that, don't you Tony?"
He had to get out of here, clear his head.
"Tony?"
That was the first night since he'd come back from college, that he slept in his own bed.
Ty had apologised again after breakfast, and sworn blind it would never happen again. Tony had tried to believe him, tried to make it work. But they’d drifted apart, especially when Ty was asked to leave the college after a fight with another student.
Soon after, he met Bruce Wayne, a guy who made him feel the way Rhodey and Ty did, who was actually interested in him, and who liked him.
He wanted Bruce to be his first. But that didn’t happen.
Ty came back to college, surprisingly, as the dean had threaten to prosecute if he saw him on campus again, and unannounced.
It was Tony’s fault. If he hadn't invited Ty back to his room after seeing him in the quad, hadn’t been drinking, hadn’t been smoking pot, hadn't offered both to Ty, then he wouldn’t have…taken him.
He could remember every detail of that day, the sounds from the courtyard, the breeze coming in through the open window as Ty ripped off his jeans, Ty sneering down at him, looking like he had that night in his parents house, but worse, angrier somehow, trying to tell him “no!”, and getting words out too, but Ty’s hand was around his cock and he was struggling to get away...No. he was squirming into the touch, because he liked it, because he was a disgusting little whore. The lube and condoms carefully brought for his and Bruce’s first time, had been above the bed. Ty had grabbed them and…he’d taken him. Like a whore. After all. He came without been touched, so he must have enjoyed it.
He could still remember Ty’s words as he cleaned himself up. “Nobody keeps a whore around after they’ve fucked him, Tony. Nobody, except me.”
Rhodey had come around a couple of hours later, and found him passed out on the sheets. (“Jesus, Tony what happened?”). He’d begged him to go to the campus police, to tell them what happened. But he couldn’t.
A woman in his father’s office had once accused his father of rape. Tony had never forgotten watching the defence attorney tear her to pieces. Like tissue paper.
So he’d persuaded Rhodey to keep it a secret, and he’d helped him clean up and stayed with him that evening.
Later that week, when he and Bruce finally had their first time, he was certain Bruce knew that he wasn’t his first. He broke up with him later that week.
After that, for a long while, there were no men, only women. Women couldn’t hurt you like that, women couldn’t do that, women…women were safe.
But he was still a whore, so there’s thousands of them, with himself seeking their approval, their affection, their love…their respect.
Then Afghanistan happened. And Obie betrayed him.
The night of Obadiah's funeral, he’d run into Ty again.
He’d gone upstairs, to Obie’s room, just to get away from everyone, to think. He’d been sitting in a chair, just a moment to get his shit together, when Ty had come upstairs.
“Peppers getting everyone to leave.” He said, softly. “Tony…” He’d reached out to touch him, but he’d jerked away. Older, stronger now.
“Stay the fuck away from me, Stone!”
Stone shrugged, and he was calm, too calm, just like everyone else, like nothing was fucking wrong, and Tony was raging, punching flesh and wall, Stone unmoving despite the blows. After a few moments, Tony stumbled back, let his arms hang limp at his sides, breathing heavily. Tiberius waited, until he was still.
"I just wanted to say I was sorry, when i heard about it, what happened. I still can't believe it." he shook his head ." Ty said, gently, ""I know that Obidiah was like a father, Tony, that you two were... close." He reached out, gently easing the jacket off Tony's back. "I just wanted you to know you don't have to go thought this alone." He was stroking his shoulders, the jacket lying abandoned on a chair. It had been a long time, too long, since anyone touched him like that. "It'll be just like old times. Remember?" Then his mouth was on Tony’s and his tongue was forcing its way in.
It had been…so long, and it felt so good, and he didn’t realize where they were going, until the back of his leg hit the bed.
He supposed it was inevitable, that Ty felt he had to remove all trace of Obadiah’s influence.
Pepper had found them there the next morning. She hadn’t said anything, just rearranged some meetings. And suddenly they were together.
He’d expected Ty to object to Iron man, and indeed he’d always wandered why he hadn’t.
Looking back, however, it was obvious.
If people at work saw him with a black eye, or a broken shoulder, or any injury really, they assumed it came from Iron Man. If the Avengers noticed he was injured, then they thought it came from a solo mission.
Rhodey had been suspicious, but then he had help Tony after the first time, so it went with the territory. He was smart enough to guess the rules of the game, and had never interfered, just helped out when he could. More than once, Tony credited him with saving his sanity.
Others had too.
When Tony had run into Bruce at a fundraiser, sporting a black eye and two cracked ribs, Bruce had raised an eyebrow at his explanations. He hadn’t said anything, but had spent the rest of the party watching Tiberius with an expression of dislike on his face. And once, when their companies were working on a joint venture together in Gotham and Tony fell asleep in his office, he had covered him with a blanket and told his to deal with any shit that came from that. He’d slept better than he had done since this mess started.
For all that people suspected however, only one person- well two- he supposed now, had truly found out.
A couple of rough missions had left him feeling nauseous, and when he and Tiberius had been…together that night, he’d thrown up over Ty.
Been sick after their sessions was nothing new, but he had always managed to make it to the bathroom before he did, preserving a tiny amount of his self respect.
Ty had been furious, not that Tony could blame him, and had punished him for it. It had only been when Ty was almost hoarse from yelling, and Tony was just wishing that he’d die and this be over, that he heard a small gasp and realize that Pepper had witnessed it. She hadn’t seen everything, but it had been enough.
He’d held out for nearly a week, trying to be strong. Pepper had tried to talk to him about what she’d witnessed, but he pushed her away, not wanting to hurt her more than he already had.
But because he’s a coward and a liar (and he genuinely thought Ty might kill him), he gave in.
The memory of that conversation still made his stomach turn.
“Hey. Pep, its Tony.”
”Tony?” she had sounded scared, and he nearly hung up on her. But Ty’s hand was on his back and he forced himself to continue. “Are you alright?”
“Sure. Listen I want to talk to you about what you saw last week.”
“Thank God Tony.” She sounded genuinely relieved. “Listen the first thing to remember is it’s not your fault. There are places, people who can help you both.”
He nearly laughed at that, because : a. It was his fault, and b. there were no places for rich businessmen and their abusive lovers. Especially their male abusive lovers . He’d checked.
He swallowed, forcing the playboy that he had spent so long pretending to be, and the whore that he was, into his voice.
“That’s sounds great Pepper, but I was really more interested in whether you’d like to join us?”
“Tony.” Pepper’s voice was firm. “Have you been drinking?”
“Oh Come on Pepper, like I haven’t noticed you looking. It’s O.K. to have a thing for hot raunchy mansex and it’s really O.K. If you want to join us.”
“Tony!” her voice was so calm and strict that he wanted to beg Ty to let him keep her. But he didn’t because he knew it was pointless. “What I saw was not mansex, raunchy or otherwise. It was Tiberius beating you almost to death, and I’m sorry if I have to say that to anyone else, but I will do if that’s what it’ll take to get you to admit you need…”
“You’re fired.” He said rapidly and hung up because he didn’t think he can do this anymore. He was shaking, but Ty was kissing his neck and his arms were moving over his shoulders, and down on to his chest.
“Very good, Tony.” He whispered, voice soft. “You’ve earned a reward.”
His hands worked Tony's fly open, and he was smiling at him, as he sank to his knees. Tony let a small gasp, as Ty had never ever done that before, it had always been Tony on his knees, and for a moment, it all seemed worth it. But then he thought of waking up tomorrow, with no Pepper, and having to go through interviews to find someone who could do half the stuff she did without even thinking, and who would keep their mouth shut about this...
Ty mouth was magic, but what he wanted more than anything at that moment was for Ty to leave him alone. For everyone to do that. But he said nothing, and took his reward without a sound.
He didn't think he could bear it if that was Steve.
Jan stepped forward to meet him.
“I still can’t believe it.” She choked out. “How is he?”
Steve shrugged.
He couldn’t bring himself to describe how Tony was sitting on his bed in the hospital, curled into a fetal position and shaking slightly.
How any physical contact caused him to freak out, which was ...interesting for the medics as they tried to help.
This, the medics had reassured him, was not uncommon with abuse survivors. That didn’t mean they weren’t worried, Tony was on suicide watch, but they were hopeful that he would recover.
The staff physiatrist had suggested that getting Tony some of his own clothes might help him feel a bit better.
“Were you able to…?” he trailed off.
Jan shrugged. “I never really thought about how little time Iron man actually spent here out of costume. This,” she handed a small plastic bag over. “Is all I could find.”
Steve looked inside. There was a pair of sweat pants and what he would call a string vest. Both were greased stained, and completely inadequate.
Tony’s dislike of skin contact meant that he had practically cocooned himself in sheets at the hospital. While he had no doubt that Tony would wear these, Steve was also sure it would leave him too exposed.
“Wasn’t there anything else?” he asked slightly desperately as Jan shook her head. The New Jersey house was still a crime scene under Fury’s Men, and he didn’t want to risk a run in with Tiberius at any of Tony’s other properties. He didn’t trust his self control around that man.
“I checked his room, I checked his locker, I even persuaded Jarvis to let me check inside the workshop. Nothing.”
He nodded, glancing at Hank. “Any luck tracking down…anyone?”
He asked. The hospital had warned that, if an emergency came in, they would have to release Tony to free up beds, and even if Nick’s people were finished, there was no way Tony could go back there, not yet at least.
Hank sighed. “There’s a cousin, of some description, but from what I heard he wouldn’t be much use. The guy who looked after him when he was a kid, Jarvis,” He shrugged at Steve’s expression, “Guess a lot we don’t know about Tony,” he continued. “He’s in England. And nearly ninety, no way he should be burden with this. The , Pepper, she’s working for some bigwig in Washington and won’t be able to get leave on such short notice.”
“What about Colonel Rhodes?”
“On assignment, in comminicado for at least the next couple of weeks.” Hank sighed. “Nick’s been trying to get through, but he’s not hopeful.” He shook his head. “Logan says he’s sorry, but after everything that’s happened recently and the time of year, he can’t have Stark at the manor, he said you’d understand that.”
Steve nodded. Having heard Logan’s account of the revenge his brother was inflicting on the mutant every year in revenge of his betrayal, he understood. The last thing Tony needed was getting caught in the middle of Sabretooth's feud with Wolverine (though he admitted he wouldn’t be heartbroken if Tiberius encountered him) “and Peter’s aunt shouldn’t have to worry about insane men bursting into their home.”
Steve nodded, and suddenly remembered.
When he had come out of the ice, and was still adjusting to this new world, Tony had spent a whole day teaching him how to use a computer. They had done it out side, until a sudden shower had forced them inside. Tony had been in civilian clothes, including a huge MIT Sweatshirt.
The shirt had got drenched, along with most of Steve’s clothes, and had been washed and given back to him by mistake. He’d been meaning to return it to Tony, but it had been the last time they actually sat together. After that Tony had just bolted as soon as missions were finished. He understood why now.
Quickly ignoring whatever Hank had been saying, he dashed up stairs. The sweater was still there, lying across a chair. He smiled.
It might not be much, but it definitely would help Tony feel better
TBC
Rating: R
Fandom: Marvel - probably Movieverse, but it can be read as AU.
Pairings: Tony/Tiberius, pre-slash Steve/Tony,
Part word count: 787
Genre: Drama, angst, hurt/comfort, character study
Warnings: This is a horrible fic, and I have no idea what Tony Stark did to make me do this to him. This first chapter contains references to: Non Con/Rape (I'm not sure what the difference is), Child abuse, Physical and Mental abuse, vomit and Voilence. The warnings will probably increase as the fic progresses
Disclaimer: I own none of these characters and make no profit from them
Part Summary: The aftermath of a mission, or Tony really needs a friend
Thanks: [Unknown site tag]a terrfic beta
Author's note: Please, please, please do not kill me for what I do to Tony. I promise it will get better.
Thank you for any and all comments
Tiberius wasn’t the first.
That was Obadiah Stane, one of his father’s business associates the year before he left for MIT.
Tony was the first to admit that he knew it felt wrong, but Obie gave him the attention and affection he’d never got from anyone else, and he was nearly double Tony’s size, and he knew his father wouldn’t believe him, so he never said anything.
Things never went beyond mutual masturbation at that time, anyway, so he didn’t think or say anything of it.
Rhodey was the first guy he liked, but after a couple of drunken incidents, where the man made it very clear that while he was flattered, he didn’t like Tony in that way, they settled down to just being friends.
Then he met Tiberius Stone in an engineering lecture.
If he cast his mind back, he could still remember that day, though he couldn't actually remember what the lecture had been on. That might have been because he was doodling improvements for the latest Stark Industry venture, when he was aware of someone looking over his shoulder.
Quickly he slammed the notebook shut and spun around to find himself looking up into a pair of pale eyes.
"What?"
"Artificial Intelligence. Got to admit that's a use I never thought of for this stuff." The stranger jerked his head at the blackboard and extended a hand. "Tiberius Stone."
"Tony Stark."
"I know." Tiberius was smiling at him, like he was some new and exciting computer model. "I've heard a lot about you. they say you're here two years early."
"Four." Tony replied, and he wasn't showing off, just making sure this guy, with has all the facts.
Tiberius shrugged. "He was a Roman emperor, conquered half the world. My dad's a bit of a history nut."
"Really?" Tiberius said, smiling, "so what would that make you? Marc Antony."
Tony flushed, suddenly feeling stupid. "Only my Dad calls me Antony. For everyone else, it's Tony."
"Only enemies call me Tiberius." The lecture has finished and everyone else is leaving but neither of them have noticed. "Friends, they call me Ty." And he leaned in and kissed him.
Things were going fine between them, until second year when Tony went home. On a whim, he invited Tiberius with him.
It was a mistake.
Obie wasn’t dumb; he picked up on what was between them almost immediately.
A slight cough made them both jump and spin around. Obadiah was there, staring at them. Tony tried desperately to look calm and collected, like his tongue hadn't just been down Ty's throat the whole journey down here.
"Obie. This is my...friend, Tiberius Stone. Ty, Obadiah Stane."
"Stark Industries right hand man." Ty said, reaching out to shake Obadiah's hand. "I've heard a lot about you, Mr. Stane."
"I wish I could say the same." Obadiah said, with a fake smile. "But Tony, he never calls home. You'd think we were behind the Iron Curtain, the amount of phonecalls we get."
"My Dad says the same." Ty was smiling uncomfortably, and indeed the whole situation felt awkward.
"Guest room upstairs?" Tony jumped slightly.
"Yeah. Along the corridor, third door on the left." Ty grabbed his bag, and headed upstairs, muttering that he'd give Tony a while to "catch up with the family stuff."
Obadiah led the way into the study. It was empty, not that was surprising. Howard and Maria weren't due back till tomorrow, that was partly why he and Ty had come back now. He was starting to regret his decision.
"So," he jumped and forced his attention back to Obadiah. "You and Ty Huh?"
Tony shifted, uncomfortably. He wanted to tell Obadiah that it was none of his dammed business, but he knew if he did that, Obadiah would tell his father. Howard Stark...wasn't all that tolerant.
"He's a good looking lad, can't deny that." Obadiah was pouring whisky into glasses, his eyes never leaving Tony's face. "Smart too, understand he's there a year early."
The lip of the decanter slid in with a clink.
"Looks to me like you really like him."
This time, Tony nodded, because he did like Ty. Like all the stuff they did together too, even the stuff he'd done previously with Obie. With Ty, it just...felt good, felt right.
Obidiah had moved, he was now standing against the desk, leaning against and regarding Tony like he was a high class steak.
"I Think I could show you something that he'd really like."
"What?" Tony asked, trying to be a business man, to casual, not to look like it's what he'd been hoping for. He knew Ty was older and...more experienced, and Tony wanted Ty to like him so much.
****
With a huge cry, Ty fell back, panting against the pillows."Tony..that was...really... wow!"
Tony nodded, wiping his chin with the back of his hand, and grinning like a Cheshire cat. Obadiah had been right, Ty looked...he couldn't come up with any words, but he was clearly impressed.
"I mean it Tony, that was really good." He looked up and saw Ty looking at him. He couldn't understand the expression on Ty's face, like he was angry or something. But he couldn't be. He'd done it right, Ty had said so.
"Where did you learn it?"
He couldn't admit to that.
"Nowhere , Ty."
"Don't lie to me." Ty had grabbed his arm, pulling him up against his will. "Who taught you to do that?"
"Ty, you're hurting-"
"Who taught you-?"
"Don't Lie To Me!"
He didn't even see the fist coming at him, just felt its impact and fell off the bed. He couldn't get up, just lay there, on the floor, stunned.
"Ton? Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to." Ty was suddenly on the floor beside him, his arms wrapped around him. "I'm sorry Tony. It's just, I love you. I don't care who taught you that, I just can't stand you lying to me, you understand that, don't you Tony?"
He had to get out of here, clear his head.
"Tony?"
That was the first night since he'd come back from college, that he slept in his own bed.
Ty had apologised again after breakfast, and sworn blind it would never happen again. Tony had tried to believe him, tried to make it work. But they’d drifted apart, especially when Ty was asked to leave the college after a fight with another student.
Soon after, he met Bruce Wayne, a guy who made him feel the way Rhodey and Ty did, who was actually interested in him, and who liked him.
He wanted Bruce to be his first. But that didn’t happen.
Ty came back to college, surprisingly, as the dean had threaten to prosecute if he saw him on campus again, and unannounced.
It was Tony’s fault. If he hadn't invited Ty back to his room after seeing him in the quad, hadn’t been drinking, hadn’t been smoking pot, hadn't offered both to Ty, then he wouldn’t have…taken him.
He could remember every detail of that day, the sounds from the courtyard, the breeze coming in through the open window as Ty ripped off his jeans, Ty sneering down at him, looking like he had that night in his parents house, but worse, angrier somehow, trying to tell him “no!”, and getting words out too, but Ty’s hand was around his cock and he was struggling to get away...No. he was squirming into the touch, because he liked it, because he was a disgusting little whore. The lube and condoms carefully brought for his and Bruce’s first time, had been above the bed. Ty had grabbed them and…he’d taken him. Like a whore. After all. He came without been touched, so he must have enjoyed it.
He could still remember Ty’s words as he cleaned himself up. “Nobody keeps a whore around after they’ve fucked him, Tony. Nobody, except me.”
Rhodey had come around a couple of hours later, and found him passed out on the sheets. (“Jesus, Tony what happened?”). He’d begged him to go to the campus police, to tell them what happened. But he couldn’t.
A woman in his father’s office had once accused his father of rape. Tony had never forgotten watching the defence attorney tear her to pieces. Like tissue paper.
So he’d persuaded Rhodey to keep it a secret, and he’d helped him clean up and stayed with him that evening.
Later that week, when he and Bruce finally had their first time, he was certain Bruce knew that he wasn’t his first. He broke up with him later that week.
After that, for a long while, there were no men, only women. Women couldn’t hurt you like that, women couldn’t do that, women…women were safe.
But he was still a whore, so there’s thousands of them, with himself seeking their approval, their affection, their love…their respect.
Then Afghanistan happened. And Obie betrayed him.
The night of Obadiah's funeral, he’d run into Ty again.
He’d gone upstairs, to Obie’s room, just to get away from everyone, to think. He’d been sitting in a chair, just a moment to get his shit together, when Ty had come upstairs.
“Peppers getting everyone to leave.” He said, softly. “Tony…” He’d reached out to touch him, but he’d jerked away. Older, stronger now.
“Stay the fuck away from me, Stone!”
Stone shrugged, and he was calm, too calm, just like everyone else, like nothing was fucking wrong, and Tony was raging, punching flesh and wall, Stone unmoving despite the blows. After a few moments, Tony stumbled back, let his arms hang limp at his sides, breathing heavily. Tiberius waited, until he was still.
"I just wanted to say I was sorry, when i heard about it, what happened. I still can't believe it." he shook his head ." Ty said, gently, ""I know that Obidiah was like a father, Tony, that you two were... close." He reached out, gently easing the jacket off Tony's back. "I just wanted you to know you don't have to go thought this alone." He was stroking his shoulders, the jacket lying abandoned on a chair. It had been a long time, too long, since anyone touched him like that. "It'll be just like old times. Remember?" Then his mouth was on Tony’s and his tongue was forcing its way in.
It had been…so long, and it felt so good, and he didn’t realize where they were going, until the back of his leg hit the bed.
He supposed it was inevitable, that Ty felt he had to remove all trace of Obadiah’s influence.
Pepper had found them there the next morning. She hadn’t said anything, just rearranged some meetings. And suddenly they were together.
He’d expected Ty to object to Iron man, and indeed he’d always wandered why he hadn’t.
Looking back, however, it was obvious.
If people at work saw him with a black eye, or a broken shoulder, or any injury really, they assumed it came from Iron Man. If the Avengers noticed he was injured, then they thought it came from a solo mission.
Rhodey had been suspicious, but then he had help Tony after the first time, so it went with the territory. He was smart enough to guess the rules of the game, and had never interfered, just helped out when he could. More than once, Tony credited him with saving his sanity.
Others had too.
When Tony had run into Bruce at a fundraiser, sporting a black eye and two cracked ribs, Bruce had raised an eyebrow at his explanations. He hadn’t said anything, but had spent the rest of the party watching Tiberius with an expression of dislike on his face. And once, when their companies were working on a joint venture together in Gotham and Tony fell asleep in his office, he had covered him with a blanket and told his to deal with any shit that came from that. He’d slept better than he had done since this mess started.
For all that people suspected however, only one person- well two- he supposed now, had truly found out.
A couple of rough missions had left him feeling nauseous, and when he and Tiberius had been…together that night, he’d thrown up over Ty.
Been sick after their sessions was nothing new, but he had always managed to make it to the bathroom before he did, preserving a tiny amount of his self respect.
Ty had been furious, not that Tony could blame him, and had punished him for it. It had only been when Ty was almost hoarse from yelling, and Tony was just wishing that he’d die and this be over, that he heard a small gasp and realize that Pepper had witnessed it. She hadn’t seen everything, but it had been enough.
He’d held out for nearly a week, trying to be strong. Pepper had tried to talk to him about what she’d witnessed, but he pushed her away, not wanting to hurt her more than he already had.
But because he’s a coward and a liar (and he genuinely thought Ty might kill him), he gave in.
The memory of that conversation still made his stomach turn.
“Hey. Pep, its Tony.”
”Tony?” she had sounded scared, and he nearly hung up on her. But Ty’s hand was on his back and he forced himself to continue. “Are you alright?”
“Sure. Listen I want to talk to you about what you saw last week.”
“Thank God Tony.” She sounded genuinely relieved. “Listen the first thing to remember is it’s not your fault. There are places, people who can help you both.”
He nearly laughed at that, because : a. It was his fault, and b. there were no places for rich businessmen and their abusive lovers. Especially their male abusive lovers . He’d checked.
He swallowed, forcing the playboy that he had spent so long pretending to be, and the whore that he was, into his voice.
“That’s sounds great Pepper, but I was really more interested in whether you’d like to join us?”
“Tony.” Pepper’s voice was firm. “Have you been drinking?”
“Oh Come on Pepper, like I haven’t noticed you looking. It’s O.K. to have a thing for hot raunchy mansex and it’s really O.K. If you want to join us.”
“Tony!” her voice was so calm and strict that he wanted to beg Ty to let him keep her. But he didn’t because he knew it was pointless. “What I saw was not mansex, raunchy or otherwise. It was Tiberius beating you almost to death, and I’m sorry if I have to say that to anyone else, but I will do if that’s what it’ll take to get you to admit you need…”
“You’re fired.” He said rapidly and hung up because he didn’t think he can do this anymore. He was shaking, but Ty was kissing his neck and his arms were moving over his shoulders, and down on to his chest.
“Very good, Tony.” He whispered, voice soft. “You’ve earned a reward.”
His hands worked Tony's fly open, and he was smiling at him, as he sank to his knees. Tony let a small gasp, as Ty had never ever done that before, it had always been Tony on his knees, and for a moment, it all seemed worth it. But then he thought of waking up tomorrow, with no Pepper, and having to go through interviews to find someone who could do half the stuff she did without even thinking, and who would keep their mouth shut about this...
Ty mouth was magic, but what he wanted more than anything at that moment was for Ty to leave him alone. For everyone to do that. But he said nothing, and took his reward without a sound.
He didn't think he could bear it if that was Steve.
***
Steve pushed open the backdoor and stepped into the Avenger's kitchen.Jan stepped forward to meet him.
“I still can’t believe it.” She choked out. “How is he?”
Steve shrugged.
He couldn’t bring himself to describe how Tony was sitting on his bed in the hospital, curled into a fetal position and shaking slightly.
How any physical contact caused him to freak out, which was ...interesting for the medics as they tried to help.
This, the medics had reassured him, was not uncommon with abuse survivors. That didn’t mean they weren’t worried, Tony was on suicide watch, but they were hopeful that he would recover.
The staff physiatrist had suggested that getting Tony some of his own clothes might help him feel a bit better.
“Were you able to…?” he trailed off.
Jan shrugged. “I never really thought about how little time Iron man actually spent here out of costume. This,” she handed a small plastic bag over. “Is all I could find.”
Steve looked inside. There was a pair of sweat pants and what he would call a string vest. Both were greased stained, and completely inadequate.
Tony’s dislike of skin contact meant that he had practically cocooned himself in sheets at the hospital. While he had no doubt that Tony would wear these, Steve was also sure it would leave him too exposed.
“Wasn’t there anything else?” he asked slightly desperately as Jan shook her head. The New Jersey house was still a crime scene under Fury’s Men, and he didn’t want to risk a run in with Tiberius at any of Tony’s other properties. He didn’t trust his self control around that man.
“I checked his room, I checked his locker, I even persuaded Jarvis to let me check inside the workshop. Nothing.”
He nodded, glancing at Hank. “Any luck tracking down…anyone?”
He asked. The hospital had warned that, if an emergency came in, they would have to release Tony to free up beds, and even if Nick’s people were finished, there was no way Tony could go back there, not yet at least.
Hank sighed. “There’s a cousin, of some description, but from what I heard he wouldn’t be much use. The guy who looked after him when he was a kid, Jarvis,” He shrugged at Steve’s expression, “Guess a lot we don’t know about Tony,” he continued. “He’s in England. And nearly ninety, no way he should be burden with this. The , Pepper, she’s working for some bigwig in Washington and won’t be able to get leave on such short notice.”
“What about Colonel Rhodes?”
“On assignment, in comminicado for at least the next couple of weeks.” Hank sighed. “Nick’s been trying to get through, but he’s not hopeful.” He shook his head. “Logan says he’s sorry, but after everything that’s happened recently and the time of year, he can’t have Stark at the manor, he said you’d understand that.”
Steve nodded. Having heard Logan’s account of the revenge his brother was inflicting on the mutant every year in revenge of his betrayal, he understood. The last thing Tony needed was getting caught in the middle of Sabretooth's feud with Wolverine (though he admitted he wouldn’t be heartbroken if Tiberius encountered him) “and Peter’s aunt shouldn’t have to worry about insane men bursting into their home.”
Steve nodded, and suddenly remembered.
When he had come out of the ice, and was still adjusting to this new world, Tony had spent a whole day teaching him how to use a computer. They had done it out side, until a sudden shower had forced them inside. Tony had been in civilian clothes, including a huge MIT Sweatshirt.
The shirt had got drenched, along with most of Steve’s clothes, and had been washed and given back to him by mistake. He’d been meaning to return it to Tony, but it had been the last time they actually sat together. After that Tony had just bolted as soon as missions were finished. He understood why now.
Quickly ignoring whatever Hank had been saying, he dashed up stairs. The sweater was still there, lying across a chair. He smiled.
It might not be much, but it definitely would help Tony feel better
TBC
