Chapter Text
Tony steeled himself for what was about to happen. He wasn’t looking forward to it.
But at the same time he was so looking forward to it.
He kept his expression impassive when the jet carrying the Rogues came into sight, when in all honestly he wanted to grin gleefully.
He could be petty and this pettiness was going to be glorious.
The jet landed and the passengers disembarked.
T’Challa came first and Tony could not help running his eyes over the man. He was a damn fine sight.
After him came Rogers, his ex-boyfriend having already pulled his boyish and excited expression up. Well, Tony wasn’t falling for that, not this time.
Next came Wilson, trailing Rogers like the good puppy he was. After him came Maximoff who was smirking like they’d won.
Oh how naïve.
Next came Barton and Lang, both looking around and expressions falling when they didn’t see their families. They were both in for a nasty surprise there.
Finally came Romanoff, sauntering down the ramp with all her usual grace and poise.
T’Challa stopped a short distance away from them, already aware of what was about to happen, and Rogers stopped next to him, staring longingly at Tony like he could will the genius to look at him.
Fat chance.
The others all came to a stop next to or behind Rogers except for Romanoff who kept walking, brushing past them all.
Tony allowed a grin to break across his face.
“Itsy Bitsy, my favourite spider, are you still sane?” he asked.
“If I have to hear one more Stark rant I will gut one of them. With a smile,” she answered in a deadpan tone.
Tony chuckled and a tired smile broke across her face. “Thank you for babysitting them Tasha. We do appreciate it. Sorry you had to deal with all that for five months.”
“You owe me chocolate,” Natasha announced, ignoring Barton’s muttered, “what the hell” from behind them.
“And I’ll get you all the chocolate you want Nat. But I’m sure you want to see everyone first. Yelena is inside.”
Her expression softened and she kissed his cheek as she walked past him. “Thank you Tony,” she whispered. “Thank you for finding her and saving her.”
Tony just nodded in return as she headed into the Compound.
“What the fuck?!” Barton finally shouted, drawing Tony’s attention back to them but it was Rhodey who answered.
“Did you actually think that Natasha agreed with you? That after reading through the Accords and agreeing that we need them, she’d randomly change her mind and decide that Rogers must be right despite him never reading the document? She’s not an idiot Barton.”
“She let us go at the airport,” Rogers argued.
“Because she was afraid that you were going to seriously hurt someone. Your side wasn’t holding back in the fight. Maximoff could have broken her spine when she threw Nat into that container,” Tony cut through his protests.
Barton fell silent at the reminder.
“She realised that you weren’t afraid to seriously injure someone on our side so she let you two go since we’d come planning to talk you down. We hadn’t arrived at that airport thinking that our friends would try and kill us.”
“We didn’t-” Rogers tried to argue but Tony wasn’t having any of it.
“You weren’t pulling your punches. You dropped a container on an unknown superhero, when you knew nothing about his powers. You didn’t know Spider-Man had enhanced strength or that he would survive that. You didn’t hesitate to tell a stranger how to short-circuit my suit in mid-flight. Maximoff didn’t hesitate to bury me in cars, although that wasn’t surprising at all. Rhodey got paralysed as a result of that battle. You do not have the moral high ground here Rogers. Need I remind you of Siberia?”
Silence fell for a moment and Tony turned to T’Challa when he was assured that they were shut up for the moment.
“Thank you for putting up with them so long King Kitty,” he grinned as the man chuckled.
“It was certainly an annoying chore but when such a handsome man requests it, how could I say no?”
Tony met his gaze for a moment, ignoring how Rogers made a strangled sound. They’d been doing this a lot, flirting whenever they saw each other. Neither of them had made a move to take it further yet though.
“Starting with the flattery already Simba?” Tony fluttered his lashes, heart pounding a bit as the King strode forward, closing the distance between them.
“Of course,” he informed Tony. “Now that the difficult business of the Rogues is out of the way, I am able to officially ask to court you Anthony. I would be a fool not to start with flattery as soon as I could to increase my chances of receiving a yes.”
Tony’s breath caught in his throat for a moment.
Suddenly, Shuri yelled out of the jet they’d arrived in. “For Bast’s sake, say yes! I cannot take my brother moping and pining in my lab for one more day Tony!”
T’Challa rolled his eyes to the sky in a clear plea for brotherly patience while Tony flushed.
“But he’s already got a boyfriend,” he faintly heard Rogers try and argue but ignored it.
“Well, when a handsome man asks me so nicely, how can I say no?” Tony maintained eye contact with the King and his heart fluttered at the genuine joy he found there at his answer.
T’Challa offered his arm and Tony accepted with a surprised but pleased smile.
“I have some presents for you if you have a moment.” T’Challa started walking him into the Compound, ignoring Rogers’ protests behind them.
“I’ve always got time for you Felix,” Tony replied, leaning against him slightly.
Yeah, he’d definitely enjoyed that. Pettiness was great sometimes and Nat enjoyed indulging in it as well.
But getting a hot royal boyfriend out of the deal as well?
This was a very good day.
“Pay up little spider, I was right,” Natasha smirked as Peter whined but produced the twenty he owed her.
“I really thought Mr. Stark would ask first,” he sighed.
“T’Challa has literally spent days practicing how he was going to do this,” Natasha smirked.
“Rogers looked like he was about to blow a gasket,” Yelena noted as they watched the video feed.
“Oh that’s not surprising. The idiot thought he could just pick up with Tony where he left off despite Siberia,” Natasha’s expression hardened as she spoke, remembering the truth of what happened and Rogers’ lies to them. She did wonder how the others would react to the truth.
The sisters looked at each other for a moment and Peter backed away at the truly terrifying light that lit in their eyes.
“This is going to be so much fun,” Nat smirked.