Steve's POV
Friends.
Right.
I should've known.
Tony kisses me three times then says that we're only friends. That's all we'll ever be.
It hurt, to say the least.
I've heard of the new age term friend zoned and I honestly didn't think it would hurt this bad. I wish I would have never kissed him.
I shakily made my way to the living room. Immediately, everyone's eyes landed on me.
That's the last thing I wanted right now.
Attention.
"Steve! Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Pepper asked running up to me.
I gave her a fake smile and waved off her worries.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it," I said, training my eyes on the ground. It felt weird talking to her after I just kissed her boyfriend.
Ugh, why did I do that?
"You just gonna stand there or you gonna come sit?"
I looked up and I saw Natasha patting the couch seat next to her. I sat and noticed that nearly everyone was in here.
"Is there a secret party I need to know about?" I asked jokingly.
"We were all just waiting to see if you were okay," Pietro piped up. I looked around at Wanda, Thor, Bruce, Pepper, Tasha, and back to Pietro again.
They were all waiting on me?
"Oh, you guys didn't have to wait for me," I said humbly.
"Yes, we did. Stark wouldn't let anyone down there," Bruce said.
"Can't have our team leader going into an anxiety attack," Wanda said with a small smile.
"What happened?" Pietro asked curiously, which earned him a slap on the arm from his sister.
"No, it's alright," I told the twins who were bickering in their foreign language. "I had a flashback about one of my friends from the 40's. She's still alive."
The room went silent, waiting to hear more. Pietro curled up on his place on the recliner that he was sharing with his sister. Thor stretched out on the love seat and Bruce and Pepper genuinely looked interested.
I looked at Tasha, who just smiled at me encouragingly, before beginning.
"Her name was Peggy. We met back in military training before I was injected with the super soldier serum," I began.
"I can't even imagine you being so small," Pepper interrupted but he tone was filled with curiosity.
"Well, believe it. I was shorter than Tony and weaker than Bruce," I said causing everyone to laugh and Bruce to scoff.
"You realize the Hulk is stronger than all of you, right?" Bruce said with an eyebrow raised.
"Hush, mortal. I'm trying to lend my ear to Steve's tale," Thor said, shushing Bruce.
Bruce pouted. I laughed but continued.
"She was an agent, one of the best. Everyone underestimated her since she was a woman but not me."
"Did you like her?" Wanda asked.
I looked up at her before training my eyes to the ground and shaking my head.
"I've always been...-"
"Gay?"
"Homosexual?"
"Into men?"
"-different," I finished with a laugh. Pietro, Bruce, and Thor all looked guilty for their suggestions but it doesn't bother me anymore.
"I used to get bullied. A man in the theaters was calling another man a faggot and I tried to stick up for him. It all went downhill from there. Everyone knew I was different and took every opportunity they could to beat me up. I would get beat behind diners and in alley ways. My best friend, Bucky, would come to my rescue each time."
"Did you put up a good fight?" Thor wondered.
"The best," I smiled, "gave it all I had."
"Just had walk it off, right?" Pietro grinned.
"Exactly," I said remembering that those were my words to him before the big Ultron fight.
"What about Bucky?" Tasha asked from beside me.
"Yeah, was he cute?" Pietro asked which caused everyone but Wanda, Tasha, and I to look at him like he was crazy.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," I said smiling at the blushing speedster. He nodded in acknowledgement before sinking back, behind his sister's shoulder.
"Bucky was with me in the army. Before and after the serum, it was us against the world. Sadly, he- uh- fell from a train on our last mission together. I couldn't grab him quick enough. I couldn't save him like he'd always done for me," I rambled, growing frustrated and colder by the second.
I felt a gentle hand on my back and looked over at Tasha.
"You should see Peggy," she suggested, quickly changing my mind set.
"What? I don't- That might not be a good idea Tasha-"
"Shh, it'll be good for you. Now would you like me to help you find her?"
I shook my head, "I know how to find her."
"How?
"She's Ace's mother."
***A/N***
Quick update because I love you guys and I wrote so much last night XD
Enjoy? Thoughts?
A bit of a cliffhanger before the week starts ;)
I'll try to write more tonight!
Thanks and byee!