As Long As The Sun Burns

Chapter Six

"How are you doing?" Steve asked, the AC above humming softly. The phone in his hand was old and cracked, but it was the only one that had his number and connected to him. "I mean, how's everyone treating you there?"

"Pretty good," Bucky's voice was distorted by the call, but the familiar sound made Steve's emotions settle. "That Shuri always talks to me. Doll's a blessing."

"That's great, Buck." Steve said.

"What about you, punk?" Bucky asked. Steve opened his mouth to say everything was fine, that his entire world hadn't just gone to shit. "And don't say it's all good. I can tell something's up."

Darn. There goes that plan. "It's just...it's been harder than I thought it would be."

"What? Seeing your ex or your son?" Bucky asked.

"He's apparently not my son anymore." Steve said bitterly.

"What?! What do you mean?" Bucky demanded. Steve huffed and turned onto his back, facing the ceiling.

"He had my rights removed," Steve responded.

"But I thought your lawyer--"

"--took care of it. Me too. Apparently when he said 'took care of it' he meant giving up my rights," Steve said. "I didn't even know."

"Aw, I'm sorry, that sucks," Bucky said. "But at least you get to see him?"

"Yeah, well apparently Stark never told Peter about the divorce. Peter didn't know about any of it," Steve said. "He asked me about it yesterday and it didn't really go well."

"What happened?"

"Yelled at me. Said I hurt Tony. How I abandoned my family for you. Then he left," Steve said, covering his face in his hands. "What do I do Buck? I want to fix this. I don't want...I want to be his Poppa again, but he's so angry, I don't even know where to start."

"Maybe you should talk to him?" Bucky offered. Steve snorted.

"Yeah, look how well that turned out." Steve said dryly. "He hates me now."

"Aw, Punk, he doesn't hate you. He's just angry right now," Bucky said. "Just give him time to process it. And try not to push him."

Steve sighed. "I know. I just...I've never been the best at being patient."

Bucky snorted. "That's a lie. You're all about those virtues."

"Not when it comes to Peter," Steve sighed. "But I guess I'll just have to wait for the right opportunity."

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"OSCORP?!" Peter cried. Ned looked at him in surprise, not expecting his friend to shout like that.

"What? That didn't really sound like an excited shout," Ned said. "What's wrong?"

"I'm never going to be able to go!" Peter groaned. "My dad hates Oscorp. He'll never let me."

"Why does your dad hate Oscorp?" Ned asked, and for a second, Peter had forgotten that nobody knew he was Tony Stark's son.

"Well, my dad thinks Norman Osborn is a crook," Peter explained, not entirely lying because, well. He did. "And he hates him. If I tell him the field trip is to Oscorp, I'll never get to go."

"So don't tell him," Ned suggested.

"How so?"

"Just like, I don't know, cover the name?" Ned said. "Like with a piece of paper or something, and then just trick him into signing it!"