Traitor

Chapter 8

Bucky watched Tony grumble silently and rub his face blearily, seizing the coffee pot like a prized possession. It took Tony a few deep sips to perk up and even realize he wasn't alone. "Jesus fucking Christ." Tony grabbed at his chest and huffed out a breath.

Bucky supposed it was a reasonable reaction, given he suddenly realized that he was being watched by an ex assassin. He thought Tony would be wary to approach him after that, so he was surprised when Tony took a seat next to him excitedly.

"Hi, did you sleep well? I hope you did because I wanted to take a good look at that arm of yours, only if you want to of course. I wouldn't want to make you uncomfortable." Tony rambled, and Bucky found it irresistibly endearing.

"My arm?" Bucky raised an eyebrow, what could Tony possibly want with his arm? Tony gave a jerk nod, he reached to touch Bucky's bionic arm but hesitated. "May I?"

Bucky blinked blankly, he'd never really been asked that before. Bucky never really had a choice, and if he had been back then, he'd have said no. This was different though, Tony felt safe and warm. He wouldn't hurt him, and Bucky was startled to realize how true he believed that to be.

He stretched his arm out for Tony, silently agreeing. As soon  as Tony's calloused hands touched the metal, he began to babble incoherently about the technology and the improvements he could make. Bucky hardly payed attention to anything else, just the way he felt when he saw the contrast of their hands together.

"So, what do you think?" Bucky was startled out of his stupor, he looked up to see Tony's knowing smile.
"Sorry, what?" He coughed awkwardly.
"I just asked if you would mind coming down to my lab today, just to make a rough draft of a new arm."

"You'd build an arm for me?" Bucky asked, he was confused because Tony had no reason to be nice to him. Yet, there he was offering to upgrade Bucky's arm.

"Well, yeah! That's what I do around here, make everything. It's why the team even keeps me around." He joked, making Bucky frown because he could have sworn he heard some sincerity in his voice.

"Are you sure? I mean-" Tony held a hand up, willing Bucky's self loathing hesitation to stop. "I'm sure, all you need to do is come down to my lab, Bucky Bear." The nickname rolled off his tongue casually.

Bucky didn't even need to think it over. Tony was sunshine, and after decades in the dark, the eccentric genius' company was exactly what he needed.

Just as he was nodding his agreement, footsteps were heard padding into the room. Steve and Natasha, who had been talking quietly, stilled when they realized the kitchen already had inhabitants.

Tony frowned in thought, because Steve was supposed to be going on a run. At least that's what he had claimed when he rushed out of bed earlier.
Steve's eyes trailed down to where their hands were touching, an unsettling look flickered in his eyes.

Bucky sensed Steve's discomfort and tried to withdraw his hand but Tony just held on tighter, unrelenting under Steve's gaze. If Steve was annoyed by something as innocent as the touching of hands, he would just have to deal with it.

Tony met Steve's eyes unwaveringly, wordlessly challenging him to bring the subject forward. It seemed Steve knew better than to start an argument in front of others, his eyes shifted back to Natasha.

"So, about that run.." And with that, they were gone. Which Tony found beyond unusual, why had they come in? Neither of them had grabbed a quick bite or anything.

Tony craned his neck to look at Bucky, who seemed to be as puzzled as Tony. The weird exchange left Tony with the overwhelming urge to have another cup of coffee, or two, or three...

Coffee was the only thing that remained the same nowadays, Tony really couldn't say the same about his unstable relationship.
As he poured the rich beverage into his mug, Tony wondered absently if James would prove to be consistent too. Because as eccentric as he was, Tony would very much like to have better connections than the one he had with coffee.

✯✯✯

Bucky rounded the corner of Tony's lab, he had just wrapped up designing his arm with the genius.
Which, admittedly, was the reason there was a spring to his step. Bucky just couldn't fathom how Tony could be so giving, especially to someone like him.

Bucky didn't want to question what was good, however, at least not when Tony was making him feel all the right things. His dream like state was promptly squashed when he ran into Steve.

Steve, who was Tony's boyfriend, and just so happened to be his best friend. Way to ruin a guys morning.
"Hey, Buck." Steve smiled, but instead of finding it comforting, Bucky felt oddly put off by it.

"Hey, punk." Bucky said hesitantly. He noticed Steve was looking around distractedly, he hadn't been looking for him.

"If you're looking for Tony, he's in his lab."

Steve's smile faltered if only for a second, Bucky caught the slip though, and he knew what prompted it.
"I was just with him drawing up a new arm design. He's brilliant." Bucky added, relived when Steve gave a terse nod of agreement.

"How long have you been together?" Bucky asked, and to be frank he had no interest in knowing anything about of their relationship. Not when Steve had to go ahead and date someone exactly his type, but he owed it to Steve to at least seem interested in his love life.

"Well, with Tony it feels like it's been forever." Steve answered, and gave a small laugh. Bucky chuckled along politely, debating whether he should press further.

"So, assuming it's been a while. Do you think he might be the one? You always were quite the romantic." Bucky asked, and he couldn't gauge whether he had crossed a line by Steve's blank expression.

Steve swayed on the spot uncomfortably for a moment.
"I don't know yet, with him it varies from moment to moment." Bucky nodded, though he certainly didn't know how Steve could say that.
He had to remind himself that this wasn't the Steve he knew back in the forties, he had changed since then. They both had, and that was okay.

"I'll go see him now, maybe you and I  could go for a walk later." Bucky nodded in agreement and watched as Steve walked away. As much as he wished to deny it, he didn't recognize his friend in the least.

As soon as Steve came into Tony's lab, he smiled when he saw Tony lightly conversing with Dummy. As much as Tony claimed the robot was a nuisance, he knew his boyfriend could never stand to part with him.

Steve was quick to walk over and kiss Tony hard, swallowing Tony's shocked gasp. He hauled Tony up so his slender legs could wrap around his waist. Through his surprise and many kisses, Tony managed a smile up at Steve which was instantly returned. He had missed his old lover.

Moments later, they both lay on one of Tony's tables. Blueprints were scattered around the floor, and Tony was starting to get uncomfortable as his sweaty skin stuck to the table. He didn't care, he only cared that Steve was looking at him as if he were the only person in the world.

"No one will ever love you like I do." Steve whispered. Tony found that strangely possessive, but he concluded that he just misinterpreted it and he leaned into Steve for some well awaited cuddles.

And though this exact moment was what he had been wanting for months, he couldn't help his mind from straying elsewhere. He tried to keep his thoughts at bay and will himself to live that moment with Steve.
Yet, he couldn't stop himself from wondering whether James Barnes had felt the butterflies in his stomach Tony had felt that morning too.