GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

21

Bucky didn't know why Tony suddenly called for a meeting with him and Natasha, but he showed up at the designated location, Tony's workshop, and took a seat.

"Thank you for stopping by my office." Tony said.

"Formal." Natasha commented.

"I've just always wanted to say that." He shrugged, "But now to the reason I called you here- which one of you is in a secret relationship with one of our friends?"

Bucky had years of practice with not reacting to news or accusations. That was the only reason he managed to keep his composure. He and Natasha exchanged glances.

"Shall I explain? I'm gonna explain. Our darling therapist, Grace, has informed me that she is requesting for me to hire another therapist due to a 'conflict of interest' with some of her patients pursuing romantic relationships. I asked for names, she wouldn't give them, so I asked which Avengers she wanted to send to work with the new therapist. You know, I told her for financial reasons. She, albeit reluctantly, told me three. Bucky, Natasha, and Wanda. Now, Vision's not in therapy, and everyone knows he and Wanda are together, so that leaves you two."

Tony watched them both carefully. They were both trained well though. Really well. They gave nothing away.

"Oh come on, I know it's one of you guys!" Tony groaned.

They wouldn't budge an inch, so he eventually gave up his interrogation.

"I'm not letting this go permanently though!" He warned after them as they left.

Bucky didn't take his words too seriously. Tony had no way of finding out about his feelings for Aurora and Grace couldn't and wouldn't ever break their confidentiality contract like that.

About three weeks later, Tony called a group meeting. They all sat on the debriefing room, even a confused Aurora. The only one who wasn't present was Olivia who was in school.

"Fury called some of us for a mission. Shouldn't take more than a day or two at most." Tony announced.

"Who'd he call?" Bruce asked nervously.

It couldn't be all of them. Aurora wasn't even an Avenger so she wasn't sure why she was there at all.

"Me, Bucky, and Sam."

"When?" Sam asked.

"The 22nd." Tony said.

"But my birthday's coming up! It's on the 24th! What if we're not back in time?" He complained.

Bucky snickered under his breath and Sam glared at him.

"So... if it's just the three of you on the mission, the rest of us are here for...?" Clint asked.

"Oh! That. Well it came to my attention that two of us have been participating in a secret relationship!" Tony said.

"What? How would you even know that?" Wanda asked, bewildered.

"A little birdie told me. Or my therapist. That I tricked into telling me. Sort of. She gave me a list of possibilities, and I used my amazing security footage to figure out the rest." Tony proclaimed proudly.

"That's so invasive, Tony." Aurora said.

"Yes... and they likely aren't going to appreciate me exposing them like this, but... you've kept it secret long enough! Time for the truth!"

Bucky was confused. Unless there were cameras in Grace's office- a serious invasion of privacy, there was no way Tony had any footage connected Bucky to having feelings for Aurora. Well, besides the photo Tony took of them sleeping on the couch. But Tony had that picture before any of this, so it wouldn't have taken him three weeks to figure anything out. And Tony had made it sound like they were already in a relationship and just keeping it hidden from everyone. Maybe Tony was misleading them on purpose? Was this some kind of game? He was the one to admit his feelings to Grace and she told him that she might have to change things around due to a "conflict of interest". The very same thing she'd told Tony.