Block out the mean.

Bad days

Everyone had bad days. Natasha went from borderline scary to full on terrifying. Clint's pranks went from mostly harmless to almost deadly as he worked out whatever was on his mind. Steve's bad days were more manageable, usually holing himself up in his room to draw. Bruce of course... he had a Hulk proof room at the bottom of the Tower where he could go if he started feeling...green.

Honestly, out of everyone, Tony was the one to have the worst bad days. He would lock himself in the lab for days at a time, refuse to eat or sleep and basically self destruct until JARVIS got tired of it and called for one of the Avengers to bodily remove Tony from the lab and force him to face the real world.

After the team split they cared less and less about Tony being in the lab for days on end and ended up making comments about him. Not necessarily trying to be mean, just going a little far beyond the line of joking. 

One day the team were in the kitchen all mindlessly talking, Bucky had just walked in. He could feel the conversation come to a slow halt as everyone focused on him, it happened every morning. He himself was fully dressed but felt like he could roll into bed and nap for a hundred years.

He made coffee and sat to himself, Steve then piped up and said, "Morning Buck, how'd you sleep?"

Bucky replied with a weak smile, he never slept-if he did then it was quickly ruined by nightmares. Coffee was his best friend at that point. He hadn't touched his coffee yet because he was deep in thought waiting for it to cool down.

Bucky noticed that Tony hadn't come out of his lab that morning and grew slightly concerned, he didn't have enough energy to ask so he stood up and walked to the lab. The others stared after him slightly but when the door closed to the hallway they went back to normal conversation. 

Bucky opened the lab door with his left hand gently, he saw Tony sitting at his desk sobbing slightly. He stood in the door frame for a minute or two before looking down to his coffee, it was perfect temperature. He walked over to Tony and placed the coffee on the desk next to him and smiled when the mechanic looked up at him.

Tony had tears streaming down his face, his eyes were blood shot from the tears and lack of sleep. He looked at the coffee mindlessly and then back to the super soldier, who was now on his way out. Tony smiled properly for the first time in a few days. 

Bucky was the first to not judge him, bring him coffee and make him feel slightly comfortable in his own house. He picked the coffee up and took a sip, eventually finishing the cup and feeling more human than the previous hours. 

Bucky walked into the kitchen empty handed and made anther coffee for himself. Steve drily chuckled and asked "Two cups already Buck? Self care's out the window then?"

"Yeah, Tony-care is climbing into the window now." Bucky's voice was hoarse since he hadn't used it in a good few days. Barely anyone spoke to him, even Steve left him to himself at most times. It might have been to make him feel comfortable in his skin first but he just felt out of place most times. 

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An hour passed and Tony walked out, he ignored everyone but Bucky. He smiled and waved slightly, Bucky waved back because he was still tired. Then when Tony had walked upstairs to clean himself the others looked at Bucky who was on his 5th coffee. Steve took the cup from him and he growled, Steve panicked and gave it back. 

"Tony just ignored us?! And waved at him!?!" Wanda asked as she raised her voice whilst pointing at the now smiling super soldier. 

"Him has a name and it's Bucky. Thanks." Bucky replied bitterly.

Wanda mimicked him and he twitched forward slightly, she held her breath and backed up slightly. Bucky smirked and then took a big sip of his coffee. After a few minutes Tony came down in his suit with his sunglasses in hand, he asked J.A.R.V.I.S "What time is my meeting?"

"20 minutes from now."

"Ok." He turned to Bucky and said, "Thanks for the coffee Barnes. I really needed that."

"No problem." Bucky said quietly, everyone's attention was on Bucky now. They started to bombard him with questions.

After finishing his coffee, and not answering anyone's questions, he looked to Tony who was about to leave. He walked over and said quietly to him, "Could I come with you and sit in the waiting room or something? I don't want to be in here with this lot."

Tony smiled at him as he put on his sunglasses and nodded. They both walked out and into Tony's car, he told Bucky to get into the passenger after watching him panic at where to sit. They talked a little as they pulled out of the tower and into the roads.