Chapter Text
When they returned to the bakery, Tony locked himself in the basement where he and Winnie had set up a small garage of sorts. Over the years Tony had collected bits of different cars and machines, sometimes to rebuild them, sometimes to improve them, most of the time because they were cheap, broken, and he wanted the parts.
“Good to have you back, Sir,” said JARVIS, the AI Tony had built in college who lived on his computer.
“New project,” said Tony in way of greeting, aware that Winnie was standing near the stairs watching him. Tony had grown up with the man watching him, so he mostly ignored it. “I want to build a suit.”
“Shall I order the correct fabric?” asked JARVIS.
“No, I want to build a suit of armor,” said Tony. “Pull up the schematics for the medieval suits as well as body armor. Really just give me everything you’ve got on suits and I’ll take what I like.”
As JARVIS worked with the new internet and references Tony had spent countless hours scanning into his data bases, Tony turned to his hacking computer – he kept all his projects off of that one in case anyone ever figured out how to trace a hack back to him – and broke into Stark Industries, downloading all files on the arc reactor technology.
“Winnie, I need to get my hands on these,” said Tony, turning the screen to the Winter Soldier. “What do you say to paying a visit to my new empire?”
“No making people call you Supreme Overlord of the Universe,” said the Winter Soldier, stepping aside and following his kid back out to the world.
“Spoil sport,” mumbled Tony.
- In Charge of Weapons and Ammo –
“Rhodey!” Tony all but squealed, launching himself at his best friend, ignoring how his business suit was getting wrinkled.
“Hey kiddo,” laughed Rhodey, hugging Tony back and nodding at the Winter Soldier. “I missed you too.”
“I didn’t know you were coming back so soon,” said Tony, letting go and sticking his head out of his office. “Pepper, I’m leaving! Don’t let anyone call me.”
“I’m still not your personal assistant, Mr. Stark,” said Pepper Potts, rolling her eyes at the twenty-three year old. “I’m not even your secretaries secretary. Just because you don’t like Ryan, your real personal assistant, doesn’t mean you get to pick me. I have my own job to do.”
“I like her,” said Rhodey, grinning at Tony evilly before turning to the red head. “I’m James Rhodes. Tony calls me Rhodey.”
“Virginia Potts,” said the red head, holding out her hand. “Mr. Stark calls me Pepper.”
“He also calls you his personal assistant, Ryan quit yesterday, you’re promoted,” said Tony. “So you should be introducing yourself as Pepper Potts, personal assistant to Tony Stark.”
“Pepper Potts, personal assistant to Tony Stark,” said Pepper with an eye roll.
“James Rhodes, newest liaison for the military for Stark Industries,” said Rhodey.
“What?” yelled Tony.
- In Charge of Weapons and Ammo –
Tony and the Winter Soldier stood in the observation room, watching Steve Rogers, Captain America, sleep in the old time room. Neither spoke. Tony was twenty-three and remembered when he dad had spent his time comparing Tony to the sleeping man and always finding his son wanting. The Winter Soldier, in turn, knew that he used to be friends with the man in the bed. The Winter Soldier knew his real name was Bucky Barnes, that he used to be a soldier in World War II, that he had been captured, altered, and brain washed into a weapon by HYDRA. He had memories of his time before becoming the Winter Soldier but they felt like things from the movies; he had no emotional attachment to those memories. Indeed, the only emotional attachment he had at all was to Tony.
“I can’t believe we found him,” said Tony softly.
When Tony had first discovered that Howard had continued looking for Steve Rogers, the genius had been furious. After a while, though, he started up the project again, wanting to find the soldier if only to spite his father’s memory one last time. Now, however, Steve Rogers was not only located but also alive, Tony hadn’t accounted for what to do after he found the man.
“Hey Winnie,” said Tony, looking up at the Winter Soldier. “Are you going to hang out with Steve now instead of me?”
The Winter Soldier knew that Tony was really asking if he was going to start acting like Howard now that Steve was back.
In way of answering, the Winter Soldier wrapped his arm around the younger man and steered them both out of the room.
- In Charge of Weapons and Ammo –
“I know guys with none of that worth ten of you,” sneered Steve, glaring down at Tony.
They were fighting again. They were always fighting, it felt like. Tony hated it, he found Steve very attractive but the older man had no interest in him. He kept comparing Tony to Howard and found Tony wanting and it was starting to give Tony a complex. He almost wanted to complain to Winnie about it but so far Steve didn’t know about Bucky Barnes being alive, so Tony said nothing, because if Winnie knew he would be pissed that someone was hurting his kid.
Tony had noticed when he was younger that Winnie had claimed him and would refer to him as ‘my kid’ more often than ‘Tony’. It was cute when he was little but Tony was almost twenty-four and didn’t need a keeper anymore, thank you very much.
“Steven Grant Rogers,” growled the Winter Soldier, stepping out of the supply closet where he had been watching Tony.
“What?” said Steve, his face draining of color, eyes wide as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “Bucky?”
“Apologize to my kid,” demanded the Winter Soldier.
“Now you’ve done it,” sighed Tony dramatically.
“You’re alive,” said Steve, his gaze still riveted on his old best friend. “You have a kid?”
“Winnie, come on, I told you to stop following me,” said Tony, stepping up and pushing the Winter Soldier in the chest, trying to move him back. “I’m fine.”
“We’re in the middle of an alien invasion,” said the Winter Soldier. “Like hell I’m leaving you alone.”
“Whatever,” said Tony, rolling his eyes. “Look, we don’t have time for this. Steve, this is Bucky Barnes or the Winter Soldier. Yes, he’s alive. Fun fact – we found him first. Now we can get to freaking out after we save the world. Winnie, no killing Steve.”
“Steve, stop being an asshole,” said the Winter Soldier before marching out, dragging Tony with him to get the kid in his suit.
- In Charge of Weapons and Ammo –
When Steve finally asked Tony out on a date four months after the Battle of New York, Tony was ecstatic. He changed his outfit seven times before settling on dark jeans and a band shirt. The Winter Soldier watched him patiently while he baked. Tony owned the tower that was being redone and he could live in it but Tony spent more nights at the bakery with the Winter Soldier than anywhere else.
The doorbell rang.
“He’s here!” said Tony. “He’s here! Okay, Winnie, no following. We like Steve, we don’t want to scare Steve away like everyone else.”
The Winter Soldier said nothing and watched as Tony ran to get the door. Steve greeted Tony, nodded at the Winter Soldier, and lead Tony out to the car.
They ended up at a small diner. Tony was having a great time, Steve was funny when he stopped being a dick and seemed genuinely interested in Tony’s projects. After they ordered desert, Tony went to the restroom. Steve watched him walk away with a little grin.
“If you hurt him I will cut off your dick and feed it to you before I slit your throat,” said the Winter Soldier, sliding into the booth across from Steve.
“Where did you come from?” demanded Steve. “I thought Tony said you were busy baking.”
“Like I’m going to let my kid go out without supervision,” growled the Winter Soldier. “:ast time he got kidnapped.”
“I’m not going to hurt him,” said Steve. “I really like him, Bucky.”
“I like him more than I like you,” said the Winter Soldier. “Tell him I was here and I will kick your ass.”
Before Steve could respond, the Winter Soldier was gone again. Tony returned not even a minute later and slid into the booth across from Steve. The genius took one look at Steve and groaned.
“Winnie!” yelled Tony, standing up and glaring around. “Winnie get out here right now.”
The Winter Soldier stepped out from behind the counter.
“We talked about this,” said Tony. “Now apologize to Steve.”
“No.”
“Apologize to Steve.”
“No.”
“Please,” whispered Tony, looking sad.
The Winter Soldier eyed Tony then turned to Steve.
“Sorry Steve,” grumbled the Winter Soldier.
“Thank you,” said Tony, hugging the Winter Soldier quickly. “Now I will see you at home. At least leave the building so we can both pretend that you aren’t insane.”
The Winter Soldier glared at Steve once more before walking out.
“That was terrifying,” said Steve.
“Don’t worry about him,” said Tony. “He’s just a big softly. Trust me, you haven’t seen him when I’ve been sick. You should have seen him when I was five and got pneumonia.”
Steve laughed but flinched when he saw the Winter Soldier glaring at him through the window across the street, Tony blissfully unaware of his overprotective assassin shadow.