Chapter Text
Tony couldn’t help the way his eyes narrowed as he watched the scene play out before him.
It had been over two months since Steve had brought home his latest stray, though he really should have seen it coming. James Buchanan Barnes was the best thing since sliced bread with the way Steve sang his praises. Tony understood Steve’s need to make sure his best friend was well looked after and safe - he’d do the exact same thing for Rhodey (in fact, he did do the exact same thing).
But that didn’t mean he had to like the fact that a former HYDRA assassin had taken up residence in his tower. Tony didn’t trust very easily, which was understandable given his history, but having someone so dangerous so close to those he cared about was something that would take some getting used to.
Which brought him to his current discomfort.
In the two months that Barnes had been around, you’d probably only spoken to him twice that Tony knew of - the day he arrived, and during Steve’s birthday get-together a few weeks back. You had been with Tony since the very beginning of his Ironman days, coming to him fresh out of college at the tender age of 17. Fast-forward ten years later and he still saw you as that kid he needed to protect at all costs.
So seeing Barnes send a small smile your way as you poured him some freshly brewed coffee made Tony’s left eye twitch. He wasn’t blind, or stupid for that matter, and there was…something…in the way Barnes looked at you.
You never had luck in the love department, and Tony knew you had long ago decided to focus on your work instead. Not many men out there enjoyed being in a relationship with a woman leagues smarter than them. But you were okay, you knew your time would come eventually - or at least you hoped it would. Tony had Pepper, Steve had Sharon, Natasha and Bruce were still dancing around each other, and Clint was married, so you figured it was only a matter of time.
Tony knew all of this, you confided in him. But the thought of a killer being that man, the one you had waited for, terrified Tony. The last thing he wanted was anyone hurting you, regardless of intent, and he didn’t want anyone letting you down either - you deserved the best.
Barnes…well, being with him could either mean you were the safest person in the world, or the opposite. 50/50 was never a chance Tony liked to take.
“Make it three, kid.”
Your eyes shot over to the doorway and you sent Tony a smile before pouring him a cup too. You didn’t notice the quick glare Tony sent Bucky’s way, but it wasn’t hard to feel the tension in the room.
“I uh, I should probably go…” Bucky quietly excused himself when the silence stretched to uncomfortable lengths, but he still managed a small smile when you turned to look at him apologetically.
“Thanks for the coffee.” He raised his mug in indication, before making his way back to the elevator.
Tony yelped when he felt a stinging slap connect with his arm. He rubbed the sore spot and met your unimpressed glare with an affronted look of his own.
“What the hell was that for?!”
“I could ask you the same thing!” You threw your arms up in exasperation.
“What?” Tony shrugged defensively, but you both knew he was well aware of what you were talking about.
“Would it kill you to be a little nicer to him, Tony?”
The billionaire rolled his eyes, and moved around you to snatch up his coffee.
“Tony!” You scolded when he ignored you.
Tony sighed, before turning to look at you. His lips twitched when he noticed the way you were looking at him. Hands on your hips, lips pursed, and the same flat look Pepper had sent his way a million times. Man, she taught you well.
Tony’s shoulders slumped when you pointedly cocked a brow.
“Oh, c’mon…we have an assassin in the house, you can’t blame me for being a little cautious.”
You nodded in consideration. “There’s cautious, and then there’s mean, Tony.”
“I’m not mean.” He scoffed as if the very idea was ridiculous.
“You are.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
“What are we, twelve?” Tony huffed.
“Well, with the way you’re behaving…“ You trailed off with a shrug.
“Alright, alright! I’ll try to be nicer-”
“Good-“
“If-“ He cut you off with a pointed look. “If you steer clear for the time-being. I don’t want him near you until I’m certain there aren’t any screws loose up there.” He vaguely gestured to his head.
You didn’t even bother scolding him, settling instead for an eyeroll as he left the kitchen.
“Hey.”
You were slipping into your heels and about to head out when you looked up with a welcoming smile.
“Hi- Woah, you clean up nice, Sarge.”
Despite Tony’s words a few days ago, you hadn’t gone out of your way to avoid him. Tony didn’t know how close the two of you had become, and you wanted to keep it that way. That man was too protective for his own good, and Bucky Barnes had needed a friend the moment he stepped foot in the Tower.
Bucky ducked his head at your teasing tone, but he couldn’t hide his smile. “You think so?”
Yeah, he may have put a little extra effort into his appearance - it wasn’t everyday that he allowed himself to enjoy the company of a beautiful woman. In fact, the last time he could remember feeling anything remotely similar was way back in the ‘40s.
The Winter Soldier didn’t exactly prioritise dating.
“Sure do.” Your sweet laugh brought another smile to his face. “Got a hot date?” You cocked a brow knowingly.
“Sure do.” He parroted with a small smirk. “Have to drop this file off for Steve first though.”
Bucky smiled widely at the thought of what was to come, but you could see how nervous he was in the way it quickly faded.
“You okay?” You frowned.
Bucky found his shoulder sagging underneath the gentle hand place there. There was a time when he would tense, when particularly rough handlers forced him down into a chair. That chair. But your gentle touch had never been forceful, nor had it ever made him feel unsafe. You were always so careful around him, always willing to help in whatever way you could.
She’s a goddamn angel, is what she is, he thought.
Bucky’s pale eyes flickered between your own for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell you the truth.
“Honestly? I don’t think I’ve been this nervous since…” He chuckled lightly, “well, ever.”
“Don’t be, you’re a great guy. Anyone would be lucky to have you.” You shot him a bright and encouraging smile, a smile that made his insides turn to jelly, and tongue turn to lead. God, the effect you had on him…like a ray of sunshine illuminating all of the things he hated about himself and offering the warmth he needed to face the cold of the winter.
Bucky shook his head with a small smile. “I’m the lucky one, my girl is perfect.”
“I thought nobody was perfect?” You cocked a brow.
“Then she’s as close to it as anyone can get.”
He smiled as soon as he heard that sweet laugh again. It was quickly becoming his favourite sound.
“Alright, Romeo, you better get going or you’ll be late.”
You rolled your eyes in good humour, but you were glad to see him smiling. He’d been through more than you could imagine, and even something as simple as a smile was enough to make him seem like a whole different person.
“Yeah, I’ll see you soon.” Bucky stepped into the elevator, hitting the button for the ground floor.
“Oh, and uh…” His hand shot out to hold the doors open for a moment longer, and you looked over curiously. His eyes softened. “You look beautiful.”
You looked down at your outfit with a bashful smile that mirrored his own earlier.
“Thanks…I got a hot date of my own.”
One month later…
You were late. 2 hours late.
It was weird, you were never late and it was for that reason that Tony felt a hint of worry. It was silly, he knew that, there were plenty of valid reasons for you not showing up, and just because you lived at the Tower and were associated with the Avengers didn’t mean that someone had come up and snatched you from your bed.
It was a paranoia he had to deal with regularly. You were his closest friend, you helped him with his inventions and in earlier years you were there to steer him in the right direction, despite the age gap between you. You were mature and sweet, always willing to help someone in need - now that he thought about it, you were like a smaller, nerdier, weaker, Steve.
Everyone knew that you were a particular weakness of Tony’s and he would do whatever it took to keep you safe, even if it wasn’t always morally correct. You weren’t a superhero but you spent so much time with them that anyone could see how much of a weakness you were for them.
If anything ever happened to you…Tony didn’t know what he would do. They didn’t know what Tony would do.
But it also wasn’t healthy to constantly worry, at least that’s what Pepper and his therapist -Bruce- had once told him. So he rationalised.
You could be sick. Everyone knew not to bother you when you were sick, mainly because you were even more stubborn than usual and any attempt to get you out of your room would usually result in threats of bodily harm.
Or maybe you had forgotten. It was unlikely. You were the reliable type, and you’d never forget to lend a hand when it was needed.
What else? What would I do?
As soon as the thought raced through his mind he forced it away with a cringe.
The only reason he had ever been so late, that didn’t involve getting lost in his work, was something he never wanted to think about you doing. You were like a little sister to him and he liked to think that you didn’t know what sex was yet.
It was easy enough, considering you never spoke about it. You had never brought a guy home, only ever leaving the Tower to meet your dates - whether that was out of fear of the Avengers scaring him off, or just because you didn’t want to, Tony had no idea. But you weren’t undesirable, even when you were having a lazy day in an oversized sweater with a pencil tucked on your ear. It was cute.
But he had seen it enough times at the events you used to attend with him, the leering and suggestive glances you were completely oblivious to when you cleaned up a bit.
It brought out a nasty side of him, but Tony never wanted to see you used or hurt.
He knew what it was like, not to be used, but to do the using. As ashamed as he was to now admit it, he had his fair share of one-night-stands that had hoped for more. He hadn’t thought much of it when he (Pepper) was kicking them out of his Malibu home, but when he altered his perspective and put you in their shoes with some asshole mistreating you like that…he hated the thought.
No, he told himself. You were just sick.
“FRIDAY? Where’s Y/N?”
“I believe she’s in her room, boss.”
“What’s she doing?”
“It appears that all outgoing feeds have been disabled.”
“Hm. Weird.” Tony frowned, exiting the elevator on your floor and making his routine walk to your room.
Before he could even make it within five feet of the door, it slid open and you slipped out.
“Hey, Tony!” You smiled widely.
Okay, so maybe she’s not sick…
“Uh, hi.” A reluctant smile spread across his bearded face, one that you knew all too well. He was suspicious, dark eyes darting around your face and assessing you for any signs of…well, you didn’t know what.
You were wearing a baggy sweater, as per usual, and the smile on your face reassured him that all was well.
Noting that you were still in one piece, he crossed his arms over his chest. You knew the look he was sending you, it was the ‘you better have a good explanation for this’, ‘I’m ready to argue’ look. He usually only used it with Steve and sometimes Clint, whenever the archer left his dirty dishes lying around.
“What uh, what brings you here?” You tried to casually lean against the doorframe, but the action seemed forced even to you. God, you were turning into Peter!
If he wasn’t suspicious before, he sure as hell was now. Tony’s eyes narrowed for a split second before all traces of his curiosity were wiped away in favour of a smile.
“Well, we were supposed to be up-“
“Upgrading the suit!” You finished, cringing when you realised you had forgotten. “Oh man, that was today?”
Tony shrugged nonchalantly, but you knew it bothered him. He would never admit it, but you knew him well enough to know that he really enjoyed working together. Your time with him was limited these days, and you felt bad about forgetting.
“It’s fine, I’ll just grab the schematics from you room-“
“NO!” You sidestepped into his path as soon as he moved toward the door.
Tony cocked a brow, head tilting at the panic written all over your face.
“Okay, I played along, now tell me what the hell is going on.”
“Nothing.” You answered quickly, too quickly.
“Kid…” Tony raised his brows warningly.
Your shoulders slumped in defeat and you sighed. This really wasn’t how you wanted him to find out, but he was persistent and if you didn’t tell him he would barge right in and see it for himself.
“Alright, fine.” You rolled your eyes. “I didn’t want to tell you because it’s not finished yet and I wanted it to be a surprise…”
He perked up in attention.
“What is it?”
He loved gifts. Actually that wasn’t true, he couldn’t care less about whatever box of chocolates or bottle of wine someone gifted him, but your presents…they were something special. After the whole Berlin fiasco when Barnes could have probably killed him, you had gifted him a new suit. One lined with vibranium that you were surprisingly quiet about. He had asked about it many times, but your reply was always ‘a friend owed me a favour’.
He let it go eventually, but now there was a new curiosity within him.
“It’s a new shield.”
Tony cocked an unimpressed brow. “A new…shield?”
You nodded with an excited smile. “Yeah! I was thinking, you have so many offensive weapons on the suit, that maybe I should focus on…a force field.”
He looked impressed at the idea, a slow smirk played at his lips.
“Not bad, kid.” Tony nodded in acceptance. “Alright, fine. Impress me.”
Your shoulders slumped in relief the moment the elevator doors shut and Tony was out of sight. With a weary sigh, you shuffled back into your room, making sure to lock the door behind you.
“Close call, huh?”
You perked up at his voice, unaware that he had already finished his shower. Turning around was a bad idea, you realised. You both had things to do, places to be, but the towel hanging low on his hips was a little too tempting to go ignored. Especially when it was the only thing he was wearing.
He noticed the attention. Of course he did, he never missed a thing where you were involved.
You rolled your eyes in good humour as soon as a teasing grin spread across his features.
Bucky perched himself on the edge of your mattress, holding his hand out in invitation. You took it, allowing him to pull you down onto his lap, knees resting on either side of his hips. Your hands drifted along his strong arms lightly. He used to flinch when you paid any attention to his left arm, worried that you’d either find its appearance or -more likely- its symbolism disgusting. But it had been over a month since your first ‘hot date’ as you called it, and you’d both grown a little more comfortable with each other.
Unfortunately, nobody else could know about it just yet. In fact, you were relatively certain that most people didn’t even realise you knew Bucky at all. That was the aim at least, and with Tony’s eyes glued to the man 24/7, it was not easy to maintain secrecy. God, he’d kill the both of you if he ever found out about all of the stolen moments and feelings you’d both hidden behind secret smiles and passing glances. It was bad enough that you both had to pretend to be seeing other people when you left the Tower for your ‘dates’, but you feared Tony’s reaction if he ever found out.
The billionaire had asked for time to get used to Bucky, and you would give him that time before coming clean…and then you’d pray that he was in a good mood.
“Is that my sweater?”
“What?” You looked down in alarm, and sure enough the baggy sweater was not one of your own. “Crap! Do you think he noticed?”
“Did he say anything about it?”
“No.”
“Then you’re fine, doll.” He pressed a reassuring kiss to your temple.
You almost blushed when you noticed the gentle expression on his face, and he hugged you closer with a quiet little laugh.
“Don’t you go getting shy on me now. We’re way past that.” He whispered teasingly, his lips inching closer to your own.
“Oh, no you don’t.” His puckered lips met your finger instead, and Bucky’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“Hngh?”
“I have to build a force field because of you.” You narrowed your eyes in faux irritation.
“Because of me?” He laughed in surprise. “Sweetheart, it’s not my fault you’re a lousy liar.”
“But it is your fault I have to lie in the first place.” You countered with a growing smile.
“Technically, you don’t have to lie.”
“Technically,” You mocked, “I do if we want to keep breathing.”
You shared a laugh, and your arms found their way around his neck. Bucky cherished moments like these. Seeing you happy and carefree, in a bubble only the two of you could share, was the highlight of his week. It reminded him that maybe, just maybe, he could have this. He could have a relationship that any normal man could have - and even be envious of - and he didn’t have to fear his inadequacy for the rest of his life.
“Y’know, that was actually some pretty quick thinking.”
“What, the shield thing?” You snorted lightly, running a hand through his wet hair.
“Mhm.” He leaned into your touch.
“You can thank Steve for that. His room’s across the hall and it was the first thing that came to mind.”
Bucky’s lips quirked up in amusement. Even when he wasn’t around, Steve was still there to save the day.
“Doll, I’m naked, you’re about to be naked, and Steve is the last thing on my mind right now.”
Your brows shot up. “You just had a shower-“
“Mm, don’t care.” He rolled you both over, earning a surprised squeal that melted away into another laugh.
You sometimes forgot he was a super-soldier, you didn’t really see the soldier in him, only the man. And what a man he was. He didn’t agree with you, you knew that, but that’s why you weren’t going anywhere. He was worth so much more than he realised, and you’d remind him of that everyday if you had to.
He was everything you’d been waiting for, and you were everything he thought he’d never have.