Archive of Our Own ^beta

He knew they would catch up with him eventually. He wondered if he wouldn’t have been safer on the side of the river with that man, the one so familiar to him there was an almost ache in his chest. Instead he had run, like a coward, from emotions. It led him here, in a run down building that was due to be torn down with a children’s history book that he stole from the library, of all things.

A sound made him close the book on Captain America and the Great War, one finger holding his place because he had finally seen that name - Bucky - on the pages. The sound grew into a shuffle, like someone was trying to be extremely quiet but clearly didn’t know how to do it properly. He set the book down and slid his knife out of his boot. Crouching low, he moved along the crumbling and dirty wall to get a view of his visitors.

“Shh,” a deep voice snapped, ruling out any chance of them being kids playing in a soon to be demolished building. He had a vague memory, a blue eyed boy complaining about tetanus as they climbed a fire escape that shook and swayed. He shook his head, turning back to find the two men were out of his sight.

“Didn’t think it would be this easy, yeah?” a heavily accented voice said behind him.

He fought, broke bones, but in the end the right words were said and the right drugs were entered into his system. They had him and he knew it was back to the ice, back to cryo. He’d never find out, never get his answer.

Who the hell is Bucky?

***

He could feel himself waking, the slow grogginess from a cold hell and into another. His vision was blurry and he could barely move, but that wouldn’t last long. They never gave him time to adjust naturally. There was always a new drug, a new upgrade.

He could hear, though. That was often one of the first senses to return to him. He could hear someone talking and another responding. Someone yelled out, the sound almost happy - excited, he remembered excited. Right?

Maybe he should just sleep some more, while they let him.

***

Soft. He was on a bed and it was soft, softer than anything he’d felt before. He didn’t move, didn’t open his eyes. Something was...wrong? Maybe? He could tell by smell alone that he wasn’t with Hydra. He could smell medicine, cleaning solution, and engine grease. That couldn’t be right.

Something bumped into the bed or surface that he was on and he couldn’t hide the small flinch next to his eyes or the twitch of his fingers.

“DUM-E, come on now buddy, I don’t drive my car into you when you’re pretending to sleep,” someone said in an exasperated tone. “Let the assassin-cicle keep playing at it being nap time and I’ll let you help daddy solder some tiny little plates of metal for a working model.”

Something made a series of beeps and then the sound of motorized wheels zipped away from him. He kept his eyes closed, breathing deep, not sure what to make of that. Deciding being docile was probably his best option, he lay there and listened to the soft beeps and sounds of medical equipment monitoring him. Something Hydra would never do. They’d never leave him alone, either, and yet he couldn’t hear or smell anyone else in the room that was actually nearby.

He wished he could say he lost track of time, but that was one thing he was incapable of doing. No, he knew that exactly thirty-eight minutes had gone by before he heard footsteps. It was someone else, their gait careful but not because they were trying to be silent, but more like they always had a happy light step. They made straight for him and as the person hovered next to him, he could smell...eggs?

“I know you’re awake,” the voice was soft but more familiar than anything else around him. He flashed to the man in blue, the blue eyes and blonde hair. All American even as he dragged him from the river. “Bucky, the doctor said you can have plain eggs since you were only under cryo a couple days. You want eggs, don’t you?”

Something about the way the man was needling him was actually comforting. So, for the first time, he opened his eyes to see Captain America standing in front of him in a basic white t-shirt and khakis. There was a tease or joke on the tip of his tongue, but for the life of himself he couldn’t remember what it was.

“Here, let me get the bed up,” the man - Steve? Steve - said, handing the small plate of food over like he wasn’t a threat and couldn’t smash it over the man’s head. Steve then proceeded to poke at a bunch of buttons, causing one loud beep after another and no actual lifting of the top part of the bed. “Why-?”

“What are you doing?” the voice from earlier demanded. A shorter man came around the corner with a horrified look on his face. He immediately began pushing Steve Rogers away like Captain America was nothing to be afraid of, a nuisance. “Stop touching my things. You already broke my toaster. A toaster!”

“In my defense, it had fifteen buttons on it. Why does a toaster need fifteen buttons?,” Steve asked in a timid voice as the man pressed down on a single button, allowing the bed to shift so he was now sitting up. He looked between them, raising an eyebrow, figuring he might as well eat as he watched them interact. Steve let out a long sigh. “Tony, I wasn’t hurting anything.”

“I could hear it cry from the back of the workshop.”

“It’s a bed.”

“That I made. I made it and you weren’t being kind, at all.” Tony was clearly standing as straight as he could, like it would somehow make him tower over Steve.

“I’m sorry, Tony, that I didn’t ask for your help in using the bed’s remote,” Steve replied, his tone holding an almost doting level of sincerity. “And I’m sorry about the toaster.”

“That’s all I ask,” Tony said, suddenly turning toward him, remembering the man in the bed, with a big grin. “My name is Tony Stark and I defrosted you.”

He swallowed the food in his mouth and spoke, voice sounding as raw as it usually did from his memory, “I’m….the Asset.”

“No, no,” Steve said, stepping closer. “Your name is Bucky Barnes and we grew up together. We went to war together.”

“Baby steps,” Tony whispered, throwing Steve some kind of look. It was the type of look that only two people that really understood each other could understand. Then Tony looked back over at him with a smile, his brown eyes bright with emotion. “So, since we aren’t those Hydra dicks, I really don’t feel comfortable calling you the Asset. Do you mind, until you decide on a better name that’s not a vegetable like a celebrity and their creepy children, if we call you Bucky? Once you come up with something non-creepy, we'll call you that.”

“That’s…” he cleared his throat and thought about it. The idea of being called the Asset or even the Winter Soldier when he had clearly been pulled from that life put a tightness in his stomach, a rejection. Bucky was a confusing mess of a name, but it didn’t give him any ill feeling, just uncertainty. “Yes, Bucky.”

“Bucky, then,” Steve said softly, before clearing his throat. “I’m Steve, Steve Rogers. I can’t remember if-”

“I know, I read your file,” Bucky replied, pausing at the strangeness of referencing himself as a practical person in his own head. He glanced over at Tony.. “Not yours though. I think I heard people complaining about you once, and saw your face on the television.”

“Such is the life of a wonderful man,” Tony said, stretching his arms up. Bucky was curious to notice how Steve’s eyes were drawn to the small span of skin as Tony’s shirt inched upward. “Everyone desires a piece of Tony Stark, they just won’t admit it.”

The name Stark sounded familiar, causing Bucky’s eyebrows to scrunch together. There was another man named Stark.

“He’s Howard Stark’s son, Bucky,” Steve offered.

“Oh,” Bucky replied, though that didn’t really clear things up at all. The tendril of familiarity added to the growing comfort he was feeling, however.

“What’s that?” Tony sniffed at the air, before walking at high speed toward the back of the work room again with an expression of fake innocence. “Excuse me, I think my robot child is trying to blow us up.”

“He's always like that?”

“Yes, he is,” Steve replied, fondness in his voice.

***

Bucky. He’d managed in the week he’d been stuck in Tony’s workshop to get used to the name. He’d probably respond slower than normal with people he didn’t know, but with Tony and Steve it was easy to look up when they called him that. Apparently Tony didn’t want him being constantly pestered with doctors and ‘people who didn’t know what they were talking about,’ so Bucky had remained in his stronghold of a workshop to heal in his own time.

It was during this time that Bucky got to witness Steve - the man he was slowly connecting with the flash images of a scrawny boy with too much spitfire than his own good that had a habit of invading his dreams over the years - act like a love sick fool. Tony wasn’t much better, but at least he managed to cover up his batting eyelashes with sarcasm. Ironically, it was like they didn’t even realize they were flirting, it was just how they were.

It was honestly completely obnoxious.

Steve made a point to bring all of Bucky’s meals to him, their complexity growing as Bucky tolerated more and more of what turned out to actually be Steve’s cooking. Along with Bucky’s dish, Steve always brought a second one that he carefully set near Tony - close enough for him to notice but not so close the man’s flailing would knock it over. Bucky was amused to notice that Tony would just start eating, not questioning where it came from or what it was. The man didn’t even look at the plate. He was going to get poisoned at some point.

Bucky looked over at Steve, the look on the man’s face caused something - a memory? - to come to the surface.

Steve was blushing hard, much harder than now, as a man in uniform handed him a slip of paper with a slow smile, like they had a secret only they knew. The soldier lifted himself up and while he whispered, Bucky was still close enough to hear him. “For when you get back. We can take our time.”

It was at that moment that Bucky looked at the two men in the room with him and realized that they were complete idiots. “Are you two even together?”

Steve broke out into what was probably the fakest cough Bucky’s limited memory had ever heard. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Rude,” Tony insisted, eyes darting between them. The man’s neck was turning red, though, so Bucky had either angered him or embarrassed him.

“Or do you not like Steve back?” Bucky asked, going for as blunt as possible. The utterly horrified expression on Steve’s face was worth keeping his face blank. “I do remember some stuff, you know. I remember you being pretty buddy-buddy with that one fella. Mighty close together right before we headed for the Alps.”

Apparently teasing Steve was, ironically, the easiest way to get his memory back. Which Bucky planned to use and abuse.

“A fella?” Tony asked, breaking into a slow grin and actually bouncing. “Man beyond your times, indeed. Was it love at first sight? Did you show him your etchings?”

“It was just a - umm - a thing that happened during leave and - umm,” Steve coughed, taking a step back. “I didn’t get to do, uh, things when I was all sick and stuff. I - uhh.”

“Was he prettier than me?” Tony questioned in the tiniest and fakest tone of sad jealousy Bucky was sure anyone had ever heard.

“I gotta go,” Steve rushed out, before moving at a near jog to the elevator.

“Well, damn,” Tony said with an amused tilt to his head.

Bucky let the energy of the room continue for a bit longer, before he reached for his cup of ice water. He paused in between sips to say, “For the record, you’re prettier than that guy was.”

“Yeah, men like that they can pick me up,” Tony mumbled, already distracted from conversation by the series of multi-colored wires in front of him.

“I think it’s the eyelashes,” Bucky offered, hiding a grin when Tony’s entire body stilled.

Bucky might have been enjoying himself a little too much.

***

Another week and Bucky was able to walk around the workshop. Tony had kept telling Steve that they could have lengthened his leash a week ago, but Steve seemed determined to overcompensate for decades of not getting to mother hen Bucky to near death.

So, naturally, once he was free from the bed, Tony used him as a pack mule. It got to the point where Tony’s robot was getting jealous over Bucky’s new job of fetching tools. If Tony apologizing to the metal guy wasn’t so adorable, Bucky probably would have been annoyed by it all.

It turned out Tony was all hands. The man couldn’t stop touching things, even if it meant getting electrocuted or making Steve blush. Bucky made it his first priority to learn what crazy pattern that was there so he could try to predict when the man was going to accidentally kill himself. He was starting to think he should demand actual pay for this.

It’s during all this that he noticed Steve getting grumpy. Extremely grumpy, and Bucky wasn’t blind. He could feel the glare Steve occasionally shot his way when Tony took his touch a little too far.

“He doesn’t mean it,” Bucky informed him.

“Mean what?” Steve asked, playing ignorant, even though his eyes won’t leave the workstation Tony is bent over.

Bucky shook his head. Idiots. Both of them.

He looked up at the sound of clicking heels, a moment of panic rushing through him. Tony and Steve have been his only company for a while and he wasn’t even sure if other people knew he was down there. He glanced at Steve, who was suddenly grinning, “Want to see Tony get really flustered?”

When one of the most gorgeous dames Bucky had ever seen entered the room like she owned it, Bucky swallowed. “Who is she?”

“Pepper Potts.” Steve sounded a little too gleeful.

“Tony,” Pepper stated, her stance all business. When Tony didn’t respond, Pepper looked down at the tablet in her hand and called out, “U, Daddy needs a hug.”

U, Tony’s robot that appeared to be more on the shy side, suddenly zipped around the corner, barreling right into Tony’s hip. Tony let out a sound of pain, reaching a shaky hand out to pat U on the sensor. “I love you, too. Tell Pepper that she’s a mean aunt for me.”

U instead rolled over to Pepper and actually preened as Pepper gently petted her head and sensor.

“Betrayer of my loins,” Tony accused.

“Don’t listen to him,” Pepper ordered the robot. She poked around on her tablet a bit more, before smiling down at U. “You did wonderfully. Number ten on your Amazon wishlist should arrive in five days.”

Tony gestured at U, who rolled past him with an almost smug air. “Really, really?”

“We had a business meeting upstairs thirty minutes ago,” Pepper replied. “So, yes, really.”

Tony’s attempt to put on an air of fake innocence made both Bucky and Steve snort, which got them a glare from both Tony and Pepper, like they were eavesdropping inappropriately. Tony cleared his throat and waved a hand in Bucky and Steve’s direction. “As you can see, I was entertaining guests.”

“They’ve both been here long enough to be considered roommates,” Pepper snapped, before handing over the tablet. “I need you to view these.”

Tony poked at the tablet a second, before making a cooing sound. “She’s going to love this!”

“The documents, Tony, not the Amazon purchase,” Pepper ordered. Ignoring Tony’s grumbling, Pepper turned to look at them. She stalked forward, because while she was clearly a graceful woman her stride had more of the sensation of a jungle cat that found their new toy. Pepper reached out a hand, which Bucky stared at before accepting the handshake. “Mister Barnes...Sergeant Barnes? Whichever you prefer, I’m Pepper. I’m the buffer between Tony and, well, the rest of the world.”

“And a lovely job you do, ma’am,” Steve offered.

“Why is this an HR document?” Tony demanded in the background.

“Steve, be a dear and make Tony actually read the approval for raises,” Pepper said in a deceptively sweet voice.

“Yes, ma’am,” Steve replied, rushing over to Tony. A testament to just how strong of a woman Pepper Potts was, making Steve Rogers look like a happy and fully dominated puppy while doing her bidding.

“That was enjoyable to watch,” Bucky admitted aloud.

Pepper stepped over and leaned against the wall next to him, rolling her eyes in the process. “You’ve been stuck down here with them. I’m sure you already want to go mad. I’ve been watching this ridiculous show since day one. Did you know on the first day Steve moved in, Tony had put up Iron Man posters in his suite. Even more, a little Iron Man plushie on Steve’s bed.”

“And Steve still questions how Tony feels?” Bucky asked. Pepper shook her head, smiling fondly at the two men who were now arguing over a definition of a single word. “Idiots. They’re literally idiots in love.”

“I prefer morons, but your sentiment works,” Pepper replied. She tilted her head and looked at him. “You’re dealing with this pretty well. To be honest I was expecting Jarvis to ban me from the floor. There was so much talk about how you could go feral on us.”

“I might,” Bucky admitted, not able to avoid her gaze. “But I should have been under cryo for a while. I...just don’t feel a homicidal urge, I haven’t been given that order. Though, I’m also pretty territorial. So, look out if someone breaks in.”

“Well, considering those two morons, how about whoever breaks in gets drowned in PR and credit destruction by me, and pure fear by you? We’d end up doing all the work, anyway,” Pepper stated, looking back over where Steve had finally got Tony to shut up and just sign the documents.

“Fear by me? Am I even needed?” Bucky asked.

Pepper actually blushed and stepped away, a small grin on her face. “Oh, I think I’m going to like you.”

Bucky definitely knew he was going to like her.

***

Steve kept calling him moon-eyed, which really was a bit rude considering how Steve was with Tony. At least Bucky wasn’t actively trying to flirt with Pepper Potts. Mostly because that girl was pure dame and didn’t tolerate mild gestures. Bucky was probably reaching above his station giving her any sort of eyes. But, damn, did he want to give her the eyes. All the eyes. Bucky could lose track of time just thinking of Pepper’s eyes. Or her smile.

“He’s doing that eye thing again, make him stop,” Tony complained, in a clearly teasing way, but after spending so long watching the Tony and Steve show Bucky took a little offence.

“Yeah, cause I’m doing anything differently then the two of you-” Bucky started to snap. And really, he was being allowed up on the communal floor today so he really should not have been pushing his luck.

“Bucky,” Steve hissed, looking like a tomato. Tony, for his part, had an expression of blissful ignorance that was frustrating to both Bucky and Steve.

“I’m sorry, I just think she’s amazing,” Bucky replied, smiling. “We should have had women in charge during the wars. Probably would have gotten more done.”

“Here! Here!” a bored sounding voice replied, making Bucky realize he had been distracted from actually walking out of the elevator. The man who spoke was holding up a glass of orange juice, his gaze focused on the newspaper on the table.

“Clint, do you even know what we’re talking about?” Steve asked.

“Girl in charge. Narrows down to Pepper, Natasha, or the delicious Agent Hill,” Clint replied. “I say let them all have reign!”

“Would make our lives easier,” Bruce, who Bucky recognized from flashes of video in his memory, commented from the living room area, not bothering to look up from his book.

Bucky was a little shocked at how little everyone was responding to his presence. But then, he knew that Banner turned into something much more terrifying than himself. Clint was an unknown, but the man clearly had a fight or be lazy kind of personality, so Bucky knew even if he got violent Clint would act accordingly, but not engage unless Bucky was an actual threat.

“Hey, stop overthinking this,” Steve piped up. “We spoke with the team first, everyone is fine with you being here.”

“Uh, just so you know, the team and Pepper are kind of the only ones to know you exist and are here,” Tony said, giving a ‘what can you do’ type of expression. “Otherwise there would be SHIELD issues and we’re kind of cranky about them trying to drop a bomb on New York. And the Hydra stuff, but it’s mostly the bomb for me.”

Bucky fully knows he looked startled, because that was a bit more of an information dump than Tony had provided before.

“Lucky for you, we can be annoyingly and horrendously discreet,” a redhead commented from the far doorway. There was something familiar about her, but Bucky pushed it away.

“She added the adjectives just for me,” Tony said, sounding proud. Steve let out a heavy sigh.

***

Oddly, according to Steve, Bucky got along with Bruce the most. There was just something so enjoyable about sitting in silence but not feeling like you had to say anything of importance. Bruce even would, without Bucky having to ask, hand him a book to read. Sometimes it was philosophy, sometimes something about religion, but most often it was history or modern social concepts. Bruce understood his need to fit in, even though he never would, never really could to begin with.

Bruce also had the same amusement toward the weird relationship that was Steve and Tony. It was the few times they actually talked, even if it seemed more like teenagers gossiping. Bucky loved it.

“Oh my,” Bruce muttered, glancing toward the kitchen and catching Bucky’s eye in the process. “That’s Tony’s tenth cup of coffee and it’s only eleven.”

“And?” Bucky asked.

“Just wait.” Bruce sat back, looking for all the world like he wasn’t observing the room. The man had talent, Bucky had to give him that.

Merely four minutes later, Steve entered, looking like he was about to give a lecture to a group of five year olds. “Tony, you know all that caffeine isn’t good for your heart.”

“What?” Tony said, blinking up at Steve. Bucky had yet to tell if Tony acted clueless on purpose or it was a side product of him enjoying the attention. There was no way a guy that smart didn’t know what he was doing. “Steve, I have important science things to do, so if you don’t mind-”

“No, Jarvis told me you haven’t been in your own bed in 48 hours,” Steve said in his ‘I’m right, please let me care for you’ tone. Bucky had dealt with that tone before, he distinctly remembered it. Thank God someone else was on the receiving end other than him.

“Gonna carry me, Cap,” Tony said in a teasing tone, sipping his cup of coffee.

“If I have to,” Steve replied, sounding stern and a little wound up. Like he was now determined to get his way.

Tony smirked, then downed most of his cup. He set it to the side and raised his arms dramatically. “Let’s do this, old man.”

Bucky watched as Steve growled, seemingly conflicted with himself. But just as Tony lowered his arms and started reaching for his drink again, Steve stormed forward and scooped the smaller man up. Tony mouthed off their entire way to the elevator. And all Bucky could do was turn to stare at Bruce. “This has happened before?”

“Plenty, I lost count around thirty-six,” Bruce admitted.

“Someone needs to do something about this,” Bucky said. “Steve won’t admit it, he’s shy enough about what he did with men back in the war.”

“Tony enjoys the tease back and forth,” Bruce offered, looking amused as he turned the page on his book.

“They need jealousy,” Bucky decided.

“Don’t look at me, I can’t flirt to save my life and Tony would rat me out in a second,” Bruce said.

Bucky sat back and thought. The idea he came up with could turn out to be amazing, or it would end the few friendships he had. But those guys were really such idiots. Any blame could honestly rest fully on their shoulders and Bucky was certain the others would agree with him.

***

“It won’t work, not on my end,” Pepper informed him.

It took Bucky a moment to let her words register, because he’ll admit, he was staring again. It was like she had started glowing the moment he had asked her to plot with him. Or he was just a romantic sap. He cleared his throat, “There has to be something-”

“You do it,” Pepper replied in her no nonsense tone.

“Excuse me?” Bucky responded.

Pepper leaned forward, causing Bucky to look away because her dress had quite the v-neck and he was a gentleman, murderous past notwithstanding. He heard her let out a soft chuckle. “You, flirt with Steve. One thing about Tony is he can only go so long without having the object of his affection's eyes on him and him alone. Why do you think he acts that way with Steve to begin with?”

“I don’t know if I can,” Bucky admitted. At Pepper’s scowl, he rushed to say, “I’ve never had that attraction. I was never bothered by Stevie’s thing-” It’s the first time he’s said Steve’s nickname outloud, a fact he’ll think about later. “-I just don't know how I can pull it off.”

“It’s just standing closer than normal and extra touching, grabbing his arm while you’re talking even though it’s not really necessary or even just laughing a bit more when he tries to make a joke,” Pepper said.

“That sounds really awkward,” Bucky told her.

“It’s supposed to be,” Pepper confirmed. “Why do you think so many girls just let the guy take control of the flirting? Trying to get a guy to pay attention is exhausting.”

Bucky had a few things he could say about that, but he didn’t think now was the time to try out his prowess with women in this new century. “Yes, but Steve is extra clueless.”

Pepper let out a long, delicate sigh. “You’re right about that. When I met him, he kept trying to pull my chair out for me. He’s stuck in his own little wholesome world. Are you sure we want to fully subject him to Tony Stark?”

“Anything to get them to stop,” Bucky finally said, after contemplating the idea of the two men pining for each other. Tony was annoying enough to figure out a way to never age himself just so the little game could continue for all eternity. “I’m going to need help.”

“We could tag team Steve,” Pepper said, thoughtfully. She smirked when he started coughing. Pepper reached out and gently took his non-metal hand, which he won’t lie: he blushed. “It doesn’t matter how we go about this, Tony will ensure high quality theatrics.”

“I won’t get punched, will I?” Bucky asked, because while he’d been fighting for other people since before Hydra got ahold of him, he wasn’t too fond of the idea of getting into pointless fights anymore.

Pepper sat back, re-crossing her legs and showing off a nicely muscled, long leg that ended with a dangerously heeled shoe in the process. Pepper chuckled, “I’ll protect you.”

Bucky often did wonder if he didn’t just wander into things that were over his head.

***

He had to repeat it to himself multiple times before he ventured down to the workshop, where he knew Steve was offering Tony something to eat. This was to help Steve and Tony. This was to help everyone, because they were actually driving people insane. Case in point, Bucky was about to flirt with his good friend of the forties. In front of Tony, who hardly ever looked up from his holograms.

This could only end in his own frustrated tears.

So, Bucky made half-aborted attempts. He stood closer to Steve, like Pepper suggested. Again, like she had advised, he physically placed himself between Tony and Steve, like he didn’t want Tony touching Steve. He honestly thought he was doing pretty well, considering he was a straight man trying to flirt with a gay man who could bench press him and five others.

Then Tony started narrowing his eyes at him.

Now Bucky was not a weakling. He went to war at a young age and had earned the status of sergeant, of being an army sniper. And all the crazy insanity that happened later, which was still fogging due to the electrical pulses wiping his brain every time, told him he was more a scary guy than a guy to be scared. But Tony made him rethink that.

Having Tony Stark look at you with intent, with questions, was far more scary than anything Bucky could remember witnessing. He stared at Bucky, as Bucky headed back to the elevator - his claim was to get food, but he really had to get away from feeling like someone was going to have a robot kill him. Tony Stark was damn terrifying once the man set his sights on you.

And Bucky was a bit of a coward, cause he immediately called Pepper in a panic, sounding like an idiot to the SI’s goddess. “I did what you said and now Tony is going to kill me.”

“Nonsense, he looks at someone like that if they steal the last slice of bacon,” Pepper said casually. There were a bunch of people in the background talking in Polish.

“I think I interrupted you, I’m sorry,” Bucky quickly said.

“Oh, we just finished up!” Pepper said in a chipper voice, as the voices slowly disappeared. “Actually, thank you. I could use a friendly voice. I understand we are made to connect with other nations and bring together companies in the name of progress, but could they not be so condescending when a woman is running a project?”

“I’m sure you put them in their place,” Bucky said, not realizing he was flirting until after the words were out. “Uh, sorry.”

“No problem,” Pepper replied. “How was it? The boy flirting?”

“Steve has no clue,” Bucky admitted, rolling his eyes as he stepped onto the common room floor. “Tony is staring at me in a way that is utterly horrific. I’m going to need some suggestions on how to proceed before DUM-E learns how to use a shovel.”

There was an actual giggle on the other side of the line that made Bucky freeze from reaching for the fridge, because the sound was just adorable. Bucky might have more problems than he realized. His crush was growing. “I’ll be there tomorrow, okay? Time to do the double team, cause if Tony is reacting to just you getting in his territory? You and his ex-girlfriend are going to bring this all down.”

Pepper told him to keep it up and he had promised Steve and Tony food. He grabbed the easiest thing - popcorn - and ignored Bruce’s curious stare. Instead all he could think about was that he was going to be enjoying Pepper Potts’ attention tomorrow, even if they had to share it with Steve.

Bucky scowled, realizing he was definitely a bit over his head because he was actually considering that a date.

***

Bucky had gotten past his hesitance with flirting with a man by the next afternoon. Steve, his weird little soul, had no clue what Bucky was trying to do. Tony, on the other hand, was acting like anything Bucky handed him was made of radioactive material. So it was a good thing that Pepper showed up that day with a tablet needing signatures and a bright smile.

Bucky needed to really get over his own crush, because he couldn’t help envy her reaching out and actually stroking Steve’s bicep. She got a smile on her face, one that made him nearly squirm, just imagining it directed toward him. She chuckled, her eyes focused on Steve’s arm. “Think you can get that bigger?”

“Oh I’m sure he can,” Bucky said without even realizing it. He got a small smile from Pepper as a result, though. The awkwardness was totally worth it.

“Why would I need to?” Steve asked, sounding confused.

“Well, you are perfect the way you are,” Pepper conceded, reaching out again to tug at his shirt like it had ridden up and she was straightening it for him. Bucky took that as his cue to brush some imaginary dirt off Steve’s shoulder.

“Umm,” Steve responded, the sound lingering a little longer than usual as his face started turning red.

“What are you three doing?” Tony’s voice snapped.

“Oh Tony, hi,” Pepper said, looking surprised that her hands were even on Steve’s cloth covered stomach. She lowered them, smiling almost bashfully.

“I forgot you were there,” Bucky stated, not bothering with any sort of emotion to his tone.

He got the response he was hoping for. Tony started sputtering, his face turning a more angry type of red than Steve’s. His hands just start waving around, like they're trying to talk for him, because he’s too busy being overly emotional and ridiculously dramatic to actually yell at them. It’s hilarious. Bucky would do this everyday if this was the result.

“Out!” Tony finally yelled. “Not you, Rogers.”

“Umm,” was Steve’s response once again.

“You sure, buddy?” Bucky asked, leaning in a little too close, enjoying the pure scowl Tony was sending him.

“What? Yeah, Tony won’t hurt me,” Steve replied with such certainty that contradicted the way Tony was narrowing his eyes and gripping a wrench.

“I’ll be back later for actual work purposes,” Pepper informed Tony, before grabbing the tablet and smoothly walking toward the door. Bucky followed, seeing Steve and Tony just staring at each other as the elevator doors closed. Pepper shot him a grin. “That went well.”

***

Apparently it went too well, because Steve and Tony had been locked in the workshop with Jarvis being under strict rules to not allow anyone in unless there were aliens. Either that or Tony killed Steve and was coming up with creative uses for the body in order to hide the crime in plain sight.

“Clint has you watching Criminal Minds, doesn’t he?” Pepper asked with a shake of her head when Bucky mentions it.

“I don’t like that Elle girl,” Bucky offered.

Pepper just laughed and Bucky felt a bit of warmth rush through him, like his mother’s dime store novels used to describe. “Oh, I’d imagine you wouldn’t. And not because of you being a 40s man, but she is abrasive even to victims. Don’t worry, it gets better.”

“Is this why you wanted to meet? To discuss television?” Bucky asked. And by meet, he really meant the small cafe on the third floor of the tower. Employee access only and Pepper had interactions with such a variety of people, no one looked twice at him.

“No, I wanted to check up on things,” Pepper replied, poking at her salad. “It’s been nearly a week.”

“And no hide nor hair,” Bucky lamented, earning a giggle which he fully took as a win. “They are either going to be extremely worn out or they are going to use that hospital bed for actual sleep occasionally.”

“Steve might be able to get Tony tired enough to sleep. It would be a miracle, but those do happen on occasion,” Pepper said. Pepper waited until after he had taken his last bite of his turkey club before leaning forward. “I have another reason for wanting to talk to you. I know your memory of the war and your role in it back then is a little hazy, but I have an employee who has made such a fuss about us trying to force him into retirement. He brought documents from when Howard Stark was providing weapons to certain military groups during World War II.”

“You’re hoping I can tell if they are legit?” Bucky asked. “How old is this guy, he’s got to be around ninety or so.”

“Exactly, hence us trying to push him into retirement. He’s more of a hazard than a worker at this point, but the old rulers….Stane, used it all as keeping the vets productive as we create weapons for the new generation,” Pepper told him with a disgusted twist to her mouth.

Which was how Bucky found himself bent over a desk, staring at a contract that was brownish on the edges and typed with a typewriter. Pepper was standing to the side, watching him as he shifted to the next page and then the next. Eventually he straightened and turned to her with a frown.

“What?” Pepper asked.

“You already knew this was fake,” Bucky said.

“Oh?”

“You’re playing coy.” Bucky glanced down at the document. “That’s not even Howard Stark’s signature. He always did a weird loop on the k.”

“Okay, fine,” Pepper said with a sigh, dropping down onto her desk chair and crossing her legs. Bucky had to drag his eyes from the glimpse of thigh. “You always look away from me when I move. Am I so horrible to look at?”

“No, ma’am,” Bucky said automatically, shaking his head. “Just, uh, trying to be a gentleman and not stare. Because you are lovely.”

“Come here,” Pepper ordered. She had a strange look on her face as he came around the desk and stopped at her feet. She looked up at him with an intense level of expectation, “What are you going to do now?”

Bucky was fully aware that his heart was racing at a near deadly level. But he was, even as the Winter Soldier, the type to go with his gut. So he dropped to one knee and reached for Pepper’s hand, who looked a mix of alarmed and doting. Bucky cleared his throat. “I don’t know what my clearance is, so you will have to plan it, but Pepper Potts? Will you go on a date with me?”

Her smile was wonderful and bright. She drew up her other hand to cover that very smile, like she was shocked by it. “This Thursday, we are going to dine and dance. If you think you can handle a group of people around us?”

“If I’m with you, yes. I have no doubt you can calm me down,” Bucky replied, grinning as he got another bright smile.

***

Tony stumbled out of his workshop looking like a man who had been brutally held in captivity. He immediately raced for the coffee, face wincing when he sat down.

Bruce called out, “Things okay over there?”

He knew he was being a little shit, but Bucky was thankful that he wasn’t the one who had to point it out. He did have to hide a laugh when Tony looked over at them. Eyes squinting like he needed glasses and couldn’t actually see them.

“What? Yes, I’m wonderful!” Tony said in his normal dramatic flair. “Where’s Steve?”

“Did you kill him?” Bucky asked, because he just had to confirm his tiny worry. “You shut the workshop down with him in there with you. Is he dead? Or is he sleeping it all off?”

“Jarvis, make sure you’re getting all of this,” Bruce muttered. The AI didn’t reply, but they knew it was all being recorded.

“I didn’t kill him!” Tony squawked. He waved an arm around as though that proved his point. “He nearly killed me! A man can only take so much, I’m a vulnerable and extremely important individual. I wasn’t expecting to be a sacrifice for a damn adonis.”

“Tony,” Steve’s voice said from the elevator. The man strode forward, smiling when Tony immediately turned and let him draw Tony into a soft embrace. “I should have known you’d go for the coffee before your own bed.”

“Oh, umm, well,” Tony glanced at them, face blossoming in an actual honest blush. “Sorry.”

“He looks tired. Maybe Tony should be taken to bed, carried even. He looked a little wobbly,” Bruce said in his calm voice. Bucky had to bite his tongue to not laugh, even when Bruce glanced at him with a small smirk.

“I am fine!” Tony protested.

“No, you really should sleep,” Steve said, looking worried. Right before he scooped Tony up.

“Fine! You behemoth, fine!” Tony snapped, clearly okay with his future, since he slapped Steve on the ass as he dangled off the man’s shoulder.

“That was lovely,” Bruce commented, after the elevator doors shut. He turned toward Bucky, a slight smile on his face. “So, you said you have a date?”

“No, you don’t get to mess with that,” Bucky said, scooting a bit away on the sofa.

Bruce Banner, even without the Hulk, was diabolical.

***

Pepper Potts was a classy lady, so Bucky wasn’t sure what she was going to come up with for their date. Even more the worry that he really was just borrowing Steve’s clothes, which weren’t the best fit as it was. He mentioned as much to Tony later in the week when he went down to play with the bots.

“Okay, when did this happen?” Tony demanded, spinning on his stool, face scrunched up in confusion.

“While you and Steve were taking part in activities of a carnal nature,” Bucky said.

Tony narrowed his eyes, looking like he had a mouthful to say, before the man just shrugged. “Well, Pep knows full well you can’t expect a man to know how to dress when it comes to galas or even cozy dinners. She’ll probably have a suit sent up for you to wear. That beautiful fireball is just that clever...and controlling.”

“Hmm,” Bucky hummed, having nothing to add to that because everything Tony said was true and Bucky had no problem with a dame like Pepper taking control of the situation.

“What has made you so happy?” Tony suddenly demanded, drawing Bucky to look over to see Steve talking on the phone. “Who are you talking to?”

“It’s nothing, Tony,” Steve said. Then Steve glanced over at his boyfriend and laughed into the phone, “Yeah, he is. Okay, you’re welcome.”

“Plotting against me?” Tony asked in a near cold tone, giving proof to how much his past life had made him paranoid.

Bucky simply tuned them out when Steve slid over and began whispering in Tony’s ear, who immediately started to blush. It was ridiculous, half annoying and half adorable.

“Ohh, we need pictures. Hot,” Tony suddenly said, his voice a little too happy for Bucky’s tastes.

“Pictures?”

“Nothing,” Steve said quickly.

Bucky wondered if maybe he and Pepper had made a fatal error in bringing these two together. He watched while they went back to whispering, pretty sure they were actually planning something that would scare everyone. He probably should warn Bruce.

In the end he left Bruce to his own devices, because someone had been in the room Tony had given him. He didn’t have such a high level of senses that he could smell the person, but he knew the feeling rushing down his spine enough to make him stalk around the room, checking the closet and bathroom. And even sticking his head up into the vents to see if Clint was messing with him again, the little shit.

Then he felt like an idiot when he dropped down on the bed and sat on plastic instead of the plushness of the comforter. Now, when Bucky had first moved into the room Tony had, as a joke, decorated it like a snowfield with white and barely there hints of grey. It was the only explanation he could give for why he didn’t notice the white plastic dry cleaner bag laying on his bed.

Bucky was not going to lie, he probably was a little too nervous and careful opening it. Then he saw the message inside and felt even more ridiculous in his panic: ‘Put this on, picking you up at eight.’

He glanced at the clock, realizing he barely had an hour. Not even looking at what he was supposed to be putting on, Bucky rushed to take a shower. Eventually he had to open it fully, though. Eventually he’d have to look at the big hint of where Pepper was going to take him.

And his heart started to pound, not in fear but awe, as a nearly identical replica of his army dress uniform was revealed to him. Hat and all. He felt a moment of pure panic, because he barely remembered wearing this to a USO dance and that one time at the Stark Expo. He hadn’t worn this uniform since...doing the math was almost depressing.

“Jarvis,” he said in a breathless tone. “Get Steve in here, I’m going to need help with this.”

With Steve came Tony, which had been what he was expecting. He’d hardly seen them apart since they pulled him from cryo.

“Oh, you’re going to look lovely,” Tony practically cooed, because he was a jerk. Bucky would wait for another day to tell him that, though.

“Let’s get started,” Steve said brightly.

Bucky didn’t know dating Pepper Potts would lead to two men fawning over him and even doing his hair, all while grinning at each other like total idiots in love. He’d awakened to a very strange world.

***

He looked weird, he felt weird. He could not figure out where Pepper was taking him in that get up. Even though there was a weird softness to him now, remembering the dress uniform and remembering the joy in it. How it represented what he was doing for the country, but also that he was strong and, yes, a gentleman.

Tony and Steve were grinning at him when he turned away from his reflection in the window of the tower. They were waiting for Pepper out by the corner and Bucky really could have done without their commentary.

“He’s so cute! Can you get a suit like that?” Tony asked. “We can double date.”

“I will steal it from the Smithsonian if I have to,” Steve promised.

“Seriously, guys?” Bucky demanded.

A car turned the corner right when Bucky had started biting his thumbnail. It was sleek, black, and a 1940 Cadillac Sixty Special. The very same car he had dreamed of buying when he joined the army. He shot a glance at the other two, who looked excited and smug in turn.

The car stopped at the curb and the driver’s door opened. A driver stepped up, who nodded at Tony. Bucky knew his name, he was certain he did, but his body was trembling with nerves as the man opened the car door for him. Inside, in the dark as cars back then didn’t have as much lighting as they did now, was Pepper. All he could see was the flash of a leg and a dress that probably wasn’t black but looked it in the minimal light.

“Well, get in,” Steve ordered, pushing at his back.

“Don’t leave your girl waiting,” Tony added, then because he was a snot he said, “She’ll blame me, get in there.”

So he did and like any nervous guy of any decade, he could only stare as Pepper smiled at him and reached out to take his hand.

“Figured it out yet?” Pepper asked when he hadn’t spoken for a couple blocks.

“No idea,” he admitted. His last date that didn’t involve killing someone was...that was also depressing to calculate.

“USO parties aren’t really a thing anymore from what I’ve managed to figure out. Not the way you or Steve would remember,” Pepper said in her calm voice. She didn’t even react when his hand jerked, as memories tried to come up. “However, the VA has done wonders with keeping the tradition as much as they can in that style if they have the funding. There are still World War II vets out there and even then, there is a little USO style dance tonight.”

“So, other World War II soldiers?” Bucky asked nervously.

“Not really,” Pepper admitted. “They come, Korean War vets as well and the occasional Vietnam vet, and enjoy it, but mostly it’s their children and such getting a taste of that time.”

Bucky went silent, rubbing his flesh hand on his leg since Pepper had a soft hold on his metal one. He didn’t even realize she was holding onto that hand until that point.

She was looking at him with a carefully guarded expression. “We don’t have to go.”

He bit his lip, thinking about it. It might be too much, that was true. But to be able to pull her onto the dance floor while the music of his day - his day, what he was remembering more and more of - played in the background? That idea made him smile and say, “Sounds good, doll.”

***

He got his dance. He also got to meet men who looked like he should, who just viewed him as another veteran, but of a younger war. He was treated with respect, which felt strange down to his bones. Any time someone commented on his metal arm, it was joked off as him being the first to test out SI technology, because Pepper was hard to not identify. A few men joked about wanting to be next up for it and Bucky smiled, because Pepper was making notes.

Not physically, but she asked their name and he knew she was building a list.

“I believe my girl deserves a dance, fellas,” Bucky said when a slower song came on. One he knew, could feel he knew without searching for the memory. His mother, dancing with his little sister in the kitchen.

Pepper happily followed him out, her hands moving into place as he settled one on her waist. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, yeah, I’m-” Bucky cut himself off, taking a deep breath. “I never expected this.”

“What did you expect?” she asked.

“Honestly, dinner at a pricey restaurant or tickets to an opera or something,” Bucky admitted, feeling he could be honest with her.

Pepper laughed, her head dropping down briefly to rest on Bucky’s shoulder. She looked up at him, her smile still there but subdued. “No, I wanted you to be comfortable. And that meant it was this or a gun range. I suppose. Steve wasn’t as much help as he’ll claim to be.”

“You realize I now want to see you at a gun range, right?” Bucky replied, the very idea satisfying both himself and some part of him that remained the Winter Soldier.

“Fourth date,” Pepper promised.

“Yes, ma’am,” Bucky replied, feeling like he said something good when she just smiled.

After that the dance was a blur. He vaguely remembered being asked to come again the next month. The driver was waiting for them, like they were 1940s royalty. Bucky still couldn’t remember his name, but he looked happy as he opened the car’s door for them.

The car waited as Pepper walked him inside and to the elevator, her dress spinning around her as she turned to look at him.

“May I…” Bucky cut himself off, because even after that kind of perfect night he didn’t know if he had the right to ask Pepper for physical affection.

“Are you going to kiss me, soldier?” she asked, looking up at him with classic 40s makeup, which had been driving him wild all night.

“If the lady wants it,” he replied, voice low without his consent.

“One for the night,” she said back with a small smile.

“One..okay,” he whispered, sudden terror hitting him. He didn’t even remember his last kiss, let alone his first.

Pepper narrowed her eyes, before her whole face went soft. “In this special case, I believe I’ll take the honors.”

Bucky didn’t have time to respond. She was tugging him toward her and their lips met. It was soft and gentle. Of course it was. It was perfect.

Until desire hit, on both of their parts. The kiss turned less gentle. It was now driving toward something, but soft all the sametime. He felt her moan more than he heard it. Emotions rushed through, ones he hadn’t felt in decades. Her back ended up being pressed to the wall, his metal arm around her waist as they just kept kissing. Like it was more important than air.

He was the one to pull away, not sure where the emotions he hadn’t let himself acknowledge in so long was aiming for. His metal arm stayed on her waist, rubbing the flesh underneath her dress - blue, it was blue - while the other dropped to cup her cheek as he just looked at her.

“You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he admitted.

Her face blushed nearly as bright as her hair. “Doubtful.”

“Deny all you want. I’ve waited forever for you,” Bucky said in a soft voice, rubbing his flesh thumb against her check.

“Bucky Barnes, you are a flirt,” she teased, stepping away from the wall he suddenly realised he had pinned her against. She noticed his expression and smirked at him. “I hope our next date goes just as well.”

“Next, yes,” Bucky replied, feeling dazed. “Let me know when that is.”

“Oh, I will,” she said in an almost coy voice. Then he was watching her walk out of the tower, the driver waiting to take her home.

Bucky might be in love.

***

Naturally, Steve and Tony were waiting for him.

“How’d it go?” Steve asked, sounding calm and curious.

Completely overridden by Tony’s giant grin and the little bounce in his step. “Did you kiss her? Wait, no, it’s Pepper. Did she kiss you?”

“You both have each other,” Bucky replied, pulling off his hat and loosening his tie. His hair was a mess, because Pepper apparently ignored the hat boundary entirely. Which Bucky felt oddly smug about.

“And?” Tony replied, waving one hand like that alone was adding more to the conversation.

“You should be focusing on each other?” Bucky offered. “Not me having a date with...the most wonderful dame I’ve ever met.”

“I’m telling Pepper you said that!” Tony blurted out, completely ignoring Steve’s hushing glare. Because, naturally, Steve had that type of glare.

“You are both idiots,” Bucky stated from where he had decided to make tea before heading to his room. “Pepper and I both agree.”

Tony’s face was one of complete betrayal. Not even Steve rubbing his back seemed to help.

“Actually, I have you both to thank,” Bucky commented.

“Why?” Tony demanded, while Steve just rubbed his face. Because of course Steve figured it out a while ago. Tony was just hopeless at noticing the obvious things in the world.

“You two idiots. Get over it Tony, because it’s true,” Bucky said, glaring when both of them tried to protest. “You couldn’t figure out you were in love. So Pepper and I came up with a plan to get you together. And then, well, it led to tonight. That’s my full disclosure.”

Steve and Tony looked at each other, seemingly to have one of those weird staring conversations they had. Then Steve looked over at him, smiling far too brightly, “So, we get credit?”