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Tony woke with a start. His sheets were clammy with sweat, and his heart thudded at a million miles an hour.
It wasn't a nightmare, for once.
No, something else, a wordless cry had him staggering out of bed. JARVIS automatically illuminated the lights in his room so that he didn't bash into something on his way out.
His bond with James had always been annoyingly one-way. James got everything from Tony, and Tony had gotten virtually nothing of him in return.
Tonight, that changed.
The Alpha was in his living room, though he certainly hadn't been in the building an hour ago. He sat, curled on the couch, hair up in a tie and his head bowed. His flesh arm wrapped around his stomach. The metal arm was dead at his side.
"Let me… Let me see…" Tony gasped, because the pain radiating from James felt like a knife in his own guts. Or, more specifically, a bullet.
James made a noise deep in his throat, but moved his arm. Dark blood soaked through his shirt.
"Jesus," Tony muttered. "Stay there. I know a guy who can fix this — Doctor. He's — we can trust him, but protip: don't get him angry."
James let out a breathless laugh. "The Hulk, yeah. I've read about him."
Tony glanced to the ceiling. "JARVIS, get the word to Brucey. Make sure he keeps it quiet." He looked at James. The pain was still there, but it was… Less substantial than it had been before. The Alpha was putting a lid on it, and less was leaking through their bond. "What happened?"
"Long story."
"Mugging? Gambling debts? Wrong place, wrong time?" Tony bit out because he had no idea what James was up to. He only dropped in when Tony was due for a heat.
"You should see the other guy," James said. Then, unexpectedly, he reached with his good hand and pulled Tony into a close embrace. James inhaled in the crook of Tony's neck. "Needed to see ya. Glad you were close."
The muscles in Tony's tense shoulders relaxed, just a bit. His Alpha had this effect on him — it probably came along with the bond. The thought of him bleeding out, alone and too far away for Tony to do anything about it was… He didn't want to think about it.
"Y-yeah," he said, fingers clenching in James’s shirt. Smooth, Stark.
The elevator door chimed a moment before it slid open. Bruce walked in, a med kit in hand, looking like he'd woken up from a dead sleep. Also, more than a little confused to see Tony practically in the lap of a strange, bleeding Alpha.
"JARVIS said you needed my help." He adjusted his glasses in a nervous tick. "Tony, how many times do I have to tell you I'm not that kind of doctor."
Tony felt James tense, and hoped the Alpha would pick up on Tony's own trust for Bruce. "Good enough for government work." He had to force himself to pull away from James. "Bruce, this is James. James, Bruce. We’re keeping to first names."
Not that he even knew James's last name.
Bruce's eyebrows raised, but good sport as he was, he stepped forward. "What do we have?"
James spoke. "Single slug — clean in and out. It will heal in a few days, but… stopping the bleeding would be great."
"Healed in a few days…?" Bruce shot Tony a look. And Tony could practically see the gears running in the man's brain. He had, after all, based his experiments and years of research on Steve's super serum.
That was news to Tony, too. He gave a helpless, 'What are you going to do?' shrug.
Bruce sighed, opened the med kit, and went to work.
He stitched up the wound while James laid his head in Tony's lap. It was strangely intimate, considering they'd gone through heats together. But James had never stayed long afterward, and Tony told himself he liked it that way.
"That's good enough for now," Bruce said at last, tying off the string and snipping the end with a pair of scissors. "I'd like to check the stitches in the morning." He gave James a direct look. "Will you be here in the morning?"
"Yes."
Bruce nodded then look to the elevator and said, "Tony?"
Tony knew he owed his friend one. He escorted Bruce to the elevator and wasn't surprised when Bruce said, lowly, "I didn't know you were bonded. Who is he?"
Tony hesitated. "He saved my life." Which was the same sort of non-answer that James was good at giving.
"Does anybody else know about him?"
"And lose my spot on People's Most Available Omega list?"
"Tony."
He shook his head. "Can we keep it that way, big green?"
Bruce sighed again and glanced over at James. "You know there such a thing as patient–doctor privilege."
Tony flashed a grin. "I thought you weren't that kind of doctor?"
"Only because you keep treating me that way." Bruce looked around him back at James. "Be careful, Tony." He stepped in the elevator, and the door shut before Tony could lie to him that he always was.
Tony walked over to the still prone Alpha. James's eyes were closed, though Tony knew he wasn't asleep. He probably heard every word Bruce had said.
"Bed?” Tony suggested. “Have you ever slept in my bed?"
"Not while you were in it." James said, eyes still closed.
That was either very sweet or very creepy. Still, James didn't seem to be interested in getting up. And like everything Tony owned, the couch was very large and luxurious. He resumed his place next to the Alpha, resting James's head on his thigh.
"Tomorrow I'm looking at your cybernetic arm."
James made a noise of agreement in his throat. "It could use a good cleaning."
Tony considered. "You don't have to—Next time… You don't have to get shot or wait until I'm in heat to see me. Door's open. You should know that."
And just like that, the bond slammed shut again between them. Tony hadn't realized how open it had been, before. He inhaled a quick breath, trying and failing to hide his hurt.
"Sorry," James muttered. "It's just… Not a good idea. Not because you're an Avenger," he added, proving that Tony's thoughts were as open to him as ever. Bastard. "I'm damn proud of what you're doing here, what you are accomplishing. Working with Captain America…" Opening his eyes, the corner of his mouth kicked up in half a smile. "Who would've ever thought that?"
Tony hated that little part of himself that glowed under his Alpha's praise. "Then, what is it?"
"Me," James said. His eyes shut again, and through the thick steel wall that was their reclosed bond, Tony got a hint of regret and self-loathing. That was a feeling he knew well. "It's me, darlin'."
For once, Tony found he had nothing to say.