Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.
Word Count - 8226
Wrapped Up (In You)
"Sir, the delivery to the Avengers Compound has been made, and the team send their thanks," JARVIS said, making Tony smile.
"Good stuff, J," he replied, eyeing the blueprint he'd been working on critically. "What's my schedule looking like for the rest of the week?"
"You have a board meeting on Friday morning, Sir, but other that that, the rest of the week is your own. Miss Potts has expressed a wish for a lunch date on Monday also."
"Pencil it in and let her know, okay?"
"Yes sir," Jarvis replied dutifully, and Tony could've sworn there was fondness in his tone. Tony knew, in as much as an AI could feel, that JARVIS loved him, but it still made his heart swell to hear it.
"Sir, Captain Rogers is on the line."
Tony blinked then shook his head. "Take a message, J."
It wasn't that Tony was avoiding Steve, even though he was a little, but he really couldn't bring himself to talk to the man outside of missions. It wasn't… he'd forgiven Steve for their little argument in Siberia, even with the lasting effects he didn't actively blame Steve. They'd both done badly, and it was beyond time to move on from that.
Tony just… chose to do it from a distance.
It wasn't even just Steve, Tony had separated himself from most of the Avengers, though of course Rhodey was the exception to that, and Carol to a point, since the two of them often came as a double act these days.
Besides, Tony didn't actually need to do the whole team thing; he'd reverted himself to Consultant status almost as soon as the returning Avengers had settled themselves back into the Compound. He knew that nobody was happy with his decision, and that they all wanted him to move to the Compound with them, but he just… couldn't deal.
At least at the tower, he had his privacy. The small amounts of loneliness that plagued him were nothing compared to the frustration he'd feel if he had the whole team poking their noses into his business.
And he knew they would.
With the amount of doctors Tony had to see on a weekly basis these days, Captain Sodding America would be on the case within the space of a day for certain.
Tony didn't need that drama.
…
"How are you doing?" Rhodey asked, watching Tony's every move through the hologram.
"I'm good, Platypus, I promise," Tony replied, offering his best friend a smile. "Levels are all holding steady at the moment."
Rhodey nodded, though his smile was pinched, and his eyes spoke of pain and loss. Tony hated it. He hadn't died yet, he didn't want Rhodey in pain because of him.
"What can I do for you?" He asked, wanting to move the conversation away from his health.
"Team meeting in an hour," Rhodey said. "And honestly, we're going to need you in on this one. Thor has brought news of a… Thanos? Some big purple alien dude that wants to destroy the universe. We've called Strange in as well, and the Guardians are on their way in. Steve and Carol are trying to get a hold of the Fantastic Four and Xavier too."
"Sounds like a party," Tony replied, rubbing at his temple. "Alright, I'll finish up here and be over. Has Peter been called in?"
Rhodey nodded, looking about as happy about it as Tony felt. "He has, despite my misgivings. From what Thor said, we're going to need all hands on deck for this one, Tones."
"I'll be there soon, Platypus."
Rhodey nodded and the hologram closed. Tony sighed. This… was not in his plans for the day. "Prep the suit, J. It would appear that we're needed."
"Yes, Sir."
…
The room was full, and Tony hovered on the edges of it, sticking close to Rhodey as the Avengers argued and fought between themselves. He didn't have time for this, but he couldn't leave until Stephen arrived, to see if the man had any insight on a way to beat the force coming for them.
Tony hadn't been worried until he'd seen the look in Thor's eyes.
Whatever or whoever Thanos was, he'd struck fear into the God of Thunder, and that worried Tony more than anything else, because Thor had always seemed a pillar of strength to Tony. That even Loki was there, ready and willing to work alongside them to get rid of this threat told Tony just how bad this could be.
A swirling circle appeared just to the side of Tony, and seconds later, Stephen stepped through, looking stressed out. He nodded a greeting to Tony before he looked over the room, rolling his eyes when he saw most of the superheroes arguing.
Putting two fingers in between his lips, he whistled loudly to get their attention.
"We don't have time for your babbling," he said, when he had the room's attention. "Thanos is coming, and he's coming fast. There's a way to beat him, but it's going to require strength, and…"
"And what?" Rhodey asked, when Stephen trailed off, suddenly looking awkward.
"There's… a very large chance that whomever does this will… it will be fatal. It will work, but it is unlikely that whomever does it will survive the mission to the end."
"Is it certain?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Nothing is certain," Stephen replied quietly. "I… Tony…"
"I'll do it," Tony said, his voice ringing through the room. The expected protests rose immediately, Steve's the loudest amongst them, and he shook his head, looking at Rhodey. "You know I'm the best person for this particular mission."
Rhodey looked devastated but he nodded slowly. "I know. I just… Tony. There's still -"
"There's not," Tony replied kindly. "Not really. The chances of it…" he shook his head, unwilling to discuss this in front of everyone.
"Tony, you can't do this," Steve said, over the voices of the others. "You can't… there has to be another way."
"There isn't," Stephen said, shaking his head. "I've looked at over fourteen million futures and… this is the only way."
"It doesn't have to be Tony though," Bucky put in, surprising Tony.
Of everyone in the room, Bucky seemed the least likely to want to save Tony. Not that Tony thought Bucky disliked him but… well. After their first few interactions, Tony had kept his distance from the super soldier since his return to the US.
"Why should it be anyone else?" Tony asked, his head tilting to the side.
"Some people… have more red on their hands, than others," Bucky said after a long moment. "And you are not one of those people."
"Bucky's right," Steve said, shaking his head. "I'm not going to let you go this."
"You can't stop me."
"The hell I can't," Steve snapped. "I won't let you get yourself killed, Tony!"
"I'm already dying," Tony snapped.
The stunned silence made him realise what he'd said and he groaned quietly, rubbing a hand over his face. Looking up, he met Steve's eyes.
"I'm already dying," he repeated, softer this time. "So it makes sense for me to be the one to do this. At least this way… at least this way, my death will mean something."
"Tony…" Steve whispered, his eyes bright with tears. Before Tony could say anything, Steve pushed away from the table and stormed from the room, banging the door behind him.
Tony closed his eyes for a moment, before he looked at Bucky. "Go after him," he murmured. "I don't… just go after him."
Bucky nodded and stood, walking the long way around the table so he could squeeze Tony's shoulder on the way past. Tony forced himself not to flinch at the unexpected contact, and he offered Bucky a small smile when their eyes met. He watched Bucky leave, his exit much quieter than Steve's had been.
Carol stepped forward then, drawing the group's attention. "Thor, Stephen, Rhodes, the three of you are going to be instrumental in the plotting of this. Everyone else… you can go and regroup, eat, get some rest. I have a feeling we're going to need it."
"Get yourself up to my room, Tones," Rhodey murmured. "Get some sleep, okay? Nobody will bother you there."
Tony thought to complain, but he didn't have the energy. He leant forwards for a moment, resting his head against Rhodey's shoulders. "Okay. I. Okay."
Rhodey pressed a kiss to his temple. "I'll be up in a bit."
…
Bucky found Steve in the gym. He wasn't surprised to find his boyfriend smacking the shit out of a punching bag, though he rolled his eyes when he saw that Steve hadn't even bothered to wrap his hands before he started.
"Stevie," he murmured, just as Steve hit the bag so hard it flew across the room, landing heavily on the floor.
Tears fell unchecked down Steve's cheeks, and as his knees gave way, Bucky reached him just in time to catch him before he hit the floor. They sank together, wrapped around each other, and Steve clutched at Bucky as though he was the only thing keeping him alive.
"I can't lose him, Buck. Not after… I can't… I…"
"I know, Stevie, I know," Bucky murmured, his own voice choked with emotion. He'd known since before they'd returned to the US that Steve had feelings for Tony. He'd known, and accepted it then, and he'd known and understood it after spending time with Tony.
There was no way to not fall in love with Tony Stark, if you were lucky enough to see him without his walls up. There was no way to not love the happy, smiling babbling man who thrived on technology and loved without limits.
Bucky hadn't been privileged to see much of that man, but he'd seen enough to know that he craved more of it.
"I love you," Steve said suddenly. "I always thought… I thought that my whole heart belonged to you. And then… and then I met Tony, and it doesn't mean I love you any less, Buck, it doesn't, I swear that, but…"
"I know, Stevie. I love him too."
Steve nodded, because he knew that. They both knew it, deep down, and verbalising it was only confirming what they'd known for months.
"It's too late," Steve mumbled bitterly. "Even if… even if he felt the same, which, after everything, would be a miracle all on its own, it's too late. He's..."
"There's a chance he'll make it through, Stevie," Bucky comforted, though he himself didn't believe his words. "And if… if he does… maybe there's something to be done. Maybe he can… there could be something he hasn't…"
Steve sighed and buried his face against Bucky's neck. "It's too late, Buck. We've lost him before we ever had chance to make him ours."
…
The fight was brutal. Tony shot blast after blast after blast at Thanos' force, trying to find himself a way to the monster himself. There were battles going on everywhere, and Tony was struggling to keep his focus, to not go and help the others.
His team, no matter his consultant status.
He knew what he had to do, knew how to do what he had to do, but he also knew that Thanos wasn't going to cooperate and make it easy. He knew what he was facing, and he knew it would be a battle hard won.
It was worth it though. If it saved the world, if it saved the Avengers, if it saved Rhodey and Pepper and Carol… it was worth it.
Pushing forward, Tony was ruthless in his mission to get to Thanos. JARVIS spoke into his ear, blocking the team comms to help keep Tony focused, and Tony took comfort from knowing that the last voice he heard would be the one he counted on most.
"Iron man," Thanos growled, and Tony smirked behind his mask.
Time to engage his end.
…
He was so tired. His body ached with every move he made, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up with Bucky and not move for a week. The fighting was done, they'd won, and yet, there was no satisfaction in it.
There was none of the usual sense of achievement, of a job well done. Instead there was grief and hurt and pain.
"Steve! Steve, where are you?"
Steve turned around to see Bucky limping towards him. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, automatically wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Tony's alive, Stevie," he gasped out, pressing his body against Steve's. "He's alive."
"Where is he?" Steve asked, his grip on Bucky tightening.
"They've rushed him into medical. Let's go?"
Steve nodded. "Let's go."
When they arrived at the medical wing of the Compound, it was to find the corridor filled with bodies in varying conditions. Rhodey stood by a doorway, a forbidding look on his face whenever people approached.
Steve led the way, Bucky a step behind him.
"How is he?" Steve asked, nodding to the room Rhodey was guarding.
"I don't know yet. There's been complications."
Steve swallowed hard and looked around, grateful to see two empty chairs a little ways down the corridor. Sitting down, he pulled Bucky down beside him.
"You're in for a long wait if you plan on waiting until he wakes up," Rhodey said roughly. "If he wakes up."
Steve took a deep breath. "We'll wait as long as it takes."
…
"What are they doing to him in there?" Steve asked, as they hit the eighth hour of waiting. An hour after Steve and Bucky sat down, Stephen Strange had arrived with a woman Steve vaguely recognised, and the two of them had entered the room and closed the door behind them with a snap.
Rhodey had moved from standing in front of the door to sitting down beside it, but he still had his arms crossed and was glaring at everyone walking past.
"It's… an experimental procedure," Rhodey admitted. "They aren't sure if it will help, what with the reactor being back -" he cut himself off, wincing when he saw Steve frown.
"He got the arc reactor back? Why?"
Rhodey shook his head. "That's not for me to tell."
"Rhodes," Steve pleaded. "Please. I just… I just want to know what's going on with him."
Rhodes shook his head, his lips pressed firmly together.
"Please."
"You put the reactor back in his chest," Rhodes snapped, suddenly glaring at Steve. "When you rammed your shield into his chest and then left him for dead. Are you satisfied?"
The door opened, and Strange popped his head out. "Rhodes… you can come in now."
…
Tony woke up slowly, feeling unbelievably well rested. He hadn't expected to wake at all, so this was all a bonus in his opinion. Blinking his eyes open, he wasn't surprised to find himself in the stark white rooms of medical.
What he was surprised by, was that he could breathe freely. He'd almost forgotten what that felt like. Pushing himself in a semi-sitting position, he glanced around the room. When he saw Steve and Bucky sitting at the side of his bed, both sleeping, he raised his eyebrow.
If he could have bet on two people being by his bed when he woke, his money certainly wouldn't have been on the pair of super soldiers.
The door opened quietly, and Tony looked up to see Stephen entering, a small smile on his face.
"The procedure worked, obviously," he said, his tone low as he glanced at the soldiers. "With a little… help, at least."
Tony narrowed his eyes. "What kind of help?"
Stephen's smile widened. "Let's just say you owe me one, huh?"
Tony chuckled. "So, what's my prognosis now?"
The door opened again and Helen Cho appeared, a wide smile on her face. "You're going to live long enough to terrorise the world for at least another generation of unfortunate souls."
Tony grinned at her. "You love me."
"That… is not entirely false," she admitted. "Lie down, I need to check for any left over scar tissue."
Tony did as he was told, and winced when she touched her cold fingers to his warm chest.
"Don't be a baby," she laughed, pressing down on his chest in various places. "I'm pleased to say that you're entirely fine, Tony. But… please… please don't put us through this again. I don't accept this as a means to continually put your life in danger."
Tony lifted his arm to pat the hand she still had on his chest. "I'll do my best."
"That is not comforting in the slightest."
"Probably for the best," Tony admitted, as he sat back up. "When can I blow this popsicle stand?"
"Rhodes and Carol will be by shortly to see you," Helen said. "In the meantime, you should probably wake the soldiers and set their minds at ease. They haven't left since… well. Since you got here, really."
"I… what do they know?"
"As I heard it, they know more or less everything. Rhodes… ah… lost his temper and told them why you had the arc reactor back."
"Ah, fuck," Tony muttered rubbing a hand over his face. "That's exactly what I didn't need."
"We'll leave you to what I'm sure will be an absolutely riveting conversation," Strange said, a small smirk on his face. Tony flipped him off, shaking his head as the two left the room chuckling.
Alone in the room with the sleeping men, Tony took a moment to stretch, to enjoy how free and… young his joints felt. The ache that had plagued his back for years was gone, as was the always threatening headache and the shoulder ache that arrived to say hello far too often for comfort.
Deciding he wanted to be clothed for the coming conversation, he slipped from beneath the sheets and grabbed his clothes from the table beside the bed. He closed the bathroom door quietly behind him and quickly cleaned himself up.
He was almost dressed when he heard a commotion from the room he'd just left. Steve called his name frantically, and there was a bang that sounded like a chair being upended.
He opened the bathroom door, raising his eyebrow at the super soldiers that were searching the room as if they expected him to be hiding under the bed or something equally as stupid.
"Lost something?" he asked them, smirking when they both stood up straight, staring at him like they'd seen a ghost.
"Tony," Steve breathed out. "You look… you… you look…"
"You look fucking incredible," Bucky murmured, his eyes wide. "Whatever they did certainly worked, huh?"
Tony laughed. "Yeah, you could say that, Snowflake. I'm fine, you didn't have to stay until I woke up."
"We… I… Rhodey told us," Steve stuttered out, his face ashen and his eyes pained. "Tony, I'm so sorry. I had… no idea, and I'm sorry, so sorry."
Tony shook his head. "We've had this conversation, Cap. When I told you I forgave you for what went down, I knew the consequences of it. I didn't hide it from you to spring the guilt on you at a later date."
"Then… why did you hide it?"
"To stop you feeling the guilt at all. It's… what happened was unfortunate, but it happened and it sucked but there was no way for any of us to change it. I didn't… I didn't want you to have guilt eating you up because of a fight that I started and that we both participated in."
"I… Tony, I…" Steve shook his head and dropped it so his chin was resting on his chest.
"Hey, Cap, it's all good now. There's no point feeling guilty about something that's been fixed, right?"
"I have a question," Bucky said, pulling Steve back into the chairs they'd been previously sleeping in. Tony sat down on the bed, and raised his eyebrow at Bucky to continue.
"This 'experimental' treatment that's made you…" Bucky waved his hand at Tony in explanation. "Why didn't you do that before?"
Tony wrinkled his nose. "It's 'experimental' for a reason. It could have… it could have killed me immediately, in all fairness. Or… done other things. Or weakened me to the point of having to stay in bed until my heart finally gave up. It wasn't… it was a last resort, to be used only when I was already close to dying anyway. It was always on the cards to try if the timing was right, but there was never any kind of guarantee that it would work."
"So, you're not dying now, right?" Steve asked, looking back up at Tony, having composed himself some.
"I mean, everyone's dying, Cap. It's part of life. But no, for the moment at least, I'm the perfect picture of health."
"I'll agree to that," Rhodey said, walking into the room. He scooped Tony into a hug. "You look fantastic!"
"Ahhh, Platypus, you know the way to my heart," Tony replied gleefully, hugging his friend tightly. When they pulled apart, Tony found his room filled to the brim with Avengers.
"What's this, a family reunion?" he asked, looking around at them all. Many of them had bruises and cuts on their faces and arms, but he was happy to see them all, if only to know that they were safe and alive.
"Of sorts, that's exactly what it is," Natasha commented quietly, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm glad you're okay too," he murmured, squeezing her hand. "And as much as it's good to see you all… I'm so ready to get the hell out of medical."
"That's… kinda why we're here," Clint said, resting against the end bedframe. "See… we know that you moved yourself to consultant, and now we know why, but. Well. You're not dying now, so… we thought maybe you'd… you know, be a part of the team again. Properly."
"I. Well, yeah, I mean, I can do that," Tony said, nodding slowly. "Rhodey will keep me up to date with a schedule so I know when to show up."
"We want you to come home, Tony," Natasha said, nudging him with her hip. "Stay with us at the Compound."
"But… I can be a member of the team without… with the suit, I can be at the Compound really fast. I don't need to live there."
Natasha sighed.
"Before, we were people who fought together, but this time… this time we're building a family. We'll fight together yes, but we'll also eat together, and spend time together, and live together and be a family together. It wouldn't be half as amazing as I know it could be without you. Please, Tony, come home."
Tony stared at her for a long moment. She was persuasive, he had to give her that.
"I'll be there, Tones," Rhodey put in, watching him with understanding in his eyes. "Even Pep thinks it's a good idea, you know? I spoke to her earlier. She's expecting your call."
Tony nodded. "I… okay. I'll… okay."
Natasha smiled at him, and he returned it grudgingly. This had bad idea written all over it, but… the thought of having a family, a real family was enough temptation that it didn't matter. It would probably blow up in his face but… it was worth the chance.
…
Awkward didn't even begin to describe the first few weeks at the Compound. Tony had grown used to living alone again, and he couldn't quite stop himself from flinching whenever someone popped up unexpectedly in the common areas.
He'd installed JARVIS on the first day he was there, unable to feel safe without his AI watching his back. FRIDAY was still active on the Compound, as she'd always meant to be, but Tony couldn't help but feel better once he knew his first and brightest AI was looking over the Compound for him, keeping everything on track.
Even with JARVIS there though, he still found it strange to have other people around, particularly in his lab. Steve and Bucky seemed to have developed a sudden love of technology, for the amount of time they attempted to spend there these days.
They were always around. For a moment, Tony had wondered if the two of them had their own AI to keep tabs on his whereabouts, because no matter where he went, one or both of them would appear suddenly, always with a wide smile.
They were cooking when he went to the kitchen for coffee, and always asked him to stay and eat with them. They were watching a movie when he went into the lounge, and always asked him to join them. They'd come to the lab, Steve with his sketchbook and Bucky with eager eyes and a desire to learn everything he could.
Tony was baffled by it entirely.
"What are they doing?" he asked Nat one evening when everyone else was out doing… whatever it was they did when they weren't at home. "I feel like they're plotting something, even though I suppose looking at their actions… it's probably nothing bad. They're confusing me, Nat!"
She chuckled. "They're wooing you… albeit very slowly. I'm surprised you haven't cottoned onto it, actually. Pepper and Rhodey have both given them shovel talks already. Separately. I thought that Steve was going to actually wet his spangles when Pepper was done with them."
"Wooing… what the fuck? Why would they be 'wooing' me? They're together!"
"Maybe they think you'd be the perfect filling for their super soldier sandwich," she said, covering her mouth with hand to try and stem her giggled. It didn't work, but Tony appreciated the effort.
"Is that what they're looking for?" he asked, frowning slightly. "A threesome?"
Natasha softened. "I'm certain that they're looking for something a little more permanent than that, Tony. They want you… I'd go as far as to say they love you. Maybe… maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to let them, hmm?"
Tony blinked at her and then shrugged. "I don't… I still don't really understand what it is they could be looking for."
Resting her head against his shoulder, Natasha sighed. "If you could see yourself the way the rest of us see you, then maybe you'd understand."
…
Tony had been living at the Compound for six weeks when Steve appeared in the lab, looking downtrodden and serious, like he was forcing himself to have a conversation he didn't want to have. Tony raised his eyebrow at him, turning his seat to give Steve his full attention.
"What's up, Cap?"
"Why aren't you feeling at home here yet?"
Tony blinked. "What?"
"You… you're living here, but you're not at home here. Is it really so bad here? Have we… did we pressure you into this?"
Frowning, Tony shook his head. "I'll be honest, Cap, you've kinda caught me out in left field with this one. I don't… have I done something to upset you?"
"What? No, of course not." Steve stared at him for a moment. "No, I just… you don't seem happy here, Tony, and I… we all want you to be happy."
"I'm… fine, Cap."
"You're always fine, Tony, but that doesn't change the fact that you don't feel at home here. Is there anything we can do to help?"
"You're… you're all great," Tony replied, shrugging. "I guess… I guess it's just taking me a while to get used to living with other people again, but. It is what it is, right?"
"If there's anything we can do, Tony, you know you've only gotta say so, right?"
"I… How did you know?"
Steve smiled slowly, his eyes softening. "I'll know you're at home here when I come down and find you playing catch with DUM-E, or scolding Butterfingers. Until the bots are here… well, I guess we'll just have to try harder to make the Compound a home."
Steve left the lab, and with it, a gobsmacked Tony staring after him.
…
That night, Tony shuffled into the common lounge, butterflies in his stomach. Though the team often gathered together to watch movies, so far, Tony had avoided the 'bonding' sessions, begging off with excuses of work.
He made a beeline for one of the free armchairs, sitting down before anyone could think to steal it. He was willing to make an effort, but sitting squished up with the others was probably beyond his abilities at the moment.
He got smiles and greetings from the others, and the way Steve beamed at him when he entered the room and saw him sitting there made the nerves worth it.
"Here," Clint said, passing him and offering him a beer.
"Ah, I don't… drink now. It's a thing," he muttered, refusing the bottle.
Clint stared at him, clearly stunned. "Since when?"
"About a year now," Tony admitted with a small smile. He didn't often have reason to be proud of himself, but for this, he was. It had been difficult, and he'd had a few moments of 'why bother if I'm dying anyway', but Rhodey and Pepper had been there for him when he needed someone to keep him from drowning in a bottle, and he was beyond grateful for the two of them.
Rhodey beamed proudly at him from across the room, and tossed him a can of sofa instead.
The others let the moment pass without comment, and within a few minutes, everyone was seated and the opening music of the movie was playing. Tony felt himself relax into the armchair. Maybe… maybe he could do this after all.
…
"You okay?"
Tony turned, smiling when he saw Bucky hovering by the door. The evening air was chilly against his skin, but it felt nice. He was always warm now, the cold felt good occasionally. He nodded to Bucky, unsurprised when the man let the door fall shut as he joined Tony.
Tony sat on the edge of the roof, looking over the grounds of the Compound.
"What brought you up here?" Bucky asked, shuffling a little closer so their thighs were gently pressed together.
"It's a nice night," Tony replied. "Clear. It's not often we can see so many stars."
Bucky nodded, looking up at the sky.
"What is it that you and Steve are expecting from me, Bucky?"
The question was asked quietly, and Tony's voice shook slightly, but he was glad he'd managed to ask it. Their reasoning, and their expectations had been plaguing him since his chat with Nat, and he knew he wasn't going to get any answer other than asking one of them himself.
"We're not expecting anything from you, Doll. Honestly, if you need us to back off, we will. We'd much rather you be comfortable here, than have you disappear because we've chased you off."
"I just… I don't really understand what you're looking for from me. I… usually, I understand what people want from me immediately, but I can't… I can't work the two of you out."
Bucky sighed. "See, this is why communication should always be a thing, I guess. I'm sorry, Doll, we should have just spoken to you, huh?"
Tony's lips tilted up in a smile. "That might have been helpful, yeah."
Nodding, Bucky licked his lips and then said, "We love you. That's the very bones of it, and it's what it all boils down to. We love you, and we want you, but… not at the expense of your happiness, you have to understand that. It's… we would love to be able to call you ours, and have you call us yours, but if that's not something you want, then all you gotta do is say so and we will back off, Tony, I promise you that."
"Is… is it a sex thing?"
"No. Well. I'd very much like to have sex with you and so would Steve, but, it's not…" Bucky rubbed a hand down his face. "You're gonna make me be a sap, aren't you, Doll? Look, if you decided that all you wanted from us was affection, and to go on dates, but that you didn't want to have sex, that would be… it would be so much more than okay, Doll. The sex would be incredible, I have no doubt, but it's not the be all and end all, you know?"
Tony turned his head to meet Bucky's eyes. "I think… I think I'm struggling to understand what I'd bring to the relationship that the two of you don't already have with each other."
Bucky's lips lifted slightly, and he reached out to gently touch Tony's cheek. "You'd bring you. That's all we want."
Tony swallowed hard. "I… can… I think I still need time to sort through my thoughts. I'm… I don't want to string you -"
"Take all the time you need, Doll."
…
"Do you want them?" Pepper asked gently, stroking over Tony's hand with her thumb.
He bit his lip. He… he could admit to himself that he found both them, and the idea of being with them, attractive, but the logistics of it were still confounding him. He nodded cautiously, noting the smiles on Pepper and Rhodey's faces.
"I just… what do I do when they get bored of me? Or if the novelty of having a third wears off? What happens then?"
"Nobody can promise a perfect future," Rhodey said quietly, "But I honestly believe that they love you. They both lived through our shovel talks, and they still showed interest, so that alone proves that they're serious."
He was smirking, and it made Tony chuckle. "Nat mentioned something about that."
"After everything you've been through, we had to know that they weren't going into it half heartedly, or without due thought. You're far too important for them to play games with, and we made that very clear to them," Pepper said, leaning over to steal the biscuit that came with Tony's coffee.
"Do you think it's worth seeing what they… plan?"
Pepper nodded. "I'm all for something that could make you happy, Tones. And… I think they could make you happy."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm. Enough about the soldiers, tell me what's going on with you."
Pepper smiled at him, and Rhodey winked, sipping his hot chocolate. Tony listened to Pepper and basked in the warmth of knowing he had the best friends he could possibly hope for.
…
Steve leant against Bucky's chest, his sketchbook propped up against his thighs. They were on the sofa in the living room, and everytime they heard footsteps, or the ping of the elevator, they both looked around eagerly, hoping it would be Tony. They hadn't seen him for two days, and they were starting to get worried.
When Natasha showed up, she was smirking mysteriously at them.
"What's that look for?" Bucky asked, raising his eyebrows. "That look makes me nervous."
She shook her head, digging through the pile of books in the corner of the room. "Nothing in particular."
"Uh huh, I dont believe you," Steve replied, tossing his sketchbook on the table and turning on his side to look at her properly. "What's going on?"
She let out a noise of triumph as she found the book she was clearly looking for, and turned back towards the door. "Tony's lab isn't on lockdown, you know?"
She left, leaving the two men to stare at each other. "Let's go," Bucky said after a long pause.
"You took the words outta my mouth."
…
Steve felt like his heart was going to burst out of his chest with happiness. He and Bucky stood in the doorway of Tony's lab, smiles on their faces, as they watched Tony play fetch with DUM-E.
When Tony noticed them, he grinned at them. "It's the easiest way for him to learn the placement of the tools," he said, nodding his head to his first (and favourite shhh) robot. DUM-E beeped happily as he fetched Tony a screwdriver.
"Kay, put that one back and go find the wrenches," Tony told him, smiling fondly. Turning back to Steve and Bucky, he said, "You can come in, you know?"
"We, erm, we haven't seen you for a couple of days," Steve said, the question clear as they neared him.
Tony nodded. "I was arranging shipping for the kids, and then trying to convince them that the boxes weren't to actually send them to a community college."
Bucky chuckled and Steve shook his head fondly. "As if you'd ever be away from them for that long."
"They're clingy, since I haven't been at the tower much lately, that's all. They'll settle in."
DUM-E fetched a wrench, and Tony took it from him. "Good boy," he murmured. "Put it back, and then go help U, okay?"
DUM-E rolled away, and Tony turned back to Steve and Bucky. "I… I spoke with Pepper and Rhodey about," he gestured between the three of them. "They… helped. And, well, I'm still not convinced that this is a good idea, but… but I'm open to seeing how it… works?"
"That's… more than we could've hoped for," Steve murmured. "Thank you, Tony."
…
Tony was surprised when not much changed after he agreed to a trial run of the thing between him and Steve and Bucky. They still cooked for him, though they specifically invited him to dinner now, instead of waiting for him to stumble across them.
They still joined him in the lab, sprawling over the sofa he had in there for hours at a time.
They still sought his company, and they invited him places with them whenever they left the compound.
The only difference now was the way Tony behaved. It took Tony quite a long time to realise that they'd been subtly dating him since his arrival at the Compound.
He accepted their invitations now. He ate with them regularly, and laughed at them during baseball, and walked around the grounds with them. On one memorable occasion, they even made a picnic and took him up on the roof to stargaze.
That was his favourite, he thought, though he enjoyed all the time he spent with them.
He was a little surprised that neither of them had made a move on him yet though. Oh, they were physically more affectionate, a hand on the small of his back, a gentle kiss to his temple, a squeeze of his shoulders, but neither of them had tried to kiss him, or touch him in a way that couldn't be portrayed as strictly platonic.
It was unnerving, the waiting for it, and despite himself, Tony was beginning to wonder if they'd changed their mind about him after all.
…
Another movie night, and Tony was now a regular attendee of them. He closed down his work folders when Nat arrived at the lab to collect him, and walked to the common lounge with her, telling her about his latest plans for her WIdow Bites.
She was grinning sadistically about them by the time they arrived at the lounge.
Tony stepped towards his usual armchair before he stopped and looked at Steve and Bucky on one of the loveseats. They always left a space between them, filling it only when Tony settled himself on the chair.
With a deep breath, Tony changed direction and flopped down between them. He was tired, and he figured that they'd make good pillows if nothing else.
Bucky's arm, which had been resting on the back of the love seat, moved automatically to brush through Tony's hair.
"Hey you," he murmured, tugging gently.
Tony turned to smile at him, and then Steve, before he nudged at Bucky's hand with his head, silently requesting he continue with the hair stroking. It had long been a weakness of his, and it had been far too long since someone had played with the messy brown strands.
The team settled in quickly, and it wasn't long before Tony's blinks were getting longer and longer, his eyes refusing to reopen immediately when he closed them. He let himself lean into Bucky until he was practically lay on the man, his head on his chest and his arm wrapped around his waist.
He didn't even make it half way through the movie before he was fast asleep.
…
Steve looked on fondly at the genius sleeping on Bucky's chest. The look of affection and awe in Bucky's eyes everytime he looked down at Tony was a sight to behold, and Steve wished he had a camera handy.
The movie finished and the team filtered out until it was just the three of them left.
"I… I'm surprised it was me," Bucky whispered, his hand still stroking through Tony's hair. "I thought… well, I thought it would be you."
Steve shook his head. "I told you that he likes you too."
Bucky nodded. "I know, Stevie. I just… I wouldn't have been surprised if he was only putting up with me for you, you know?"
Steve sighed. "I wouldn't have been surprised for the opposite to have happened, but we got lucky. He looks at you the same way he looks at me, you know? It's… I hope we're making him happy. I think we are, but…"
Bucky smiled slightly. "I think we're doing alright, Stevie. Should… I don't wanna wake him. He doesn't sleep enough as it is."
Steve shook his head. "Let him sleep. We can sleep here for one night, right?"
Between them, they rearranged Tony so he was lying more fully on Bucky, with both Bucky and Tony's legs stretched out over Steve's lap. Steve massaged the muscle in Bucky's calf, making Bucky melt a little bit more into the sofa.
"Sleep, Buck. I love you."
"I love you too, Stevie."
…
Tony woke, surprised to find the sunlight already filtering in through the windows of the common lounge. He was still laying on Bucky, and the super soldier was fast asleep beneath him, his even breathing lifting Tony with every breath.
Tony could barely hear noises from the kitchen, but he was pretty sure that one of the noises was Steve singing softly, and he could smell coffee and bacon.
Trying not to wake Bucky, Tony sat up carefully and slipped to the side. It didn't work, and Bucky grumbled, making grabby hands for Tony as he opened his eyes.
"Where are you sneaking off too?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.
Tony chuckled. "I smell coffee," he replied, nodding to the kitchen. "Coffee trumps more sleep."
Bucky grumbled under his breath some more, but he sat up, and then followed Tony into the kitchen, where Steve was waiting with fresh coffee for the both of them. Tony accepted the coffee with a muttered thanks and sat down at the table, Bucky sitting next to him.
"I'd ask if you both slept well, but I happen to know that you did," Steve teased, ever a morning person.
Tony rolled his eyes playfully at him. He felt a little awkward, sitting there with them after sleeping on top of Bucky the whole night, but… he wants this. He wants this and he wants them and… the only thing stopping him from having them was himself.
He chewed absently on the bacon and eggs that Steve set before him, paying no mind to the concerned looks floating between Bucky and Steve as they ate their own breakfasts. Could he really… he could have this.
He could, because he was the only one stalling it.
He excused himself quietly, heading for his own rooms to shower and ready for the day. He had a board meeting that he didn't particularly care to attend but he'd promised Pepper, and he'd promised himself that he'd do better for her.
Tony was surprised to find Bucky and Steve still in the kitchen when he returned for a last coffee before he had to leave.
"I have a meeting today, so I won't be around, but I'll be back later," he told them both, as he poured coffee into his favourite travel mug. "Have a good day, kay?"
"We will, Tony, and we'll be here when you get back," Steve replied, with a small smile.
Tony nodded as he put the lid on his mug. He walked first to Steve and leant up on his tiptoes to press a chaste kiss against his lips, then bent to do the same to Bucky.
"I'll see you both later then."
He left the kitchen, proud of the matching looks of surprise and happiness he'd left on their faces.
…
That night found Tony in his lab, Bucky and Steve in their usual places on the sofa. He'd been happy to be kissed in greeting by both of them when they'd arrived at the lab twenty minutes after he did, and they'd chatted absently while he worked on setting up his project for the evening.
He glanced over at them, his lips tilting when he saw Steve falling asleep against Bucky's shoulder.
"You should take him to bed," he said softly to Bucky, nodding at Steve.
"Come with us?" Bucky asked, looking a touch uncertain.
Tony hesitated. "I still need another… hour or so to finish up here, but… I won't be mad if you're in my bed when I'm done?"
Bucky smiled at him and nudged Steve. "Come on, Stevie. Bedtime."
Steve groaned but pushed himself to his feet, stumbling across the lab to drape himself on Tony in an approximation of a cuddle. Tony chuckled but hugged him back, pressing his lips to his cheek. Bucky came over to collect Steve, sharing a brief kiss with Tony before he pulled Steve from the lab. Tony watched them go, chuckling until they were out of sight.
…
He felt an odd sort of nervousness when he approached his rooms. Would they even be there? Would it be weird? He pushed the door open, blinking when he found them both awake, each laying on their side so they were facing one another, the sheets pulled up to their waists.
Tony took a moment to appreciate the bareness of their chests, before he swallowed hard at the gap between them. It looked like the perfect space for him to crawl into, and that was confirmed when Bucky patted the space invitingly.
"Come on, Doll."
Tony nodded. "I, uh, shower," he managed to stutter out, before he escaped to the bathroom. He took a longer shower than he would normally, partially because he was invested in making sure he got all the grease from his hair, and partially because it gave him more time to calm himself.
Grateful that his bathroom had a door directly into his wardrobe, Tony dressed in loose fitting pyjama pants and a white tank before he returned to the bedroom. Not wanting to climb over one of them, Tony scooted up the bed from the bottom until he reached the pillows, and then lifted the sheets so he could put his legs under them.
He lay on his back in silence for a long moment before a nervous giggle left him. "I… shouldn't be this nervous," he admitted.
"Do… do you need us to leave?" Steve asked, unable to completely mask the hurt in his tone.
"No, no, I want you here. I just… this is going to sound stupid, but I don't normally sleep with people, you know? I mean, I did with Pepper, obviously, but apart from her… I don't think I've ever actually slept in the same bed as another person."
"Then it's our privilege," Steve whispered, leaning over to press his lips against Tony's cheek. "How do you want to sleep?"
"I…" Tony cut himself off, and thought for a second, before he turned onto his side, facing Steve. He shuffled forwards, laying his head on Steve's outstretched arm, and snuggling into his chest. Movement behind him told him that Bucky got the plan, and a moment later, he felt Bucky at his back, his metal arm wrapping over both Tony and Steve's waists.
Steve smiled and did the same, his arm stretching over his two men.
"I… I love you," Tony whispered. "Both of you."
"I love both of you too," Steve said, pressing his lips to Tony's temple.
"I love both of you most," Bucky muttered, and Tony could hear the smile in his voice.
"Lies and slander," Steve replied, his tone sleepy and slow.
"J, lights down to ten percent, bud," Tony requested. "I, uh, I can't sleep when it's properly dark," he added in explanation.
"S'fine, Doll," Bucky murmured. "I can't either."
Tony smiled, his eyes already closing. Pressed between the two super soldiers, he felt… safe. It was new, but it felt right in a way that little else had ever felt before.
He felt loved and cherished, and he could only hope he gave that same feeling to the two men he was so wrapped up in.
He thought maybe he did. He thought maybe this could work out.
He thought maybe this was right where he was meant to be; and he hoped it would be where he could always be.