Chapter 20: Innuendo

Tony was lost in thought as he migrated to his lab.

Yeah, he could put Bucky Wonder's arm back on if Steve thought it was ok. Tony made a note to himself to:
A. Fix Bucky's arm
B. Destroy all time machines
C. Destroy Fury and Friends
D. Talk to Steve?

Talk to Steve as in "talk" to him about some things. Nah. Tony wasn't up for it so he just stuck to A, B, and C.

His blood started to pump the moment he entered his workspace.
Tony's paradise, his nirvana, his heaven, his utopia ahhhh he was home. If Tony did the math he was gone only a few hours. Seriously.

He walked in and opened up shop. Jarvis told Tony that Bucky Wonder was awake. He ignored Bucky when he walked in and he started to talk to his electronic companions.
Bucky stared at Anthony Edward Stark.

"Listen up, daddy's home. Jarv, I'm going to need you to show me what you've got on Bucky's arm. I'd like to get him out of my face as soon as humanly possible."

"Right away sir." Jarvis loaded up the specs he had on the arm. He just had a few more modifications to make before he could put it back on him.

Tony looked in Bucky's direction. The guy looked like he wanted to kill him. Well, he was kinda programmed to kill him so Tony understood the look of deep resentment.
He heard the door to his shop open. Tony heard familiar footsteps and Tony IGNORED the sudden rise to his body temperature.

Steve walk up behind him. Yay! Tony didn't feel as vulnerable now that peas and carrots were in the same room.

"Good morning Tony."
"Hey Cap." Tony didn't look at him. He busied himself and organized his tools.

"How are you?" Steve asked as he looked over at the cryotube. Tony tried to appear unaffected but it was difficult. Tony began to smell FOOD. Steve had some food prepared and Tony stared at the container in his hand.

Tony didn't want to see a sandwich. If he saw a sandwich he planned to punch Steve in the gut.

"I'm fine, thanks." Tony shifted his focus to the table and Steve changed his focus over to Bucky.

"How you doing in there Bucky? I've been thinking about moving you out of here. You really shouldn't be in here after today."

Bucky stood up and he walked over to the cryotube. He stared down at Steve and said nothing. Bucky wanted to talk to Steve, but he couldn't do it with someone else there. Tony got to work on the arm and he purposefully ignored the look on Bucky's face.

"Has he been in there the whole time?" Tony figured it was horribly uncomfortable. He wondered if Bucky was normal enough to function?
Tony had no idea.

"He's been out a few times."
"Well, he needs a shower. I have a power hose over there." Tony laughed at the guy and then he continued his organizational work.

Bucky heard Tony but he decided not to say anything.
He never really could like a Stark. They always had personalities that he couldn't bring himself to like. Howard Stark was an asshole. Now, Anthony Edward Stark wasn't much different. Steve always saw the good in people, or he ignored their flaws because he was just a good-natured person.

Bucky didn't overlook or find goodness in arrogant people.

The Winter Soldier rest his forehead on the clear material and then he knocked on the tube. "Let me out." Tony looked at Steve. He wondered if it was ok for him to come out? UHH, Tony didn't want to be shot in the face.

"Should I get my armor on?" Tony asked as Steve crossed his arms.

"Well, that answers my question about you still being Iron Man. It will be ok, I won't let him hurt you."

Steve looked upon Tony for a moment after he spoke. Tony believed him and he took a deep breath.

"I'm pretty much done with the arm anyways. Just some minor tweaking so yeah go ahead and let him out." Tony pointed at the controls he had for the cryo tube but Steve was already there. Tony fixed up a few things as Bucky headed in his direction. Tony brought a chair over to the table so Bucky could sit down while he re-attached his arm.

"You can sit here when you're ready." Tony said in a nice and friendly tone. Oh so nice, he had a smile and everything! Steve crossed his arms again and he watched the two. Steve was afraid they would start to fight.

He wasn't going to leave them alone for any reason whatsoever.

Bucky sat down on the chair and he stared at Tony. He started to watch his every move. Tony put goggles on and he readied his tools. Ok, Tony didn't like to be STARED AT.

"What the hell are you staring at?" Tony asked Bucky with a NOT SO NICE TONE and Steve almost hit the floor.

GOD DAMN IT. Could Tony behave just ONCE?
"I remember your father working just like you do. He was arrogant like you as well."

"Good for you Mr. Amnesia." Tony didn't care. He turned his attention to the stupid arm.

The room got very tense. Tony didn't want to take a trip down memory lane with Bucky Wonder. Tony glanced at Steve and then he picked up a tool.

"Before I begin, I just want you to know that THIS little sensor here? It will trigger a hologram so when you feel like having a normal arm just activate that. Cool huh?" Tony thought it was cool.

"Gee golly, thank you Mr. Stark." Bucky pretended to be grateful but he couldn't recall when he asked Tony to do anything to his arm.
He didn't need his sympathy or his alterations.

"Call me Tony! Well, unless you still want to kill me."

"I suppress the urge."

"Good to know." Tony went to work on his shoulder. He needed to fix up some broken parts on Bucky's shoulder before he could re-attach the arm. Steve covered his mouth with his hand because he was about to say something.

This, this was great? Yeah not really..

Tony started soldering the metal on Bucky's shoulder. It needed some serious TLC. Bucky looked over at Steve.
He had some memories and thoughts that he wanted to get off his chest.

Bucky couldn't say anything with a Stark around so he was a bit frustrated about it. Steve was supposed to talk to him when he woke up.

Steve could see the tension in Bucky's face. He grabbed a chair and rolled it over next to the two. He smiled at his friend and Steve set the container of food on the table. He opened it and Tony's eyes moved in the direction of Steve Rogers.

Steve put the lid to the container on the table and he took his time with the food. Tony noticed that Steve had this certain grin. There was such a nice grin on that face. It was almost smug.
Steve unwrapped the contents. He pulled out two sandwiches. One for him, and one for Bucky.

TONY'S FACE BURST INTO FLAMES. He stared at the damn arm and manipulated the broken metal.

"Would you like a sandwich Tony? I made extra." Steve had the most adorable and SMUG grin that Tony had ever seen.
Tony wanted to punch his perfect teeth.

"None for me. Thanks." Tony glared at the arm and Steve contained his laughter. Bucky felt some strange energy between the two. He ignored it and he grabbed the sandwich. Steve started to eat and then he decided to start a conversation with Bucky.

"Bucky, what did you want to talk about yesterday?
"I can't talk about anything unless we're alone." Bucky shut the question down and he stared at Steve.

Steve swallowed the bite he took and he stared back at his friend. Steve glanced at Tony for a brief second and he grabbed for a bottle of water.

Tony stopped all movement and he looked over at Bucky. UHM why did they need to be alone?

Oh dear god. Steve noticed Tony's face immediately. Steve planned his next move and he stared at the wall.

"Ok. We can talk alone later. After uhmm." Steve trailed off and Tony finished his sentence. "After the happy helper fixes you right up." Tony didn't even look at Steve. He wanted to get Bucky's shit fixed QUICK.

Then the two could have their little chat.

Bucky continued to eat and then he nodded his head a few times. He couldn't wait to get out of Stark's lab. Bucky felt angry when he was around Anthony Edward Stark. He didn't want to be near him.

There was an awkward silence. Bucky became mute and Steve just ATE the friggen sandwich.

"Jarv, give me some tunes. I can't handle the silence."
Jarvis turned on Tony's music and he continued to work.

Steve winced because the music was just NOISE for him. It was loud and it just sounded like, noise. Bucky felt the same way. Tony was completely stunned by the thrilling development. Bucky and Steve both looked like they were in pain.

Tony thought his music was amazing.
"WELL YOU GOTTA SAY SOMETHING. I can't sit here and hang out with two people that don't wanna talk." Tony scoffed at the two.

Bucky looked at Tony.
"I'm sorry about your mother. And your father." There. Bucky said something and he still held a glare at Tony.

"Jarv cut the tunes." Jarvis shut off the music and Tony stared back at the Winter Soldier. He was sorry? About Tony's mother and father?
Tony didn't know what to make of that. He shook his head a few times and he stared at Steve.

Steve just stared.
"What does that mean? You're sorry, why?" Uhh Tony felt a bit overwhelmed for a moment. Bucky shrugged his good shoulder and responded.

"I know Hydra was responsible. So, I'm sorry."
"Don't ever bring up my parents. That's a dead in the water topic to discuss." Tony held a glare and he friggen got back to work.

Seriously? WOW. Tony wanted him GONE.
Steve took in deep breath and he tried to fix the situation. That was a bad topic and the energy in the room was too much. It was hard to start a conversation. Steve felt like he couldn't openly speak about anything Bucky wanted to talk about, and he couldn't act like his normal self around Tony.

Not at that point, so the situation was tense and hard to stomach.

"So what do you guys do around here, other than fight people like me?" Bucky asked as Tony grit his teeth.
"We.." Steve looked at Tony.

Steve and Tony did a lot of things together when they weren't in a battle with people like Bucky.

Steve tried not to think of those things because it had been an eternity. Tony held no interest in the conversation in any shape or form.

"We've luckily had some downtime. It's good for us when we're all able to relax and either separate or stay here around the tower. But normally we prepare for the next battle. Either by recruiting others or training. I usually end up training new recruits. Combat skills, weapons, whatever need be. Usually people we come across have extraordinary capabilities they just don't know how to use them."

Bucky gave Steve's words some thought. He looked at the work that Tony did on his arm and he directed his attention to him.

"I'm sure that's not what you do." Bucky snapped a response at Tony. Tony sat back a bit. What the EFF did that mean? Tony thought about it and he snapped right back.

"Your buddy Steve here trains new recruits and all that goodness yeah. I mostly work here. I design weapons for everyone, I create all the cool shit you see them wearing, I PAY for everything that you friggen see."

Steve needed to cut in. It became really tense between the two brunettes in the room.

"The point is Bucky, we're a team and ever since we were attacked here in New York we've been preparing."

They all prepared for the damn END GAME. Tony didn't want to think about it any longer. They all obsessed over it enough.

"Well, what else do you guys do?" Bucky was curious to know how Steve lived in that time. Tony rushed to answer.

"What do YOU GUYS do as in, me and Steve? I can tell you what Steve and I do Bucky Wonder if you really wanna know."
Steve hit Tony's arm and he smiled at Bucky.

"I'll answer that." Tony was not allowed to answer that question. Nope. That wasn't going to happen.

"We try to live normal lives. You know Clint Barton? he has a family that he takes care of. We all have friends or family members that we try to keep tabs on. It helps us wind down after all the fighting."

Tony and Steve looked at each other. Steve had no family. He did have friends but they either had their own lives or they were right there in the room with him.
Tony used to have Pepper. He had no family either so at the end of the day, Tony had Steve and Steve had Tony.

They both arrived at the realization of that fact as they looked at each other. One of them always looked away. They both changed their focus and busied themselves.

"Yeah Bucky Wonder, that's what we do." Tony rolled his eyes. He was going to say something else to blow the roof off but Tony could tell Steve didn't want Bucky to know that they were, "involved". Tony finished up on the arm.

Steve tried not to laugh. The entire situation was a nightmare.

Tony cleared his throat and he just focused on the damn arm. He picked it up and he fit it perfectly on the joint. He connected it and smiled.

"Ok you're done! Get out of my lab." Tony stood up and he set his tools down. He took off his goggles and tossed them on the table.

Bucky moved his arm and he tested out the way his hand moved. The fingers folded to the palm of his hand nicely and he stood up. The shoulder felt nice and secure. He kinda smiled.

"Thanks."
"You're welcome. BYE." Tony wanted them out. Out out out they had been in there too long as it was.

Bucky stood up. He started to head out first.

"Can I help myself to the bathroom? I remember where that is." Bucky just left. He didn't wait for a response. He was curious to see the place AND he needed to piss. Steve watched Bucky leave the lab. He took the chance to roll his chair closer to Tony.

He looked at Steve slightly, but then he turned his focus to the mess he needed to clean. Steve got too close to him. Tony could tell that Steve wanted to corner him and talk.

"GOODBYE Steve. Go, show Bucky Wonder the tower or something." That meant, GET OUT.

Steve just sighed and he gathered up the container. He held it against his hip and he watched Tony.

"You sure you don't want one of these?" Steve grinned.

"Don't you two need to be alone?" Tony asked with a smile. They locked eyes for a moment. Tony grabbed the container from Steve and he set it back down on the table.

He was hungry and yeah, he'd eat the damn sandwiches. Steve sighed and turned away from him. He wanted to kiss Tony but he controlled himself.

"Thank you for helping him Tony. So, I guess. I'll see you around then?" Steve tensed up a little because he was afraid of Tony's response.

"I dunno. I've got work. Work, planned, out and I dunno when I'll be around." Tony turned away from Steve and he no longer gave Steve any of his focus. Tony needed to get to work.

Steve stared at Tony's back for a moment. He knew that Tony was a million miles away. His chest started to hurt again. He let it nag and he turned toward the door. Steve stood up and he left.

Tony watched Steve leave his lab.

Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa the sting to his chest snapped at him. Tony shook away the thought and he stretched out his arms.

"Jarvis, lock it up. Clear out this Bucky mess. I don't want any trace of him and I don't want any of them coming in here."
"Certainly Sir." Tony needed to get that stupid tube back where it belonged and he had some stuff he needed to take care of.

He couldn't have Steve being a distraction. He'd talk to him at some point. Maybe.

STARK MANSION, 1989

The younger Tony sat in the repaired living room. The chair he sat on was huge and he sat cross-legged and hunched over the notebook. The important parts of the mansion were inhabitable in the early part of the evening. The Stark's moved the belongings they had with them inside once they were able.

It smelled like sawdust in the living room. Tony sneezed loudly and rubbed at his nose. Ugh, he hunched back over his notebook. He sketched and calculated something that he was almost ready to show his father, his mother was off and she organized stuff, and Howard was on the phone.

Tony did not pay any attention to what his father said on the phone because he was too invested in his design, but he looked up the moment he heard a familiar voice. Obadiah walked into the living room and Tony's jaw dropped open. Jesus Christ he did not expect to see that fucker anytime soon. His dad welcomed him over and Tony cringed.

"Obi! I'll be right with you ok. I'm just talking with someone." Howard's focus trailed off and he turned his back to Obadiah.

Tony looked back at his sketch and he continued his calculations. He cranked his music up and did his best to ignore the older man. Obadiah noticed Tony immediately. He glanced in his direction and tried to soften his glare. The punk kid drugged him and left him completely naked on his living room floor.

Obadiah wanted to kill him.

Every ounce of muscle in his body wanted to walk over to the evil spawn of Howard Stark and rip him to pieces. Tony could tell that Obadiah STARED at him so he looked up.

They made eye contact. It sent a river of anxiety all over Tony's body. Obadiah stepped in his direction but he stopped. Howard hung up the phone and he noticed the two as they stared at each other. The moment they noticed Howard paid attention to them they both looked away and focused on something else.

"You called, so here I am Howard. What's up?" Obadiah wanted to get the hell out of that room. Howard held back the comment he wanted to make and just smiled at the younger man.

"I'm sending you to Russia to look into something I was working on. That or Japan take your pick." He knew something was wrong and he didn't like it.

Obadiah needed to be out of the picture until Howard got his answers. He pretended to be a blind fool for the moment and he smiled at his business partner.

"Russia sounds good. I'm not a fan of sushi." Obadiah smiled back and he tried to make a joke. Howard ignored it and he assembled some papers that he had ready for him.

"The Vanko family, these documents should fill you in and get you up to speed. I'd like you to leave as soon as you can." Howard turned to his new liquor cabinet and he poured himself a drink.

"I'll leave right now." Obadiah held up the paper and he stepped away. The conversation felt odd but he decided not to question it. Getting out of that house was his top priority. Obadiah walked away from Howard and put the papers in his jacket pocket.

Howard watched over his glass of scotch as Obadiah stopped in Tony's direction. Obi wanted to strangle the brat. Tony looked up at him and gave him a strange glare.

It looked as if he challenged the older man. Tony's look dared him to do something. Howard knew his son more than Tony thought he did. He acted oblivious on purpose. Tony took one headphone off his ear as Obadiah walked away.

PSHHHHYAAA SO LONG FUCKER.

"Dad, so what's the plan? I've got my plan so I wanna hear yours." Tony scooted off the couch and he headed in his father's direction.

Now that that JERK was out of his face Tony decided to focus on his Yankee hunt. Tony looked at the scotch that was in his father's hand.

He wanted a sip...

"He's in the North Atlantic so we are going to take one of my boats and find him." Howard shrugged and finished the glass.

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"WRONG. It's freezing cold. And we won't be able to get to him. This isn't fishing DAD." Tony scolded his father and Howard chuckled a bit."

"You're running this showboat remember Anthony. So, impress me." Tony opened up his notebook and took his headphones off his head. They hung on his neck and he flipped to the page he wanted to show his father.

"We need to make this.." He held up the paper and Howard looked it over. His father set down the glass he held and he took the notebook in his hand.

"A suit?" He started to read the calculations and the plans for construction that his son had written beside the picture he drew.

"Yeah, it's a suit. We will have to be able to withstand the cold to get to him. I figured we could fly over the location he's at and I can drop down into the water within the suit. Then we BUST him out of his watery frozen prison."

"We'll have to head to my other lab to build this." Howard became engrossed in what he saw. Tony's eyes opened wide and he wanted to jump around. His dad went along with his awesome idea!

"You designed this?" Howard asked as Tony's excitement dropped.
"UH yeah, what do you think I've been doing this whole time? Doodling?" Hahaha Tony laughed.

"I'm going to talk to Fury about keeping your mother safe. I have to line that up first and then we will head to my other lab. We'll start on this suit tonight." Howard handed the notebook back to Tony and he headed over to his wife.

He had to fill her in and talk to her about what all of his intentions were. They both needed answers and the random Captain America scavenger hunt was perfect for Howard and Maria.

Tony's little heart filled with joy. He watched his father as he left the room and Tony glanced back down at the suit he designed.

"Come say goodbye to your mother Anthony. We're going to leave soon." He heard his father from the other room and Tony's ears perked up. He hurried over to his mom to say goodbye.