Chapter 7- Flames Of The Brave
Trouble.
Bucky sensed trouble.
Not the dangerous kind, because the security of Stark Tower was quite unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Not better than Russia, just different. J.A.R.V.I.S seemed to be capable of manning every operation single-handedly, which was actually an effective display of genius on Tony's part.
No, Bucky sensed trouble from Steve, which he hadn't since Brooklyn when they were kids and Steve was getting himself into fights left and right.
"Something's bothering you," Bucky grunted as he entered Steve's room. His suspicions were confirmed when he realised that Steve had been up all night, presumably thinking about something very deeply. Bucky had a sneaking suspicion that he knew what it was about.
"Seriously, how do you always know? Even after all this time."
Bucky shrugged. "We've always been wired the same. Back then, it was about brotherhood, now it's about science. Whether the others like to think it not, our minds were altered during the processes. You kept your original personality and it became heightened and I…well, we don't have to go into that. This is about you and what's bothering you."
"It's Kurt."
"You're worried that your duties are going to keep putting him in the face of danger," Bucky said for him.
Steve nodded. "How can I consciously make the decision to keep on being with him when I know that things are never safe where I'm concerned. I mean, he was kidnapped, Buck. From his own home, And I know Tony was delighted when I said that he was thinking about moving in here, but I can't shake the feeling that being with him is going to hurt him."
Bucky sighed. This was going to take all night, but he didn't mind one bit. He would do anything for Steve. And helping him with boyfriend troubles is a best friend duty.. "Tell me, from the start, what happened."
Steve accurately relayed every detail of the night and Bucky listened as intently as he could. He had never had a great attention span, but this was important to Steve. And Steve came before anyone in this goddamn world. Bucky tried desperately not to realise that the same no longer held true for Steve as Kurt had quickly taken up that position, hadn't he? It seemed
"From what I picked up on, Kurt seems to be the kind of person to want to make those kinds of decisions himself. He's rational, he knows when enough is enough. But I don't think he's going to give up on you, Steve. You deserve to be happy, man. And you're happy when you're with him. We can take down Loki."
Steve sighed. "I hope you're right, Buck."
Kurt sat Santana down, eyeing her patiently.
Santana sighed. "Kurt, will you just come out with it already?"
Kurt smirked. "A statement I've said to myself many times over the years."
Santana chuckled shortly but paused when she noticed the deflection. "What's wrong?!"
"Nothing, anymore. Something happened."
Kurt told her everything, from the phone call to Steve's proposition.
"…but I only said that I would consider it if you were on board too. What do you think of moving to Stark Tower and having your own floor?"
"Kurt, I can't believe that happened to you. Are you okay?" She frowned.
"I am now. Steve and his friends saved me. I…things are kind of rocky there but that's another story entirely."
"So you want to move to Stark Tower?"
"Only if you do."
"What about rent? I imagine even a ceiling tile there is more than I can afford."
Kurt waved a lazy arm at her. "We won't pay anything. Apparently, Tony takes care of everything. You know how much money he's rumoured to have? He has more."
Santana's eyes widened. "How can we turn down an offer like that? If it means that we'll be safe from Loki, then what are the downsides? You can spend more time with Steve and I can…well, I can live in fucking Stark Tower! Call your super boy and tell him we're in! Do it!"
Kurt rolled his eyes, taking out his phone and sending Steve a quick text, presuming that he would be sleeping after the lesson in heroics that he had given.
Santana's in. Thank you for the offer, we'll do it. x
It didn't take long for Steve to reply. Great! I'll set it up with Tony. Can I see you today? x
Kurt wondered when Steve actually found the time to sleep between saving the world and being an actual person adjusting to the twenty-first century. Sure, I'd love that. I can come by the tower later?
I'll come to you, if that's okay. I don't want anything else happening to you. Bucky says hello by the way x
Kurt smiled. You're so sweet. And tell Bucky that I hope he has my metal arm ready to be fitted. x
I'll be over in an hour? x PS: What?
Sounds great, Steve. ;) x
Satisfied (and glad that he had already showered and fixed his hair), Kurt picked out an outfit ready for another visit from his boyfriend. He knew that Steve would appreciate him no matter what he wore, but he still wanted to look his best. He picked out a simply grey button down and his darkest black skinny jeans.
Kurt emerged from his room and twirled smoothly in front of Santana, who nodded her approval.
"Your Star-Spangled Hottie is going to want to eat you up. Seriously, Kurt, you look good."
"Thanks, dear. Are you seeing Dani again soon?"
Santana shrugged. "Probably. She's working overtime to try and save up for a new guitar, so she doesn't have a lot of free time on her hands. I'll try and see her tomorrow, though."
"How's that going?"
"Well," she replied. "I like her. I didn't think that I would be into anyone this much since Brittany and everything, but she's cool."
"I'm glad. You deserve someone like her. Not to say the opposite about Brittany, that is."
"Things just aren't right between us at the moment. She's with Sam and I've dealt with that. Dani makes me feel good about myself. Anyway, I'd better head out. I have some errands to run and I don't want to hear the sound of the bedsprings when Steve comes over."
"We're not there yet, Santana. Trust me, you'll know when we are."
"Gross."
"Are you sure you want to leave? Loki knows about you."
"This is so comic book, but evil villains work best when everybody is afraid. I'm from Lima Heights, remember? Fear is kryptonite there. And you know what kryptonite does to Superman…oh god, I sound like Evans. Anyway, I'll be fine."
"Stay safe, Santana. Call me if you need me, okay?"
"Will do, Rainbow. Have fun with your OAP."
"Stop calling him that," Kurt called as she left the building.
As Kurt opened the door to his boyfriend, he truly took in how good he looked. He was wearing a short-sleeved polo shirt, the top button undone. He had chosen a simply pair of jeans to go with it and Kurt was both surprised and impressed at the profound effect a simplistic fashion choice could have. Well, when someone looks like that, it isn't hard to dress in something that suits you.
"Hey, beautiful," Steve grinned widely, kissing Kurt's cheek chastely.
Kurt smiled back, shivers running through him at Steve's touch. "Hi. It feels as though I haven't seen you in days, even though I saw you last night."
"My concept of time may be skewered considering I spent seventy years encrusted in ice, but every minute without you feels like a lifetime."
"I know what you mean. Do you want some water or a coffee or something?"
Steve shook his head. "Water's good. How did you sleep last night?"
"Okay. I mean, as well as I could. Something tells me you didn't sleep at all and I think I know why." Kurt shrugged.
"Then we should probably talk about it, right?"
"I love you," Kurt interrupted.
"You…you do?"
Kurt paled. I've fucked this up. "Oh my gosh, that was much too soon, wasn't it? I mean I know that it hasn't been long but I'm really starting to feel as though I can't be without you, really and I think that—."
"I love you, too," Steve chuckled.
"Wait, you do?"
"How could I not? That's why I want so badly for you to be safe, Kurt. Putting you in the path of danger, how could I live with myself if something happened to you?"
Kurt sighed. "Think about how we met. And then how we saw each other again. Because I was in danger. That alley wasn't the first setting for someone attacking me."
"What?" Steve's brow furrowed and his jaw clenched. He couldn't stand the idea of somebody getting away with hurting Kurt, someone who was so considerate and passionate. It wasn't fair.
"High school," Kurt waved his hand. "That's in the past. I just meant that it's probably not going to be the last time I'm in danger and it certainly wasn't the first. It was just the first time I had someone to rescue me. Let me show you something."
Kurt rolled down his sleeve, where a thick white scar was brushed across his skin. "I got this in sophomore year. Some guys decided that they would try to ambush me while I was walking home from school one day. I fought as best I could but I was physically inferior to them."
Steve nodded solemnly. "I know what that's like. You fight and you fight but you know no matter how hard your punches are, they're not hard enough. I'm sorry that happened to you."
"Before you had the serum?"
"Yeah. I always picked fights knowing that I would lose them. But for me, taking a stand and losing is better than just giving up."
"Doesn't that apply here, Steve? If we just gave up on us, we wouldn't get to find out what's going to happen once Loki is gone. And I care about you much too much to think about letting you go so easily."
"I feel the same. I just can't put you in danger knowingly," Steve said, biting his lip hard enough to pierce the skin there.
"Then I'll be safe. Stark Tower's going to protect me when you're not around, right? And the others? You said they'd want to help, too. Two super soldiers, a billionaire genius, a doctor's who's a conductor for gamma radiation, two assassins, a literal god and a high tech security system worth more than all of a small country. I'd say that's pretty safe. There's always going to be danger, Steve. I don't want to let that jeopardise the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Steve blinked. "Then let's do this. Let's make a thing of this. No backing down."
Kurt nodded his agreement. "No backing down," he repeated. "Are you sure you're sure about this?"
"Completely. You make good points, ones that I've made myself. I talked to Bucky and he thinks we should do this, too."
"Santana, too. Our best friends already know more about us than we do. I actually wanted to talk to you about something. If—."
Kurt was interrupted by Steve's phone going off. Steve's breath hitched. It was Natasha's ringtone and she only called him if…
After muttering quick apology to Kurt, Steve answered the phone.
"Nat? Oh god. Yeah, I'll tell him. I'll bring him over."
"What? Steve, what?" Kurt panicked.
"That was Nat. Her sources told her that Loki was seen in the city and he took someone. A rescue team is being planned as we speak."
And Kurt already knew who it is. The sinking feeling swirled around his stomach as he spoke.
"Where is she?" Kurt asked. Steve said nothing. "Where is Santana, Steve?"
He sighed. "We have an estimation. I'll take you over to the tower and we'll keep you updated every step of the way."
Kurt shook his head. "What am I supposed to do? Sit and talk to JARVIS by myself while you all go and risk your lives to save my best friend when I was the one who dragged her into this mess of danger?"
"Kurt, you can't blame yourself for this. Loki is unhinged and Thor is furious about it. We're going to stop him and get Santana back."
"I warned her not to leave, but she wanted to stay strong in times of peril. She's always been that way."
"See, you did what you could. Now let the Avengers do what you know we do best."
"Avenge?"
"How did you guess?" Steve smirked as they both ran out of the loft, their date interrupted by yet another Loki manoeuvre.
Natasha turned as she heard the footsteps. "Steve, thank god you're here. We need to go, we'll fill you in on the way. I'm so sorry about this, Kurt," Natasha looked to him apologetically.
"You're all going?"
Clint shook his head. "Bruce is staying behind and so is Bucky. You won't be alone, Kurt."
"Please find her."
And all Kurt could do was wait.
Author's Note: sorry for the wait! I've rewritten this 3 times and now I can tolerate it being uploaded lmao. Hope you enjoy xoxo
