"Come on Stark, are you afraid of losing ?" Had asked Barnes, and Tony could see the fear of rejection behind the grey eyes.
He knew that feeling.
"Okay, but just one, and don't tell Cap."
The third time Tony approached Bucky, Steve saw red.
The blond had walked in on them playing mario kart in the common room. They weren't even trying to hide.
For a moment, Steve had just wanted to join them, sit next to them and hug them both. And then he remembered. The Winter Soldier. Howard and Maria's death.
Tony was trying to gain Bucky's trust. Tony wanted revenge.
That night, Tony sat at his bar, drinking a glass of whisky, when JARVIS spoke up.
"Sir, I believe Steve Rogers is.."
And then the door flew open to reveal a very angry looking supersoldier. Tony put his glass down, regretting intensely giving in to Bucky's puppy eyes that morning.
"I WARNED YOU !" Roared Steve before punching him in the face, sending him to the hard floor. Pain shot through his whole face and back and he grunted, trying to get up.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO GET CLOSE TO HIM ! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TALK TO HIM ! YOU WILL NOT HURT HIM" Steve kicked him in the ribs. "YOU CAN'T HURT BUCKY ! HE IS EVERYTHING TO ME"
Tony spit blood before replying, looking Steve right in the eye. "So was I."
Steve seemed then to finally truly look at him, and to see the damage he's done. His furious expression turned into a horrified one, tears filling his eyes. "I'm sorry" He breathed, and he fled the room, leaving the inventor laying on the floor, covered in forming bruises.
The genius laughed bitterly, the action sending a wave of pure pain through his ribs.
"All this for a game of mario kart."
He stood up slowly and looked into the nearest mirror. He was going to have a phenomenal black eye. He carefully touched his ribs, and realized he was going to have to get Bruce to check on them without telling the other scientist how he got hurt. It's not like the others wouldn't notice the black eye, anyway. But he couldn't tell them it was the supersoldier. The blond was just doing what he thought was right. It was alright. Tony was alright. Steve just happened to love Bucky more.
And still, he loved Steve.
Steve ran to the gym.
Half a dozen destroyed punching bags later, he let himself fall on the floor and whimpered.
Why did it have to be so complicated ? Why did Tony have to hate Bucky ? Why was this Steve's life ? Having to protect one of his loves from the other...
And still Steve loved Tony. How could he love two persons at the same time ? How could he hurt one of them so much, just for the sake of the other's safety ?
"I hate myself" He whimpered again, hugging his knees and shutting his eyes, wishing his existence to cease.
A small eternity later, a hand touched his back lightly. "Stevie ? Are you okay ?"
Bucky. Steve opened his eyes and lifted his head, looking at his boyfriend through his tears. A question burned his tongue. He needed to ask.
"Bucky ?"
"Yes ?"
"Do you still love me ?"
"Yes."
'You wouldn't if you knew.' He thought, chest aching as if he was being stabbed.
The next morning, Tony sat in the infirmary, pouting.
"I don't want to tell you, Bruce !"
"And I won't work with you on anything, not a single project, as long as you don't tell me what happened." Replied the scientist, crossing his arms and frowning.
Tony could see his science bro was concerned, really, he could, but he also couldn't tell the truth. No one wanted Hulk to run after Steve through the tower, and then kill Captain America, because that was how it would end if Tony told the truth. So he settled for a lie.
"I picked a fight in a bar. I was drunk."
Bruce squinted his eyes at him, suspicious.
"I didn't see anything about it in the medias, and you don't drink that much anymore."
Tony shrugged.
"Well they can't find out every single time I mess up. The media would only be about Tony Stark if they did."
As Bruce ranted about not picking fights in bars, Tony realized how much he had, indeed, messed up. He wasn't sure exactly when he had done something wrong, but he must have, if Captain America himself was so angry at him. Surely, it was about Bucky, but Tony couldn't help it, he felt drawn to the quiet man. And it felt very much like... No.
So that was it. Steve found out and he was worried Tony would hit on his best friend. Or were there more ?
[The next night]
Clint, Natasha, Bruce, and Thor sat in Clint's living room.
"I'm worried about Tony. He came to me with a black eye and three broken ribs this morning. He said he picked a fight, but I looked at his hands, they're not even scratched : he didn't try to defend himself, he got beat up."
"Why would the man of iron let himself be injured ?"
"Perhaps... No." Started Clint.
Natasha nudged him with her foot, encouraging him to continue his idea.
"Perhaps he knew and liked the person who did this to him, and he didn't want to hurt them." the archer said in one breath.
Bruce's eyes widened in realization. "You don't think... No." Everyone held their breath, in fear of a Code Green.
"I am going to talk to Steve." Stated Natasha, and no one argued.
"By the way, anyone knows why they broke up ? Is it because of Bucky ?"
"I think so, yeah. And I actually think that Bucky and Steve are dating, but are very private about it. Maybe Bucky needs time to forget all the homophobia of their time."
"I wish Bucky would go away." Sighed Bruce. "I like the guy, but Tony's not the same. It's like all that's left is an empty shell."
The spies agreed.
Meanwhile, Thor wasn't paying attention. His eyes were on Bucky's. The soldier was standing in the shadows, listening to their conversation, and he looked utterly destroyed as he stared back at the god, silently pleading him not to reveal his presence.