Bucky sat on the roof of the Avengers Tower, watching the dawn.

He hadn't been able to sleep that night after fleeing Clint's floor silently. JARVIS had taken him there when he had asked where the others were, instead of answering him. Bucky had decided to step out of the elevator and go see what everyone was doing on one of the other's private floor.

And then he had heard them talking about bruises on Tony. He had felt a wave of protectiveness towards the man, and had to control himself in order not to run to tend to the other man's injuries right then.

The most shocking thing he discovered, though, was that Steve had left those bruises. Or well, the other Avengers believed it was Steve. Bucky would investigate by himself later. He didn't really want to confront Steve, because if it wasn't Steve, it would hurt his boyfriend's feeling that Bucky doubted him like that.

He hadn't been prepared for what had happened next. He had been looking at them from the shadows and no one should have been able to spot him, but one second Bucky had been trying to read Natasha's body language to figure out if she was planning to hurt Steve or not, and the next Thor's eyes had been on him, studying him without revealing anything to the others, while Bruce was saying that Bucky should leave, that because of him Tony was suffering.

Bucky didn't know why it had affected him so much, but it had, and he was terrified of the others finding out that he heard all that conversation. The soldier had kept looking Thor in the eyes as he had fled into the shadows, trying to get him to keep quiet, but he didn't know the god, he had no way to know if he could trust him.

"Brother of Winter, I did not know you enjoyed sunlight"

Bucky startled. Thor. Why was he here ?

"Why wouldn't I enjoy it ?" He replied, turning to face the god.

Steve had told him that a serious Thor was a very rare sight. Right now, the god looked like someone had just died.

"Winter is not the season of the sun. I came to talk to you, son of Barnes. I believe we should discuss last night's events."

Bucky nodded. He felt like Thor was treating him like some sort of kid... But it wasn't really that. He could not find the word, but Thor was acting strangely. He was pretty sure Steve would have mentioned it if Thor had a big brother thing going on.

"Call me Bucky"

Thor smiled at him, sitting next to him on the edge. Their legs were dangling in the void, and it reminded Bucky of all the times he and Steve had sat like that to speak about everything that went through their heads and hearts.

"Bucky, why were you listening to us ? Were you spying on us ?" Questioned Thor, but it wasn't accusation the man from the 40s heard in his voice, it was genuine curiosity.

Bucky shook his head no.

"Why were you there, then ?"

" JARVIS took me there when I asked where the others were. Steve told me to socialize and make friends. I was just trying to spend time with you guys." Bucky mumbled, voice quiet. Something about Thor made him want to trust him, he felt protected and entirely accepted, which was weird since it was their first conversation.

There was a short silence during which both men just looked at the city below. People down there looked like ants from up here. It made Bucky realize once again how insignificant he was. His life is so short, and there are so many things he cannot do, so many things people made him do. He, Bucky Barnes, is insignificant, so insignificant that his body was turned into a weapon and his mind, almost erased.

"You remind me of my brother." Said Thor, out of the blue.

Bucky looked at the blond, intrigued. Steve never mentioned Thor had a brother.

"You have a brother ?"

It was Thor's turn to be surprised. "The others didn't tell you ? Well I guess that's better. They don't know him. They saw him while he was at his worst, and from what little informations I could gather, I think he had been tortured into submission by an entity far greater than all of us." Bucky shivered.

Thor paused, seemingly lost in thoughts.

"The Captain of America told me things about you. You have been forced to fight for your enemies. Soldier of Winter. Is that how they called you ?"

Bucky stared at him, surprised. Thor was the first one to talk to him about this. Most of the time he just pretended this part of him wasn't real, that it was just a big nightmare.

Faint voices echoed at the back of his mind, but Thor's strong one brought him back to reality quickly.

"I do not wish to make you remember this, brother of winter. I just wanted to tell you that I understand, and I am here if you need me. I will not judge you for what they made you do. I don't think any of our friends will."

Bucky avoided the god's eyes then.

"I think someone does blame me." He murmured.

"Who ?" Thor's voice was suddenly stronger, protective.

"Stark. He probably hates me, actually."

Thor grabbed Bucky's shoulder and waited for the soldier to look him in the eye.

"No way. My brother of iron is not the kind of person to hold hatred in heart, nor is he one to blame the innocent."

Bucky sat still in the bath, staring at the wall without really seeing it. He was thinking about Tony.

"Perhaps he knew and liked the person who did this to him, and he didn't want to hurt them."

"By the way, anyone knows why they broke up ? Is it because of Bucky ?"

So Tony and Steve used to date... Bucky frowned. Steve never told him that. However it would explain the tension between the two. But did Tony know that Bucky and Steve were together ? The two supersoldier wanted to stay private about it, out of habit. Back in the 40s, their relationship had to stay a secret, it was a matter of survival.

"I wish Bucky would go away."

Bucky closed his eyes so tight it hurt.

"I like the guy, but Tony's not the same. It's like all that's left is an empty shell."

Was it his fault ? Was it all his fault ? Was is because he returned ?

The soldier opened his eyes again. He had to fix this.

"Where are you going ?" Asked Clint, stepping into the elevator too.

"Wherever Stark is right now. I need to talk to him."

The bowman smiled approvingly. "You heard that JARVIS ? Take him to Shellhead." The elevator started moving. "Oh and Bucky ? Call him Tony, he doesn't like to be called Stark by his friends."

"I'm not his.." Protested Bucky just as the elevator stopped.

Clint clapped him on the back, gently pushing him towards the exit. "Yes you are. He made you an arm, no ? He only does that for people he cares about."

Bucky sighed as he stepped out of the elevator and away from Clint's comforting words.

It was true, Tony made the arm because he cared. But not about Bucky. About Steve.

He stopped at the glass doors. From here he could see the inventor tinkering in his workshop. Tony's movements were slow, and from time to time he stopped, putting a hand on his ribs. Were they broken ?

"Would you like me to inform sir of your presence ?"

Bucky jumped at the AI's voice.

"Hm, yes. Please."

He saw Tony's back tense suddenly. The AI must have told him who was at the door. Slowly, the genius turned around to face Bucky.

He had a black eye.

Bucky's throat tightened. Why did he feel so protective of that man ?

The doors opened.

"Hey, old man ! So what's wrong with your arm ?" Smiled Tony. But it looked fake and forced.

"Nothing's wrong with my arm. What's wrong with your eye ?" Tony's smile fell.

Bucky walked into the workshop, but didn't come near Tony. He felt like the genius didn't want him too close. He decided to look at all the robots and technology in the room, trying to look like this situation wasn't stressing him out.

"Nothing's wrong with my- oh you mean the black eye thing. Yeah, I got into a fight."

"Then why aren't your knuckles at least a little damaged ?" Asked Bucky, trying too sound genuinely confused, but it came out sounding like an accusation. He turned to the inventor to see his reaction.

"What are you implying, Barnes ?"

Bucky took a few steps forward, and now there was only a table between the two men.

"I'm just wondering why you didn't defend yourself. Where is your freezer ?"

For a few seconds, the genius didn't answer, and they just stared at each other while tension slowly filled the air.

Bucky knew that the billionaire was trying to come up with a believable lie, or a half truth that would get the soldier off his back.

"I just ran into an angry ex. You know, playboy and all that, it tends to annoy people a little bit." Tony shrugged, but his tone was dark, and his eyes, clouded with violent memories. Bucky knew what it looked like, he saw it every time he saw his face in a mirror.

"There is a freezer in the left corner, Sergeant Barnes" Said JARVIS.

"Thank you, JARVIS." Bucky made his way to the freezer and opened it.

Thankfully there was ice in it. The supersoldier took it and made his way to Tony, who was eyeing him warily.

"What are you doing, old man ?"

Bucky stood right in front of Tony now. It had been a while since they had been that close. The last time was when he woke up. Even when they had played mario kart together Tony had sat as far away as he could. He extended his metal arm to put the ice on the genius' eye.

And Tony flinched.

They both froze, looking each other in the eye, one terrified and fragile, the other surprised and hurt.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Let out Bucky, voice pained.

Tony took a few steps back.

"I know you won't."

"Then why are you afraid ?"

Tony glanced at the door. He wanted to run away. That was what Bucky made him feel. Bucky made him want to run away.

"I'm not afraid."

"Then let me put some ice on this eye"

"I can do it myself"

"It doesn't take a genius to know you won't, Tony"

"What did you just call me ?"

"Tony"

There was a short silence during which Tony just stared at the supersoldier, wary eyes full of unreadable emotions. And then, he slipped the mask back on.

"I will do it myself, Bucky, if it gets you to get out."

Bucky frowned. He didn't want to leave the inventor alone, and it didn't look like anyone was spending time with him these days. They might be all worried about him, but he didn't see anyone making him food or coming to the workshop to check on him.

And then he remembered his theory.

"Was it Steve ?"

Tony froze. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Is he the one who hurt you ?"

"Get out." Tony's lower lip was trembling, and his fists were clenched.

'So I was right. Time to go before I do more damage.' Realized Bucky, before leaving.

An hour later, the inventor was sat on a chair, staring at the melting ice, remembering grey concerned eyes and a quiet deep voice.

Someone had wanted to take care of him, and he had pushed them away. Nothing alarming, just the usual.

Then why was he so upset ? Why was he wishing Bucky would come back and put that damn ice on his damn black eye ? Why was he longing for that soft voice ?

It was almost the same feeling he got when he thought of Steve, but with Steve, it wasn't just dreams. It was memories, dozens of them, all of them sweet and warm and almost comforting, if he could forget the fact that they now belonged to a past he will never get to live again.

Oh god, how much he missed the past. Steve used to come down to the workshop and draw, listening to Tony's eternal rant about science. The blond used to bring food and coffee, and Tony used to stop working for a few minutes just to join Steve on the couch and cuddle with him. Sometimes he ended up falling asleep. Sometimes he woke up in their bed, with strong arms wrapped around him.

Now the workshop was silent and lonely. No one came down here anymore.