This was his space. Sacred, almost, at least to him.

ACDC's "Thunderstruck" was turned up as loud as the high tech speakers would allow – and that would have been enough to deafen anyone else. Tony knew that because he'd built them himself. Store bought equipment just didn't carry the same wallop as what he could make with his own two hands. Tony danced on a tabletop, shaking his hips back and forth, twisting his feet from side to side, flailing his arms, hip thrusting and making sweeping pointing motions to imaginary fans whose silent cheers spurred him on – until the door opened.

Stark was so startled that he'd nearly fallen off his table. He hadn't been working on anything lately, so the tables were clean, and the little stumble hadn't cost him anything, but he didn't feel much like looking on the bright side. Someone had entered his space without knocking. Usually, the only one who could (or even would) do such a thing was Pepper, and she'd… left… six months ago. Morgan had gone with Peter to visit with May and their stay had changed from one week, to two months, to… until further notice. He couldn't have the kids around to see him moping.

So far, the offender had only smirked and gave a half chuckle while shaking his head. The intruder waited patiently for Tony to regain himself and get off the table before he spoke. "I was pretty sure I'd find you here, but I wasn't expecting a show," Bucky's voice held no malice, or mockery, but just a hint of lighthearted teasing. Months of therapy – at Pepper's demand – had worked to get the Iron Man and the former Winter Soldier on friend-ish terms, but they weren't close by any means. Still, since Steve had gone back to live a happy life with Peggy and Bucky didn't feel as though he deserved to speak with any of the other people in the 21st century he'd come to know, cheering up Sad Sack Stark seemed like the best thing to do. Not only would it fill his time, but he felt like he owed it to Tony – in more ways than one.

"You know you're supposed to knock, Wintergreen," Tony snapped, adjusting his band tee. Formal dress was out of the question with Tony's current mental state, and even his usual casual clothing seemed daunting, so he'd taken to wearing band T-shirts and pajama pants. It didn't matter what he wore anymore. No one was there to see it – except, apparently, Brown-nose Barnes. "Maybe call ahead, even."

"Yeah. Yeah. I know… Unfortunately for you, I also know that if I'd called ahead, you would have told me not so show up. Being a part of the last generation with actual manners, I would have had to stay home and worry about you instead," Bucky teased again. Tony didn't do well with flat out sympathy or raw emotion, so joking (according to Peter) would be the easiest for the grieving man to process. The concern was real, though, and Bucky hoped he could feel that. They may not have been close, but they'd saved the world together. That had to count for something.

"Ha," Tony scoffed, plopping down on his leather, motorcycle seat shaped stool. It was the little things Tony took pleasure in.

The big threats were gone. The shadow that had once loomed over Earth was gone. Anything the Avengers would have to face from that point on would likely feel like child's play – if they got back together after all this. Tony assumed solo missions would be more common than an actual team up and had often wondered how they'd have a team without Captain America. He didn't count Sam. Sam could choke on his wings for all Tony cared. Odd for Tony, that he'd hold more animosity toward Sam than Bucky, but after getting to know the guy and coming to understand him… he supposed Buck wasn't so bad after all. Even now, he'd come all this way to visit. Tony didn't know how far 'all this way' was, but it was the thought that counts. With the threats gone, no kids in the house, and no pending deadlines, there was nothing to distract from the missing piece in Tony's puzzle. How had he survived this long? Why hadn't she? As much as he wanted to push Bucky out the door, he just couldn't. "So, what brings you in, Wintergreen?"

"Repeating nicknames? Man, you really are out of it. Losing your touch, I think," Bucky teased, standing with his hand in his pocket not far from Tony.

"Buckleberry Hound, then. Whatever."

Tony's voice had been sharp, but a bit of a smile echoed in his eyes, probably for the first time since Cancer took Pepper from him. Stark liked to tell everyone she left, but it didn't take a genius to see through that. If she'd simply walked out, Stark would be able to get her back, or she'd at least have taken Morgan with her. Still, most people played along with what Tony said. That didn't seem to be helping anymore.

"Good one," Bucky chuckled softly, pulling his hand out of his pocket before awkwardly tucking it back in. "Bit old school. I like it," he nodded. Bucky had wanted to pat Tony on the shoulder, maybe give him a side hug, but it didn't feel like they were quite at that point yet. After making a fool of himself, Bucky found it hard to make eye contact for a few moments while he gathered his thoughts and put his nerves back in the mental box they belonged in. Wait a damn minute, Bucky told himself, I've fought wars, jumped out of planes… destroyed global superpowers. Why am I so nervous around one guy?

Because he's hot!

Stop that!

"You good?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

It was only after the other man spoke that Bucky noticed he'd gotten lost in his own thoughts and started arguing with himself. Trying to hype himself up had pretty much backfired, but Buck was stubborn and determined to make this work. He'd come to comfort Tony, not to make everything about him. He forced himself to pull his hand free and gave Tony's shoulder a couple healthy pats. "Yeah. Get dressed. We're gonna go get a burger."

A burger sounded amazing. The rumble in Tony's stomach agreed and he realized he hadn't eaten in three days. The energy it would take to get dressed almost seemed worth it. "… Yeah," he sighed, turning to walk out of his shop. Tony's brow furrowed. He wasn't sure if he even had clean clothes without Peter here to help out. Still, his feet carried him to his bedroom, and he began to dig around for something to wear. He found a pair of jeans that didn't smell like rot, so that was good enough.

About a half hour later, Bucky held the door to the diner open for Tony. Stark had never even noticed this place before, but this was where the one-armed wonder wanted to go, so that was where they ended up. Watching him drive there was almost impressive – Bucky had a lot less road rage than Tony would have assumed would come from a 91 year old war vet. It was surprisingly easy to be out in public as long as Tony pretended it was for Bucky's sake, rather than his own, and the diner looked cozy. There weren't many people inside, but the smell was incredible. Maybe it was because Tony hadn't eaten in a few days, but it was enough that he had to swallow to keep from drooling all over himself.

Bucky had chosen a 50's themed diner – feminine staff wore light blue poodle skirts and side ponytails, while masculine staff members wore simple white Ts under light blue and white striped cardigans. The tables glittered with red metalflake tops and on top of thick, white metal. A jukebox sat in the corner, cycling through different lights as if to invite a curious customer to come touch the buttons. Bucky picked a pair of red and white leather stools up at the bar, and Tony rapped his knuckles against the red countertop, anxiously awaiting a menu. Bucky reached behind the sugar dispenser and plucked a menu out from obscurity and set it down on the counter in front of Tony.

Stark's eyes lit up as he saw the simple little menu, but a part of him felt alarmed that he'd missed it. More and more, it seemed Bucky was just in time. Maybe tonight, after a good meal, Tony might actually get some sleep. "Little Bitty Pretty One" played on the jukebox and muddled the sparce, indiscriminate chatter that filled the silence. Buck didn't need to look at the menu. He'd come in so many times that he'd had the whole thing memorized, so there wasn't much to do to fill his time while they waited for someone to take their order. Bucky winced. Tony didn't even flirt with the girl behind the counter. No comment, no wink… no nothing.

It seemed the Iron Man was more rusted than Bucky had first thought. No surprise, though. Pepper was his wife. She'd been his partner, and his support, for far longer than anyone but Tony really knew. The hole she left behind would be tough to fill, but Bucky was determined to help him climb out of it. The way he saw it, he was just returning the favor. When the former Winter Soldier had come back to New York from Wakanda, he felt so out of place that he'd assumed it was a terrible idea.

Tony (Pepper) had been the one to help him find an apartment. Tony (Pepper) had been the one to help him find ways to fill his time. Tony (Peter) had been the one to extend an olive branch. Now it was Bucky's turn to step up. Their food arrived in a timely manner and Tony dove in without another word. Bucky had never seen him eat like this before, but there weren't many others around. One booth held a teenage boy and a little girl – children of one of the cooks, and at another, a couple of old women were holding hands over the table and sipping their shared milkshake. Bucky doubted any of them would care how far the mighty Iron Man had apparently fallen. Certainly, none of them would report it.

"You're remembering to breathe, right?" Buck smirked, popping a tater tot in his mouth. He swore by this place and would sing their praise to anyone who would listen but had never seen someone take to the food so quickly before. After the hasty meal, Tony seemed to be more himself. He insisted on paying for the meal and finally flashed the waitress that Trademark Stark Smile. Bucky couldn't tell if it was the food, or the time away from the house that was doing Tony some good, but something was working. The only way to find out what it was, was to keep at it.

He'd chosen the place to eat, so it only seemed fair that Tony got to pick the next spot, but Bucky wasn't at all enthused (or surprised) when Tony suggested they hit up a casino. Gambling and booze seemed like the last things Tony needed, but for all Bucky knew, there was more alcohol in his cardiac system than blood anyway, so what could it hurt? When the check was paid, the pair set off again. It was a nice feeling, trolling around New York again with a friend at his side like a normal person. It seemed Bucky was getting just as much out of this as Tony was, and he hadn't even known he was in need.

-x-

Bucky had assumed Tony would have a few drinks, gamble a bit, and they'd be out of there. Bucky was wrong. Without Pepper around to balance him, the Playboy was back to his old games. Before they'd even reached the Casino, Tony had practically forced Buck to pull over so he could get a change of clothes. It took less than twenty minutes for Stark to find what he wanted to wear (the tailor always had a spare suit for Tony ready), but almost half an hour to put it on. Bucky had tried to wait in the car, but Tony wasn't having that – however, Bucky did get away without putting on a damn suit. The clothes he had on were just fine, thank you very much.

Bucky noticed how the tailor was staring at the void where his left arm should be. He shifted awkwardly and found something – anything – else to stare at while Tony was changing. In Wakanda, the stares and the questions didn't bother him at all, but it seemed everything was different in New York. The difference between Wakanda and New York was motive. When people stared in Wakanda, they were worried about him, or genuinely curious. In New York, however, they were judging him, scared of him, or disgusted by him. Before the tailor could say anything about the missing limb, however, Tony paid for his suit and pulled Bucky out the door.

The Casino Tony chose towered over them, and Bucky was lost in the glow of the lights against the dimming New York skyline. He'd meant to drop the keys to the car in the Valet's outstretched hand, but missed and dropped them on the cart because he was craning his neck to try to see where the building ended, and the infinite sky began. He'd almost been blinked out of existence by the snap of an alien's finger. Bucky had promised himself when he got back that he wouldn't take anything for granted anymore. He'd appreciate the beauty of everything in front of him, even if it seemed 'improper'. There wasn't anything wrong with stopping to stare once in a while.

Buck felt Tony's grip on his wrist and was inside the building before he'd registered what was happening. He hadn't been inside a Casino since 1945, and they'd changed quite a lot in 70 years. There were more lights, more loud chimes, music, and wild customers than Barnes could have imagined. It was almost overwhelming, but having Tony with him was grounding. Bucky kept mostly to himself, though plenty of women tried their luck and after four hours of watching the former Winter Soldier "drown", Stark took it upon himself to help. He wasn't interested in taking anyone back for the night – it was still too soon to be grabbing onto another woman – but maybe he could help Barnes get some tail.

"Ohhhhh," Tony gave a sagely nod after only twenty minutes of effort. "I get it now~!"

"Get what?" Bucky asked, a little short tempered at this point. "I didn't ask for your help."

"Yeah! I know! And now I get why!" Tony said with a laugh in his voice before he threw back his tenth shot of the night. "You're super gay!"

Panic. Instant, intense panic flooded through Bucky, and he quickly left the room. Tony followed, undeterred.

"What? Wha'd I say?" Tony called after him. "It's true, right?"

Bucky didn't answer. He kept his eyes down and kept moving forward until he'd shuffled all the way outside. There, Tony finally caught up to him and took hold of his shoulder. "Wait a minute," Tony said, a bit more softly now that he didn't have to shout over the hoards of people inside. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget how things used to be. You're used to keeping it a secret. I get it. It's cool. I was the same way for a long time."

What the hell is that supposed to mean? There's no way in hell he knows what this feels like, Bucky thought, not realizing that with his facial expression, he might as well have said it out loud.

"Surprised? Yeah. So was Dad. Super Bi," Tony pursed his lips and nodded. "I don't go around telling a lot of people, but… I promise, nothing bad is going to happen if you just be yourself."

Bucky remained quiet, but his expression softened, as if he were considering this. Tony decided it would be better if they went home. He didn't want to stress Buck out any further. Tony cashed out, Bucky got his keys, and they headed back to the farm in silence – except for the hiccups Tony got from drinking so much too quickly. After the third one, Bucky couldn't help but smile, and by the fifth, Bucky was laughing. Tony had to admit (but not out loud, of course) that he kind of liked the sound.

Parking was quick, but stumbling back to the house was not. Tony had thrown an arm over Bucky's shoulders, pressed himself to the other man and swayed as he walked, feigning a level of drunken stupor far beyond what he actually had. He was intoxicated, no doubt, but he could have walked on his own… probably. Instead of taking Stark back to his workshop in the barn, Bucky took him into the house and laid him on the couch. Flushing red when Tony tried to pull him down on top of him. Barnes straightened up quickly and avoided eye contact while he argued with himself again.

Don't look too far into it! He's drunk! Just because he told you he's bi doesn't mean he's into you! Besides, you didn't come here for that!

"Y'gonna take my shoes off, 'er do I hafta sleep in 'em?" Tony slurred, wiggling his feet on the arm of the couch. "Pep would take'em off…" he mumbled, pouting like a toddler. Bucky sighed heavily, but relented, walking around the couch to slip the shoes off one by one. He thought his work was done, but Tony piped up again. "M'tie?"

"You're not wearing one…" Bucky protested, a bit bewildered.

"Then m'shirt's too tight… feels like I gotta tie…"

Another exasperated sigh, and Bucky knelt by Tony to undo a few buttons on Tony's dress shirt. Tony saw his chance and took it, quickly grabbing the front of Bucky's shirt and pulling him into a kiss. While Bucky was wide eyed, beet red, and startled, Tony just chuckled. "Ha. Got'em," and passed out on the couch. Barnes didn't feel right leaving Tony alone like this, so he found a spot across the room to curl up for the night.

-x-

The next day, bright and early, Bucky was up, ready to check on Tony. He found the inventor on the front porch with a bucket in his lap and a cold rag over his eyes.