James's gaze is elsewhere and his hands remain at his sides so Tony decides to try kissing again. James is much more receptive this time, sighing through his nose when those familiar, thin lips pressed to his own. Tony thoroughly enjoys the way that Bucky tastes like whiskey and his arms slide around James's waist to pull him closer. Even now, it's not close enough and Tony pulls him so they're completely pressed together, clothes and all.

A hand slides below its safe spot on James's waist and fingers slip in his waistband to feel concealed skin. Tony can feel the hitch in James's breath as a result and decides that he's tired of James's lips. He pulls away with a soft pop and mouths at James's jaw. And James tries, he tries to hold back his whine but he can't because that's his sensitive spot and Tony knows it.

"There you go," Tony murmurs in a soft chuckle between kisses. When James's hands come up to unbutton Tony's dress shirt they're much steadier and not as desperate, so Tony allows him the privilege of removing all together. He feels James's metal hand slide between their bodies and reach up to touch the rim of Tony's exposed arc reactor and it's still something that James can't get over.

Much to James's dismay, Tony's lips leave his jaw and his hands reach down to pull James's t-shirt over his head. He struggles to get it over his arms and when it musses James's hair, Tony smiles fondly. The t-shirt lands on the floor and Tony's hands are back on James's leanly muscled body, roaming over every dimple and crevice. For the first time Tony realizes that he knows James's body as well as, if not better than, Steve's body.

James pushes Tony back toward the bed and stops just before he falls onto the white sheets. He pops the button on Tony's slacks and unzips them with ease, drawing a stifled moan from Tony's lips when metallic fingers brush his clothed cock. Tony pauses to wonder if James has plans of getting on his knees but he decides that maybe they should just get to the point. He wants it. He wants the closeness and not necessarily the foreplay right now. Tony's thankful when James simply pushes his boxers from his hips without any indication of a blowjob.

For the moment Tony gives James control and allows himself to be pushed into the bed. He watches as James slips out of his black sweatpants and boxer briefs with finesse. His movements are so smooth and rehearsed and Tony can't resist the urge any longer. He reaches out for James's hips and pulls him close, mouthing at his toned abdomen with gentle licks and soft swipes of his tongue. A hand slides into Tony's hair and metal fingers grip Tony's shoulder, drawing out a whimper from the shorter man. James squeezes harder than he probably should because he knows, from experience, that he can leave marks this way. And he wants to mark Tony. He wants to mark him all over with bites and scratches and bruises because Tony is his.

The thought of anyone else having Tony like this sets James off. Without permission he steps forward and climbs onto Tony's lap, pushing him back until he's flat on his back. He leans over Tony's face and Tony wants to smile at the way James's hair falls in his face, but he doesn't. Their eyes lock for a good twenty seconds until Tony realizes that James's nostrils are flared with angry breaths. Fleshed fingers come up to trace Tony's jaw with intentions of some sort and it's not until Tony feels those fingers travel south that he realizes that those intentions are.

"Tell me you're mine," James mutters through his tense jaw, putting a light amount of pressure on Tony's throat. His demand is a combination of a desperate plea and aching need. He needs to know that Tony is his. He needs to know that Tony won't leave him again. He has to know and Tony can't ever break that promise.

Tony knows that James would never choke him. He just needs to be reassured. He knows James has had his fair share of being fucked over so Tony doesn't even have to think about his reply. He pretends not to notice the slight wetness in James's eyes when he looks into them. "I'm not going anywhere."

James's hand doesn't leave Tony's throat, so Tony tentatively reaches up to set his hands on James's very capable thighs. He strokes the skin with his fingertips, his blunt fingernails scratching them lightly. "James," Tony mutters again, and James finally snaps out of it. He looks away as he tries to hide his face in shame but there's no need to because Tony understands. He knows what it is to lose control of emotions and feelings and doesn't hold any blame to James whatsoever.

"You still want this?" Tony asks, and James nods.

Tony pushes James to the side and scoots over to give his partner enough room to follow his command. He coos at James to roll over onto his belly. When he does Tony reaches out to stroke his thigh and coaxes, "Hands and knees."

Tony knows what he and his mouth are capable of. He also knows that this is James's favorite part of their times together. He loves the way James opens up for him like this. This thing, this one thing undoes everything that James Barnes is in a few short seconds.

Tony settles comfortably before James's spread legs and presses kisses down the delicious dip of his back. James knows where this is headed and he can't be more pleased. He can finally let go of the last bit of lingering anger when those familiar lips delve between the cheeks of his decadently spread cheeks.

Tony's breath is moist and warm against James's skin as two calloused hands open him even more. He gives the pink hole a long swipe of his tongue, following up with multiple kisses to the sensitive flesh. That draws out a quiet moan from James's lips. Tony grins and fuck, his mouth is so close that James can feel Tony's smile between his cheeks. James decides that he wants more so he presses back into Tony's touch until Tony's face is in nothing more than pressed against his ass.

"Eager," Tony chuckles.

James is finally able to relax a little and drops his arms beneath his head. The movement brings his ass higher and the angle is better for Tony, who busies himself alternating between kissing and nibbling. James feels Tony's hand snake between his thighs and cup him gently and then he has to moan. "Tony."

Tony pulls back and snickers to himself because he has to. He loves it when his partners moan. He always has. But he loves it even more when they moan his name. He moves to press wet kisses over James's ass cheeks, sucking lightly at the skin and then stopping with a soft pop to ask, "Do you have plans next week?"

"Can this wait?" James retorts incredulously, glancing over his shoulder.

Tony lowers his mouth back to James's cheek and bites lightly, still managing to lock eyes with the man beneath him from their current positions. "Fine," he mutters, sitting back on his knees. "Lube?"

James moves to get the lube with a grunt, flipping around and draping his legs on either side of Tony. "Prep me?" he asks softly, offering the bottle to Tony who smirks in return.

"Thought you'd never ask."

"Where's the husband?" Natasha asks lightly as she and Steve are in the kitchen constructing mini pizzas.

Steve gives her a delayed glance and mutters a soft, "Excuse me?"

"You only ever ask me over when Tony's not here. Is he in a meeting or something?"

"Oh. Oh, yeah, he's-I don't know where he went, really." Steve squints at the green peppers and onions and decides that his pizza doesn't have enough cheese. "We had a pretty big fight, so I guess he decided to go get some air."

"You guys fight a lot, huh?" Natasha guesses. It's not really a guess, though; Natasha sort of just knows these things.

"Uh," Steve shrugs, crossing his arms and frowning at his pizza. "Yeah, I guess we do. We've been growing apart for a while now. Things keep getting worse and worse before we even have a chance to fix them. It's not just Tony. It's me, too. Some things happened the past few months and I'm not sure if trying to fix our problems would even be the best choice, you know?"

Natasha nods and takes Steve's pizza along with her own, sliding them into the oven.

Steve spins around so he's facing Natasha and leaning against the counter with crossed arms. He really wants her to know what's going on because he really needs someone to talk to about it, but he isn't entirely comfortable with her knowing all of the details. At least, not yet.

"I had all these plans for us. I thought we'd get married and in a few years maybe adopt a couple of kids or something."

Natasha smiles fondly. "I didn't know you wanted kids."

"It was an idea," Steve says. He's not sure if he's trying to downplay it for his own sake or for the sake of Natasha knowing all of these ridiculous plans he had. "That's what we were fighting about earlier, actually."

"Would you want to stay married to Stark if he didn't want kids but was willing to work on the problems between the two of you?"

Steve shrugs a little. He's always wanted kids, but right now he wants nothing more than to fix this mess between himself and Tony. Kids are fun, but having a husband who loves you is worth more, Steve thinks.

"I would love to stay married and fix our problems. I just don't know how realistic that is," Steve says with a sigh.

James decides that he's definitely missed this. He's missed having Tony buried deep inside of him. He's missed his long legs draped over Tony's sides, the muffled slapping sound when they fuck, and the wetness between their bodies is an all new level of arousal for James. He's pulling Tony closer to kiss him, his right hand wrapped around his own hard cock as metal fingers claw and scrape at Tony's back. James is close and he's muttering incoherently to himself as muffled whimpers leave his mouth.

Tony's hand slips between their slick torsos, joining James's own hand in his efforts to get off. With a few effortless strokes James is coming, metal fingers pressing into the soft skin of Tony's back hard enough to bruise the skin as a string of Russian expletives fall from his lips.

Tony comes shortly after James has lost all stamina and he's sort of just there on the bed, spread out and limp in the afterglow.

"Are you gonna leave?" James asks quietly as Tony shifts on the mattress.

Tony turns to look at James and, doing so, gives him a half-smile as he shakes his head. "Anyway, what are you doing next week?"

"Sitting around the apartment, I guess. I don't-"

"You're coming to Mali with me," Tony says decidedly. "I'm leaving the day 26th. Steve's hanging back here. We decided to let things lay for a while."

"What the hell am I going to do in California?" James chuckles. He's got a pretty good idea of what they're gonna do.