Chapter 3
Bucky couldn't understand. How could Steve not know Tony? This was their Tony; the way that he had accepted his hug was proof of it. Plus, being this close Bucky could see the chain to his dog tags. So how could Steve not know the boy he thought the world of? Despite the way that Bucky could tell his face was loaded with makeup, he could still see Tony shining through.
"Well, yes, of course I know him. We're on the same team, the Avengers," Steve said. Bucky directed his gaze to Tony who had remained silent throughout this exchange, the relief making him stupid. At Bucky's gaze he snapped out of it and shook his head in one silent jerk, telling Bucky not to question it, he would tell him later.
"How do you know Tony?" Natasha asked curiously. Bucky kept his arm around Tony because if Steve didn't remember Tony then he definitely needed a hug more than Steve.
"I came to work on a prosthetic arm for him early and we talked a little," Tony said, thinking quickly on his feet. He suddenly felt so much better with Bucky's arm around him. Of course, Steve's arm would have been much better, but beggars couldn't be chooser.
"You knew about him and you didn't tell me?" Steve asked, feeling a pang of hurt. That put a slight dent in his trust in Tony. Not much, however. His body and mind seemed to trust Tony before he even really thought about it. Tony forced himself to meet Steve's disappointed eyes that hurt, hurt, hurt, him.
"Didn't want to share," He said, smirking carelessly like they all expected him to. He was glad that Bucky tightened his arm around him because everybody's frowns cut him like knives.
"Is he coming to live in Stark Tower with us?" Clint asked Fury. The helicarriers used to be where he felt safest but now all they held was bad memories. He wanted to get out of there as soon as he could.
"Of course I am," Bucky said, because his best friends needed him, Tony to keep him from being reckless and drowning in misery and Steve from hurting Tony unwittingly.
"It is my tower, Barton," Tony reminded Clint. He liked Clint, really, and he was a great guy for a SHIELD agent, but he wanted to make sure they remembered that they did not own him or his property.
"Semantics," Clint waved an dismissive hand and Tony pouted at the stealing of his usual line, watching as one by one the Avengers filed out of the room. Bucky wound an arm around Tony as they walked out of the door together.
"You own a tower?" He asked in an undertone. But Tony was far too sad to find amusement in Bucky's teasing. Bucky jostled him and then looked ahead, following Tony's eyes to Steve's broad shoulders. "Hey, don't worry Tony. We'll make things right."
"Nothing will ever be right without him," Tony whispered brokenly back and Bucky swore his heart was breaking in sympathy.