Foxx Hunting

by Phantomchajo

((A/N: No, I haven't forgotten about my other stories. Just waiting on one muse to step back and let others have some time.

A wonderful thanks to my friend Lady Moonhawke, who is also my co-writer, co-conspirator, Idea tester, plot hole finder, monkey wrench thrower, and ghost editor.

Italics usually means another language that I'm too lazy to have translated into that language))

Chap 3

January 1st….New Year's Day.

Johnny shifted his hand, bringing it up to grasp Bucky's hair and tug as he tilted his head back and to the side. It had the unintended effect of exposing his throat. Lips left his, only to latch onto his pulse point a moment later. He was pretty sure he'd have a spectacular hickey the way Bucky was going. He tugged again on Bucky's hair, letting out a breathy chuckle as he did, "Hey.. hey… ease up…."

Bucky opened his eyes, not realizing he'd closed them in the heat of arousal. "Shit... sorry," he said backing off. He would have stepped completely away if a hand hadn't caught the waist of his trousers and drug him forward again.

"This," Johnny said as he thrust his own cloth covered arousal against Bucky's, "isn't me saying 'No'. Not by a long shot." He ground against Bucky once more, "This is the body saying hell yeah, let's go find a room and get busy." He let go, reaching up to tap the side of his head. "It's the mind that's demanding we put on the brakes before things go too far and possibly ruin something good."

Nodding in understanding, Bucky pressed up against Johnny once more. With his head somewhat cleared, he kept things to a minimum. The kisses were less demanding and more playful promises should they take it further. Considering their location, it wasn't long before he felt Johnny start to shiver from the cold. It didn't bother him as much but that didn't mean he was immune to it either. "Maybe we should head inside," he murmured between slow lingering kisses. He didn't miss Johnny's flagging passion or the small, barely there winces when he shivered.

Johnny nodded, "Yeah… alcohol can only do so much before the cold gets to you." He dropped his head back against the wall, "Trust me, it's not you."

Bucky chuckled before capturing one last lingering kiss. "Better get you in before I face the firing squad for letting you stay out here too long with that shoulder of yours." He stepped back, pulling Johnny with him. He slid his arm around the other man's waist and started moving them towards the door.

Once inside the pair made their way towards the elevator, ignoring the looks from a couple of key people. They were not the only people who had the idea of calling it a night. Leaning against the back wall, the pair rode it down with the group. Once the elevator was empty of everyone but the two of them, Johnny requested his floor. Bucky took advantage of it being just the two of them to steal a few more kisses. That was how the person on the other side of the elevator doors found them.

"Ah-hem!"

Johnny broke the kiss with a snicker. "Looks like we've been caught," he stage whispered. "Evening.. or rather morning Doc," he added louder.

"Mr. J," Doc answered back, giving Bucky a look over as she did.

"James Barnes, but friends call me Bucky."

Doc raised an eyebrow, "Nice to meet you Mr. B."

"Don't bother, I haven't gotten her to break the habit in over three years, you won't be able to do it in a night," Johnny commented as he stepped away from Bucky, giving him a quick peck in parting. "Later," he said as he stepped out of the elevator.

Once the doors were closed, Doc turned to Johnny, her stern expression morphing into a big grin. "Oh my god…. he's sooo…..sooo… sexy looking!" she practically squealed. "How the hell did you find someone that damned sexy at Mr. T's party? It's not fair!"

"Let me get comfortable and I'll tell you over a carton of ice cream," Johnny said with a laugh.

"Mint Moose Tracks it is," Doc said. "See you in the kitchen in a few."

When Bucky stepped off at the party floor again, he bade Pepper a good night as she stepped into the elevator. He moved about the room, not saying much to those that were left. He had a few more rounds on the dance floor, but didn't put much effort into it, but for him it was still effortless. Finally he ended up back at the bar, sipping on a whiskey as he watched the rest of the room. The two that knew him the best, recognized that his mind was elsewhere. For everyone else, he looked bored.

After Pepper left for the night, Tony made his rounds like a good host. Giving a few last minute instructions to the staff, bidding goodnight to his guests and making sure there was some form of transportation available to them. He ended up at the bar, sitting one stool over from Bucky, slowly sipping his last drink of the night. There were many things he wanted to say but this was the first time in a very long time he was in a position to need to say them.

Natasha slipped onto the stool between Bucky and Tony, her expression neutral yet amused at the same time. She nodded as the bartender placed a drink in front of her then moved on. Catching the eye flicker in her direction from Bucky, she knew they were going to end up talking once they got back to their room. More than just talk, if she read correctly. Which was perfectly fine by her.

Bucky rolled his eyes when Steve and Sharon tool the seats on his other side. It looked like he was facing the proverbial firing squad (minus Pepper). He was pretty sure he knew how it would go down from both Steve's side as well as Tony's. Sharon, would back Steve but who would Nat back? They would need to talk once they returned to their room.

Time seemed to both slow down and speed up as the quintet just sat there sipping their drinks and stare at the mirrored wall behind the bar. It was only after the last of the staff bid goodnight to Tony, did the crystallized standstill shatter.

"I know," Bucky said to no one in particular. He reached up, running a hand through his hair, absently tucking it behind his ear and remembering the feel of Johnny's fingers tugging his brunet strands. A ghost of a smirk crossed his face before it went neutral again. "I know," he said again. "The shovel talk. I hurt him, you hurt me. Got it."

Tony did smirk. "Actually," he said, "You hurt the kids…then Pepper, myself and all of SI will hurt you. Johnny's a big boy and can take care of himself." He tossed back the last swallow of his drink then stood up. "Don't drink the bar dry kiddies," he said in parting as he headed to the elevator. He had a special date with a special lady who didn't take too kindly to him being late.

Steve turned his head to look at his friend. He'd seen that same expression a few times before, when Bucky thought he'd found the perfect dame. It never lasted long if he remembered correctly, something always came up and Bucky would spend his nights at the local dance halls or bars, depending on the money. He shook his head then looked past his friend to Natasha. He was surprised they were still partners. He had just about settled on what he was going to say, had turned to speak, when a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to look and saw Sharon shake her head with a smile. He returned the smile as he pushed his half empty glass away. Nodding he stood up, offering his hand to her as he did. "I've said it all before so I won't repeat myself, so stay out of trouble jerk."

Bucky huffed a laugh in reply before grinning. "And you need to get into trouble punk," he said, a small nod towards Sharon. He ducked his head slightly with a laugh as the woman in question slapped him playfully in return for the comment. "'Night you two," he called when they reached the elevator. Once the doors closed he let out a sigh as he rested his crossed arms on the bar top.

"I take it he didn't object." A statement, not a question, from Natasha.

Bucky shrugged. "We didn't exactly talk." He glanced to the side, noting Natasha's raised eyebrow. "What? We didn't. We got to the consensus of it wasn't a 'No'."

Nat rolled her eyes. "I could have told you that," she said with a sly smile as she played with her empty glass. "Having second thoughts yet?" she asked.

"No. Unless you count strategic planning on how to get the three of us together to talk. Maybe more than talk." He uncrossed his arms and stood up, stretching as he did before holding an arm out. "Care to head to somewhere more private?"

"There's no where private in Stark Tower, but our room is close enough I guess," Nat responded as she slid off the stool and took Bucky's arm. Once they reached the elevator, and stepped in, Nat decided it was a perfect moment to ask an important question. "Do you want to have his babies?" she asked.

Bucky jerked his head around so fast he almost gave himself whiplash as he stared wide-eyed at Nat. He had completely forgotten about Johnny's kids. The last time he had any dealings with kids was his three siblings when he was growing up. Which was, in and of itself, another painful reminder of all he'd lost. One day, he should find out if he had any living relatives left.

Behind them, the lights slowly faded until the room was completely dark. The hoard of cleaning bots emerged from their places and got to work. FRIDAY, after another security check, uploaded the elevator video to the Boss's private server. If AIs could whistle, FRIDAY would be doing so with an innocent grin.

Nothing ever goes as planned. The Avengers received a call to assemble just after sunrise forcing those staying at Stark Tower to depart without having a chance to say goodbye. Then a series of events would keep Natasha and Bucky from having a chance to discuss anything with Johnny of any importance for over three months. They were able to call every so often or text, but that was the extent of it. When they did finally meet up with him again, it was not under the best of situations. It seemed it was his chance to return the favor of a rescue.