Tony felt the cool metal hand slip around his waist, and he looked up to smile at Bucky encouragingly. It was Friday night, they were at Tony's house watching the Underworld movies back to back, but Tony was more interested in what they could be doing instead. Since there glad-to-be-together make out session in Bucky's car, the older boy had become reluctant to do anything with Tony other than chaste little kisses. It was all very frustrating, and Tony was just about ready to slap him ninety per-cent of the time.

Luckily, he was turning fifteen in a short few weeks, and that would hopefully put a stop to Bucky's angst-ing about their age difference.

Remembering this, Tony grinned, leaning up to place a kiss on Bucky's jaw. "Three weeks and four days," he reminded Bucky, "you'll take my V-card then, right?"

Bucky made a noise of protest, blush spreading across cheeks, "Tony!" he choked.

Tony laughed, "Okay, okay, I'll say no more, but you can't deny that you want to." Tony paused for a moment, and a doubt quickly crept into his mind. Maybe Bucky didn't want him that way, at all.

Bucky pulled Tony into his lap, kissing his neck tenderly, "I do," he confessed in a small voice.

"Well, come on, then," Tony grinned, wiggling his ass against Bucky's crotch.

Before Bucky could reply, the pair heard a small awkward cough from the doorway. There was an older looking man, lugging two coats and a large suitcase behind him. He looked… like a butler, if Bucky wasn't mistaken. Who the hell has a butler?

There was a moment of dead silence, and Bucky felt Tony become tense in his arms.

"Young Master Stark," he choked, clearly embarrassed, in a thick British accent. "Your father and I have returned home, he's on an important business call at the moment, but will be expecting to see you shortly. I advise that you… find a more appropriate seat."

"Good call, Jarvis," Tony forced himself to laugh, climbing off Bucky's lap, "I'd shove Bucky out the window, only I assume Howard saw his car."

"You would have been most amused at his use of the word 'hooligan,'" Jarvis joked, moving on from the room, presumably to pack away his and Howard's belongings.

After he was gone, Bucky turned to Tony panic-stricken, "Your dad thinks I'm a hooligan!"

"To him, anyone under the age of thirty is a hooligan. That's how he views people, in age demographics. Or any demographics. You know he still thinks Rhodey is 'from the ghetto'? Even though they live in the same part of upper Manhattan we do," Tony sighed, "… well, did."

"So, he's gonna hate me?"

"Howard's an ass, he hates everyone. He tolerates my mother, and they don't even live in the same house anymore, which I guess says a lot about their relationship. You shouldn't worry what he thinks of you, Bucky."

Bucky could feel Tony's annoyance building, and quickly decided to lighten the mood. Hoping that it would stop the uneasy feeling that came with the prospect of meeting Tony's father. Bucky shoved him playfully, Tony shot him a glare. "Tony, baby, light of my life… I'm a real traditional guy, you know. I don't think I could ever marry you without your father's permission. How am I meant to get that if he doesn't like me?"

Tony rolled his eyes, "You honestly think I'd settle? I prefer men with two arms, thank you very much."

As little as a week ago, that comment would have been too much. But Bucky knew Tony, and had no doubt in his mind that Tony truly did not care about his arm, or lack thereof.

Bucky rolled his eyes, "Yeah right, I know you have a metal kink. Can't lie to me, Stark."

"Okay, so maybe you can be my boy toy, but that hardly makes you marriage material," Tony threw him a grin, "you're a hooligan, remember?"

"Now you're just teasing me."

"Can't help it, I love teasing you."

Bucky brushed his hand through Tony's soft brown hair, "I wanna kiss you."

Tony gave a mischievous wink and leaned in seductively. Yet, before their lips could meet, he abruptly pulled away. "Nah-ah Bucky, no kisses for you. You gotta a decision to make – meet Howard now, and suffer through his condescending glare as he judges you in ways you can't even comprehend; or sneak away while I distract him, and safe yourself from this horrendous experience."

"And leave you all alone to face him?"

"Well he is my flesh and blood, I'm kinda bound to him on a genetic level," Tony shrugged, "I think having to talk to him is a part of the whole gig."

"Why don't you come back to my place? You know Mum won't mind, and Becca loves it when you stay the night," Bucky asked, voice thick with concern.

"I wanna hang with you too, but tomorrow, okay? What's with the concern all of a sudden? I'll be fine."

"You call you dad by his first name, I think I've earned concern rights."

Tony huffed, but didn't dispute him.

"Are you ready then?"

"Let's do this."

Looking into Howard Stark's eyes was like looking down the barrel of a gun. Bucky was struck by his eerie resemblance to Tony, not that it was surprising considering they were father and son after all, but Bucky had expected Tony to be nothing like his father. Although, while Tony looked like the spitting image of him, his demeaner was nothing like Tony's. Tony radiated charm and humour, while Howard had the aura of a brick wall.

"So, Mr Barnes, you're here awfully late." Howard remarked coldly, staring at Bucky unblinkingly.

"…erm, yeah. I mean, I was probably going to crash on the couch. Or take Tony back to my place- not that I wanted him out that late!" Bucky found himself unable to stop talking, "And I didn't mean take him back to my place, like, sex… I just meant for movies and pancakes."

"Smooth," Tony smirked beside him.

Howard frowned at Bucky, turning his attention to his son. "What was wrong with Pepper? I liked her. You needn't punish me by dating him."

Tony's face dropped, "Not dating," he insisted quickly, "we're just friends. Pepper and I are also just friends, but if you wanted us to get together so badly maybe you shouldn't have moved me to the middle of fucking nowhere."

It pained Bucky to hear Tony say that, even though he knew the boy could never admit to being with him, for many reasons, it still hurt to hear him say it.

Howard glared at him, "Don't lie to me Anthony. Your 'friend' needs to leave, and you need to be in your room finishing your homework or sleeping."

Tony bit back, "You left me alone for a week, and suddenly you come back trying to enforce a bed time!"

"You're fourteen. I am your father. do as I say." His tone was dangerously low, and Bucky saw Tony cringe at the sound of it.

He didn't say another word, just dragged Bucky out of the room and slamming the door behind him.