fossilised | For Steve

Sleepy enough to be a little bummed out by not having Bucky sleep next to him, Grant nodded and followed Steve towards the patio. They never seemed to bother with the actual front door of this building. It was easier to just come and go through the sliding doors in the living room.

Past and present stood gazing at one another with messy hair and too pink lips. Grant was already over his slight pout about the sleeping arrangements, understanding why Bucky needed his space.

He was still wearing that cast after all.

"Do you want my room? You're a lot uh... Longer. I can sleep comfortably on the sofa until then. With room to spare." And it smelled like Bucky.

"No, Tony has so many beds and robots that I'll have one over here in no time, you don't have to give up your room."

Honestly, Steve felt as though he were walking on air. Some of the others might not be too happy that their leader was moving to a building that they weren't currently allowed to access, but he'd have to find a way to work around that because there was no way he was about to pass up this opportunity.

He reached out and clapped Grant on the shoulder.

"However this turns out, I know we can both agree that as long as Bucky is happy, then it's for the best."

It wasn't like he didn't know that Steve was strong. He spent the better part of an hour cuddled against his chest so that they both had access to Bucky's mouth. The hand on his shoulder, though, spoke more of context of character and the ability to control his strength than the actual strength of that hand.

Grant found himself smiling through his sleepiness, nodding. "I really would do anything to keep him happy and to help him. Know you would too, pal." Was that all Steve wanted to talk to him about? As long as they were on the same page here, as long as they didn't hurt one another (too badly), it would work out.

It had to for Bucky's sake.

The idea of robots dragging furniture over did do wonders to keep Grant's eyelids from slipping too far down to his cheeks. The future was always full of surprises.

That was all he wanted to say. He knew that they were on the same page, but this sort of exploration might well lead to one or both of them getting hurt, and he didn't want that. He liked Grant, was that an egotistical thing to think? Was it normal to like yourself? Well, he did, all the same, and he didn't want either of them to end this crushed.

He nodded and stepped away outside the patio doors to jog over to the main compound and go in search of Tony. It was a little weird that Tony had decided to stay so often, he usually only popped in for a few days here or there to tease him or to bother Bruce, and then disappeared back to his tower and his girlfriend.

But he'd been here since Grant and Bucky arrived, even a little before that, and showed no sign of going away.

Steve wore his emotions on his sleeve, and he had no idea that right now he was grinning like a lovesick schoolboy with slightly swollen lips and a flush to his cheeks.

"Tony? Hey-- Tony, I need to ask a favour."

Tony had things to do at the compound. He had repairs to make that he was putting off and he was spending time with Bruce trying to find a way to find where the HYDRA base of operations was to shut down any more attempts to muck with alternate realties. It wasn't just because he found the younger Steve Rogers to be so fascinating. Not entirely.

Having been shut out of poker night despite the dip, Tony had gone to pout at the window facing Building 7, which just so happened to be Steve's room. He'd ended up staying there all evening as poker turned to some sort of argument and then... Well. He wished he'd brought popcorn.

So when Steve called out to him, the idiot faster than ever jogging back to the main building, Tony had to scramble to make it look like he wasn't coming out of Steve's room. Especially because he had been rooting for the two Steve's to kiss by the patio window where he could see.

Alas.

"No you can't have the recipe to the dip because you're mean and I still feel very left out."

Tony would be waiting a long time if he wanted the two Steve's to kiss. Kissing Bucky was one thing, but Steve would find kissing himself to be some strange line between incest and masturbation, and he wasn't really interested in going down that route. His affections were for his best friend, just as, he was sure, Grant's were.

"I told you, Tony, Bucky is still not ready for you. I mean-- for anyone."

No, he means mostly Tony. He was fairly sure that most of the other Avengers could be trusted to behave and treat Buck with respect and with kindness, Tony just didn't have that in him. He was too irreverent and too selfish, he'd never remember to keep it up and he might end up hurting someone, or getting hurt.

"But it's a bed I want, for building seven, I'm going to stay there for a while and help out in Bucky's rehabilitation."

There was so much to say and to ask here, so much to puzzle out of tease but the moment Tony did so, the soon to be trip over in 7 would figure out how to shut the blinds and Tony wanted more opportunity to peep. Was it wrong? Sure. But so was the majority of stuff he did any more. He might have some good reasons but good reasons did not always made the world understand putting yourself out on a limb and maybe rewarding yourself with some voyeurism.

He stuck out his hip and glanced back towards Steve's room. "Are we just moving the entire thing?"

He was probably being a little too good about it, so he followed that up with a less conspicuous turn to make everything about himself.

"And did he mention me? Lil Steve. I tried to rescue him today. Not that he needed it, but the thought was there and come on, I would be such a good guest. And I know Banner has been dying to make sure kid you's arm is okay." Bannet was not dying for anything, literally. In fact, he had fallen asleep in Tony's lab with his feet up and a documentary on dinosaurs on.

"No, he didn't, and it's been decided that he's going to go by Grant now. It's easier to remember than two Steves."

It brought a smile to his lips to remember how they had made the suggestion at the same time, no ego over which of them would be called which. In a way, he thought Grant had a good deal out of it, it was a return of the use of Bucky's middle name for so many years that he'd lost count.

It was a relief that Tony wasn't arguing with him on this. He could easily have been difficult, and for once it seemed like things would be okay.

"Yeah-- I mean, I think Bucky is okay with me stopping over, and I'd like to be close by in case he needs me. I'll still have my cell on me and I'll come over each day to discuss Avengers' business."

"You'll come back every day?" Tony just wanted to make sure that he heard that right. It was interesting, how that was put. "So you and Grant and your pal Bucky are mostly just going to Three's Company it? Sam's not gonna be too happy about that." Tony was blind in a lot of ways but Strve was just dumb if he didn't notice the way Sam was with him. He played aloof but there was nothing aloof about the way Sam looked at their Cap.

Tony was aware that this whole relationship thing with Bucky was probably new and exciting and twisted given Grant's injection into the mix but work came before pleasure. Pepper didn't like it but she understood that Tony needed to keep his eyes on the prize. And he needed to invent. And make the world s better place. Shower sex didn't really do that the way the power armor did.

"I mean. Your choice and all. I'm thinking about retiring. I have some projects on the back burner I want to get to as soon as he stop HYDRA. I csnt just hang out here waiting for a poker invite. Let me some of the Legion together to move your stuff."

"Why not? I'm not going to let this interfere with how I do my job, Tony. There's no need to talk about retirement, or Sam not liking it as if I'm leaving the team."

Tony could be such an ass sometimes. Why was it such a big deal that he wanted to stay in building seven with the man who had been his best friend since he was a kid? Bucky needed him, and he sure as heck wanted to be there with him to help him through everything that had been done.

"I'm going to stay there to help Bucky. You saw some of the tapes, you know what they did to him, you don't think he's earned having his friends around him?"

Tony winced a little. "I'm just busting your balls, Rogers. You do what you need to do. The judgement is just superficial." He patted Steve on the shoulder as he slipped down the hall towards his tom. "J, let's get four to start. I'll open the window, it will be the easiest way to get it all out."

Tony had designed all of these buildings to let in a whole lot of natural light. Windows in Steve's room were more like doors anyway. The Legion would make quick work of everything here.

"You're better off directing my guys on where you want all of this. They'll just drop it off on the lawn otherwise. I'm not sure where you want to set up. Not the lab. Banner is gonna want his house back eventually."

"I don't think that's gonna happen."

Steve sounded slightly guilty about that, but he couldn't deny that it was true. Grant and Bucky had really made that place their own and, while Grant could move, he was pretty sure it would be the height of cruelty to make Bucky give up the first place that he had felt secure.

"I know it's a big ask, but can't you build Bruce a new place? I'm sorry, it's just-- he feels safe there."

Nobody gave the earnest puppy look quite like Steve Rogers.

"Are you trying to guilt me?" Tony didn't say it wasn't working, but it was laughable. "There's a Grade A radioactive lab on site," he groaned, arms crossed. "And wouldn't it be better if I designed a place for you three? I promise there will be a pool. And we can move your gym there-- Know what? Get back to me on that. When your bestie is comfortable. I'm not really an architect but I can fake it until I can get a real architect to sign off on the plans."

But this was not a discussion for late night. Especially when Grant and Bucky were standing at the patio watching the flood lights come on to guide the Legion in moving furniture around.

"Or if you're hell bent on mucking up my work, send the cuter version of you over to plead your case." Yeah. Tony didn't care who knew how much interest he had in 'Grant.' "I'll make dip. Teach him how to liven up his game with the strip variety of cards." Where was Banner or Rhodey to shut him up?

"Tony, will you stop that. It's disrespectful and unwanted, trust me, he's not going to be interested in you."

There had only ever been one person for Steve, and that was Bucky. He had loved Peggy too, perhaps he even would have married her if they had been able to go for that dance and see where it went, but Bucky was the one who truly had his heart. Had done since they were just two kids in Brooklyn.

And now that there was a chance that Bucky might want him back? Nobody else would ever get a look in. The memory of the kisses makes Steve smile, cheeks getting a little hot.

"Don't be vulgar. I just think he's cute. And there's nothing wrong with that. Plus he makes me feel tall. And I'm stronger than he is. Why can't be friends?" The Legion were already lifting out the bed, much to Grant's delight across the way. Tony could see him press his hands to the glass out of the corner of his eye. It made him cross his arms over his chest. "You're being selfish, keeping everyone to yourself. Not cool, Cap. And for a guy trapped in ice for a few decades, that's saying something."

Tony had Pepper. And Rhodey. And Banner. He was pretty good on the friend and lover department. But a twenty-three year old Steve could very easily fit right in to the inner Stark circle. Humph.

"Oh. I bet you're just jealous. Listen, if you had metal in you or were 1943 New York, fresh off the boat, fine. But you have a shaggy haired brunet again. That you're moving in with. After your first date. I thought only lesbians do that. Huh. Live and learn. Oh-- hey, number thirteen, but stuff first. He can move his own clothes!"

"I'm not the one being vulgar, you were the one who brought up strip poker and practically drool over him whenever you talk about him. Tony, stop it. I'm asking you now as a friend to respect that boundary, okay?"

This was one of the times when he felt like he didn't like Tony much. He had got used to the ribbing, the teasing, and the irreverence about nearly everything. But what he didn't like was when Tony acted as if his own comfort and stupid jokes were more important than everyone else. It's why he was never going to introduce him to Bucky. Not if he could help it.

"I am grateful to you for what you're doing with providing a home, and with putting up all this money, but that doesn't give you leave to say stuff like that. Got it?"

Down on the lawn, Bucky had ventured out of the house to let the Legion in, and was now stood out on the grass with the patio doors behind him and Grant directing the Legion where to put the bed and belongings. His eyes were fixed up at the bedroom where Tony and Steve stood, as if he could see them arguing.

Tony pushed buttons. Steve took the bait. They both postured. It was how they got on. Of course they were fighting. It was remarkably easy for old habits to never die.

Grant joined Bucky out on the lawn when the robots were finished putting items in the back lounge. There was a big glass wall that they would have to figure out how to cover up of course but it would do. And there was even an empty closet that Steve could hang his stuff up yet. He had some of the robots stack up the chairs in the corner for now too. He was about dead on his feet by this point but he wanted to make sure that Bucky was all right.

He couldn't see into the room across the lawn given the flood lights, not the way that Bucky could, but he didn't have to when his best friend was so tense.

He wrapped his arms around his own waist and watched the robots fly off. Steve should probably have been back by now. "Are you all right...?"

Grant being out on the lawn too made Bucky twitch, even though there was no reason to suggest it was any more exposed out here than it was in the house. It was just that he could see argument, he could read tension in every line of Steve's body, and he didn't like it. What could they have to argue about except him taking up this space?

"Go back in the house, I'll be back soon."

Instead of heading in through the front door of the main building, Bucky took the path of least resistance and literally vaulted up the wall, clinging to any jutting piece of masonry in order to climb up the side of the building in a way that a normal man just simply could not.

He made it to Steve's window in about ten seconds flat, crouched on the windowsill to address both men.

"I could see you fighting. Why?"

On the lawn still, because he hadn't had time to move and because Bucky was not the boss of him, Grant stood with his mouth open, gazing upward at the shadow that was Bucky crouched in that window. Necking had worked him up a lot but watching the things Bucky could do? Well that was just swell. He had to retreat inside to try and calm himself down before he needed to be uncouth with himself.

Inside, Tony was just going on about living in the twenty-first century when Bucky arrived with his demand for answers. The inventor opened and closed his mouth before he crossed his arms smugly over his chest. "We're arguing about how selfish and vulgar I am," he informed Bucky. "Which is sort of funny all things considered."

He did just watch the guy in the window taking turns making out with one Steve or the other. How was the fact that he found Grant fascinating vulgar? Grant didn't seem to care earlier that day. He'd even taken the compliment.

"Nice to see you in pants, Barnes, but Steve's a big boy and we've been fighting longer than you've been awake in this century. Don't mind us."

Bucky's expression was an extremely impassive mask, glaring at Tony as if he were responsible for this evening being soured. He remained where he was, perched precariously on the edge of the windowsill with perfect balance, and looked between one and the other as if to gauge if that was a lie.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

All things considered with what? If Steve thought that Tony was vulgar and selfish then he likely was, Steve didn't make that sort of snap judgement on a man without good reasons behind it.

"Sorry if I interrupted-- I was worried." Apparently erroneously. "I don't think I said it before, but thank you. For the place to stay. I don't deserve that from you, but it's appreciated."

Tony gave Steve a look as if saying that Bucky was better behaved than he was at the moment and then stepped towards Bucky. "Like I told you this morning, you're a friend of the family. You're always welcome here." Bucky had asked him why he was being treated so well earlier but this was a thank you, not a demand for information. And Tony appreciated that. "And you're just welcome anyway. Hey. While I e got you here, I have a question for you."

Tony gestured for Bucky to follow and even if he didn't or even if Steve came too, the end result was just Tony picking up a tablet and stylus. He'd either join the two or they would join him.

"So what are you looking for in a house? Three bedrooms, four bathrooms, pool. Gym-- Privacy. Check check check. What about anything special-- do you like Xbox? I play a mean Call of Duty with Rhodey from time to time." Wow. Steve was being such a sour puss, arms crossed over his chest like his muscles were about to pop off.

When Tony decided he wanted to be friends with someone, he just assumed he was. Banner was a casualty of that policy. Bucky was his next target.

Bucky wasn't nearly comfortable enough to come further into the house than this, and so he remained on the windowsill and let Tony come back to him with the tablet. Truth be told, he was uncomfortable about Tony for other reasons, it felt duplicitous to be accepting all of this from him after what he had done, and that feeling just heightened to the nth degree when it sunk in that Tony was actually offering to build a custom house for Grant and himself.

"You can't do that."

The refusal came out all of a sudden, strong and nearly panicked. His metal fingers dug hard enough into the casing around the window that some of the plaster and wood flaked off onto the floor.

"You can't give me anything else," he said, thinking Steve had been wrong. How could he call Tony Stark selfish when he was offering this much money, this much security? It was a desperate need not to take advantage of it that had him blurting out the wrong thing. "I killed your parents."

Well. That was out there.

"You can't give me anything, I don't deserve it."

Tony's amused expression darkened as Bucky spoke, mostly because he was getting used to this. Foundations took his money with easy and not all of that went to the people they purportedly were trying to help. Inviduals always had to play hard to get and he didn't understand that. This was money or goods or services freely given because he wanted people close to him to be happy. Having to constantly fight to be generous weighed on him.

He actually rolled his eyes when Bucky said he'd killed his parents. That was a low blow. If he didn't want the house-- Fine. Whatever. But Bruce needed his own space and he felt comfortable in that reinforced place. It was his. Bucky could use it but he was better off with his own place.

"My parents died in a car crash," Tony said tightly. "Unless you're part Go Bot, I'm pretty sure you had nothing to do with it."

He glanced at Steve to back him up but the blond was silent for once. Rigid. His eyes were flxed on Bucky in the window. He'd known Tony's parents were murdered but he had no idea that Bucky did the hit.

And all of this as enough to leave Tony with a really bad taste in his mouth. "Some things are sacred," he said carefully. "You don't joke about my mom. I know how she died. I remember that day perfectly."

"I ran them off the road."

He stayed exactly where he was, eyes fixed on Tony and voice low. He didn't attempt to excuse himself with the caveat that he wasn't the Soldier, he didn't attempt to apologise, he just told it exactly as it had happened. He remembered that day perfectly too. He didn't remember most of his childhood, didn't know what his sister looked like, but he remembered this.

"December 16th, 1991. Howard Stark had a briefcase of experimental prototypes for a new super serum. I was on a motorcycle, I ran him off the road six miles down the Bentonville country road. I punched him to death, strangled her. It had to look like the crash killed them. He recognised me, he called me Sergeant Barnes before he died."

It was quite clear that he wasn't joking, not even slightly.

"He was killed because HYDRA wanted those prototypes, she was killed because she was there and my orders were to leave no witnesses and make it appear as an accident. But it wasn't, I killed them both."

Edited (SO MANY EDITS as I remember the scene better) 2017-02-21 21:53 (UTC)

"Bucky--"

"SHUT UP!" It didn't seem to matter how often Tony shouted that, the story kept coming. Kept coming. Howard was mentioned by name. Maria-- He hadn't even known his mother's name when he strangled her. Tony wasn't sure what blind rage felt like, but he was experiencing it now, not aware that he was moving forward in an attempt to either pull Barnes inside or push him out. He wanted to choke the life out of him. He wanted to kill him. "You killed my mother?!"

It was not his finest moment. Steve was there to grab him, and without his armor, he was very easy to grab. "It wasn't him, Tony--"

"He killed my mother and YOU KNEW?! JARVIS, intruder!"

The lights went out to be replaced with a dark red glow and a noise roused everyone, even the sleeping Banner, documentary switched off. Grant came out on the lawn again, Sam trotted down the hallway. The armor appeared at the window behind Barnes, hovering with three repulsors. The other was pointed at the man's head.

"Tony, Stand down!" Steve begged even as he felt Tony strain in his arms. He knew he had a bad relationship with Howard but he never stopped to think what the loss of his mother had done to him. Stupid, really, considering what the loss of his own mother had done to him all those years ago.

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