#winterionweek2019

   “You were- what?” Tony’s face is the perfect mixture of confusion, annoyance, exasperation, and a bit of anger. James rubs the back of his neck.

   “Well, I was trying to bake a cake and I set a timer and everything! It’s just- apparently I didn’t hear it and it got burnt and-”

   “And you almost burnt my house down.” Tony finishes. James raises an eyebrow.

   “Can this place even burn down?” Tony plants his hands on his hips and glares at him, the corner of his mouth twitching.

   “Not the point. Why were you even trying to make a cake in the first place?” James looks down at the floor.

   “For… you.”

   “For me? Why?”

   “Well you were telling me how you finally got the prothesis line rolling and you were so happy and excited, and this is a great thing Tony! I wanted to, I guess celebrate. It was just a thought.” Tony’s smile is soft as he comes and rests a hand on James’ cheek.

   “That is very nice of you and I very much appreciate the effort. But maybe you shouldn’t be left alone to bake. Hell, Vision was better than this.” James grimaces, his turn to glare at the other man.

   “We are not telling anyone about this.” The glint in Tony’s eyes makes him want to groan.

   “Oh, I am so telling everyone about this, the great Winter Soldier, the greatest assassin in forever, can’t bake a fucking cake.”

   “When was the last time you slept?” Tony slowly looked over to the owner of the voice.

   “Uh… I had a really long blink… a while ago.” Bucky closed his eyes and sighed, running a hand through his hair.

   “Tony…” Tony cringed and turned to look back at the workbench he was at. He prepared for the lecture, the patronizing tone. Instead he felt something cool on the back of his neck. He jumped at first, but then settled when he realized it was Bucky’s metal hand. He released a sigh and leaned into the touch.

   “You’re workin’ yourself too hard.”

   “The team needs-”

   “The team needs you functional and well rested, not sleep deprived.” Bucky sat down next to him, hand still on his neck but now gently stroking the hairs there. “The team doesn’t want nor need you running yourself into the ground like this. You don’t have to. Not anymore.” Tony hangs head.

   “Every time I close my eyes, I see that vision. But instead of the others, its you guys. Rhodey, Carol, fucking Peter.” Tony released a shaky breath. “…You.” Bucky felt his heart tighten.

   “Oh Tony.” Bucky whispers. He wraps his other arm around him and draws him in for a hug. Tony tenses for a moment but let’s himself be held.

   They sit there, simply basking in each other’s presence, with Bucky running a hand through Tony’s hair and whispering comforts. After a while, when Tony has run out of tears, Bucky speaks.

   “Come on, lets get you to bed.”

   “But…”

   “No buts. You need sleep, and some water.” Bucky carefully picks him up and Tony lets out a yelp. He instinctually wraps his legs around his waist, arms coming up to his shoulders.

   “Bucky!”

   “Yes?” At Bucky’s faux innocent face and wide smile, Tony rolls his eyes, already knowing protesting won’t help. And if he actually likes being carried by him, well. He’ll just keep that to himself. Bucky carries them out of the lab, trusting FRIDAY to save whatever Tony was working on and to shut down the lab.

   Once in Tony’s room he gently sets Tony down on the bed, taking a step back and placing his hands on his hips.

   “Go get ready for bed.” With a roll of his eyes and a muttered “yes mom.” Tony stands and walks into his bathroom. Bucky quickly exists the room, grabs a water bottle from the kitchen and makes it back when Tony exists his bathroom. He’s changed into boxers a fresh t-shirt. “Drink, you need to rehydrate.” Tony silently takes the water bottle and at Bucky’s raised eyebrow he obliges. He does have to admit that the water does feel nice.

   “Thanks for doing this Bucky, but-”

   “Nope. I don’t want to hear that word again tonight.” Bucky grabs the water bottle and places it on the nightstand. Afterwards he takes off his shoes, and then his jeans, ignoring how is stomach flips. He looks back up at Tony, realizing he’s blushing. Bucky quickly looks away and pushes back the covers of the bed. He settle and then looks at Tony expectedly.

   “We’re going to share the bed?”  He answers with a silent nod. Tony shakes his head and before he knows it, he’s pushing back the covers too and sliding in. “You super soldiers. Always crazy.”

   “I’ll take that as a compliment darling.” Tony’s too tired to stop the smile that tugs at his lips and lets himself be drawn into Bucky’s chest. He settle his arm on Bucky’s waist and nestles his face against Bucky’s neck. “I’ll keep the nightmares away.” Bucky mumbles.

   “What, with your mother hen-ness and murder stare?”

   James smiled as he realized who sent him a text.

‘Where are you? Gotta tell  you something important’ He quickly typed out a response.

‘At the library. One of the back tables. This is so important you can’t do it over the phone?’

‘Absolutely. You deserve for it to be done in person’ James slightly scoffed as he typed again.

‘???’ He sighed when he got no response and went back to studying.

   He looked up when he heard rapid footsteps and a slightly whispered James! Tony was slightly jogging/speed-walking, face flushed and hair a mess. Tony got to the table and braced his hands against it, breathing heavily.

   “Did you run all the way here?” Tony nodded. “Why?”

   “Like I said. You deserve it.” James raised an eyebrow as he tried to ignore his stomach flipping. After all this time Tony still managed to make him flustered. Tony pulled out the chair next to James and sat down.

   “So, what was so important that you ran all the way here?”

   “I’m in with love you.”

   “What?”

   “I’m so deeply in love with you,” Tony repeated. “I loved you the moment you corrected that asshole student and practically decimated him. I loved you since you shyly asked for coffee with me and got whip cream on your nose. I loved you since you treated Dum-E like an actual person and not some fucked up project that I failed.” 

   “Are we really gonna do this here?”

   “Yes.” The certainty in his answer made James heart swell even more. “You needed to know this now. I needed to tell you or else I would have exploded. Rhodey practically kicked me out ‘cause I kept waxing poetry about you and- mph!” James interrupted him a kiss, grabbing both sides of his face and smashing his lips onto Tony’s.

   Tony thought the fight wasn’t that bad. It was a normal fight with the Villain of the Week™. The only downside was of course the people who were hurt and the property damage. That sucked. But no one on the team got seriously hurt so plus.

   Well, there was that one part where Tony had to get out of the suit in midair, but FRIDAY had a suit ready before he disengaged! It was a risk, a thought out one, which isn’t really his forte. He continued to fight; everything was dandy which is why he was confused why James was stalking up to him with his murder strut when the battle ended. And if Tony had to push away some not-so innocent thoughts then only he had to know. But my god.

   The helmet went into the suit as he turned towards James, a question on his lips but he was struck speechless when James just collided with him. Strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and pulling him closer. So close that led to Tony thinking he wanted to just phase through the suit.

     “Uh, James?” When he didn’t respond, he continued. “Snowflake, Winter Wonder, what’s going on?” Tony reciprocated the hug, never one to deny James.

   “You ever do anything like that again, I’m gonna wrap you in bubble wrap and stick you in a cave.” Tony thought back to the fight and then cringed. He didn’t think that trick would cause this reaction.

   “Oh, come on James, the dragon that’s already preoccupying it would kick me out within the hour.” James then pulled back, exasperation and fondness an interesting mix on his face that definitely didn’t have Tony’s heart fluttering. Not at all damnit.

   “Are you saying that you think there are dragons in caves?”

   “Are you saying there aren’t?” He challenged back. With a roll of his eyes James let go of Tony and too a step back.

   “You’re still ridiculous as the day I moved in.”

   “And you’re still ridiculously hot.”

   “What?”

    “Rhodey!” The door to their dorm room slams open. Tony stands in the doorway, panting and with his backpack only on one shoulder. “I just met the hottest guy I have ever seen.” He walks in, tossing his backpack on the ground and closing the door.

   “Really now?” Rhodey turns back to his paper, calming down when it was only tony who was barging in. He honestly should be used to it by now. He re-crossed his legs and settled his laptop back on his lap.

   “Really. And I’m not even exaggerating!” Tony threw himself on his bed.

   “Mmhmm.”

   “I’m talking Greek god levels of hot. Abercrombie and Fitch model levels of hot. He’s smart too! He’s studying engineering and he’s so sweet! And he’s got these eyes.” Tony shivered. “They’re blue and oh my god I just want to stare at them all day.”

   “You done yet?”

   “Rhodey! I am having a crisis!”

   “Do you want me to go to the library?” Tony squawked and chucked a pillow at him.

   “Rhodey!” Tony clutched at his imaginary pearls. “How could you say that? I am shocked, appalled, scandalized, traumatized-” Rhodey chucked the pillow back at him.

   “So ask the guy out if you’re so enamored with him.”

   “And embarrass myself when he turns me down ‘cause he’s so out of my league? Absolutely not!” Rhodey raised an eyebrow at him.

   “Oh my god, this is more serious than I thought.” Tony gave him a look. “But since when were you afraid of something?”

   “This is different Rhodey. I don’t just want to bang and get it over with. Well, I do want to do that but, I also want more than just that.”

   “So? You are the Great Tony Stark! A man who sees something he likes and gets it, who doesn’t hesitate and goes above and beyond! Who fights for something viciously and with an iron will! Ask the guy out.”

   “You know what? I will!” Tony pulls out his phone and types something for a moment before just staring at the screen.

   “You did not just do it over text. After my beautiful speech-”

   “Oh shut it, of course not. I’m asking where he is so I can do it in person.”

   “Wait, wait. You haven’t even told me his name.” A smile splits across Tony’s face.

   “His name is James, but he said his nickname was Bucky, so I’m calling him James until I can come up with a better one.” Rhodey rolls his eyes and goes back to typing.