#this is my way wasting 30mins procrastinating shower so here; take one

[anthonyed]

Bucky/Tony

-//-

Tony's been... well he's not exactly asleep or napping or anything in that category. Not exactly awake either. He's just, aware. To say the least.

He's got his eyes shut and head leaned heavily against the headrest of one of the Quinjet's passenger seats while the spy-twins fly them back home.

It's been a rough day. The fact that the day has only started - the rising sun in the horizon must mean it's barely past dawn - is spinning his head something giddy.

Unauthorized portals. Two of them. Expelling one very slimy monster into the city calling for Avenger's immediate attention at fuck-o'clock last night (this night? whatever).

They got it contained. Got Reed Richards to handle the portals and by the time they got done with the clean-up, Tony has at least 50 bruises blossomed across his body.

Almost all of him aches. His back is the worst, considering he was the monster's stick to Hulk's piñata so... There was that.

But that's not the point.

The point is that this is the nth time Tony has caught a certain super soldier staring at him.

It would not bother so much if said super soldier immediately looks away when Tony points it out or if he apologizes. Or better, if they haven't been dancing around each other as much lately; between friends and acquaintances to close friends and something in between all of that that has been driving Tony shit-crazy.

But that's what it is.

Bucky Barnes - who Tony insists on calling James despite referring to him as Bucky in his head, because in no living planet is Tony ever going to openly call someone Bucky - has been staring at Tony for the past 10 minutes. For the last three weeks, according to various video footages he has of their interactions.

The first time Tony caught him it was only a week ago. Tony asked if he needed something. But Bucky shook his head and of all cursed things, he continued staring at Tony as if it was not any form of hindrance at all. To Tony mainly because clearly Bucky didn't feel hindered in any way.

The second time, Tony pointed it out and the bastard said; "I know" and he carried on. Tony bristled, frowned, didn't pout but he certainly glared. But all those expressions only seemed to amuse Bucky so he turned his back to that man and carried on with his work.

The third time, they were having dinner with the rest of the team and right there, in front of everyone else, Bucky Barnes had the gall to keep his ice blue eyes firmly fixed on Tony. Needless to say, it was discomforting. What more when everyone did notice but shrugged it off as if it was yet another ‘Tony and Bucky thing’.

Tony wanted to tell them that it is in fact NOT their thing and that he is very much uncomfortable to be under that kind of scrutiny. Also, what the fuck Barnes? Why are you doing that?

But the more he rehearsed that speech, the more he squirmed under Bucky Barnes' bold stare and the more he reconsidered because suddenly, the discomfort was a warm prickle of something else entirely.

Something else that reminded him of those rare moments he shared with Bucky when there were only both of them and nobody else.

Like when Bucky steps too close to him, his front grazing Tony's back as he helps reach for Tony's mug.

Or when Tony is doing a routine maintenance to Bucky's arm and he has to fit himself in a weird, scandalous position to pick at the wire he cannot pick at before and Bucky is too close; his breath is wet and hot across that strip of Tony's exposed skin and it's a yes and a no and big BIG YES please.

Or when they're watching a movie and Bucky falls asleep because he could never stay awake for more than 20 minutes and a few strands of his hair fall to the front and Tony just wants to tuck them back real bad. And maybe tuck himself into Bucky as well.

Yeah.

Like that.

So, Tony swallowed his words and let Bucky have his fill. That was last night and now, he's doing it again.

Maybe it's Bucky's fortune that Tony is incredibly worn out to even form a complete sentence. But he could still feel that heat of that gaze. Not a digit lesser than yesterday.

This time, Tony rolls his head to his right and meets those eyes; clear blue glinting grey under the flitting sun rays that peek through passing clouds. He's seen them a countless time, but still. As close as this, especially when they're singularly focused on him and burning –

Tony shudders. A low, controlled motion that jostles him in his seat.

He swallows, letting his own tired eyes drink in the sight before him. Bucky Barnes, still fully armoured like the rest of them are; one cheek streaked with dirt and the other, his right one, has tiny splatter of that blue slime from their fight earlier.

Otherwise, he's immaculate, except for his hair which has always stuck to its own thing.

He's handsome. He's goddamn beautiful and Tony would vouch for that any day. There is no shame in that.

The shame is only in finding passion in it.

To be passionately attracted to the man even in his most distasteful state - that. That is what is most disconcerting.

To be able to openly admire him as he is, in his least perfected form; streaked with dirt and drenched in sweat and slime, to be able to stare at him the way he stares at Tony -

Oh.

Oh, Tony realizes. With a flutter to his lashes and the softest gasp, he realises that that is what Bucky Barnes been doing for those past three weeks; admiring Tony.

It breaks his synapses. Makes them rewire themselves, cancelling all his insecurities and the barest doubts he's had about their relationship and where it has been heading lately.

It makes him swallow, throat working tightly as he lifts up a hand and he tries to brush away the flecks of slime on Bucky's cheek when he notices his still gauntleted hand.

"Oops," he lets out, breathy as an amused pair of eyes regard him coolly.

It's a testament to how close he'd let Bucky Barnes come near him and how close Bucky Barnes dares to near him, when silver metal plates shift with muted whir - accommodating an index that taps thrice at the centre of Tony's chest - that Tony doesn't even flinch.

A flurry of nanites retract into their housing unit with a blue glow trailing their ends, momentarily captivating both men before their attention snap back onto each other.

This time, when Tony reaches for Bucky's cheek, his hand is naked skin and human. He presses a thumb, ever so gently then more, and he wipes at the blue dots. But a slime is a pain in the ass after however long and Tony only manages to smear them. A thin smear of translucent blue across one cheek and he winces apologetically.

Bucky’s eyes flick once to where Tony’s fingers rest and he snorts, “You better hope that’s not dangerous,” he husks. Deep and low and Tony swallows back a sudden rush of arousal.

“Scan showed zero to .15 percent,” he rasps out. His own eyes flicking between intense blue and plush red.

“If I swallow it…,” Bucky trails, head tipping into Tony’s palm, mouth teasingly close to Tony’s tainted fingers as he exhales.

Throat dry but wit still preserved, Tony says, “We’re not having sex before shower.”

He’s barely listening to himself speak, so Bucky’s laugh when it comes in a puff of hot exhale into his hand, surprises him. Hardly a second needed to rewind and the realisation pumps a flood of warm blood to his face; tinting them a deep shade of blush.

If those blue eyes burned before, now they're a raging fire encompassed in an eerily calm shell. Tony shivers. He makes to retract his hand when cold metal snaps around his wrist. Holding him in prison.

“But after shower…?” Bucky Barnes prompts, gaze intense, grip steady; keeping Tony where he wants him to be. Where Tony belongs.

“Not even a date to precede, Sergeant?” Tony teases, despite the odd flip in his chest.

A slow smirk works across Bucky’s face; a luscious curl to one end of his mouth and he nuzzles into Tony’s hand as he makes a promise.

“I’ll order in pizza. We’ll pretend to watch a bad movie in your bed and I’ll suck you off when you get tired of it.”

Tony watches him intertwine their fingers and place them on his lap and he smirks back, just as deviously; “Sounds like a solid plan.”

#buckytony #bucky x tony #winteriron #mine #starkbucks #this is my way wasting 30mins procrastinating shower so here; take one