Chapter 2
James looked up the drive way to Stark’s mansion and nearly turned back. It was so big; so open; so many windows. Windows meant lines of sight. Windows meant the possibility of snipers.
He knew, logically, that the genius would’ve prepared for that possibility, but it still put him on edge.
After so long living in the shadows, it was hard to step out of them, let alone want to.
Sirius’ shoulder brushed against his, and he was proud of the fact that he didn’t jerk away, pressing back instead.
“Ready?” Sirius asked, grey eyes bright and clear. Hopeful. It was exactly why James had agreed to move. Sirius had looked so damn hopeful to actually have a home somewhere, he hadn’t had it in him to turn down Stark’s offer.
“Just waiting on you.” he returned, voice gruff, and Sirius made an affronted noise that had James smirking. Chin held high, he watched Sirius all but march up to the door, barely managing to hide his smile when Sirius shot a haughty glare back over his shoulder.
“Coming, then?” but the bite was gone from his voice, and when James caught up, Sirius pressed their shoulders back together before knocking on the door. “To new beginnings.” he murmured, and James nodded, agreeing, but unable to say the words out loud.
>>>
James sat on his bed in the room he’d been given right next to Sirius’ and stared at the door. He’d closed it, citing exhaustion and the desire to unpack in peace, but he’d just needed the time to himself; needed the time to decide how he felt about the latest development.
Steve wasn’t there.
It wasn’t that he’d wanted the other man to be around; in fact, it had been one of the things that had made him the most anxious; but that didn’t make it any more comforting to know he was gone.
Stark had told him after the official tour, after Natalia had pulled Sirius aside to tell him some things about where Harry was, but he understood now it had been to give Stark space to share the news with him without an audience.
He was grateful, for the space, even as he missed Sirius’ comforting presence. Though that didn’t mean he’d shared the news either. He didn’t want to bring up Steve with the other man; didn’t want to delve into the weakness it highlighted.
It didn’t surprise him exactly, that Steve wanted to have a hand in the ongoing rebuild of the new SHIELD. Even though it had been a decade ago that it fell, it still wasn’t nowhere near the capacity it had been, and they had to be a lot more careful this time around.
He understood not wanting to risk another Hydra incident.
He couldn’t help but wonder, though, why now?
Of all the times to choose to go, why now, when James and Sirius were moving in? Unless that had been the point.
He wasn’t sure if it made him feel better or worse.
That brought him to the other question at hand - why hadn’t Natalia told him? Not that he didn’t like Stark well enough, but they didn’t know each other very well - not yet anyways - and it seemed the kind of news you shared with someone you were close with.
Or perhaps that was the very reason she hadn’t. Why she’d spoken to Sirius instead. To give him the ability to control his reaction in the face of a stranger; hide the weakness if he so chose.
James scrubbed a hand over his face, exhausted. He hadn’t had to deal with this many emotions in a long time, he hardly knew what to do with them.
There was a scratch at the door and he rolled his eyes.
“Come in then, mutt.”
The door swung open, revealing the shaggy haired dog in Sirius’ place, and he got a huff of exasperation before the beast bound forward, bowling into him.
James grunted but went with the weight, only grumbling a bit when Sirius stepped on his stomach to get more comfortable. The dog finally curled up beside him, resting his muzzle and one paw just below James’ ribs, and he huffed out an almost laugh.
“You’re a pain in my ass.” he muttered, but he still scratched fingers through the fur behind Sirius’ ears. It earned him a content rumble.
For the first time since they’d arrived that afternoon, he found himself relaxing.
>>>
Sirius liked Stark’s mansion - no, he loved it. He liked the voice in the walls, Jarvis, not unlike a house elf but infinitely friendlier and more helpful. He liked the people who lived here; all bright and full of life and even their jabs held a friendliness behind them he was unaccustomed to.
Not to mention the windows! There were walls and walls of windows; barely a dark room in the entire house unless the residents wished it.
Which, he never did.
The house he’d grown up in had always been dark; stiflingly so; that all this light, it made him want to cry as often as it soothed him.
His ears perked at the whirring sound of mechanics and he turned in time to see James slink into the room.
“Damn windows everywhere.” James muttered, sticking to the inside wall, and Sirius snickered, despite the glare it earned him. It was always the same complaint.
“What’s wrong with the windows?” he asked, tongue in cheek, because he knew exactly why James hated them. He repeated it nearly daily. “I love it.”
James’ shoulders hunched further at Sirius’ words, enough that he almost felt bad, but at the same time he knew that if he didn’t push, James would continue on the same paranoid path. Then James straightened, a calculating look in his eyes that Sirius knew meant trouble.
He found himself grinning ear to ear.
“What’s the plan?”
>>>
James was sitting crosslegged on the living room floor, meticulously cleaning the weapons laid out on the table in front of him when Tony found him.
He looked from the weapons, to the window that showed all the abuse it had taken, and couldn’t help but smirk at the fact it was still intact.
He crossed his arms over his chest though, looking down imperiously at where James sat.
“And what do you have to say for yourself?”
“The windows are secure.” James replied, and Tony’s mouth dropped open even as Sirius snickered from where he was sprawled out on the couch.
“Of course they are. I designed them myself.”
James shrugged not even looking up.
“Now you can be sure.”
Tony’s eyes narrowed in a glare, because damn it he’d caught the flicker of a smile on James’ lips. He pointed an accusing finger at Sirius instead.
“You. You can fix it. I want it bright and sparkling when I come back.” he ordered, and Sirius had the gall to look offended.
“But I didn’t ruin it!” he complained. Tony raised an imperious brow.
“Sticking with that, are we?” he watched Sirius wince as he realized he’d been caught. “Hey J, bring up the footage.”
In front of their eyes, the projection of the incident outside appeared, clearly showing James teaching Sirius to use the weapons in question, aiming for the window.
Now James was definitely smiling, face tilted down at the table to hide it.
“How come he doesn’t have to clean it?”
“James doesn’t have magic.” Then he turned on his heels and left.
He didn’t miss Sirius’ pout though, or James’ quiet offer.
“I’ll help you, звезда.”
He wondered when that had started. He wondered if it was why Steve had needed to leave. He wondered if it’s why Natasha had been spending more time in his workshop.
He wondered when he’d started being the actual adult.
>>>
James whipped around, gun in hand, and found himself face to face with Clint, balancing on top of the cupboards right in side the door. He hadn’t been there moments before and James scowled.
“Couldn’t just walk in like a normal person?” He complained, lowering his weapon, and Clint actually smirked at him, as if he hadn’t just been pointing a loaded weapon at his face.
“Boring.” his gaze fell to the bag on the counter behind him. “Is that coffee?”
James didn’t deign to respond, instead turning back to the counter, pulling the coffee press from the cupboard. He didn’t like using the machine. It didn’t taste right.
“Want to tell me why you’ve been following me around?” James asked, tone mild, but there was no missing how tense his shoulders were.
“Didn’t realize you were so personally interested in me, Barton. Thanks, but I’m not looking to date right now.” he deadpanned, and had the pleasure of listening to the archer nearly fall off the cupboard in shock.
“Excuse you, I’m a great catch.” was the nearly flustered comeback. James cast a smirk over his shoulder, purposefully raking his gaze over where the other now stood.
“If you say so.”
Clint made a strangled noise and James had to work to hold back the chuckle.
“Is that coffee?” Sirius’ voice interrupted, and moments later he had the wizard draped over his shoulder, gazing longingly at the not quite ready coffee.
Clint had gone strangely silent, and when he chanced another look, the archer was watching them with a speculation he didn’t know if he liked.
“I better get a cup of that.” was what Clint finally said before slipping from the kitchen, and James turned his attention to the limpet on his back.
“I want the first cup.” Sirius all but pouted, eyes shut again as he all but dozed against James’ shoulder. He looked after the archer again, wondering just what he’d seen, and wondered why it made it nervous.
>>>
Natasha watched the scene play out in the kitchen and when Clint wandered down into Tony’s workshop she threw the book she’d been reading at him. He caught it easily but still pouted at her.
“What?”
“Stop poking at him.”
“But Nat,” he whined, she just pursed her lips. He dropped down beside her on the couch, passing her back her book.
She let him pillow his head in her lap, ignoring him as she turned back to her page.
“Do you think either of them know they’re into each other?” Clint asked then, but Natasha didn’t answer. She didn’t have to. Nor did she mention the tight grip the question wrapped around her heart.
“Did Harry’s letter arrive?” She asked instead, and Clint nodded, pulling the envelope from his pocket and offering it to her.
“He’s supposed to arrive tonight. Guests are all set to arrive tomorrow afternoon, around 3ish.”
Natasha nodded, eyes no longer focused on the page. She couldn’t wait to see Harry again.