Baron Helmut ‘Flashhart’ Zemo and Hawkman Captain James ‘Bucky’ Barnes walked through the entrance hall of the Seeker’s Rest as if they owned the place.
The Seeker’s Rest was a sprawling lawless tavern on a rogue planetoid, deep in the heart of the Soul Nebula. Anyone and everyone was welcome if they knew how to find it, and if they could pay once they arrived. Zemo had a suite of rooms always ready and waiting for him and was a personal friend of the owner, a stunning redhead called Tyllipsis Merleman, Tilly to her friends, and Zemo was an old, old friend.
Winding staircases and hidden alcoves led off the entrance to a host of private rooms and suites. Each stairway was guarded by strapping alien bouncers, who looked as though they'd rather break bones than speak.
Zemo and Bucky nodded casually to some fellow space pilots at a table by the bar, and headed straight for the SW staircase.
Draug, the green-skinned toothy bouncer in front of their stairway, dunked his head at them and stepped aside. “Sorry about last time,” he mumbled.
Flashart tapped him on his big bulging bicep as he walked on up the staircase. “Think nothing of it, old chap,” he said, smiling.
Bucky just glared at him as he went past, wings ruffling at his back.
Draug watched them ascend and, as they turned the corner, he mumbled something into his wrist com.
“I’m beginning to like your room,” said Bucky, following Zemo into his opulent set of chambers.
“Suite,” Zemo said, absentmindedly, walking over to the drinks cabinet.
“Yeah, sweet.” Bucky wandered over to sit on the bed. “Pity we didn’t stay too long last time. We never did get to try this out.” He bounced up and down on the comfy counterpane.
“James,” Zemo turned to him and tilted his head, his bright eyes flashing. “You are hatching an idea of incredible devilment.” He lifted his hand to his chest. “With me, I trust, in the starring role.”
“You’re always in the starring role, Hel,” said Bucky with a sarcastic grin. He stretched out his arms, cricked his neck, his wings unfurling and spreading out to the sides.
Zemo smirked and glided over to him, his thigh-high boots making no sound at all on the plush carpeting.
He stopped in front of Bucky and dropped to his knees. With one long fingered hand on Bucky’s knee, and the other spread over his own heart, he looked up at Bucky owlishly. His eyes were so very clear under the light of the central chandelier.
“I, Helmut, do beseech thee, James, dream prince of mischief, to rescue me from a life of drunken solitude and gambling, and to woo me back to my senses.”
Bucky looked at Zemo, kneeling before him, head tilted in that way of his, a ghost of a smirk on his mobile lips, and he couldn’t speak for a second. Zemo was so beautiful.
He held his gaze for a moment, schooled his face, watched Zemo’s pupils widen. “What’cha got in mind, Hel?” he drawled.
Zemo sat back on his heels, dropped his hands, and grinned. “Surprise me, James,” he murmured.
Bucky flared his wings and leaned forward. His face was partly shadowed, but his eyes were so very blue. “I always do,” he growled. He opened up his arms, and tipped forward, catching Zemo in a big hug and tumbling them both to the ground.
*
Later, Zemo was standing naked in front of the large stained glass window in between the bed and the bookshelf. He was looking thoughtfully out into space. The light from the Soul Nebula outside made the coloured glass glow, and stained his lean freckled body in patches of sapphire, emerald, amethyst and topaz.
Bucky slipped out of bed and walked softly up to him. His bare feet made no sound on the carpet. He kissed Zemo from behind, his mouth warm on Zemo’s neck.
His wings unfurled and curled around them both.
Zemo snuggled back against him, then turned in his arms to bring their chests together.
He wrapped his arms around Bucky’s waist as Bucky slid his warm hands up to Zemo’s shoulder blades.
Bucky’s long lower feathers brushed against the back of Zemo’s calves.
“Come back to bed, Hel.”
Zemo nuzzled his shoulder and murmured into the curve of his neck. “Didn’t you want to go down to eat?”
“We’ll send up for something later.”
Much, much, later, there was a gentle tap on the door.
Zemo got out of bed and wrapped his dressing gown around himself.
Bucky lazily turned onto his stomach and watched him through lidded eyes.
“It’s a good job you’re wearing that,” he drawled. “Just watching you walk around naked makes me horny.”
“Hold that thought.” Zemo reached the door and politely accepted the tray of food.
He closed the door, turned to put the tray on the side dresser, then looked over at Bucky.
Bucky put his chin on his hands and watched Zemo looking at him.
Zemo untied the sash of his dressing gown, letting it fall slightly open to reveal a strip of freckled skin. “Did you say something about nakedness?” He put one hand on his hip, moving aside his robe slightly to show his lean thigh muscles and the indentation in his glute.
Bucky swallowed.
Zemo stalked towards him slowly, letting the gown fall from his shoulders and drop to the floor.
“You want this stellar love of mine, or the food?”
Bucky reached for him. “What food?”
***