Hidden

I must have dozed off because next thing I knew Steve was all up in my business, shaking me awake by my shoulder. His face, still covered in dark red blood, made the whites of his eyes look almost demonic. I had a moment of abject panic, flinching back so violently that I cracked my head against the window. “Shit -- ouch!”

“Sorry,” Steve said sheepishly, hastily drawing back as I attempted to rub away the hurt. “We’ve made camp,” he gestured behind him, looking a little unsure. Maybe it was because I was giving him the stink eye.

I bit back my immediate response, which was to tell him to fuck off. “What time is it?” I asked, feeling all sorts of groggy. God, what I would have given for a cup of coffee.

“I’m not sure,” the larger man said, opening his door and stepping outside. He looked at me expectantly but I refused to budge. “It’s getting late though. The sun’s going to set in a few hours. I thought maybe we could take a dip before then. Clean up maybe.”

I looked over his shoulder and saw Bucky tending to a small fire. There was a tent behind him that didn’t look nearly big enough to hold all three of us and further back I could make out a small oasis. I hesitated and Steve clearly noticed. “You coming?”

“Do I have a choice?”

He had the decency to look a little ashamed. “We don’t want to have to force you.”

“Then don’t,” I said, glaring at him.

He sighed softly, because the poor boy was clearly stressed, and made his way to my side of the van. After a few seconds, when it was clear I wasn’t going to step out on my own, he opened the door and looked at me expectantly. “Tony,” he said softly. “Please get out of the van.”

I noticed the way Bucky was watching us, waiting to see what I would do. Steve clearly didn’t want to put his hands on me but it was obvious he would if he felt he had to. We were at a impasse.

“Hey, Steve,” Bucky said, straightening from the fire and stepping hastily towards us. “I’ll get Tony. You finish setting up.”

So saying the asshole stepped into my space, hooked an arm around my waist and dragged me out of the fucking car without so much as a by your leave. He set me down on the ground and smiled widely when I showed him my teeth.

“Must feel good to be able to force people to do whatever you want,” I said, refusing to back down when our eyes locked. I used to do the same thing to -- before she -- before I lost her. I didn’t back down easily. Not unless I absolutely had to.

I wasn’t surprised when Bucky grinned at me. He seemed like the sort of Alpha that didn’t posture or bully. Despite my accusation I didn’t think he was the sort of man to lash out because someone refused to submit.

“You must be hungry,” he said, proving my point by dropping his gaze and turning back to the fire. Showing me just how much of a non-threat I was. “We’ve got some soup. Bet it’s been awhile since you last ate something hot.”

“I’m actually pretty good. Filled up on power bars.”

His smile flickered. Yup, he thought I was hilarious. “Even so -- warm food?”

It did sound tempting and it seemed pretty pointless to fight them for the sake of it. I clearly wasn’t going anywhere until the opportunity presented itself. I shrugged and stepped past him, collapsing down in front of the fire.

I saw Steves eyebrows arch, clearly surprised by my sudden graciousness. I gave him the finger when I thought he wasn’t looking. I was pretty sure Bucky noticed by the way he snorted.

“You can calm down. We’re not going to do anything to you,” Steve said, not looking at me as he kept poking at the fire.

Huh?

“Seriously Tony. Please, just calm down.”

“I am calm,” I said, gesturing to myself. “Look at me. I’m quiet, still. I’m not crying or screaming. What more do you want from me?”

“You smell like you’re about to have a panic attack,” Bucky said, placing the promised cans of soup on the ground in front of me.

They would have been a hell of a find. Pity I didn’t get the chance to really scope out the van. I guessed it served me right for napping.

“Maybe this is just how I smell,” I said, shrugging. They could complain all they liked but I wasn’t about to get any more relaxed. “If you don’t like it I don’t have a problem getting out of your hair.”

“If we left you now you’d be dead in a week,” Steve said, pulling out a small pocket knife and jimmying open a can of soup. “I know you don’t believe us yet, but we’re doing this for your own good.”

“Because the helpless little omega is incapable of taking care of himself, right?” I snorted, feeling a sudden and overwhelming sense of frustrating. I wanted to lash out. To hurt them until they felt as helpless as I did.

“How about a bath, Tony?” Bucky asked gently.

I was suddenly torn between anger and terror. I felt a whine crawl up my throat and was incapable of holding it in. Both men cringed and moved towards me.

Too fast. Too much.

“Don’t,” I said, stumbling back. “Don’t — don’t touch me.”

“Whoa,” Steve said, arms outstretched in appeasement. “Whatever you think we’re going to do to you, we won’t. Bucky just thought you might be more comfortable -“

“I’m not getting undressed in front of you. I’m not…”

“Tony,” Bucky said softly, like he was talking to a child. “We’re not going to make you do anything you don’t want to. It’s just — you’re filthy. It can’t be comfortable.”

“Yeah, well you know what you can do if you don’t like it,” I spat.

We were at a standstill. I thought my heart was going to pop out of my chest and then Steve abruptly pulled off his shirt and proceeded to strip. I realised my eyes were bugging out of my head and quickly dropped my gaze.

“Well,” Steve said, turning his back. “You might be fine with smelling but I’m taking a bath.”