Chapter 16
Tony had been ecstatic. He began to plan everything the second he heard that Steve and Bucky would be staying at Stark Tower while Bucky started therapy.
They packed sparingly, Tony had told them that everything would be provided for them but Steve didn't feel comfortable sleeping without the blanket his ma had made herself so he was taking it with him.
Lucky went back to stay on Clint's farm while they were away. Technically, Tony had told them that the dog could come but Bucky didn't want to make him sit through the long drive up to New York City.
Everything moved quickly and once the documents were signed, they were driven up to Stark's tower that same night.
"You're gonna love it here, Bucko," Tony told him with a wink, walking them through the apartment that took up an entire floor. "The view is nice, the water pressure is perfect, and Jarvis acts as the security system- among other things."
Bucky craned his neck to look around, "Do the doors have different locks?"
"They have key cards and scanners," he answered as they walked into the large bedroom. "If the dopey smile on Steve's face is anything to go by, I'm going to assume you'll only need the one bed."
The alien was being suspiciously well behaved up until this point and Steve should've expected that something like this would happen.
"This is fine," Steve sighed while looking around the luxurious bedroom. Fine didn't begin to describe the king sized bed and what had to be the most expensive sheets Steve's ever seen.
"Great," Tony said, clapping his hands together. "So if I'm done with the whole spiel, I can go and leave you guys to try out the bed."
"Tony-"
"I meant to sleep," the alien interrupted and moved to leave the room. "I'm sure you guys are tired from the drive."
Steve hadn't expected that and he gave Tony an appreciative smile, "That'd… Actually be really nice, Tony."
"I know," he said with a wave, turning around to give them a cheeky grin. "But if you decide you DO want to get frisky, there's lube and condoms in the nightstand!"
"Oh my gods, Tony-" Steve cried as the alien quickly left, snickering into his hand. He turned to Bucky and could feel the blood rushing to his face in humiliation. "Ignore him, please."
Bucky only shrugged, flopping onto the bed and propping his face up on his hand to run his eyes over Steve.
"Are you sure you're going to be able to live with him?" He asked, climbing onto the bed with Bucky. Like he thought, the bedding was insanely soft and Steve's brain physically hurt to think about how much they must cost.
"I've learned to tune him out," Bucky laughed and set his head on Steve's lap. "Once he starts talking it becomes background noise. Plus, he's leaving soon."
Tony had been generous enough to let them stay here even though he's traveling back to his home planet with Pepper next week. So Steve and Bucky would be the only ones in this huge tower, with the exception of Bruce coming to tinker in the lab.
Steve reached down to play with Bucky's hair, running his fingers through the silky strands, "I can't believe he said that."
"What? You don't think he's being serious?" Bucky asked, sitting up to dig around in the nightstand. He tossed what had to be an industrial sized bottle of something and a large box at him. "Lube and condoms and there's some other stuff you probably don't want to see."
"Why is he like this?" Steve groaned, a furious blush on his cheeks as he held up the huge bottle of lube. "Was he expecting us to have marathon sex or something?"
"I don't-"
"Safe sex is the best sex," Tony's disembodied voice interrupted from above them. "There's also flavored lube if Buckaroo is into that sort of thing."
"Jarvis, can you please make him shut up?" Steve asked, dropping the lube onto the bed.
Bucky's shoulders shook with silent laughter as he held up what looked like a pair of cheaply made handcuffs- pink fuzz and all.
Well that just wasn't happening.
"I've blocked him and disabled the audio feed," Jarvis announced kindly. "Unfortunately, sir, I can not make him stop talking."
"Thank you, Jarvis."
"You are most welcome, Mr. Rogers," the system replied. "Do enjoy the rest of your night."
He face planted on the bed with an irritated grumble. Steve would move mountains for Bucky but living with Tony, even for a week, is what will really test his patience.
"Open up, Bucky boy," Tony sing songed as Bucky and Steve entered the lab. "I need that swab."
The human complied with a grimace, only flinching when Tony first stuck the swab into his mouth but the whole process was fairly quick and harmless.
"I thought there would be scans," Bucky said once Tony had stopped swabbing his mouth.
"Jarvis did those when you first got here so they're done, " he muttered distractedly as he popped the swab into some kind of vial. "I would've asked but you'd already agreed to it and that'd be redundant."
Steve looked up from the holographic screen he had been inspecting, "That's not how that works, Tony."
"Too late now," Tony shrugged, swiping something on the screen. "Jarvis will take care of the rest."
He leaned back in his swivel chair, folding his hands under his chin to look between the two of them.
"So how's everything? Sam told me about the uh," Tony pointed at his own face.
"He did not tell you about that," Steve huffed and gave Bucky a little smile when he reached down to pet his hair. "And we're fine, although we could do without the handcuffs and sex toys you had in the nightstand!"
Tony's face lit up, focusing entirely on Bucky now, "Not into that kind of scene? I could've sworn you looked like the type to-"
"Tony! Stop, " he blurted, covering his face.
"I am into it," Bucky admitted nonchalantly, shrugging as Steve's mouth popped open. "But I know for a fact that those handcuffs are total shit, they'd snap before the fun would be over."
This was not happening. They were not having this conversation but apparently, they were and Steve considered morphing into the floor to escape.
Tony looked at him appraisingly, surprised, "I don't think Steve is that strong…"
Steve grunted in disagreement. Sure, he wasn't the strongest but even he could break through cheaply manufactured plastic.
"They wouldn't be for Stevie," and yup, Steve got dizzy with how fast his blood rushed to his face. "Leather cuffs are the way to go, Stark."
Tony whistled with a wolfish grin, "Cap, you've got yourself a freaky one."
No, he didn't get himself anything because for all that they flirted, nothing happened. Did Steve want anything to happen? Well…
"I honestly have no idea why I'm friends with either of you," Steve groaned but his mind was elsewhere. He was remembering Bucky's bare chest misted over after he'd take a shower and the burning need Steve felt when he'd walk around shirtless.
"Aw, Stevie," Bucky smiled down at him with absolutely no shame. "You don't mean that."
And he didn't, not really. But he was wondering why him and Bucky were still just friends.