starkingenuity | (no subject)

Nothing would ever be as sweet as this. Tony Stark had not liked his father much, but every son has a need for revenge when they don't get to take out the big bad in their life personally. His dad hadn't hit him, but abuse can work down other channels. And even so, his old man hadn't deserved to die, and certainly not like he did. It was so ordinary to be shot down, for it to look like a cheap accident. Though it left Tony free of him, it also robbed him of his mother in the same stroke. He never understdood why unless it was all just for show.

Though he'd never had a name or a face, Tony had hated Bucky Barnes for a very long time. That his parents' murderer had been Steve Rogers' best friend, or had been brainwashed to be some sort of mindless slug, he didn't care. He hadn't cared at all, not until he found him asleep on that birdshit stained park bench with newspapers over him. And he hadn't cared then either when he stood there, repulsors aimed towards that piece of scum, until he muttered something in Russian and rolled onto his side.

The cap slipped. His gaunt face showed a man half his own age, looking absolutely wretched and...lost.

Tony Stark had spent the better part of a week on the new suit which, he did tell JARVIS, he didn't quite care if it could kill him or not with the way he disregarded every last safety measure in the book he himself had written. He'd managed to keep is secret from all of the comers and goers from the Tower too.

And now, now that he's here, now that the Winter Soldier had been tracked down in this park in the slums of DC, he can't bring himself to that revenge that had kept him drunk since he discovered how to track the man.

So Tony stands there. And waits. And sometimes forgets to breathe.

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From:

starkingenuity

He knew he ought to have not called. Tony frowned at the wall until his face hurt before he thought about hanging up. "Thanks for the advice, Banner. Don't forget to boil the water before you drink it."

He didn't want to have to explain himself. Bruce would get a dial tone to sigh to as Tony flushed the toilet and then headed back out to Bucky as he tilted his head like a puppy at the television during a commercial about some sort of new cooking gadget.

"Hey. Uh. Listen. How do you feel about Steve Rogers?"

From:

who_is_bucky

Bruce does sigh because he doesn't know what answer the other man had been looking for but it was never going to be the right one. Bruce doesn't exactly know what to do either. Steve had been his best advice. He's not clear on what the point is with Tony keeping him. He makes a mental note to check in a few days from now.

Bucky is still in front of the TV. They've been talking about Hydra quite a bit. People that had been in Pierce's pocket for years that are still missing. They mention him once or twice but nobody seems to know what to make of him. Which is okay. He doesn't know either. Commercials always interrupt important things and they're just... weird. Why wouldn't you just use a knife to slice a banana?

His attention shifts when Tony speaks and he presses his lips together. It's complicated. He shakes his head and helpfully responds, "I don't know."

From:

starkingenuity

That wasn't the answer he was looking for. It wasn't an answer at all. Pressing his lips together, Tony observed Bucky with a frankly annoyed look. "First thing that comes to mind when you think about him then?"

How can he ever help Bucky to think for himself? He felt like he was in a bad rendition of Pretty Woman. Only Bucky was no Julia Roberts with those boots that went on forever.

"You have to help me help you. Focus."

From:

who_is_bucky

He stares at Tony and his annoyed look in confusion--he had answered him. It's not his fault the answer hadn't matched what he'd expected. Bucky warily watches the other man, concerned he's about to be punished and says instead, "Mission."

It's the first thing that comes to mind. It's one of those things that's ingrained to his bones. The order makes his forehead crease. He is focusing. "And..." he searches for the word he wants before he says, "And alarm. He made me remember." Bucky wet the corner of his mouth. "I wasn't supposed to remember."

From:

starkingenuity

Worst Rorschach test ever. Tony wiped a hand down his face and sighed through his nose with utter annoyance. It wasn't poor Bucky's fault. He knew that. Knew that and didn't give a fuck either. Plopping down beside the trained homicidal killer, Tony stretched out and tried again.

"Remembering is a good thing now," he said as gently as possible. "A very good thing. The best thing. So. Uh. Let's not think about Steve as a mission. Let's focus on remembering who you use to be. Steve's a big part of that, right? Listen. I'm not going to always be here to tell you what to do so we have to teach you how to give yourself orders."

From:

who_is_bucky

Is that wrong too? Tony is acting like it's wrong. Bucky is doing his best here but he just looks more confused as the other man plops down on the bed. His gaze follows him though he doesn't really move at all. He just breathes, slow and even and through his nose as he tries to make sense of things.

Remembering is a good thing. He repeats it in his head a few times in the hopes that it sticks properly. "I think so, but I don't..." he cuts himself off and shakes his head. He knows Tony doesn't like him to say he doesn't know so he won't. "He thinks so. That exhibit thinks so."

His head tilts toward Tony--giving himself orders? "How?"

From:

starkingenuity

How? Is this how kindergarten teachers felt when their students ate paste? Tony wanted to strangle someone. Mostly himself. Who told him that this was a good idea?!

Licking his lips, Tony tried to start small. "Okay, so, you just...think about what you want. Or right, you have no idea what you want. Great. So. Instead of that, let's start small. Get dressed. We're going out in the big wide world where they don't approve of wearing robes."

From:

who_is_bucky

Bucky thinks it would be more conducive if he just strangled him but that's another thing entirely. Hydra hadn't taught him to take care of himself and had taken his choices from him. What had he really expected when he'd gone looking?

He stands up to go into the bathroom to get his clothes. His filthy clothes. Bucky strips off the robe before he's even to the bathroom. Hopefully Tony doesn't mind what he had been wearing but he kind of doesn't own anything else.

From:

starkingenuity

They were going to rectify that. Bucky just wouldn't fit into anything Tony kept laying around. Not even his t-shirts. He had no idea how these men from the 40s managed to maintain such a massive amount of muscles after so long in deep freeze--

How annoying.

Bucky stunk to high heaven but it couldn't be helped. Tony called for a car with a driver, so he could keep an eye on Bucky at all times and directed the man towards the higher end boutiques. Marching a homeless hobo into an Bruckheimers' was more amusing than anything Tony had experienced in his life...until he remembered Pretty Woman.

And then he just felt old.

From:

who_is_bucky

It isn't terribly concerned with his clothes or how he smells. He doesn't think about it because he's never been taught to care. He had taken showers when they had said and sometimes he'd woken up clean out of the freezer. He tries not to think about what he remembers.

He is nearly silent as he follows Tony down to the car. Bucky doesn't do seatbelts either. He sits still and mostly just stares ahead of him, though on occasion he forces himself to look out the window at the world.

When they get to the store, he stops dead at the entrance. There are no other exits. None that he can see. None he is comfortable assuming are just there at least. There might be a back door but he doesn't know. He glances warily at Tony; he doesn't like this.

Bucky has no idea what Pretty Woman is either so unless Tony wants to explain, he best keep quiet about it.

From:

starkingenuity

Having dealt with Steve Rogers and his lack of knowledge of popular culture, Tony would in no way bring up anything he had to explain to Bucky. Learned that lesson already. The winter soldier was a hassle. Bruce had been right about taking him to Rogers but now Tony just had to be stubborn.

It wasn't exactly about winning...but it kind of was.

He gave Bucky a little push to get him into the store and turned his charm on towards the women, eyebrows lifting suggestively. "Do I have a project for you guys!" he announced, flashed around his smile and platinum card and moved aside to let other people do his work.

From:

who_is_bucky

The push is not appreciated and Bucky gives the other man a look but he complies because he's not in a place in his head where he's comfortable with protesting just yet. He eyes the front of the store and the door to the back again, before focusing on Tony. Everything that happens next is basically met with a wide-eyed deer stare as they start to get his measurements. The only thing he won't let them near is his metal arm. He doesn't register any of them as a threat but he's paranoid. He gives Tony a few wary looks as they start to bring him things to try on.

The problem arises when they start asking him questions about his favorite colors and styles of things. He just stares at them silently. It's a little awkward but he doesn't have an answer.

From:

starkingenuity

"Remember what I said about giving yourself orders?" Tony called, mostly because he could see Bucky was starting to struggle and that was giving him such massive issues. He just...clammed right on up. And that helped absolutely no one.

He shooed off a pretty thing who had too many buttons of her blouse undone and headed back over to where Bucky looked less than pleased about everything.

"Even if you don't have a favorite color, pick one. There's only so many. Small choices will help you out in the long run, buddy."

From:

who_is_bucky

This isn't exactly what he would consider 'orders' technically but he can see, at least, where Tony is coming from. It doesn't make it less of a struggle but he does understand. He frowns slightly at what the man says and eyes the colors the women are holding. What color?

"Red," he says finally. He considers blue but he's worried he'll just see Steve's eyes in everything and he's really not fond of that idea.