Work Text:
Outside, the rain pelted against the windows unrelentingly after a long day of scorching summer heat. The night was relatively cool but in the comfort of the living room, it was just a bit too warm from the combined body heat.
The lights were kept suitably low for the movie. On the screen, images flashed and scrolled by, occasionally accompanied by a woman’s screaming, gunshots and explosions which drowned out the background music.
Thor, who had been sitting on James’s right, would clap cheerfully every now and then, his attention fully captured by the wide screen in front. James, on the other hand, had not been able to absorb any detail. The best he did was to nod along, welcoming the bulk of Thor’s mighty presence and his animated hand gestures which shielded James from being noticed by the rest of the team.
Other than Thor, he was also sharing the couch with Tony. They were currently sitting close enough for him to catch the faint scent of expensive cologne on Tony, and if he shifted his leg an inch to the left, their knees would be touching.
He waited for a beat and slid his leg over. Pulling his leg away, Tony gave him an unreadable look while he flashed Tony his most charming smile. It did not work. Tony promptly ignored him and turned back to the movie as he’d been doing for the entire night. So far, nothing James tried to do seemed to work on Tony, not the compliments, the teasing, the pep talk, or the accidental touches.
He must have lost his edge, James thought. From his past experience or what little he could still remember, men were for the most part easier and less complicated to bed and the only ones who did not return his interest were either taken or straight.
And Tony was neither based on claims in the tabloids and on TV.
James wasn’t the easily discouraged type. He also did not have an ego large enough to not know how to give up when his advantage was unwelcomed. Furthermore, as a young, virile and attractive man, he did not lack dating opportunities. Tony wasn’t even his type—older and less built than James’s usual partner of choice. While things were still uncomfortable and awkward between him, Steve and Natasha after the last fiasco, Clint, Bruce and Thor were all attractive individuals in their own right. James could hit on any of them. He had no valid reason to zero in on Tony other than a sense of familiarity when he looked at the other man, one which he could not place. As it was, he couldn’t stop glancing at Tony every now and then, nor could he stop the confusing mixture of internal emotions Tony’s visage brought.
James reasoned with himself that his fixation on Tony was perhaps due to Tony’s resemblance to Howard Stark even if Howard and he had not been close friends and he couldn’t recall how Howard looked. His memory was, for the most part, a haze of black, white and red images which he did not consciously try to remember.
Presently, Thor was talking, recounting an event from his past and associating it with the aliens on the screen.
James leaned over and let his gaze rest on Tony. Tony turned to him again, his teeth worrying his bottom lip. James was barely aware that he had invaded Tony’s personal space again but once he did, instead of withdrawing, he decided to make a bolder move and let his fingers run down along Tony’s arm to eventually rest on his wrist.
Tony mouthed slowly, every word forming into shapes on his pretty lips, “What do you want, Barnes?”
In response, James whispered into his ear, “You.”
Abruptly, Tony shoved him away and stood up, bringing him the attention of the other avengers who looked at him with mild annoyance for the disturbance.
“I’m going to refill the drink,” Tony said after a moment of hesitation.
“Something stronger than this mead, Man of Iron,” Thor sent a request after Tony’s retreating figure, shaking an empty bottle of bourbon. There were more than a few of them littering the floor, and quite surprisingly, Steve had contributed to the mess almost as much as Thor did.
“I’ll help him,” James said casually and stood up. He followed the direction Tony had taken, throwing back a glance when he was at the stairs to ensure that no one was following him.
James found Tony one floor down inside his workshop. He was leaning against a table with a glass of whiskey in one hand a complementary bottle by his elbow. The glass door was unlocked, allowing James to enter without JARVIS telling him about his lack of authorized access.
Taking a moment to observe the clustering space of machines, computers, loaded carts, shelves and desks, James mentally strengthened his resolve.
“What are you doing here?” Tony’s voice had only a hint of anger but he must have been expecting James and the knowledge gave James confidence as he walked closer, stepping over a few metallic objects on the floor, and let himself admire Tony’s well-dressed body.
Tony crossed his legs as though in discomfort, the rustling of his pants making James’s breath catch and drawing his eyes downward. There was a slight change in breathing from Tony and when James looked up again, their gazes touched.
“I’m asking you again. What do you want, Barnes?” Tony sounded upset.
“I believe that I already gave you my answer.”
“I don’t appreciate that kind of joke.”
“It’s not a joke,” James countered, watching Tony toss back his drink until the full glass was empty. He poured himself another and finished it also.
A drink or two could relax him but that seemed a bit excessive, James thought and took Tony’s glass away when Tony attempted to refill for the second time.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“I prefer to have a sober partner in bed.”
Tony just stared at him for a moment. “Who said I want to sleep with you? What about Steve?”
“What about him?” James asked back, unable to understand Tony’s point in bringing up Steve who, for all intents and purposes, had no bearing on the situation.
“Aren’t you dating him?”
“God, no. Of course not. Is that your problem with me? Because you mistakenly believed that I was dating Steve?”
“I don’t understand…” Tony trailed off and glanced to the side.
“I’m only interested in you,” James said, surprised by his own words. They’d only been introduced to each other for a little more than a week, and with Tony actively avoiding socializing, James didn’t know much about him. What James had been following was some gut feeling resulted from troubled nights with the haunting image of Tony’s eyes in his dreams.
“I’m too old to play this game with you, Barnes,” Tony said at last and gave him a warning look the way one would to a recalcitrant child. James didn’t appreciate it.
“What if I’m telling you that it’s not a game?” James took three more steps forward and then they were face to face. His hands set on the table by Tony’s hips, effectively trapping Tony in place.
Tony’s voice cracked. “For the record, I’m a Stark but I’m not Howard Stark. I may be worth less than ten times the men that you know and of course, I’m nothing without my armor—”
“What is that bullshit? I don’t think you’re Howard. I didn’t even know him that well. You are you and every man has his own merits.” James interrupted him quite forcefully.
Tony’s eyes widened just a fraction and James felt a tingle of pleasure. He pressed his hips against one of Tony’s thighs and Tony’s façade broke immediately.
“Barnes!” Tony cried alarmingly. One of Tony’s hands came up only to be grabbed and pinned against the table.
“Shhh, not too loud. They’ll hear us,” James admonished.
“Steve will know.”
“Steve is not a problem. He always knows I like both men and women equally,” James said, his breath ghosting over Tony’s lips. He wanted to kiss Tony. “You’re not supposed to think about Steve when you’re with me because I’m going to be jealous.”
There was a moment of silence in which they stared at each other wordlessly. Slowly, Tony grew calmer, his shoulders drooping, the tension bleeding out of his body.
“You’re going to be jealous if you see me with another man?”
“Definitely.”
Tony seemed to consider the word, his thought going deep inward and his eyes fixed on James’ face without blinking.
James’ hand hovered on Tony’s face, tracing the shape from his brow to his cheekbone and jaw. “I don’t think I can explain this but I feel connected to you in a way that I haven’t felt for a long time. I feel like… I know you.”
“Know me?”
“Yes, funny, right?” James smiled. “You have such unique eyes. I kept dreaming about them.”
James pressed closer, pushing Tony’s legs apart to stand in between so that their hips aligned. Tony wasn’t telling James to back off or struggling, both encouraging signs. He pressed a kiss to each of Tony’s eyelids to demonstrate what he said, his hands still not leaving Tony’s. “I also think that you like me.”
“What made you think so?” Tony asked slowly, his words masking his true emotions
“Because I’m devastatingly handsome?” James suggested to lighten the mood and that got him a smile from Tony. He did have beautiful eyes and the flush on his cheeks could either be from the alcohol or his reaction to James. Or both. Overall, Tony made quite a lovely sight.
Unable to help himself, James angled his head and leaned in slowly until their lips touched in a chaste kiss. He was going slow and careful because somehow, it felt important not to rush this.
James waited a few seconds and stole another kiss at a corner of Tony’s mouth, not expecting a response. There was surprise in Tony’s large brown eyes, and James kissed him again square on the mouth just to know if Tony kept his eyes open when he kissed.
Tony didn’t. The lines on his features smoothed out as his eyes slid closed and with his long eyelashes rested, he seemed have shed years from his ages. Gradually, Tony was beginning to respond, allowing James to delve between his lips. His tongue brushed shyly over James’, the uncertainty of the kiss not due to a lack of experience, and it was enough for a little while.
Tony didn’t push him away once James let go of his wrists to rub at the exposed skin above the protruding bones of Tony’s hips.
“Cold.” Tony hissed and broke off the kiss, grabbing his cybernetic arm as if it was offending him. It was such a typical response.
“I’m sorry,” James said, half slipping down so that he could kiss the skin where his hand had touch and trail a path up the valleys of Tony’s stomach, chest and neck until he found Tony’s lips again. “Is that better?” he asked and pressed his tongue into Tony’s parted mouth, taking away any answer that Tony might have.
By the time they separated again, James’ pants were getting uncomfortable. Tony was just as affected, if not more; his clothing was disheveled, the button-up shirt he was wearing baring a tantalizing patch of honey-colored skin and James, unable to resist himself, sucked a bruising kiss into unmarred skin.
“Barnes,” Tony groaned, fisting a handful of James’ tastefully chosen T-shirt for the gathering.
James pried his hands open and used them to push Tony into a horizontal position on the table.
“I think we probably shouldn’t do this,” Tony said between each breath, his body trembling slightly, his hands clenching and unclenching to test the hold.
“I think you’re thinking too much.” James nipped the abused skin and soothed it with a few broad strokes of his tongue as his fingers flipped open the button of Tony’s slacks to slip inside and touch him.
Tony arched against him beautifully and let out delicious soft moans, which only encouraged him to pull both Tony’s pants and underwear down to his knees. They got caught briefly on Tony’s shoes before everything was ripped away.
It took another moment before Tony returned the favor, helping him with the buttons of his jeans and then, they were grinding against each other in a familiar dance, the sinuous shift and undulation of Tony’s torso in movement mesmerizing.
There were hands on James’ back, under his top, warm and slightly callous but careful, almost tentative. Very soon, James was starting to find the current contact insufficient and the pace too slow to get him off in spite of how much he loved the nook of Tony’s neck and shoulder and the generous globes of Tony’s ass on his palms.
In a swift move, James hitched Tony’s knees up and slipped his cock down pass Tony’s balls to where the entrance to his body was. James applied a slight pressure there, not enough to breach Tony, just to let him know of James’ intention.
Tony gasped out loud and grabbed James’ forearms, his fingers biting into James’ skin.
“Let me have you,” James implored, desperate by the second, already affected by how responsible and agreeable Tony had felt.
Tony hesitated. James waited but Tony did not make any sound. The spread of his thighs and the expansion of his skin were like an invitation to touch and to take. All James needed to do was push forward and he would be buried inside that beautiful body, mark it and claim it as his.
It took some restraint not to follow his instinct and another moment before James found it in himself to release Tony and take a step backward.
Tony seemed confused as he pushed himself up gingerly with his elbows. With his pupils dilating and his eyes blown-wide, he looked scared. Scared of James.
Everything seemed to slow down to a crawl and then James was recalling the distinct earthy smell of rotting wood and green leaves, the faint scents of smokes and the sweetness of wild flowers in the air. His blood was growing hot and his heart had sped up to the point where he could hear the beatings in his chest. The sunlight beaded his brow beneath his long bangs. Everything in the background had faded away and there was Tony nude and gloriously displayed for him, his skin pale against the dark earth. In James’ belly, the heat burned in contrast to the frozen ice in his brain.
James let out a deep torturing breath and closed his eyes from the image. In the next split second, he was on top of Tony and his hands were prying Tony’s legs apart for him to insert himself in between, the full weight of his body holding Tony down. Tony started struggling and writhing under him but he was easily overpowered. James rolled his hips, seeking for Tony’s entrance, and lined himself up.
“Slow down, Barnes. Barnes,” Tony cried out. The shouts didn’t reach him at first, not for a few moments later as he felt simultaneously burnt and alive in the heat of Tony’s body, not until Tony’s teeth clamped painfully into his shoulder.
It stopped him immediately in his track and once he broke free from the grip of his memories, he found himself looking down at Tony, into watery brown eyes.
“You’re hurting me.” It was not a baseless accusation.
James shook his head once and twice to clear his mind. His hand was shaking when it touched Tony’s face. “Sorry… I didn’t mean to. I had some kind of… flashback.”
James started to move away only to find Tony’s strong legs holding him in place.
“Don’t,” Tony protested. “Don’t go. I want it. I’m just used to doing it without lubricant.”
James apologized again while internally shoving his memories to the furthest corner of his mind and locking the Winter Soldier away.
“Can you… be gentle to me? Really. Gentle.”
When James did not move or said anything, Tony added quietly a few seconds later. “Actually, I don’t mind if you don’t want to. I think… I can take it.”
At the words, James felt a sharp pang of guilt which made his heart ache inside his chest. Bending down, he gave Tony a light but long kiss that was an unspoken apology for all that he had been. By the time the kiss ended, he had turned soft inside Tony.
James unhooked Tony’s ankles at his back and slowly withdrew. Tony’s face was flushed red. He made no sounds and he lay very still. When James looked down, he realized that Tony’s cock was still hard on his stomach.
Tony’s hand moved to his front in an aborted attempt to cover himself. Without speaking, Tony sat up, turned left, right and left as if he was looking for something. Eventually, his gaze lowered and he muttered, “Stop staring at me. Just leave. Please.”
Belatedly, James realized that Tony was embarrassed, or worse humiliated. He possibly believed that James did not want him which was the very opposite of the truth.
“Hey.” James turned Tony’s face toward him with a hand under Tony’s jaw. “This is… I think you misunderstand something. Know this. I like you. I want you more than you can imagine. I want as much of you as I can have. I want all of you.”
Because you’re mine, a voice whispered inside him and he shut it down once more.
Regardless of what James said, the doubt behind Tony’s eyes stayed, and every time Tony blinked, more and more sadness mingled in their depths.
With his words failing him, James did what he could. Slowly, he pressed Tony down on the table with his real hand on Tony’s chest and took Tony into his mouth.
Tony’s stomach jumped and he let a moan escape, such a soft and sweet sound to James’ ears.
James paused long enough to wet his fingers in his mouth before wrapping his mouth around Tony again. His fingers eased inside Tony, curled up and found the slight bump of his prostate, which, in turn, caused Tony to yelp. Tony’s strong thighs flexed in response as if the internal stimulation was too much but soon, his breathing went ragged as James kept pleasuring his inside with firm strokes and outside with the continuing suction.
Tony’s orgasm was fast, a burst of slightly salty liquid which James swallowed down. His fingers stayed in the warmth of Tony’s body a little longer until the tremor in Tony’s limbs subsided. James kissed, licked and sucked any bare skin that he could find, memorizing Tony’s body and leaving behind his marks.
“Date me,” James said when Tony’s eyes fluttered open. “Give me a chance.”
Tony was quiet, his eyes focusing on a spot above James’ shoulder. “I need time to decide.”
“I think you want to say ‘yes’.”
“Barnes, I’m not—“
“It’s James. I believe that we’re on a first-name basis.”
“James—“
“Shhh.”
Tony tried to say something but nothing came out as James sealed their mouths together.