Shuufleur

Title: Where Your Heart Lies
Fandom: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Word Count: 2,443
Type: OS
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Tony Stark
Additional Tags: Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Texting, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort
Summary:

After the Accords, everything was a mess. Then Tony received a lot of files. Then he and Barnes were texting. Then things started to get better.

Notes: Written for the square "Rivals to Lovers" of my Trope Bingo card. It's not beta'ed so sorry for any mistakes. I couldn't (lack of time) really dwell on the different steps in Tony and Bucky's relationship.
AO3 Link: Where Your Heart Lies

( Read Where Your Heart Lies Here! )

---

Finally, it stopped. Tony didn’t know whether it was because Bucky got out of cryogen and stopped it or because he had received every murder the Winter Soldier has ever committed.

When put together, a lot things made sense afterwards. The rise and the fall of empires, economically, culturally and politically.

---

Bucky

Diid u get all of it?

Tony

wow, no news for months, and now a cryptic text. i see you’ve been well “Nomad”

Bucky

It s Bucky, not Steve

Did u receive the files?

I m sorry

If it makes you feel better, I remember everything I did.

Tony

it doesn’t

---

Months later, and painstakingly, Tony, Vision and Rhodey regained a little of the public’s trust on the American soil. The rest of the world was still suspicious of them.

Ross, on the other, still didn’t trust the new Avengers, especially not Tony. For good reasons but the General didn’t need to know that.

The thing was, even months later, Ross was still asking where the rest of the Avengers were.

“What other Avengers? All the Avengers are in this building,” Tony always answered him with a smile.

“You know who I’m talking about,” Ross usually snarled.

“Well, you can ask Vision or Rhodey if they know. Personally, I don’t.”

Tony would showed him the exit with a carefully blank expression.

“Don’t play with me Stark, you’ll lose. If I learn that you’ve known where Captain Rogers and the others were all along, I’ll arrest you before you realize what’s happening to you.”

“I see. You know the way out, General Ross.”

Ross generally left after that. Tony would sit and stared at his screens, which showed what was happening in the world villain-wise.

The new Avengers were still a small team, and they were looking for new team members. Tony planned on recruiting Spider-Man officially when he finished high school.

By the way the public feared them, Tony didn’t expect vigilantes to pop all over New York after the Chitauri attack. But some did, and Tony tried to keep track of them. There was that Daredevil guy, who impressed him with his swift manner to disarm criminals. He also heard of a woman with super strength and a man who was bulletproof.

If the Accords didn’t stop them from saving people, Tony wouldn’t either. In the end, they encouraged him to do better too.

---

Bucky

Thanks for the new arm. U didn’t have to.

Tony

why are you talking to me, honestly?

Bucky

Because you made me a new arm, which is smoother and lighter than the one I had before, and u didn’t have to. Thank you.

Tony

i’m a genius, it would obvs be better than that soviet disaster you had. also, don’t thank me. i didn’t do it for you

Bucky

Steve told me you were a hard man to compliment.

Tony

don’t listen to him, he’s a liar

also stop sending me texts

---

With the help of Pepper and the president of the United States, Tony was successful in getting Steve and the other pardoned. It hadn’t been an easy feat, mainly because Ross had been against him every step of the way. In the end, it was done. Steve, Wanda, Clint, Sam and Natasha could come back to the United States, and they wouldn’t be arrested.

Barnes’s case was more complicated. He had been brainwashed and mind controlled for 70 years, killing people HYDRA didn’t like. To be allowed back to the US, he had to agree to psychological evaluation.

He would still be judged for his crimes. SI’s legal team would help Barnes in getting a fair trial and Tony might have given an IOU to a benevolent judge who wouldn’t send Barnes to prison.

---

Bucky

I don’t understand you.

Tony

there’s nothing to understand

stop using this phone

Bucky

You act like you don’t care about them. But you do.

Tony

i’m gonna tell Steve you’re using this phone like that

Bucky

He knows.

Tony

and he doesn’t care? that is very out of character.

are you sure he’s not a skrull?

Bucky

Why do you ask so much about Steve? Do you want to talk to him?

Tony

i laughed because your joke is hilariously not funny. also, don’t

Bucky

Thanks for doing this. For… helping when I did what I did to you.

Tony

again, not doing it for you. you were brainwashed, so whatever

Bucky

It still hurt, and I understand.

Tony

god, can you stop that?

---

Clint was the first to come home. He missed his wife and kids. Tony and Clint had to meet officially. It was a cordial and polite affair. Clint signed the Accords and shook Tony’s hand with a fake smile that almost looked real. Neither men wanted to stay longer in each other presence than necessary. Guilt and resentment made an interesting mix if not volatile. They both preferred to postpone an awkward and possible hurtful conversation for another time.

Scott and Sam came back just a few days later. They exchanged a few words with Tony, signed and left as soon as they could.

Wanda didn’t want to leave wherever she was now and didn’t want to sign the Accords. Tony let her be. He knew what she could do when he tried to restrain her. However, he felt bad for Vision who was looking forward to the young woman coming back.

Natasha popped up one day, as if nothing happened. They didn’t actually talk. There were many things left unsaid but it seemed she wasn’t angry at him. At least, that was what Tony wanted to believe.

Steve and Barnes took the longest to come home. Steve wanted to be sure Barnes wasn’t going to be arrested as soon as he arrived on American soil. Tony had to promise several funding to various governmental department to allow them come through the airport without a trigger-happy army waiting to shoot Barnes if he moved his pinky finger. Not that he would begrudged them. Barnes was terrifying and efficient when he was in Winter Soldier mode.

When they did come home, Tony made Rhodey welcome them. He couldn’t see them yet.

---

Bucky

I thought the organizer of the party would be here.

Tony

who’s this?

Bucky

You know. Your computer just hacked into my phone.

Tony

my computer is most advanced learning A.I. in the world, it’s not just a computer

why are you texting me again?

Bucky

Wanted to thank you for the room. Great view.

Tony

yeah, ok, whatevs. stop thanking for things that are out of my power

---

At one point, Tony had to see them. Rhodey and Pepper conspired against him and made him go to the compound. He had to check Barnes’s arm anyway. It wouldn’t be a waste of time.

---

Bucky

I’m sorry for what Steve said.

Tony

why are you apologizing? you weren’t even there

Bucky

He told me what happened. I’m apologizing because you were friends and I’m the reason why you don’t talk anymore.

Tony

ok, first of all: you needed help, second: Steve was your friend before being mine so no biggie

Bucky

It is. Why don’t you come around tomorrow? It’d be easier to talk about that.

Tony

i’m working. i have an actual job, you know. i’m not messing around

Bucky

What if I told you my arm was hurting?

Tony

you’re a liar because my tech doesn’t fail. often

Bucky

So you’ll come?

---

The second time Tony came by the compound, it went marginally better. Steve was still looking at him with his perpetual frown but he was nice enough to him. He was, because Tony made Barnes’s new arm and was taking care of the maintenance and possible repairs. The good news was: Barnes didn’t have any homicidal urges towards him.

They came to an agreement: they needed to be cordial with each other. Ultimately, Tony spent more time with Barnes than Steve. They understood where the other man was coming from. And the engineer found someone with more low self-esteem and guilt than him.

Later, Tony realized that talking with Bucky helped him come to terms with his parents’ death. He realized it wasn’t their death that bothered him, but how they died.

A car accident was horrible and violent when you witness it, it was still an accident at the end of the day. It could’ve been avoided; they could’ve survived crashing into the tree.

An assassination was definitive, planned; they weren’t meant to live.

Tony had to accept it. He had to forgive Bucky because it wasn’t his fault. Blaming HYDRA was easy but not fulfilling. It’s easy to hate an entity. When the entity has a face, it’s real and unbearable.

Talking to Bucky helped him quiet that simmering hatred. Thinking about them, about their death, hurt less.

In this story, they were both victims.

---

Steve

I didn’t mean it.

Can you text me back?

Alright, I was surprised. I’m sorry.

How would you react if you found me kissing Rhodes in a closet?

Tony

rhodey wouldn’t dare. he’d be a betrayer. also, not your problem

Steve

You’re right, it’s not. But Bucky *is* my best friend, memories or not. And I still care about you.

Tony

did you just used * to emphasize? Bucky is getting better

Steve

I know that. I don’t want you going too fast.

Tony

alright, dad, sorry (it’s ironic in case you didn’t know although… you could be my father)

Steve

Sorry to burst your bubble, so does Bucky. Listen, can I come see you?

Please?

Tony

bring tacos

---

“Hey,” Bucky whispered softly into Tony’s ears.

“Hey, you.”

Tony turned toward Bucky and buried his head in the crook of his neck.

“Too early,” the engineer mumbled, tightening his grip on Bucky’s shirt.

“I know but I have to run.”

“You don’t have too. Steve is mean.”

Bucky chuckled at Tony’s pout.

“He’s not. Come on.”

Tony sighed and turned to lie on his back. He eyed Bucky as he got up.

“If you want to get sweaty, I have something other than running in mind. Which is also more fun for you and me.”

Tony leered, ogling the soldier from head to toes.

“Do you want Steve to sulk?” Bucky asked with a knowing smile.

Tony groaned, and said no.

Bucky went to the bathroom and came back dressed. He went to Tony and kissed him.

“Later.”

“I hate you.” Tony said in Bucky’s pillow.

---

Tony

get breakfast

i’m hungry

where are you?

i’m dying from hunger

heeeeeeeeeeelp

Bucky

Breakfast coming right up.

Tony

i looooove youuuu

Bucky

You can show me that later ;)

Tony

naughty little grandpa

i’m ready for a wild ride, honey

don’t take too long