WinterIron || Marvel || WinterIron || Tony, He Fixes Things || WinterIron || Marvel || WinterIron

Title: Tony, He Fixes Things – But Who Fixes Him?

Fandom: Marvel

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Marvel Comics for the creation of some of the most awesome heroes ever. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: m/m, hurt/comfort, pining, fluff

Main Pairing: Bucky/Tony

Marvel Characters: Anthony 'Tony' Stark, James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes, Steven 'Steve' Rogers, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanova, Clint Barton, Bruce Banner

Summary: After the events of The Winter Soldier, Steve goes to Tony with Bucky. He also tells Tony the truth about his parents' death. And Tony, he fixes things – he helps Bucky get rid of the Winter Soldier programming. Bucky? He doesn't understand why and wonders how he can repay Tony.

Tony, He Fixes Things

But Who Fixes Him?

Tony Stark wanted to kill the Winter Soldier and he wanted to make it look like an accident.

That was the only explanation Bucky could come up with as to why Tony Stark would allow Bucky to live at the Avengers Tower. Because statistics show that most deadly accidents happen at home. It was the perfect set-up plan and clearly, Tony was playing the long-game here.

There was just no other explanation that made sense. Why else would Tony Stark let the murderer of his parents stay under his own roof? Why else would Tony Stark even help the man who murdered his parents? It had to be a slow-burn revenge-plan. Nothing else made sense.

When Stevie had found him three months ago, had reminded him of who he really was, Bucky's life had changed. It had been a split-second decision, to either leave Steve at the shore or stay with him. And even though Bucky didn't remember his old life, this man was a tie to that, the closest to figuring out who he had once been. So he had stayed. And he had let Steve, Natasha and Sam take him to a 'safe place'. That this safe place was the Avengers Tower however...

Steve had promised it truly was safe. It was the safest place Steve knew. Apparently, Stark had offered it before, when the team had first formed, that they were all welcomed to stay, but Steve, the stubborn son of a gun, had refused. Had wanted to make it on his own.

Well, now his own place was destroyed, SHIELD had gone down and he had a broken Winter Soldier at his hand. So he went to someone he knew he could trust; to the rest of his team.

And Tony Stark had just opened his doors, smiled and told the ceiling to have four guest-rooms prepared for them (to which the ceiling had answered in a British accent, causing Bucky to shoot it, which, wonderful first impression). Back then, Bucky hadn't cared about being taken in by Tony; he himself hadn't remembered killing the Starks – or at least not remembered they were the Starks, since he had killed so many people and all of it was hazy.

Steve knew. Natasha knew too. And they kept it under wraps, at first. Until they were settled. But then Steve told him – first told Bucky and then told Tony. Yet Bucky was still alive. Which was the reason why Bucky was sure that Tony was at this point playing the long-game to kill him.

For over a month, Tony Stark had locked himself into his lab and not come out. Bucky grew more anxious with every passing day, unsure what to expect. What he sure as hell had not expected was for Tony to emerge from his lab with something he called BARF – something he flippantly said he had been working on 'for a while' in theory but put on the back-burner when newer, shinier ideas caught his attention, but now he figured it might help Bucky.

Bucky could partially explain this one. It was for self-preservation; removing the trigger-words from Bucky meant removing the Winter Soldier programming and thus making him less of a threat. He was no longer a set bomb that could go off any second. And perhaps it was also meant as a punishment. Because while the Winter Soldier was gone, his memories had become clearer. He remembered killing them, but worse yet, he remembered Howard. He remembered Peggy's oddball inventor friend. He had killed someone he had known.

Still, it was strange to Bucky. That Tony had not kicked him out, or straight-up killed him, after learning the truth. Instead, he had focused his time and resources on finding a way to... help.

"You look deep in thought", noted Steve with a happy smile.

Closely after Steve followed Sam, looking grumpy as he always did after the two came back from a run. Bucky looked up from his black coffee when Steve sat down next to him. They shared three floors, right beneath the penthouse. Bucky shared his floor with Steve and Sam, Natasha and Clint shared another with Bruce Banner. The third floor was where they were right now. A common area, with a large kitchen and living room, as well as a gym. From what Bucky gathered, Tony had designed these floors after the events of New York, for the original team. When none but Bruce had taken him up on his offer, it had stood vacant for a while.

"Do you feel like we're imposing?", asked Bucky slowly.

"What? No", laughed Steve and shook his head. "I mean, look at this. Tony did all of this for us."

"Two years ago", noted Bucky carefully.

Steve stopped laughing and instead ran his fingers through his hair. "Look... I've known the guy for a day and one mission when he offered. And you know me, I don't take charity."

Getting himself a coffee too, Steve leaned against the counter. "I know it looks... bad, that we only came to him now that we need his help. But the thing is, that's who Tony is."

"What does that mean?", wondered Bucky.

"Tony... He fixes things, Buck", explained Steve. "He sees a bunch of homeless and now also unemployed superheroes he fought with before and he'll offer to take them, us, in."

"He fixes things", echoed Bucky, frowning at Steve.

"Yeah. You see, someone in his company used to sell his weapons on the black market", chimed Sam in. "It was all over the news. Instead like other billionaires, he didn't try to bury it for the sake of more money. He didn't even just... let someone else take care of it. He became Iron Man, the first public hero since Captain America. And he took care of it himself. He fixed it himself. Went out there, taking down the people who sold his weapons, still takes runs to collect wayward weapons."

"Tony is a good man", agreed Steve, resting a hand on Bucky's flesh-shoulder. "And maybe this is good, to make us more of a team. We were a ragtag bunch of strangers thrown together for one mission, but if such a thing happens again, we... gotta be a united front. A real team. Like the Howling Commandos used to be. For that, we need to train with each other and truly get to know each other. Maybe this was the push we needed to take Tony up on his offer."

Tony, he fixes things. That was the answer he always got, one way or another. When Bucky had asked why Tony would help him get rid of the Winter Soldier – well, that is what Tony Stark does, when he sees someone broken, he tries to fix them. Whatever that meant.

/break\

"Why don't you go to Tony with that?", asked Clint.

Bucky frowned and looked up at the spy-duo. Clint and Natasha were rarely at the tower, most of the time they were out with Maria Hill trying to collect all the left-over, trustworthy SHIELD agents who had been deep under and did not know SHIELD had even fallen. There was a lot to clean up.

"I've maintained my arm myself for decades. There is no reason to bother Mister Stark."

Clint made that huffy, amused little sound at 'Mister Stark'. The archer raised one eyebrow as he sat down next to Bucky, obnoxiously close to watch him fix his arm with one hand. Natasha sat down on Clint's other side and started casually polishing a couple knives she pulled out out seemingly nowhere. Frowning, Bucky adjusted his small screwdriver again, struggling with it a bit.

"Well, but it's what 'Mister Stark' does", chuckled Clint and tilted his head. "You know, not just the equipment and stuff. When Tony first noticed I have hearing aids, he disappeared for a weekend and emerged with top-notch aids he made himself. Improved, better than anything I ever had."

"It's what Tony does", agreed Natasha. "It's how he shows he cares."

"Well then, why would he fix the arm of the man who killed his parents? Why would he care?"

Natasha paused in her cleaning and looked up at him, truly looked at him. "Why don't you go and ask him that? I think it's due time you have this conversation with him. You've had it with every other member of the team at this point. You're not the best at interrogation techniques."

Putting his screwdriver down, Bucky sighed. They were right. It had been a whole month now since BARF had helped rid Bucky of the Winter Soldier programming, two months since Tony had emerged from his lab with BARF, two and a half months since Steve had told Tony the truth. And Natasha was right, Bucky had had this conversation with everyone but Tony. Steve, Natasha, Clint, Bruce, even Sam even though he didn't actually know Tony before moving in here. And everyone had the same to say but none were Tony, none could truly speak for Tony. None of them could truly explain to Bucky what he really wanted to know – why Tony was trying to fix him.

/break\

"Sir, Sergeant Barnes has been pacing the hallways in front of the lab for the last hour."

With a confused frown on his face did Tony look up, first at the ceiling and then over to Bruce. Bruce looked as confused as Tony felt. Barnes had never come even close to the lab before. Not once. He mainly stuck to his own suit, or the common kitchen.

"Is he... lost?", asked Tony.

"I don't think so", replied Jarvis. "Earlier, him and the Agents Barton and Romanova were discussing that Sergeant Barnes should seek you out for his malfunctioning arm, sir."

Tony took off his protective goggles, wiping his forehead with his arm. Curious. In the past three months since Barnes had moved in, he had never sought Tony out. If anything, he had been... avoiding Tony. Honestly, Tony couldn't pinpoint a single instance in which Bucky had stayed in the same room as him for more than a few moments. He was clearly avoiding Tony, so why would he come to Tony now...? There was a thoughtful look on Bruce's face as he got up.

"I suppose I should get ready for my meeting with Helen. I'll let him in on my way out."

"Bruce. Bruce, are you scheming? You're not a schemer! Jay, have you been a bad influence on my science bro?", asked Tony stunned. "What are you scheming?"

Bruce just chuckled in reply and headed out of their shared lab. Him, as much as the other Avengers, had noticed that Bucky was avoiding Tony – and they knew why. Because Bucky was not exactly subtle in his attempts to seize why Tony did what he did. Then again, Bruce was fairly certain no one – not even Tony himself – could fully explain why Tony did what he did at most times. Still, it was due time for the two of them to have an actual conversation with each other.

"Bucky. Why don't you go on inside?", suggested Bruce in a soft voice.

Bucky looked startled, like a child caught with his hand in the cookie-jar. Bruce smiled at him in an encouraging way, like he was trying to tell Bucky – you have been caught, there is no backing out anymore. Carefully, Bucky looked from Bruce to the invitingly open door. Once Bruce had left the hallway, Bucky approached the door slowly. As though a monster might jump out of it.

"Buckaroo. What brings you to my corner of the tower?"

Bucky jumped only slightly at the friendly voice and the smile on Tony's face. Why? Looking around, Bucky entered the lab. It was amazing, still even after all this time, the modern world did startle him. Bucky rarely had the time to sit down and take a closer look at modern technology through the decades. He had gone on his missions and then been frozen again. Yet here, now, in this... heart of modern technology where so many wonders were born, Bucky felt oddly... humble.

"My arm. It's not... been moving right. Fingers keep freezing up. I tried to fix it, but Barton thinks you'd be better at... fixing it", mumbled Bucky with a frown. "If you are busy, or don't want to, or don't want me down here-"

"Woah there, slow down, soldier", chuckled Tony and tilted his head. "This is the common lab. Everyone is welcomed here. And I'm... not so busy right now. Brucie just ran out on me."

Nodding stiffly, Bucky sat down opposite Tony after the genius motion for him to sit there. Tony turned and got some tools, rambling about how he had been dying to take a closer look at the arm for months. Bucky was only mildly distracted by how tight Tony's pants were.

"Why are you doing this?", asked Bucky once Tony joined him again.

"Uh, I just said I have wanted to look at this arm for months?", offered Tony confused.

"No. I mean...", started Bucky, shaking his head. "Everything."

"That's... Can you narrow that down some?", chuckled Tony amused as he got to work.

Bucky watched in awe how Tony just unscrewed all the right plates to reach the cables and the circuits that he needed, without any instructions from Bucky. It reminded Bucky of Steve when he was drawing. Precise but elegant and completely enthralled by what he was doing. This... This was Tony's art. It wasn't just a job. He enjoyed doing it.

"Why did you take me in? Why did you... fix me?", asked Bucky slowly. "You could have killed me, could have kicked me out, anything. But you are... I killed your parents."

Tony's hand shook for a moment at that and if Bucky had blinked he would have missed it. Silence as Tony regained control again and then continued working. Bucky figured that was only fair. Tony didn't owe him an explanation. He shouldn't have come down here to bother Tony in the first place.

"I drank for three days straight. Smashed everything in the workshop, everything that could break. Cried, a lot", whispered Tony lowly. "Was angry. Filled with wrath and the need to destroy. Then it... settled... It's been a long time, Barnes. I had... come to terms with their death a long time ago. It shook me, that it wasn't the truth, but then... It wasn't your fault."

"I killed them", argued Bucky frustrated.

For another long moment, it was silent between them as Tony regarded Bucky curiously. "I don't know what... the others have told you about me. But there was a man, a man I trusted, who... stole the weapons I had made to protect American soldiers. Sold them to our enemies and used them to kill innocent people." Tony paused for a moment.

"You became a soldier to protect. And yet they... made you into a weapon and used you to kill people. I'm not saying our experiences are the same, far from it really. But I know what it does to a person to be blamed for deaths caused through you that you did not kill yourself. I keep being blamed for people who were killed through weapons stolen from me."

Bucky looked away, frowning to himself, while Tony continued. "The way I see it, they stole your body from you and made it into a weapon that they used to kill people. You can not be blamed for what was done with what was stolen from you, Barnes. You didn't kill those people, you didn't want to kill those people. And... I, I think that we should always take back what is stolen from us."

Bucky nodded slowly, feeling an echo of what Steve and the others had told him about Tony, about the weapons stolen from Tony and how he had fought to return them. "I can't change the past, Barnes. Neither can you. What we can change is the future. I can't bring back my mother, but I could remove the Winter Soldier programming and prevent other mothers from dying. The thing about me, Bucks, is that I don't like feeling helpless. I do something, change things. Help."

"You fix things", whispered Bucky.

Tony blinked at that and then smiled. "I guess yeah, that's... what I do. I fix things."

And in that moment, when Tony smiled at him before bending his head once more to finish fixing Bucky's arm, in that moment Bucky came to accept that maybe that indeed was what Tony Stark did and who he was. But in that moment, he also asked himself a different question for the first time – if Tony fixed others, then... who exactly was it that fixed Tony?

/break\

Virginia Potts, preferred designation Pepper. Colonel James Rhodes, preferred designation Rhodey. Happy Hogan. Jarvis. Dum-E. Butterfingers. U. Those were the ones that fixed Tony Stark.

Over the past three months, Bucky had paid very close attention to this. Ever since his conversation with Tony in the lab, Bucky had decided he needed to investigate. To find out who fixed Tony.

Those three people and Tony's artificial children seemed to be Tony's family and support-system, followed by the Avengers. Apparently, fixing things was not just something Tony did for fun, it was also his way of expressing how much he cared for someone. He wanted them to be safe so he made sure they were all wearing top notch armor and having the best weapons to fight with. At first, Bucky had found it odd, had wanted to decline weapons from Tony – but he soon came to realize that that was something Tony found more offensive, really. Declining his help, like Bucky didn't trust Tony's inventions. So Bucky had started accepting them and it... seemed to make Tony happy.

Bucky had voiced his concerns to Steve one night, that they were taking advantage of Tony's generosity. Steve had looked thoughtful for a long moment, like he was trying to carefully pick his words. And then he came to the conclusion that they were a team and if this was how Tony wanted to contribute, if he wanted to make sure they didn't have second-rate weapons – then who were they to decline? If it were in Steve's powers to protect them all personally at all times, he would. So who was he to deny Tony the same, because giving them the best armor and the best weapons was the best way Tony could always be there, indirectly, to protect them.

Bucky supposed that was right, still he had found his way to Bruce Banner, who seemed the closest to Tony. After all the scientist had been living in the tower the longest. So Bucky had asked him for his opinion on the matter. Bruce understood Tony on a different level. They were both scientists who had spent most their lives isolated. That was it. That was what Tony got out of this all. The company. Not being alone. Having someone to do science with him, to cook with him, to watch movies with him, to fight at his side. And... Bucky thought he understood that.

Bucky knew what loneliness felt like. He also remembered how it had been with the Howling Commandos. As grim as war had been, to be with the team they trusted, their friends, it had given them all strength. And that was the feeling the Avengers had started to give him too.

"Tony! You're late", scolded Steve.

"Oh, please. 'In a galaxy far, far away...' I know that part by heart, I didn't miss anything. The whole rebellious, pouty teenager on a farm thing is skip-able anyway", huffed Tony dismissively.

Steve huffed and shook his head. Bucky removed his legs from the couch. "I saved you a seat."

"Wait. You said you had an ache in your leg and needed the couch!", exclaimed Clint from the love-seat. "That's why I gave up the couch! You can't just save seats!"

It was a very rare evening. Clint and Natasha had returned from a mission and wouldn't leave again for a few days – even super-spies needed to recharge. So they had decided to have a nice movie-night together. Tony and Steve sure needed the break. The two had been working non-stop on making the Avengers work without SHIELD. Maria Hill had started working for Stark Industries, her operation with Clint and Natasha was now under the flag of the Avengers. Most former SHIELD agents that could be trusted – after seeping through the information from Hydra – had started working for them, with them. They had done good already, in the past half year. For months, Bucky had just watched from the sidelines. The way the Avengers had saved New York repeatedly, until he felt ready. He had gotten rid of the Winter Soldier programming, he had been going to therapy for months. He wanted to help. He remembered the times of the Howling Commandos and he... missed them. They were long gone, dead. But the Avengers were alive and doing good.

"Thanks, Snowflake", grinned Tony as Bucky also handed him the popcorn.

That was a thing Bucky had been doing lately. He was... trying to give back. To Tony. He was bringing sandwiches down to the lab when the scientists hadn't left it for too long. He made sure to save Tony's favorite seat on the occasions that they did something together in the living room. When it was Bucky's turn to cook, he would cook something he knew Tony loved (Jarvis proved to be not just very useful but also rather eagerly helpful). He didn't know if it really helped, but he hoped it did.

/break\

"You know, the Iron Man cookies are pretty good", mused Bruce.

"Mh, Bucky's a great baker", agreed Tony, munching on one of the cookies.

"Notice how he makes them for you", asked Bruce rather bluntly.

"Don't be silly. There's Hulk cookies too and Captain Am-", argued Tony.

"Ah, yes, he makes cookies of everyone, but only for you. He put some in a public jar in the living room, but he always brings you, specifically, a tray", countered Bruce amused.

"Because I'm mostly down here", offered Tony slowly.

"Uhu. Bucky also made your favorite pasta last week when he cooked", continued Bruce.

"It's pasta. Who doesn't like pasta?", asked Tony, frowning. "What are you getting at?"

Bruce heaved a sigh and shook his head. "If you don't see, I'm not spelling it out for you, Tony. But maybe you should pay more attention to your surroundings beyond the science and fighting..."

"Where are you going?", wanted Tony to know when Bruce hung his lab-coat.

"I have a date. With Helen", replied Bruce amused.

"D... Date? Wait. All those 'work-meetings' you had with her were... were... Why didn't you tell me? I am your science bro! I feel deeply betrayed!", called Tony after him.

"May I suggest, sir, that this reaction coupled with the teasing Doctor Banner has witnessed you display toward Mister Hogan and Miss Potts might be the reason he has not told you?"

"Oh, no one asked you, Jay", grumbled Tony with a pout, sinking down on his chair.

A date, huh? Well, he had been wondering what secret project the two had been working on for months. Without Tony. Dates actually... made sense. And it wasn't like Tony teased Happy and Pepper that much about their relationship! Right?

Frowning, he took another cookie and started munching on it slowly. Dating. Sounded... interesting. Tony hadn't done that since his and Pepper's relationship had come apart, because Tony had destroyed his suits... but not meant it. They just disagreed to much about the most fundamental thing. Tony being Iron Man. Pepper wanted him to quit and he couldn't, so they broke up because neither wanted to come to resent the other. Tony kind of buried himself in his work afterward, for distraction. And then Steve had dropped a bunch of homeless Avengers in his lap.

That was a good distraction. All of a sudden, they actually did work as a team. They trained together, ate together when they happened to actually be home together at the same time. They went on missions, smaller ones than world-ending alien-invasions. They learned to trust each other, to fight side by side. They became a team and, more importantly, they became friends.

Tony got it. He really understood it, why Clint, Natasha and Steve had declined his offer back then. They had barely known each other and honestly, mainly Tony had offered it out of too rushed eagerness of finally being a part of something and not being willing to let it go. They had been in contact, loosely. And then, when they had actually needed help, they had come to Tony.

Tony was aware that his dependence on helping others and feeling useful wasn't quite healthy, but it was how he sought validation, had always sought validation. And they weren't like Howard. They didn't just take and take and take. The team, they spent time with each other, fought together, ate together, joked together, helped each other. When Tony was too swamped with SI, they stepped in and helped him. Faking missions to get him out of meetings, bringing him coffee or food when he didn't leave his lab for too long, casually promoting Stark Tech as 'the very best thing ever' (quotation Clint).

Though maybe Bruce was right. Clint brought Tony a sandwich when he made himself one. But Bucky went out of his way to make Tony the things Tony really liked. Natasha helped him keep the press away. But Bucky just glared heatedly at anyone who'd be an especial bother. Bruce created beautiful, gorgeous science with him. But Bucky seemed content just listening to Tony ramble on about what he was doing with the arm when he was repairing it, or just generally ranting about the projects he was working on. Steve sparred with Tony, taught him how to fight outside the suit. But with Bucky it was somehow... different. Sam did aerial training with Tony. But Bucky looked so genuine and pure when Tony took him out for a flight.

Okay. Maybe Tony had kind of a thing for Bucky. And maybe Bucky was different when he was around Tony than with the others too but he was sure that didn't mean anything.

Then again, Tony had been wrong before. When Bucky had avoided him at first, Tony had assumed it was because Bucky knew of the Merchant of Death and had heard the horrible stories about Tony, not wanting to spend time with him based on that. It... really hadn't crossed Tony's mind to think that Bucky assumed Tony was blaming him, at least not after the initial anger and hurt.

"Tony? I made apple pie." Bucky's voice was such a nice rumbling sound.

Blinking, Tony turned toward said apple pie and cracked a smile. He had dyed the dough and now it looked like Cap's shield. An all-American pie. Bucky grinned as he saw the expression on Tony's face before he put the pie down and cut two pieces out for them.

"Brucie abandoned me for a date with Helen. A date", huffed Tony, digging in with a pout.

"You are... the only one who didn't catch on with them dating", noted Bucky softly, amused.

"What. Seriously? Everyone knew? Everyone?", wanted Tony to know in surprise.

"Steve did a painting of them for their one month anniversary, on Bruce's request", nodded Bucky. "I think Clint has a betting pool on whether you'll notice on your own or if someone has to spell it out. The two of them were literally making out right in front of you on month two."

"What? No", huffed Tony and paused. "Wait... Wait that was what that was...?"

"Is that normal?", hummed Bucky curiously. "You, not noticing... that?"

Bucky smiled fondly as he watched Tony eat the pie. Oh, this wasn't good. He had meant to become Tony's friend and ally, he hadn't meant to actually fall for Tony. But the genius was far too charming and smart and cute and strong and... Bucky was a very weak man for all of that.

"Sir is quite oblivious when it comes to matters of the heart", confirmed Jarvis dryly. "Someone would have to actually use thrir words to make him realize, even if said someone was not very fond of using too many words due to decades of not socializing."

Jarvis was scary. He was amazing, but also really very scary. Bucky blushed as he looked up at the ceiling before turning toward a now very confused Tony. The future was fascinating, so many things were better than they used to be. And Bucky wanted to enjoy the future... with someone.

"Would you like to go on a date? With me?", asked Bucky bluntly.

"Oh", whispered Tony. "So Bruce was right, huh. Uhm. I. Yes? Yes. Yes, definitely yes."

Bucky smiled pleased at that as he continued eating his pie. Tony, he fixed things. But thankfully, he also had many people in his life willing to help fix him when he needed it. And Bucky was proud to count himself among them.

~*~ The End ~*~

Author's note: I have been playing with Marvel fic ideas for years now but somehow never worked up the courage to actually write in this fandom. So large, so intimidating and so many things have already been done in dozens of variations. But then I semi-accidentally started writing my first multiple chaptered Marvel fic and the reception is SO nice and SO warm and it made me want to write more in this fandom. Also, my best friend is a traitor who betrayed me by moving on from our shared fandom to Marvel so quite obviously did I have to follow her.

Now, as I said, many things have already been done in dozens of variations. And the "Steve is not an idiot and instead brings Bucky to Tony and TELLS TONY THE TRUTH" to avoid CW and to have the team be a team, oh, I love that trope! And I realized, well, yes, it has been done many times... but never by me. So, here it is.