April 17 - “Is that a challenge?” Bucky/Pietro for @dresupi
By @ozhawkauthor
“So you’ll be last, Bucky,” Pepper finished with a brisk nod of her head, “right after Pietro. Any questions, you two?”
“Why am I not last? I should be last. I am the only one in this bachelor auction with an actual superpower,” Pietro objected. “I will surely attract higher bids than him!” He jerked his head at Bucky, who was sprawled negligently in a nearby chair, one ankle crossed over his knee.
“I’m sure you’ll both raise a lot of money for the Maria Stark Foundation,” Pepper said diplomatically as Bucky raised a sardonic eyebrow. “There are sure to be lots of bidders.”
“And most of them will prefer a man to a boy,” Bucky said, smirking.
Pietro’s cheeks flamed red. “This boy will run rings around you any day! Or have you forgotten how many times I said ‘on your left’ to you on this morning’s run?”
“Speed isn’t everything, boy,” Bucky drawled. “Technique’s what you need.”
Pepper looked despairingly from one to the other of them as the argument escalated. Bucky had risen to his feet and they were standing almost nose to nose, haranguing each other.
“Enough!” she yelled finally, banging the clipboard she held on a nearby table. They both startled, turned to look at her… and she noticed something very interesting. Mentally filing the thought, she waggled a finger at both of them.
“Behave. I want you to raise the maximum amount for the Maria Stark Foundation, and I could care less which one of you it is. Now get out there and give the crowd a show.”
“Yes, Pepper,” they chorused, but she could tell that neither one of them was truly cowed. Satisfied that the row had been averted at least temporarily, she turned away.
“I’m gonna raise more than you,” Pietro sniped under his breath at Bucky as they waited to go out onto the stage.
“Is that a challenge?” Bucky’s eyes sparked fire back at him.
“Damn right it is!”
When Stark finally brought the hammer down on a bid of five hundred and fifty thousand dollars - more than three times what any of the other bachelors had brought - Bucky swallowed. Maybe this was a bet he was going to lose, after all. Still, he lifted his head and strutted out onto the stage confidently.
“Five hundred and fifty thousand dollars,” Tony cried after a frantic few minutes of bidding. “Any advance on five fifty? Sold, to bidder one forty-five!”
“That’s the same bidder who bought me,” Pietro said incredulously as Bucky joined him backstage, “for the same amount. Over a million dollars all up. Who has that kind of money?”
“Someone who thinks you two are being ridiculous,” Pepper said dryly, walking up with a little smirk on her face. She waved a bidding paddle at them. 145.
“You bought us? Why?” Bucky demanded.
“Because it’s the only way I can get you two on a date.”
That made no sense at all. They both stared at her, utterly confused.
“With each other,” Pepper clarified, laughing as they looked first shocked, then sneaked quick, surreptitious glances at each other. “And I’ve thought up the most fantastically romantic first date for you to go on, too!”
“This is a whole new level of matchmaking, Pepper,” Bucky finally found his voice.
She shrugged. “Eh. Cheap at the price, if it stops you two dancing around each other. Eight o’clock sharp tomorrow morning, be on the helipad on the roof. Don’t make me come looking for you!”
Pietro looked almost shyly at Bucky as Pepper walked away, and after a moment Bucky looked back at him.
“Well, that was unexpected.”
Pietro laughed at the remark. “It certainly was! What do you think this date she is sending us on will be?”
“No idea.” Bucky paused, and then smiled slowly. “Whatever it is… I know I’m looking forward to it a lot more than I would be having to dance attendance on some rich society lady.”
20- Pietro Maximoff
7- James “Bucky” Barnes
5- Deserted Island
6- Faustian Deals
Bucky was the first to admit that he wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he met the devil, but he wasn’t expecting the silver haired youth in front of him.
“It is not often I am summoned to a deserted island.” The man (devil?) tapped his foot impatiently, seemingly unable to stand still. “Well?”
Bucky shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “Sorry, I just-”
“Did not expect the devil to look so handsome?” he asked, a knowing smile on his face.
Bucky’s mouth fell open. “How-”
He shook his head. “You perhaps do not wish to know. Allow me to introduce myself.” He bowed deep, looking up at Bucky through his eyelashes. “Pietro, agent of Hell. At your service.”
“The Devil recruiting young?”
Pietro smiled, straightening up. “You assume. Maybe don’t do that.”
“Probably wise advice.”
Pietro hummed. “Why did you call for me?”
“Right. You may have noticed the missing arm.”
Pietro nodded. “Yes. Rather noticeable.”
“I need it back.”
“Need?”
Bucky nodded. “My best friend did something stupid, and I need to go rescue him. Can’t do that one armed.”
Pietro hummed as he walked in a circle around Bucky. “You are willing to lose your soul for this man?”
“Yes.”
Pietro stopped in front of Bucky, barely a breath’s space away. “A soul would be required, if I was going to get you your arm back.”
“What-”
Pietro stepped forward, bending to place a kiss to Bucky’s shoulder, where the stump ended. Bucky watched as a metal arm formed where his arm once was, fully articulated.
“This is amazing,” Bucky looked up at Pietro, who had put some distance between them again. “What do I owe you?”
Pietro smiled again, this one seeming sadder than the previous. “You will find out.”
Before Bucky could ask what that meant, Pietro disappeared into thin air.
“Wow.”
He was right; I wasn’t expecting him to look that hot.
