Tony - “Out of Good Ideas”
This isn’t a request, just something I wanted to write. I’m sorry Bucky is kind of a jerk in this. I love him but this one is about Tony and I needed some angst.
She should have known. She did know, really. As soon as Bucky kissed her she had known it would end badly. He was in no position to have a relationship even though he had recovered so much. He wouldn’t let himself.
She had known all of that but she still pined after him. Still blushed when he spoke to her. Still sat or stood nearer to him that she really needed to. Whether the others had noticed or not she wasn’t sure but they hadn’t said anything. Except Tony.
Tony was her best friend though she wasn’t sure how it had happened. At first he had even annoyed her with his cockiness and inability to act seriously but that was before she had gotten to know him properly. Before he had started being sweet and funny and always looking out for her.
A few months ago he had tried to make it something more. He had even kissed her and she had felt horrible for pulling away so quickly and hurting him like that but it wouldn't have been fair on him to pretend. Her heart was with Bucky even if he didn’t like her back.
Or she had thought he didn’t until last week.
They had been up late at night, neither able to sleep and most of the others out on a mission. She wasn’t in any way sure how it had happened but suddenly his mouth was on hers and his arms were around her and he was pinning her down and between her legs. The memory of it still made her breathless. She had never slept with someone she hadn’t already been in a relationship with. She was the careful girl who needed more than just two bodies that felt right together. But it was Bucky and it had felt amazing.
The next day he had told her it would be best to keep it secret. After all, Steve would have opinions and Tony wasn’t his biggest fan either. It would be easier that way. She had her misgivings about it but she had agreed. It had to be hard for him getting into a relationship after had happened to him. He probably hadn’t even slept with anyone in decades after all. She let that sway her better judgement.
And now here she was, heart twisting as she watched him wrap his metal arm around the waist of… someone. Some woman. Some nobody. Right in front of her, in front of all of them. She was almost mad at Tony for even throwing this stupid party. She watched as he leant down, whispering something in the woman’s ear that made her giggle and lay her hand on his chest far too intimately. Her legs trembled as they headed toward the door, still entwined. It was blatantly, painfully obvious what they were heading off to do.
Putting down her drink before she dropped it, she stumbled out the room by a different exit. The sudden coolness of the air told her how flushed her face was. Despite the pain her new heels were causing she hurried back to her room not even making it there before the tears hit. Through a blurry haze she found her way inside, not even bothering to flip the light on before pulling off her shoes and throwing them across the room.
Perched on the edge of the bed, still in that stupid dress she had only worn so he would notice her, she sobbed into her hands. She was just catching her breathe again when a voice interrupted her.
She jumped at Tony's sudden appearance, quickly swiping the last tears from her eyes. Of course he had to turn up now. The bed dipped as he sat beside her, arms going around her. She leant against him without thinking.
“Sorry, that was a dumb question,” he said. “I saw what happened out there. Barnes is an idiot. He would be lucky to have a girl like you.”
She laughed bitterly. He could have had her but he didn't want her. Not really.
“I'm serious,” Tony told her, leaning back a little to see her tear-stained face through the darkness. “If he knew you liked him-”
“He does,” she interrupted, voice still tight from crying. She sniffed loudly and hung her head, ashamed. She had tried to avoid talking to Tony about her feelings for Bucky since she knew he liked her and hadn't wanted to hurt him but who else could she talk to about it now. “Clearly it doesn't change anything.”
“Honey, I'm sorry.” He pulled her back against him, pressing a kiss to her forehead and running his hands soothingly up and down her back. God, she was glad he was there. She was always glad he had her back. He knew when she was upset half the time before she even did. “Forget about him. He's not worth it.”
She nuzzled against his neck, hiding her face and whispered, “It's not that easy.”
“I know. You're going to have to see him around but...”
She shook her head, hating that she was going to tell him what had happened but knowing she needed to. She had to tell someone.
“It's worse than that,” she admitted. “The other week when you were all out on that mission we… we, um...”
Tony pulled back a little, trying to look at her face again.
Breathlessly she blurted out, “I slept with him.”
She chanced a look at his face and wished she hadn't. Even in the darkness she could see the shock, the pain her admission had caused. It made her heart twist knowing she had hurt him the way Bucky had just hurt her.
“No,” said Tony, shaking his head and pulling himself back together for her. Somehow that just made it worse. She didn't deserve his sweetness over this at all. “You don't need to apologise. He should be the one apologising for using you like that. I'm… I'm going to fucking kill him. How could he treat you like that?”
Instantly her arms were around his neck and she was pulling him to her before he could storm off somewhere and make a scene. She pressed her face against his neck, fingers digging fiercely into his back as she held him back from doing something stupid.
“It was my own fault. I knew it felt wrong. I just wanted it to work out so much and I… I was so lonely. I just wanted someone to like me.”
“But I liked you,” he said, voice cracking a little at how bare the words were. “I love you.”
She pulled back to look at him, at the bare honesty in his face. Maybe even a little fear that she was going to reject him. Her heart pounded so loud she could hear it and before she knew what she was doing she was kissing him.
Tony's arms tightened around her like he was scared she was going to change her mind any second but as soon as their mouths met something inside her had broken. The way he held her, the way he kissed her back, the way he needed her. She wanted that so badly. It hadn't been there with Bucky. That safety and warmth. Something in him had always felt detached, no matter how passionate he had been, no matter how willingly she had offered him everything. In the back of her mind some part of her had been holding back. Now she didn't care anymore. Not with Tony kissing her like he had been desperate for her for months.
Their hands roamed each other possessively, desperate and reckless in the dark of her room. Throwing caution to the wind as for once she didn't think about the consequences of her actions. She just wanted him to love her so badly.
“Are you sure?” he growled against her mouth. Even as he spoke his hands went under her dress, making her moan at the hurried way he touched her, wanting all of her all at once.
One arm around her waist, he turned them easily, lying her down on the bed. “This is a very bad idea,” he panted.
She looked up at him softly, saying “I'm all out of good ones,” before looping her arms around his neck and pulling him down with her.