Winter Sun •Soldiers Series• [Bucky Barnes/Avengers] *Sequel to Soldiers*

Chapter 9: The 89 Percent Plan

Bruce's workplace in Tony's garage never fails to amuse me. Once Bruce has promised that he's going to stay in New York for a while, Tony cleared out a bedroom and part of his garage immediately. He was pretty desperate for a science buddy. Now, sitting on one of Bruce's work desk, I watch while a tube drips into a swirling flask.

"That's just one of my hobbies," Bruce explains once he's caught me watching. "I've too much time on my hand." Tony agrees with a murmur in the back, which earns a bemused smile from Steve.

Once everybody had checked on me, Matron and Pepper had to return to their work, which leaves only Steve, Bruce, me and Bucky- I mean, James, since I have decided I'm going to take my time and get to know him again.

Speaking of the devil, the man catches my attention when he cusses, pulling a magnet off his metal arm and flicks it back at Tony. "Cut it out," he growls and crosses his arms. A delinquent smirk tugs at Tony's face, and Steve frowns at the billionaire in disapproval.

I watch the three of them with a strange feeling nagging my chest. James, the mysterious one, looks annoyed but his shoulders are loose with ease around my friends. It's almost as if he belongs to this picture, like he's the least thing that is out of place. Yet I simply can't place him in my head.

As if he has heard my thought, the man himself turns and level gaze with me. Those blue eyes stare back, and a tinge of sorrow stirs before he masks it with a thick wall of nothingness. Flushing consciously, I look away and give Bruce my full attention instead.

For the last ten minutes, the scientist has been tinkering with a bizarre device. It's metallic surface is rounded and resemble an odd helmet. Bruce throws a quick glance at me and pushes his glasses further up the bridge of his nose clumsily. With an apologetic grin, he remarks, "Should be done in a moment. Hold on."

"What's that supposed to be?" I quiz, jumping onto my feet as I do so. Instead of answering me, Bruce peers at Tony, who glances away after stealing a look from James. Strange.

"It should jolt your memory, if Tony and I aren't exactly wrong."

I arch an eyebrow and nod skeptical. "That sounds convincing," James chimes in, voicing my exact thought. He takes another step closer, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the odd device in Bruce's hand. Tony's face stiffens at once. Noting the strange exchange, Steve nudges Tony with his shoulder at once.

"It's just an idea," Tony slurs his words. The billionaire turns on his heels and picks up a wrench hesitantly. He starts knocking it at the table absentmindedly before carrying on, "Frosty here probably won't like our plan."

For a moment, the air is thick with silence. I have no idea what Tony was talking about, but both Steve and James' face pale considerably while Bruce busies himself with his work. When I think no one is going to make a move, James pushes himself off the table that he's been leaning on and almost launches himself at Tony. "Goddamnit, Stark," the man hisses and grabs Tony by his shirt's collar. Steve attempts to interfere but the playboy throws up a hand hastily to stop the soldier. "If you dare to touch her, I swear-" James seems to be at loss of words, but he's a mad man for sure. Merely an inch apart, Tony braves a smug expression and glares back.

"What are you going to do then, big guy? Are you going to kill me off too? Like what you did to my parents?" Tony's harsh words seem to have cut all threads loose. The room is stone cold, and I feel like I a witnessing something that I shouldn't know of.

All colours seem to have drained off of Steve's face. Bruce is no longer working on his device. He watches the scene tentatively over his glasses. James, like an deflated balloon, is shove back by Tony. His metal arm whirs when he tightens both hands into fists. In this very instant, he's like a caged animal, and Tony's the winning predator within the fighting ring.