Who Am I? » [Stucky]

70. Countdown

"We were wondering where the three of you had gotten to," Bruce uttered as he saw the lot of them come strolling back into the room, looking oddly more sullen than before, yet somehow, more at peace. There was something lax about the look on their tranquil faces, but a deep-seated sorrow dwelled in their eyes.

"Just a little heart to heart," Tony admitted, giving Bucky a small surreptitious glance out of the corner of his eye and Bucky gave him an affirming nod. Steve grinned around the room, overwhelmingly pleased the conflict had finally been resolved.

Steve went over to mingle with the others, being handed the precious glass stalk of a champagne glass and clasping it gracefully between finger and thumb before taking the smoothed edge to his lips and sipping. The bubbles fizzed in his mouth and he hummed soundly with a discerning expression on his face as the alcohol left a tang on his tongue and a warmth in his throat. He'd still never get used to the fact he couldn't get drunk.

Tony gave Bucky a tap on the side and a tilt of the head, gesturing for him to follow him over to a secluded desk in the corner. Bucky's curiosity having been ignited, he followed sheepishly after Tony and the pair gathered around the hi-tech computer, Bucky gazed intently at the luminous monitor as Stark swept through interfaces, swiping them with hand on the blue tinted screen projected up from a pad on the desk.

He gestured to a file entitled 'Winter Soldier' and Bucky's heart dropped slightly, his anxious smile faltering. He smiled up at Bucky secretively and grasped the file and tossed it into the deletion space outside of the monitor.

"Welcome to the family, Bucky," Tony said, offering an honourable handshake to Bucky.

"Thank you for having me," Bucky replied graciously, shaking it strongly and forcing a meek smile on to his otherwise apprehensive face.

"Can I get you a drink?" Tony offered fraternally, pulling a bottle of whiskey seemingly from out of nowhere and pulling a couple glasses from the same space beneath the desk.

It had no effect on him, but he saw no point in passing up on the beautiful taste of whiskey, some familiarity and comfort wouldn't go amiss. "Yeah, please..." Bucky mumbled self-consciously.

Stark gave him a quick smile, pouring another and pushing across the smooth worktop towards Bucky.

"Sorry again, about the..." Tony pulled a thinking face. "Disagreement..." He finished, a tad of humiliation on his face, and humility in his smile.

"It's fine. Let's leave the past in the past?" Bucky shrugged taking a small gulp of the burnt gold drink and giving a subtle appeased smile as the taste of the liquor tainted his tongue and lips.

"To moving forwards." Tony implemented a toast, raising the glass in his hand and tipping it towards Bucky.

The two glasses chimed as they glanced off one another in a civil toast, making a clear crystalline sound that rung out harmoniously and the drinks sloshed about in the receptacles. The two took a sip and then parted ways, both wandering over to the gang together, Tony lingering by Bruce and patting the man on the back to make sure he wasn't feeling too awkward and Bucky wrapping both arms around Steve's back, his heart fluttering with joy.

"You alright there, buddy?" Steve asked, attempting to angle his head to look at Bucky who had a pleasant love-drunk smile on his lips.

"More than alright," he admitted honestly, snuggling into Steve's back.

"Then why don't you come 'round here and give me a hug," Steve suggested, twisting himself and scrabbling with Bucky's arms until he had positioned himself around his front.