And I found love where it wasn't supposed to be

[shwarm_after]

WHO: Bucky and Tony
WHEN: lmfao who knows
WHAT: Soul Bond AU Tony gets captured. Flowers happen.



He was careless. That's what it all boiled down to. He was angry, frustrated, off his guard and for whatever stupid reason he decided to walk through the city. But that was his first mistake. He should have been more careful. He shouldn't have been up in his head, thinking about the soul bond. He shouldn't have been so angry at the soldier.

It was another stupid fight. A fight about whether or not they should tell anybody about their relationship. A fight where Tony wouldn't admit that he cared about his bond. A fight where Tony threatened to remove the damn name from his arm. It had him spitting out words like venom in an attempt to hurt Barnes. It had Barnes raising his voice and Tony couldn't take anymore. He left with a final 'Fuck off.' That anger had consumed him. It had distracted him.

And that's how he had ended up here. He was ambushed from behind. Without his suit, he was knocked out, and taken hostage. He didn't know where he was, but he was tied up to a table. His arms limbs were strapped down and his arms were in pain. A lot of pain, actually. Like someone had cut them. Why? Who would....?

He tried to blink the blurriness from his vision and only got a clear view of an overhead light that was blinding. There was so much light. Too much. He closed his eyes and tried moving again. Still couldn't move. He tried calling out to JARVIS, to Bucky, anyone and all he got was silence.

Where the hell was he?

Comments

[disassembling]

There was the rare time when Tony's attitude slipped between the cracks in his armour and touched on a nerve. There were times when the dislike of the bond and the fear of association with other people bothered him. Here and again, he felt as if little more than Stark's dirty little secret, and he would be better off sleeping on Steve's couch for the long-term. When his annoyance hit a point, he actually dug his heels in, set himself and fought back with the same tactic of when he had taken on missions for HYDRA: no mercy.

It was how their last fight had gone, and Tony had stormed out because he refused to back down. Steve deserved to know that there was a bond in the mix at the first least, but Tony didn't want anyone to know. It had been one of their worst fights because he had not backed down but surgically drove home his points until he had driven his bond right from the place to cool off. He had huffed and snorted as he paced the house, working off his energy before settling down to await Tony's loud return.

He felt a strange tingling along his flesh where his metal arm attached, but it wasn't entirely unusual with a prosthetic as advanced as his. He was only when he thought that his arm had gone dead that he had paid much attention to the sudden change. His arm responded perfectly and yet the tingling continued, and he felt a cold sweat break out over his flesh unexpectedly.

Tony.

He felt a momentary panic that Stark had finally successfully figured out a way to remove the bond, and he tore at his shirt to look at the scrawl of neat writing along his shoulder. It was still dark and unbroken, but he still rose and grabbed his tactical gear along with weapons to tuck on his person before he headed out in search of his bond. Who had Tony lipped off this time in a fit of rage and gotten clocked in the head?

He found the tire tracks but more importantly, he understood the drag of random lines on the ground. It was code; it was HYDRA code. He had been suspicious that HYDRA was slowly tracking him down, but now he had confirmation and worse, the organization that had held him captive for so long now had his bond. It was obviously a trap. No one left a note to an assassin without a contingency plan to capture them both.

The Soldier still went in search of his bond. Out of town, off the main roads, cutting through vast meadows of wild flowers and to the well hidden entrance. He settled and watched for activity, searching for sign of security and the number of agents associated with this nest. He should call Steve; instead, he loaded all of his guns and prepared to go in alone.

He took a moment to close his eyes and reach down the bond, searching for signs of Tony's health.

[shwarm_after]

He didn't know how long he was there for. Hours? A day? All he knew was that he was unable to move from the table. He couldn't move, he couldn't fight back. All he could do was tell these assholes to piss off.

Turns out that these assholes were part of HYDRA. There were a couple of demands that he help them build tech. A couple of orders for the secret to his arc reactor. Every demand just had Tony telling them to fuck off. Of course, that only earned him a couple of back hands to the mouth. Maybe even some pressure pressed against the wounds in his limbs (they forcibly removed the control nodes, the bastards). But regardless, of what they did, he wouldn't help them. He'd only continue to taunt them.

It wasn't until they they mentioned his bond that he got quiet. They knew that they had hit a nerve. When a finger slid along the name on his arm, he tried not to let out a shudder. They didn't just want him. They wanted Bucky. Tony closed his eye, practically prayed to a God he didn't believe in. Prayed that his bond wouldn't be stupid enough to come find him. He didn't know exactly what Hydra had done to control him, but he knew it could happen again. All they needed was the right distraction and they had that already.

Time passed by. Again, he didn't know how long. They were tired of waiting. There were more demands for the arc reactor and Tony only laughed in their faces.

That's when the needles came out.

Something was injected into his veins, right where the tattoo started on his wrist. He tried shaking them off, but they held him down. It was ice cold, thick. He could feel it as it circulated through his system. Feel each inch of his body slow down. It made his limbs heavy and no matter how much he struggled it was difficult to move them. Hands stroked his hair. That's better. Your compliance will help build a new world.

He wanted to scream. Wanted to fight back, but he couldn't move. All he could do was listen to the shuffle of equipment around him. The light overhead was sill bright and the hands were gone. How long was he like this? He couldn't tell. It was hard to think clearly. Hard to count the seconds. Everything seemed to blur together.

At least it did until he felt the first cut from the scalpel, right under the edge of the reactor in his chest. If he could scream, he would.

[disassembling]

As he watched, the entrance remained quiet. There was no sign of activity from without, which meant that everyone was locks snug and tight on the inside and had no reason to leave just yet. This was secluded enough where the activity to and from had to be kept specifically low or it would attract unwanted attention. There were satellite bases all over the country and not all of them were logged online for tracking. Some were word of mouth, so small it wasn't worth the ink they'd be written in. This was one of those, an off-the-grid place that would be limited in resources but still a bomb shelter in its own right. It was unclear how many agents or how big it was given the sprawling fields of flowers.

Time ticked by, and while his apprehension grew, he kept himself in check. Any rash decisions on his part could mean injury or death for Tony, both of which would stop him in his tracks. He checked his ammunition and weapon supplies and began to creep closer to the only entrance he had found. Only one way in and one way out.

Between one blink and the next, he felt a shift internally, a rising flood of worry in his guts. He had never experienced it before, but he instinctively knew what it was. His bond, Tony, was being injured and was in danger. There was something sluggish about the response as well, and that alarmed him more than the pain itself.

His chest felt tight and then it burned, and he immediately picked his way to the last meters to the entrance. He forced the door as quietly and quickly as he could, stepping through and ignoring the ladder to simply hop down and crush the unfortunate guard turning to look up at him. He shot the partner nearby.

Then all hell broke loose as his arrival was announced. He wore earplugs not to dim the sound but to ignore any words shouted at him. HYDRA would not control him. He ducked, dodged and slipped along the halls, avoiding what bullets he could, taking at least two and feeling the sting of tranquilizers.

He routed out the HYDRA forces, killing as many as he could as he began a systematic search for his bond. The pain was only increasing, making it difficult to breathe, and that was paired with the tranquilizers too. He fought and struggled through the combat, pummeling those without weapons and conserving his bullets.

He finally shouldered through a steel enforced door, stumbling in on a team working to remove his bond's arc reactor. He shot the man with the scalpel in the head. No questions asked. No mercy given. The others fled the room, aware of how outmatched they were.

He moved over to Stark and looked down at his bond. "Never do that to me again," he hissed and began to tear at the straps holding Tony down.

[shwarm_after]

There was gunfire. Gunfire and shouting, and Tony couldn't do anything about it. There was still a scalpel wedged between the reactor and his flesh, while another cut around the diameter. These guys didn't know what they were doing. They were going to kill him. If they removed the reactor for long enough, the shrapnel would travel to his heart and kill him. If they pulled the reactor out too fast, he'd go into cardiac arrest. He was more than likely going to die on this operating table and that wasn't the worst part.

The worst part was that Bucky would probably die, too. And if he was able to survive that, he'd be too weak to take on Hydra. He tried to thrash, but he still couldn't move. Whatever drugs were in his system had him paralyzed. He couldn't stop this from happening. The were going to kill him before the soldier could get here and then they'd both be dead-or worse, Bucky would live through it.

He wished he could have apologized to him. This entire time Tony had treated him like crap. He called him names, spat insults like venom, forced him to keep their bond a secret. There was so much he had done wrong and now he was going to get them both killed. He was selfish and stupid and this was all his fault. He'd never get to say he was sorry. He'd never get to admit that he-

The doors burst open. There was more shouting. The scalpel in his chest jerked and ripped something. If Tony could scream, he would. So instead, he screwed his eyes shut and just listened to the chaos surrounding him. More shouting, more gunshots. surgical tools dropping and scattering to the cold cement floor. The shuffle of feet running away.

And then silence.

Slowly he opened his eyes and bond's face came into view. Despite the situation, an immediate sense of relief washed over him. Sure, he was probably bleeding out, drugged, and trapped in a Hydra base, but that didn't matter. Bucky was alive. He was alive, and Tony wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around him and never let go. It was selfish. There was part of him that wanted to tell his bond to get out of here. He'd only slow Bucky down and they'd both be trapped. But then there was the part that wanted him that was selfish and didn't want him to go.

His bond hissed something and Tony closed his eyes. He couldn't apologize. He couldn't even open his mouth if he tried. However could feel his eyes water. If Bucky were to ask him about it later, Tony would just blame the drugs in his system or the pain in his chest.

[disassembling]

Now that he had assured himself that Tony was indeed alive and functional to a degree, he examined the welling blood around the arc reactor and hissed like an angry cat. He should have aimed his bullet lower so that one doing the cutting suffered a little longer, but no, this was more important. He needed to stanch the flow of blood and make certain that nothing was damaged enough that would require immediate medical intervention.

He stepped away long enough to right the door and barricade it so that he could work on Tony and not have to worry as much about getting shot again. Returning, he grabbed some gauze from the mayo stand and mopped up the blood, looking at the worst of the incision which had traveled because of the gunshot. "I'm going to have to suture this closed before you leave, alright? Are you in pain? Blink once for yes, twice for no."

He had seen that Tony could move his eyes at least but couldn't speak. He ignored the tears as they were currently unimportant to getting them out of here, and if anything, they would keep Tony busy trying to repress them. He reached beyond his bond to the supplies, searching through for suture and a needle. He looked at his bond, dropping his hand to rest on the name scrawled on Tony's arm, feeling the warmth of their bond.

"There will be reinforcements soon, but we're in this together, understand? I won't leave you to them or anyone else."

[shwarm_after]

He could feel the gauze press against his wound and his breath almost hitched. He was in so much pain. He hadn't felt anything like this since his time in Afghanistan. Then again, these were almost the same conditions. Just trade one terrorist organization for another. The only difference this time was the bond he now shared with Bucky and his rescue.

Bucky who was rattling through the tools and cleaning him up. If they survived this, Tony was going to make it up to him.

The hand on his name was comforting. Even though he was probably going to die, the warmth of their bond helped calm him a bit. He took a breath, still tried to move his mouth or make a sound, but it wasn't happening. He slowly blinked once. to answer the his soul mate's question. There was so much more he wanted to say, but he was stuck like this until whatever they had injected him with wore off.

He focused, tried moving something, anything just to show that he understood what Bucky was saying. His efforts weren't in vain. It took more effort than it should have, and it was exhausting and almost painful, but he was able to move his left hand a bit. Maybe his bond would notice. Maybe not, considering he was probably preoccupied with Tony's gaping chest wound.

[disassembling]

It was clear that HYDRA had been intent on acquiring the arc reaction which was keeping Tony alive, given the way that the flesh was incised. He dabbed at the blood between touching his bond and then preparing to add some sutures for the worst of the wounds. He paused when he noted the small shift in hand, understanding the gesture and leaning down to kiss Tony on the mouth in reply. "Stay still now. This will be quick and then we will leave."

For him, the idea of pain was a distant one. His own tolerance was extreme because it had been built up through years of torture, so as he settled down to apply some sutures to the scalpel made wound, it didn't enter his mind to give Tony a pain medication first. He had sutured himself on multiple occasions, understood the level of pain but always the press of time and need for mental clarity kept him from bothering with any for himself.

So he stitched quickly and with a tilt of his head that was all for listening of sign that they were no longer alone. He dabbed at the blood welling between working, and once he was finished, he forced Tony's body up high enough that he could get a bandage around the arc reactor and the sutures. It would have to do in order to both keep it clean and hide evidence of who his bond was to normal lay people that they might actually pass by on the way back into the city.

He lifted his head at the faint sound that he recognized as new agents. They had come fast, probably a second hide-away close by. HYDRA liked to do that, and he figured it was the two heads mantra.

"Alright, we are going to have to go. If I have to abandon you here, it will only be briefly to draw them away. I will come back." He was talking as he muscled Tony off of the table and under his left arm, which he considered safest of the two. He ignored the pools of blood from where he had been standing; he ignored all injury to himself.

[shwarm_after]

The kiss was comforting. It didn't mean that everything would be better. It didn't even mean that they'd even make it out of this room alive. But at least they were together. It was almost funny that Tony was now thinking that. He never thought he'd be relieved to see Barnes, yet here they were.

Now if he could get through this, he could finally tell him.

He was used to pain. He was used to needles and control nodes inserted into his body. He was used to the occasional burn and scrape of the hammer. He was even used to getting thrown across a room by a Norse God. But this? This pain? No, he'd only experienced something like this once before in his life. This wasn't the same as the doctors cracking his sternum or the initial surgery, but it still hurt. He could feel each stitch, each stab of the needle press through his flesh.

But he waited patiently. It was all he could do. Sweat dripped from his forehead and his eyes screwed shut. The drugs more or less kept his breathing even, even when he was lifted so that Bucky could bandage him up.

In the distance there was the faint sound of steps. Reinforcements had arrived and Bucky was already lifting him up and into his arms. Tony was limp. Useless. He wanted to do more to help but all he could do was close his eyes and listen to his bond's words. He could feel something sticky against his side. Blood? He wasn't injured on his side. At least he didn't thi-

No.

Tony tried moving again. His bond needed help. He needed to get patched up. He needed something. He put all of his effort into moving, yet the only thing he could twitch again, was his left hand.

[disassembling]

He forced the door back open to the hallway, peeking out carefully for sign of the new agents that would be doing a systematic search. The problem was that they were between him and the exit, given there was only one in this place. That was problematic with Tony who was in no position to defend against bullets or whatever else might be flying. At this point, with the alarm raised, it could be drug tranquilizers to bring him down as safely as possible.

He could hear the footfalls and how they were getting closer to this location, and he hefted his sidearm as he stepped out into the hallway and began his silent march back the way that he had come. He stepped over the bodies of those he had decimated when entering, and the first burst of gun fire was not at all daunting because he lifted his right hand and returned fire.

He understood it gave away his location. He was shielding Tony with his body as much as possible as some of the team moved in formation to engage, and as he had thought, most of them were not firing bullets. They wanted both himself and Tony alive, but he was determined that wasn't about to happen. He gave no quarter as he returned fire, avoiding darts where he could but taking what he must as he drove the team back into the room even as he dropped a few.

The Soldier stooped to grab discarded weapons from the floor as he made his slow progress, pulling Tony along until the way out was clear and then he simply ran for it. He shifted his bond up onto his left shoulder so that he could pull himself up the ladder that would put him into the open fields of wild flowers, ignoring the deadening sensation of his fingers and toes. It would spread he knew.

Up and up he went, bursting out of the exit and fleeing into the field where he pretended to collapse. He placed Tony down gently, touching his bond's face with numbed fingers. "I'm going to lead them away. I will come back for you, alright?"

It wasn't a question he expected to come with an answer. He was already uprooting entire patches of wild flowers, digging a hole in the earth where he could safely hide his bond from searching HYDRA agents. It was the best he could do, and he admitted that Tony looked very handsome covered in red flowers. He leaned down and kissed his bond one last time before he rose and fled towards the trees.

[shwarm_after]

Bullets and tranquilizers whizzed by. Tony felt one graze his arm. He heard the occasional dart make contact with his bond and he

They were outside and a good distance away. Tony still couldn't move. He couldn't chastise Bucky for being an idiot. He couldn't give a sigh of relief when they were outside. Instead, all he could do was keep his breathing at a normal rate, or at least a relatively normal one. His face was more or less buried in the crook of Bucky's neck and all he could reallly do was listen to everything happening around him. He was useless. and it was an awful feeling.

But eventually they were out. The cool night air hit his skin and the scent of something (flowers?) filled his nostrils. where were they? He still had no idea. But maybe they'd have a chance at getting out of here alive. Maybe the drugs would wear off and then they'd make their way back home. This was already starting to look like the ending to a bad action flick. Maybe they'd find a happy ending.

Or maybe Bucky would collapse to the ground in a field of flowers. Tony could feel stems break under their weight. He tried shifting again. Maybe he could carry himself and save his bond, but no. He still couldn't move aside from a random twitch or subtle jerk. Whatever they had injected him with was slowly wearing off, but the keyword there was slow. He wasn't going to move anytime soon. At least not in a way that was helpful.

He wanted to know what was Bucky was doing. He could hear the uprooting of flowers. He could feel them against his skin as they were thrown on. Was he coveri-No. No, no, no. He wasn't going to do this. If Bucky lead them away he would be captured, or worse. He needed to take a minute. He needed help.

Tony put all of his effort into moving, making a sound, something. He hoped that his worry transferred through their bond, that somehow, Bucky knew his thoughts. There were lips against his for a brief moment and Tony let out a soft sound. Be careful.

And then he was gone. Off into the woods, leaving Tony alone and buried in flowers. He couldn't see anything but the night sky ahead. He couldn't hear anything aside from the distant sound of steps and gunfire.

There is also a missing sentence end at the start XD

[disassembling]

The Soldier nuzzled against Tony, aware that time was not on their side right now and with his bond both injured and paralyzed, he couldn't risk dragging Tony along. He stood and stumbled, taking a moment to rip a tranquilizer dart from his thigh and tossing it aside. There was a numbness spreading through his muscles, but he stamped his foot on the ground to force blood through the limb to have momentary control again.

And into the woods he disappeared, using the advantage of the terrain to evade his quarry that were determined to find him, determined to hunt him. Despite his best efforts, he left spots of blood on the ground, a smear on tree bark, and he even began to slow as the minutes ticked by. He attacked the formation where there appeared to be opportunity, but he had to stop when his motions were too sluggish and his limbs threatened to collapse him. Then it was all about getting distance, all about pulling everyone alive away from the open field of wild flowers where he was dully aware that his bond was safe.

He doubled back, stumbling and falling, crawling where he must. What was left of the team moved in, perhaps sensing an end to his ability to fight back. He used the last of his strength and coordination to kill them all and crush their trackers. It was a brutal scene of bodies where he collapsed down into a bed of leaves, breathing quickened and short as he fought against the tranquilizers and the bullet holes in his body.

The Soldier found comfort in his bond, the warm pulse of it. He clung to it, able to judge the distance between them but also to know that while Tony was panicked and anxious, his bond was safe. He could almost smell the flowers that surrounded Stark. It was that idea which allowed him to fall into a dreamless state of unconsciousness.

That's what happens when I tag at 2 am orz

[shwarm_after]

Tony didn't know exactly how long he laid there. He listened to the sound of gunfire in the distance and feet shuffling as he watched the night sky lighten up. There was distant shouting. Running. Occasionally, he would hear a nearby twig snap and estimate how far away someone was. Hold his breath, hope that they wouldn't come any closer.

And then it was quiet. The only thing he could ear was the sound of morning birds as they started to wake. He could feel the the early morning dew against his skin, dripping from the flowers surrounding him. It was just another morning and he still couldn't move a goddamn muscle.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. There was some movement in his hands and feet. He could move his fingers, twitch the muscles in his face. Breath at a pace he decided. Slowly, he was getting mobility back in his body. It was a slow process, but it was happening and he was at least thankful for that. While he waited, he closed his eyes and concentrated on his bond. While he had reached out before, he had never really done it intentionally. Any past experience had been by accident.

But now? Now he was going to try using this

He was nearby. Tony didn't know exactly how far or where he was, but he was alive and that was all that mattered. Now he could focus on getting his body to move. Slowly, he lifted one of his arms. It was heavy and exhausting, but he had to get out of here. Eventually each limb followed until he pushed himself to sit up. At that, he had to let out a groan of pain. His chest still hadn't healed and each movement was a painful reminder. Still, it didn't deter him. Not when he knew his bond was nearby.

The flowers were still covering him, and he pushed them off. Of course they were red. What were the odds of that happening? Sometimes it felt like his life was one goddamn trope after another.

Whatever, he had more important things to do.

He pushed himself up, and walked on unsteady legs. They didn't have time for clothes during their big escape, so he was still naked. Leave it to Hydra to strip him down to nothing. Hell, at least the Ten Rings gave him pants. But at least there was no one around to see him like this. And if they did, well, a naked guy in the woods would probably be the least surprising thing around since there happened to be a trail of fallen soldiers and bodies.

Tony wasn't sure whether or not to be proud of his bond or terrified.

Seeing so many dead was both a relief and a worry. If they were dead, then at least they weren't going to attack him and it probably meant that Bucky was alive. But the problem was that they were dead. It was just another reminder of what kind of weapon his soulmate was. A reminder of how deadly and dangerous he was if put under the right circumstances.

At least he could get some clothes off these guys. It wasn't like they needed it. He undressed one of the fallen agents and slipped on a pair of pants and a shirt along with some boots, noticing the Hydra logo embossed on them. He'd have to remember to change out of these as soon as he could. Jeez, for a secret Nazi Death Cult, this Hydra was the least subtle organization he'd ever seen.

He also grabbed a gun and began to shuffle his way through the forest. It was slow, and he had to make multiple stops to catch his breath. If he moved too much, or too soon, the stitches in his chest would rip. If he over exerted himself, he'd pass out from exhaustion. So he slowly followed the trail of bodies and blood along the trees.

A part of him already knew that some of this blood belonged to Bucky. He'd seen and felt him bleeding earlier. But the more he saw it along the way, the more he worried. He quickened his pace, ignored the pain in his chest, the burning in his limbs. He just followed the tail of death until it ended with a puddle of fresh blood.

Fresh blood and no soldier.

He looked around, kept his eyes to the horizon. Where would his bond go? He couldn't keep running forever, right? And then his foot hit something. Something soft. Something-

"Holy shit," Tony practically fell to his knees and brushed the leaves off the body. It was Bucky. He was passed out, and bleeding, and Tony had no idea what to do. Check if he was breathing, stop the blood, wake him up if he could?

"Come on, wake up!" Please be alive.

[disassembling]

The Soldier was unaware of how long he was unconscious for, but his healing factor was already staunching most of the flow of blood from his body by the time he became aware of someone calling to him. It was difficult to rouse himself, his limbs heavy and sluggish, his mouth feeling like it was filled with cotton and his brain wanting nothing more than to sleep. For him, it didn't matter that he was sleeping in a pile of leaves and that most of them were covering him. It didn't matter that the stench of death was rising around his position, likely to draw the attention of carrion birds and thus people.

He twitched at the demand to wake up, his fingers curling for a moment before the effort became too much again, and he went limp again. His rib cage expanded with each breath that he took, but he was reluctant to wake with both the injuries that he had suffered but more the tranquilizers that his body was processing to remove from his system.

Yet, he was aware of his bond on some level of his mind as he shifted enough to momentarily reach for Tony. He didn't make it all the way, but the move was obvious as he took comfort in the fact that his bond was present. It brought with it a sense of warmth and safe, something that he felt around far too few people. If anything, it allowed him to settle down to work through the drugs even more, to filter it out of his blood even as his body made motions to staunch the gunshot wounds.

[shwarm_after]

Tony saw the shift, saw the reach for him before the drop. He grabbed Bucky's hand, gave it a squeeze. Did it help with the situation? Probably not, but it was comforting. He had to let his bond know that he was here. He had to let him know that they still had a chance at getting out of here.

There were things he needed to do. What, exactly, he didn't know. He needed to stop. He needed to clear his head, stop the panic from building up. He took a breath before he looked over the soldier's body and wounds. He could do this. e could figure it out. He knew basic biology, and the human body was just like a fleshy gooey machine.

He was good with machines.

Alright he could do this. He looked over his bond's body and brushed off the leaves where he could. There were multiple bullet holes and cuts. He didn't have the tools he needed to dig out bullets, but he could at least stop the blood flow. He quickly took off the shirt he'd stolen off one of the dead Hydra agents and began ripping it. It wasn't like there weren't more nearby that he could take.

Using the strips of cloth as a tourniquet, he wrapped them around the more serious wounds. Anything else would just have to wait. He needed to stop the bleeding and apply pressure. Maybe the super soldier serum was going to take effect and start healing him. Depending on how it healed, it could mean more problems further down the road. But if they got out of here alive, they'd deal with those problems then.

When he was finished, he tried standing. He needd to get his Bucky out of here. But the minute he tried standing, he stumbled and ended back on his knees. His head felt light. His body still felt heavy. He had burned through some of the drugs in his system, but the lingering effects were still there. His chest also ached and stung. If he wasn't careful, he would rip the stitching.

He looked down at his bond, brushed a strand of dark hair from his face. He readied the gun he'd picked off one of the dead bodies before he settled down next to the soldier's side. His arm laid over his chest in a protective hold. He couldn't move them now, but he could protect his bond from anything that would harm him.

[disassembling]

He was distantly aware of the squeeze to his hand, and a part of him relaxed into the grip of the drugs now that he was aware that Tony was both safe and here to watch over him. It never entered his drug addled brain that his bond could hurt him; it simply wasn't in his nature not to trust his bond completely and a part of him was very much aware of Tony's insecurities in regards to himself and the link that connected them.

He was unable to assist with the binding of his wounds, but he was aware of it occurring all the same. It was difficult to have his mind keep up with the events, slowed as it was, and before he could truly fathom what was happening, his wounds had make-shift bandages that applied pressure to the wounds that he bore. His healing factor was not particularly slowed by the tranquilizers and worked to cease the blood flowing from his injuries.

The Soldier was forced to sleep off the tranquilizers, but thankfully being enhanced with super-soldier serum meant that his metabolism burned hot enough that he processed the heavy duty drugs faster than most. He began to shift and move within thirty minutes after being laid out flat on the ground, his head still groggy and his limbs heavy. He propped himself up long enough to find Tony poised with a gun and rolled over until he could nestle against Stark and cuddle right there amid the dead.

He was not yet ready to move and there didn't appear danger approaching them at present. Tony was cool and comfortable, smelling of flowers and sweat and blood, none of those he found issue with.

"You okay to move soon?"

[shwarm_after]

Tony was ready for anything to come at them. He didn't have a whole lot of ammo in his gun, but he could hold them off. Plus, Bucky had a few weapons on him as well. But eventually as time went on, exhaustion slowly overtook him. He was practically dozing off again. The only comfort he had was the fact that his bond next to him was alive for the time being.

And then he felt his bond shift and move and Tony's eyes snapped open. At first it had startled him, but he immediately realized that it was his bond who was snuggling him.

He dropped the gun and immediately moved to kiss Bucky. Even if the sudden movement hurt his aching muscles and pulled at his chest, he didn't care. His bond was awake, he was alive, and Tony was grateful for that. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of the forest. It didn't matter that they were in the middle of the forest covered in leaves. It didn't matter that there were dead bodies ten feet away. It didn't matter that his bond was a killer or that they were both were seriously injured.

The only thing that mattered right now was that they were both here. Alive. Momentarily safe. They didn't need to move soon, right?

"I'm sorry," It's whispered against Bucky's lips before Tony goes in to kiss him again.

[disassembling]

The Soldier could admit to being surprised by the suddenness of Tony's lips on him, and he was slower to respond than usual only because of the tranquilizers still lingering in his system. He slipped his arm around his bond's back and held on, listening beyond them to the sounds of the forest and searching for signs of suspicion. This felt nice and the smell of the earth under them was calming.

It seemed to him that Tony was alright, was more or less safe and not losing a substantial amount of blood. That was all that mattered to him, and it gave him peace of mind enough to not force himself into action. They could take a moment to rest and recover, to be assured of one another even if it felt as if Tony was somewhat desperate and anxious.

He moaned into the kiss, acknowledging the apology. He managed to lift a hand to stroke his fingers numbly through his bond's hair before pulling back from the next kiss. "For what?"

[shwarm_after]

Tony didn't want to move. There was an arm around his back lips against his own. Another was in his hair and Tony didn't want it to end. His hand went to cup and stroke the side of Bucky's face, feeling the constant stubble that his bond all but refused to shave off.

Everything was perfect. Bucky was alive, Tony was alive. There was the smell of earth, the lingering smell of flowers that clung to Tony, sweat, and was was probably their blood. That last bit should have been worrying, but He'd ignore it for now. They didn't need to get out of here.

Okay, that was a lie, they probably should get out of there asap. Plus, his chest was still in pain.

He pulled away, but still pressed his forehead against his bond's.

"For this--For everything." For every harsh word he spat at his soul mate. For the months he kept him hidden in the dark. For all the fights and all of the sleepless nights. For being so stubborn that he got them both involved with Hydra again.

There was too much to apologize for.

[disassembling]

He was tired, but that was the tranquilizers he was still trying to process through his blood stream. For some reason, he was not alarmed by the fact that he couldn't move much, that anything he did was careful and slow. It was too much effort to feel alarm, and there was safety knowing that his bond was here as safe and sound as possible given the incident that had lead them to this very spot in the middle of the forest.

He decided that Tony was having one of those 'snuggly' moments that were so rare and generally only brought out after a big fight and stress. His eyes fluttered with the press of their foreheads, the warmth that spread through his skull because of it. The name along his shoulder tingled pleasantly, the bond digging ever deeper with this newfound set of apologies. Somehow it felt very important, but he dismissed it because he was in love and that's what mattered most right now.

His fingers lazily stroked the small of Tony's back, his breathing even enough that he could have easily fallen asleep again. He didn't; he hummed softly at Tony instead. "We haven't slept in the forest before; I don't see how that's anything to apologize for."

A part of him understood the sentiment that was being broadcast here, but he couldn't muster the appropriate response. He couldn't gather enough brain power to say what he had always told him that he would if this played out just like this. No, he savoured it, the closeness, the apology.

"We should do camping sometime, don't you think? When you're healed. When I'm healed."

[shwarm_after]

"You're an idiot," he huffed a laugh as he pressed his lips to his bond's cheeks. I was stupid for them to be out here like this. It was dumb, and idiotic and they needed to move and find somewhere else to hide out. Tend to their wounds. Figure out what to do next.

But instead, Bucky's hand was stroking he small of his back. It had to be the drugs making him feel this way. Usually he was the first to think of strategy. He was always the first one to think about what they should be doing and their survival. But no, he was practically cuddling Tony, making stupid suggestions. Vacation plans.

"Yeah, we'll go camping," he whispered. "We'll get a trailer--A tent, even. See the great outdoors." He pressed his lips to Bucky's again and ran his fingers through his long hair. The name on his arm tingled pleasantly. There was so much that they needed to do, but he just wanted to stay here with his bond. "We'll build a fire and keep warm."

He'd promise anything at this point. It would make up for everything that happened. It'd make up for all the crap he put his bond through.

[disassembling]

"Maybe. I know I can't even touch on your brilliance," he agreed wistfully, his mind and voice almost in a far away place. There was no particular concern but this conversation and the occasional feel of Tony's lips against his skin. It assured him that, at least right now, this pocket that they existed in was fine the way it was. Why move when they had this right now?

However, he still liked the idea of camping, of just getting away from the hustle and bustle of the city, of a continued avoidance of when the Avenger's might arrive, of the questions that lead to fighting. They could leave all of that behind and sit around a campfire with a little tent waiting for them. Simplicity. Yes, he thought that would do them both good to experience, especially Tony who was always caught up with creating and exploring the highest level of technology and advancement.

"Tent," he whispered almost sleepily. "I want to sleep in a tent with just one big sleeping bag. Maybe a blanket for over top in case it gets cold for you over night. One big pillow and us wearing nothing but socks." He was rambling in a soft way, not even thinking of the words that were spilling from him. Normally, he would hold most of those wants to himself, set them out one-by-one carefully to gauge Tony's reaction to each first before moving on. Strategy. Systematic. Now, he just murmured it all without pausing for much breath. "No one should find us. We can enjoy the isolation of it just being together and alone."

His fingers continued the caressing, a low hum leaving him as he began to trail off as if he might sleep again. Everything seemed safer and calmer with Tony in his arms; a part of him still considered rousing them both to return to the wild flowers and lay among them. Soon, he decided. Later, he thought.

[shwarm_after]

Even though he was awake, it was obvious that the drugs were still in Bucky's system. His voice was soft, almost dream-like. He was rambling about camping, and Tony was just going to go along with it. There was the voice in the back of his mind that wanted to laugh at the idea of camping. He'd never be caught dead in a tent. He'd never be caught in the woods. That simple life just wasn't for him. He was more at home surrounded by machinery than he was anywhere else. But if he was honest with himself, the idea of sharing a sleeping bag didn't sound awful. Hell, the idea of them being alone without worrying about anyone else finding them was appealing. Maybe Tony'd get them a cabin out in the woods. It'd be a nice compromise.

"Sounds good," he said softly. He practically relaxed into Bucky's hold. The soldier's fingers continued caressing his back in lazy movements. He was ridiculously affectionate and almost too relaxed. He was speaking with an open honesty, that was really more endearing than it should be. Tony pressed his face to the crook of Bucky's neck and breathed in the scent that was a mixture of sweat and something that distinctly belonged to the Soldier. Whatever it was, it made the name on his arm tingle.

But then Bucky's voice trailed off in a soft hum, and Tony figured he was about to fall asleep again. In all honesty, the guy did deserve a break. Hell, after everything they went through in the last 24 hours, they both deserved to take rest. The only problem was that they weren't out of the woods just yet. Literally. They still had to move. They couldn't risk being here for much longer. The trail of bodies would eventually lead someone here. There was also the fact that both of them probably needed medical attention.

"Hey, hey, hey," He said in a gentle but firm voice. Or at least as gentle as he could sound. He didn't want to sound too panicked. "You need to stay awake, big guy." He pulled back a bit so he could look at Bucky and his hand gently guided the soldier to look at him. "We need to move soon."

[disassembling]

That was practically agreement from Tony, and with his bond name humming pleasantly against his flesh, there didn't seem a need to bother himself about the environment. He had driven off or killed the hunting party, and while he logically knew that reinforcements would come, he thought that because Tony had made the journey from flowers to him that they were safe enough for the time being. They could rouse themselves... later. He just needed to rest for a little while longer, to process the strong tranquilizers meant to down him long enough for HYDRA to have the ability to round him up and secure him.

Yet, before he had a chance to completely sink into the numbness of his flesh again, he heard Tony's attempt to rouse him. He hummed again, struggling back to being wakeful through the fog of drugs clouding his mental thoughts, but after a few moments, he managed to open his eyes again and peer at Tony. He needed to stay awake apparently. The corner of his lips tugged for a dreamy smile before his eyes flicked from Tony's face to around them to take stock of their surroundings.

They were practically camping now, he decided after a moment. Trees overhead, the birds giving tentative calls to one another, the smell of the earth under them. They didn't have very good cover, he decided, and it wouldn't serve them any good if it happened to start raining. The sky that peeked between the tree tops appeared to be blue, but it seemed pointless to consider more than that.

"Where are we going? This seems like a nice enough spot." Tony's body was, of course, blocking out most of the signs of his previous struggle with the HYDRA soldiers. "It's nice and quiet, secluded... we could probably even have sex and not get caught, right?"

[shwarm_after]

For a moment, Tony was afraid Bucky was going to knock out again. He was still too weak to carry them both through the forest. He gave one of Bucky's shoulders a gentle shake and called his name again. Then Bucky's eyes opened again and Tony breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't entirely focused, but he was awake and that was a start.

Tony had to let out a chuckle at the suggestion of them having sex. Normally, he'd be the first one to make that kind of suggestion but one of them had to think straight and it obviously wasn't Bucky. He had a stupid smile plastered on his face and his eyes kept searching around lazily. Whatever he was thinking, it wasn't going to get them out of here quickly. That quick tactical brain was almost reduced to a gooey cuddly pile of mush.

It was actually kind of cute. Maybe under different circumstances, Tony would want to see how long he could keep his bond like this. It was so rare that either of them could be this carefree and enjoy the moment. In fact, he had never seen Bucky so damn happy in his life. For a guy with bullet wounds, he was doing great. Despite the pain in his chest, Tony couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, we could," he brushed back some of Bucky's hair from his face and plucked out a leaf. They were probably covered in them, but they'd deal with that later. Maybe when he could get Bucky to focus on something that wasn't goofy and fun. Maybe if he could actually convince his bond to get up and start moving.

"I like it here too," Well, not necessarily here, but he liked being with Bucky like this. He liked the quiet. If he wasn't worried about someone stumbling on them, he'd suggest they stay here for a little while longer. "But we gotta get you patched up. We can set up camp somewhere else."

[disassembling]

He leaned into the fingers that brushed through his hair, his eyes fluttering but not closing again just yet. They had been laying here in this spot long enough for the forest to return to a tentative sense of balance but also long enough for HYDRA's survivors to try to make sense of the random signs of violence all over the place. Eventually, he knew that they would be found if they stayed here, but somehow that still seemed like some other time than now. There was no urgency, one of the reasons he didn't simply jump up and take them out of here as he normally would.

He shifted where he lay, feeling the throb of bullet wounds and punctures from the tranquilizer darts as well. They had been barbed to make certain that they stuck to deliver their product after all, and while his healing factor was at work, the idea that Tony wanted to patch him up, to tend to him was appealing. It was even more appealing that going back to sleep in the quiet woods.

Slowly, he dragged his limbs back to himself and then under him so that he could struggle to rise from where he had come to lay. There were a few signs of blood from his wounds, but he had enough sense to look around as he rose, spotting the dead soldiers nearby and looking for signs that others may be in the area, but so far, there was nothing. It was a slow but supreme effort to get his feet under him and for the Soldier to return to standing position. He seemed to sag under his own weight, his eyes closing as if he might once again just sleep but he shifted and looking down at Tony.

"You probably need to dig some bullets out of me," he finally said, humming as if the thought was attractive rather than repulsive. He looked around as if trying to determine which direction to take them, for once not on top of his game of paranoia and defense of his bond. "What do you say to that way?" He pointed to a small game trail to their left, one that headed towards civilization though he wouldn't know it in his current state.

[shwarm_after]

There was a moment where Tony thought that Bucky would just want to lay there even longer. They had stayed here long enough. They had to get going soon or else someone would find him.

But fortunately Bucky wanted to move. Tony watched him slowly push himself up. He would have helped, but he was also exhausted. Keeping a drugged up loopy soldier was exhausting. He watched him get up and practically sag. It was such a contrast from how Bucky usually was. He was always rigid, uptight, even. But now? Now he was a tired old soldier that had been hit with one too many tranquilizers.

Tony half wondered if this was how he was like if he ever got drunk. He'd look into that later.

Tony gave Bucky an incredulous look when he sounded almost pleased at getting bullets dug out of him. That had to be the drugs talking, because nobody liked getting bullets or any piece of metal taken out of there body. Hell, it was why he still had the arc reactor embedded in his chest. Granted, his situation was a little unique. Regardless, he didn't think the idea of digging out metal was... romantic. Or sexy.

Who knew what the soldier was thinking in his drug-addled brain.

But he eventually stood up, groaning when his chest pain flared up. Yeah, he was going to have to get that looked at soon. Hopefully he didn't rip a stitch or two during all of this. He made his way to Bucky's side, making sure to take his stolen gun with him. One of them could be loopy, but someone had to be on their A-game.

"Sounds good," He grabbed Bucky's hand and laced their fingers together. If he could, he'd put a toddler leash on him. But he at least chose an area that was going in the opposite direction of the bodies. Where the path lead, they didn't know, but away from Hydra was a good idea. "You good to lead the way, soldier?"

[disassembling]

The Soldier watched Tony rise with a concerned air about him, shifting closer but not actually assisting his bond to stand. There was always a part of him that expected others to be able to rise on their own in such situations and that his assistance would negate the attempt. If it was clear that Tony couldn't rise, then he would certainly assist, but his bond was strong and even wounded was capable of rising painfully.

He noted the gun that Tony was holding, and he was armed himself. Now that he was up, defending his bond shifted up his priority list even in his drug-addled haze. He looked down when Tony took his hand, distracted from the idea he would step up to murder anyone that threatened his bond's health and safety again, and he instead wiggled his fingers to feel the shift of Tony's around his own. It was a pleasing sensation he decided and held on lightly.

"I will lead," he confirmed, trudging towards that small game trail. He took them slowly along it, tilting his head this way and that in an attempt to catch sounds beyond that of a normal forest. Squirrels scolded them overhead and birds took up their sound the further they moved from the scents of death, though they brought with them blood and pain. It was necessary to slip off, he decided.

They encountered no resistance as they trudged along the game trail, and he picked the branches based on some phantom idea in his head. He didn't know how long they stumbled and shambled along together, but after some time, they found the edge of this particular forest patch and he looked out over the entrance of some kind of ranger road. Roads lead to civilization.

So did vehicles. There was a park ranger's truck stopped and he glanced back at Tony. He could approach and kill the ranger, though there was no telling if the individual was even in the vehicle at all or perhaps walking the trails. "Yes or no?"

[shwarm_after]

Bucky wiggled his fingers and Tony gave a light squeeze in return. No, they weren't the type to hold hands like a couple of lovesick teens but they could indulge a bit if they wanted to. He smoothed his thumb over Bucky's hand. Maybe it was to keep Bucky in line, maybe it was to sooth Tony's own nerves. Who knew.

They made their way up the the trial, breaking branches and twigs under their feet. Tony tried to keep his eye out out for anything that was out of the ordinary but so far, it all just sounded like everything was normal. All he could hear was the sound of bird calling out to each other and the occasional rustle of leaves.

Eventually they reached the edge of the forest and found the road. The road went two ways, but only one lead far away from the Hydra base. There was also the truck at the side of the road. Tony couldn't tell if it was empty, but if they could use it to get the hell away from here, it'd be great. Maybe he could even find a way to contact someone they knew.

"Just don't kill anyone," he sighed and let go of Bucky's hand. The last thing they needed was to spill the blood of some innocent ranger just doing his job. However, Tony lifted the gun and took aim.

Someone had to cover Bucky.

[disassembling]

The Soldier surveyed the road but more the truck, which would provide them both cover and a faster route to leaving. He had no doubt that Tony could hotwire it if necessary, not that he wasn't skilled in such a way. He simply wanted to appreciate Tony's skill, no more and no less.

He nodded but made no promises as he left his bond's side and all the effects of the drugs and his injuries pulled back as he made a quick, quiet and deadly approach to the vehicle. His eyes flicked around in search of sign of danger as he moved around to the driver's side and was able to identify that the truck was empty of the driver. He checked the door but found it locked, but he lifted a hand to wave Tony over; he was not about thieving a vehicle in order to remove them from a potentially dangerous situation.

He smashed the small window just behind the driver's seat and then reached in to open the door and then climbed inside to investigate the contents. There were extra ammunition for a rifle, but the weapon itself was missing. There were preserved supplies of food and bottles of water, extra blankets and a radio that was currently off. He swung into the passenger's seat to open the door for his bond.

"It seems safe enough. Come, we should be far away from this place; you need to see a doctor for your injuries."

[shwarm_after]

Bucky made his way to the truck, and Tony kept his gun ready for anything that would harm them. Luckily he didn't have to pull the trigger. The truck seemed to be empty, which was fortunate. When he was waved over, he made his his way toward the the truck. If they could get this truck to work, they'd get to civilization and hopefully medical attention.

"You do too. I don't think you really want me digging out bullets," he said as he slid into the passenger side and looked into the backseat of the vehicle. He picked up two bottles of water and immediately opened one up to take a swig. It could be poison, or it could be something awful, but who cared at this point. He was tired and thirsty.

"Do we have keys for this, or do I need to hotwire this baby?" He offered one of the bottles to Bucky as he looked at the panel underneath the steering wheel.

[disassembling]

As Tony climbed in and appeared safe and sound doing so, he began to search under the seat and around for the most common places to hide keys. They were not to be found, which meant that to make use of this vehicle, they would have to hot wire it in order to leave. It seemed preferable instead of walking and running into the next contingent of HYDRA agents combing for them. He knew - now that he was more awake - that they would not waste time in trying to locate either him or Stark, especially now that the knowledge of them being bonded would have spread. He had a weakness; they had a weakness and that was each other.

"My injuries can be taken care of after yours," he remarked as he completed a few final checks of the vehicle and looked over at Tony sitting next to him. "They tried to remove your arc reactor, and I want you looked after first. If you will do that for me, I will allow doctors to take a look at my own injuries. Deal?" It was the only bargaining chip that he felt he had at this point.

"It seems that the keys are with whomever is the actual operator of this vehicle," he remarked even as he reached out to trace his fingers down Tony's cheek and jaw. "If you would like to hot wire it, by all means, or I can do it."

[shwarm_after]

Tony had to roll his eyes at Bucky's deal. Yeah, he'd get the medical attention he needed (he was sure the basic stitching Bucky did wouldn't last too long) but he wanted to make sure Bucky got fixed up as well. He needed to get those bullets taken out before his would healed around them.

"Compromise: We'll get checked out at the same time." And by that, he meant that he'd make sure Bucky got checked out first. But Bucky wouldn't know that part.

Tony watched as Bucky searched for a set of keys, but ended up unsuccessful. It meant that he'd have to hotwire the car. Yeah, his bond could probably do it but Tony would do it faster. He shifted a little closer and Bucky reached out to touch his face. It was ridiculously gentle, and Tony had to close his eyes and lean in a little closer. How funny that his bond could put just pull out smooth moves like that and he'd practically melt.

What a dick.

He opened his eyes and moved a little closer toward the driver seat. "Move over and let me start this girl up."

[disassembling]

"Yes, at the same time is acceptable," he agreed, meaning that he would be in the same room watching as Tony was treated and cared for by the medical staff. That was the only way that he would settle down enough to allow himself similar treatment. Tony was his priority, and that meant that his bond should be every one else's as well.

His fingers curved under Tony's jaw, pleased by the way that his bond leaned into the touch. He reluctantly pulled away to open the door in order to stick his legs back out to allow Tony room to work to getting the vehicle started so that they could leave. "Be quick or we might have more than we bargained for at this point."

Not that he would allow anyone close to Tony again, least of all HYDRA. This was not a mistake that would come to pass again.

[shwarm_after]

Tony moved close to Bucky as he made room for him to work. Despite the extra room he still pressed close, trying to find comfort in their bond. It helped ease his nerves as he popped open and broke the steering wheel panel. They didn't need that, anyways.

"You can't rush genius," he said as he started pulling wires and stripping them of their insulation. There was probably a chance that he'd get electrocuted, but hey, what was life without a little danger? He worked quickly, twisting wires, and connecting them. Eventually after a few tries and a few curse words mumbled, the dash board lit up and the car started up with a low rumble. Maybe it was a little slow for him, but he was tired and his chest hurt. Hopefully Bucky would cut him some slack.

With the car started, he leaned back and let out a breath. Alright, they could move. For a moment he leaned on his bond, careful to avoid any of his injuries. "Let's get the hell out of here?"

[disassembling]

His flesh hand dropped to Tony's back, rubbing up and down his bond's spine as the man set to work on pulling out wires and figuring out which were necessary to allow them to illegally acquire this vehicle for the time being. He kept an eye out for signs of other men, but so far, they were very much alone on this forest road, and he was looking for it to stay that way. HYDRA could be upon them at any moment, and they had not still be here waiting for it to happen.

The choke and then rise and purr of the engine was like music to his ears, and he shifted back into the seat as Tony sat up again. He ignored the twinge of his wounds as he settled and then paused when Tony leaned against him. He leaned in return and then pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead. "That was not your personal best. You really are more hurt than you let on."

He hummed and set the truck in reverse, pulling backwards so that he could turn them and then drive right on out of these troublesome woods. He glanced around at all times, keeping to the speed limit so as not to attract attention of anyone until he had take them to the city again. There was a sense of safety with being able to disappear into the heavy traffic. "Where is the best place for medical attention and I will take us there."

[shwarm_after]

"I'm fine," He said, smiling as he felt Bucky's lips on his forehead and those fingers down his spine. He was fine, though. Sort of. More like he was temporarily fine as long as his stitches held. They'd get help. Eventually. Whenever they got the hell out of these woods.

"Home," he said as closed his eyes and rested his head on Bucky's flesh shoulder. He was tired, exhausted, even, but he didn't trust anyone else around the arc reactor. The last few hours just proved that he couldn't trust anyone. Home was far. Distant. Miles away, but there were things they had to take care of. "But we have to find somewhere else first to get you help."

Yeah, that whole 'get seen at the same time' thing? Yeah, that wasn't happening. Bucky's healing factor would heal around those bullets and they had to dig them out. If they waited longer, they'd have a hell of a time patching him up. Besides he didn't even know where the hell they were at the moment. How long had they been gone and how far away from New York, were they?

[disassembling]

He nodded at the direction, taking them down the forest road towards anything that might take them back to New York. It took considerable effort to concentrate on the road, the tranquilizers still picking at him as he drove them out. "Stark Tower should have enough supplies," he replied simply.

They had found a main road and blessedly, signage as well. He turned them towards New York and drove, not about to take them to a hospital where they would have to explain what had happened to cause such injuries. It would bring the media down on top of them and what was worse, it could display to the world their bond, which he assumed Tony wanted on the down-low for the time being. At least until they were healed enough to discuss the matter again.

Bridging no argument, the Soldier knew his way back to the Tower once they had entered the edge of New York, twenty minutes on lesser used roads and then it was New York traffic and hoping their stolen vehicle wasn't reported before they could get to the Tower. For once, luck was on their side as he drove them into the private parking garage and then looked to Tony next to him. "We're here."

[shwarm_after]

Drive was long and quiet. He didn't know how long they rode along the roads out of the woods and into the city. He'd shift against Bucky, and occasionally take a drink from his water bottle. He was too tired to talk, too tired to offer to drive. He knew that Bucky must have been exhausted as well, but Tony knew better than to ask him to stop. It would have been a losing fight, and he was too tired to fight at the moment.

So instead, he simply kept contact with his bond and kept contact with him. It was his way of helping. Well, at least it was an attempt to help. He groaned when they entered the city's traffic and muttered a few curse words. Goddamn traffic.

But eventually, they made their way inside. Bucky parked and Tony looked up at him. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Bucky's in a chaste kiss before he moved to exit the vehicle. Take that as his wordless form of gratitude. He wasn't good at 'thank yous' and today wasn't going to be the day he learned how to do it right.

"Let's hurry up. I've gotta dig bullets out of you." Forget getting help for himself, he needed to help his bond, first.

[disassembling]

His eyes fluttered at the kiss, and he would have leaned into it if closing his eyes didn't make him think that at any moment he could fall back asleep. The drugs were still present, but the pressing need of getting them to a safe place overrode the affects. Now that they had reached said safe place, his adrenaline was ebbing away, especially with the comfort of such a kiss. It told him that they were safe, that he had done a very good job in getting them this far.

He never expected words of thanks or love or trust from Tony. The most that might happen here and again was little gestures like these, and he could admit that he lived for them when they came about. This was what a bond was all about enjoying in his mind.

Still, he slid from the truck, limping towards the main elevator. "Shouldn't you call a doctor for your wounds? JARVIS can do that, yes?" It wasn't often that he spoke to JARVIS specifically, mostly because it seemed as if that were Tony's right and he was hard-pressed to speak to the ceiling or walls or intercoms. "My bullets will still be there by the time you're patched up."

And yes, they might just be arguing about medical treatment. He wanted Tony safe and sound in all regards.

[shwarm_after]

Tony winced as he made his way toward the elevator. Yeah, he was in pain, but he'd live. He had gone through worse with the Ten Rings. Granted, this pain was right after that in a list of 'worst experiences ever,' but it still wasn't the worst.

"I'll heal," he groaned as he leaned against the wall and waited for the elevator. "You did an alright job patching me up." More or less. Maybe. He hadn't ripped the stitches yet, and as far as he could tell, his arc reactor was still intact, and he was breathing. He'd ask Jarv to give him a body scan, but there were other things he had to take care of.

His priority was getting the bullets out of Bucky. Yeah, he was exhausted but he was more than ready to argue his point. Maybe he was being stubborn, or maybe he just didn't know how to express how much he cared about his bond. Who knew. "Yeah, but then I'll have to cut you open again just to get them out. Let me take care of you."

Did he just... Say that?

[disassembling]

"I want to check to make certain that the sutures held and that your arc reactor is still intact." That was one of many things that he wanted to do to Tony right now, but the medical needs overshadowed any other wants and desires that he might have in the face of the idea that Stark wanted to take care of him rather than pass him off to medical professionals.

It was probably the drugs. They were both out of their minds on drugs. It couldn't possibly last once they had worked their way out of their systems.

"Yes alright, you can take care of me," he agreed because it was not something that he would refuse now that it was so openly offered. He made certain not to sound eager about it either, playing it cool as the elevator arrived and he limped inside to lean heavily on a wall. Tony knew this big building as well as he did, but he allowed his bond to choose the floor.

Instead, he reached out and took Tony's hand in his own, rubbing his thumb over Stark's knuckles with plain affection. It was the drugs; normally, he wouldn't dare to be so open unless Tony had previously indicated being receptive to such an advance.

[shwarm_after]

"It's fine," He gave the reactor a tap. I didn't move but damn it hurt. He tried not to visibly wince. However, tried was the key word. He was in a hell of a lot of pain and it was more than likely visible on his face.

"Jarv, take us to the med bay," he said as the doors closed behind them. He leaned against the wall and took a moment to breathe. He glanced down at his hand when he felt Bucky take it. Normally, he wouldn't have wanted to be affectionate. And really, getting them fixed up was his top priority, but... Well, it was nice to have his hand held like this. He could feel their bond.

It was something he could always feel. Something tugging at his heart and his arm. He had tried ignoring it for so long and rarely indulged in the feeling. It made his arm tingle and his head almost light. It was a distraction, but it had always felt nice, right, even. That was probably what bothered him most about it.

But for now, he'd indulge in it. He gave Bucky's hand a light squeeze and stepped closer to him. The ride up was quiet, but it was a nice minute of silence. But eventually the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened. Tony pushed himself off the wall and headed out toward the medical bay.

The whole time, he continued to hold Bucky's hand.

"Come on, I've gotta get you some pain meds before I cut you open."

[disassembling]

The Soldier knew that Tony was lying and that they both would need more than a little patching up in order the make it through their day. He understood that Tony had to put on a brave face to off-set the need to take care of his bond over himself like he wanted to. His injuries were no doubt more serious, but he also had a healing factor which would allow him to endure far better than Tony. Pain was a factor that he had been trained to endure, to fight through, to finish the mission for, and right now, that mission happened to be relieving Tony's distress and pain.

The hand holding was nice, not something that either of them indulged in much. It dulled the ache of his wounds, provided him with a distraction that he could half-close his eyes to enjoying. The bond thrummed stronger than ever in his body, particularly along his shoulder where Tony's name was a constant reminder of his bonding status. The ebb and flow of warmth through his body because of them bond left him pliable, so he went with Tony out of the elevator, his fingers gently squeezing now and then.

"I don't need pain medication," he murmured as he released Tony's hand in order to go and sit on the table, finally accepting that his bond might be happiest fixing him up first. "I can endure. I always have for other treatments. Maybe you should take some pain medication; it is obvious that you're in pain."

sorry thsi is late. also let me know if this tag works :X

[shwarm_after]

"I'll survive," he mumbled. "Start taking off your clothes." Tony moved to start rummaging through drawers in the med bay. How the hell did Bruce organize all this? Ah well, he'd find what was necessary eventually. Some gauze (there was definitely going to be blood), some pain killers, and some tools. Who knew if the medicine would work on Bucky considering his metabolism, but hey, the stuff HYDRA used had worked. Maybe this would at least ease the pain.

"J, find the bullets in Old Man Winter, here." JARVIS Agreed and pointed out that two bullets were lodged in Barnes' arm and thigh. Thankfully, neither hit anything vital. JARVIS also mentioned that Sir should definitely take some time to rest and see to his own wounds, but Tony rolled his eyes and called his AI a damn traitor.

When all this was over, he was going to reprogram the bastard.

He filled the syringe with an anesthetic. Maybe it wasn't technically certified, but it was made for people like Bucky and even Steve. It wasn't really that different from a regular pain killer, it was just a little stronger. Tony honestly had no idea how it was going to affect the soldier (considering they hadn't necessarily had a chance to use it). Hell, it might not even help much, considering his metabolism burned through everything so quickly. But hey, it was the thought that counted, right? Right.

"Hopefully this helps," he moved to wipe the skin on Bucky's arm clean and insert the syringe.

lookin' good

[disassembling]

The Soldier hesitated for a moment before he gave in and began to carefully strip out of his clothing, most of which was ruined with holes, dirt and blood stains. He wasn't certain that anything but his boots happened to be salvageable, so he balled the material up and sat in the nude on the table as Tony picked through the medical supplies looking for all the equipment necessary to remove bullets from his flesh.

He looked at the entry wounds, and they were puffy and reddened, looking sore and swollen even if they no longer oozed blood. That was dried on his skin and the hole was closing as quickly as his body could repair it. They were open enough that where he had been shot was obvious.

He eyed the syringe that Tony brought towards him, certain that was more dosage than was strictly necessary for him. He could do without, and that dose seemed to be a gross estimation. "Some of that is for you, right?"

And apparently not given that it went in his arm muscle, and outside of a twitch and a huff of breath, he was forced to endure. He watched his bond and reached out with his metal hand to slip his fingers up the underside of Tony's shirt to stroke warm skin. "I appreciate you doing this, I hope you realize. Not many people I would allow to shoot me up with drugs, but I know it's safe with you."

THIS HAS BEEN DONE FOR DAYS AND I NEVER HIT POST

[shwarm_after ( as admin)]

Maybe Tony didn't need to use enough of the medication as he did. But hey, Bucky was just going to burn through it anyways. He pulled the needle out and wiped at it with an alcohol swab.

"There's not many people you let near you." Tony glanced up to his bond as he leaned into the touch at his side. He then leaned forward and pressed his lips to Bucky's in a chase kiss. This was a big deal. In some way, it was a big deal for both of them. Tony probably wouldn't have done this for anybody else. He would have never brushed his pain aside and put someone else like this first. But here he was, injecting his bond with pain killers and getting ready to dig out some bullets.

The kind of things one did when they loved someone.

Not that Tony was in love. The soulbond was just biology.
Yeah.

"But I'll make sure to take care of you."

And in order to do that, he was going to need to take a couple of bullets out of his bond. Fun.

k pls

[disassembling]

He had a moment of looking affronted by the accusation, but then again, it was true. Of course, most of his previous associations were dead and the few he had now were those he felt the need to protect from himself more than anyone else. Tony was one of the few that he stayed so physically close to on a regular basis, and he found himself still more hidden than out in the open when they were together. They would need to...

Oh. There were the drugs hitting him. His body seemed to relax into a slump without his express permission and his mind went soft and fuzzy, like it was filled with cotton. He hummed a low sound in his throat, his eyes half closing as he swayed where he sat and considered simply collapsing to the floor. It wouldn't hurt after all... he couldn't feel any pain!

He lifted his arms and slung them across Tony's shoulders, pulling his bond sluggishly towards him. Like they might just cuddle right here and now. And why not? He was feeling like he wanted a warm body next to him keeping him safe.

"I know," he mumbled, his voice soft and hushed. "I'll always take care of you too... 'cause I love you. You're the... uh... mostest handsome man, and I love you so much. Just wanna be close all the time...."