Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/11424105.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Marvel_Cinematic_Universe, Marvel, The_Avengers_(Marvel_Movies)
  Relationship:
      James_"Bucky"_Barnes/Steve_Rogers/Tony_Stark, James_"Bucky"_Barnes/Steve
      Rogers
  Character:
      Tony_Stark, James_"Bucky"_Barnes, Steve_Rogers, Jarvis_(Iron_Man_movies),
      Natasha_Romanov_(Marvel), Clint_Barton, Bruce_Banner, Thor_(Marvel),
      Obadiah_Stane, Howard_Stark, Maria_Stark
  Additional Tags:
      Hurt/Comfort, Sub_Tony_Stark, Dom_Bucky_Barnes, Dom_Steve_Rogers, Dom/
      sub, Bonding, Cuddling_&_Snuggling, Tony_Stark-centric, Tony_Stark_Has_A
      Heart, Tony_Stark_Has_Issues, Tony_Stark_Needs_a_Hug, bucky_and_steve
      give_great_hugs, Protective_Steve_Rogers, Protective_Bucky_Barnes, Top
      Steve_Rogers, Top_Bucky_Barnes, Bottom_Tony_Stark, Howard_Stark's_A+
      Parenting, Implied/Referenced_Child_Abuse, Aftercare, Sub-Drop, Underage:
      between_Stane_and_Tony, suppressants, Withdrawal, Touch-Starved, Fluff
      and_Angst, Happy_Ending
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-07-07 Updated: 2017-10-10 Chapters: 3/? Words: 9565
****** Iron doesn't bend (except for gentle hands) ******
by it_is_bitter
Summary
     “Oh Tony, my boy.” Obie sighed and crouched down next to where Tony
     was curled in a ball. A hand came up and pressed hard over the
     pressure points in his neck, and Tony felt his mind go a little fuzzy
     as his muscles went lax against his will. “Its not the end of the
     world sport. Now, I can take care of this so long as you learn to
     listen to me, huh?” Obie chuckled, but his fingers dug in sharp.
     "We'll keep this one between us, our little secret, right Tony?”
      
     Tony's never told anyone. Not a soul.
Notes
See the end of the work for notes
***** Who will catch you when you fall? *****
Starks are made of iron. We go to our knees for no one.
A tentacle wrapped around him, suckers gripping into the armor, tearing pieces
off. He was dazed for another precious second, before forcibly shoving that
shameful, weak part of himself down down down, and burying it. “JARVIS,
flares.”
The flares weren’t powerful enough to tear the limb off, but they went deep
into the flesh and the thing, whatever it was, screeched. Tony had to catch
himself from covering his ears, useless as that would be through the armor and
flew out of reach, firing repulsors as he went.
“Ironman, status!” Cap’s voice sounded through the comms, too tight like he was
clenching his teeth and Tony jerked in the air, before leveling out and taking
a breath. Steve was angry with him.Grinding his teeth disgusted with himself,
he tried to call on the walls in his head to protect him. Just a little longer.
“Cap, I think its pretty obvious what it’s weakness is.” One of its tentacles
snapped at him, which he neatly dodged, casually aiming a missile at the base
of it. “Way too clingy.” He could hear Barton stifling a snort before Cap
snapped at him.
“I want a health report, Ironman. Now.” Tony shivered, mouth already opening to
give Steve anything he wanted, to obey, before he clamped his jaw shut, teeth
clicking. He was starting to sweat beneath his body suit, and they needed to
finish this thing right the hell now.
“110 percent, Cap. In fact, I have an idea.” Steve was ordering him not to
engage the creature, but he tuned him out. He circled around its head for a
bit, continuously shooting off repulsor blasts to keep its attention, before
taking a dive straight down for its mouth. It was more of a beak with teeth,
and it chittered at him, sounding happy to get a meal. “I warn you, I don’t
taste good.”
It was tempting to close his eyes when it swallowed him, but he didn’t. The
comms were going in and out, damaged by the mucus coating the thing’s
esophagus, but that was definitely Bucky cursing up a blue storm, and Steve
going quickly from frustrated to panicked. Tony sighed, already picturing the
dressing down in his future.
In fact he tried to really picture it because it was very damp and dark in
here, and for a few seconds he had the delirious thought of explaining to
Yinsen how he painted the armor red and gold in the middle of a cave.
“You’re nearly there, sir. I would remind you to please breathe.” JARVIS spoke
softly in his ear, and Tony took a shaky breath in after realizing he’d been
holding it and nodded his head jerkily, afraid to speak and have his voice
shake.
The esophagus was long and winding, and it took a few minutes before JARVIS
spoke again. “You are level with the heart sir, if you would angle your chest
to the right you will not miss it.”
“Great, lets get the hell out of here. All power to the chest plate, J.” The
whirring started up as the reactor charged, and he closed his eyes against the
agonized screaming that sounded so much worse from the inside. The blast ate
through its organs, before exploding the heart and then it was silent. There
was a falling sensation as the thing went limp and fell from its perch on the
side of a building and Tony grunted as it slammed them both into the ground. A
few more repulsor blasts had him falling out the side of its neck, and he
rolled to his feet, just a little unsteady, flipping up the visor to try and
get some fresh air. He really needed to take a shower, the acid was eating away
at him where the tentacles had gouged out chunks of skin. He grimaced at the
smell and attempted to brush some of the disgusting goo off of his shoulders.
“Tony!” A metal hand caught his chin and swung his face around to meet a pair
of panicked blue eyes, and Tony froze. “Where are you hurt?” Immediately,
without thought, Tony listened and pointed to his shoulder where blood was
warming the goose bumps on his skin. Bucky’s mouth thinned out, and his flesh
hand came up to prod at the wound before jerking away with a hiss when the acid
touched him. Tony stepped back, coming back to himself.
“Christ, Tony. We need to get that shit offa you.” Tony nodded, taking more
steps back, trying to discreetly get some space. He was too off-kilter right
now, couldn’t trust himself not to fall apart so close to his Dom. To Bucky. So
close to Bucky, not his Dom. Tony didn’t have a Dom because nobody wanted him,
and he didn’t deserve somebody to take care of him like that. He was selfish
and broken, and he fucked everything up. You’re a bad boy Tony, but I’ll fix
you.
“Doll, hey.” Bucky tried to reach for him again, and Tony realized he had
wrapped an arm around his middle and bent forward at the waist, curling in on
himself. He flinched back from the hand, stumbling back a few steps and bumping
directly into Steve who gripped him by the arms and spun him around.
“What were you thinking?” Steve looked frantic, eyes boring into Tony’s,
demanding his attention. He didn’t need to hold him in place really, Tony
couldn’t have moved from beneath that stare if he tried. He’d disappointed his
Dom. Except Steve wasn’t his Dom either, and Tony was horrified to feel his
eyes start to burn. Steve shook him, trying to gain back his attention.
“We could have figured something else out, as a team. But instead you ignored
my orders, and you could have—” Steve trailed off, looking horrified before he
straightened and took a step further into Tony’s space. “You learn to listen to
me, or I’m benching you. This cannot happen again.” Oh Tony my boy, you should
know better than to disobey me.
Tony’s knees shook, wanting to sink down, to lower himself beneath his Doms and
kiss their boots. To grovel and beg for forgiveness, to do anything to be good
again, if he ever was.
Bucky put a hand on Steve’s shoulder and tugged him back, ordered him to take a
breath and get a handle on himself, and Tony felt like a puppet with its
strings cut without Steve there to hold him up. He lowered his head to look at
his hands, marveling that the armor was able to disguise the shaking and
repeated over and over in his head Iron doesn’t bend. Iron doesn’t bend. Iron
doesn’t bend Irondoesn’tbend,until he could lock his knees straight and reign
back in his instincts.
Steve and Bucky were both watching him with narrowed eyes when he looked back
up and he took a step back, inwardly grimacing when they glanced down to follow
the motion.
“Tony, we need to get you to medical right away. Take off the suit before the
acid burns get worse than they are.” But it’s holding me up.
“Just need a shower.” His voice broke twice and he cleared his throat, blinking
fuzzy eyes. Bucky took a step forward slow, like he was approaching a wounded
animal.
“Alright, we’ll get you a shower on the quinjet, Doll. Come here.” Tony took a
step towards him, and then locked up, wrestling himself down. Iron doesn’t
bend.
“Gotta go.” He gasped out, immediately bringing his feet together to take
flight but the foot thrusters short circuited and died before he could even
clear five feet. He had a moment to curse the thing’s acid to all kinds of hell
before two pairs of hands clamped down on him and jerked him back to the
ground.
“Bruce tell me where the manual release is.” Tony’s head swiveled in Steve’s
direction, feeling too loose at the joints. Everything was starting to sound
too loud, too much, but he knew he had to keep the suit. He needed it.
“No.” He was shaking, but since when was that new. He dropped down, trusting
the sudden weight to surprise the super soldiers enough to break their grip
before shooting to the side and aiming a punch at Steve’s side. He was already
planning in his head how he would punish himself for this later, but the punch
never landed.
A metal forearm blocked him at the wrist and then came back, too fast for Tony
to block, towards his hip where the fingers dug in and twisted a quarter turn
to the right.
The suit opened up and suddenly Tony had absolutely zero walls between himself
and his Dominants.
He stumbled back, wide-eyed and afraid in a way he had never been around them.
He scanned the surroundings, looking for places to hide all while viciously,
ruthlessly, shutting up the voice in his head screaming at him to obey, to
please.
“Tony.” Tony’s head whipped around to look at Steve, helpless to not to. “Tony,
honey we aren’t gonna hurt you.” And yeah, Tony had played this game before.
I’m not going to hurt you, my boy. I’m going to help you. You want to be
better, don’t you?
Tony didn’t think it much mattered what you called it. He ended up hurting
either way.
Bucky stepped up.
“Tony, look at me.” Tony didn’t want to but he did. “You’re ours—our friend.
We’re not gonna let anything happen to you, okay? Anybody lays a hand on you,
you don’t want and I’ll break it.” Bucky slipped a little of the Winter Soldier
into his promise, and Tony stayed very still, watching him. After staring
steadily at him for a few seconds, Bucky took another slow step forward and
then another slightly less wary one when Tony didn’t flinch back.
“Let’s get you fixed up, okay?” He smiled softly at him while wrapping an arm
around Tony’s waist and Tony unclenched a little, following where he led. Steve
came up to his other side, bringing Tony’s arm around his shoulder, and Tony
thought that it wouldn’t matter if his knees gave out because they wouldn’t let
him fall.
Tony blinked and they were in the decontamination shower on the quinjet, Bucky
testing the temperature of the water so it wouldn’t aggravate his wounds and
Steve tearing the melted body suit off of him in pieces. Vague panicky thoughts
swirled in the back of his mind of how bad off he was if he was losing time,
but they seemed far away with Steve’s fingers brushing over his skin.
“You’re shaking, Tony.” Steve was blank-faced while he ushered Tony under the
spray and he sputtered, the water feeling too cold, the pressure too hard
against his oversensitive skin. Through the fog in his brain Tony thought, they
can’t know.
“S-s-sorry.” He took a deep breath, trying to think. “Was just a bit like the
c-cave in there. Probably be actin weird for a bit. You two should l-l-leave.”
He barely got the last word out and quickly turned to let the water run over
his back so they couldn’t see his face.
There was a moment’s silence and then he felt two washcloths gently run down
his back, helping the water wash the grime away. Tony stiffened, wanting so so
badly to lean into them. “Guys I m-mean it. I want t-to be alone.” His tongue
felt too heavy in his mouth and he bit it trying to coax back some feeling. It
had never ever been this bad before.
“I don’t think that’s true.” Steve was so close he was almost whispering in his
ear and Tony closed his eyes, allowed himself one second to gather himself,
before scrubbing at his arms and not looking at him.
“Oh you think so, do you?” Tony forced himself to sneer at them and his heart
beat painfully in his chest. “Get out, the both of you.” He was able to keep
his face carefully cold and indifferent but he had no control over his
breathing and the air came too fast through his clenched teeth. Tony was a rude
and ungrateful Sub but that was okay. His Doms would leave him and then he
could take a four-hour ice bath as punishment and everything would be fine. But
he never heard footsteps leaving.
“Doll,” Bucky chuckled a little, but he didn’t actually sound amused, “we’re a
lot harder to get rid of than that.” Tony froze again, dreading what he would
have to say to protect himself.
“What Bucky means to say is we aren’t leaving until we’re sure you’re alright.”
Tony craned his head around to look at Steve.
“I am alright.”
“No.” Steve shook his head, smiling sadly, “You’re not.” Before Tony could
argue, both of them were leading him out of the shower, hands on his waist and
wrapped around his shoulders. “C’mon, sweetheart.”
Tony wanted to protest or say something cruel, anything to get them away before
they figured it out, but his body was rebelling against him, refusing to go
against his Dom’s wishes. Not your Doms. With that thought, Tony stumbled
between them, knees almost giving out, but they caught him and got him seated
on the bench. Bucky strapped him in, hands brushing back his bangs before
taking a seat next to him.
Tony ran his hands over the buckles to double check they were secure, and then
looked down when he felt cloth rub against his fingers. He frowned down at his
chest; they had dressed him sometime between the shower and here, and tended to
his gashes as well if the gauze wrapped tight around him was anything to go by.
He was losing time again, and he closed his eyes, trying not to panic.
He felt like he was slipping into sleep, except it wasn’t sleep at all, and his
body wouldn’t do what he wanted, and he was vulnerable, and confused, and so so
scared.
Somebody slipped their palm against his, and he held on tight enough that his
own bones ached. “You’re alright, Tony. We’re almost home, hold on.”
Home. Right, home. Tony gasped, not realizing he was holding his breath and
felt a thumb rub against the back of his hand.
People were talking around him, he could hear the hum, but it was like he was
underwater, the words distorted and far away. It just made him feel more lost,
untethered, like he could never find his way back, and he hated this so much
but he didn’t know what to do to stop it. He didn’t know what to do.
“Tony, open your eyes and look at me.” Immediately he listened, even though
just a moment ago he couldn’t have opened his eyes if he tried. Everything was
blurry but those were two sets of blue eyes settled on him, and he zoned in on
them, forgetting everything else. “We’re going to your room now. Walk.” Again
he obeyed instantly, belatedly realizing that he felt grounded now and he was
so grateful he could cry.
He felt a bed against the backs of his knees and collapsed backwards onto it,
but that felt wrong and he slid to his knees on the floor. His heart stopped
beating so frantically against the arc reactor and the ache in his knees
suddenly disappeared but there was a small part in the back of his mind that
was just screaming, terrified at what he was unveiling right now. The
contradicting emotions were tearing him in two and he bowed his head, tears
slipping unchecked down his cheeks.
A hand gripped his hair while another cupped his chin and they both pulled his
head up gently until he was looking up at his Doms. Not your Doms. Tony felt
his lips tremble as his face started to crumble, and gentle fingers wiped his
cheeks clean.
“Doll, hey.” That was Bucky and Tony tilted his head towards him to show he had
his attention, he remembered hands cracking across his face from before when he
was too slow to meet that gaze. “What’s a matter, honey?” Tony tried to bite
his tongue, to keep his silence, but the words were already spilling out of his
mouth.
“I—I don’t know. It’s n-never been this b-bad before. I-I’m scared.” Steve made
a wounded noise.
“Don’t be scared sweetheart. You’re dropping really hard, but we’re here. We
aren’t going anywhere.”
Tony felt his blood turn to ice water, terror flooding through him, but he was
too far gone to flinch away from those hands, from the only things keeping him
warm.
“M’not a S-Sub.” Bucky and Steve went very still before looking at each other,
and Tony shuddered beneath them. He had upset them, upset his Doms, he was a
horrible Sub. A bad Sub.
Fingers tapped his hands and he unfurled them instantly, missing the sharp burn
from where he had dug in his nails.
“Alright doll, we’re gonna talk about that later. Right now I just want you to
relax. You’re safe here with us, we aren’t gonna let anything happen to you. I
promise.”
Safe here with us, those were lethal words, made all the worse because he
believed them. He trusted them. The last of Tony’s will crumpled and he gave
into the shakes, went pliant beneath their hands and surrendered to the haze in
his brain, trusting them to do as they promised.
 
Safe here with us.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Chapter Notes
     Not that we're actually getting into anything serious in this
     chapter, but just as an FYI for the coming chapters. In this AU,
     being a Sub or a Dom involves actual biological needs. So, Do Not use
     this fic as a template for real life, at least not without a whole
     bunch of communication. Alright end PSA, go read it, shoo. <3
See the end of the chapter for more notes
He’s not really sure if he’s awake, or if he’s here at all. He is both floating
up too fast for his fingers to find purchase on the ground, and so heavy that
his bones feel like they’re splintering. He’s drowning in water, lungs aching
for air, but also parched for a single drop, mouth like a desert. And it hurts.
It all really really hurts. But it isn’t the worst part.
He could bear it, if he was bearing it alone.
He hears His voice and lets himself slump, knows it does no good to struggle.
The words are like long-forgotten lashes against his back, and he feels them
almost as harshly. Have you forgotten you belong to me, Tony.
Tony scrunches his eyes shut, desperate to drown Him out, but He lives inside
Tony’s head and Tony’s never learned how to escape his own head. His skin is
oversensitive, the smallest touch like knives digging in, and he keeps reliving
the hands. Hands that he both trusted and feared above anything else, that
reached out and hurt him over and over because he kept going back. He knows
there’s only two but he feels them all at the same time, and they won’t leave
him alone.
They leave charred fingertips on his skin, like brands pressed against him, on
his chest, his shoulders, anywhere they want because he lets them. Always
always one clamped on his neck, and then inevitably the one that slides up to
take an unforgiving grip in his hair. They make him look up and he hates it
because he doesn’t want to look. Please, please don’t make him look.
“Tony!”
Tony blinks, and steps through the door of his memories, watches Obadiah Stane
fade from view, and looks up.
“Hey. Hey, there you are. You’re alright sweetheart.” His vision is fuzzy and
Pepper would probably jump at the chance to tell him he needs glasses. Steve’s
hands are cupping his face, palms warm and rough against his cheeks and the
only thing Tony can think of is that they don’t hurt.
“You scared us, Doll. Thought you went where we couldn’t follow.” Bucky and
Steve are both crouched in front of him and it’s so strange to see two Doms
lowering themselves to the ground of their own will.
Bucky’s hand touches his chin and Tony blinks. He thinks they want him to
speak, but the words are still buried deep inside him and he’s too tired to dig
them up. So instead he corrects his form, straightens his spine and shifts his
shoulders back, brings his toes up so he’s resting on his heels. He’s ashamed
he let himself get so comfortable, he’s been taught better than this.
Tony knows why they want him lucid for this. Can’t take a penance if his mind
is somewhere else, and he got sloppy, didn’t pay attention to them. They’re
right to punish him, he knows that, knows he deserves it.
But he wishes they wouldn’t.
“No no no, stay with us Tony.” A second passes and Tony is flat on his stomach,
a heavy weight on his back. A metal hand is covering his eyes, but this
darkness is like soft blankets blocking out the world, like safety, and Tony
feels himself settle instantly, scooting back from the black hole beckoning to
him in the back of his mind. For a few heartbeats he just breathes, and then
lets himself go pliant and sink into the floor. Bucky’s other hand is running
over his head, plastering his hair to his scalp, and Steve has a grip on his
wrists, stretching them far in front of him, fingers wrapped like manacles
around him.
“Alright sweetheart, stay just like that for us. Good boy, Tony.” Tony shivers
and relaxes further. Good boy, Tony. “JARVIS, get Bruce in here. This is more
than some Subdrop. Something’s wrong.”
There is a very soft voice in the back of his head that whispers he doesn’t
want Bruce to see him like this, but Tony’s too heavy right now to do anything
more than lay here.
The weight on his back shifts and then Bucky is speaking softly directly in his
ear. “Tony, Bruce is coming to have a look at ya, all you need to do is stay
still for us alright, Doll? Need you to be a good boy and stay still so we can
figure out what’s the matter.” Tony struggles with his tongue for a few
seconds, wanting to say Yes, sir, and he thinks Bucky notices because he hushes
him and kisses his temple.
“S’alright, you don’t need to speak, honey. But I do want you to nod or shake
your head when we ask you somethin’.” A little disjointed, like his neck isn’t
screwed in quite right, Tony nods his head.
“Just like that, thank you Tony.” The room goes quiet then and Tony focuses on
Steve’s thumbs rubbing over his pulse points slowly and lets it soothe him.
“How long has he been like this?” Tony focuses from where he’d been floating
hazily, and feels Bruce crouched by his head.
“Five hours now. He’s down real far, but its more than that. He tips over
sometimes and goes unresponsive to anything verbal. And he— he flinches from
us.” Steve’s voice wavers through the last sentence, and Tony keens low in his
throat, tries to shift close and soothe whatever is distressing Steve away, but
their hands just tighten on him and hold him down.
“Shh, I’m alright Tony. Stay still now.” Steve shifts his wrists into one hand
and uses the other to dig into the pressure point where Tony’s thumb meets his
palm. Endorphins rush up his arms to his brain and Tony goes slack, mind fuzzy
and warm.
“And has he been shaking this way the whole five hours?”
“Been comin’ in waves. His teeth chatter too, like he got caught in a nasty
blizzard, but his skin is burnin’ up. Putting him in submission holds seems to
help, but just with calming him down. His body is still goin’ haywire.” Bucky
says, voice brittle and stressed. Tony would have tried to comfort him too, but
Bucky had preemptively clamped down on the pressure point in his neck, and Tony
was busy sinking into the floor.
“I’ve seen this before, just never a case so severe. I’ll need a blood sample
to be sure. You two just hold his arm out and hold it steady. I need to put
some gloves on, he shouldn’t be getting skin contact from anyone but you guys
right now.”
The weight on Tony’s back disappeared and gentle hands repositioned him so he
was kneeling again. One hand was still tight on his neck and it kept him
grounded enough to be okay sitting up.
“Just need your arm for a second, Doll. Bruce needs a blood sample and then
we’ll get you comfy.” Tony was about to nod, he was, but that whisper in the
back of his mind was getting louder and he remembered with a moment of clarity
why he had hidden himself all his life. Quickly, already flinching from the
coming retribution, Tony snatched his hands from Steve’s grip and clutched his
arms to his chest protectively. Repeating again and again in his head so he
wouldn’t lose the thought, they can’t know.
Steve dropped in front of him, hands gripping his shoulders and holding firm.
“I’m sorry Tony, I know you’re scared, but we need to do this. You need to let
us do this, sweetheart.” Tony shook his head emphatically, and Steve’s face
grew stern.
“Do I need to put you over my knee, Tony?” Tony jerked, wide-eyes shooting to
Steve’s face.
“Steve—” Bucky growled.
“Quiet, Buck. He needs this.” One of Steve’s hands cupped Tony’s cheek, thumb
rubbing gently and keeping Tony’s gaze locked on him. “Is that what you need,
honey? For me to make you?” Steve’s voice was unbearably gentle the whole time,
but Tony knew that he meant it. Steve was no pushover.
With that thought, Tony’s heart slowed down and the shakes in his muscles
stopped their violent quaking. Steve was in control here; he would take care of
him. Tony only had to listen.
Tony met Steve’s eyes and shook his head.
“There’s my good boy.” Steve said, smiling at him. Tony felt his face go a
little hot, and looked down at his hands. Bucky chuckled, hand going to Tony’s
forehead and leading him to lean back against his chest. “No need to be shy,
Doll.”
Tony turned and hid his face in Bucky’s neck, keeping his arm limp when Steve
gripped him at the elbow and wrist and held it out. He tensed, waiting for the
sting of the needle but instead felt Bucky bite his shoulder and jerked,
startled. Tony blinked at Bucky’s soft smile and then looked over and realized
Bruce had gotten the sample while he was distracted, arm held perfectly still
by Steve.
Bruce quickly left to go down to the lab, and both of his Dominants turned
their attention to Tony. Steve moved between Tony’s legs, hands rubbing the
tops of Tony’s thighs comfortingly. “You with us, sweetheart?”
Tony nodded and felt Bucky’s hands trace nonsensical lines on his stomach.
“I don’t know why you’ve been hiding your designation from everyone,” Tony
tensed and Steve hurried to reassure him, “We aren’t angry with you, Tony, but
we are concerned. This isn’t just a privacy problem, denying your biology like
this… there are consequences to that. Ones I’m sure you’re aware of.” At this,
Steve’s lips tightened and he looked away, taking a breath. Not angry with him.
Right.
Bucky hooked Tony’s chin with his fingers, pulling until their eyes met. “Still
not angry, Doll. We just don’t like thinkin’ of ya hurtin’ yourself, which
we’ll be havin’ a conversation about later.” Bucky leveled Tony with a stern
look, but held firm when Tony tried to duck his head. “For right now, its just
important you know this will stay between us. Bruce won’t make any records of
his findings, and me and Stevie sure as hell ain’t tellin’ no one.” Bucky
turned Tony’s head back to look at Steve, who was composed again.
“We said you were safe with us and we meant it Tony, that includes your
secrets. However,” Steve’s voice dropped in register and Tony melted against
Bucky at the hint of Steve’s Dom-voice. “We won’t stand by while you hurt
yourself, not now that we know about it. How could we? You’re our best guy,
Tony.” Steve smiled gently at him, hand reaching up to cup his cheek again.
Tony leaned into it, reveling in how Steve’s face softened at him.
“Just— when Bruce gets you back to yourself, please don’t run from us.” Steve
was pleading with him, Tony realized, and he was nodding his head as soon as
Steve was done talking, anything to get that pained look off his face, even a
lie. Steve, running is all I’ve ever known.
Steve’s face tightened and he opened his mouth to say something else, but Bucky
interrupted him. “It can wait, Stevie.”
Steve nodded, though he didn’t look pleased about it, and brought Tony’s feet
into his lap, fingers digging in expertly. Tony sighed and relaxed again,
stopped paying attention to the time passing and let their murmured
conversation to each other go over his head.
“Captain, Dr. Banner is on his way to your floor. He shall be with you
shortly.”
“Thanks, JARVIS.” Steve moved so he was sitting next to Tony, holding one of
Tony’s hands in both of his. Both Bucky and Steve were rigid and tense waiting
for Bruce, but they just hushed Tony when he tried to comfort them again.
When Bruce walked in he looked deeply unhappy, shuffling through the papers in
his hands like looking at them again would change the data. Bucky got
impatient.
“Bruce,” he said sharply, finally getting Bruce’s attention, “What’s a matter
with Tony?”
“Well, withdrawal for one. He’s got a fledging bond forming, I can only assume
with the both of you, and it’s caused his suppressants to fail.”
“Tony’s on suppressants?” Bucky’s voice was flat and Tony ducked his head down
and fiddled with the hem of his shirt. Bruce didn’t seem to notice, just went
back to his notes.
“Yeah,” he said absently, “for a long time now it seems like. Nothing to do
about the withdrawal, any more exposure to his meds and his blood toxicity will
get too high, so weaning him off of them is out of the question.” Bruce sighed,
hand coming up to rub over the bridge of his nose. “Christ Tony, you don’t do
anything half way.”
“What can we do?” Steve spoke up, gripping Tony’s hand like a vice.
“Completing the bond would help stabilize him—“
“We aren’t making a decision like that without Tony’s input. What else?” A bit
of Steve’s Dom-voice leaked out and Tony shivered, going pliant between them.
“Well, that actually. For at least the past few years, Tony hasn’t gone down
once. Suppressants don’t allow for that, especially at the dosage Tony was
taking. His body was shutting down, and now it’s over-correcting. He needs
someone to Dom him, balance out his hormones.” At that Tony went rigid, and
Bucky and Steve started rubbing circles into his skin again.
“How long until he’s stable again?”
“Based on how inactive his serotonin and dopamine receptors are?” Bruce blew
out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “We’re looking at months here.”
“Months?!” Bucky half-shouted, before taking a breath and composing himself
when Tony flinched. “He won’t last months like this, Bruce.”
“Its not going to be a constant thing,” Bruce put his hands up, placating.
“He’ll be himself for most of it, but his body is going to force him to go down
unpredictably since he’s been depriving himself so long. Your jobs will be to
catch him in time and put him in subspace before he drops.”
Steve blew out a breath, rubbing his face and absently petting Tony’s hair with
his other hand. “He won’t like that.”
“I don’t envy you,” Bruce cracked a small smile, “But he needs the both of you
right now, whether he likes it or not. The suppressants were breaking his body
down, sure. But they were also keeping his brain in check without a Dom to
help. He’s not prepared for the backlash, I promise you that.”
“So, what? We just order him around for a few months and make him hate us?
That’s your solution?” Bucky said, voice cutting. Quietly in his own head, Tony
asked the same.
“Buck.” Steve spoke quiet, “You know that’s not who you are and not who I am.
We’ll take care of him, however Tony needs us to. No more, no less.”
Bruce nodded, satisfied and then took a knee in front of Tony. “Tony, you trust
Bucky and Steve, right?” Tony nodded sharply.
“That’s good,” Bruce smiled, “But I need you to know I’m not dumping you into
their hands and turning away, alright? If they do anything, anything, that
crosses a line or takes advantage, JARVIS will tell me right away.” His smile
grew, showing more teeth. “And I will make them regret it.”
Tony blinked, eyes calm and steady on Bruce’s.
“Okay.” Bruce stood up again, collecting the papers he had laid on the bed.
“Just keep him hydrated and calm, best you can. He’ll come out of this drop
pretty soon I think, he’s already more aware than when I first walked in. I’d
advise you talk to him thoroughly when he’s lucid again, before he runs away.”
Bruce looked back at Tony, smiling fondly, “Wouldn’t know how to accept help if
you tied him down and force-fed it to him.”
The door closed with a click behind Bruce and then Bucky shifted his grip to
pick Tony up. "C'mon Doll, we'll deal with everythin' later. For now, you gotta
be tuckered out." Gently, he laid Tony on his side in the middle of the bed,
curling up warm and strong around his back. Steve scooted up to cover Tony’s
front, fingers tracing Tony’s face slowly. Tony closed his eyes when Steve
brushed over his eyelids.
“Go to sleep, honey. We’ll be right here.” Steve pressed a kiss against his
forehead, and Bucky tightened his arms around Tony’s waist.
 
For now, Tony thought, and let sleep take him.
           
 
Chapter End Notes
     You all are unbelievably sweet, I've read every comment probably five
     times. I hope the stars are out tonight wherever you are, and the
     wifi strong.
***** Chapter 3 *****
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
When Tony next opens them, his eyes are his own again, no more fuzziness making
the room blurry. His first thought is no thought at all, just an ugly, bleeding
mess of self-loathing that punches him straight through the chest. Of all the
stupid, pathetic goddamn mistakes, he makes the one that will cost him the life
he’s made for himself.
He remembers—he remembers the lashes that made rivers of his back, the feel of
salt against an open wound, of kneeling in it himself as recompense for
failures. He remembers looking at his father and thinking “You must know.
Father, you must know what he does. I’m your blood and he’s draining me dry.
Look at me!”But just as quickly as the thought ended, a voice would whisper in
his mind, “Do you think you don’t deserve it? You selfish, foolish boy.”
And Tony didn’t. He wanted to be better, to pay for his mistakes. To be good.
So when the hand gripped him by his nape and started to lead him away, to that
room with the locked door nobody opened, Tony did nothing but close his eyes.
Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Good boy.
Good boy. Good boy Good boy Good boy Good boy Good boy Good boy Good boy Good
boy GoodboyGoodboyGoodboyGoodboygoodboygoodboygoodboygoodboy. Be a Good Boy,
Tony.
“Fuck.” Tony pressed his palms into his eyes, grinding them in until all he saw
was static. Never again. Tony got up from—where was he? Some bed. And
immediately hit the floor when his legs buckled from beneath him. He started
dragging himself to the wall, pulling himself up by the lamp affixed there.
Never again.The lamp ripped out of the plaster and the glass of the light bulb
sprinkled over his bare feet, but he was standing. Never Again. Shaking,
unsteady, he made his way to the window, he’s had harder climbs before, and
harder falls. He can’t stay here. Waiting. Never Again.
The window doesn’t open, they never do from this far up. And he is very high,
still in his tower in—in Steve and Bucky’s room. That thought hurts, like it’s
a beast crawling inside his head, tail lashing at his ribs. Absently, he rubs
the heel of his palm over his sternum, soothing the ache. They won’t want him
now, and the whole world must be buzzing with the news. “The great Tony Stark a
lowly sub; how the mighty have fallen.” Tony barks a laugh at the thought. He
has never been mighty.
The glass shatters beneath his elbow, and he hits it again, gritting his teeth
against the rips in his skin until there’s no window left. He has one leg out
the window, when a sharp voice calls his name and he freezes.
“Tony!”
Briefly, Tony squeezes his eyes shut before turning his head towards the voice.
Both Steve and Bucky are filling up his doorway, both with hands outstretched
but very clearly not moving closer to him. Tony sighs and moves his gaze back
to the city behind him.
“You know I can’t stay here. And I’m sure whoever you’re selling me to is very
nice.” Tony almost rolls his eyes. Almost. “Very nice, really, but I’d honestly
rather a dedicated Chupacabra eat my heart in front of me, so just tell him a
loving fuck off from me, alright?” Tony shifts his grip on the windowsill,
wincing at the sharp edge and looks down, calculating. He really shouldn’t
count on a suit catching him; they’d probably disabled them.
“Tony! Wait, wait! Just hold on a sec Doll, nobody’s selling you to no one,
‘less they have some sorta death wish.” Tony stops analyzing his descent, and
looks back up at them, confused and cautious.
“We wouldn’t give you away, sweetheart. We want to keep you.” Steve says, and
Tony blinks at him, mind blank. Nobody wants him, Tony knows this sure as he
knows gravity. Tony immediately dismisses the thought and suddenly understands
what this is about.
It feels like the ground has crumbled beneath him, and Tony just falls and
falls and falls. He never expected this from them, from these men Tony has
fallen in love with. He never thought he’d have to be wary, be afraid, of
Steven Grant Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes. For just a moment he is livid at
them, for wanting to use him, for seeing him as some whore, but then Tony takes
a breath and reminds himself of who he is. You’re being unfair, Tony thinks to
himself, this is their biology. They can’t help it.
And then in a whisper that Tony pretends he can’t hear, “If you can control
yourself why can’t they.”
“Boys”, Tony says with a grin that is just a baring of teeth, “If you’re
looking for a new fuck toy, I recommend The Pleasure Chest on 43rd street,
‘Fraid I’m not up for grabs.” Tony laughs, hears Stane call him easy in his
head, and searches with his toes for the ledge beneath him.
“Do you think that’s what you are to us? Tony, Tony you’re precious to us.”
Tony pauses, confused at the panic in Steve’s voice, but then Steve takes a
breath and sounds more like the soldier he meets in the field. “You’re a
scientist, Tony. Look at your evidence, we have never treated a Submissive that
way.”
His evidence? Tony has decades, has too many white lines to count on his back
(he remembers every one, memories branded in his mind), has endless endless
mounds of evidence. He knows exactly how Doms think, has lived it. But—
But what if he’s wrong?
Steve and Bucky had been creeping closer while he was thinking. He heard their
footsteps, could have easily told them to back off, but a foolish, naïve part
of himself was rearing its head, making him think that maybe he wanted to let
them close. Like ripping himself from mud sucking him down, Tony jerked back
and raised a hand to keep back his—the Doms.
They both froze, hands up, placating. Bucky spoke, eyes steady on Tony’s, “Come
down from there, Darlin’. We just wanna talk.”
Talk? Right. Tony snorted, shifting back from them. That’s how it always went.
Why don’t we go have a chat, my boy. You and I.This was Tony’s chance to save
himself, to misbehave. He’d have to give up the genius title if he turned that
down.
And then they both dropped to their knees, heads tilting to the side, baring
their throats.
Tony stared at them wide-eyed, stunned speechless. Never, never had he seen a
Dom submit, seen them lower themselves, let alone to him.He honestly didn’t
think they were physically capable of it, but the proof, the evidence was
kneeling right in front of him. He held himself completely still for a few
moments, warring with himself, and then climbed back through the window, body
answering their call to him.
He half-expected them to grab him, wrestle him down, but they were statue-
still, barely breathing. Hesitantly, hands shaking, he reached up two fingers
and ran them down the line of Steve’s throat. It was bold, and Tony probably
needed to be reminded of his place, but it didn’t stop him from accepting
Steve’s submission with sweeps of his fingertips. Steve’s face softened at
whatever was on Tony’s, and he smiled at him gently. “Would never hurt you
sweetheart. Need to protect you.”
Tony didn’t know what to think, he faltered briefly before turning to Bucky.
Bucky had tilted his head more, flicking his hair off his neck in invitation,
and grinned at Tony, beckoning him closer with his eyes. Tony almost smiled
back, mouth quirking. His hands shook only a little when he ran the same two
fingers down Bucky’s throat, absently thinking that he liked the contrast
between Steve’s clean-shaven face and Bucky’s scruff.
Bucky let him explore his throat for awhile, before very slowly bringing his
hand up to catch Tony’s and tugging it to his mouth for a kiss. When he spoke
his lips brushed against the back of it, “We just wanna take care of you, Doll.
That’s all.” He kissed Tony’s hand again and Tony felt his face heat. Bucky
grinned. “That and make you blush more, Gorgeous.”
Tony stared at him, and then took a step back from both of them, narrowing his
eyes. “I don’t understand.” Tony said slowly, frustrated. He’s never the one
who needs something explained, and it rankles at him.
“No, don’t reckon you would, Doll.” Bucky murmurs, sounding immeasurably sad.
“We’ll help teach you sweetheart, but can we fix you up first, Tony? Please.”
Steve grits out, eyes on Tony’s arm. Tony blinks and then looks down at
himself, noticing the blood painting him a new sleeve and suddenly feeling the
hot stinging covering his elbow. “Huh.” Tony turns his arm over inspecting it
disinterestedly before glancing back up at them and seeing the rigid way both
of them are holding themselves.
Tony raises his eyebrows, surprised at how affected they both are at seeing him
hurt. Stane would have loved it.
Tony purses his lips, deliberating, then goes to the bed and makes himself
comfortable. He holds out a hand, making a get-on-with-it gesture and dips his
head in assent. He watches them both hurry around the room gathering supplies,
purposefully keeping his posture loose and open and praying their super-ears
can’t pick up his heart-beat.
They’re endlessly gentle as the clean pieces of glass out of his elbow and his
hand and the back of his thigh where the shards dug into his skin, and Tony
puts all his energy into looking unaffected, but inside his mind is racing.
His instincts are screaming at him to escape before its too late, to flinch
from their hands, but an increasingly louder part of Tony is reminding him that
he knows these men.
He knows that Steve keeps his room at 89 degrees at night because it helps keep
his nightmares of icy graves at bay, that his favorite restaurant is Havana
because one bite from their food is more flavor than he’d had in his first 21
years of life. He knows that Steve came home drenched from the rain because he
gave his umbrella to a homeless man and his dog.
He knows Bucky goes rigid when he’s angry because he’s so afraid of hurting
someone again, that he keeps Clint company in the vents when he’s missing Phil
something fierce. He knows that on the nights he disappears Natasha takes him
to a hip-hop class because Bucky’s surprisingly good and it helps him relax.
He knows how soft they both go around him, how gentle.
But what if everything changes now, and Tony in all his weakness and
selfishness ruins it?
With soft hands, Bucky coaxes him onto his stomach so Steve can get to the back
of his thigh, and Tony remembers other gentle hands that used to care for him
like this.
 
“Master Anthony.” Jarvis sighs, sounding sad but not surprised. “What’s
happened?”
Tony is on the floor, leaning against the wall, the broken remains of his
latest screw-up scattered around him. Angrily, he scrubs the tears from his
face and kicks petulantly at one of the pieces by his foot. “Stupid thing
didn’t work.”
“Mmm, and I imagine this warranted throwing it at the wall?”
“No,” Tony said, face screwing up angrily, “he threw it.”
“Ah.” Tony peeks up at Jarvis who is tight-lipped and angry-eyed. Tony looks
back down at his hands, feeling small. He hates disappointing Jarvis.
“Well, no matter. I’ll assist you this time, Master Anthony.” Jarvis picks up
one of the bent pieces next to them, turning it uncertainly in his hands.
“Though I may need to be more of a gatherer than an architect.”
“I don’t want to anymore. Was just a stupid idea anyway.” Tony said, ignoring
the disapproving look he could see out of the corner of his eye.
“I’ll thank you not to speak so rudely about yourself, Anthony Edward. And
surely my ears are deceiving me, and I didn’t just hear Young Mr. Stark give
up.” Tony rolled his eyes and snatched up another one of the pieces just to do
something with his hands.
“I’m notgiving up, its just not worth it s’all.”
“Hmm, why don’t you tell me what actually has you tangled up, Poppet?”
Tony stays quiet and Jarvis waits him out, tossing the twisted piece of metal
between each of his hands. Tony is stubborn, yes, but Jarvis is more so, and it
only takes him thirty-three minutes to cave.
“What if I never get it right? Dad’ll be so mad, and Mom will act like she
isn’t disappointed, but she so obviouslyis.And I’ll just be some nobody.” Tony
takes a breath, mouth wobbling, “Its just scary, Jarvis. What if I fail?”
Jarvis hums again, and Tony can see him looking at him out of the corner of his
eye. “If you fail, Master Anthony, you will not fail alone. I won’t leave you
if you can’t fulfill whatever impossible task your father has set for you this
time, though there is not a doubt in my mind that you are more than capable.
Being scared is not a weakness, young Sir.” At that Tony scoffs, refusing to
look at Jarvis until he shifts onto his knees in front of Tony, gently gripping
his chin.
“Listen to me, Tony.” Tony blinks up at him, attention caught by the one name
Jarvis hardly ever calls him. “Be afraid. But do not let it stop you.”
 
“Okay, lets not do that again in a hurry, Doll.” Bucky smoothed the bandage
wrapped around his elbow, and Tony blinked, refocusing on both of them.
“Thanks, Popsicles.” Tony stayed resolutely still, because he didn’t fidget,
damnit. And he didn’t duck his head, like some meek, scared little kid. It was
just easier to look at their noses instead of their eyes is all, that’s just
common sense, and his sleeves were hitting his wrists all wrong so he had to
keep rolling them up. Cool, calm, and collected thy name is Tony Stark.
“Mind if we talk now, Darlin’?” Tony tensed up. He thought they might have let
him rest first before they laid everything out.
“Sure, can’t wait for that convo. So excited I could climb out that window
right over there. Whats first? Punishments? Bet I have a hundred or so racked
up already, which if you’re asking me—“
“How about,” Steve interrupted him, pinning him down with his eyes. “You let us
say our piece, and then we listen to whatever you have to say.” Tony closed his
mouth, back straightening at Steve’s no-nonsense tone.
Tony tilted his head, eyes narrowing. “Seems like a trap, but okay.” Bucky
laughed and then snagged Tony’s waist to drag him backwards to the headboard
before he and Steve both settled in front of Tony, so they were all on equal
ground. Tony watched them warily, just waiting for the power plays to start. He
felt like he was consistently missing the last step of the stairs, feeling sure
of how they would act and then having his expectations fall through the air.
Didn’t quite know how he felt about that.
“Since you brought it up, the first thing we want to make clear is that
punishments are off the table for a long-while.” Tony’s eyes widened and Steve
held up a hand to keep him silent. “If you have something you feel guilty over
and need our help, then that’s a different story. But for right now, neither
Bucky nor myself will be issuing punishments. You aren’t near ready for that,
and we aren’t in the business of traumatizing you.”
“You—you don’t want—.” Tony was gob smacked, actually opening and closing his
mouth like a fish. Bucky reached out and grabbed Tony’s hand like he just
couldn’t help himself.
“Ah ah, our turn still, Doll.” Obediently, Tony closed his mouth. If they
hadn’t before, they certainly had his attention now.
“We would have preferred to take this much slower than we will have to now,
Tony. You’re going to be unstable for quite some time, and you’ll be needing us
to even you out. I’m not calling you weak,” Steve quickly spoke over Tony when
he opened his mouth again. “This goes both ways. You’ve seen the both of us
when we try to suppress our instincts for too long.” Steve looked at him
steadily and Tony had to admit he had a point.
Every once in awhile the battle would get too violent, or the villain would be
extra dominant, or for whatever reason, but Bucky and Steve would be disgusted
with their Dominant sides afterwards. They could go for a few weeks without
issues but then Bucky would stop sleeping entirely so he could constantly walk
the perimeter of the house, protecting his territory. And Steve would take his
aggression out on Tony’s (very strong, reinforced ones mind you. Tony’s no
slouch) punching bags until they split open and his hands were a mangled mess.
Don’t even get Tony started on how they acted towards each other, both dragging
the other to bed and trying to force feed them soup. To which both of them
insisted they were fine until they were both growling at each other to “Just
eat the goddamn soup, punk!”, and then ultimately needing the entire team to
break them up and yell at them to stop being ridiculous and go scene.
And—now that Tony’s really thinking about it—they would both team up on Tony
and shuffle him off to bed despite his many protests that he was almost done
with his latest project. And then when they finally deemed him rested enough
and let him return to his workshop they found any reason imaginable to keep
everyone but the two of them out. Like a vulnerable mate, Tony realized, they
were protective over me like they were with each other.
“I’m certain you’ll be wanting some time to come to terms with this, I know
this must be difficult for you, especially given the fact that you were keeping
your designation secret.” Tony blinked, focusing back in on Steve. “But given
these circumstances, we’re gonna have to check in once every 24 hours, and you
better believe we’ll be keeping tabs on if you’re eating and sleeping enough.”
Tony opened his mouth again, probably to protest that he was a grown man or
something, he didn’t know, but Bucky tapped his hands.
“Do you think letting you work yourself into the ground and wither away are
traits of a good caregiver, Doll? I know you love to be haphazard with your
health, but I promise you these aren’t unreasonable requests.” Bucky grinned at
him, rubbing his thumbs over the back of Tony’s hands, “You’re just not used to
people who don’t cave to your tantrums, honey.”
“I. Do. Not—”
“Sweetheart.” Steve said, fondly. “Anytime someone gets too close to you or
tries to help keep you alive, you damn near bite their head off. Or you
completely shut down and hide yourself away until they give up. That’s a
tantrum if I’ve ever heard of one.” Steve smiled, and brushed Tony’s hair off
his forehead. “Don’t look so offended honey, there’s nothing childish about
tantrums. You’ve been pushing and pushing people for years trying to find an
immoveable object, someone who doesn’t bend just because its easier. Someone
who sees the difficult parts of you and doesn’t turn away. We want to be that
for you, Tony.”
Tony looked at him incredulously, hunching his shoulders and wishing he had
been quicker in climbing through the window. He felt antsy and very exposed to
be honest. Steve was just laying out Tony’s soul on the bed and pointing out
the parts hidden by layers of Tony’s best self-defense mechanisms, like Tony
hadn’t dedicated his whole life to hiding them. He wanted to go hide away in
his workshop, far from these eyes that saw entirely too much.
“Doll, we don’t want to overwhelm you.” Bucky shot a sharp look at Steve. “We
just want you to know that things with us will be different, and you can decide
for yourself if you like those differences. This is entirely up to you. After
we get you through these next few months, if you want to cut us off we won’t
stop you. You can even—“ Bucky faltered briefly “You can even use some other
Dom if it would make you feel more comfortable. So long as you’re safe, you can
do whatever you want, Tony.”
Tony stared, feeling like he’d stepped through the air again. They’d be okay if
another Dom put their hands on him? They wouldn’t stop him?
“You—“ Tony said slowly, testing the words out as he said them, “You aren’t in
this for yourselves at all, are you?”
Both of them shook their heads frantically, looking a strange mixture of
concerned and furious.
“A proper Dom is there for their Sub, not—not whatever the hell your ‘Dom’ was
playing at in the past.” Steve growled, a bit of his Dom-voice seeping through.
Tony shivered and Bucky squeezed his hands again.
“Tony, we don’t have to have all of this figured out right now. This isn’t
binding, Doll. If you start having any doubts or problems we can talk about it
and fix it, okay? You just have to trust us enough to take care of you and know
that we’ll listen to you every single time you’re scared or uncertain. Can you
do that, Tony?”
Trust them? Tony had trusted enough, hadn’t he? And all it got him was broken
knees and his heart ripped out of his chest. Trusting was stupid; the safe
thing would be to wait for the nearest opportunity and run while he still
could. He knew this, Tony knewthis damnit.
There were scars branded into him inside and out to prove this, stains left on
his fucking soulthat kept him up at night. And—
And there were also gentle hands that led him to movie night so he wouldn’t be
left alone. Frantic fingers that tipped his chin up when he got thrown through
a few walls. Smiles that he swore made his heart stop even though it shouldn’t
be possible with the arc reactor powering it. There were two men who kept him
company even when he was thorny and spitting, and brought him food and actually
stayed to make sure he ate it. And Tony kind of liked it, despite his many
efforts.
 
Listen to me, Tony. Be afraid. But do not let it stop you.
 
Tony scanned both their faces, cataloging the poorly hidden hope and the
nervousness in the pulse of their throats. I do trust you, Tony thought but
didn’t say. Instead he nodded his head slowly, achingly, feeling his heart race
in his chest.
 
Okay, Jarvis.
 
 
Chapter End Notes
     Who's too sweet? Its all of you. You guys keep me writing, I'm so
     serious. You deserve 20,000 big warm hugs if you guys are into that
     kind of thing and actual immortal life. Bless you.
End Notes
     More to come, I promise you that.
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