advanced | For Tony Stark

...right. Of course he is.

[The man Steve has been tearing the world apart to find just stows away on his jet. Sure.

Ignoring the parts where the man is one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Or was. Tony's not completely sure about that one. He is pretty sure that if the Winter Soldier wanted him dead, they wouldn't be having charming conversations in the cargo hold. Which just leaves figuring out what the hell to do about it.]

Thanks, J. Let's keep this between us for the time being, shall we?

[Tony's thoughts are still churning furiously as he reappears in the doorway to the cargo hold carrying a bottle of dark liquid. Which he holds out to James. Barnes. Jesus.]

Well if you don't want to come in for drinks, the drinks will come to you.

[He considers following when Stark walks off, he could easily take him out from behind and then pilot the plane himself to wherever he wanted to go. But that would put a trail on his actions and make him easier to find, and he doesn't know what sort of security protocols that Stark has built into this thing.

His secondary plan is to pry up one of the panels above the wheel and literally drop out over the ocean. He doesn't need a parachute to survive that, and Stark probably has his suit on board and so would be able to cope with the depressurising and probable crashing of his plane.

Which is why he's bending one of the first layer of floor panels up when Stark reappears with drinks in hand.]

...shit.

[Caught red handed.]

[Tony comes to a slow stop as he finds his erstwhile guest tearing up the floor. And just blinks at him for a moment before giving the man the driest expression he feels capable of.]

Really, is my hosting that bad? Where exactly were you planning to go?

[And here he'd figured that actually leaping out of the plane would be out of the question. That'll show him to make assumptions.]

[The fact that Stark doesn't seem surprised is a pretty big clue that he's already figured out who his stowaway is. Not good. He takes up a wary sort of stance a good distance back.]

I was just gonna jump out.

[No big deal.]

I didn't know it was your plane.

You were gonna jump.

[The echo is entirely deadpan and hopefully makes it clear exactly what Tony thinks of that plan. And people say he has impulse issues.]

And what, swim half of the Atlantic until you hit shore? Let's try not to be too ridiculous, please. We can all be friendly here. Or at least polite.

[He pauses a second more, then just holds out the bottle he's been carrying]

Seriously, take it. Sounds like you need it more than I do.

[This doesn't make any sense. If Stark knows who he is, and all evidence points to him knowing, then why isn't he here in his Iron Man suit trying to arrest him instead of offering him drinks?]

I don't understand.

[Though he does reach out and take the bottle.]

Why are you treating me like a guest, aren't you afraid that I'm going to attack you?

You can try.

[It's mild, but there's a genuine warning behind it. He's not Iron Man for nothing, if he thinks his hospitality is being abused. Not that he's actually worried, but it's the principle of the thing.]

Besides, the way I hear it, if you actually wanted to hurt me, I wouldn't even know you were there.

[He has several guns about his person, he's pretty sure that he could shoot Stark long before he got into any kind of superpowered suit, but that really wouldn't be helpful to point out.]

...are you going to radio anyone and tell them that I'm here?

[He should. He really, really should, and not just because Cap will probably have his head for actually finding Barnes (accidentally or not) and not immediately bringing him home like a stray puppy.

But. There's a tightly-wound energy in the man, something Tony almost wants to categorize as nervousness, and he doesn't think it has anything to do with his spare suit. Tony can recognize feeling cornered. What it does to you.]

Nah. I mean, unless you do something particularly amusing and I feel compelled to put it up on Youtube.

[He has no way of knowing if Stark is being honest or not, but he has no choice but to believe him. It's either that, or continue ripping up the bottom of the plane so that he can jump out.]

Don't tell him you saw me.

[No need to mention who 'he' is.]

It'd just make him look harder.

[That gets an eyebrow raise, following by a particularly dry snort. He doesn't even pretend not to know exactly what Barnes is talking about.]

I'm not sure it's possible for him to look any harder.

[And Barnes has been avoiding him anyway. It would be almost amusing, if he wasn't watching Steve throw himself against that wall over and over.

And Tony's just agreed not to tell him anyway. He's not sure what that says about him.

Rather than dwell, he tips his head up slightly, a small smirk playing over his mouth.]

What'll you give me for it?

[Just the fact that Stark is offering a deal brings at least a little hope to him, though he has no idea what to offer. He has no money, and it's not like Stark is hurting for it even if he did, and he hasn't got much in the way of personal belongings.

He has to think for a few moments, before suddenly it comes to him thanks to the newspaper and magazine clippings about the man that he has stashed in his bag. Research on the Avengers.]

I'll let you look at my arm.

[To an engineer like Stark, that's probably the most valuable thing that he has.]

[The smirk slips just a little as Tony blinks in genuine surprise. Not necessarily at the offer --though there is that too -- so much as that Barnes has managed to hone in on his weak spot that damn quickly. He should probably be worried about that, but he can't help giving said arm a quick, thoughtful glance.]

How much of a look are we talking here?

[Negotiating. Negotiating is good. Not that the result isn't pretty inevitable, given how intent Tony already looks, but he likes to at least pretend he can do this properly.]

Outside only. You can touch, but you can't take it apart, and you can't damage it. No scans.

[There's technology in there that he'd rather not see replicated by anyone, and there are weaknesses that he doesn't want Stark to know about. But the basic way it moves and the outer shell aren't too dangerous to show off.]

Why would I damage it?

[Tony just gives him a deeply offended look, as if that's the important thing here.

He hesitates a moment longer, then lets out an overdramatic sigh. What he wants is to see the inner workings of that thing, but they can work that out later. Maybe. Hopefully.]

Fine. Not like I have any of my tools here anyway.

Good, then we have a deal.

[A very tentative one that could fall apart at any moment, but a deal nonetheless. He finally moves toward Tony to come out of the cargo hold.]

I don't believe you don't have your tools, or the ability to make a scan, but I don't care as long as you don't use them.

Sweet talk me some more.

[The smile he gives Barnes as he steps back to let the man out of the hold is dry, but there's a genuine amusement underneath. It's not enough that Tony manages to get overestimated.]

But if you think I'd settle for inferior equipment, you're talking to the wrong guy. Sit anywhere you want.

[Once they hit the main cabin, Bucky appraises the various seats before he chooses the one that seems to give him the best view of every direction possible. He manages to look both intimidating and intimidated.]

You know, this really wasn't in the plan, running into Iron Man in the air.

[He pulls off his hoodie to display the arm, as promised.]

No kiddin'?

[It's asked in his best deadpan as Tony waits semi-patiently for Barnes to choose his perch, then drops unceremoniously down next to him. As if the man trying to dig his way out of a plane at altitude hadn't made it abundantly clear exactly what Barnes thinks of his company. Tony might almost be insulted.

He'd much rather focus on the arm coming into view, though.]

I mean, as much as I'd like to think of you going through all this trouble just to meet little old me.

Better you than some of the others.

[Stark, from what he can tell, is less intensely loyal and truthful to Rogers than some of the rest of the Avengers, which means he's preferable to people like Falcon.]

Where is this plane bound for, anyway?

That's just what a boy likes to hear. That he's better than the alternative.

[The agreement is both solemn and deadpan as Tony gingerly reaches for Barnes' metal wrist, giving the man ample time to either get away or flip out. Best to get that out of the way quickly.]

Geneva. Why, you want to tag along? I could tell everyone you're my bodyguard, it'd be fun. Well. Boring as hell. But fun for me.

I don't think you'd be welcome if you brought a wanted terrorist as a bodyguard.

[Geneva's not too bad, there could be worse places for him to land and disappear, lots of options for directions.]

Will the others be there?

You say that like it'd be hard to disguise you. It's amazing what an actual shower can do.

[He might be thinking a little too much about what Barnes would look like de-hoboed. Time to focus on the arm instead. Not that it's hard to get distracted by that. It's a serious piece of work, and man what he wouldn't give to see the inner workings. Alas.]

By the others, you mean Avengers? Do you see anyone else here?

[Bucky doesn't twitch if Stark goes for his arm, he did promise to let him examine it and so he's prepared for it.]

Just because they're not here, it doesn't mean they're not meeting you there.

[And he's not even going to dignify that shower comment with a reply.]

Well, they aren't. Most people find arguing with politicians boring, for some weird reason.

[There were reasons the glad-handing mostly got left to Tony himself. Most of the time he doesn't mind. At the moment, he can't even remember why he would.

He runs his fingers lightly over the lines of plating on Barnes' wrist, like he's trying to track the mechanics of it. Even just the way everything arranged is impressive. Horrifying, yes, but impressive.]

Can I ask questions or are you going to flip out on me?

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