For Tony Stark

[advanced]

[He's been on the run for what feels like decades, but is really only a few months. He knows he's doing a good job at being hidden because ever since the helicarriers fell out of the air there hasn't been a single confirmed sighting of him, and he knows that Steve is looking. Not just Steve, either. He's just not ready to be found yet.

The easiest way to move between countries, he's found, is by stowing away on private chartered flights. They're usually less attended than commercial flights, and if he can get on board then it's fairly easy to avoid the one or two passengers and crew. He has no idea that the flight he's stowed away on is Tony Stark's private jet, and that it's only Tony himself on board.

At least not until he hears a disembodied voice speaking throughout the plane once they're in the air. It's JARVIS, not that he has any idea who that is.]

Sir, scans of the plane show that there's a man crouching in your cargo hold. I wasn't aware you were transporting any men today.

Comments

[buildsomething]

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.

[advanced]

[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?

[buildsomething]

[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.

[advanced]

[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.

[buildsomething]

[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?

[advanced]

[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.]

[buildsomething]

[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.]

[advanced]

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.]

[buildsomething]

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.

[advanced]

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.

[buildsomething]

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.

[advanced]

[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.]

[buildsomething]

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.

[advanced]

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?

[buildsomething]

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.

[advanced]

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?

[buildsomething]

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?

[advanced]

[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.]

[buildsomething]

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?

[advanced]

You can ask whatever you want.

[It doesn't mean that he's necessarily going to answer the question; either because he doesn't know, or because he just doesn't trust Stark as far as he could throw him. Considerably less, actually, since he can throw him pretty far if he wants to.]

What do you want to know?

[buildsomething]

[His eyes flick briefly up to Barnes' face like he's trying to gauge how honest the guy is being. Whatever he sees makes one corner of his mouth tip up slightly before his attention goes right back to the arm.]

What kind of sensation do you get out of this thing? Obviously you've got pretty good motor control, there's got to be some kind of force feedback.

[advanced]

Pressure, hot, cold, pain.

[He doesn't have anything more than that. He doesn't have nerves that can sense softness, for example, but he can sense extremes in temperature, how hard to grip something, or if something is damaged.]

It's connected to my nerves up through the shoulder.

[buildsomething]

Yeah?

[Tony's eyes trace up the metal line of his arm to the shoulder in question before he nods to himself. Okay, so that makes sense. In a kind of brutalist way, but that does seem to be the theme here. He carefully rotates Barnes' wrist in his hands, following the way the joints move.]

Pain as in the whole thing getting jostled or pain as in registering damage?

[advanced]

Mostly registering damage, I have to be able to report back if any maintenance needs doing.

[Or he did. There's nobody to do maintenance and repairs now, and he's certainly not going to put himself back into the hands of HYDRA to let them do it.]

It's a vibranium alloy, so it's pretty hard to damage badly.

[buildsomething]

You'd be surprised.

[But that one's more to himself as Tony's concentration zeroes back in on the arm for a long moment. He stares like he might somehow manage to be able to see through the damn thing, then finally sighs and leans back, carefully letting go of the arm.]

Right, so. Drink?