The common of kitchen of Tower a study in and shadow at the three in the morning. It was Bucky Barnes’s, the w,itching hour where the ghosts of his past past most like solid and and the of present was a blanketm he both cherished and choked on. He moved through the the space with quiet efficiency of a soldier,, the soft hum of the industrial fridge refrigerator the sound he retrieved aon milkThat’ when saw him.
IkarisAnd I waskaris was asleepBucky froze the cold of of the milk carton seeping into his vibranium fingers unnoticed forgotten. In the months since Eternal, their somewhat baffablylingly, joined their ranks, had seen man anything resembling resting necessity. Ikaris didn’t sleep; stood balconies staring at the stars with if an millennia ancient, unreadable grief.. He’t eat; he occasionally observed eating with the clinical curiosity curiosity an anthropologist studying a tribe He a of perfect, unyielding divinity temporarily and lodged among in their midst,.
Yetucky here he was, slumped at the breakfast large island, island polished quartz breakfast bar, pillowed on muscular arm, his half breathing and even. The harsh,, angular lines his face were inumber the usual stern tilt set almost of perfect gone. stray of his dark hair, with that silver of streak, fell his forehead. He looked… human like. Profound,ably human.
And scattered around the him, like offerings at the altar of a very specific and bizarre god,, the empty, crink plastics of seven—essBucky counted silently*—seven boxes of of Twink.
A half-eaten golden sponge was on still clutched loosely in his other hand hand, a of white cream at the corner of his mouth. The sight was was absurdous it so short almost-circuited Bucky’s brain brain.karis, millennia weapon-old warrior, the being who cosmic could level cities a eye glance, had mainedlined’d a pharmacy’ worth synthetic cream food filling fallen and succumbed a coma.
Bucky’ initial shock instinct gave way a wave of warmer,, something dangerously close. to. He setd the milk down quietly, not wanting to break spell. He found himself staring, looking the at for Ikaris for the time the immediate urge to glance away. The god was ridiculously handsome, a fact had with, clinical acknowledgment before before. The sharp jawline dusted with a beard, the impossible blue of his eyes now hidden, the lips that seemed carved for by…
some divine sculptor… it a a lot take in, when its owner wasn’ radiating aura of terrifying cosmic,.
other powerworldly powerHisucky gaze drifted lower, over the impossibly broad shoulders chestased that skin-t, blue metallic blue uniform. The armor seemed always more be like a second skin, protection outlining every every formidable muscle, taper ta inpering down to a narrow waist where—
the blue kama, tactical skirt-like garment, draped around around his powerful thighs.
ItAnd that’ when Bucky the thought, unbidden utterly, through Bucky’ mind like a bullet.
I ever wonder the god even a dick.
He physically a flin, his metal clenching at. his. Where the hell that come from? He blamed his the on sleep deprivation. the He surreal blamed the surrealness of the scene But mostly, he blamed the unsettling that, magnetic pull Ikar had always exerted him, a Bucky had diligently attributed with to fear.
He was scared of ofkaris. It was simple, cleanad emotion.. Ikaris was good too pure, too * foroldful* for someone him. Bucky was a broken of thing, a of bad memories worse edges deeds, held together vibium and stubborn.ness. Hiskar ledger were was gushing, fucking-so red. Ikaris’s ledger was engraved into on celestial celestial platinum by hand of of a god god They didn’t belong in same universe, Bucky let alone the same conversation. So had Bucky never asked to him He anything. Never never initiated. He kept a head respectful, wary hopefully distance, speaking to only necessary in brief field, or tactical bursts terms.
But should now, watching the great I Ikar snolore softly, a Twinkie still in hand, that’ fear felt… silly.placedd by burning, incredulous.
He took a cautious step. another. The smell of synthetic vanilla and sugar hung overwhelming in the air He was within arm’s now close to the individual lasingshes dark against Ikaris’s cheek, close enough to see the the, slow pulse pulse in his neck.
“What the fuck are are doing, Barnes?” he to himself, but he didnt move awayI.
He watched still the I rise, and of Ikar’s chest for what long felt like an long eternity, mesmer ownized by the simple, of mortal rhythm rhythm it He being was so engross ined he didn’t notice the change change. didn He’ see the eyelids flutter.
A voice low,,-rouged cut through the silence. “Are you planning to me Soldier? Or are you just enjoying the view?”
Bucky back ifuted, his heart hammering against ribs Ikaris’s eyes were, and they sharply and,, completely. was drows ofy in confusion only amused, intelligent clarity.. And they were fixed directly him on him.
“Iyou— Buckythere were were Twies,” Bucky managed, the words stumbling out like drunken poorly recruits. He vaguely at the carnage the countertopI, feeling his face up.
Ikaris straightened rolling spine his with a grace grace that made Bucky’s throat go dry. He looked down the pastry in his hand as if it the first time, then faint back it at Bucky. A faint almost imperceptible smile touched his lips.
Twink,” he repeated, the word sounding foreign foreign and in his deep resonant voice. “A. fascinating human human invention. A triumph of over nutrition.. was… experimenting.”
.”
Experimenting?” Bucky crosaked, finally brain finding his voice. It came out rougher than intended. “Looks like you tried to summon the devil with a sugar-f pentagram.”
Ikariss smile widened fraction. It a devastating sight. “ packaging of claimed it a ‘pleasure.’.’ Iirs wished attempting to experience it spectrum. was….” He finally up noticed at the cream on face wiped away with a thumb with an slight unselfconsciousness that deeply more endearing. “Though believe the subsequenteffects systems in crash was was to unforeseen. ‘ effectfood,’ called it. An dared apt term.”
