[Avengers: Drabble] "Here and Now" [G]
Title: Here and Now
Prompt: writerverse phase 21, challenge, 01, promp 02 ‘mistaken identity’
Word Count: 353
Fandom: Avengers (MCU)
Characters: James “Bucky” Barnes, Tony Stark
Pairings: mentioned Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Setting: part of my happy ‘verse
Summary: “I see Steve, then I see you and - you do look like Howard, a little.”
Here and now
“It really bothers you,” Bucky said, softly. “When I… Not when I mention Howard, but when I get fuzzy and think you’re him.”
“It’s fine,” said Tony.
“We’re supposed to be having an open and honest dialogue,” the other man said, deadpan. “So I can work through my mental recalibration.”
Tony squinted at him. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Sam.”
“Maybe. And he might talk like a textbook, sometimes, but he’s usually right. So, spill.”
“Should never have taught you modern slang,” Tony grumbled.
“Tony…”
“It… it’s not fun,” the engineer admitted. “I think you - and Steve - and I knew totally different versions of my dad, and it weirds me out a little when you go on one of your bad trips and call me ‘Howard’. I’m not him.”
“Of course you’re not,” said Bucky. “I don’t think you are.”
“Uh, World War Two flashbacks would suggest otherwise.”
“But that’s just it,” Bucky told him. “You weren’t in the war, Tony. When I… when I’m there, when I think I’m there, I don’t expect you to be. I see Steve, then I see you and - you do look like Howard, a little.”
“Yeah,” Tony allowed. “There’s a resemblance.”
“So it’s not because I think you’re him, it’s because I expect him to be there. Like when Coulson’s team was here, and I thought Simmons was Peggy.”
“Oh,” said Tony. Jemma Simmons was dark-haired and British, but otherwise not a whole lot like Peggy Carter. “I… oh.”
“Yeah,” Bucky agreed.
“So is it better or worse if I point out I’m Tony?” he asked.
The other man considered. “Better,” he decided. “I don’t even really think of you as Howard’s kid, you know. Just Tony. My best friend’s fella.”
“So when you start seeing World War Two, I should start making out with Steve?”
Bucky snorted a laugh. “Don’t, you’ll freak him out. Just… just be you, Tony. The future -where I’m supposed to be - is the time where you are. I can’t promise it won’t keep happening, but for the record? I think I like you better.”
Tony smiled. “Thanks.”
THE END
Current Mood:
Busy
Prompt: writerverse phase 21, challenge, 01, promp 02 ‘mistaken identity’
Word Count: 353
Fandom: Avengers (MCU)
Characters: James “Bucky” Barnes, Tony Stark
Pairings: mentioned Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Setting: part of my happy ‘verse
Summary: “I see Steve, then I see you and - you do look like Howard, a little.”
Here and now
“It really bothers you,” Bucky said, softly. “When I… Not when I mention Howard, but when I get fuzzy and think you’re him.”
“It’s fine,” said Tony.
“We’re supposed to be having an open and honest dialogue,” the other man said, deadpan. “So I can work through my mental recalibration.”
Tony squinted at him. “You’ve been spending way too much time with Sam.”
“Maybe. And he might talk like a textbook, sometimes, but he’s usually right. So, spill.”
“Should never have taught you modern slang,” Tony grumbled.
“Tony…”
“It… it’s not fun,” the engineer admitted. “I think you - and Steve - and I knew totally different versions of my dad, and it weirds me out a little when you go on one of your bad trips and call me ‘Howard’. I’m not him.”
“Of course you’re not,” said Bucky. “I don’t think you are.”
“Uh, World War Two flashbacks would suggest otherwise.”
“But that’s just it,” Bucky told him. “You weren’t in the war, Tony. When I… when I’m there, when I think I’m there, I don’t expect you to be. I see Steve, then I see you and - you do look like Howard, a little.”
“Yeah,” Tony allowed. “There’s a resemblance.”
“So it’s not because I think you’re him, it’s because I expect him to be there. Like when Coulson’s team was here, and I thought Simmons was Peggy.”
“Oh,” said Tony. Jemma Simmons was dark-haired and British, but otherwise not a whole lot like Peggy Carter. “I… oh.”
“Yeah,” Bucky agreed.
“So is it better or worse if I point out I’m Tony?” he asked.
The other man considered. “Better,” he decided. “I don’t even really think of you as Howard’s kid, you know. Just Tony. My best friend’s fella.”
“So when you start seeing World War Two, I should start making out with Steve?”
Bucky snorted a laugh. “Don’t, you’ll freak him out. Just… just be you, Tony. The future -where I’m supposed to be - is the time where you are. I can’t promise it won’t keep happening, but for the record? I think I like you better.”
Tony smiled. “Thanks.”
THE END
Current Mood:
Busy