Point of View: Tony Stark
———•———

I handed the bag to Banner. "Just to be fair," I said, reaching my hand into it to try and pick something from its contents quickly, so that I might not be able to recognize what I was touching, seeing as I picked all the items to begin with.

I pulled my hand out and held it up for everyone to see.

"What the hell is that?" Natasha asked.

"It looks like foil," Clint added.

"Not just tin foil," I told them, unwrapping it.

"Oh," Clint continued. "It's one of those little green toy soldiers."

I pointed and winked at him to confirm that he was right.

"Next to 'tin foil soldier' it says Rogers' boyfriend," Banner read from the list.

I looked over to Steve and Bucky who, again, were not paying any mind to the game. Hell, we were all watching them just make out on the couch for the second time today.

"Steve," Natasha started. He pulled away only to see the lot of us watching him.

"What the hell, guys?" he said, making a face at us all.

"Language Cap'n," I replied with a smile. "Besides, it's not you we're concerned with right now."

Barnes glared at me. "You talkin' 'bout me?" he asked in that Brooklyn accent of his, finally standing.

"Yea, Tony pulled you from the bag," Clint informed him.

"You gotta be shittin' me," Barnes declared. "I thought that stupid game was over."

"I'm afraid not," Clint carried on, sitting back down. "Better make your way into the closet."

"I think I was in the closet long enough, don't you think, Steve?"

"Trust me, I do. Come back on the couch with me, baby," Steve said, pulling Barnes on top of him as they started to kiss again.

"Are we serious?" I asked.

"Okay, I don't usually agree with Tony, but rules are rules," Natasha added. "And you didn't officially withdraw from the game, so..."

"This is me withdrawing, officially," Barnes said between kisses.

"It's a little late for that," Bruce added. "You've already been called."

"Fine," he played along, making his way into the closet with me, closing the door behind him furiously.

We stood there in silence for a moment. I was waiting for him to say or do something and I can only assume he was either doing the same or was simply angry with me about everything.

"So," I started.

"No."

"What do yo-"

"I mean no," he cut me off. "I mean, you know I'm only in here because I have to be- because I agreed to play your stupid game in the first place."

"You think this is stupid?"

"Extraordinarily, yes."

"It's better than doing nothing, right? I mean, it was already happening anyway."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he came back.

"Just that we were all gonna do this sooner or later, kiss each other, I mean," I clarified.

"How do you even get that idea?" he asked.

"I don't know," I returned. "There's always been this sort of chemistry between some of us... different reasons for each pairing, of course."

"As if I have anything with anyone here other tha-"

"All I meant was that, seemingly, it's always only ever been a matter of time befor-"

"Before what? We all lose control and just get with each other left and right? You're losing your damn mind, old man."

"Right, I'm the old one here," I joked with him.

"I'd watch it, if I were you," he said, his voice closer to my physical body.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"Supposed to be? Like it wasn't obvious enough, you mean?"

"Precisely what I mean, actually, yes," I tested him, seeing what he would do and say.

"You're really asking for it, aren't you?"

"Hmm?" I mumbled, not exactly sure what he was getting at, or, at least making it appear that way.

"Did I hesitate?"

I waited and said nothing, hoping he might back away from me, but he never did. I heard his breathing slowing as if he was coming down from that high he was on, filled with anger, allowing him to fight me so easily on everything.

"Are you just going to say nothing?" he finally asked.

Again, I stood and waited and said nothing. Perhaps now he would pull back and stammer away, forgetting all intent he had to, simply, do with me what he would just there, where I'd remained.

His metal hand, the one I had forgotten about entirely, met my throat and gently tightened for a moment without a word escaping either one of us. "Do you realize how easy it would be for me to-"

"Why are you doing this?" I asked.

"Doing wh-"

"Threatening me."

He waited. "Well, you're letting me. Maybe now you see that you truly aren't anything without that suit of armor you drudge around in."

"All you seem to do is live in the past and mope about the things you know you can't change. At least I took what I had, pushed forward and made something of myself ," I responded.

"Those who are made can be unmade."

"How do you expect to unmake me, Barnes?"

I heard his arm whir as he lifted me into the air, my back against the wall. His body swarmed into mine as his lips, too, hit mine. It was brief, though, far too brief for me to believe. With that, he dropped me, but I followed after him.

I kissed him again, delving my tongue into his mouth. I pulled at his neck and ran my fingers through his hair and it felt as if, even for a moment, he was kissing me back.

Then, he pushed me off of him and my back hit the wall.

"Looks like I'm not the one in danger of being unmade," I told him.

"I've been unmade time and time again, Stark, I know what that's like better than anyone else you'll ever meet. Now? I know what I am. Surely there's no hero inside me, but at least I can admit it. At least I don't pretend."

"What's that supposed to me-"

The door swung open.

I looked at him, but he refused to return my gaze before he walked away without a second thought.