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W A R  N I N G S:

 a minor trigger warning for non-consensual drug use.

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They were going to kill HYDRA.

It had always been the plan, but now they were going to destroy them. They stepped over the line.

They took Tony.

They ignored the Avengers and their planning, they ignored the panic and worry, and they ignored Rogers' desperation.

They were only focused on one thing and that was getting what was theirs back.

HYDRA would pay if Tony was in anything but perfect condition.

They ripped through the base that Friday tracked her creator to, far ahead of the others. HYDRA agents screamed and tried to run but none of them got far. Some higher ranking officers that had somehow survived this long desperately tried the trigger words but their genius had long since gotten rid of them.

The Fist of HYDRA was free and doing what he'd long since wished for.

Destroying HYDRA.

Coated in blood, the Soldier stalked through the halls, shooting or stabbing anything that moved. He'd checked every room he'd come across but so far there was no sign of Tony and he was growing antsy.

And then he found the room where the remnants of HYDRA were holed up. The room was saturated in fear but their attention was drawn to the figure hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room, chains wrapped around his wrists.

Tony hung limp and there was a livid bruise on his cheek.

A terrified HYDRA agent turned his gun on the genius and they saw red. By the time they came back to themselves, all the agents in the room were dead. They glanced around briefly to make sure of that before rushing over to Tony.

Winter slid back from where they'd been practically indistinguishable tangled together at the front of their mind so that James could take care of their genius. He was better at this.

"Tony? Doll come on, wake up," he cupped the genius' cheeks and tilted his head back so that he could get a better look at him.

Tony's eyes were only open partway and they could recognize the signs of drugs. It was probably the only reason that Tony hadn't broken out on his own if he was drugged up to the gills like this.

"Jamie?" he slurred and a moment later a lopsided grin tugged at his mouth. "You're late."

James huffed out a laugh and leaned forward to press their foreheads together. "Sorry sweetheart. We didn't know which room you were in."
Tony gave an accepting hum before speaking again. "Time to go home?"
"Yeah, time to go home doll," James whispered, reaching up to break the chains and catching Tony when he buckled.

"Whoa," the man mumbled. "I am so high."
James huffed another laugh. "Just a little doll. I think they were scared you'd escape."
Tony pouted. "I was going to anyway." He thrust his hand into their face, showing him a piece of wire. "I was picking the lock. Just was taking a while."
James smiled, feeling pride well up in his chest. He didn't doubt that even drugged out of his mind, Tony would have found a way out. He always did.

"We were just a bit impatient Tony," he told him, picking the man up into a bridal carry. "We miss you when you're gone."

Tony leaned his head against their chest and let out a content sigh. "Missed you guys too," he mumbled.

James turned to leave the base, finally feeling settled with his boyfriend in his arms. Even if he was somewhat loopy from the drugs.

_______________________

The Avengers arrived as James walked out of the base so he just ended up catching a lift back home with them. It was a little awkward having Steve's sad puppy eyes on him the entire time but James was far too busy enjoying an overly cuddly genius to really care all that much.

He pressed a kiss into the man's hair, sure that Tony would be embarrassed about his behavior when the drugs wore off. He'd tease him later when he was done enjoying it.

"He's so out of it," Barton snorted in amusement after Tony spent five minutes talking about how pretty James was.

"Yup," James shook his head in amusement as he kept his wriggling boyfriend in his lap while the genius struggled to turn to look at Barton.

"He's pretty and good at sex," Tony informed him solemnly, making several people choke on their laughter.

Barton only raised an eyebrow. "Really? Maybe that's just a super serum thing. It enhances everything after all," he smirked.

Tony shook his head though. "Nope," he popped the 'p'. "Rogers was shit at sex so it's all them."

This time Barton joined the others in choking on nothing at the carefree admittance.

Tony let out a mournful sigh. "So bad at sex. He was lucky I loved him. Cause I wasn't staying for bad sex."

Steve was bright red at this point.

"But then he fucked it up," Tony continued. "I don't like liars. And he lied about Mom. And shoved the shield in the arc reactor." Tony gave another sad sigh. "I didn't want to put the arc reactor back in..."

James tightened his grip on Tony and glared at Steve who'd gone pale now as several wide eyes were trained on him.

"What do you mean Tony?" Barton asked evenly. "The shield?"

Tony nodded, properly sprawled over James' lap now. "Cause I saw the video of the Winter Soldier killing mom in Siberia. And Rogers knew. So I got mad." He suddenly twisted and reached up to clumsily pat James' cheek. "I wasn't mad at you Jamie. I was mad at him. Cause we were going to get married but he was just someone else that used me."

"I know doll," James assured him softly, which seemed to fade away the brief flicker of distress.

"Good. I wasn't mad at you and Snowflake. Just needed to work through it. Then I realized how pretty you were and Rhodey laughed at me when I told him I was screwed."

James ignored the sudden yelling breaking out among the rest of the team and pulled Tony in close.

"Guess I'm real lucky I'm pretty huh?" he murmured.

"Nope, I'm the lucky one," Tony argued sleepily.

James huffed a laugh and tucked Tony's head under his chin. "Go to sleep doll."

And with only a little bit of grumbling, Tony did. And James leaned back to watch Barton and Sam tear into Steve in a fury.

Life was good.