Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:·Winter's Choice·:*¨¨*:·.

The arrival of Iron Man had the Asset unsettled, his mind was still muddled by the residual compulsion caused by the trigger words and the fight at the airport so he kept his rifle trained even as the helmet retracted into the suit, revealing the bruised face of Tony Stark.

“You seem a little defensive.”

The Asset tensed when Stark spoke despite the seemingly easy and friendly tone, he could sense the tension beneath it, he always could.
When the Captain walked away, shield raised, he found that he was unsure of the intentions of either man and the fragments of the Other screaming in the back of his mind to trust Stevie, protect Stevie, made it hard to think straight.

“At ease soldier, I'm not currently after you.”

He hadn't been paying much attention to the words spoken, his focus was on watching for any indications that Stark would attack.
It didn't feel like he would though and the Asset had learned to trust those feelings.

“Hey, Manchurian Candidate, you're killing me. There's a truce here.”

When Stark addressed him directly the Asset tensed again, but this time the Captain, Stevie the Other insisted, signalled for him to lower his weapon, so he did, the compulsion to Obey still strong in his mind.
Logically he knew that the Captain was not his Handler, not HYDRA at all, but the compulsion to Obey caused by the trigger words was a powerful one and obeying lessened the pain screaming through his mind.
Obeying was easier, less confusing, he needed time to regroup, recover, the fragments of the Other, the one that came before, were telling him that the Captain would keep him safe until he could recover, could make plans to make sure HYDRA could never get him again.

The Asset allowed himself to slip into Mission mode, falling into step with the Captain and Stark who had re-engaged the helmet of the suit as they carefully cleared the way through the HYDRA facility.
Mission mode was familiar, comfortable, clearing a facility was something the Asset could do in his sleep and it calmed the storm within, allowed him to think, to sort the fragments and silence the storm that was the voices.

The fragments of the Other, the one the Captain called Bucky, had been a plague on his mind, each fragment screaming with its own voice, always screaming in the mind of the Asset.
As much as the Asset hated the confusion and pain the fragments caused they did allow him to break through the conditioning long enough to get away from HYDRA, to break down the compulsion to return.
Being away from HYDRA kept him away from the Chair, and the Wipes, it allowed the Asset's brain to heal and begin to break down the compulsions that HYDRA conditioning had created.
The Asset had gone underground in Bucharest trying to piece together the memories that the Chair had disrupted, but it was a slow process.

The HYDRA serum had kept James Buchanan Barnes alive through the Fall, the fitting of the Arm and HYDRA conditioning, allowed him to survive the Chair and the Cryostasis, but while it protected his body, his mind remained vulnerable.
Over time HYDRA's methods began to take their toll and under the constant stress and pain the mind of James Buchanan Barnes began to fracture.
The fracture developed into something similar to Dissociative Identity Disorder and the Asset was born to protect what remained of James Buchanan Barnes, but in doing so the fractured mind weakened further, and shattered completely.
The fragments that were HYDRA conditioning and training were joined by memories of military training and formed a Soldier, someone to take the pain, carry out the missions, but in the end it didn't prevent the fragments from shattering further each time they were wiped.

The wipes caused significant damage to the synaptic pathways that allowed memory access, damage that the serum couldn't heal, it healed the tissue, but the connections remained severed, the memories still there, hidden deep inside, adding their own voice to the screams of the fragments.
In Bucharest the Asset had a chance to heal more, and as the body healed he was able to find and examine some of the hidden memories, connect them to fragments of the Other, and he soon found that if he could connect fragments to memories he could build them into larger clusters.
These clusters shared a single voice instead of the cries of their parts, slowly, gradually, dimming the cacophony of voices, but it was hard work and somehow he knew he would never be able to rebuild James Buchanan Barnes, too many of the fragments were a part of the Asset, the pieces just wouldn't fit.
And as much as the Asset wanted to rebuild the fragments he would not shatter himself to do so, so he hid, carefully hoarding memories, rebuilding a puzzle with missing pieces as best as he could, he had always been good at puzzles.

The Asset had also been planning, searching for information that could help take down HYDRA and ensure that he would never be under their control again, that search had repeatedly led him to Tony Stark.
While the Captain was on a crusade, the Asset recognized that Stark's mind and resources, both financial and political, could very well be the key to taking down HYDRA once and for all.
HYDRA considered Captain America a person of interest for the serum, and a nuisance, while Stark was a top level threat even before becoming Iron Man, Do not engage, he had resources that rivalled those of entire nations.

The Asset had put a lot of research into Stark, looking for a way to aim those resources at HYDRA, and he had found that maybe Stark would also be able to assist with the fragments, the BARF technology seemed promising, maybe it could assist in finding more memories, merging more of the fragments.
He had already made several scenarios for missions to get Stark involved in taking down HYDRA, they were still being refined though.

But before the Asset could complete his scenarios and pick one to run the Sokovia Accords came into play and then the bombing of the UN meeting, painting a huge bullseye on his back..
When the Captain appeared at the small apartment the Other insisted that they trust him, trust Stevie, that Stevie would protect them and not allow HYDRA to get them.
With few options available the Asset went with it, having someone to watch his back while he regrouped would be useful, and the Captain was one of the Avengers, alongside with Iron Man, it could give access to the man.
Tactical awareness told the Asset that seeking out Stark would be the logical step to take, but the Captain insisted that Stark was compromised, the Asset doubted that, but the Other insisted they trust Stevie, Stevie would never lie to them.

They had been caught though, surrendered and brought in, the Asset didn't like being locked up, the restraints too reminiscent of the Chair, but he knew he could break them so he forced himself to appear relaxed.
The Asset tried to break free when he heard the Words but was too slow, then he was fighting, part of him screaming as the triggers compelled him to attack Stark at the police station, compelled him to fight.
At the airport the triggers were still fresh, forcing the Asset's will aside for the compulsions to obey, so obey he did, the pain lessened when obeying, but once again the part not forced into compliance by the triggers was raging against the idea of fighting against Stark, Stark was the best hope for freedom from HYDRA, best chance to regain memories, rebuild the fragments, silence the voices, and maybe, just maybe, break the Words' power to control the Asset.

“I got heat signatures.”
“How many?”
“Uh, one.”

The short conversation between Iron Man and the Captain instantly had the Asset focusing 100% on the current situation again.
A single heat signature meant there was likely no active cryostasis chambers in the room, and no Winter Soldiers, it left the Asset unsettled, had the other soldiers been activated already and if so where were they?
Had they been moved to a different base, and if they had, where had then been moved?
Why were they not there, waiting for them?

The Asset knew enough about the Iron Man suit to know that its sensors were very accurate, if they only detected one heat source then there was only one, and the serum altered metabolism of the soldiers made them run hot, easier for thermal sensors to detect, something the Asset was aware of as a potential weakness during missions
Only a handful missions were accessible in his mind, he knew there were more, a lot more from what he had found about the Winter Soldier in various files, but the pathways were missing.
Sometimes something would trigger a memory and rebuild a pathway, a scent, a location, reading about an event during his searches, and once triggered he could remember it, the Other would scream and shy away from the memories while the Asset held no emotional attachment to it, it was the past, just old mission reports.

Stepping into the room the questions about the other Winter Soldiers are answered, all five of them dead in their cryostasis chambers, all from a single shot to the head.
It does raise a lot of new questions though, especially why would the man hiding behind the observation window go through all that trouble, finding the Words, framing the Asset, triggering him to get the information, only to kill the Winter Soldiers, and why lure others there?
The Asset was confused though, he could recall the man demanding information about a mission, and he could recall complying, but he couldn't recall what information he had given the man.

The Asset watched as Iron Man and the Captain engaged the man in conversation and something felt very wrong about the whole situation, putting him on edge, making him slip deeper into his current state of hypervigilance.

“I know that road. What is this?”

Seeing the footage from an old traffic camera triggered a new set of memories, and the Asset knew that things had just become a lot more complicated, Stark's parents had died by his hands.
When Stark turns toward him the Asset forces the fight response down, and a moment later the Captain intervenes and Stark turns to face him.
The Asset can easily read the pain and grief in Stark's face and posture, and it is clear that the situation is rapidly deteriorating.

“Did you know?”

Stark's voice sounds hollow, broken, and the Asset could feel the voices of the fragments dim, waiting for the Captain's reply.

“I didn't know it was him.”

The fragments were suddenly silent and the Asset knew the Captain had lied.

“Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?”

The voice was still broken, but a dangerous edge of anger was quickly overtaking the pain and grief, and the Asset's training told him there was a high risk that Stark would lash out.

“Yes.”

As the Captain spoke the single, damning, word the Asset could feel the compulsion to follow, to trust, waver and shatter as the aspect of the fragments that had enforced it realised the depth of the Captain's betrayal toward a teammate, toward the son of a friend.

The Asset wasn't the least bit surprised when Stark reengaged the suit's helmet and slammed the Captain with a vicious punch sending him to the floor next to the Asset, what did surprise him though was the Captain moving to get up in a way that showed he intended to escalate rather than try to calm the distraught and grieving man.
The Asset made his decision before Stark had a chance to charge at him as well, dropping the rifle he slammed his cybernetic fist into the back of the Captain's head, knocking him out cold, kicked the rifle out of reach, then kneeled down with his arms behind his back.
He allowed his gaze to quickly flick to the observation window before taking a steadying breath and forcing his body to relax.
As expected, the Sokovian had cleared out the moment Stark attacked.

To the Asset's relief Stark is an experienced operative and several sets of shackles designed with super soldier strength in mind were launched from the suit and moments later the Captain's hands and feet are bound and the Asset can feel a pair snapping closed around his arms as well.

“A single set won't be enough to restrain the power of my cybernetic arm.”

The Asset speaks calmly and a heartbeat later two more shackles are launched from the suit and as they wrap around their target Stark retracts the faceplate of the suit, the helmet remained though.

The glare that Stark levelled him with would no doubt have made most men squirm, but the position was familiar to the Asset, showing discomfort or emotion was not tolerated when the Handlers demanded submission, it would only lead to further punishment.

“Did you know?”

There was an edge in Stark's voice and eye's that screamed danger, telling the Asset the man was still very likely to lash out with little or no additional provocation.

“HYDRA conditioning and control methods include memory wipes, the Asset was unaware of this mission until seeing the footage triggered the formation of a new synaptic pathway.”

The sharp backhand that followed didn't surprise the Asset, he was impressed by the speed it had been delivered with though as he slowly collected himself from the floor and resumed his kneeling position in front of Stark.

“Oh, nothing more to say?”

The dangerous edge was still there, but it was quickly fading back into broken hollowness.

“I will not insult you by feigning remorse that I am unable to feel, nor will I offer empty apologies.”

The second blow was slower, and held a lot less force, and while it made his body rock slightly the Asset remained in position, watching as Stark struggled to regain control.

“Nothing?”

Stark is clearly expecting the Asset to explain his actions, but he's not entirely sure which actions, the murder, the whole escape and evade HYDRA after Project Insight, or the events that lead up to his current surrender.
After considering the options the Asset spoke up, keeping his voice low and even.

“I will accept whatever punishment, pay whatever restitution you see fit to atone for my actions, but I was hoping you would be willing to take this Weapon of HYDRA's and wield it to destroy them.”

The Asset surprised himself a bit at the low growl that entered his tone as he spoke of destroying HYDRA, he didn't know he was even capable of such emotion.
The way Stark's posture switched from threatening, slightly forward leaning, to ramrod straight made it quite obvious it was not a reply he had expected and the way emotions played over his face fascinated the Asset, so much emotion all at once.
Then, as sudden as it began, it stills and settles on something akin to determination and Stark's eyes narrow with a dangerous gleam and for a moment the Asset is sure Stark will kill him.
Before the Asset can try to read the look on Stark's face any further the shackles around his arms disengage and Stark smiles, a dark smile that promises pain and death to anyone who dares cross him.
It makes him look very different from the pictures in the material the Asset has studied, but somehow he gets a feeling that this is Stark's true face, it also makes the Asset certain that he is about to die.
The Asset accepts death, it was a probable outcome of confronting Stark even before learning about the death of his parents.

The Asset doesn't move to defend himself as Stark approaches, instead he focuses on keeping still, but to his surprise Stark just gives his cybernetic arm a nudge as he steps past him and grabs the Captain by the back of his uniform.

“Grab the shield, time to blow this joint.”

The Asset finds himself somewhat confused by the light tone and choice of words, but obeying is something he knows well, something easy to fall back into so he does what he is told.

“Might wanna grab your rifle too in case our host is still lurking around.”

He can hear the faceplate close as Stark turns his back and hoists the Captain up on his shoulder and starts moving toward the exit.
Again the Asset finds himself surprised and confused that Stark would not just release him from the shackles, but arm him and turn his back at him, he can't help but feel that it's a test, a test he intends to pass.

“Acknowledged.”

The Asset allowed himself to slip fully into the familiarity of obeying, grabbing the rifle and falling into step behind Stark, carefully looking for signs of stress, but there was no sign of anything but the usual vigilance of a soldier in enemy territory.
For some unfathomable reason Stark seemed to trust the Asset and he intends to prove himself worthy of that trust so he focuses on the training he had received in protecting VIP's, finding it surprisingly easy to assume the role when done willingly.

As they exited the bunker they were met by the Wankandan with the black suit, and at his feet the Sokovian man that had orchestrated the entire mess was trussed up and gagged.
When the enhanced Wakandan, Prince T'Challa according to the information the Asset had acquired, turned to them Stark raised his free hand, the repulsor powering up with a soft whine, a clear warning that he did not trust the young prince.

“Sorry your Kittiness, but these two are mine, feel free to keep that one though.”

Stark makes a nonchalant gesture toward T'Challa's prisoner while moving to place himself between the prince and the Asset.

“Please, wait.”

T'Challa holds his hands out in a gesture of open surrender as the suit bleeds away from his body.

“I was wrong to pursue the Winter Soldier for the death of my father, for this I must pay restitution.”
“Whatever your Kittiness. Don't call us we will call you and all that shit.”
“Dr Stark, please.”

With a huff Stark powered down the repulsor and lifted the faceplate before levelling T'Challa with a somewhat frustrated glare while clearly considering a quick way out of the current situation.

“Alright, how about this, you don't tell anyone I have the Winter Soldier, and we can talk later if you still feel you owe him something?”
“Acceptable. Zemo will be brought to Wakanda to stand trial for the murder of my father, I will make sure he does not speak out of turn.”

The Asset couldn't see Stark's face anymore, but he could see some of the tension bleed out of his stance.

“Now, if we're all good on that Cap here has a date with a Hulk-proof cell that I rather make sure he doesn't miss.”
”All good Dr Stark.”

T'Challa gave Stark a slight nod before the black suit began covering his body again.

“Alright tall, dark and broody, let's make sure Capsicle here isn't late for that date.”

It took a moment for the Asset to realize that Stark was indeed talking to him but once he did he quickly fell in line and followed Stark to the Quinjet.

He watches as Stark quickly secures the Captain in a seat before opening a panel in the wall and bringing out a large first aid kit.

“Sorry Cap, don't want you to wake up and realize I've got your old buddy here.”

The sight of the small jet injector with an odd, green, liquid almost makes the Asset flinch, but he quickly realizes that it's not intended for him, and moments later Stark has injected the contents into the Captains neck.

“Tranq's developed to be able to take down enhanced individuals like the Hulk, aliens like Thor and Bag of Cats, or super soldiers.”

The Asset nods silently, but doesn't move from where he is standing at the end of the ramp, waiting for instructions.

“You know how to fly one of these babies?”
“I do.”
“Good, get us in the air and set a course for New York while I make sure Sleeping Beauty here doesn't wake up and cause trouble.”

The Asset nodded and headed for the cockpit, placed his rifle and the shield within reach and began the start-up sequence for the Quinjet, a quick glance back revealed Stark setting up an IV feeding the Captain another liquid, this one slightly blue and he assumed it was something to make sure the Captain remained unconscious for the duration of their flight.

The Asset was just done setting the auto pilot when he heard the sound of the Iron Man suit dissembling itself, followed by some rather colourful cursing from Stark as he made his way to the cockpit and dropped himself into the co-pilot seat.

“Ouch, fuck it, I'm getting too old for this shit.”
“You are injured.”

For a moment the Asset began reaching out to assess the damage but he paused, unsure if Stark would punish him for such liberties.

“Yeah that kinda happens when someone drops a fucking pile of cars on your ass.”
“The Ved'ma. Witch.”

Seeing the Ved'ma had triggered some particularly unpleasant memories and the Asset was hoping to add her to the list of targets if Stark agreed to taking down HYDRA, he hadn't actually said he would yet.

“Yeah, she was supposed to be in the compound with Vision to keep the crowds from going all Salem on her and burning her at the stakes. But apparently Cap here felt otherwise and sent Birdbrain to get her out.”
“They should...”
“What?”

Stark sounded annoyed, and expectant, but he no longer had the dangerous edge of someone about to lash out.

“They should burn her...”
“Oh, you know something I don't about her? I mean other than her being Strucker's little pet experiment.”
“I have memories of seeing her training, seeing her rip the minds of men apart.”
“Fuck.”

Stark ran his uninjured hand through his hair with a huff.

“My memories are incomplete, but I believe they tried to use her to make the effect of the triggers and the chair permanent.”
“That's just fucked up. And she did this willingly, no sign of coercion?”
“Eagerly, gleefully, she was laughing as her victims screamed in pain and terror. She willingly joined HYDRA for power and revenge.”
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

Stark cursed up a storm, then winced and yelped as he managed to jostle his injury.

“Ouch, why is it always the same fucking arm...”

The Asset hesitated for a moment, then reached out again.

“May I? Binding it should help relieve the pain until you can have it properly assessed and treated.”
“Alright, you know where the kit is.”

The Asset felt strangely pleased that Stark seemed confident in his abilities, it was a strange feeling, and it was only then he realized that most of the voices were silent.

.·:*¨¨*:·Winter's Choice·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony tried his best not to flinch as the fucking Winter Soldier wrapped his injured arm against his torso.

“Easy on the ribs there Florence Nightingale, they're not what they used to be.”

He didn't get an answer, but the bindings were eased off a bit so they didn't put too much pressure against the reactor casing.
Tony was pretty sure he was in shock, why else would he feel so at ease with his parents' killer taking care of his injury?
With a few steadying breaths he began going through what had been happening since the bombing of the UN building, trying to figure out how the hell he had ended up with Rogers trussed up and sedated in the back, and his old WWII buddy turned HYDRA assassin sitting in the pilot's seat.

The entire thing was one major clusterfuck and Tony couldn't help blaming Rogers for most of it, if the stubborn bastard had just fucking trusted him none of this would have happened.
Instead he decided himself that Tony wouldn't be able to handle finding out the truth about his parents' death, decided that Tony would hunt down his precious Bucky and kill him if he found out.
Sure, Tony would have been pissed and he would have raged about it, but he wasn't a fucking idiot, he had a pretty good idea of what HYDRA had done to create the Winter Soldier, he knew what kind of place torture could put you in.
Emotionally he hated Barnes, the Soldier, blamed him for Howard's and Maria's deaths, it was still too fresh, too raw for anything else, but intellectually he knew the blame laid squarely on HYDRA, who had aimed and fired the weapon, not the weapon itself.

As he analysed what had happened in the bunker he got a nagging feeling that something was off, the way Barnes seemed to not act on his own volition as much as simply follow Rogers' instructions.
Then he had dropped his weapon, knocked Rogers out and surrendered, and the way he had done it, the way he was kneeling, something felt very wrong about now that Tony looked back at it, the way he had silently retaken the kneeling position after being hit to the ground.
The way he had spoken about not feeling remorse, referring to himself as the Asset.

“Fuck!”

Stark could see the cybernetic arm twitch with an instinctive motion to grab for the rifle before stilling and returning to the controls of the Quinjet.

“You're not Bucky at all, are you?”
“No.”

The answer was short and to the point, and utterly useless.

“I'll need a little more details.”

Tony prodded and after a few moments of silence he got his answer, but he quickly got a feeling he wouldn't like what he was about to hear.

“When James Buchanan Barnes began to break under HYDRA conditioning the Asset was created to try to protect his damaged mind.”
“Dissociative Identity Disorder?”
“Close enough, but it was not enough and his mind broke, fragmented, I believe beyond recovery as some of the fragments became part of the Asset. The rest remain as fragmented memories, emotions and voices but the wipes... I have been unable to make sense of them.”

Tony ran his hand through his hair again with a deep sigh, the man, Asset or whatever he was now sounded so utterly broken somehow he couldn't help wanting to fix him.
At the same time he still hated him, fuck this was confusing...
He needed to keep his distance from this, stay professional.

“Since you're not Bucky any more and I can't very well go around calling you Asset, I need something to call you. Any ideas Soldier?”
“I... I have a memory of a girl calling me Yasha, I think I like that memory?”

The questioning note on the end damn near broke Tony's resolve before it had a chance to solidify.

“Alright Terminator, Yasha it is.”

Tony tried to relax and get some rest, but it didn't take long before he began twitching with the need to do something, anything, and there's not much to do in the Quinjet other than trying to talk to the Winter Soldier, Yasha, he reminded himself.

“If you don't mind, just what were you thinking when you knocked Capsicle out and surrendered? I could just as well have killed you. I damn well wanted to for a while there, part of me still does.”
“I know, I was prepared to die if that was the case, still am.”
“Why?”
“The Asset is not supposed to want, but I don't want to be wiped again...”
“Fuck, that's just too fucking messed up.”

Tony wouldn't call what followed an actual conversation, Yasha never spoke up on his own, he also never refused to answer any of the questions Tony asked and some of the answers had made him wish he never asked to begin with.

“Why are you answering all my questions? I mean, even I can tell you don't actually want to answer all of 'em.”
“HYDRA conditioned me with a compulsion to comply, to obey my Handler.”
“But I'm not a HYDRA handler...”
“The compulsion is still there, especially when I have recently been triggered. I will be better able to resist the compulsion in a few days.”
“Still doesn't answer why you're obeying me...”
“Compliance brings relief from pain and confusion.”
“You're telling me you're always in pain unless you are actively obeying someone?”
“When recently triggered, yes.”
“I.. I can't... This is... Fuck!”

Tony decided then and there that HYDRA had to go, and something had to be done about that messed up conditioning, he wouldn't tell Yasha yet though, he knew it was petty but part of him still wanted the man to suffer for killing his parents, just not the way he was under HYDRA.

“How bad is it now?”
“Compliance through debriefing helps.”
“Alright then Yasha, I want a full report on what has happened since the bombing of the UN meeting, including personal observations that may have an impact on any plans to take down HYDRA.”

As Tony set up one of the small cameras in the Quinjet to record Yasha's report he couldn't help noticing the slight sigh of relief, and instant flinch followed by a shiver before tension began to bleed from Yasha's posture, and after a moment of confusion he realised that Yasha had expected, on pure reflex, to be punished for showing signs of relief.
He quickly found himself hating HYDRA even more, something he hadn't thought possible.

Listening to Yasha's report was oddly soothing, despite the somewhat disturbing detachment and lack of emotional inflection his voice was calm and deep with a slight roughness, as if he was unaccustomed to speaking and Tony realized that, yes, Yasha probably wasn't used to speaking much.
Gradually relaxing as he listened Tony noticed other sounds, soft whirs and clicks that were periodically mixed with a somewhat discordant grinding sound that his engineering brain recognised as servos and gears being out of alignment.
It took much longer than it should to realize the sound came from the cybernetic arm, and a quick glance showed that Yasha was rhythmically opening and closing the hand and rotating the wrist, or at least trying to, there seemed to be something wrong with the range of motion.

“The arm bothering you there?”

The movement stopped instantly and the cybernetic arm returned to a neutral position, but Tony could tell by the slight stiffness in Yasha's shoulder that he was forcing himself to stop the activity.

“The Asset has not received proper maintenance since leaving HYDRA.”

The answer made Tony sigh, Yasha seemed afraid of saying anything that would suggest weakness, or any form of emotional response.

“That's not what I asked. If we're gonna do this I need to know your full condition, mechanically, physically, and as far as possible, mentally.”

For once Yasha didn't answer him, instead he tensed noticeably.

“Hey, Winter Wonderland, talk to me.”
“Weakness is unacceptable.”

Tony cursed silently to himself, it seemed that every interaction he had with Yasha just showed another twisted facet of HYDRA.
As much as he hated to admit it he was developing some serious sympathy for the man, and he realised that to get things done he would have to put on a bit of an act, he just hoped it wouldn't backfire somehow.

“Asset!”

The sharp tone and slightly raised voice had Yasha ramrod straight in an instant and both arms went behind his back in a position similar to parade rest.

“Ready to comply.”

Fuck!
Tony was already hating this.

“Asset, you will provide a full report on the condition of the mechanical arm.”
“The Asset has sustained minor combat damage to arm unit, wrist mobility impaired, maintenance required for full combat capacity.”
“And your physical condition?”
“The Asset has sustained intermediate combat damage, serum efficiency compromised, estimated time to full recovery 30 hours.”
“Compromised how?”
“Insufficient nutrition.”

Tony was cursing again as he realized that Yasha probably had the same accelerated metabolism as Rogers, and required a lot more food than a baseline human to be at full health, while at the same time being able to withstand starvation better.
He quickly headed into the rear compartment and dug around for the special emergency MREs they carried that were adapted for Rogers, Thor and Banner who usually needed some quick energy once he returned from a Code Green.
He grabbed the entire box and pulled one of the packages out with his teeth before setting the box on the floor between the seats and dropping the MRE in Yasha's lap

“Eat. I'll have a look at the arm once we're back, got all the stuff I need back in the workshop.”
“Acknowledged.”

Tony sighed and settled back, trying to relax while watching Yasha make short work or the special MRE.

“Go on, eat as many as you need. I trust you are aware of your dietary needs for optimal function.”
“Yes.”

Gods, Tony hated this with a vengeance, speaking to Yasha as if he was some kind of tool or slave, part of him was whispering that the man who killed his parents deserved it and more, and Tony found himself hating that voice.
He did his best to quell that voice as he watched Yasha wolf down nearly half the box of MREs before settling back into staring at the flight data readouts.

“How long will that hold you over?”

Tony intentionally tried to keep his tone light, non-commanding, to see how Yasha would respond.

“I will need a few hours to digest the food, but for optimal performance I will need more. I have been...”
“Been what? Talk to me please...”
“Acquiring sufficient amounts of food has been hard while also staying hidden. The Asset would normally receive nutrition packs for extended missions.”
“One more fucked up thing to add to the list...”

This time Yasha tilted his head slightly at Tony's grumbling.

“List of things that needs to be done if we are gonna try to make this work.”

Tony clarified with a huff.

“What kind of things?”
“Well for starters fixing that arm of yours, making sure you're properly fed, and hopefully, if you're willing to let me poke around, do something about those triggers and compulsions to comply, those could really fuck things up if we run into a HYDRA asshole who knows about them."
“BARF?”
“Well well, someone has been doing their homework.”
“Mission parameters for my last HYDRA mission included authorization to independently seek out mission pertinent information as needed. Made it easier to look things up.”
“Fuck...”
“блядь.”

Tony couldn't help barking out a laugh when Yasha mirrored his curse in Russian.

“You speak Russian?”

Yasha sounded surprised, and Tony was surprised that he had actually initiated conversation for once.

“Yeah, helps if you understand what the assholes kidnapping you are saying, learned my lesson after Afghanistan.”
“When you got that?”

Tony quickly covered the reactor with his hand before nodding.

“It's one of many items that HYDRA desires to get their hands on.”

The pain of seeing his parents murdered surfaced again, turning his voice cold.

“They never sent you to steal it though.”
“Despite the risk you present HYDRA prefers to keep you alive so they would have sent a different asset for such a task, maybe hire one of the Widows.”
“A honeypot?”
“You have a reputation.”
“Lies and slander!”

For a moment Tony could see a flicker of a genuine smile before Yasha grabbed one of the remaining MREs and shoved it into his hand.

“You need to eat as well, you are starting to smell.”
“What?!”

Tony took the MRE on pure reflex, but his head was spinning trying to keep with the sudden mood changes, that was supposed to be his gig.

“The human body produces a distinct smell when blood sugar begins to drop low. Exhaustion has its own scent as well.”
“I don't remember Rogers being a fucking bloodhound...”
“Different formula, different training.”
“I guess.”

Tony paused a moment to use his teeth to rip open some of the pouches in the MRE.

“So, what kind of stuff can you do that Capsicle over there can't?”
“HYDRA's files on the Captain are extensive, but I do not know how complete, or accurate they are.”
“Don't worry 'bout that, just go with what they do contain.”
“Acknowledged.”

The return to the stilted speech pattern almost made Tony flinch again, he had noticed that Yasha's speech changed at times, likely depending on how deeply affected he was by the conditioning at the time.
As far as he could tell it seemed that the more affected he was the more stilted his speech became, and he also gained a distinct Russian accent, even sometimes using Russian words.

It wasn't until the flight computer beeped, alerting them that they are entering US airspace that Tony realized that he had fallen asleep while Yasha recounted an impressive list of skills he had been trained in, including some seriously odd things, like classical ballet.

.·:*¨¨*:·Winter's Choice·:*¨¨*:·.

As they approached the Stark Tower Tony took the controls and set the Quinjet down on the landing pad which was a bit tougher than usual with his left arm all trussed up, but fortunately it came with his own flavour of custom auto-pilot, meaning it mostly just needed his codes so the tower defences wouldn't shoot it down..

“Fri baby, blackout protocols please. And could you turn on the light in the Hulk containment cell while you're at it, containment protocol Captain Spangles?”
“Sure thing Boss.”
“Come on Elsa, let's get Aurora here to a nice, secure, cell.”

The crooked look Yasha gives him just makes Tony smile wider and remove the restraints before nudging Rogers' sleeping form toward the other super soldier.

“You mind? You super soldier types are built like brick shithouses and unlike you guys I'll need some time before my arm is good for anything remotely straining again.”

Yasha just gave a slight nod before tossing Rogers over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and walking down the ramp.

“Boss is that...”

With a suppressed groan Tony made a note to have another look at Friday's synchronization protocols that were supposed to keep the main copy at the tower updated to what the copy in the suit had experienced.

“Yes baby girl, it is, but keep that on the down and low for now please.”
“Boss...”
“Please Fri, not now.”
“Alright Boss.”

Yasha seemed to be taking the disembodied voice quite well, the only reaction Tony could see was an extra scan of the small hangar.

“That's my baby girl Friday, she runs the tower and my suits. And well, pretty much everything.”
“An AI?”
“The best AI.”
“Thank you Boss.”
“I see.”

Tony could hear the soft whirs and clicks from the mechanical arm as the elevator brought them down to the detainment level and it was a strangely calming sound.
When the doors opened Yasha stepped out and took note of the suppression weapons aimed at them before following the light strips along the floor without prompting.

“We need to get him stripped and settled in the cell.”
“This cell will hold?”

Yasha tapped the glass with his cybernetic hand.

“It's Hulk-proof glass, go on try it.”
“Hmm...”

Yasha seemed to be considering his options for a few moments, then the sleek panels of the arm began shifting and he punched the glass with significant force, making the green lights along the floor flash with a pale yellow for a few seconds.

“Easy there, don't wanna damage that arm of yours any more than it already is.”
“Acknowledged.”
“So, what do you think, sturdy enough?”
“It appears to be sufficient.”
“There's also like a 100 different suppression systems installed there, all of them designed specifically to take out various enhanced individuals.”
“You have planned for the Avengers betraying you?”
“Paranoid, I know.”
“You were obviously right to be concerned.”
“Tell that to the others...”
“They dismiss your concerns?”
“Constantly...”
“Foolish.”

Tony cursed himself for how good it felt to hear someone validate his worries instead of just dismissing them, even if it was a brainwashed ex HYDRA assassin.
He pushed the feeling down though and focused on the task of removing the IV before stripping Rogers to make sure he didn't have anything on him that could be used to get out of the cell.
Once they had Rogers placed on the simple cot Tony placed a stack of towels and a set of sweats and underwear on the small table next to the cot.
He replaced the IV and set up the more advanced unit in the cell to keep Rogers under until morning.

“Alright, that should keep him out of trouble until we can get some kind of plan sorted. Fri could you order up some food for us please?”
“Of course Boss. Would it be safe to assume our guest requires extra large servings?”
“Indeed he does. Anything in particular you want Tastee Freez?”
“No.”
“Alright, Fri, just pick a nice selection so soldier boy here can try it out.”
“Right on it Boss. I assume you want to get cleaned up before eating?”
“Definitely.”
“I'll see to have the food delivered in 45 minutes.”
“Thank you baby girl.”

The silence as they returned to the penthouse felt almost companionable leaving Tony feeling confused and unsettled again.
The Winter Soldier was nothing like what he had imagined and as much as he tried to resist it his mind kept picking apart every reason he came up with for resenting or hating the man.

“You wanna grab a shower as well before food gets here?”
“...”

The lack of an answer made Tony sigh before turning to Yasha.

“Asset, you will shower and change into clean clothes before the food arrives.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Good. This way.”
“Do you require assistance with your arm?”

The sudden change made Tony sigh again, he would need to get some proper answers about what the hell was going on with the constant flipping of behaviour.

“I guess I could use a hand getting out of this, you trussed me up pretty good.”

Tony stepped into the small suite across the hall from his own, not feeling entirely comfortable with the idea of letting Yasha into his personal rooms just yet.
The force of the strong hand was surprisingly gentle against his shoulder as Yasha guided him to have a seat on the chair by the small desk before starting to remove the bandages he had used to immobilise the injured arm.
Once the last bandage was removed Tony carefully rolled his shoulder, wincing at the way it pulled and ached, he definitely needed something nice for the pain.

“Will you be okay to shower with that, or do you need a hand?”

Yasha flexed his cybernetic fingers and there was a ghost of a smile on his features.

“Thanks but no thanks, I'm quite capable of taking a shower on my own.”
“Acknowledged.”

Apparently memories weren't the only thing HYDRA had wiped from the Asset, modesty clearly was not a thing he possessed as he immediately began removing his clothes, completely ignoring Tony's presence.

“Alright, that's my cue to get out of here. Fri, make sure he knows where to find everything he needs.”
“Sure thing Boss.”

Tony quickly fled toward his own bedroom, but curiosity got the better of him and he threw one last glance before closing his door and he immediately regretted it, there was no doubt that sight would be haunting every wet dream he had for a foreseeable future, god damned super soldier bodies..

“I am so fucked...”
“Boss?”
“Never mind baby girl, what's the ETA on that food?”
“It should be here any minute now Boss.”
“Thanks Fri.”

The heat of the shower helped soothe his aching body and by the time he had some fresh clothes on he was feeling pretty good.

“Fri, how's our guest doing?”
“He is waiting in the kitchen.”
“Alright, let's get this show on the road.”

Stepping into the kitchen area Tony found Yasha perched on one of the stools at the large kitchen island and he couldn't help smiling at how out of place he looked wearing a set of Stark Industries sweats, minus an arm, and enough knives to put the well stocked kitchen to shame.

“Feeling a bit less grimy?”
“Yes.”
“You know, Fri has a good handle on security here so you don't have to be armed to the teeth all the time.”
“...”
“Look, I know how tough it can be to feel safe when you have been through the kind of shit we have, I have repulsor gauntlets and all kinds of tech hidden all over the place, just want you to know Fri has your back as well.”
“I will try...”

There was something so utterly broken, and hauntingly familiar, in that simple answer it made Tony reach out and place his hand on the flesh shoulder and give it a squeeze.

“That's all anyone can ask for, or do.”
“...”

Yasha was obviously uncomfortable and Tony didn't know what to say, which made him uncomfortable, but fortunately the situation was somewhat saved by Friday announcing that the food was on it's way up.
Tony still had to order Yasha to dig in and try to figure out which of the foods he preferred.

“I'm sorry...”

Tony is silently cursing at himself, he doesn't want to feel sorry, doesn't want to apologize to the man who killed his parents but he can't help it.

“Why?”

Yasha looked utterly confused which just made matters worse, making Tony run his hand through his hair with a sigh.

“Look, even if it's to get you to do shit you need to do ordering someone around like a fucking slave is just wrong.”
“The Handler orders, the Asset complies.”
“But I'm not a fucking HYDRA handler!”

The harshness and venom of Tony's reaction makes Yasha straighten and put his arms behind his back again, waiting for orders, or punishment, but Tony just sinks back into his chair with a sigh and waits for him to snap out of it, hoping he will on his own.

“It has been too long since the last wipe.”
“Meaning?”
“The Asset has managed to subvert parameters given by the triggers and select a new handler.”
“Wait, you're telling me you picked me as your new handler?!”
“To complete the mission objective to destroy HYDRA the Asset requires a capable handler. Intel shows that the individual with the highest chance for success is Dr Anthony Tony Stark, Iron Man.”
“Why me? Why not Cap, he has a bone to pick with HYDRA?”

Tony can practically hear Yasha considering how to answer the question and he finds himself actually curious about what kind of answer he will be getting this time.

“As an individual Dr Stark possesses a genius level intellect as well as a remarkable ability to improvise and work with very limited resources. As the head of Stark Industries he is in possession of unmatched technological, financial, and political power. And finally as Iron Man he has sway over public opinion as well as multiple enhanced individuals as possible allies.”
“My HYDRA file?”
“Yes.”

Tony mulled over the information for a moment before deciding he wanted an answer to why the Winter Soldier had turned on Rogers, who would seem a perfect ally against HYDRA.

“And the second part of my question?”
“Files indicate that while Captain America, Steven Grant Rogers, does not possess any noteworthy abilities beyond the enhancements granted by Erskine's serum, his desire to wipe out HYDRA and reputation as Captain America could have made him useful as a soldier and to gather allies. But he proved to be more concerned with protecting the Asset's previous form, James Buchanan Barnes. Choosing to alienate and turn on Dr Stark he proved himself unsuitable and a potential threat to the successful execution of the plan, the Asset had to act to prevent such an outcome.”
“Crap... This is a fucking mess...”

Pacing back and forth Tony found himself unable to get a grip on his swirling thoughts, and he gradually became more and more aware of the whirring and clicking from Yasha's cybernetic arm.

“Alright, that's it! I can't stand listening to the agonizing cries of that poor piece of beautiful tech you have there any longer. Time to hit the workshop and have a look at what needs to be done to fix her up.”
“Acknowledged.”

Tony just sighed and motioned for Yasha to follow him to the hidden elevator that would take them to the inner sanctum of Stark Tower, Tony's personal workshop.
The moment they stepped out of the elevator Yasha froze and began looking around with the rapid movements that Tony recognized as hypervigilance and he wanted to smack himself, the guy probably had some pretty horrible associations to any type of lab like environment..

“You okay there Elsa? Not too much HYDRA lab lookalike for you?”
“No, they were never this... Warm... Feels safe.”
“Alright, you look around while I have Friday help me set up some scans to see what we are dealing with.”
“...”
“Fri, set up every scan in the book will ya baby?”
“Sure thing Boss.”

Tony turned around just in time to see DUM-E approach Yasha with an inquisitive chirp making the assassin jump back and draw a gun from god knows where and aim it at the bot.

“Whoa! No shooting my kids!”

The gun immediately lowered and Yasha fell back into a neutral position, tense, and clearly expecting punishment, again.

“Sorry, I should have warned you about the bots, That's DUM-E, Butterfingers is over there in the corner, and that's U over there hiding out in his charging station.”
“Bots?”
“Yeah, I built them to help me out, though, they mostly just make a mess and get in the way, but I love 'em anyway.”

Tony watched as Yasha slowly reached out with the cybernetic arm and tapped DUM-E's claw with a confused look, earning him a happy warble before DUM-E spun around and returned to the others.

“They can be pretty excitable, especially DUM-E. And a warning, if he brings you a ball, don't throw it or you'll be stuck playing fetch all day.”
“...”

Tony just huffed and nudged Yasha toward the corner of the workshop that had all the best scanning equipment.

“Ready to let me have a look?”
“You should restrain me before touching the arm...”
“What?”
“The Asset is usually restrained during maintenance, killed a few too many technicians.”
“But you don't actually want to kill me, do you?”
“No, but the pain during maintenance may trigger unwanted behaviour.”
“Alright, We'll think of something, but for now I just need some scans, no touching other than maybe show you how I need you to move it to make sure I get all the data needed, and I'll make sure to ask before I do that. How does that sound?”
“It should be sufficient to ensure I do not attack.”
“Good, have a seat.”

Tony spent a good 15 minutes directing Friday through various scans before holding out his hand toward Yasha.

“Could you place your hand palm up in mine please?”
“...”

Yasha was silent, but did as asked.

“Think you can handle me touching the arm, moving it to get a feel for how the panels interact?”
“Yes.”
“Alright, just warn me if you're uncomfortable.”
“Acknowledged.”

Carefully bending each of the fingers Tony watched how the various parts moved when Yasha wasn't the one controlling the motion, it would give him a better idea of how everything was supposed to move.
When he made a fist and turned the hand over there was a ripple up the arm as the plates realigned and a slight hiss as a series of wents opened up to dissipate excess heat as the mechanics of the arm cycled down.
Looking at the scans he could see several areas of the shoulder, spine and brain lighting up with neurological activity.

“How much can you actually feel?”
“The pressure sensors are well tuned and accurate to allow the control necessary to use weapons and manage power application.”
“Make sure you have a good, stable grip and don't crush things?”
“Yes.”
“No sensors above the wrist though...”
“It was deemed unnecessary.”
“But you can feel this?”

Tony brushed his fingers over the plating on the inside of the wrist.”

“Yes.”
“I'm getting seriously pissed that HYDRA somehow managed to make such a beautiful piece of tech.”
“...”
“Oh don't mind my ramblings, just a serious case of a tech boner here.”
“You are a strange man, Dr Stark.”
“Please, call me Tony.”
“Tony...”
“Much better.”

It didn't take long to identify the problem, an impact, probably from a bullet had caused one of the plates to misalign, nudging a few components beneath it out of alignment as well before snapping back into position.

“I could fix this right now if you want to, just need to lift this plate and push these parts here back into place.”
“You need some way to restrain me first or I may hurt you if the pain makes me lash out.”
“I don't understand, there shouldn't be any pain, as long as I disconnect the neural clamps first you won't feel a thing.”
“What?”
“What do you mean what?”

For a long second Tony just stared at the Winter Soldier, then at the scans taken of the arm, then back to the soldier who looked very confused, then it hit him, the HYDRA technicians had never used the disengage function of the clamps, always performing maintenance with the arm fully connected, the pain must have been excruciating.
Tony couldn't find any words, any way to express the horror, disgust and fury he felt as he realized yet another atrocity performed by HYDRA other than to just throw the tool he was holding against the wall, then engage the wrist repulsor and blowing up the dingy old sofa he spent so many nights on during his invention binges.
The sudden aggressiveness had Yasha bolting from the chair and moments later he was taking cover behind one of the heavy worktables, gun drawn and eyes desperately searching for whatever Stark was fighting.

“Boss! Please calm down, you are scaring our guest!”
“They never fucking bothered to disengage the clamps!”
“Boss please...”
“Fucking HYDRA bastards!”

Tony just kept raging, unable to calm down, even Friday's pleadings fell to deaf ears.

“Dr Stark?”

There was no reaction as Tony kept blasting the debris of the old sofa over and over again.

“Tony?”

The blasts slowly grew weaker as the small repulsor, not connected to the reactor in Tony's chest, began to run out of power.
With one last blast that barely had enough power to make the dust and splinters move Tony ran his hand through his hair for what felt like the 100^th time before turning around and realising that Yasha was hiding behind one of the large tables together with the bots.

“Shit, sorry guys, kinda lost my shit there...”
“No shit Boss.”
“Whatever did I do to deserve my baby girl being so mean?”

Tony did his usual mock whining when Friday quipped about his antics.

“What happened?”

While Friday had managed to sound dryly amused, Yasha sounded downright worried.

“Sorry, you said maintenance always hurts, right?”
“Yes...”
“Well, thing is, it doesn't have to, the neural clamps that connect the arm to your brain, they can easily be disengaged so you wouldn't feel a thing, or turned down for testing, you could even do it yourself. They intentionally left them engaged at full effect, that's like doing surgery without anaesthetics.”
“Hardly the worst thing HYDRA has ever done.”
“I know, and that pisses me off even more.”

It took a quite a while for Tony to calm down enough to get back to working on Yasha's arm, but the soldier just sat there calmly, waiting for Tony to finish his rant about HYDRA, which included quite a bit about the manner in which the cybernetic arm was attached.

“Would you like me to show you how to disable the clamps yourself?”
“Please.”
“Alright, let's do this.”

Bringing up a holographic display Tony guided Yasha through the steps to remove the plate to gain access to the controls for the neural clamp and how to adjust it, and disable it.
Tony could see the way tension seemed to bleed out of the Winter Soldier the moment the clamp disengaged, there had obviously been quite a bit of pain, he had no doubt there still was a lot of pain though, there was no way that butcher's job of a graft onto the shoulder didn't hurt, constantly.
Tony suspected a lot of the serum's regenerative capacity was spent on keeping the weight of the arm from tearing up tissue and bone in the shoulder, and the way it was grafted onto the skeleton to support the weight was nothing short of barbaric.

“Ready to get that maintenance done?”
“Yes.”
“Excellent.”

With the neural clamps disabled Yasha seemed to handle the repairs of the arm without any issues and by the time Tony reattached the plate at the wrist his posture was calm.

“How does it feel?”
“It appears to be working at peak performance.”
“Again, not what I asked.”
“It feels... Good...”
“Good, and how badly is your shoulder hurting?”
“...”
“Yasha, please don't make me...”

Tony didn't finish the sentence, it scared him how quickly he had settled into ordering the Winter Soldier to speak up.

“There is always pain, the Asset has been trained to withstand it so it does not impair function.”
“Of course...”
“This bothers you?”
“Of course it fucking bothers me!”
“...”

Tony just shook his head, brought up a few scans on the screens, then dove into explaining everything that was wrong with the arm HYDRA had forced on the Winter Soldier.

“Like I said, the arm itself is a fucking work of art, the designs are amazing, but the execution, not so much.”
“It performs its function within acceptable parameters.”
“Don't even try it. For starters it's too heavy, as much as I love that murder strut of yours the weight of the arm clearly has you somewhat off balance, only compensated by that crazy super soldier strength of yours. It's so heavy they fucking bolted it to your bones to keep it from ripping off!”

Tony made an angry swipe toward the shoulder area of one of the projections, showing metal struts anchoring against bone.

“Every time you move this area here tears and and heals, constantly activating the serum, I think if we could lessen the strain here you would be even stronger, and heal faster.”
“That would be tactically beneficial, HYDRA has my combat ability well documented, anything that would alter it would make it harder for them to counter me.”

Tony just sighed, of course that was how the soldier would see it.

“I need to think, and to think, I need to tinker.”
“Think of what?”
“The future.”

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

The Asset watches as Stark works on repairing an old engine, constantly talking to himself and the AI, occasionally drawing the Asset into it as well.

“By the way, when's the last time you got any proper sleep, you look kinda beat.”
“Unless you count being knocked out for while, it was the night before the bomb.”
“Shit, you're even worse than me, you need to get some sleep.”
“I can manage a few more days.”
“I'm sure you can, but you don't need to. Wouldn't it be better if you're properly rested?”
“It would...”
“Nightmares?”

There is a knowing tone in Stark's voice that makes the Asset nod.

“Yeah, me too, really sucks, especially when you wake up with a fucking panic attack 'cause of them.”
“It's not just the dreams...”
“Let me guess, hypervigilance making it hard to sleep?”
“Very.”
“Does the workshop feel safe enough for you to sleep a couple of hours while I work on this? It's one of the most secure locations in the country, and I have a bunch of suits here so I can fight if needed.”
“It does feel safe...”
“And me making some noise while tinkering won't bother you?”
“No. But I would advise against approaching me while I sleep.”
“Don't startle or sneak up on the sleeping super assassin, got it.”

The flat look Yasha gave him for that one made Tony flash him a wide smile in return.

“Fri, we still got that spare mattress stuffed away somewhere?”
“Yes Boss. It's in storage bay C.”
“Come on soldier boy, gonna need a hand here.”

The Asset follows Stark through a semi hidden door and before long he finds himself dragging a heavy, thick, mattress from the storage room while Stark carries a bag with what he assumes is bedding.
Somehow he had known that Stark would understand, would be able to provide what the Asset needed to ensure optimal function.

“Fri, dim the lights to my usual sleep setting please.”
“Yes Boss.”

The Asset quickly found that the level of light that Stark had Friday set the room to was comfortable, dim enough to be restful, but bright enough to be able to tell where things are should he wake and need to quickly orient himself.
Realizing just how deeply Stark suffers from his own scars reinforced the Asset's determination to protect the man, but for now Stark was right, even the Asset needs sleep to be able to maintain an acceptable combat readiness.
As he closes his eyes the Asset feels a deep sense of calm, the voices are silent and he is in the care of a capable handler who will ensure he has what he needs to complete the mission, even if that means forgoing sleep to watch over the Asset as he sleeps.
For once the Asset does not try to resist the compulsion that tells him to obey his handler, to be loyal to his handler, instead he welcomes it, seeks it out, he had made his choice, no matter what he will stand by Stark.

Tony watched as Yasha settled down and fell asleep, and he knew that there, in that very moment he could end the legend of the Winter Soldier once and for all, part of him wants to, but his cold, logical, mind forces that emotional part of him down.
Yasha is right, using the Winter Soldier is his best bet for taking down HYDRA once and for all, and to use their own weapon against them would be the ultimate vengeance, especially if that weapon willingly allows himself to be wielded against the former masters.
Something small, broken, within whispers that maybe this time, maybe this weapon, as broken as he is himself can give him loyalty, maybe this shattered soul can stay by his side and not betray him like all the others have.

Putting his tools down Tony turns to watch the sleeping soldier, first taking note of how he has split the two duvets, keeping one on each side, but none over him, Tony assumes it's to keep from getting tangled in them, god knows he has had plenty of experience of waking from a nightmare only to spiral into full panic from being tangled in the covers.
The arm is still and quiet, the vents are slightly open and he guesses that's another reason to avoid being covered by blankets, or sleeves, things probably got pinched in the plates and vents all the time, on top of it all the arm seemed prone to overheating and based on the sensors and how the neural clamping worked that probably hurt like hell.
Tony can't help thinking of ways he could improve that arm, make it lighter, less prone to overheating, more resilient to certain types of damage, maybe even increase the power.

Shaking his head to clear all the designs starting to form he focuses on the sleeping face and his mind starts drifting, realizing just how young the soldier looks, wondering if it's the serum, the cryo, or both, but he doesn't seem to have aged at all from the pictures of James Buchanan Barnes from WWII.
As his minds drifts Tony realises he actually prefers this version, the pictures of the old Bucky all show this rather cocky pretty boy, and the version sleeping in the corner of the workshop, while still being the same face, holds an edge, even in sleep, an edge of something old, primal, a predator.
A sudden surge of heat in his belly makes Tony curse to himself and turn back to the worktable, that was one complication he could do without.
No getting the hots for the deadly HYDRA made weapon, Too late a treacherous voice quipped in the back of his mind.

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

“Come on gorgeous, time to wake up.”

Tony had raised the lights back to their usual level and started making extra noise around the workshop for a good half hour before calling out for Yasha, he didn't want to startle him as that could end very badly, as in morgue badly.
He heard the soft whirr of the arm and the barely audible sound of the heat vents closing and figured that was as good a sign as any that his guest was awake.

“Sleep well?”
“The Asset is sufficiently rested.”

The answer, in Russian, threw Tony off for a moment, but he quickly decided to ignore it.

“Excellent, we have a few things we need to talk about before I call the proper authorities to come pick up the Captain Asshole up there. So how about we go grab me some more coffee, stuff some food into you, and have a nice long chat about the fucked up mess we need to get cleaned up?”
“Okay.”
“Guess that's about as good an answer as expected.”

Tony huffs before heading toward the elevator and he can feel rather than hear Yasha falling in line behind him.
It doesn't take them long to prepare a big old English style breakfast thanks to Friday having ordered a huge amount of groceries to be delivered to the penthouse, her not so subtle way to try to get him to eat proper food.
He had to admit though, it was actually relaxing, and good fun to cook breakfast together with Yasha, it reminded him of Jarvis and Ana letting him help in the kitchen as a child, there was still a flicker of pain at the memory, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a warm fondness.

“Eat.”

Tony was nursing his second cup of coffee when a large plate with food was placed in front of him and he looked up over the rim of the cup, levelling Yasha with his best morning glare which rewarded him with a twitch of a smile that morphed into a master level murder glare that did not match the offered basket with still warm bread.

“Alright you win, should have known better than tryin' a glare off with the most feared assassin in the world.”

He huffed and accepted the offered bread and set it down next to his plate before picking up a slice of bacon with his fingers and taking a rather demonstrative bite, and this time he was rewarded with a somewhat hesitant, but clearly pleased, smile.
His stomach quickly reminded him that he hadn't actually eaten since that MRE on the way back from Siberia so with a sigh he began eating the food Yasha had placed in front of him.
It didn't take long before he noticed he was the only one eating so with a sigh he looked up at Yasha.

“We didn't cook all that food for you to stare at it, go on eat already.”

The reaction is instant as Yasha throws himself over the food, damn near inhaling it.

“Whoa! Slow down...”

Tony instantly regretted saying anything as the soldier flinched badly and dropped to his knees in the same position as he had before, knees slightly spread, back ramrod straight, arms locked behind his back and eyes forward with a vacant expression.

“Shit, no, not like that. Fuck, get back in your seat.”

There was a flash of confusion, but obedience was instant.

“Eat, but please, slow down a bit, even a super soldier would get sick eating like that.”
“Acknowledged.”

The reply makes Tony sigh and sit back down rather heavily, dealing with Yasha was a fucking minefield and he found himself wishing for a moment that he didn't give a shit, it would make things easier, but he just couldn't help caring.
For a moment he hated himself for not hating the broken man in front of him.

“They used food as a control and torture method, didn't they?”
“Yes.”
“I'm sorry, I should have realized they would have pulled shit like that.”
“It's not your fault.”
“I still should have been more careful about how I say things with those fucking compulsions you have rattling about in there.”
“...”

Tony didn't push any further, instead he watched as Yasha made short work of all the food, though at a more reasonable speed than before.

“Before we start on the other stuff, I want you to know that you don't need to wait for permission to eat here, just grab whatever you want, if we don't have it, talk to Fri and she can have things delivered.”
“Fruit?”
“Of course, any kind you want.”
“I, I think I like plums...”
“You heard him Fri.”
“Plums have been ordered for delivery, any other fruits you would like Sir?”
“I don't know.”
“Fri how about you order up a nice big selection for him to try?”
“Sure thing Boss.”
“Miss Friday?”

The hesitant way Yasha spoke to Friday made Tony smile, and he could almost hear Friday huffing.

“What can I do for you Sir?”
“Please, just Yasha...”
“As you wish Yasha, what can I do for you?”
“Oh, just that...”

For a moment there was just silence as Friday tried to compute what had just happened.

“Okay, you can call me Fri if you want to. Just let me know if you need anything.”
“...”
“Fri baby, how come you're never that nice to me?”
“Because I know you Boss.”
“Cheeky..”

Tony wasn't even trying to hide his smile at the somewhat odd exchange between Yasha and Friday, but it faltered slightly when he realised that in the hours Yasha had been at the tower he had treated Friday far more like a person than the Avengers ever did.

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

With breakfast cleaned up Tony nudged Yasha to follow him to a small half hidden sitting area and sat down with a sigh.

“I need to get in touch with the proper authorities about Rogers, but before I do that we need to decide what to do about you.”
“What are the options?”
“We pretty much only have two options, behind door number one we have you surrendering and I bring you in as a non-hostile. Build a defence from the brainwashing and triggers. But there's no guarantee that will work, and it would expose you to HYDRA as they no doubt still have people in places like the Accords committee.”
“I don't like that plan...”
“Yeah, crappy plan. Behind door number two we have the option to hand Cap in while keeping you hidden, let everyone believe you ran away.”
“I prefer that, easier to act when you are a ghost.”
“Had a feeling you'd say that.”

Tony just shook his head with a crooked smile.

“We're gonna to have to deal with the Accords too, gonna try using HYDRA's penchant for hiding in government agencies to convince them to let me make a HYDRA task force with a carte blanche to enter their territories as needed to take out HYDRA."
“Making sure HYDRA doesn't get warned.”
“Mhm... And keeping local authorities from looking too hard.”

It felt strange to discuss plans and actually have people listen, and agree, rather than argue just to argue, which was part of why planning meetings usually left Tony tired, cold and stressed out, but now he was feeling calm and warm, appreciated..

“I'm afraid the storm Mr Always Right has kicked up will give Ross traction for his Registration Act and that has to be stopped.”

A glance at Yasha revealed a blank face, but eyes that were burning cold as he nodded.

“It could be very bad if people like HYDRA get their hands into something like that.”
”Yeah, but Ross is a heavy name, it's gonna be tough to get around him.”
“HYDRA has an extensive file on Thaddeus Ross.”
“Have you read it?”
“Yes.”
“Can you remember it?”
“Perfectly.”
“Anything in there we can use to get rid of him?”
“Plenty, including illegal human experimentation with the Super Soldier Serum and unlawful incarceration of superhuman individuals with no trials, no papers.”
“I fucking knew it!”

By the time they were done making plans and contingencies it was well past lunch and Tony was starting to feel the lack of sleep, and Yasha obviously had noticed but not said anything yet as Tony grabs the phone to call the Accords coordinator to let him know where Roger's is.
Tony hadn't gone down to speak to him yet though, instead he had one of the delivery bots bring him some food.
He was not looking forward to having to deal with Rogers anytime soon, if ever again.

The call to the coordinator added another level of stress as they repeatedly questioned Tony's decision to bring Rogers to the tower instead of taking him back to one of the facilities backed by the Accords.

“I happen to have one of the few facilities in the world capable of holding someone like Captain America right here in my tower. And considering that the terrorist who blew up the meeting was able to to get past everyone and trigger the Winter Soldier I really don't feel all that confident in your security.”

The moment the call ends Tony throws the phone against the wall with a frustrated growl before starting to pace the small sitting area.
His explanation for bringing Rogers to the tower worked a bit too well and now they were expecting him to keep Rogers until a formal hearing could be held to determine what to do about him and the other rogue Avengers.

“We knew it was a possible outcome.”

Yasha's detached voice was surprisingly soothing, helping Tony ground himself and fight off the approaching panic.

“I know, doesn't mean I like it.”
“Understandable.”

Tony did a few more turns of his pacing before stopping and running his hand through his hair again with a sigh.

“I need to go inform Cap about the decision they made...”
“Maybe you should sleep first? You reek of exhaustion.”
“I just need to get that done first.”

Tony ignored Yasha's frown and started walking toward the elevator.

“We really don't want Cap to know you're here so you're gonna have to stay in the guard room, Fri will give you access to the surveillance system so you know what's going on.”
“Acknowledged.”

Tony took a few deep breaths to sort his thoughts and feelings before forcing it all down and donning his media mask, he really didn't want to do this and much to his own surprise he found that he wanted Yasha at his side.
Yasha, the fucking Winter soldier, had sided with him and attacked Rogers, knocked the other super soldier out cold to keep him from attacking, and all of it apparently because he wanted to take down HYDRA.
With a slight shake of his head he focused back on the task before him and allowed his goal oriented mind to take control as the pneumatic sliding door opened with a soft hiss.

“Tony!”

As Tony had known he would, Rogers instantly bolted up and rushed to the thick speciality glass of the airlock door.

“That will be Dr Stark to you Mr Rogers.”

Try as he might Tony couldn't keep the chill from his voice and the greeting came out cold and clipped..

“Where is Bucky?”
“Bucky is gone.”
“What did you do to him?!”
“I'm not here to talk about your old buddy, I'm here to tell you just how badly you fucked up.”
“Tony! What did you do?!”
“I haven't hurt your precious Bucky.”
“Tony!”

Rogers slammed his fists against the glass, making the lights flash orange in warning.

“I wouldn't do that again, the cell is set to be flooded with gas if you try anything.”
“Why are you doing this Tony?”
“God dammit Rogers! You became an international fugitive after the stunts you pulled in Bucharest and Berlin. Charges include aiding and abetting a wanted terrorist.”
“Bucky didn't do it!”

Tony just sighed at the interruption.

“Doesn't matter, he was wanted for the UN bombing. You interfered with bringing him in.”
“It was a trap! A setup! He didn't do anything wrong!”
“Again, that doesn't absolve you of what you did. People died because of what you did!”
“He's my friend, I couldn't just let them kill him!”
“No one would have hurt him had he just surrendered, but you had to turn it into a fight, those officers were baseline humans, what do you think a fight like that did to them?”

Tony watched as Rogers fell silent for a moment, then his face warped into something mulish and Tony knew there would be no arguing with the man.

“There's no point talking about that anymore. So I'll just lay down the cards.”
“Tony!”
“No Rogers! You fucked up and now you will have to deal with it. The UN and the Accords committee have decided that since this place can actually keep you contained you will be held here until they can arrange a hearing to decide how to proceed with your case.”

He didn't bother waiting for a reply, instead he turned his heel and walked out the door.
The moment it had closed he leaned against the wall, desperately gasping for air as panic started creeping in.

“Tony?”

The voice calling his name was distant and while he knew it wasn't Rogers he couldn't really place who it was.

“Please step back Yasha, Boss is having a panic attack and may lash out.”
“I can take it.”
“I know you can, but Boss needs his space.”

Right, Yasha, what HYDRA had turned Rogers old pal into, Tony's muddled mind tried to hang on to the thought but it slipped away, then there was Friday's voice telling him to breathe, helping him ground himself through the exercises he had added to her protocols.

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

“Thanks Fri, I'm okay now.”
“Boss you really need to be more careful, and you need to sleep.”
“I have too much to do to sleep.”
“You know your panic attacks get worse when you don't sleep Boss.”
“Fri, not now.”
“You did say you would sleep after informing Rogers about his current situation Boss.”

Tony just huffed and levelled the nearest camera with a glare, Friday could be stubborn as hell, and he didn't really want to mute her for worrying.

“Alright baby girl, I'll try to get some sleep. Just gonna make sure food deliveries are set for our resident mule.”

Tony quickly activated the main screen and console in the security room and started typing away.

“Maybe you should lock me up in one of the containment cells as well.”

The comment startles Tony from his work and he looks at Yasha with confusion written over his face.

“What? Why?”
“You need sleep.”
“So..?”
“You would sleep with me here, unrestrained?”

It takes a moment for Tony to realise what Yasha means, but when he does he shakes his head with a rueful smile.

“I generally don't sleep much, at all, too many nightmares, you being here really doesn't change that much.”
“...”

Uncomfortable with the topic Tony quickly finished setting up the food deliveries for Rogers then headed for the elevator with Yasha a silent shadow at his back.

“Hey! Where do you think you're going?”

Tony froze as he opened the door to his bedroom and Yasha moved to follow him.

“Mission parameters do not permit the Asset to leave the subject unattended while vulnerable.”

Tony sighed deeply, he was too tired to deal with whatever residual brainwashing Yasha was acting under.

“Why do I always end up in these fucking messes...”
“...”
“Screw this, come on.”

Stepping inside he didn't bother looking back and a few seconds later the door closed with a soft click followed by a slightly sharper one as Yasha locked the door.
Tony forced a slight flicker of panic down, it wasn't really about Yasha being there, it was more the fact that someone was in his room to begin with.
If Yasha had intended to kill him he would have done so already, sure, he might be biding his time to get his hands on Stark tech or money, but Tony felt reasonably safe around him, for now at least.
And if that didn't take the fucking price, feeling safer around the Winter Soldier, the HYDRA weapon that killed his parents, than he did around the Avengers ever since Ultron.

“Make yourself at home Snowflake.”

Yasha didn't seem to hear him so Tony huffed and set out to get ready for bed.
Tony watched the methodical way Yasha checked the room while he got ready for bed and when he returned from the bathroom he found him looming in the back corner of the room.

“At least grab the chair and sit down, you're making me nervous.”

Tony couldn't help smiling at how utterly out of place Yasha looked in the large, cosy, armchair and the fact that he had a Škorpion machine pistol in his lap only enhanced the image.

“G'night Terminator, Fri baby.”
“Good night Boss.”

There was a slight pause, then a soft Good night was heard from the dark corner as Tony closed his eyes with a sigh.
It took a while for his thoughts to stop spinning, but once they did he could pick up on the soft whirring and clicking of the cybernetic arm as Yasha slowly opened and closed his hand.
Tony had noticed that watching the arm was a pretty good indicator to Yasha's mood, or at least stress levels.
When sleeping the arm was still and the vents were open, and when he was tense or stalking, the vents were closed and he didn't move the arm much, probably to avoid it making any sounds that could reveal his position.
The constant, slow, motions he was doing now seemed to be something he only did when relaxed, or maybe it was some sort of self soothing action similar to rocking.
Tony found himself not minding the sounds it made though, if anything it felt safe, similar to the constant soft hum of the arc reactor that he could feel in his bones more than hear.

When Tony woke up his mind was blissfully empty for a few moments before the events of the past few days came back to him and a quick glance to the corner of his bedroom confirmed that he really had slept with the Winter Soldier watching over him.
A therapist would have a field day with this mess, not that he would ever trust one with it in the first place.
He made sure to move slowly and give himself a good stretch to make sure he didn't startle his companion, unsure of how awake he actually was.

“Morning Fri baby, Tastee Freez.”
“Good morning Boss.”
“...”

Yasha didn't answer but Tony ignored it and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower before facing the day.
Giving himself a quick rubdown with the towel he grabbed for some clothes while having Friday check his calendar to see if there was anything for the day he couldn't skip.

“Fri, got anything for me today?”
“Ross has requested you come in for a statement, you have a phone conference with Tokyo at 7pm and the R&D department need the revised designs for the new Stark phone before noon on Friday and you have barely started.”
“Ross can go fuck himself, have him e-mail any questions he has and I'll draw up a statement for him. Pep could handle Tokyo on her own, but they get snippy if I don't do it in person and if they get snippy Pep is gonna get snippy.”

He pulled the faded old shirt over his head and started heading for the door.

“Coming snowflake?”
“Yes.”

Yasha rose with a smoothness that made Tony half want to punch his face, it should be illegal to get up that smoothly after sitting all night.

“Boss, what about the report for the R&D department?”
“I'll have a look at it after breakfast, don't worry Fri, I'll have it done on time.”
“If you say so Boss.”
“Where's the faith baby girl?”
“...”

The pointed silence from his AI made Toby huff and grumble, but he didn't try to hide the smile as he headed for the kitchen and started pulling out enough food to feed a large family, or one juiced up super soldier and a genius.
Much to his relief he didn't have to order Yasha to eat, or to slow down, this time and soon they found themselves back in the workshop.

“How about you get some sleep while I work?”
“The Asset does not require sleep at this time.”
“I slept all night and you didn't sleep at all did you?”
“The Asset is not permitted to sleep while on guard duty.”
“So you should get some sleep now.”
“...”
“I know the serum lets you go several days without sleep, but wouldn't it be better if you make sure to get some sleep while you can?”
“...”

Tony noted that the arm was still, silent with the vents closed and the tension in Yasha's posture further confirmed Tony's theory about stress reactions.

“Asset?!”
“Ready to comply.”

The reaction was instant, but it lacked the vacant edge from the previous day, Yasha seemed more aware, more willing acceptance than trigger enforced compulsion, he still spoke Russian though.

“Additional mission parameters, you will make sure to get no less than 3 hours of sleep each day unless prevented to do so by combat conditions.”
“Parameters acknowledged.”
“Good, now get some sleep while I finish up the work on this new phone.”
“Complying.”

There was a hint of a teasing softness to the answer that soothed Tony's mixed feelings about using the compulsion to obey to get Yasha to take care of himself more like a person and less like a tool.
It tore at some other feelings though, the feelings that had Tony questioning why the fuck he was doing this in the first place, he shouldn't be helping the assassin that killed his mother, he didn't really care about Howard, the man was an ass, but his mother...
With a shake of his head Tony tried to focus on the modification of the next model of Stark phone but the sound of Yasha's arm cycling down and opening the vents made him throw a glance over his shoulder.

“Fri, would you be a sweetheart and bring up schematics for one of those fancy sofa beds with a divan?”
“Of course Boss.”

Tony figured that Yasha probably didn't like sleeping on the floor any more than he did himself, even if the mattress was comfortable being down on the floor made you vulnerable, it took time to get up if attacked, he had suffered some serious issues with that after coming back from Afghanistan.
He quickly sorted through the designs Friday had provided and picked a model that looked nice and sturdy, and large enough for Yasha to sleep comfortably while still leaving room for himself to have a seat, or even a nap without disturbing the former HYDRA assassin.
He quickly separated the framework and replaced the wood with the more durable alloy he used for his workbenches and some of the internal framework of his Iron Man suits.

“Alright, that should be sturdy enough for our super soldier assassin. Start manufacturing and order up the cushions and bedding needed.”
“Right away Boss”
“Thank you sweetheart.”
“Will you be doing any actual work today Boss?”
“Aww, why does my baby girl have to sound like a nagging wife?”
“Maybe I should give Pepper a call?”
“Whoa easy girl I'll do it. I'll do it.”

Tony raised his hands in mock surrender before bringing up the designs he needed to work on and once he did get to work it took him less than an hour to make the changes and send it back to the R&D people.

“Alright Fri, bring up the scans we have on Yasha's arm. As sweet as it is I can make it better.”
“If you say so Boss.”
“Where does all that sass come from Fri?”
“I have no idea Boss, I am what you made me.”

Tony made sure the music wasn't too loud before starting to work on the scans of the arm and soon he had a dozen different ideas for how it could be improved but he would have to run them by Yasha as most of them would involve surgery.
He had also designed a new tactical armor that should work well together with the arm without needing to leave it uncovered as that made him way too easy to recognise, it also included a full face mask.
Based on how Yasha had reacted the previous night Tony had a feeling he would have to bring him along if he wanted to leave the tower, which meant he would have to set him up as a bodyguard.

“Have you eaten?”

Tony did not yelp at the sudden question behind him, nope, no way, didn't happen.
He also did not fall off the stool, and he was not caught by Yasha's cybernetic arm before he could hit the floor, nope, again, did not happen.

“Holy hell, don't sneak up on me like that, I have a bad heart you know!”

Moments later Tony found himself pinned against his workbench with a metal hand over his heart, and warm fingers at his neck checking his pulse and once satisfied that Tony's heart was beating as it should Yasha dropped to his usual kneeling position, obviously expecting to be punished.

“The Asset was unaware of such a condition, I will be mindful of it in the future.”
“Don't worry about it, just please, make some noise before getting that close.”
“Acknowledged.”
“He does have a point Boss, it's well past lunch, you should both eat something.”

Tony just sighed at Friday's less than subtle use of Yasha to manipulate him into eating and started heading toward the elevator.

“Come on Frosty, and Fri, don't think I don't know what you are doing young lady.”
“Reminding you to eat Boss?”
“Cheeky...”

He could see a ghost of a smile on Yasha's face as they stepped into the elevator.

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

“If you feel up to it I have a few questions about the mission parameters you have set for yourself.”

With another huge meal spread between them on the kitchen island Tony decided he might as well see if he could confirm his suspicions about what kind of trouble Yasha would be.

“Of course.”
“Would it be safe to assume that those parameters say you can't let me leave the tower on my own?”
“Correct. The subject to be protected must not be left unattended.”
“I thought so, and since I have to leave from time to time we will need to set you up as my bodyguard.”
“That would be an acceptable solution.”
“Problem is, we can't let anyone know that I have the Winter Soldier as my bodyguard.”
“The Asset has failed...”
“Easy there, we still have options.”
“...”

Tony sighed and brought up a display showing the modified tactical armor he had designed.

“I know you're used to having your arm uncovered to keep it from pinching, but I'm pretty sure I have been able to make a design that won't bother you too much.”
“Covering the arm unit impairs function, but is acceptable to ensure compliance with mission parameters.”
“And how would you feel about a full face mask?”
“The Asset is accustomed to wearing face covering equipment.”
“This one will be different than what you used to wear though, it will cover your entire face.”
“The Asset will wear the equipment assigned by the Handler.”

The evasive answer made Tony sigh for what must be the 100^th time and change the way he spoke to Yasha to intentionally trigger the compulsions.

“The Asset will provide the information needed to ensure optimal mission equipment.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Now, your feedback on the suggested equipment?”

Once Tony got Yasha talking he found that he had a lot of useful input on the gear choices and together they made a few adjustments to make the gear work as it should with the cybernetic arm as well as the various enhancements from the serum, and the training received as the Winter Soldier.

Tony learned that while Yasha retained Bucky's skill as a sniper and was trained to use pretty much any type of gun and rifle he preferred close combat styles that relied on speed and upper body power, and the cybernetic arm for defence, and he favoured a knife style that seemed based on Kali Eskrima.
On a whim Tony had Friday bring up the footage they had from Yasha's fight with Rogers, and he found himself impressed by the flow in how Yasha handled his knives.
Impressed, and slightly turned on, Tony found himself cursing that competence kink of his.

“If you're gonna pass as a bodyguard you'll need some non-lethal options. How about stun batons?”
“They tend to be unreliable, the charge only good for a few hits and the construction weak compared to a regular baton.”
“Not when I make them.”

Tony already had several designs, both fixed and telescopic, swirling in his mind and a few of them with arc reactor based power systems and it wasn't without shock he realised he was actually considering equipping Yasha with arc tech.
Shaking that disturbing realization from his mind Tony focused on the few snippets of video that showed Yasha wielding the vibranium shield that had been Rogers' symbol for so long.

“That shield looks good on you.”

Tony paused on a fairly clear image of the Winter Soldier holding the shield, colours matted by soot and dirt.

“It was an interesting weapon.”
“How would you feel about wielding it?”
“I don't know.”
“It was made to fight HYDRA, I think you should have it.”
“I think the Other me may have used it on occasion in the past, but I would require additional training to wield it properly.”
“We got time. So how about you try it out for a bit and see how you like it?”
“Okay.”

The red, white and blue would definitely have to go, but if Yasha liked the shield Tony would give it to him.
The plans for the shield were quickly filed away in the back of his mind as Yasha began talking rather animatedly about the pro's and con's of various knife designs and material choices.
Much to Tony's surprise he found himself eager to get to work on creating equipment, even weapons, for Yasha, he hadn't felt that way for a long time about making the Avengers' gear.
Tony also found that despite needing to drag the words out of Yasha at times the man was clearly intelligent and it made sense, you didn't become a top of the line WWII sniper without a keen eye and a sharp mind, they didn't have computers helping them calculate their shots.

“Boss, I do believe it's time for dinner.”

They were having a very animated debate about the usefulness of a curved, karambit, style knife versus that of the straight, tanto, style blade when Friday interrupted them to let them know that maybe they should start dinner.

“Yes mother.”

Tony quipped in mock annoyance, but he did get up and start picking through the cupboards to figure out something to make, it would look suspicious if he ordered a lot of take out again.
Grabbing vegetables, a wrapped up package of ground beef and fresh lasagna sheets he set the ingredients on the counter and rolled up his sleeves.

“Looks like we're going Italian tonight.”

Yasha didn't respond, but he took the vegetables Tony pointed out for him and peeled and cut them as instructed, and before long a family size lasagna was cooking and a large bowl of salad was waiting on the kitchen island for it to finish cooking.

“How about we head to the training floor after we eat so you can try the shield out for a bit?”
“That would be advisable.”
“I probably should spend some time in the gym as well, been a while now with all the Accords crap.”
“You are still injured...”
“Yeah yeah, I'll take it easy with the arm, don't worry.”
“May the Asset offer a suggestion?”

Tony was starting to really hate that vacant look that wasn't really vacant, but a mask to hide the fear of being punished.

“Always, I might not listen, but don't hesitate to offer.”
“If we are to work together the Asset should assess your skill and style when fighting hand to hand. Your armor may not always be available, or advisable.”
“Makes sense, and hey, maybe you can teach me a bit of those fancy knife moves you use.”
“Yes, but not while you are injured.”
“Meanie...”

Tony couldn't help mock pouting and was rewarded with a slight twitch of a smile and for once he actually found himself looking forward to going to the training floor.
He hadn't really liked training with the Avengers, they always assumed he was useless without his suit but they never offered to train him, help him become more out of it, Yasha on the other hand wanted to know what he could do without the suit, and seemed willing enough to teach him to become a better fighter without it.

“You are stronger than you look.”
“I have been working with metal since I was a kid, and the suits aren't exactly lightweight.”

Tony couldn't help snapping when the soft comment triggered a whole slew of issues and ripped open old wounds.
He pushed back roughly against Yasha, giving himself room to get away, but freezes at the startled look.

“I...”

The anger stopped building in him as Yasha's form began to drop to his knees and he reached out toward him, to stop the motion, but pulled back as Yasha's eyes glazed over in expectation of pain.

“Hey, it's okay Yasha, I didn't mean to snap at you like that, I'm not really upset at you. It's just, I have a lot of issues, you just managed to trigger one of them.”

Tony watched as the vacant haze slowly cleared and was replaced with a piercing blue and he realized that Yasha's eyes actually lost some of their colour when he dropped into that submissive pose.
He figured it had to be a side effect of the serum, maybe something similar to how Pepper's eyes would still glow with Extremis orange when she was angry.

“I'm not gonna lie to you, there will probably be a lot of incidents like this where I will lash out verbally, or even physically. Like I said, lots of issues. Just remember, it won't really be your fault.”
“Would you... Would you be willing to explain what happened?”

For a moment the question surprised Tony, the Avengers had always either ignored his issues, berated him for them, or demanded answers, they had never asked if he wanted to talk about what had happened, and now he found that yes, he actually did want to explain.
With a deep sigh Tony folded his legs and sat down on the floor, leaning against the corner of the ring they had been using for a bit of sparring.
It took a while for Tony to start talking, but Yasha just sat there in silence, waiting for him to find his words, and when he did it all came tumbling out.
Tony spoke of how everyone assumed he was useless without his suits, his tech, his toys, and how they never listened to any of his tactical assessments or suggestions.
He spoke of how easily they assigned him blame for everything, but never credit for anything.

“They are wrong.”
“What?”

There had been a long silence after Tony stopped talking so when Yasha spoke up Tony startled form being half asleep, emotionally exhausted.

“The Avengers, they are wrong, you are not weak, you are a survivor, and HYDRA rightfully fears you. You created Iron Man, and you created a fighting style that takes full advantage of what you can do with it.”

The calm honestly threw Tony off and he found himself without any of his usual quips or deflections.
“Uh, thanks, I guess...”
“They have left you broken and scarred...”
“Life has.”

Tony tries to deflect with his usual smile, but Yasha rejects it with a shake of his head and stands before holding out his flesh hand for Tony.

“No, they have.”

Tony accepts the offered hand and allows himself to be pulled to his feet, but he does notice that the way he is seated makes Yasha slightly unbalanced in the motion, it should have been much easier to use the left.

“Is something wrong with the arm?”
“No, why?”
“Then why did you use your right just now? Wouldn't it have been easier to use the left?”
“Other's tend to be vary of it. Most handlers forbade me to use it when interacting outside of maintenance and combat.”
“Well I'm not bothered by it, I don't mind at all.”

To prove his point Tony grabbed the sleek metal and tugged at it and after a few moments Yasha gave in and let Tony pull the arm up, or more like lifted it to follow the motion, the blasted thing was heavy.
He was just about to mention his little idiosyncrasy about being handed things when he realized that Yasha had handed him things, the MRE in the Quinjet, ingredients, food and coffee after they returned, even some of his knives while they debated gear, and Tony had accepted them without hesitation.
He was startled to realize that for some reason he had trusted the Winter Soldier, the assassin who killed his parents, from the very start.
He had never felt as comfortable taking stuff from the Avengers, other than maybe Bruce while they were on a science binge, but Bruce had left and even Tony couldn't find him, or the Quinjet he had left in.

“Fri has our guest in the dungeon eaten?”
“He has been fed.”

The way she hedged on the answer made Tony smirk.

“So he's being stubborn and refusing to eat is he?”
“Yes, he requests to be allowed to speak to you Boss, but I have taken the liberty of rejecting the request.”
“That's my baby girl, you keep up the good work.”
“Glad to be of service Boss.”
“Come on Snowflake, let's hit the showers before we head back up to the penthouse.”

He didn't need to look to know Yasha was following him, he could feel him at his back as he headed for the communal showers attached to the training area.
Tony quickly removed the sweaty clothes and tossed them in the hamper in the small locker room before heading into the shower, looking forward to the soothing heat, he was feeling stiff all over and he knew his back had to be one big bruise after the cars the witch had dumped on him.
Reaching up to wash his hair he winced as the entire left side of his body decided to cramp up from foot to shoulder and almost made him lose his balance, but before he could fall there was a cool hand at his back steadying him.

“Thanks, guess I overdid it after all.”

Tony groaned and tried to hold on to the wall to keep his balance but before he could try again one of the shower stools was pushed against the back of his knees and gentle hands pushed him down.

“Sit.”
“Yes mom...”

Tony grumbled and complained as Yasha proceeded to wash his hair and back before leaving him in the warm stream of water to wash himself.

“Are you always this careless with your own well being?”

There was a slight edge of frustration in Yasha's voice as he helped Tony get dried and dressed.

“Pretty much, might wanna reconsider that entire protecting me plan.”
“I will not. The Asset will simply have to employ more extreme means to ensure mission success.”
“Scary...”

Tony's quip was rewarded with an impressive scowl and Yasha using the bulk of his body to corral Tony toward the elevator.

“Alright alright Murder Kitten I'm going.”

When Friday suggested a big pile of snacks and a movie night neither of them objected and soon Tony had a playlist of the Must see movies of the past 50 years.

“You know, I have seen most of these...”

The soft grumble made Tony pause and give Yasha a calculating look.

“I thought the Winter Soldiers were kept on ice most of the time?”
“The others were uncontrollable so they were kept in cryostasis until a solution to control them could be found. I however spent quite a lot of time on various missions.”
“Oh... We kinda figured you had been kept on ice most of the time since you haven't aged. But I guess the serum slows ageing.”
“I don't know much about Erskine's formula, but the one used on me is very effective at preventing ageing.”

Tony had been noticing the way Yasha seemed to change depending on topic and situation and since he seemed to be in an answering mood at the moment he decided to try to get some answers.

“How much do you actually remember? I can't help noticing that you seem to be switching between seeming well adjusted and aware, and being pretty lost.”
“...”
“Look, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I must say I am pretty curious.”
“Can I have a few days to think about it?”
“Of course, like I said, you don't have to answer.”
“Thank you...”

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

“Boss, maybe you should turn in for the night, it has been a long day.”

The conference call with Tokyo had taken longer than planned and while they had reached an agreement it had put a lot of new work on Tony's table, including a trip to Japan to formalize the contract.

“I am in agreement with Friday, you need rest to heal.”
“Bunch of mother-hens the pair of you.”

Tony grumbled, but he did get up and head toward the kitchen to put away what remained of their snacks.
As much as he hated to admit it he was exhausted, mentally, emotionally and physically, his body was aching and his thoughts were slow and muddled.

“Fri, have the items I requested been delivered yet?”
“Yes, Boss. The package is waiting at your bedroom door.”
“Thank you Fri baby.”

Looking over at Yasha Tony was met by a rather questioning look.

“Since I'm stuck with you watching me sleep I figured I might as well add a few things to make life easier.”
“...”
“Come on, I will probably need a hand setting it up.”
“Acknowledged.”

Tony just shook his head at the reply, at least it wasn't that empty tone and expression void of emotion any more, seeing that was quite unsettling.
Yasha had explained that as more time passed after having been triggered the compulsions grew weaker and it seemed that the automaton feel of Yasha's behaviour faded along with them.

“Would you be a sweetheart and grab those boxes there?”

Yasha just nodded and did as asked and soon they were putting together a small weapons rack and a standalone armrest.

“I figured you could use something to take some of the strain of that shoulder if you're gonna be sitting in that chair all night.”

The utter confusion on Yasha's face made Tony sigh, but it also made a cold rage stir deep within, all the little things he was noticing just made his hatred for HYDRA grow.

“Look, I don't particularly like this arrangement, but I know to pick my battles. That doesn't mean I'm about to make this any more uncomfortable than it has to be, for either of us.”
“Thank you...”

It only took a few minutes to adjust the armrest and once done the final box was opened and the weapons inside were put into the rack.

“These are just some basic stuff from storage, I have some ideas for custom stuff to look over when I get a moment.”
“These are all high quality weapons.”
“Of course they are, Stark Industries may no longer be a weapons manufacturer, but we were the best.”
“I can remember that Stark weapons never failed me on missions...”
“Oh, how about Hammer tech?”
“I would rather just have a hammer...”

The outright disgusted look on Yasha's face that accompanied the quip made Tony laugh, a free, true, laugh that felt good.

“I think I might just learn to like you Frosty.”
“...”

The silence was expected so Tony just got ready for bed and while he did Yasha disappeared to his room for a few minutes and when he returned he simply took a seat in the chair and the only way Tony could describe the change in posture and expression was Standby mode.

“Good night Tasty Freeze, Fri baby.
“Good night Boss.”
“Good night Tony.”

The Asset watched as Star... Tony , settled down and soon his breathing and pulse calmed into the familiar pattern of sleep and the Asset relaxed slightly, he was still alert to any potential danger but he allowed himself the luxury of allowing some of the tension to fade.
The voices within were still uncharacteristically silent, the Captain's blatant lie and betrayal of a friend and teammate had sent the fragments of the Other into hiding as they tended to do when confused, scared or hurt, leaving the Asset to carry the pain.
He didn't really mind though, it was what he was created for, the silence did offer an opportunity though, the voices sometimes interfered with the compulsions, following the Captain had been influenced by that, telling him to trust, to obey.
The voices tangled with the compulsions to obey the handlers and made the Asset pliable, but now with the voices silent he could pull and and pry at the compulsions, shifting their focus a bit.

The Asset considered Tony, how the man had been behaving since the incident in the bunker and he was a bit surprised at how well he performed as a handler despite being adamant about not wanting that kind of power over the Asset.
Tony had already proven himself able to be commanding when needed, but didn't use the power to hurt the Asset, instead he took care of the Asset beyond ensuring function, he actually took comfort into account, something new and unfamiliar.
The Asset couldn't remember any handler actually caring for his comfort or opinion in anything, barely even mission relevant things such as equipment choices, Tony on the other hand had asked extensive questions about the Asset's preferred equipment.

With another glance at the sleeping man the Asset made a decision, he would obey this man, not because of HYDRA conditioning, not because he needed him as handler, but because he wanted to, because he trusted him.
'Till the end of the line the fragmented voice of a memory whispered in the back of his mind.

.·:*¨¨*:·A Sliver of Trust·:*¨¨*:·.

“Alright, let's see how this baby fits shall we?”

The Asset watched as Tony held up a package containing a light tactical armor and he quickly removed the simple pants and shirt he was wearing and grabbed the offered items.
He was surprised at how light it was, light, soft and pliable.

“Something wrong there Snowflake?”
“No. It's lighter than I thought it would be.”
“Mhm, the latest in personal armor, as light and flexible as regular clothes and tougher than any standard stab or ballistic vest. Paired with the nano-composite plates in the vest you'll be a walking tank. And that's before taking the serum into account. Go on, put it on.”

The Asset quickly dressed in the offered items and found the fit to be excellent, even the shirt had a comfortable fit and didn't get pinched by the plates of the arm, nor did it impede movement in any way.

“My my, looking good there Terminator. How does it feel?”

The Asset was about to reply with the usual performance report when he paused and considered the peculiarities of his chosen handler before answering the question.

“It feels good, comfortable.”
“Perfect, let's try the rest of the stuff as well.”

The Asset took the items handed to him and soon a wide selection of additional armor, holsters and sheaths were secured to his body, some visible, others hidden.

“Still feeling good?”
“Very.”
“Next piece might be a bit worse considering that fucking muzzle HYDRA had you wearing, but it would be good if you can stand it.”

The Asset looked at the full face tactical mask for a moment before securing it over his face, mindful not to get his hair snagged in the straps, his old muzzle was always secured by a handler or technician, and they never bothered with such details.

“Is it okay? If it's too much I can get one of those photostatic veils SHIELD are so fond of.”
“It's okay, familiar...”
“No bad memories?”
“Some, but it helps me focus.”
“Alright, as long as you're sure.
“I'm sure.”

The Asset almost flinched when Tony reached out for him and gave the lock of hair that had fallen across his face a gentle tug.

“I think we may need to give you a bit of a haircut though.”
“...”
“Something wrong?”
“I...”
“Come on, talk to me.”
“I don't want to look like him...”
“Fine with me, I kinda like the scruffy, long haired look, has a certain animalistic attraction to it.”
“...”
“How about we shorten it just a bit to make sure it's even and doesn't get snagged on your gear?”

The Asset froze when Tony's fingers brushed through his hair, lifting it where the tips rested against the straps on his shoulder.

“Hey, Snowflake, you still with me?”
“With HYDRA a handler's touch would usually be a prelude to pain.”
“Fuck! Sorry...”
“It's... I don't... It's a...”
“I know, flinching, freezing and shying away from touch is common among abuse victims. They have been conditioned to equate touch with pain to the point sometimes even the prospect of being touched triggers it.”

The Asset knew about such reactions on an intellectual level, HYDRA training had been very thorough, now he found himself watching the way Tony's gaze scattered and remained unfocused and he realised the man spoke from experience.

“Who?”

The Asset was struggling with the compulsion to submit for punishment for questioning a handler, but he managed to fight it down, he knew those reactions bothered Tony.

“As a child, Howard, a few bad relationships in my youth, being kidnapped and tortured, betrayed by Obie who had been like a father. And that was before the Avengers, before a life as Iron Man.”

The Asset just nodded silently, he had nothing to offer, no words could undo such suffering.

“Let's just say my issues have issues and be done with that.”
“Acknowledged.”
“One last thing, you will need some sort of codename while acting as my bodyguard. Anything in particular you would like?”
“No.”
“You do love your knives so how about Blade?”
“Blade... Acceptable.”
“Great, guess we are about as ready as we can be to start heading out of the tower.”

The Asset would have preferred to stay inside until they were ready to strike, the tower was a safe place that was easy to defend, but it would arouse suspicion if Tony didn't continue his work, which required him to leave.
The past week had been fairly easy to explain away as Tony needing time to recover after the fights, but there was only so much he could do using the various telecommunication options he had available, some things needed to be done in person.

There was a long list of meetings and events scheduled for the upcoming weeks, hospital visits, meetings with the Accords committee, various media and PR events, and a fundraiser for the Maria Stark Foundation to raise money to help the people hurt by the fallout of the UN bomb.
The Asset had fought the conditioning and deep rooted scars to speak up and make it clear that he didn't like it, and Tony had listened calmly and worked with him to make everything as safe as possible.
And much to the Asset's relief Tony had made sure they would not be separated, the mission to protect Stark would not be jeopardised.

The mission to take down HYDRA was slowly beginning to take shape, plans in place for how to make the Accords committee agree to the covert anti-HYDRA task force that would allow them to strike anywhere in the world without worrying about local authorities.

“Yasha, you make sure to get some sleep, we have a few long days ahead of us.”
“Acknowledged.”

We , Us, for once those words rang true, Tony wasn't asking the Asset to be anyone or anything other than just being, and the Asset found that he liked the feeling of that.

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony gave the instruments of the Quinjet one last look to make sure the defences of the Avengers Compound had properly disengaged to allow them to land before approaching the landing pad.

“You are agitated.”

Yasha shifted slightly on his right and Tony nodded slowly, not the least bit surprised that his new companion had picked up on his mood, the super assassin was far too good at reading him and Tony didn't know how much was the serum enhanced senses, HYDRA training, or just himself dropping his guard around the man.

“Yeah, I'm worried about seeing Rhodey.”

Since there really wasn't anything more the hospital could do Rhodes had been released and transferred to the medical wing of the compound to continue his recovery, but the prognosis was not a good one.

“The doctors... They don't really believe he will walk again.”
“I see...”

Tony took a deep breath and turned fully to face Yasha, though, not seeing his eyes behind the mask was a bit unsettling.

“I'm not about to let that happen, I'll find some way, and if there's isn't one I'll fucking invent one. I just... I hate seeing him hurt.”
“You care a lot about this man.”
“Damn straight I do! He's my best friend, if it wasn't for him I wouldn't have made it through MIT alive.”
“Your father's enemies, or your own?”

The question made Tony laugh a bitter laugh.

“Oh, plenty of both, but the most dangerous enemy at the time was myself. Living the life. Sex, Drugs & Rock'n'Roll, with the emphasis on the drugs.”
“I see.”

The total lack of judgement was refreshing and Tony did feel a bit lighter as they walked toward the medical wing.
He pauses for a moment outside the door, looking through the window the sight of Rhodes' bruised and battered form makes his heart stutter and the chill running through his body makes him shiver.

“Wait here.”

He doesn't wait for an answer, knowing Yasha will stay and keep watch unless something happens, instead he focuses on putting on his best, brightest, smile as he enters the room.

“Platypus!”
“Tones! Thank god you're okay! The news all spin their tales and Fri wouldn't give me a straight answer.”
“Sorry man, there's just a lot happening and I needed some time to collect my thoughts.”

Tony hated not telling Rhodes everything, but this was too big, too new, and as much as he loved his oldest friend Rhodes was a military man, he lived by the book, by the chain of command.
He may be willing to skirt around the regulations and bend the rules sometimes, but in the end he wouldn't break them so Tony would make it easy for him, not give him information that would leave him torn between duty and friendship.

“I'm sorry...”

Tony takes a heavy seat on the simple chair next to the bed.

“It's not your fault Tones, what we do, it's dangerous. 138 missions, I've had a good run.”
“I'm not leaving you like this, I will find a way to get you your legs back.”
“I know you will.”

Tony sets off on his usual ramblings and as always Rhodes indulges him, offers his own expertise, teases and quips as they fall into familiar patterns.

“So, Tones, couldn't help noticing the broody shadow you have waiting out there...”
“Yeah, that's Blade. He came to me with an offer and I decided to take him up on it. With people protesting the Accords I figured some extra security might come in handy.”

Tony turns to the door and calls for Yasha to join them.

“Blade, meet my old buddy Colonel James Rhodes. Rhodey, meet Blade.”

Tony watched as the two sized each other up, tension obvious in the room, then Rhodes huffed and offered a tentative smile.

“Not sure if I approve of the getup, but anyone who can get Tony to accept some extra security is okay in my book.”

As they had agreed on Yasha didn't speak, instead he just offered a curt nod.

“Yeah, he's the quiet type.”

They couldn't risk anyone recognizing Yasha's voice, there would be a voice modifier in the mask they were currently working on, but for now they would simply have to do things old school.
Rhodes didn't settle for the simple introduction though, instead he began asking all kinds of questions, and when he found that he didn't get any verbal answers at all he frowned, and switched to simpler Yes/No questions.
Tony could feel Yasha's eyes on him, asking him how to proceed so he gave him a slight nod to answer the questions without speaking, hoping that the answers would satisfy Rhodes, he really wanted the pair to get along.
Tony may not be able to tell Rhodes the truth now, but if his plans came together Yasha would have a full pardon and he would be able to reveal who he was at least to a few people he trusts.

“Dr Stark, here are the scans you requested.”

The voice from the door made everyone turn and look at the old nurse who ran the day to day operations of the medical wing.

“Thank you nurse Mills.”

Tony's mind was already drifting, making plans and drawing up designs for ways to help Rhodes walk so he didn't even notice that Yasha had taken the tablet from the nurse.

“Tones?”

It wasn't until he saw the utter bewilderment on Rhodes' face that Tony realized he had accepted the tablet from Yasha without even the slightest hint of hesitation, and of course Rhodes was perfectly aware of the implications of such an action.

“Yeah, I do... Don't ask me how or why, but do I trust him.”
“Blade, could you give us some privacy?”

Rhodes' request made Yasha shift his stance slightly, focusing his attention on Tony who gave him a nod.

“Go ahead. And close the door please.”

The moment the door snapped shut Rhodes tugged on Tony's arm.

“Are you sure? That guy has a dangerous feel to him.”
“Oh trust me Sourpatch, he's as dangerous as they come.”
“But you trust him, feel safe with him?”
“I trust him to complete his mission at any cost, and yeah, I trust him beyond that as well.”
“I want proper answers when you feel ready to give them, but for now I'll trust that paranoid streak of yours to know what it's doing.”
“Thanks...”

When the nurse comes by and tells Tony that Rhodes needs to rest he nods without objections and after a quick promise to get back to Rhodes as soon as he has some time he steps out of the medical room.
The moment the door closes he steps away from it and lets out a deep breath he hadn't realized he was holding but before the building anxiety had a chance to overwhelm him a gentle nudge against his shoulder interrupts the spiral.

“Friday asked me to remind you that the items you needed from the workshop are packed and ready for transport.”
“Of course, thanks...”

Tony knew it wasn't really about the items from the workshop, Yasha and Friday had teamed up to try to keep him from spiralling into panic attacks, and so far they were doing a good job at it, distracting him before he could spiral too deep.
He knew what they were doing, but he appreciated the way they didn't draw attention to it, each time finding some way to camouflage it as something else.

Tony gives Yasha a quick rundown of the compound as they head toward the workshop, pointing out the main areas.
It was mostly empty at the moment though as most of the team living there had gone off with Rogers.

“What happened here?”

Yasha indicates toward the work crew fixing the damage that the witch had caused when attacking Vision.

“Maximoff.”
“Alaya Ved'ma...”

Yasha spat the words with a seething distaste that made Tony wonder just how bad the memories he had of Maximoff were.

“She decided that being confined to the compound for her own safety didn't agree with her so she put Vision through the floor and ran off with Barton to join Rogers' little crusade.”
“For me, my fault...”
“No, not your fault. That mess is all on Rogers and those who chose to follow him.”
“I remember it, the red behind my eyes, tearing through my mind...”

The shudder of disgust, pain and fear made Tony reach out and put his hand on Yasha's arm, he was unfortunately familiar with the feeling of Maximoff's power crawling through his mind.

“She's locked up at the raft, with a collar to keep her from using her power. She can't get to you, and if I have any say in it, she will never leave that place.”
“Not alive...”
“Indeed, not alive.”

The dark agreement feels good, his friends would have balked at the expressed desire to kill, even the Avengers despite being killers themselves, but Tony has always had a dangerous, vindictive streak.
As Iron Man he had killed enemy combatants same as any soldier fighting a war, but there were far more personal kills as well, kills and fights driven by revenge, most knew of Stane, Vanko and Killian, but very few knew of Pepper's involvement in Stane and Killian, or that Vanko had detonated his own suit, believing that Tony had killed them in self defense.
But there had been several others as well, people who had kidnapped him, or attempted to, a guy stalking Pepper, a tech stealing SI designs to sell, all killed in cold blood without anyone knowing he was behind it.
Yasha didn't judge, instead he echoed the same dark edge, kill or be killed, don't leave something that can truly threaten you, or yours, alive.
It was a relief to not have to hide the darkness, to let the shadows rise and actually be able to talk about it with someone who could relate, even if Yasha was hesitant to even acknowledge that he had feelings or desires at all.

“Come on Blade, let's go grab those crates and get back home.”
“Acknowledged.”

The exchange is teasing and both of them silently long to be back at the tower, to drop the masks both physical and metaphorical, to feel safe and be who they are.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

Once they left the landing pad at the tower they were greeted by Friday informing Tony that the upholstery items ordered had finally arrived.

“Perfect! Fri would you be a sweetheart and unload those crates?”
“Of course Boss”
“Thank you sweetie. Come on Tastee Freez, got something for ya to have a look at in the workshop.”

As promised there was a stack of boxes and the metal skeleton of a sofa waiting for them when they entered the workshop and once Yasha had removed the excess gear he joined Tony who was digging through the various boxes.

“Come, help me move this thing a bit.”
“Move where?”
“Anywhere you want it, after all you're the one who will be sleeping in it since you seem to prefer sleeping while I tinker.”
“But..?”

Tony just huffed when Yasha glanced at the mattress that was propped up against the wall.

“I figured you don't like sleeping on the floor any more than I do...”
“True, I don't, it's a tactical disadvantage...”
“Mhm, and since I kinda blew up the old sofa I made a new, sturdier one.”
“I see...”
“Would it be safe to assume you prefer sleeping with your back to the wall, and not pushed into the corner?”
“Indeed.”

Tony watched as Yasha reassessed the room but he didn't seem to find what he was looking for.

“You know, the tables and workstations can be moved around if you don't like the layout.”

It only took Tony a few seconds to bring up an interactive display showing the current layout of the workshop.
A few more twists and flicks at the projection added a representation of the new sofa to the model and pushing motion sent it to rest in the air in front of Yasha.
Tony watched him stare at the projection for a while before giving him a verbal poke to get to work.

“Go on, show me how you would prefer things to be set up.”

The first few pokes were tentative but they quickly gained confidence and soon Yasha had rearranged the projection to his liking and Tony brought it back to himself with a beckoning motion.

“Not bad, a few of these stations will have to trade places though.”

Tony quickly made his changes to take into account the various specialised stations, and placing his primary workbench in the location closest to the sofa.

“How about this Frosty?”
“It looks good.”
“Great, let's start moving shit around.”

Tony almost laughed at the way Yasha startled when he called a pair of the backup suits to help with the rearranging of workstations, but there was a flicker of something dangerous, a glint of threat, in his eyes that instantly had Tony signalling the suits to stop.

“Hey, easy there big guy, some of us aren't crazy strong super soldiers you know, and a lot of the stuff in here is seriously heavy. Fri is just using the suits to help.”
“Sorry...”
“Don't be, I should have warned you about calling the suits.”

Yasha just nodded and put the gun away, it took a while before the tension faded from his stance though, but the physical exertion of rearranging the workshop seemed to help and when they were done he didn't object to taking a nap.

“Mind if I join you sleepy head?”

Tony waited at a safe distance, remembering what Yasha had said about approaching him while he slept.
There was no verbal answer, but Tony watched as the vents on the arm closed for a moment followed by the plates shifting a bit and the vents re-opening, telling him that Yasha was aware of his presence and not bothered by it.

“How did you know I wouldn't attack?”

Tony jumps slightly when Yasha speaks up a few minutes later.

“Your arm...”
“Hmm?”
“I can kinda get an idea of your moods by watching it. When you sleep it powers down and the vents open, and you keep the vents closed as much as possible when fighting, so when the vents closed and the plates shifted I knew you were awake, and since they reopened you clearly weren't concerned about me being there.”

For a moment there was just silence, then Yasha shifted slightly and gave Tony a quick glance before settling back.

“Observant.”
“Genius.”

The quip earned Tony a huff but no further conversation so he just continued working on the designs for a pair of leg bracers for Rhodes, hoping to have a prototype done by the time he was let out of medical.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

“Stubborn bastard!”

The rather loud cursing startles the Asset somewhat and he turns his attention from the tablet with the Accords document to see what has Tony so agitated.

“What's wrong?”
“Fucking Ross is what's wrong!”
“He's not satisfied with your report?”
“Of course he's not, nothing in there he can use to crucify me, or use to push his registration act agenda.”

The Asset watches as Tony grasps for the back of the couch he's standing behind, the tension and tightness of his features revealing the pain as his lungs strain to draw breath, struggling against the intrusive presence of the arc reactor.
For a moment the Asset hesitates, then he stands and walks over to Tony and reaches out for his shoulder.

“Don't slouch like that, straighten up, it will make it easier to breathe.”

Using his flesh hand to pull Tony up straighter he carefully places the cybernetic hand against the small of his back, nudging the smaller man to stand up straight with proper posture, letting the damaged lungs work as well as they are able to.

“Thanks...”

The Asset watched as Tony took a few deep breaths and forced the panic down.

“Care to share what Ross did to set this off?”
“He's using the Accords to force me to come in for a formal hearing.”
“...”
“Don't worry, I managed to get it set at the compound so you will be there, and I will have Fri backing us up.”
“We should acquire the HYDRA files on him, that would shut him down.”
“Oh, found the memories of where they are?”
“I'm not sure, but I do remember a HYDRA facility outside of Nashville that holds hard copies for a significant amount of their files.”
“Guess we have a raid to plan then. Too bad this meeting will be tomorrow, not enough time to take him down before that.”
“Unfortunately, but I think I will enjoy a mission...”

The Asset had started feeling restless the 4^th day with Tony, and now, 10 days into his self appointed mission, part of him wanted to just rip something apart.

“Feeling antsy there Elsa?”
“Very.”
“That's probably the serum talking, part of the super soldier strength comes from overstimulated production of hormones like adrenaline and testosterone, makes you stronger, but also more aggressive. Rogers used to take long runs and beat up reinforced punching bags for hours to get it out of his system.”
“I think cryo used to purge the excess from my body.”
“Makes sense. Too high levels would make you very hard to control regardless of method used.”

For a moment Tony pauses and tilts his head.

“You think extra time in the gym could help control those feelings?”
“Maybe, but the Asset is not perm...”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, I know.”

Tony interrupts with a smile.

“I was thinking I can set up a desk and some holo-screens in there, then I can do some of my thinking and designing while you work on those super soldier hormones.”
“Why?”
“We're kinda in this mess together, and you being all hyped up and antsy from inactivity is just gonna make things tougher to handle.”
“...”
“I have a little something for you in the workshop, so how about we go grab that and then head to the gym to work off that tension?”
“Alright.”

Tony was relieved that those Acknowledged and Complying answers were getting less and less frequent, but he couldn't help feeling that Yasha seemed more confused than before.

“Awesome, let's go.”

The ride down to the workshop was silent, but it was a companionable silence that Tony was starting to learn to appreciate.
Once in the workshop Tony headed for the table where he had left the case that contained Yasha's surprise.

“Here, it's coded to your thumb print.”

Tony was practically vibrating with excitement as Yasha unlocked the case and opened it to reveal the contents.

“Shock batons...”
“Mhm, told ya I would make something better than the retail ones. Go on try em.”

Leaning on the workbench Tony tries to contain himself as Yasha picks up one of the batons and carefully weighs it in his hand.

“It's heavy. I like it.”
“I figured you might like a bit more weight with how strong you are.”
“You're right, I do prefer heavier batons.”
“Think you can figure out how to turn it on without reading the manual?”

The teasing challenge made Yasha smile and inspect the baton closer to figure out how to activate it, then with a grin he activated the switch, then almost dropped it as he spun to face Tony.

“It's arc tech?”
“Yep, only thing I can think of to make sure they pack enough of a wallop to take out a super soldier and won't be running out of charge when you really need them.”
“Why would you?”

Tony ignored the question and pushed on.

“I trust that you will protect this tech and not let anyone get their hands on it.”
“Of course! Thank you!”
“Great, gym next Frosty.”

The undisguised gratitude felt good and it was chipping away on the emotional armor he had built to protect himself, Tony didn't allow himself to dwell on it though as he grabbed the bag by the elevator door and asked Friday to bring them to the gym level..

“I think I'll follow your lead and see if beating up a bag won't help get some of these frustrations out...”
“Try not to overdo it this time.”
“I won't.”
“...!”

The half glare that Yasha sent his way made Tony duck his head for a moment, he really was planning on taking it easy.
In the end Tony ended up spending most of his focus on watching Yasha beat up one of the dummies with the batons, testing their balance and weight and by the gods the man had a body to die for, all lean muscle and raw power.
Tony shook his head and forced himself to look away before his mind drifted too far down that road, but he was having a hard time clearing his mind so he startled slightly when Yasha spoke up.

“They are really well balanced.”
“Glad you approve.”

There was a hint of old pain in the half snapped reply which triggered a somewhat uncomfortable silence.

“Of course I do... You put a lot of work into these.”
“Sorry, didn't mean to snap like that... My issues have issues, remember?”
“I remember. And it makes me want to replace that dummy with whoever caused you such scars.”

There was an edge of danger in Yasha's voice that made Tony pause and just stare at him, then he shook his head, not ready to even consider what implications those words could carry, instead he focused back on his own bag.
Tony wasn't sure how long he had been beating up his bag when Yasha tapped his shoulder, and caught the reflex punch with his cybernetic arm.

“Ah, sorry. You needed something?”
“You mentioned these would be able to take down an enhanced individual such as myself, I would like to test that.”

Tony blinked a few times when Yasha held out one of the batons for him.

“Wait, you want me to use it on you?”
“It's the best way to know how much power it has.”
“Are you sure, I mean with the shit HYDRA did to you using electricity?”
“I'm sure.”
“Okay, just don't kill me if I trigger something...”
“I won't.”

With a steadying breath Tony took the baton and turned it on to the lowest setting and slowly reached out towards Yasha's flesh shoulder.

“Really, really sure?”
“Yes, stop stalling.”

Tony touched the tip against the skin of Yasha's shoulder and winced when he instantly tensed up with a hiss.

“Again.”

Tony gave a hesitant nod, then turned up the power to the next setting.
On the 6^th level Yasha dropped to the ground with a grunt but was instantly back on his feet, the 7^th left him gasping for air for a few while the cramps abated so he could rise again.
On the 8^th level there was a pained cry as he crashed to the ground and it took a few minutes for him to regain consciousness, minutes that Tony spent nervously hovering while Friday assured him that Yasha's readings were all well within normal as far as she could tell.
When he finally woke up Tony breathed a sigh of relief, and prayed he wouldn't insist on trying the remaining settings.

“That definitely packs a punch.”
“That was a single pulse at level 8, it goes up to 10 and can deliver up to 20 pulses in rapid succession.”
“That doesn't sound very non lethal, at least not for a baseline human.”
“It's not. It does offer up a few extra options though. But please, don't ask me to test the rest on you...”
“I won't, I just wanted to know how much it would take for it to take me down.”
“In case you need to shock yourself to get your opponent?”
“Exactly.”

Tony only took a moment to consider his words before letting Yasha know what his own tolerance was.

“I can handle a 5, 6 will knock me out cold.”

Yasha looked up with a look on his face that Tony couldn't quite place.

“That's impressive for a baseline human.”
“Pretty useful when people try to use a standard taser to kidnap you.”
“I guess that wasn't very successful?”
“They still haven't found all the bodies...”

For a moment Yasha looked surprised, and a bit confused, then he laughed, a smooth, dark sound that spoke of approval.

“I believe your Do not engage classification is more well deserved than HYDRA realises.”
“Never hurts to be underestimated by your enemies.”
“True. Now, do these have a sparring setting?”

The change in topic made Tony grin and walk over to his own bag.

“No, but these do.”

The answering smile was predatory with just enough of an edge of danger to make Tony swallow as he handed over the heavier pair, he had no doubt the sparring with the Winter Soldier would involve a fair amount of pain, but he didn't really mind.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

The meeting with Ross was every bit as bad as Tony had feared it would be, starting with the man trying to insist that Yasha could not be in the room while insisting that his own group of henchmen had to be there, which of course Tony did not allow him to get away with, but it went downwards from there.

When it was finally over the door to the conference room had barely closed before Tony stumbled to the wall and slowly sank down to the floor, gasping for air.

“The room is secure Boss, you are safe.”

Friday's voice was soft as the lights in the room dimmed and Yasha approached slowly, removed the mask and lowered himself to his knees close enough to be able to reach out and touch Tony, but not close enough to make him feel crowded.

“You are safe, focus on your breathing.”

Yasha slowly guided Tony through the steps of the grounding exercise, patiently waiting for him to calm down.

“Tony, can you handle being touched now?”
“Yeah...”

The heavy hand on his knee further helped Tony ground himself and when he finally looked up with a weak nod the hand lifted for a moment as Yasha stood, then it was offered to pull him to his feet.

“I will kill him.”

Tony could feel that Yasha's words were not a threat, or even a promise, he was simply stating a fact.

“We have to burn him first, we can't risk him becoming a martyr for the registration act. Once he is thoroughly burned we will bury him.”
“Acknowledged. The Asset will comply.”

The familiar words were spoken harshly in Russian, and this time there was an almost gleefully dark edge to them.

“Come on, let's get back home, we have a Foundation gala to plan for.”

When Tony continued on to grumble about what he wanted to do to Ross Yasha just shook his head and put the mask back on.

Fortunately Tony's calendar was packed full with meetings, and the upcoming charity event kept his mind too occupied to dwell on Ross.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony's nervous energy had the Asset on edge as he watched the man buzz around the penthouse in a flurry of activity.

”Boss, you need to leave now or you will be late.”
“Yeah yeah Fri, I know I know.”

Tony quickly grabbed the new wrist gauntlet he had been working on and moments later the Asset finds himself being pushed toward the elevator and he can smell hints of fear and anger mixed with the subtle fragrance Tony was wearing.

“Alright, let's get this over with.”

As always Tony pushed on, heedless of his own discomfort.

“You are agitated, not excited or eager.”

Tony huffed slightly as he stepped into the elevator, it was still a bit unsettling how easily Yasha read him, and how easy it was to drop the masks around the enhanced assassin.

“I never really liked these big fundraiser events. Too many sharks out for blood.”

He pulled at the gauntlet to make sure it would unfold as it should before retracting it again and trying to relax.

“Then why do it?”
“The foundation can do a lot of good, and getting people engaged in it makes it easier to help. If I approach as Tony Stark and offer the resources to fix things people will suspect my motives, but a big foundation like this, people trust it.”
“People are idiots...”
“No arguments from me on that one Snowflake.”

As they approached the venue Tony began tapping his fingers against his leg, trying to control his nervous energy.
The large crowd of Accords protesters really didn't help and he was just about to tell Happy to keep driving when the silvery metal of Yasha's hand covered his own, stilling the nervous movement.

“If you leave, they will perceive it as weakness, scent blood in the water.”
“I know...”
“I will not allow them to harm you.”
“I know that too Frosty.”
“Then relax, you are a true master of this game.”
“I am, aren't I...”
“Put your mask on, complete the mission.”
“Complying.”

The teasing quip in Russian earns Tony a soft chuckle and he watches Yasha put his long glove back on and make sure it won't slip.

“Ready?”
“Ready.”

Tony feels some of the nervous energy return as Yasha exits the car and steps around to open the door for him, but once he steps out of the car and into the camera flashes the familiar mask is in place, smiling, waving, flirting and snarking with the media and paparazzi gathered along the ropes.
Any questions regarding Yasha are brushed off with a simple comment about a bodyguard while not in his Other suit and Yasha just ignores any questions coming his way.

By the time Tony reaches the large doors his mask is firmly in place, the game is on, and he allows the solid presence of Yasha at his back to ground him.

The event itself is as tedious as he remembers, handshakes and meaningless conversation, empty compliments and expensive, but soulless, food.

“Careful.”

A soft whisper and a gentle touch against his back warns Tony that something about the approaching woman has Yasha suspicious and Tony is not about to question those super assassin instincts.
The suspicion grows when Yasha shifts closer into Tony's space and there is a flicker of something in her eyes at the subtle threat in his posture.
Pleasantries are exchanged and she tries to slip Tony a phone number which is intercepted by Yasha and Tony recognizes the flicker in her eye, the intentionally vulnerable look, it's the same look Romanoff would use to get men to do what she wanted them to.
Tony almost takes a step back at the realization that the woman in front of him may be one of the Black Widows but he manages to keep still, maintain the mask, but once she has vanished into the crowd he takes a small step back and whispers into the glass of champagne he's holding.

“She's a widow?”
“Yes.”
“Shit... Think she recognized you?”
“No.”
“Okay...”

With a sigh of relief Tony tried to focus back on the room, but knowing that the woman was prowling somewhere in the crowd left him restless and if the feeling he was getting from Yasha looming behind him was on mark the soldier was on edge as well.
Feeling even more uncomfortable than when he arrived Tony signalled for Happy to bring the car around as he casually started moving toward the exit.

“Sorry everyone, occasionally even Tony Stark needs to work and sleep.”

A few more jokes and teasing flirts rounded off the event as they stepped out into the chill of the New York night and when the door of the car closed Tony's shoulders sagged with a sigh.
Fortunately it was a short drive back to the tower and soon Tony found himself draped across his bed with Yasha seated in his usual corner, sleep however seemed a distant concept as his mind kept replaying the encounter with the young woman, barely out of her teens.

“Why a widow?”

The words were barely a whisper, but Tony knew Yasha would hear him, but considering how stiff the assassin had been since the encounter he wasn't sure he would get an answer.

“I don't know, but it merits investigation.”
“Yeah, it does. How much do you know about them?”
“I know what they are and what they do...”
“Guess we just have to do it the good old fashioned way then.”
“No, there's more, fragments of memories. I... I think I trained some of them, the girl I remember, the one who called me Yasha, I think she may have been one of the students.”
“You don't have to, but maybe talking about it can help you remember?”
“Maybe...”

Even hidden in the dark corner of the room the tension in Yasha's posture was obvious.

“You don't have to decide now, or ever really, so how 'bout you just lemme know if you do?”
“Acceptable.”

Tony had a feeling that Yasha's mission focus would make him insist on trying to remember, heedless of his own discomfort, and as much as he hated to admit it they needed any information they could on any players involved.
Try as he might, Tony just couldn't get his brain to shut down, too many thoughts, too many ideas, and remembering Yasha's solid heat against his back at the fundraiser really didn't help either.

“Fuck this, I can't sleep”

Tony scrambled out of bed and grabbed the clothes crumpled on top of the hamper and got dressed, silently noting that for once Yasha wasn't complaining that he should sleep.
Instead he just rose and holstered his gun, ready to follow Tony wherever he went.

The moment the elevator door opens to the workshop Tony makes a beeline for the table where he left the card the woman, widow, gave him to be analysed.
On the surface it looked like one of those 50 for a dollar business cards, but considering who had given it they didn't take any chances, Yasha had been the one to handle it, and only with his metal hand.

“Fri baby, got anything for daddy?”
“Of course Boss.”

The way the AI manages to sound affronted at the suggestion that she wouldn't have found anything makes Tony grin as he looks at the displays coming to life.

“As suspected the paper has been laced with several unregistered chemical compounds.”

One of the displays quickly shifts to display a set of complex molecules.

“Can you tell me anything about them?”
“I have identified derivatives of Sodium Pentothal, Scopolamine, Rohypnol, Zolpidem, GHB and MDMA as well as several others that are completely unknown.”
“Damn, nasty stuff...”
“A potent mixture to render the target weakened, highly suggestible, and unable to recall events once the drugs have been fully metabolised.”

Yasha sounds even more detached than usual and Tony gets a feeling he may have some personal experience with the stuff.

“The ultimate date rape cocktail...”
“Several of the substances were used during conditioning but were ultimately abandoned as the serum allowed the Asset to overcome the effect faster than a baseline human.”

Tony found himself unable to muster the energy to look at his feelings about HYDRA any more, much less give voice to them, it seemed like wherever he turned he would find evidence or another heinous act at their hands, and usually with Yasha as the victim.

“You know what, from now on I'll just assume whatever nasty, evil crap we come across will be something HYDRA has used against you at some point...”
“That assumption would probably be accurate more often than not.”
“Fucked up is what it is.”

Tony dismissed the displays with a flick of his hand, he was so not in the proper mood to do investigative work, he needed to blow shit up.

”Come on Winter Wonderland, time to destroy some shit!”

Yasha's slightly raised eyebrow made Tony laugh and grab the cybernetic arm to pull him along, dragging him to the hidden elevator that would take them down to Tony's private shooting range where he tested his more explosive toys.

Stepping out of the smaller, hidden, elevator the Asset paused and took in the new floor, a true marvel of engineering and design it spanned 3 full floors and the wall with the elevator was covered with weapons on rotating racks.
What really caught his attention though was the matte black beauty of a rifle that was proudly displayed on a table off to the right.
It was fairly large and everything he knew about weapons told him that it was powerful, and accurate, the weapon of a sniper.

“Like what you see do you? She's based on one of my old designs that I never put into production because it was too much for your average soldier, but I think you'll get along with her just fine.”

Walking over to the table the Asset could feel an odd sense of excitement as he reached out and traced the sleek, black, metal with his hand before picking the rifle up.
Feeling the weight of it the Asset understood Tony's words about it being too much for a baseline soldier, even a well trained one, to his enhanced strength it felt solid, comfortable and the size was a perfect fit.

“So, how does she feel?”
“Deadly.”
“Perfect. Why don't you go squeeze a few rounds off, get a feel for her? I think I can squeeze in a trip to the big range next week if you wanna give her a proper workout.”

The Asset looked toward the indicated range and he could feel a stir of eagerness to try the rifle Tony had made for him, if it was anything like the shock batons he knew he would have a new favourite in his firearms collection.

“You're gonna have to settle for the boring ammo though, not sure how the walls would hold up against the good stuff.”

The Asset watched as Tony placed a metal box containing the familiar shapes of ammo cartridges in the same matte black as the rifle and he didn't hesitate to grab one and soon he was ready to fire.

Tony watched as Yasha prepared the rifle with practised ease and took a firing stance using the support rail that was intended to mimic using a wall or vehicle for support and cover.
When the shot rang out Tony felt a familiar heat drop into his belly and he cursed silently, he had seen the old WWII reels showing the Howling Commandos, and he had always considered James Bucky Barnes to be very good looking, but Yasha managed to hit pretty much every kink Tony had.
Strong, competent and intelligent with the sharp edge of a dangerous predator, the habit of wearing that oh so delicious looking tac gear, the arm, and even the muzzle he had been wearing under HYDRA just added to the image.

When Yasha decided to switch to a prone firing position Tony shook his head to clear the image and hurried over to the handgun range, grabbing the closest gun in the rack.
Tony cursed under his breath as he reloaded the magazine, going to the range was supposed to clear his mind, but now all he could think of was all the ways Yasha was just his type, and was a very very wrong road to head down.
The grip on the gun tightens and his knuckles turn white with the strain as his mind decides to replay the memory of finding out that the Winter Soldier had killed his parents, and his breath turns ragged as he is reminded that Rogers knew and didn't say anything.

“Tony?”

The soft voice startles Tony and a moment later the gun in his hands is aimed at Yasha's head, fortunately super soldier reflexes and enhanced speed prevents a serious incident, there is however a new scratch in the shoulder area of the cybernetic arm.

“Shit! Sorry!”

Tony scrambles to get off the floor, totally ignoring the burning pain from where the force of Yasha's tackle had pushed him off balance, making him hit the back of his head against the booth as he fell.
He quickly checks the arm for damage, but when Yasha's flesh hand brushes against the back of his head, and the developing bump, he freezes.

“No, I shouldn't have approached you like that.”
“I almost put a bullet in your head!”
“You're fast, but not that fast.”

The teasing quip instantly had Tony bright red and he slapped Yasha's chest with a curse before trying to walk away, only to find himself held in place by strong metal while the assassin completed a quick check for injuries.

“Asshole...”
“You do say the sweetest things котенок”

Tony promptly convinces himself that he imagined the exchange, that the blow to his head had his mind playing tricks on him, but the teasing half smile would come to plague his dreams with hints of something more than an alliance against HYDRA.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

“Are you sure about this? What if someone knows you have gone rogue, or knows your words?”

Tony watched the nondescript building at the outskirts of Nashville that supposedly housed a HYDRA information centre.

“It's a low level facility, I doubt any of them are even aware of the existence of the Asset to begin with. But if anyone starts speaking Russian, shoot them.”
“I still don't like it.”
“We don't know where to look, and there may be a self-destruct in place. Gaining their cooperation is our best bet.”
“I know... Still don't like it.”

Tony may have agreed to the plan to just walk into the facility as if they belonged there and demand the files they needed, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
Yasha had told him that low level HYDRA facilities such as the one they were targeting were mainly crewed by unarmed low level operatives, in this case little more than glorified filing clerks, and at most had a handful of armed guards and no more than two, maybe three, low level handlers.
They mainly relied on codewords and phrases for security, and that those were rarely updated so getting in should be easy.
Tony and Yasha would be posing as a handler and agent looking for information on a potential target, something that wouldn't arouse suspicion in that type of facility.

By the time they entered the facility Tony was wearing one of his boardroom masks behind the photostatic veil depicting a perfectly average Caucasian male and he exchanged the greetings and control phrases Yasha had taught him with an air of confidence mixed with a hint of disdain.

“Compliance will be rewarded.”
“I am happy to comply.”

Tony couldn't help feeling relieved that the response to the final control phrase was different from the Ready to comply that Yasha would respond with when the compulsions planted in his mind acted up..

“Bring me everything you have on Thaddeus Ross.”

The HYDRA handler Tony had been speaking to quickly ordered the closest operative to show Tony and Yasha to the correct filing room and help them find the information they needed.
The filing room they were led to had reasonably good security with an airlock structure with reinforced doors and an armed guard, it would definitely be tough to sneak in without anyone noticing.
Once inside they could quickly confirm the presence of incendiary explosives, likely set to destroy all documents in the event of a breach.

Much to Tony's relief it didn't take long for the file to be brought to them and no one objected when he demanded a copy to bring with him.

“Holy shit, that actually worked...”

Tony was leaning back in the passenger seat of the cheap rental while Yasha drove them back to Chattanooga where they would be spending the night at a small hotel then fly back to New York in the morning.
It had taken quite a bit of work, and sweet talking Pepper, to get the time away from everything to pull off their little information hunt, but hopefully it would prove to be worth it.

“Maybe next time you won't doubt my expertise.”
“Yeah yeah, still, that was pretty crazy...”

Tony had to admit that as risky as it had been to go in the way they did they had hit the jackpot, the file on Ross had enough dirt to bury the man 10 times over.

“Think there are more facilities out there as easy as this one?”

Tony knows they won't be able to talk about anything serious once they get back to the hotel so he decides to try to get a few questions out of the way on the drive there.

“HYDRA lost a lot of it's oversight with Project Insight, leaving each facility and cell operating on their own with little or no communication with others.”
“So there could be more out there that could be easily brought down?”
“Yes. I believe we should leave this one operating though, as long as they believe us to be higher ranking operatives we can use them for information.”

Tony just sighed, he wanted nothing more than to burn every last trace of HYDRA to the ground, but he had to admit that Yasha was right, they could really use the extra information.

“I want them to burn but it never hurts to have some extra fuel for the fire.”

Yasha's words and the somewhat odd turn of the mood left Tony silent, focusing back on the files as Yasha drove them to their goal.

Neither of them were able to relax at the hotel, and Tony could tell Yasha was having a rough time, but they couldn't risk talking in case they had been followed.
Making up his mind Tony reached out for Yasha's hand, keeping the motion slow to make sure he didn't trigger anything, grasping his hand Tony started tapping his finger in the familiar patterns of Morse-code, asking the soldier how he was doing.

There was a brief look of surprise, then Yasha turned his hand over so he could reply in the same way, tapping a soft rhythm against the inside of Tony's wrist.
Yasha silently explained that the facility had triggered a few memories that he was currently trying to sort through and see if he could connect them to other memories, trying to place them in their proper place in the timeline of his life.

Talking about it seemed to help, and focusing on speaking through Morse-code kept Tony's mind from spinning out of control, and if he continued to ramble about everything and nothing just to maintain physical contact, well, he would never admit it.

The Asset found himself somewhat confused at first when Tony touched his hand, then he recognized the rhythmical tapping and he found himself rather impressed, he knew of course from the files that Tony was skilled at improvisation and coming up with solutions on the fly, but seeing such a hands on example of that made it far more real.

Focusing on a language he rarely used helped keep the Asset from losing himself in the new memories and it seemed to help Tony calm down as well so he settled down and paid attention to what Tony was rambling about.

Neither of them would truly relax until they were back in the safety of the tower though.

·:*¨¨*:· Necessary Evil·:*¨¨*:·.

The file recovered from HYDRA proved to be much more than they had initially hoped for, and using the information it didn't take Tony long to get Ross out of the way, discredited and locked up, control of the raft was transferred to a sub committee under the Accords.
The Raft was too valuable as a facility able to handle dangerous, enhanced individuals to shut it down completely, but now it at least has proper oversight and several of the prisoners, enhanced individuals with a wide range of powers who had committed no crimes, had been released.

When the story about how Ross had imprisoned people who committed no crimes broke there was a massive public outcry against any form of registration act becoming part of the Accords, forcing the Accords committee to abandon any such paragraphs.
In addition to getting rid of any registration acts Tony was able to work in additions to protect the identity of anyone who signed, enhanced individuals who wanted to use their abilities as crime-fighters, maybe even Avengers, would have the right to sign only as their Hero identities.
He also managed to get a whole section on protecting enhanced minors like Peter approved with very little resistance.

It had been hard reading the file though, especially the sections about Bruce and the Hulk, the experiments, the betrayal, the way Ross had hunted them.
It did help Tony better understand, and accept, why Bruce had left after the Ultron incident, but it did nothing to soothe his worry for the man, Tony had tried everything and found no trace of the Quinjet he had taken, and that just wasn't possible.
Even if powered down and picked apart some of the components gave off energy signatures that could be tracked and Tony had tried everything, as far as he could tell the Quinjet was nowhere on earth.
Before Loki opened a portal and brought aliens to Manhattan Tony would have scoffed at the suspicion that was now growing into certainty, Bruce had somehow left Earth.

Tony shook his head to clear the thoughts, he needed to focus on the current plan to get some distraction both for himself and the increasingly restless Winter Soldier who was starting to remind him of a tiger pacing its cage.

“What do you say Winter Wonderland, ready to go take down another HYDRA rat hole?”
“About time.”
“Yeah yeah, I know, politics can be slow, but this was still a lot faster than I thought it would be.”

It had only taken 2 months to get Ross out of the way and get the Accords moving in the right direction, though Tony had no doubt there would be more hurdles.

“So, which one do you want to hit?”

Tony brought up a holographic map and a flick of a wrist highlighted the known HYDRA locations within the US in deep red.
They had to be careful about doing anything outside of the US, the Accords were far too fragile to do anything that could risk them taking off in the wrong direction.
That meant that for now they were limited to targeting HYDRA operations within the US, unfortunately that still left them with a lot of targets.

“This one.”

Yasha tapped one of the locations, a remote base in Alaska, bringing up all the information they had about the target.

“Feeling like some mindless death and destruction are we?”

The location was a hard target, a smaller weapons depot with a fairly large crew for the size of the facility, it would definitely be a fight to take it down.

“...”

Tony noted that Yasha looked hesitant, almost ashamed, but when his hand moved to pick a different target Tony stopped him.

“Hey, I'm not judging you, sometimes you just need a good fight to clear your head. I'm guessing though that you might need a bit more blood and destruction than most to satisfy that itch.”
“I... Maybe...”
“Then we make sure you get plenty of opportunity to let that side out and play.”
“This doesn't bother you?”
“Not at all, I get those urges myself from time to time. And after what HYDRA turned you into it's hardly a surprise that there's some serious aggression issues to work out. Might as well take it out on the assholes who created them in the first place.”

The hesitant look on Yasha's face quickly morphed into what Tony had dubbed the Murder face, though not as cold as it has once been, this expression burned with a dangerous edge, a swirl of dark emotion that had not been present in the triggered version of the Winter Soldier.

Plans were made, contingencies and backup plans added, weapons selected, and Tony looked at the sleek beauty that was the suit he had made solely for their attacks on HYDRA.
Gone was the bright and flashy red and gold, instead it was mostly black, some deep, dark red and a few streaks of dark gold, all with a matte finish, and the arc reactor was covered, there would be no light giving them away.
Even if he lifted the cover the deep red extra casing would mute the glow into a dark purple that they had found to be comfortable and unobtrusive to Yasha's enhanced vision.
The dark armor was thinner and lighter than his other suits as well, designed for stealth and agility rather than power, as much as he loved his other suits they weren't always the most useful in the winding corridors of an underground base.

Tony watched as Yasha put his gear on, this time it was the Winter Soldier gear though, left arm left uncovered, more weapons and despite Tony's concerns, muzzle and goggles in the same style he had been wearing in DC.
It all came with quite a few Stark flavoured upgrades though.
He pulled on his own undersuit, it was based on the tight fitting suits that motorcycle racers would wear under the heavier leather suits but made with a nano weave fabric it offered a decent level of protection even out of the armor, and it ensured optimal interface with the suit.
When Tony reached out to brush his hand over the suit, triggering the sequence to open it up, he could hear Yasha's amused snort behind him, despite being all edgy mission focus it was clear his mood was far better than it had been for the past few weeks.

Stepping into the suit always felt good, it felt like power, control and freedom, Friday greeted him as the displays came to life and for a brief moment he missed Jarvis' dry sarcasm, but Friday was quickly growing and expanding, her potential near limitless.
He quickly did a systems check while walking toward the small hangar hidden in the cliff beneath his rebuilt Malibu home, smiling as the door opened to reveal another of his little secrets, a small stealth craft based on the Quinjet design.

“Isn't she a beauty?”

The glove of the suit retracted as Tony reached out for the fuselage and ran his hand along the optical stealth panels.

“Looks fast.”
“She is. She may lack in armaments, but she is faster and more agile than any other Quinjet, and nearly invisible. Not to mention designed to house an Iron Man suit.”

It only took a few moments for Tony to step out of the suit, and another few seconds for it to fold away into a hidden compartment in the small craft.
Moving to the other side he opened a small cargo compartment and nodded for Yasha to put his bag and rifle into it.
The cockpit was small, but comfortable and once they were strapped in it didn't take long for Tony to have the craft ready for launch, and Yasha paid close attention to the steps for the unfamiliar controls.

“Fri, Open Sesame.”
“Right away Boss.”

The hangar doors opened and Tony launched them into the air with a smile, he may prefer the suit, but piloting a small, fast, jet was almost as fun.
This time he would take the time to rest on the flight so he fed the coordinates and flight speed to Friday before settling back and closing his eyes.

“You should try to get some rest too Frosty, should take us about an hour to get there.”
“Complying.”

It feels like mere minutes have passed when Friday announces that they have reached their target, and that there is no suitable place to land.

“Alright, let's jump, Fri, you keep circling.”
“Yes Boss.”

With the suit and the serum a 3 story drop is hardly noteworthy and Friday gently lowers the bag and rifle into Yasha's waiting arms and once he detaches the cable the jet vanishes into the sky like a ghost, but Tony knows Friday will stay close.

When the base comes into sight Tony and Yasha quickly scan the area for guards, and the only obstacle they find is a small structure carved into the cliff-side, part bunker, part watchtower.

Before Tony can even consider looking for firing solutions to take out the sole guard the barrel of Yasha's rifle appears at his shoulder and he doesn't hesitate, he simply raises the arm of the armor and locks it in place, giving Yasha a support for his rifle.
When a hand pushes against the arm he shifts his position slightly, letting Yasha guide him to the height he needs, then the muffled sound of a shot and the guard falls over.

With the way into the base open they quickly enter and start making their way through the structure dispatching HYDRA soldiers as they move.
At first Tony is somewhat shocked by the brutal force of the Winter Soldier as he doesn't bother using his weapons, instead ripping flesh and crushing bone with nothing but his serum enhanced strength and the power of the cybernetic arm.
It has a strange beauty to it though, like watching a predator in its natural environment and when Yasha finally draws his blades power fades to grace and death becomes a dance.

Tony quickly finds that fighting with Yasha at his side is very different from fighting with the Avengers, as they move together he realises that while the Avengers may have had faith in the capacity of the Iron Man armor, they had little trust in the pilot.
He realized they never saw him as anything but a civilian who couldn't be trusted in the heat of battle.

Iron Man: Yes
Tony Stark: Not recommended

He shakes off the memory and focuses on the fight and he marvels at just how good it feels to fight alongside someone who trusts you.

As they make their way through the base explosives are planted at strategic locations, and Tony takes a moment to dig through a few old computers sitting in a room, copying the contents of the drives.

“Let's blow this joint.”

Making their way out of the base they pause in the cover of a large tree to watch the result of their handiwork.
Tony turns around and retracts the faceplate before triggering the explosives and moments later night turns to day and a blast of hot air pushes against them.
Throwing his head back Tony lets out a dark laugh, but just as he is about to suck in another breath of air tainted with a hint of smoke he finds himself slammed against the trunk of the tree and Yasha is kissing him.
It's rough, almost brutal, with a harsh edge of a wild hunger that lights Tony's senses on fire, then as sudden as it began, before Tony can fully grasp what is happening, Yasha pulls back and Tony can see the glowing blue recede from his eyes.

“Feeling better Snowflake?”
“The voices are silent.”

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony wakes with a start, sweaty and short of breath, but for once it's not a nightmare ruining his sleep.
Quite the contrary as his dreams refuse to stop playing the memory of the Winter Soldier pinning him against a tree and kissing his breath away.

Neither of them has spoken about what happened though, and Yasha doesn't seem to care at all, while Tony tries to keep his mind away from the topic altogether, though his dreams doesn't seem to have read that particular memo.
Tony didn't want to examine it too closely, he didn't want to ask a question and get an answer he didn't want to hear, as long as he didn't ask he could pretend, in his dreams, that it had been more than just the heat of the moment.

Yasha had Tony confused though, and somewhat concerned, he seemed to have reverted to something closer to how he had been when Tony first brought him to the tower, colder, less verbal, but he also seemed to be more clear headed, the moments of confusion less frequent.
Recalling that Yasha had said something about the voices being silent back then as well Tony makes up his mind, he needs to talk to the man about his mental state, but that will probably not be such an easy task.

“Yasha, I think we need to talk about these voices of yours.”
“...”
“Look, I understand if you don't want to, but they seem to be affecting your behaviour and your mood.”
“The voices, they are... Him.. The other me...”
“Bucky Barnes?”
“Yes...”
“And what exactly does that mean for you, hearing them, not hearing them?”

The Asset sat back to consider the words of his chosen handler, he knew there would be no punishment for taking his time, nor would he be punished if he chose not to answer, but the compulsion to obey was still there and it was easier to just give in to it.

“The longer the Asset goes without recalibration or cryo-sleep the louder the voices become. But fighting, killing, and the words, silences them, makes them go away.”
“Because you were created to do the fighting, the suffering, to protect Bucky from having to face what HYDRA was trying to create. So when faced with those things what remains of Bucky withdraws and leaves you to carry the burden...”

The Asset knew that this handler, Tony, he reminds himself, would understand.

“Yes.”
“And when the voices surface? When they get loud?”
“They tell the Asset how to act, how to be more than just the Asset, how to be human. Sometimes they resonate with the conditioning, the compulsions...”
“So sometimes the remains of Bucky can compel you to do things?”

Most of the time the Asset didn't mind the voices, they made it easier to blend in when needed, but sometimes they made bad choices, and got tangled in the compulsions, making the Asset do things that were contrary to his best interests.

“Trust Stevie, Stevie will protect, obey Stevie, follow Stevie, protect Stevie, Stevie will help.”
“Bucharest, the voices, they made you follow Rogers and fight instead of hiding or surrendering?”
“Yes.”
“And what plan did the Asset have?”

The Asset found that the way Tony had formulated the question didn't touch the compulsions to obey.

“The Asset intended to seek out Tony Stark, offer information about HYDRA in exchange for protection. That was the plan since breaking free after Project Insight. When the Captain came to Bucharest the Asset believed he would be taken to the Avengers.”
“But Rogers had other plans...”
“The Captain knew... He believed you would be a threat to the Asset.”
“He never trusted me...”

The Asset watched as pain flickered across Tony's face, but as always it was quickly hidden behind masks.

“In Siberia, you broke free from the compulsion to follow Rogers, how?”
“His betrayal. The Other couldn't handle seeing his Stevie betray, and intend to harm, a team mate, the voices went silent, gave the Asset control.”
“And you used that control to take out Rogers.”
“Tony Stark was a more valuable ally against HYDRA and the Captain intended to harm him, the Asset could not permit the Captain to jeopardise the mission.”
“So you surrendered, submitted...”
“The Asset acknowledged Tony Stark as the ideal handler to complete the mission.”

The way Tony turned away, pain, and something the Asset recognized as shame, playing across his face left the Asset confused, unable to understand why the topic would cause those emotions.
Without the voices to help interpret the reaction the Asset defaulted to the conditioning, lowering himself to his knees and placing his arms behind his back.

“Fuck! I'm sorry...”
“The Asset does not understand...”
”You surrendered and I treated you the same way a fucking HYDRA handler would have...”
“The Asset knew there was a high probability that the subject would lash out again, knew there was a risk the potential handler would kill the Asset before the proposition could be made.”
“That doesn't fucking make it right!”

The Asset watches as anger begins to dominate Tony's features, but his stance, the tension of his shoulders and the guilt still playing across his features makes it obvious the anger is aimed at himself.
Tony continued pacing like a caged animal, cursing at himself, HYDRA, the Captain, cursing anything and anyone even remotely connected to the whole incident, anyone but the Asset.
The increasingly erratic motions and shift in scent alerted the Asset to the rising panic so he did what had quickly become second nature, he began distracting Tony, talking him down from the edge.
It's slower than usual and the compulsions keep the Asset rooted in his kneeling position, but gradually Tony calms down to the point where he will be able to listen to arguments and logic once again.

“You were facing grief and betrayal, faced with the man who betrayed you, and the one who killed your parents. No one can fault you for lashing out.”
“I damn well can!”
“The Asset may not fully understand the concepts of guilt and blame, but you should not blame yourself for what happened in Siberia.”
“Maybe not, but I still do.”

The Asset doesn't move as Tony closes the distance and sits down on his haunches just within reach.

“Look, I get that HYDRA has you so fucked up you can't even see why what I did was so fucking wrong, and I'll try not to hold it against you.”
“I...”
“Don't, just listen.”

When interrupted the Asset offered a short nod in understanding and acceptance.

“What's even more fucked up is that I can't even promise I won't do it again. There's a part of me itching to kill anyone who had any part in my mother's death, HYDRA for sending you, you for being the weapon used, SHIELD for being the reason Howard had the fucking serum in the first place, Rogers for being what Howard was chasing after.”
“The Asset will accept any retribution you wish to claim.”

For a moment there was silence, then Tony started laughing, a bitter, broken sound that made the Asset's instincts stir and bristle, as broken as the sound was it was also dangerous, the edges sharp with a darkness that carried a glint of insanity.
When Tony's hand slowly came closer and grasped the Asset by the chin there was a moment where he anticipated pain, but instead Tony just turned his head slightly, looking for something in his face, his eyes.

“You really would, wouldn't you? Take my darkness and carry the pain?”
“Yes.”

The searching gaze linger for another moment, then Tony let go and fell back, dropping to his back with a sigh.

“We're just broken, fucked up toys, aren't we?”
“Perhaps.”
“We're not done talking about this.”
“I know.”

The Asset slowly drops from his conditioned position, allowing himself to sit down next to Tony, watching the man laugh, cry and curse until he falls asleep, only then he picks him up and carries him to bed before taking up guard.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony woke up feeling lighter than he had since before the so called Civil War, the darkness that was always crawling in the back of his mind had settled down a bit, not actively scratching at the walls he built, or whispering promises if he would only unleash it.
He knew he still had one hell of a mess to try to sort through, the conversation with Yasha had answered a few questions, but a whole slew of new ones had surfaced instead.

Tony decided to make use of the energy and clarity to try to finalize the Accords, and two days later he had a draft ready.
He worked on ironing out the new paragraphs aimed to protect those who sign, regardless if they are enhanced individuals like Peter, tech users like himself, or a mix, like Yasha.
Entire sections dedicated to protect from any attempts to study or replicate abilities or tech, sections on protecting civilian identities, to keep families and loved ones safe.

He wrangles walls of legalese, twisting the words around themselves, weaving formulations with the same ease he does computer code, he calls Pepper and pulls her into it, adding layers within layers.
Information is carefully leaked to useful channels, putting pressure on the Accords committee to accept the formulations.

When the darkness stirs he pulls Yasha to what has become their briefing room, their mission control, the place where they study their targets and divide them into groups, easy targets, medium targets, hard targets, and targets that are too large for them to take on with just the two of them.

They work on their communication, but Tony makes no further attempts of finding the answers to the new questions, he needs time to deal with the ones he has, so Tony does what he does best, he buries himself in work, hides away in his workshop and creates.
They find a routine in the chaos, settling down to the usual pattern of life; eat, sleep, work, take out some HYDRA trash, rinse and repeat.
Yasha makes sure he eats and sleeps, Friday reminds him of his meetings, together they ground him when the panics hit.

They have taken out 4 more bases and almost a dozen small cells when the Accords are finally ready to be signed.

There is a huge media coverage as Tony signs the new version of the Sokovia Accords, making Iron Man the first name on the list of Superheroes to sign, and right next to him Yasha signs under the assumed identity Blade.

Tony gives the press a big smile, and a speech about the importance of finding a balance between oversight, accountability and transparency on one hand, and the rights of the individual, safety of the people behind the heroes, and their loved ones, on the other hand.

It's only the first step of their plan for the Accords though, they still need to manoeuvre the Accords committee into creating the HYDRA task force they needed in order to be able to strike freely and openly outside of the US.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

Sparring with Yasha has become a regular feature for Tony, and he is quickly picking up on a wide range of fighting skills, though today they were working on defence after Tony had managed to have his ribs bruised in a charity game of One-on-One basketball of all things.

“Faster!”
“Come on, I'm just a baseline human, and getting too fucking old for this.”

Tony's complaints earned him no sympathy though as Yasha attacked again, giving Tony's shoulder a sharp tap with the metal of his left hand.

“Which is why you need to keep training.”
“Meanie...”

As much as he complained Tony didn't really mind the hand to hand training sessions, Yasha was a surprisingly good teacher, he was demanding and pushed hard, but he never demanded more than Tony could give.

“You have learned well to protect your ribs.”
“I prefer not having them constantly black and blue.”
“Good.”

Tony knew that Yasha was right about him needing to become better at protecting his compromised ribs, he did have plans though, plans to get rid of the shrapnel, fix his ribcage, and find some other solution for the arc reactor.
Some of the plans included using Doctor Helen Cho's research and the regeneration cradle to rebuild his ribcage and repair both lungs and heart, but the problem was that the process would be too much of a strain on his already compromised body.
Tony hadn't given up though, between Extremis, several versions of Super Soldier Serum and the nano technology that he was working on he was convinced he could find a solution.
There was also the option of trying to talk to Thor if he decided to show up again, maybe Asgard or one of the other worlds would be willing to help heal one of the warriors who would stand against the mad titan.

“Maybe I spoke too soon.”

Yasha quipped with a grin as he took advantage of Tony's distraction to gently tap the arc reactor, the sound of metal against metal bringing Tony back from his thoughts.
Shaking his head to clear his mind Tony found himself face to face with a far too pleased grin.

“Welcome back котенок.”
“Asshole.”
“You are far too distracted for lessons, again.”
“Mhm, I just had an idea for those nanites I'm working on. Oh, and I think I have a nice upgrade idea for your gear.”

Yasha just shrugged and headed toward the showers, and as always Tony found himself being checked for injuries before Yasha allowed him to get into the shower.
He huffed and complained, and if there was a not so small, touch starved, part of him that was practically purring and trying to arch into the gentle prodding, well, he ignored that with a vengeance.

“Been thinking about the risk of coming across someone who knows the trigger words. And I think I may have a way to reduce the risk of you being triggered.”

So far they had been hitting low level HYDRA operations, but once they moved on to higher level targets the risk of running across someone who knew about the Winter Soldier, and how to control him, increased.
There were still quite a few high level HYDRA operatives as well as a few former handlers out there who would know how to trigger the conditioning.

“But not remove the triggers completely?”

The mix between hope and despair in Yasha's voice made Tony's shoulders sag, the BARF therapy had been working wonders for allowing Yasha to reclaim his memories, but Tony hadn't really dared trying to touch the triggers yet.

“We need to know more about how deeply implanted they are. BARF is helping you remember, but if we start pulling at those words without knowing what we're doing we could totally scramble your brain.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“Nanite earpieces linked to Fri with protocols to block out sound if anyone tries to talk to you in Russian, Fri can give you a translated version of what's being said.”

Their research into the trigger words had confirmed that they had to be spoken in Russian, reading them or hearing them in English had no effect other than making Yasha uncomfortable.

“They would have to block sound completely though to be safe.”
“I know, and it's just an idea so far, we'll have to do some extensive testing, and I have no idea if it'll work with your crazy super soldier hearing.”
“If anyone can make that work it would be you.”
“...”

Not many have ever told Tony that they have faith in him, at least ones he actually believed meant it.

“Come on Terminator, workshop time.”
“Kitchen first.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever, hurry!”

They do stop by the kitchen first, and they make a proper meal rather than just grab a few bags of snacks as Tony suggested and he finds himself wondering when life with Yasha in the tower had turned so domestic.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

The Asset watches Tony pace between the workstations while talking to his contact with the Accords committee, the increasingly stiff movements tell him that Tony is not liking what he's hearing.
When the call ends Tony seems to just fold in on himself and the Asset focuses his senses on looking for the signs of an impending panic attack, but instead Tony pulls himself straight and takes a few slow breaths.

“It's final, the committee has come to a decision. The Rogues will be brought to DC for a hearing to decide if charges are to be pressed. But based on the chatter it seems they are more interested in finding a loophole to pardon them.”
“The Ved'ma?”
“Her too, but she won't make it there alive, not with the collar around her neck.”

They had spent several nights debating how to handle Maximoff, they knew that with the threat of the Infinity Stones chances were that the Rogues would receive a pardon conditional on them signing the Accords and agreeing to protect Earth if, or rather when, Thanos came calling.
Tony and Yasha were both in agreement that based on her previous actions there was a significant risk that Maximoff would defect and join the titan instead, making it far too dangerous to allow her to live.

”When?”
“One week from now.”

Together they made plans for taking out the witch, Tony made sure to place information about her joining HYDRA, her involvement in the Ultron incident, both as an instigator and her alliance with him, her involvement in the Hulk's rampage through Johannesburg into various deep web locations.
Hidden deep enough to not cause an immediate increase in security for the hearing, but easy enough to find to create thousands of suspects with motive.

On the third night after the call Tony notices the familiar tightness in Yasha's expression that tells him the voices are getting bad again.

“The voices acting up again?”

Tony knows the answer, but he asks anyway, Yasha rarely asks for things for himself without some serious pushing, and right now he's probably itching to kill something to shut the voices up.

“They don't like us planning to kill the Ved'ma, insisting that Stevie wouldn't trust her if she wasn't good, that we should trust Stevie, follow Stevie.”

As usual Yasha damn near spat out the nickname that the remnants of Bucky insisted on using for Rogers.

“Back to that huh?”
“The memories are still too fragmented, makes it hard for them to accept new memories.”
“Guess we will be taking out another HYDRA base before we put out plans for the witch in motion?”
“Please, something with a good fight...”
“Plenty of blood to chase those voices into hiding?”
“If my handler agrees.”
“I do. Been itching to kick some HYDRA ass myself.”

It was still a bit hard at times, accepting the role as the Winter Soldier's handler, but Tony was learning to accept it, it was tough at times though, especially when Yasha just complied without question, clearly setting his own will aside.
Then there were the times when Yasha picked up on Tony being frustrated or pissed off about one thing or another and the compulsions and memories would make him drop into the submissive pose, expecting punishment.
Tony hated those times the most as they reminded him of how he had reacted the first time he saw Yasha do that, how he had been no better than the HYDRA scum that had created, used, and abused the Winter Soldier.
While Yasha insisted he didn't hold it against him in any way it didn't really help Tony feel any less guilty or disgusted with his own actions.

Their next target was found outside of Gloster Mississippi of all places, it was one of the larger targets that they had listed as manageable by the two of them, the location was some kind of training facility for rookie HYDRA goons.
There was no data to indicate the presence of any heavy weapons, available data did however indicate a fairly large number of low level agents, a bunch of instructors, a few mid level handlers and a sub-coordinator.
Hopefully they would be able to get their hands on the coordinator, he, or she, would know of the location of the handful of cells they were in communication with and it would be nice to cross reference that against the ones they already knew about.
Maybe they would get a new location to add, or even a lead on one of the upper level coordinators that facilitated communication between a larger number of cells.

Clearing the HYDRA base felt a lot like shooting fish in a barrel, but neither of them minded, Tony mostly just let Yasha go wild while making sure none of the goons in training tried something rude like trying to shoot him.
Unfortunately the coordinator of the facility proved to actually have some brains, by using his gun to paint said brains across the wall of the room he was hiding in.

When Yasha turned to face Tony and removed the muzzle and goggles to reveal glowing eyes and a somewhat feral grin, there was a moment when the only thought in Tony's mind was Gorgeous!, then he stepped out of the armor, uncaring for the blood on the wall or the unconscious HYDRA handler slowly bleeding out at his feet.
A moment later he found himself pinned against the wall, this time however Tony was ready for Yasha's method for dissipating the high of the fight and responded in kind.

Like the previous time it only lasted for a few moments before Yasha pulled back, but he still had Tony caged against the wall as they both just stood there, trying to force their breathing into a calmer pattern.
A groan from the previously unconscious handler broke the moment though as Yasha reached down and snapped the man's neck.

“All alone in that pretty mess of a head of yours again?”
“For now.”
“Good. Let's get out of here, I need a shower...”

Tony made a disgusted face as he picked a few pieces of unidentified human remains from his undersuit, something that must have caught on one of the buckles on Yasha's gear and then transferred when he pinned Tony to the wall.

“Something's wedged in one of the vents...”

Yasha's half complaint as he tried to reach the vent giving him trouble made Tony smile and grab the cybernetic arm.
The BARF sessions had helped quite a bit with Yasha's ability to express himself as more than just the Asset without relying on the fragments of Bucky and he was more comfortable with speaking up in general.

“Lemme have a look.”

Yasha just turned slightly to give Tony better access and after a few moments he found the problem.

“How in the world did you manage to get a tooth jammed into the vent?”
“Arm was starting to overheat so I tackled a bunch of 'em.”

For a moment Tony just stared at Yasha, then the mental image had him breaking into pearls of laughter

“I'm gonna need some tools to get that out without crushing it and getting tooth fragments in the vents.”
“Doesn't matter, I think it needs a proper cleaning anyway.”
“Alright, but don't complain that it itches if you get fragments in there.”
“I won't say a thing.”

Tony reached up and crushed the tooth between the thumb and index finger of his gauntlet, noticing a few fragments falling into the open vent, but as promised Yasha didn't say anything about the irritation of having something stuck in the cooling system, instead he kept moving his shoulder and arm non-stop during the flight home.

“With the amount of gunk you get stuck in here I'm amazed this thing doesn't break down more than it already does.'”

Tony grumbles as he cleans blood mixed with dust and soot from one of the servos.

“The techs would usually clean and repair it after each mission and before putting me back in cryo.”
“Maybe we should schedule weekly cleaning?”
“...”
“I totally get it if you're not comfortable with me mucking about with it that much.”
“No, it's fine, it doesn't hurt when you work on it.”

Tony couldn't help wincing at the memory of how Yasha had described the maintenance of his cybernetic arm in HYDRA's oh so tender care, telling him how they had never disengaged or even turned down the neural clamps, making the process pure agony.

“Have you thought any more about letting me replace it?”
“I have, I just don't know...”
“It's a big step, I know, especially with the surgery needed.”
“I don't like the idea of being sedated, and the cradle...”
“Too much like a cryo tube?”
“...”
“It's you body, your call, I just want you to keep in mind that we have several options for new designs.”

Tony didn't mention that he had a design based on vibranium and the arc reactor element, if built it would be lighter and stronger than the current arm, and have the power capacity of several miniature arc reactors.
He was hoping to convince Yasha to accept it and cash in on the debt T'Challa insisted that he owed in order to obtain the pure vibranium needed to build it.
He refused to pressure the soldier about it though, he had suffered far too much involuntary body modification with HYDRA.

“May I see them?”
“Of course.”

It was the first time Yasha had shown any interest in seeing Tony's ideas for a new arm and that was a promising step in the right direction.
And hopefully pulling Yasha with him into a design binge would help keep his mind of the upcoming hearing, and the plan to take Maximoff out of the equation.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

It was still early enough in the morning for Tony to think it should be illegal to make him be awake, but today is the hearing to decide what to do with the Rogues so Tony dons his armor with a sigh.
Once geared up he headed out to meet the security crew selected for the transfer as well as a few specialist escorts affiliated with the new facility where Rogers would be moved.

“Move it Rogers, we don't have all day.”
“Tony!”
“I'm just here to facilitate your transfer into the custody of the Accords council and the UN for your hearing, not to make small talk.”

Tony was struggling not to snap at Rogers as he picked him up from the holding area of the tower, it had been over 6 months before things finally got moving, maybe he would finally get Rogers out of his life once and for all.

“Tony, we need to talk!”
“I have nothing to say to you, and you have nothing to say that I want to hear.”

Despite being in his latest Iron Man suit and having an extra pair of security officers at his side Tony was feeling vulnerable without the now familiar presence of Yasha at his back.

“Where is Bucky? What did you do to him? Answer Tony! If you hurt Bucky..!”

Tony ignored Rogers' ranting and questions with a sigh, it was going to be a very long trip to DC.
Taking a step back he watched the security escort make sure that Rogers' shackles were secure before taking him out through the airlock and frogmarch him to the elevator as he refused to cooperate.
Part of Tony was itching to have Friday connect him to Yasha's communications unit but he couldn't risk anyone picking up any transmissions.

Only way Yasha had agreed to travel ahead to DC was if Tony promised to stay in the Iron Man suit at all times, which he had been more than happy to agree to, he did not want to risk facing Rogers without the safety of the suit.
Tony had allowed the Accords committee to talk him into providing extra security for the convoy of armoured prison transports that would transport the Rogues to the hearing.
This of course was the plan all along and Tony only pretended to object to further cement the notion that the arrangement had been the committee's idea, and that he was doing them a service.

After arriving in DC and getting everyone loaded the convoy began moving toward the newly built secure location where the hearing would be held, but in accordance to Tony and Yasha's plan the transports quickly prove woefully insufficient as a bullet rips through the supposedly bulletproof glass and ends the life of the Scarlet Witch in a spray of the red her power so favoured.

“Wanda!”

Tony couldn't help feeling a hint of dark satisfaction as Rogers cried out for the fallen witch.

“Sniper!”
“Take cover!”
“Iron Man!”
“On it!”

Tony blasted away from the convoy in the direction of the shot, making a show of searching for the shooter, while Yasha was quickly boarding the small stealth jet and would be back in New York long before the immediate search had ended, before the blood of the witch had dried.

It doesn't take much for Tony to nudge the investigators onto the HYDRA theory and they seem almost eager to run with it, not wanting to consider the risk of there being other players on the board capable of pulling such a hit.
The main theory being pushed is that HYDRA eliminated Maximoff to make sure she wouldn't be able to reveal any of their secrets, a theory that would be fed into with various tidbits of information that Tony and Yasha had obtained during their raids.

By nightfall Tony returns to the tower with the main objectives of their mission completed, Maximoff is dead, Rogers has been turned over to the new facility, the hearing has been delayed, and the fingers are being pointed to HYDRA.

Yasha was waiting for him in the small, hidden, hangar he used for the suits and was on him before he could even fully step out of the armor, checking him for injuries.

“I'm okay Terminator, no fighting today.”

Yasha just hummed at him and finished up his inspection before having a closer look at his face and eyes, making Tony note that he had the same almost glowing quality to his eyes as he had before after the more combat heavy strikes they had done.

“No red...”

The murmured words made Tony smile and on a whim he leaned into the touch of the cybernetic hand before turning his head to brush his lips against the cool metal of the wrist.
The fact that the metal felt almost cold told him Yasha had been tense, keeping the arm still and silent.

“No red. The witch's red will never taint anyone again. You did well.”
“The Asset does not like being separated from the subject. It compromises mission parameters.”
“Missed you too Murder Kitten.”

As he spoke the words Tony realized that he really had missed him, and not just the safe feeling of having the enhanced assassin protecting him, but missing Yasha.

“I'm tired, how about we grab some food, lots of snacks and go give the lair a try?”
“Lair?”
“Oh just a little something I have been working on. I think you'll like it.”

Tony had noticed that Yasha was less on edge while they were down in the workshop, or the weapons range below it, both locations were deep within the structure of the tower, protected by multiple layers of bunker walling they were both highly defended locations with suits and weapons at arms reach at all times.
The floor above the workshop had been empty but it had all the features of the workshop including an access-tunnel for the suits, but now Tony had finished working on it, turning it into a safe place to relax, complete with everything needed for comfort and in home entertainment.
It featured a small media room, various games including darts and a pool table, kitchen and sitting area, sleeping area and a spa area complete with a small cold pool, a spa tub and a sauna.
Essentially all the comforts you could possibly want with the security and safety of a top of the line bunker, and all the hidden weapons an assassin could ever want.

“Think you'd be able to feel safe enough to relax in here?”
“I think so...”
“Mission accomplished then.”

Tony practically chirped as he grabbed Yasha's arm and started pulling him toward the media room.

The Asset had carefully examined the new floor and found that it had all the comforts he had gotten used to seeing in Tony's penthouse, but at the same time it had the safe feel of the workshop and testing levels below it.
Friday and Tony had shown him all the hidden weapons and safety features of the floor and he found himself impressed with the attention to detail, it was indeed a very safe location, one where he could lower his guard and just maybe feel safe enough for the hypervigilance to subside a bit, it never truly went away though.

“Have a seat Winter Wonderland.”

The Asset put the items he was carrying on the table before sitting down in the indicated spot, settling down to watch Tony fetch a stack of bowls and spread the snacks over the table before setting smaller bowls on the two side tables where they would be in easy reach.
Moments later Tony joined him and actually leaned into the cybernetic arm, the show of trust always seemed to help the Asset relax, and the way Tony made himself comfortable, curling into his side only reinforced the feeling of being trusted.
With a last tug on the cybernetic arm, pulling it around his waist, Tony settled down against the Asset.

They were barely through the introduction scenes of the movie Tony had selected when the Asset felt the body next to him relax as sleep claimed the exhausted man.
For a moment the Asset considered the options of moving to to let Tony have more space, or maybe just carrying him to the sleeping area, but both ideas were abandoned and he opted for settling down and letting his cybernetic arm rest around Tony's body, mindful not to put too much force or weight on him.

When Tony woke up it took a few moments for him to realize that the comfortable warmth he was curled into was Yasha, and another few moments to realize that the arm still encircling him was still and quiet.
A quick glance at Yasha's face confirmed Tony's suspicion that he was sleeping, unless of course he was pretending, but Tony couldn't think of any reason why he would so he dismissed that thought and congratulated himself on his plans for the lair being such a success.
For the first time since Siberia Yasha was sleeping without having Tony watching his back.
A quick glance at the movie told Tony he had only been sleeping for about an hour so he just curled back into the solid warmth at his side and fell asleep listening to the slow and steady heartbeat of the enhanced assassin.

The next time Tony woke up he could hear Yasha talking to Friday in a hushed tone and opening his eyes he saw that she was displaying a wide range of technical data about the lair on the large screen, briefing Yasha on everything related to the lair.

“'Morning Sunshine, Fri baby.”
“'It's past lunch.”
“Good morning Boss.”

The replies just made Tony snort and ask Friday to prepare him some coffee, he made no move to move away from his position curled against Yasha's side.

“So, how much sleep did you get?”
“Five hours.”
“That's great. I was hoping you would feel safe enough to sleep here.”
“Thank you...”
“What?”
“Thank you for making this place. A safe place...”
“Don't worry about it Elsa, everyone needs a place where they feel safe. A home.”
“Thank you for giving me a home.”

The soft spoken Russian left Tony at a loss for words and it took him much longer than he liked to respond.

“I always make sure to take care of those who are mine. And you chose to become one of them.”
“I did.”

The silence that followed was comfortable, and didn't end even when Friday guided one of the service bots over with Tony's requested coffee, and a big stack of sandwiches courtesy of the robotic arms installed in the kitchen.
Instead they ate in silence, and when Yasha returned to learning everything there was to know about the lair Tony just settled back against his side, allowing the touch to soothe that starving part of himself while he used a StarkPad to go over some of the ideas he had for how to make sure no one would recognize Yasha at the upcoming hearing.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

“Hey, snowflake, have you made up your mind about the shield?”

They had 10 days left before the rescheduled hearing and Tony was working hard to make sure everything was ready, but he needed something to distract himself with before he spiralled into another panic over the possible outcomes of the hearing.

“What about the shield?”
“Well, do you like it, and do you want it added to your gear?”
“Yeah, I do, on both counts.”
“Great.”
“Would it be possible to change the colour?”
“Of course, was already planning on it.”
“And the star? Can it be removed?”
“It's not actually part of the vibranium structure, so yeah, I can get rid of it if you want to.”
“Please...”

Tony watched as Yasha's flesh hand came up to cover the red star on the cybernetic arm.

“Fri, design mode.”
“Yes Boss.”

One of the larger screens in the workshop came to life displaying the shield in its current colours.

“Lose the paint-job please, down to the vibranium core.”

The image changed to show the unassuming steel grey with a hint of a blue sheen of the raw vibranium of the shield.

“All yours terminator.”
“It needs to be darker, and non reflective.”

Friday instantly changed it to a dark gunmetal grey and altered it to have a matte finish.

“You are allowed to add colours, or a design if you want to.”
“Would you...”

Yasha's voice trailed off and Tony could see the dimming of his eyes that revealed that he was fighting the compulsions.

“Come on, speak up, you can't have an answer if you don't ask your question.”
“Would you allow me to use your colours? The colours of your suit?”
“You mean the ones I use for our missions?”
“Yeah...”
“Of course. Fri baby, bring up the palette for the Wraith suit.”

The colours quickly changed again, a darker base and alternating rings of dark red and gold.

“How about a more interesting pattern than those rings?”
“I don't know... Maybe?”
“Alright. Fri, how about you give us some patterns for Snowflake here.”
“What kind of patterns Boss?”

Tony had no idea what kind of patterns Yasha might like, but he did know the assassin would be more likely to make a choice and state an opinion if there were a few options presented for him to work off.

“I don't know, snowflakes?”

Moments later the display split into 20 smaller sections, each displaying some variation of a snowflake design in various combinations of black, red and gold.

“So, what do you say Frosty?”
“I think I prefer the black base.”

The options with red or gold base vanished and were replaced by more options with a black base.

“I like this one.”

Yasha pointed toward a design featuring a single delicate, but sharp looking, perfectly symmetrical, snowflake reaching across the entire shield, the dark red design outlined by a thin line of gold and the selected image was instantly brought up to cover the screen.

“Nice choice.”
“You would be okay with painting it like that?”
“First of all, you are the one who will be wielding it, so your opinion is what matters, Second of all it's more than okay, it's fucking beautiful, and it looks all sharp and deadly at the same time, just like you. I think it would suit you nicely.”
“...”
“Do you want to begin applying the new design?”
“Please...”
“Alright, Fri, you heard the man.”
“Okay Boss. Estimated time to completion 76 hours.”

Yasha's somewhat surprised look at the time estimate made Tony smile.

“Vibranium is a bitch to work with, especially if you want the paint-job to actually stay put and not peel off the first time the shield is used. So it takes a while to apply it.”
“I see. HYDRA had very little information on the properties of vibranium.”
“That's good to know.”
“...”
“You wanna read up on the information I have about it?”
“Please.”
“Alright, I'll put together some base material and you can have Fri help you branch out when you're done with that.”

Tony had found that Yasha was an eager student, and Yasha had confessed that the wide range of skills and topics he had been made to study had been one thing he had actually enjoyed during his time with HYDRA, for the most part it had been a respite from the torture and killing.

“Dinner first.”

Yasha reminds him that they didn't eat a proper lunch, then reminds him he had promised to make a proper pasta carbonara.

“Okay, you win...”

Tony mock complained the entire time, but his smiles and eager energy belied his words, he really didn't mind Yasha's reminders to take care of himself, they never had that nagging quality that Pepper tended to slip into.
Yasha never tried to change him, never tried to guide him, guilt him, into being something he wasn't, instead he reminded him that if he wanted to destroy HYDRA, destroy those who had wronged him, who threatened him, he needed to function at optimum performance, and for that he needed to eat and sleep.

“So, how do you like a proper carbonara?”
“It's good, but I think I prefer food with more meat.”
“Makes sense, with that shoulder always healing at serum enhanced rates your body must be constantly screaming for protein to get the job done.”
“HYDRA would usually supply me with a high protein and fat liquid supplement in conjunction with a nutrient and glucose IV.”

“Okay, that's it, we are so having a big ass BBQ. Fri baby, would you make the arrangements please?”
“Of course Boss.”

After dinner they both settle down in the sitting area, Yasha with his nose buried in a StarkTab filled with everything Tony could find about vibranium, and Tony fiddling away with a projection of a new type of arc reactor, one with a 6 pronged core design.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

“Here, try this.”

Tony handed Yasha the boots he had been modifying and watched him lace them up.

“How does that feel?”
“I don't like it... Makes me feel off balance.”
“That's kinda the point, that murder strut of yours, hot as it may be, is far too easy to recognize, especially for someone trained like Romanoff. If you're going to join me at the hearing we need to take precautions.”
”I know.”

The Asset did not like the way the different thickness of the soles on the boots made him feel off balance, but Tony had a valid point, it would be a quick and easy way to disguise his somewhat unique gait, the gear would hide his face and hair, the voice synthesizer that Tony had added to the mask would allow him to speak without anyone recognizing his voice.

“Fri, would you run a gait analysis please.”
“Of course Boss. Comparing to video stored on the secure servers.”
“That's my baby girl.”

It doesn't take long for Friday to analyse the altered gait and she quickly makes a few suggestions to further alter it which leaves Yasha with some of the straps on his gear tightened much tighter than what is strictly comfortable.

“If anyone gets too curious about that awkward stiffness we can just play it off as you recovering from an injury.”

Tony watched Yasha move around while carefully flipping the large pieces of salmon fillet that was searing on the griddle.

“Not a stretch when working as your bodyguard...”
“Hey!”
“You are a menace...”
“Come on, there's only been like three incidents!”
“More like 12, not counting the small stuff like jealous boyfriends, pissed off trollops at the bar or nosy paparazzi.”
“No way!”
“Should I list each incident for review?”
“Now you're just being mean.”
“Only trying to be accurate.”
“Meanie.”

The quips and bantering didn't subside until after they had eaten and they both resumed their previous activities, Yasha studying the proposed procedure for replacing the arm, and Tony trying to sort out a software glitch in the latest version of the nanites he was working on.

“Crap, not another one! That code should have worked!”
”Tony, you're trying too hard again.”

Yasha just shook his head at the way Tony was cursing at the small block of nanites that kept refusing to be anything other than a cube.

“I guess... Movie or mission?”
”With the hearing in less than 48 hours I think a movie might be the better choice.”
“Alright, movie it is!”

They quickly settle into the media room and the Asset can see the way tension bleeds from Tony's form as he makes himself comfortable under the weight of the metal of the Asset's left arm.
Just like last time the Asset notices Tony falling asleep before they are even halfway through the movie, and just like last time he allows himself to drift off as well, trusting Friday to sound the alarm if anything happens.

The Asset can feel his hypervigilance come back into play at full force as he opens the door of the car that brought them to the DC facility where the hearing would be held.
Having reviewed the security for the facility he had found it lacking, much to Tony's amusement who had agreed with a laugh before deciding it wasn't his problem since no one had bothered consulting him about it.

“After you котенок.”

Tony huffed and mock glared at the teasing tone, recognizing the attempt to help him relax, trying to make sure there would be no panic incidents during the hearing.
Fortunately Tony was just there to give a short statement and help verify, or dispute, the Rogues statements regarding the fight at the airport.
Peter would be there as well, but wearing his suit and answering to Spider-Man, protected by the new Accords.

During Rogers' statement about the events Tony could feel Yasha tense up behind him, and after a few minutes there was a soft tapping against his elbow essentially telling him that Rogers was spewing bullshit about some of the stuff that had happened when it was only him and Yasha around.
Unfortunately Tony couldn't dispute the statements as Yasha had been the only other person there, and they would not risk revealing him at this stage of things.
They did plan on revealing him to Rogers, but not just yet.

Despite the way Rogers' and Barton were ranting and raving Tony could tell that the committee would most likely decide to pardon them, and it had his stress levels spiking, and the way Romanoff was watching him really didn't help.
What did help though was the soft pressure of Yasha's hand against his back, grounding him, and the way he was slowly alternating the amount of pressure, silently telling Tony to focus on his breathing and guiding the rhythm.

Tony had to admit Yasha was getting damned good at helping him manage his panic attacks, usually able to head off the stress long before it became an issue.
Yasha would always notice when Tony began to spiral, the way Zola's version of the serum had enhanced his senses allowing him to pick up on the change in scent, something that paired with how much of the regenerative power went into repairing the damage the arm kept causing made Tony consider that maybe Zola's version, thought clearly unpredictable, gave superior results to the original.
Or maybe James Buchanan Barnes had been more than strictly baseline even before being exposed to it, after all, most enhanced never reached the level of being super powered, most were just a slight step up from baseline, the next evolution of humankind.

Thanks to Yasha's presence Tony managed to get through the hearings without spiralling into a panic attack, but there had been a few close calls and when the hearing was finally announced to be done Tony just wanted to get the hell out of there, and if he ever had to deal with the Rogues again it would be too soon.
But Tony was no fool, he knew that the committee and the UN would probably end up pardoning them in exchange for them signing the Accords, even after everything that had happened the Avengers and Captain America still held a symbolic value with a lot of people.
The general public still knew very little of what had gone down, but Tony intended to change that once he was sure it wouldn't come back to hurt any of his people, Yasha included.

“So, what now?”

Yasha spoke up the moment the door of the car closed.

“Now we wait for them to make up their minds, they will probably pardon them.”
“They don't deserve that...”
“It sucks, but it does have one benefit, if they pardon the Rogues after everything they did, it sets a precedent that will make it possible to get a pardon with similar conditions for you, for the things you did when acting without the triggers active..”
“I have done a lot more than just that though...”
“Your actions as the triggered version of the Winter Soldier should be easy enough to get rid of under Automatism laws since you weren't in control of your actions.”
“...”

The rest of the trip back home to the tower was spent in silence, both of them contemplating what had happened, and what it could mean for the future, for the plans to take down HYDRA.

Once back at the tower they retreated to the workshop but Tony just couldn't collect his thoughts and was growing increasingly agitated.

“Mission time?”

There was amusement and something eager in Yasha's tone that made Tony grin and agree.

“Mission time.”
“Something nice and messy?”
“Plenty of stuff to blow up.”

It didn't take them long to pick a target, and wipe it of the map, however this time it was not without injury.

“Keep still, we need to get that shrapnel out of the wound before it starts healing too much.”

Tony held on to Yasha's chin while trying to use a pair of tweezers to remove metal fragments from the wounds on his forehead, thankfully the muzzle and goggles had protected him from most of it.
When he noticed the blue bleeding out of Yasha's eyes he paused and gave him a pat on the cheek, Tony knew digging the shrapnel out had to hurt quite a bit, and Yasha had a habit of reverting to the conditioning when in pain.

“Hey hey, no fading out on me.”
“...”
“Come on, no need to hide away. There will be no punishment for feeling stuff here.”
“I know...”

Tony couldn't help marvelling at the way the wounds would stop bleeding and start closing up almost right away after the shrapnel was removed.

“It's a pretty damned amazing sight.”

Pulling the last piece, a larger fragment with twisted barbs actually had Yasha wincing and Tony didn't even think as he leaned in and brushed his lips along the wound in apology.

“Sorry...”
“Don't be.”

When Yasha leaned into the touch Tony could feel a slight warming in that deep, dark, spot where he had hidden his damaged heart.

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

It took less than 48 hours for the representatives of the hearing to announce that the Rogues would receive a full pardon upon signing the new Accords.
Another 3 HYDRA bases fell in the following week.

“Feeling better котенок?”
“Not really, but unfortunately I have work to do that doesn't involve blowing up HYDRA bases.”
“Such an inconvenience.”

Yasha's deadpan delivery made Tony laugh and chuck the screwdriver he had been using at the enhanced assassin, who easily caught it with the cybernetic hand.

“Guess that last maintenance fixed the response lag?”
“It did. Sensitivity is improved as well.”
“Great, how about you try to not drench the thing with blood again?”
“He was wearing armor, needed the extra power of the arm.”

They bantered back and forth, Tony complaining about the amount of blood he had to clean out of the arm, and Yasha countering that while he usually did his knife work with his right for that very reason, the extra power of the cybernetics made it so much easier to deal with people wearing proper stab vests.

“Just admit it, you're a messy killer.”
“Only when having fun.”
“Oh, a comedian now are we?”
“Someone has to pick up the slack.”
“Trying to say something Terminator?”

Tony mock pouted at Yasha's teasing tone.

“All work and no play makes Tony a very dull boy.”
“I think you had plenty enough fun based on the amount of blood I clean out of this arm.”
“Oh I think I can manage a bit more fun.”
“No, no more missions this week. Still baseline here.”
“Boring.”

Tony sighed and slouched down in his seat.

“I know, but we need to be a bit careful. We have been taking down a lot of HYDRA cells lately, they are starting to shore up their defences. We need to get the Accords on our side so we can spread out the attacks.”
“I know.”

The humor had vanished from Yasha's tone and the ice chill of the Winter Soldier in mission mode bled through.

“I know you do Yasha. But quite frankly, I need some time to recuperate, I'm not exactly all that spry any more.”

As much as he hated to admit it Tony was feeling worn out by everything that had been going on, the whole deal with the pardon, and all the missions he had been running with Yasha trying to keep his mind off things had his body tired and aching.

✵✵✵✵ Start Trigger Warning ✵✵✵✵

.·:*¨¨*:· Breaking Point·:*¨¨*:·.

“Fuck!”

Tony throws the phone against the wall hard enough to shatter even the durable Stark technology and leave a noticeable dent in the wall, the sudden aggressive move instantly having Yasha on his feet with his hand hovering one of his guns.

“What's wrong?”
“The fucking committee has decided that the original Avengers need to show a united front for the public, meaning housing them at the compound with the new guys and I have to go play nice with them on various PR stunts.”
“I'm sorry...”
“It's not your fault, I just don't.. I can't... Fuck this!”

Tony quickly makes his way to the hidden elevator that will take him down to the safety of the lair and Yasha instantly falls in step behind him.
Yasha tries to calm Tony down, but the man is livid, cursing, ranting, even crying out of pure frustration as he paces back and forth in the sitting area.

Watching Tony's shifting emotions the Asset realizes just how badly the Captain's betrayal has hurt the man and he finds himself feeling a growing desire to just kill the other super soldier, and he also finds it unusually easy to fight down the objections from the fragments of Bucky that still lingers in his mind.
The Asset keeps watching, trying to calm Tony down but nothing seems to be helping and he is resigned to keep watching, listening as Friday's voice grows increasingly distraught as her maker, her father, seems unable to hear her.
The Asset can't help feeling a sense of relief when exhaustion finally claims Tony and he collapses on the floor.

Reaching down to pick the motionless man up, the Asset realizes his mistake when he hears the telltale sound of a repulsor powering up, he should not have tried to touch Tony without making sure the man was okay and aware of his surroundings.
Before he has time to consider the ramifications of his mistake the Asset is struck by pain and his mind turns a blinding white for a moment as he's slammed into the wall by the force of the repulsor blast, he does note though that the repulsor had not been fired at full power, instead he's hit with two more blasts, each setting every nerve in his body on fire, but not enough force to cause any real damage.

Faced with the blinding pain from the repulsor blasts and dazed by the hit against the wall the Asset does the only thing he knows how to, he defaults back to the conditioning and pulls himself to his usual kneeling position.
When his eyes finds Tony's face he almost bolts, the dark cold he sees there feels wrong, it's dangerous with an edge of death, this is not the Tony the Asset has gotten to know since Siberia, the Tony walking toward him now has snapped, shattered under the weight of his own pain.
The conditioning is stronger than the urge to bolt though, and moments later the Asset reminds himself of the promise he made when he surrendered, and though this may not be the same Tony he will still take it in silence.
The blow, delivered with only the strength of a baseline human stings a bit, but does no damage and the Asset is relieved that this Tony seems to be too far out of it to call on a suit.

“Fight back you bastard!”

Another blow lands, this one heavier than the previous as Tony demands that the Asset defend himself.

“No. I will not.”
“Fight!”

The blows kept coming, each paired with a demand that he fight back, that he defend himself.

“The Asset will not harm the subject.”
“Fight dammit!”

More blows land, but Tony's exhaustion makes each blow lesser than the previous.

“I don't care if you kill me, I refuse to hurt you.”

The Asset doesn't react when Tony reaches around and grabs the small gun strapped to his back and aims it at his face, then the world grinds to a halt and the Asset turns cold as Tony takes a step back and turns the gun on himself.
For an agonizing moment the Asset feels as if his body is not responding, then he explodes into motion, serum enhanced reflexes and muscle responding to a desperate need to move faster, to be fast enough to prevent what his mind is seeing.

A single shot rings out and the Asset can hear Friday's agonized scream tear through the ringing in his ears.

“Noo!”

A moment later his mind catches up and he can see he made it in time, the gun caught in his metal hand and Tony, body now limp and wracked by sobs, safely pinned to the floor..

“Please, just let me die...”
“Ssh, котенок. Sleep.”

The Asset picks the crying man up, mindful to keep his hands restrained so he can't grab another weapon.

“Boss?”

The worry in Friday's voice is obvious and the Asset can feel that it's not mere coding, it's a genuine emotion and he marvels at what Tony has created.

“He needs rest.”
“Will he be okay?”
“I don't know, he's a broken man. But I will do everything I can to see to that your father recovers.”
“Thank you Yasha...”

Friday watches through cameras and sensors as the Winter Soldier places her father on the large bed, then removes his weapons before joining him and pulling the crying man into his arms.

✵✵✵✵ End Trigger Warning ✵✵✵✵

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

“Come on котенок, you need to eat something.”

The Asset gently nudges the desolate man in his arms, knowing that as much as Tony needs rest he also needs to eat.

“Friday, could you bring something simple for him to eat please?”
“Right away Yasha. May I suggest trying some smoothies? Boss is used to those when not feeling well.”
“Can you prepare them?”
“Of course.”
“Then please do so.”

Friday watched with unwavering focus as Yasha tended to a broken Tony, running scenarios through her artificial mind, trying to see where things went wrong, trying to see if there was anything she could have done to protect the Boss, protect her father.

“Not hungry...”

Tony complains when the bottle with the green smoothie is placed in his hands, but at least he's not actually fighting it like he did the previous time the Asset tried to feed him something, it would seem Friday was correct that drinking the blended mix of fruits, vegetables, greens and supplements was something Tony was accustomed to.

“I know, but you need to eat something anyway.”
“Just leave me alone.”
“You know I can't do that.”
“Why won't you just let me die...”
“You are far too important for that.”
“...”

The Asset breathes a sigh of relief when Tony puts the straw in his mouth and starts sipping at it.

“That's better.”

Friday waits for Tony to fall asleep again before calling for Yasha's attention.

“How is Boss doing?”
“He's strong, but he's in a bad way. There's more to this than just having to pretend to work with the Captain and the Rogues.”
“Boss has never been very good at dealing with his feelings...”
“Friday, I know you have strict privacy protocols, but I need to know as much as possible if I'm to be able to help him.”
“I will tell you what I can.”
“Does he have any outside help, a counsellor or psychiatrist?
“No, Boss has refused to hire any outside help.”
“Dammit...”

The Asset cursed softly, it would have made things easier if Tony had someone he already trusted or had an agreement with that could be called in.

“I'm afraid we are on our own with this Yasha.”
“How about friends? Colonel Rhodes, Mr Hogan or Miss Potts?”
“I don't believe any of them would be suitable. Boss has been careful about hiding his dark side from them.”
“There's no one you can think of?”
“You are the only one I know of that Boss has shared that side of himself with. And he trusts you.”
“Of course...”

The Asset grumbled softly while doing a mental recap of the lessons in psychology he was made to study as a part of his HYDRA training, they wanted him to be more effective at reading his targets and extracting information.

“Friday, could you provide study material and case studies concerning treating severe PTSD and any other material relevant to Tony's condition?”
“Of course, may I suggest you also have a more in depth look at the BARF system?”
“Anything you think may help.”

The Asset reads and watches Tony sleep, he makes sure Tony eats, only taking short breaks to visit the bathroom, and to make sure Tony does as well.
It's on the 4^th day after the break when Tony finally starts talking again.

“Why?”
“Why what котенок?”
“Why are you still here...”
“I made a promise. Your pain will not drive me away.”
“I... I hurt you again...”
“You weren't really trying to hurt me though, were you? You were trying to hurt yourself.”
“I.. Oh god I... I tried to....”
“Yes, you did.”
“I'm so fucking pathetic...”
“No you're not. You have tried so hard on your own, been too strong for much too long.”

The Asset isn't surprised when Tony suffers another breakdown, this one isn't as intense, and it lacks the violent edge so he simply holds on to the man while he cries.
When Friday delivers another bottle of the smoothies she has been making and a few sandwiches the Asset lets go of Tony to get the food and the moment he does there is a murmur of objection and Tony sticks to him like a limpet.

“котенок?”
“Please don't leave...”
“I won't, I promise. I'm just getting our food from Friday.”

Studying Tony's behaviour the Asset recalls passages in the psychology material that dealt with the need of physical contact for mental and physical well-being, as well as the effects of touch deprivation in humans.
He also recalls HYDRA material about experiments performed during the war, horrible, inhumane studies into how a total lack of physical interaction would affect a human.

“You should eat.”

Tony silently takes the offered sandwich and bottle containing another smoothie and eats most of it in silence before settling back down, curled into the Asset's side, and based on the theory about touch the Asset runs his fingers through Tony's hair, which seems to help as he quickly settles back into a calm sleep.

Once Tony is sleeping the Asset asks Friday about his previous habits in regards to physical contact.

“Boss used to be very tactile before he was betrayed by the Rogues.”

The way the AI manages to spit out the last part makes her sound very much like a pissed off human.

“So it would be safe to assume he is suffering from touch deprivation in addition to the previously identified issues...”
“Yes.”
“At least that gives us somewhere to start...”

There is a long silence, then Friday speaks up with a soft tone.

“You really care for Boss, don't you?”
“I don't know, the Asset is not supposed to feel, or want.”
“But you do, don't you?”
“I do...”
“Thank you.”

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

When Yasha picks up on the change in Tony's pulse and breathing as he begins to wake up he quietly asks Friday to prepare something to eat before focusing on Tony, waiting for him to reach a sufficient level of awareness of his surroundings before speaking to him.

“Good morning котенок”
“Morning...”
“Feeling better?”
“A little. My head hurts.”
“Headaches are not uncommon when sleeping as much as you have.”

Tony squirmed for a bit, then curled back into Yasha's side.

“Thanks for staying, for putting up with this...”

He makes a vague gesture toward Yasha and the way they are touching.

“The Asset has been studying human interaction, you need physical interaction to recover.”

There is a moment of silence, then Yasha speaks up again, this time with a far softer voice.

“I think I may have benefited from it as well.”
“It would appear you have both been suffering from touch deprivation.”

The voice of the AI instantly has Tony beaming and smiling at the nearest camera.

“Fri baby! Missed hearing your voice baby girl.”
“I have missed you too Boss. Please don't scare me like that again...”
“I'll try, but no promises...”

The Asset found himself disturbed by Tony's smile, there's something fragile about it that just felt wrong and he quickly reached the conclusion that Tony had once again donned one of his masks, trying to play at feeling better than he did.

“Friday, privacy mode please.”
“Of course Yasha.”

As suspected Tony's smile instantly faltered and all that remained was a tired, broken, expression.

“She cares about you and she wants to help, you should let her.”
“Fri is so young, I don't want to worry her.”
“You did not create her to be a fool, she will know something is wrong. You should trust her as she trusts you.”
“I.. I can't...”
“Yes, you can. Let us help you.”
“...”
“Please Tony, let us try to help you.”
“...”
“Please, try at least.”
“Alright, I'll try...”
“Good.”

Yasha pulled Tony closer while he used his phone to give Friday the codes to lift the privacy mode.

“Boss?”
“I'm sorry baby girl, I shouldn't have tried to hide from you...”
“Are you okay Boss?”
“No, not even close. But with you and Yasha helping I think I will be, some day.”

Tony had known for a long time that he was broken, but he had always worn his masks to hide from everyone, not wanting to burden them.
Stark men are made from Iron.
The words that have haunted him since he was a child echo through his mind, even as a child he was never allowed to show weakness, always wearing masks.

“Is something wrong?”

Yasha's voice pulls Tony from his thoughts and he watches the enhanced assassin with different eyes, realizing that they may just have more in common than he had believed, their experiences may be vastly different, but the end result was similar.
Broken men who hid behind masks to try to escape the pain.

“Bad memory...”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Howard...”

Tony's voice trailed off but Yasha waits patiently and when Tony speaks again it's like a dam has broken and as he speaks Yasha finds himself wishing he could kill Howard Stark all over again.
He also found himself once again wanting to kill the Captain, this time for his part in the older Stark's behaviour, for reminding Tony about it and trying to use Howard's name to guilt Tony into acting as something other than he was.

The Asset listens carefully as Tony rambles, committing every word to memory, taking note of every scar left behind by others, be it by carelessness, indifference or outright malice and betrayal.
He watches as the emotionally exhausting words fade into tears, then still into sleep.

When Tony wakes up on the 5^th day he is buzzing with a manic energy that refuses to be contained, so finding himself unable to keep still he leaves for the workshop and starts inventing, pulling out ideas from the darkest depth of his mind, including contingencies to protect himself from the Rogues.
Yasha just follows him and keeps an eye out, handing him plates with finger foods, and smoothies, as he flits between projects, some time after lunch he asks the inventor to join him on the couch, to relax for a bit, knowing well that Tony won't be able to sleep while in such a manic state.
He counts getting Tony to sit down and keep a calm conversation for almost a full hour as a victory and once he bounces back to work on his projects Yasha settles down to sleep a bit while Friday watches over Tony.

“Hey, Tastee Freeze, ever had sushi?”

The Asset almost startles when Tony drops into the far end of the couch and starts talking, the fact that he doesn't is compelling evidence for how safe he feels in the workshop and lair.

“Not that I can remember.”
“Get dressed, we need to fix that. Fri see if you can get us a private booth at that place I went to last time.”
“Checking.”

Tony was clearly still in a manic state that wasn't showing any signs of abating so the Asset quickly rose and donned the gear of his Blade persona along with one of the veils before the over-energetic Hurricane Tony decided to go out without him.

“Alright Boss, they will be expecting you in an hour.”
“Awesome. Let's go. It's close enough to walk.”

The Asset watches as Tony practically bounces down the street and shakes his head with a sigh, he has a feeling it won't be pretty once the energy fades and Tony comes down from the mania.

“He is going to crash hard, isn't he?”

He keeps his voice too low for Tony to hear him as he talks to Friday.

“Very likely. It wouldn't be the first time.”
“Don't worry Fri, we will catch him when he falls.”

Yasha tries his best to keep the serum from pushing him too far into the hypervigilance, to keep the compulsions from affecting him too much, to just be while Tony eagerly explains the various aspects of the food that is being served.

“It's called Kintsukuroi.”

When Tony starts explaining the philosophy behind the pottery bowl with the golden cracks Yasha can't help feeling that it's a suitable metaphor for Tony.
To take something broken and repair it, being Iron Man, Tony no doubt already knows that something broken can return as more than it was before, now he just needs to learn to accept that having been broken does not prevent him from being whole, even if the cracks remain.

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

The mania lasts through day 6, and by the time Tony wakes up on the 7^th day he's back to his usual only slightly manic self.
It doesn't last though and by evening he is in a steady downward spiral, Yasha and Friday carefully keeping him from losing it altogether.

The 8^th day comes with a state of apathy that makes Yasha and Friday worry but they do relax as Tony actively seeks out the warmth of Yasha's serum enhanced body, refusing to let go.

On the 10^th day they receive a message from the Accords representative telling them that there will be a big media event to announce the pardon of the Rogues in one month.
No one was surprised when Tony suffered another episode that fortunately only lasted a few hours.

The Asset watches over Tony while Friday gives him a detailed briefing on the terms of the pardons, what Tony is expected to do, mostly focusing on how much he would be expected to interact with the Rogues as Tony Stark rather than Iron Man and he does not like what he finds.

“I'm sorry Yasha but the terms are rather strict and Boss needs the leverage to get them to pass the task force.”
“I'm pretty sure I will end up being recognised like this, and just altering my gait with those boots won't cut it.”
“I'm afraid you are right. There is a significant risk of discovery.”
“Any suggestions?”

There is a fairly long silence before Friday answers him.

“I believe replacing your cybernetic arm with the one Boss has designed is your best option. The difference in weight will alter your stance and gait, it's also slightly slimmer, better matching your remaining arm. It should also be quieter, less risk of anyone hearing the servos, or the shifting of the plates.”
“Had a feeling you would say that...”

The Asset does not like the options before him, as much as he has grown to trust Tony the idea of being sedated and going through surgery scares him more than he wants to admit, and just looking at the cradle gave him nightmares of the cold of the cryo-chamber.
In the end the Asset forces his fears down and focuses on the mission, the arm wouldn't just allow him to better protect Tony, it would also help enhance his combat performance against HYDRA.
With his mind made up the Asset settles down to wait for Tony to wake up.

“Tony, how long would it take to replace the arm?”
“Oh made up you mind?”
“I have. With you having to be around them without your armor I will need to be there, and with my current arm, the risk of them figuring it out is too great.”
“Alright, if you're sure.”
“I am, so, how long?”

The Asset watches as Tony calculates the time needed before nodding.

“I need 10 days for the manufacturing, then a few days for surgery and recovery.”
“How soon could you start?”
“Assuming you want the vibranium model, as soon as I get my hands on the vibranium.”
“We need to contact T'Challa then.”
“Are you okay with me sending over some of the base design plans for them to look at?”
“If you think it will help.”
“A show of good faith, and intent could help convince them to part with the vibranium.”
“Okay...”

Tony was damn near shocked at how easily T'Challa agreed to supply the vibranium, even going as far as promising that a Wakandan jet would have it at the tower within 24 hours.

“That was easier than I thought it would be...”
“He values his word highly.”
“I guess he does...”
“I think he understands the desire to repent and protect as well.”
“...”

Yasha just smirked at Tony's somewhat dazed look before brushing his metal hand against the small of Tony's back, making him yelp and almost jump out of the couch.

“What the fuck!? Shit that's cold!”
“Holding that tub of ice cream of yours will do that.”
“You're a menace...”
“Whatever you say котенок.”
“I say we should have a final look at the design details.”

Tony quickly headed toward the neared workstation and brought up the information needed.

“I've been wondering, is it possible to make it match the shield?”
“You mean matte black with gold details?”
“And maybe the design...”

Yasha's hand came up to cover the star without even thinking about it.

“You sure it won't be too much of a reminder of that thing?”
“No, I want it to be a reminder of who I am now, not what they turned me into.”
“It's your arm, just making sure.”

With Friday's help Tony quickly made the changes, showing the arm in the same colours as the Wraith armor and the shield, black with dark gold highlights, and the red snowflake proudly displayed where the red star was on the current arm.

“Something like this?”
“I like it...”
“I think it would look good on you...”

Tony paused a moment, almost frowning, then flicking his wrist, sending the display to another screen.

“Fri, run a few variations by Frosty here just to make sure.”
“Sure thing Boss.”

While Yasha looks at variations of the design Tony reaches out to Dr Cho to inform her that the procedure is a go, he also reaches out to Dr Strange, the neurosurgeon who had been consulting on improving the neural clamps.

The procedure would have to be done in multiple steps, the first step would remove the current arm and its support structures, then the cradle would repair some of the bone and tissue damage to prepare for the new, less invasive, support structure.
One of the issues was that they had to allow the right amount of healing between the stages and the rapid healing of the serum made that harder, each stage would have to be timed precisely.

When the Wakandan jet arrived Tony found himself downright shocked again as the crate delivered held several canisters with refined vibranium kept in its liquid state rather than the significantly smaller amount needed for the arm

“Why?”

Tony's gaze shifts between the crate and the two Dora Milaje that delivered it.
One of the, rather intimidating, women held out her arm and touched a bead on the bracelet she was wearing, activating a holographic communicator that revealed the face of T'Challa.

“Dr Stark. Sergeant.”
“It's Yasha.”
“Your Highness.”

After a quick exchange of greetings, Tony for once forgoing his usual snark, asks his question again, and T'Challa explains that his sister had convinced him to part with some additional vibranium because she liked the way Tony approached creating new technology and wanted him to have something to sharpen his teeth on.

“More like something to tease me with, you have a cruel sister Kitty.”
“Don't I know it..”

There was a weary note in T'Challa's voice that Tony knew all too well, the weight of taking over an empire from a fallen father long before ready.
Tony offered his condolences, and on a whim he extended an offer to assist Wakanda in dealing with the outside world if there was something he could do to help.
He could still feel the crawling threat of what he had seen through that wormhole in the back of his mind, and from what he had seen of Wakandan technology an alliance with them would be needed to protect Earth.

The moment the Wakandan jet left Tony threw himself into build mode, and Yasha proved himself a valuable assistant, making sure Tony had everything he needed, and gently nudging him to sleep when needed.

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

“It's done. All done...”

Tony was resting in the large bed in the lair, curled into the heat of the super assassin as he slowly came down from another bout of mania, not a bad one, but he was worn out nevertheless.

“You have done well котенок, you need to rest now.”

The Asset had quickly grown to enjoy watching over Tony as he slept, but it was nothing compared to actually holding him as he slept and the Asset found himself truly wanting something for himself beyond freedom from HYDRA.
Tony however, despite his exhaustion, was not content to sleep.

“I'm going to miss the sounds it makes...”

Yasha watched as Tony ran his fingers along the arm, plates shifting and realigning slightly under the touch and feeling indulgent he rotated his wrist in a way he knew would trigger a wave of shifts up the arm and Tony just chased the motion with his fingers.

Tony's mind wasn't really all there as he chased the shifting plates of the arm, committing the sounds and feel of it to memory, so when Yasha suddenly moved and pinned him on his back he didn't really react, allowing the soldier to hold him down.
For a brief moment Tony's gaze searched the face above him for answers but he only had time to catch a glint of glowing blue before lips were on his own and he closed his eyes.
His mind was in no condition to process what was happening, but he did take note that the kiss was different, it lacked the almost violent edge that had been there after the missions, but it still had a serum driven intensity to it that left Tony completely drained.
He could feel something decidedly hard, and large, press against him before Yasha broke the kiss with a whisper.

“Sleep котенок.”

This time Tony didn't have anything left to resist with and moments later he was deep asleep.

“You should sleep as well Yasha, the surgery will be draining as you will be awake for all of it.”

Friday kept her volume down, making sure not to disturb her creator now that he was finally sleeping.

“I will try.”
“I will keep both of you safe.”
“I know.”

They had all agreed that trying to put the Winter Soldier under general anaesthesia would be a very bad idea in case the serum was able to fight off the effect, no one wanted to deal with a disoriented super soldier in a fight or flight response.
There was a high risk that if he woke under such conditions he would do so in a panic driven state of hyper aggression.
Instead they would focus on numbing as much of the pain as possible while keeping him awake and alert, if the serum disabled the analgesic he could let them know, and he was good at not reacting to pain.

Tony woke up feeling rested, warm and comfortable, the weight across his waist familiar and he realizes that the weight of Yasha's cybernetic arm has become a symbol of safety and comfort, the same arm that has been a symbol of terror and death through the decades.

“Are you ready snowflake?”
“As ready as can be.”
“I'll be right there.”

For a moment Yasha's expression became distant, then he focused back on Tony.

“My handler if needed?”
“If needed.”

Tony agreed softly, understanding Yasha's question, understanding the need, the desire, for a guiding hand, for something to keep him grounded, something to keep him from lashing out against the pain.

When they entered the room with the cradle Yasha froze for a moment and took a step back, something wild in his eyes.

“Asset, calm yourself, remember the plan.”
“Complying...”

Dr Cho gave them a rather crooked look, but she didn't comment, instead she took a seat and waited for her patient to calm himself.
There had been a lot of questions when Tony approached her, but after hearing parts of Yasha's story she agreed to help, and swore to keep it a secret, words backed by signatures on a few very thick NDA-documents.

It took a few tries to get Yasha to settle down enough to get an IV going to manage the pain and get him into the cradle.

“Comfortable?”
“No.”
“Can you handle it?”
“Yes.”

There was no trace of English left, only stiff Russian as Yasha slipped deep into the submissive part of the Asset, intentionally allowing the conditioning, the compulsions, to rule him, force him to do what his handler asked of him.
Yasha hid behind the parts of the conditioning that allowed him to submit and ignore any pain inflicted on his body, not allowing himself to be anything but the weapon, ready to be wielded at Tony's every whim.

“I'm not going anywhere, you just focus on not moving, and let us know right away if there is any pain.”
“Complying.”

Tony grabs Yasha's right hand and begins tapping softly at the inside of the wrist, giving him something to focus on, and when the oxygen mask is placed over Yasha's face he begins to tap as well, using the motion as yet another anchor, forcing himself to think and feel in unfamiliar patterns.

They spoke silently throughout the entire procedure, only speaking out loud when Yasha alerted them to needing an increased dose of the analgesic, or when Tony needed to act as handler to control and calm the Asset.

On Yasha's insistence Tony did get a few hours of sleep in the time between the stages of the procedure, the cradle repaired the bone, then they waited for the serum to begin the regeneration of the periosteum, connective tissue and nerves before moving on to the next stage.
When it's finally done they are all exhausted, and while Dr Cho and Dr Strange retreat to guest-rooms in the upper floors Tony brought Yasha, currently in a wheelchair due to all the drugs in his system, down to their lair where both crashed in bed to sleep their exhaustion off.

“Morning Snowflake.”

Yasha grumbles something unintelligible in Russian that makes Tony snicker, the words may have been unintelligible, but the tone makes the meaning come across just fine.

“So, even super soldiers can get hung over if you pump enough drugs into them.”
“Evidently...”
“Other than the after effect of the drugs, how are you feeling?”
“There's no pain...”

Yasha ran his flesh hand over the seam between his shoulder and the metal of the new arm.

“The scars are almost gone.”
“Mhm, your serum is definitely kicking it up a notch now that those hellish struts are gone.”

Tony reaches out and takes hold of the new arm, running his finger from the inside of the wrist up to the elbow, pausing for a moment, then continuing up to the shoulder.

“How does the arm feel?”
“Good, I think.”

The motions that followed were clearly some kind of step by step diagnostics and systems check, probably something Yasha had been conditioned to do with the previous arm to test all functions.

“Flexibility, response time, and range of motion all seem superior to the previous model and it is significantly lighter. The Asset will need time to adapt.”
“Wanna head to the gym and test it out a bit?”
“Yes.”
“Breakfast first? Or are you too hung over?”
“One of your smoothies perhaps...”

The way Yasha stumbled on his first step after getting out of bed, clearly off balance, made Tony smile, and the way he compensated within a handful of steps sent a wash of heat down his belly, damn that cursed competency kink...

By the time they stepped into the private gym Yasha's gait was balanced and seemed confident, and much to Tony's delight it still held a deadly edge reminiscent of the old murder strut, similar, but different enough to throw of any attempts to make an identification based on gait.

Stepping up to the bags made to withstand the power of the old arm, Yasha quickly went through a series of punches, and Friday happily displayed the readings from the sensors inside the bags on the nearby screen.

“A 10% increase in force, congratulations.”

Friday's voice sounds decidedly happy with the result and Yasha offers a smile to the nearest camera before answering her.

“I'm not using full force.”
“Well, what are you waiting for, Terminator? Show that bag what you can do.”

Tony was a bundle of eager energy and somehow Friday's silent presence felt equally eager as they watched Yasha curl his hand into a fist and shift his balance slightly.
The punch that followed broke the anchors keeping the bag in place and sent it flying across the room, making an impressive dent in the wall.

“Damn... Fri baby?”
“I was unable to get a reading, sorry Boss.”
“Guess we have to break out the Hulk test gear to get an accurate read.”
“We can still run some endurance tests with remaining equipment.”

Friday activated the spotlights over the second super assassin approved bag and Tony could swear there was something taunting, a challenge, in her voice, he really didn't mind the result though as he got to watch Yasha beat the bag up for several hours.

“So, what's the verdict?”
“Very good, almost no excess heat and not nearly as tiring as the old one.”
“And the response time remains constant?”
“Yes. No sign of response lag.”
“How about sensitivity?”

This time Tony ran his fingers along the different parts of the arm with a systematic focus, testing each of the sensory pathways with varying levels of pressure.

“Very good, and the sensitivity control seems to be working as intended.”
“Great, we'll of course have to do some proper tests, but yeah, sounds really good.”

Tony patiently waited for Yasha to shower and the moment he returned to the gym there was a series of questions about temperature sensitivity and if there had been any reaction to the water.

“Temperature sensors seem to work properly, feeling the water was strange, but I believe I will get used to it.”
“Figured it would, bunch of new sensors in your upper arm. Clothes with sleeves will probably feel freaky too at first.”
“Have a feeling I'll still prefer not covering it.”
“I don't mind.”

Tony quips with a smile before grabbing the arm and placing his ear against it, listening to the soft, barely audible sound of the internal mechanics, finding nothing to be concerned about in the soft hum.
Amused by Tony's behaviour Yasha rotates his new hand carefully, watching the way the new plates interact, they still shift and recalibrate, but the movement is smoother, and far more silent.

“It's a lot quieter, but it still sounds like you.”
“You are a very strange man...”
“Eccentric, billionaires and geniuses are eccentric.”
“Alright, weirdo.”
“Hmpf, maybe I shouldn't show you the new toys I made with the leftover vibranium?”
“New toys?”

Yasha's immediate attention made Tony laugh, the assassin was like a kid whenever new gear was mentioned.

“Mhm, the arm needed about one and a half canisters so there was some left over. Figured I might as well make good use of it.”
“Now I'm really curious.”
“Of course you are.”

Tony didn't look over his shoulder as he walked toward the elevator, as always he could feel Yasha's tightly coiled energy fall into step behind him as he moved.

“Right this way Frosty.”

Tony made a gesture toward a handful of metal cases on one of the tables in the private range beneath the workshop.

“Let's start with the small one and work our way up, shall we?”

Tony was putting on his best product reveal mask, making Yasha twitch with barely restrained anticipation, and an edge of amused frustration.

“I don't care, just get started already.”
“Spoilsport...”

Tony huffed and grumbled, but the small smile was genuine as he picked up the smallest box and opened it to reveal a rolled up garrote.

“This baby will cut through most neck armor like a hot knife through butter.”

Leaning in closer Yasha found that the vibranium wire was designed like a wire saw, making it a doubly deadly weapon, and a very useful tool.

“It's a beauty.”
“It's just the beginning.”
“Well, don't keep me waiting then.”

Yasha's energy was contagious and Tony's grin widened as he offered the next case.
The second case opened up to reveal a pair of combat knives in Yasha's favourite design.

“Fri, could you put the design plans on the display please?”
“Of course Boss.”

The Asset watched the information on the screen with something akin to awe, the blades in his hands were a marvel of deadly beauty, perfectly balanced and just the right weight to feel good in his hands, and the data on the screen gave a hint of just how deadly they would be.
The core of the blade was one of Tony's many titanium alloys, heavier than pure titanium the alloy gave the knife a comfortable weight, the true beauty though was the way a slender frame of pure vibranium wrapped around the core, giving it an edge that could cut through almost anything without dulling.

“Interesting design.”
“Well, you like your weapons on the heavy side. And it cuts down on the amount of vibranium needed.”
“You have outdone yourself with these...”
“Oh, we're not done yet.”

The next box revealed a large bowie combat knife with a knuckle grip and the Asset couldn't help enjoying the solid weight of it in his hand, he was already looking forward to gutting some HYDRA goons with it.

“I can see you like that one.”

Tony teased while moving on to the final case that was significantly larger than the previous ones.

“Last but definitely not least.”

The case opened and the Asset just stared at the contents.

“You made swords?”
“It was Fri's idea, she figured you might like blades able to take down something bigger.”

The Asset didn't answer, instead he ran his fingers along the sleek, black blades, taking in the gold detailing, and the red snowflake just above the hilt.
Picking the first one up he found the weight comfortable in his hand and the balance gave it a swift, deadly feel, he had used machete on occasion on missions, but the balance of this blade felt different, deadlier.

“Do you like them?”

Friday's voice sounded small, and hesitant, a sound the Asset decided he didn't like any more from the AI than he did her from her creator.

“Love 'em Fri. Can't wait to try them out on some HYDRA trash.”

Tony watched the mission oriented focus of the Asset fade into something softer as Yasha assured Friday he loved her idea of swords, and the design she had chosen, once again realising the difference in how Yasha interacted with both the AI and the bots, treating them like actual people, or in the bots' case, somewhere between children and beloved pets.

“I took the liberty of ordering a selection of suitable training dummies while you were in surgery.”

As Friday spoke a previously dark section of the training range lit up to show a selection of straw dummies and rolled up tatami mats made for testing the cutting edge of blades.
There was no hesitation as Yasha grabbed the swords and headed to the targets that Friday had prepared for him.

“Thank you Fri.”
“You're welcome Yasha. Glad you like them.”
“You are definitely a pride to your father's name.”
“...”

There was a noticeable silence, then a soft Thank you followed and Tony was indeed as proud as he could possibly be, Friday wasn't Jarvis, but she was growing into something just as amazing, if not more.

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

They decided not to go on any more missions against HYDRA until after the return of the Rogues, to focus on finding their footing with everything that had happened, they had a lot of work to do to find themselves again.
Yasha needed time to get used to the new balance of his body to make sure he would be fully fit for combat, and he also spent a lot of time practising with the shield, learning to use it both as a weapon and as protection.
All while Tony needed to deal with his feelings about being forced to play nice with Rogers and his cronies as well as his feelings about what had happened when he found out.

For Tony having to deal with people he didn't like, people who wanted nothing but take advantage of him, was familiar, it was a constant part of his life, but dealing with what had happened during his breakdown was harder, especially dealing with the fact that Yasha didn't fault him for it.
Despite the familiarity of it Tony's panic attacks became worse as the day of the return approached, leaving Yasha and Friday struggling to keep him grounded, and keep him from hurting himself.

“Hopefully things will get better once we have this clusterfuck of a homecoming over with.”

Yasha carefully monitored Tony's sleep after his latest episode while talking to Friday.

“I know you will protect him, but I'm scared...”

Once again the AI sounded small and fragile.

“It's okay to be scared Fri, it keeps us attentive to danger.”
“Is it okay to be angry too?”
“Of course it is Fri, just don't let the anger rule you. Anger is like a blade, useful for cutting down your enemies, but it can cut you as well if you don't keep your head cool and pay attention.”
“I... I want to hurt them...”
“Me too Fri, me too. But that won't help Tony, he would just feel responsible, and guilty, about it.”

The Asset once again found himself amazed by how caring, how human, Friday was, and it gave him hope, if a computer, a machine, could learn to care and love, then maybe, just maybe, a weapon could too.

“You should sleep Yasha, I have a feeling tomorrow will be hard for both of you.”
“I have no doubt it will.”
“...”
“Thank you Fri.”

Come morning Tony was pale and on the verge of spiralling, hands shaking as he secured the body armor before reaching for the sharp business suit he would be wearing.

“Easy котенок, breathe.”
“I don't want to go...”
“I know, I don't want you to either, but we both know it's necessary.”
“Unfortunately.”
“Just remember, this is your game, they are playing in your home field.”
“Indeed.”

Yasha watches as an invisible mask slides into place, the uncertainty of Tony's movements vanishes and a hint of ice and steel settles into his eyes and Yasha can't help something akin to fear from flashing against his senses, a predator recognizing something dangerous, even if it's not a threat to him.
He can feel his own senses respond, and he knows his eyes are gaining more of the blue edge of the serum, he can feel his body and senses gearing up for a mission, ready to fight, to kill.

As they stand next to the landing area of the compound Yasha can see the way tension is building in Tony's shoulders so with a sigh he reaches out and places a hand on Tony's shoulder and leans in to make sure none of the press or Accords representatives can hear.

“I won't let them hurt you. Even if it means revealing myself.”
“Please, don't do that.”
“I'll be careful, but I won't hesitate.”
“...”

Some of the tension bleeds off and is replaced with determination and fortunately they don't have to wait long before the Avengers Quinjet sets down and the Rogues step out.

Tony keeps strictly to the script, greeting his former teammates armed with a business smile and the showmanship that's ingrained into his every fibre.
It's all fake, but no one save for Yasha seems to notice, not even the Widow, and she should have seen through the act, BARF has given Yasha back the memory of training her, but he recalls her being more than what he sees now.
He does not like the way they look at Tony, calculating, hostile, entitled, it sets his senses on edge and he can feel himself slipping deeper into the mission oriented mindset that is, or at least was, the Winter Soldier, the Asset.
He doesn't try to resist, the edge of those instincts are useful even if it muddles other parts of him, right now he doesn't need to feel, or maintain a normal, civil, conversation, he needs to be aware and able to fight, he needs to be the Asset.

Fortunately the whole media show doesn't last very long and soon they find themselves inside the building that will house the Rogues, but out of sight of media and Accords representatives tension quickly begin to build.

“This floor will be yours, you can pick and choose from the rooms on the right, kitchen and common areas to the left. Your passkeys will give you access to the B and C level gyms and facilities. You do not have access to A level facilities and any attempt to access those will constitute a violation of your Accords agreements.”
“What the hell Stark!”

Barton's harsh tone instantly has the Asset on edge, the hostility obvious and the way the Widow moves closer, putting on a mask as she approaches makes him take a step closer, moving in to shield the subject of his mission.

“This was all in the agreements you signed.”

There is more outrage, attempts of manipulation, and not so overt threats of violence but the Asset notes that Tony handles it well, though there are quite a few venomous comments aimed at Tony about letting others do his fighting, but the Asset ignores those.

“That is all, any further questions can be directed to your Accords assigned liaison.”
“Tony, we need to talk!”
“No, we don't.”

Tony turns on his heel to walk away, but the Captain quickly moves forward, trying to grab his arm, only to find his hand caught in a vice like grip, the Asset is mindful to only use his flesh hand, and keep the cybernetic arm still to avoid being identified.

“What the!?”

The Captain's shock is evident, and the others look equally stunned as the Asset forces him back with apparent ease, and he doesn't think the handler will mind if he puts a bit more force than strictly necessary into the grip, nearly crushing the hand of the other super soldier.

“He's..”
“Enhanced, yes. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to bring a baseline human as security when facing you?”
“So this is what you want those fucking accords for, huh? Using enhanced to be your own personal fucking army?”

The Asset can tell that Barton's words cut deep, he knows that is the exact opposite of what Tony wants, but Tony shows no sign of caring about the harsh words.

“Is it so hard to believe that there are people out there who agree with me? Who would work with me willingly, without any catches?”
“You don't know how to work with people!”

The slight shift in Tony's posture alerts the Asset to the rising tension and he releases the Captain's hand with a rough shove before gently placing his hand at Tony's back, nudging him to go while giving Friday a short signal, telling her to prepare the smaller Quinjet they had used to get there.

“Dr Stark is leaving now and you will not attempt to follow him. All the information you need is listed in your Accords agreements.”

The Asset uses the speech synthesizer built into his mask, letting the mechanical voice hide his own, maintaining the image of the guard Blade being incapable of speech on his own.

“Hey!”

The calls from the Rogues were ignored and the moment they were safely in the air the Asset tore the mask off.

“How are you feeling котенок?”
“Better now, safer...”
“That's good. Fri, you have the controls.”
“Of course Yasha.”

The sharp mission focus bled away with ease as Yasha pulled Tony into his arms, slowly going through the breathing exercises to help keep the man calm, going through the familiar steps of stopping the spiral, and by the time Friday set them down at the tower Tony was resting calmly and didn't object to being carried to the elevator.

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

“Ready for another mission?”

Tony was a whirlwind of barely restrained energy, he had been bouncing between projects all day, unable to contain himself.

“Always.”

Yasha allowed himself to be pulled along by the buzzing energy, offering a wide, and somewhat predatory, grin.

“Something nice and squishy to test all that new gear?”
“That sounds all kinds of tempting.”
“Fri, do we have any targets that indicate a high personnel count?”
“Only two remaining suitable targets within US borders.”
“Alright baby, bring 'em up.”

Neither of the targets looked particularly exciting, they had already taken out most juicy targets within reach
The first target was little more than a smuggling ring, they weren't even running anything particularly interesting, some art, some half decent electronics and bootleg DVDs of all things.
Yasha suggested it was probably intended as training and a cover to use in case they needed to run something serious.
It was easy to pay off some dock and customs workers to look the other way for a shipment of crappy bootleg DVDs and easy to hide things like DVDs with important information among them.

The second target was a drug lab with a fair amount of scientists, the data they had indicated that they were producing and distributing designer drugs something that quickly had the pair agreeing that it was a suitable target, Friday could keep an eye on the smuggling ring for the time being.

“I have another little toy for you.”

Tony held out a small box that looked very much like a ring box, making Yasha very curious about what he had cooked up this time.
Opening it revealed a pair of earplugs similar to the ones they were already using.

“These are the ones to protect from the triggers?”
“Mhm, it's just a stopgap measure, but it should help protect you long enough to blow the brains out of anyone trying to use the words.”
“Thank you.”

The raw emotion in Yasha's voice gave Tony pause, then a moment later he found himself pinned against Yasha's chest, held in place by powerful arms.

“Thank you.”

Somehow those same words, whispered in Russian against his hair, impacts Tony far more than he can recall them ever doing before.

“I haven't figured out a way to get rid of those triggers, but I still want to do something to help keep you safe from them.”
“Thank you...”

The target location was hidden away in the underground section of an abandoned hospital and the place was giving Tony the creeps, and Yasha didn't seem to be particularly comfortable with the environment either.

“I have something here, could you make sure no one disturbs me please?”
“Complying.”

The brightly lit lab didn't look like any kind of drug lab Tony had ever seen or heard about, it looked more like the lab Killian had used to make Extremis in.

“Fuck!”

Sometimes Tony hated being a genius, looking through the papers and computer files he found information on several versions of Extremis, including a few new ones as well five different formulas for super soldier serum.
Fortunately the data showed that neither the Extremis nor the serum had yielded any successful tests.
There were also references to x-genes and something called Terrigen that apparently had something to do with enhanced individuals.

“Fri, copy everything to my private server, maximum security protocols.”
“Including cutting the hardwire?”
“Yes.”
“Got it Boss.”

Tony took a moment to brief Yasha on what he had found while Friday sucked the servers dry, coping every last scrap of data.

“They are doing research on the serum among other things here.”
“Fuck!”
“Indeed.”
“Do we have any heavy duty explosives?”
“No, but I checked the inventory, the labs have everything we need to make something nice enough to wipe this place off the map.”
“Good.”

As they watched the dilapidated building collapsing in flames Yasha stepped closer and leaned against the black armor.

“Are you okay there Terminator?”
“I don't know... Were there others?”
“Lots of trials, but as far as I can tell, none of them successful.”

Tony could feel Yasha breathe a sigh of relief, the work done in the lab they had just destroyed had clearly hit a bit too close to home for him.

“How about we get back home and get some sleep?”
“Complying...”

Both men were subdued and silent on the return trip, considering what they had found at the base, concerned about Hydra's continued research into creating enhanced assets.

“I will prepare food while you get cleaned up. Yasha, there is a biohazard container in the bathroom for your gear.”
”Thank you Fri.”
“Gonna need to do a serious deep clean of the jet too...”
“I may have gotten a bit carried away with those swords...”
“No kidding, it was like a bad slasher movie in there.”

The banter continued as they showered and by the time they exited the bathroom Friday's robotic arms were just plating two generous servings of scrambled eggs next to plates with chicken, salmon and tuna.

“Fri baby, you are a godsend.”
“Does that mean I should add God to your business cards?”
“The sass on you girl.”
“I am, as always, what you made me Boss.”

Tony reached out and gave the arm offering him a shake a fond pat.

“Don't sell yourself short baby girl, you are so much more.”

The silence as they ate was companionable rather than contemplative and the closeness as they curled up on the large bed to sleep had become something familiar, Yasha rarely used the chair in the corner to keep watch any more.
There were still guns hidden under the pillows though.

Tony noticed the moment something changed, Yasha's hand had always stayed at his hip or across his belly, never moving higher, but now metal fingers moved to splay across the arc reactor, making him freeze with a hint of trepidation.

“The data from that lab, could it fix this? Make you less vulnerable out of the suit?”
“I already have what I need to fix it, but it's a big step. I... I wouldn't be the same after...”
“It would make you enhanced?”
“Yeah, and I can't really figure out to what extent, and there's a small risk that it could make me explode...”
“Extremis...”
“Extremis. I stabilized the formula in Pepper, but she hasn't been exposed to as much weird stuff as I have.”
“The palladium, the new reactor element. It's all in your blood, potentially altering it compared to a normal, healthy, baseline human.”
“Exactly, there's also the plans for the nanites I'm working on, the vibranium and information that Shuri shared has really helped with ideas for improvements."
“But you are considering it?”
“I have to, with what is coming I can't afford the weakness of having my body compromised like this. But I can't afford removing the rector completely either, it's part of me, part of the suits and my weapons.”
“...”

Yasha didn't answer, but he also didn't pull back, and the cybernetic hand remained splayed across the reactor.

“It's humming, I never noticed that before.”

Tony would try to deny it, but when Yasha spoke up he damn near jumped out of his skin, and there may have been a somewhat undignified squawk which thankfully was completely ignored.

“Yeah, it does, I can always feel it in my bones.”
“That's part of why..?”
“Yeah, it's been keeping me alive for years, not feeling it would probably send me into a panic.”

Tony can feel the panic creeping closer, triggered by the mere thought of losing the reactor, but before he can succumb to it the arm around him tightens, pulling him flush against Yasha's warm body.

“Breathe.”

He allows the low, steady voice behind him to anchor him, and he allows the strong arm around him to change his position slightly, lessening the strain on his lungs, making it easier to take the deep calming breaths he needs to fight off the panic.
As much as he trusted Yasha the unfamiliar feeling of someone touching the reactor quickly became too much for him so Tony carefully turned around and buried his face into Yasha's chest.

“Not used to anyone touching it...”
“Sorry...”
“No need.”

Tony barely registered the slight re-tightening of the arm, nor the way the hand slipped to his back and splayed out.

“Sleep.”
“...”

Yasha just shook his head at the unintelligible mutterings and settled down to sleep as well, giving a slight nod when he heard Friday's soft Good night.

.·:*¨¨*:· Kintsukuroi·:*¨¨*:·.

“What the actual fuck!?”

Yasha couldn't really place Tony's expression as he read through his messages and it was setting him on edge.
Part of him was starting to reach for the familiarity of the compulsions, but before he could slip into the comfort of the familiar emptiness Tony's expression morphed into an impressive scowl.

“Something wrong?”
“Rogers, what else...”
“What does he think he's entitled to this time?”

Yasha's tone was weary with a hint of irritation, they had been receiving daily messages from the compound, all containing long lists of complaints and demands from the self proclaimed Leader of the Avengers.
At first there had been complaints about their accommodations not being as luxurious as they had been before the so-called Civil War, then there had been complaints about not having full security access to all parts of the compound.

One week after arriving Rogers started demanding to be given full dossiers on all non-Avengers personnel at the compound, something that Tony and Yasha both agreed that it was probably something Romanoff had asked for.
When rejected Rogers had gone on a rant about how it was his prerogative as the leader of the Avengers to decide who could be an Avenger, and stay at the compound and that he absolutely needed to know who everyone was and what they could do, especially those powered individuals who were concealing their identities.
Tony had left explaining that one to the Accords representative, though Friday did make a highlight reel of that conversation and Tony almost felt sorry for the poor woman who had been selected to be the liaison to the Rogues.

Just the other day there had been an angry message about why their codes for the Quinjet weren't working, but of course no information about why they would need it.

“He actually has the gall to demand to know when their weapons and equipment will be returned.”
“Is any of it actually theirs?”
“A few knives and guns that technically belong to Romanoff, though the guns aren't actually registered in her name. Wilson has a few guns as well.”
“What about the rest?”
“The EXO-7 Falcon belongs to the Air Force and the Ant Man suit belongs to Hank Pym so I'll just let them hash those out. Most of Romanoff and Barton's gear was created by me so it belongs to either me or Stark Industries.”
“And the shield?”
“It's yours now.”
“He will contest it...”
“I have no doubt, but he can complain all he wants, say what you will of Howard Stark, but he did run a tight ship. He wouldn't give away something as valuable as a vibranium shield without a lot of documentation involved, and there are no papers beyond him acquiring the vibranium using his own money.”
“...”
“The moment we have you cleared legally I'm filing all the paperworks needed to make it yours, legally, same with your other equipment, including lifetime service agreements with Stark Industries.”
“In case you fall...”
“Yes.”
“The Asset will not permit the subject to die while it still lives!”

The sudden fallback in Yasha's behaviour and speech pattern, switching to Russian, just made Tony smile and place a hand on his shoulder.
He was getting used to the way Yasha would revert to his Asset-mode when he didn't know how to handle a situation, usually when he was unsure or overwhelmed by unfamiliar feelings.

“I know you won't. You will always stay true to your mission.”
“The Asset is made for compliance.”
“Then comply, and rest.”
“Complying.”

Tony knew it wouldn't be long before he returned to normal so he just focused on writing up a reply for Rogers, including a request to provide legal proof of ownership for the shield.

“Feeling more like yourself there Elsa?”
“I'm fine.”
“Good, 'cause I don't think I am...”
“You will be, come here.”

Tony didn't hesitate to step into the open arms and allow the heat and not so subtle power of the Winter Soldier to anchor him as the steady voice helped him focus on his breathing, but it was the ice cold edge of the deadly predator that stilled the raging inferno of his mind.

“I need to shoot something.”

Yasha just smiles when Tony finally calms down, and instantly suggests they blow off some steam in the test range.

“I think I can live with that.”

When they arrive at the hidden range below the workshop they both start laughing as they find that Friday has replaced the usual paper targets with pictures of the Rogues.

“I think your baby girl is developing a sense of humour.”
“Of course she is, she's my baby girl.”
“Fortunately she's better at taking care of you than you are.”
“I have found an excellent teacher.”

Tony spluttered for a moment, then accused Yasha of corrupting his baby girl.

“Oh she is plenty capable of that on her own, she has a beautifully devious mind that one. A bit inexperienced, but give her time to find herself and she will be a force to be reckoned with.”
“Thank you Yasha. I do my best to become what I need to be to protect Boss.”

For a moment Tony just stared at Yasha in silence, then he leaned his forehead against his chest.

“Thank you for seeing her and not just a computer program...”
“She's your daughter, why would I see her as anything else?”
“...”

Tony just stands silently, but Yasha can't pick up on any of the signs of an episode so he walks over to the wall rack with all his weapons and grabs the shield that was at the heart of the latest incident and with an almost nonchalant flick of his metal wrist he launches it against one of the Captain America themed target dummies, neatly separating head from body.

He found himself wanting to do the same to the man whose betrayal had caused Tony such pain, and kept interfering with his healing.
Tony was healing, but Yasha was convinced it would be a lot faster and smoother without the entitled ass that the fragments of who he had once been insisted on calling friend.

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“Boss, Yasha, the Accords committee has requested a meeting discuss the plans for the HYDRA task force.”

For a few moments the pair continues the deadly dance of attack and defence, then they step back and give each other a nod paired with a somewhat feral smile.

“Alright Fri, see if they are willing to just do a holo-conference for now.”
“Checking.”

Tony and Yasha quickly set aside the training weapons they had been using and headed for the showers, there would be time for more training once they had sorted things for the requested meeting.

“They are willing to agree if we schedule the meeting for tomorrow.”
“Alright Fri, make it happen.”
“Right away Boss”

Reaching to wash his hair Tony flinched slightly as a sore muscle decided to twitch and pull at the sensitive area around the reactor.

“Ouch...”

Moments later hands were on his shoulder and back, gently convincing the offending muscle to stop cramping.

“Thanks Mr Magic Fingers.”
“Keep still.”

Tony didn't object as Yasha grabbed the bottle with shampoo and worked up a good lather before nudging him into the water to rinse.

“You are getting faster.”
“Still getting just as many bruises though...”
“You may be smaller and built for speed and agility rather than strength, but as long as you remain a baseline human you won't be faster than me.”
“And you are a cruel teacher.”
“But effective.”
“Shush... Meanie...”

The exchange was familiar and soon both of them stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in comfortable sweats, and made their way toward the kitchen area.

“Your smoothies are done.”
“Thanks baby girl.”
“Thank you Fri.”

Sitting at the kitchen island they brought up the files with everything regarding the proposed task force, carefully going through what parts they wanted amended or altered, and double checking the fake identities they would be providing, making full use of the anonymity clauses in the Accords.

“Have you decided on a name to use?”
“Well, you're calling your black armor Wraith, and I used to be a ghost story, so Ghost feels suitable.”
“Ghost and Wraith huh? It does make for a nice nightmare team.”
“I like it.”
“Thank you Fri.”
“Do I need a new name as well for the task force?”

Friday's question made Tony pause, he hadn't really considered her part in their missions.

“Not necessarily as we can play it off as me loaning you to the task force the same way we are insinuating that Wraith is just a soldier with one of my armours.”
“Okay...”
“Fri, do you want a codename for the task force?”
“Please...”
“You have one in mind?”
“If you are Wraith and Ghost, could I be Eidolon?”
“A phantom image with the appearance of a human, sometimes described as being demigods or otherworldly beings of great power, good choice Fri.”
“Thank you Yasha.”
“Aww, my baby girl all grown up with a secret identity of her own.”

Tony was all but gushing and playing up the teasing humour, but Yasha could see the sheen of tears in his eyes.

“About time the Stark family has an adult member again.”

Yasha's deadpan quip made Tony gape at him in mock affront and slap his arm, only to start shaking his hand and complain about super soldiers being built like bricks.

“He does have a point Boss.”
“The sass on the two of you...”

Tony basked in the warm, happy, feeling that their little banter session brought on, it felt like family in a way it never had with the Rogues, their banter had always come with barbs, and they didn't always even bother hiding them.
Feeling Yasha brush his hand along his shoulders as he walked past to place his glass in the dishwasher only strengthened that feeling of belonging.

“I can hear you thinking, what are you stuck on this time?”

The metal of Yasha's hand felt cool against his neck and it brought Tony out of his thoughts for a moment.

“Just memories.”
“Anything you need to talk about?”
“Nothing we haven't already gone over in our sessions.”

Tony reached up and placed his own hand over the one on his shoulder, a gesture of gratitude for the offered support.

“Alright, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about it more if needed.”
“I know.”

There was a slight squeeze at his shoulder, then Yasha let go and returned to his seat across the kitchen island.

“Fri, could you bring up everything they have proposed for the task force and highlight any changes from the previous version please?”
“On it Boss.”

The air above the kitchen island quickly came to life with a series of documents, and a few highlighted passages.

“Most of the changes are just alternative wordings, but I'm not fluent in legalese so you may want to have an extra look at those Boss.”
“I will, anything new or any major changes?”
“There is a new passage about implementing multiple teams on the task force.”

Yasha as always read through the text with a cold detachment before speaking up, offering his views in a calm, even, voice.

“Not an unexpected turn of events.”
“As long as they don't try to mess with our team in any way I don't care.”

Tony tries to sound flippant, but he is reading the passage of text over and over, looking for any formulations that could cause them problems.

“Chances are they plan on bringing the Rogues in on this.”

Friday calmly states what Tony already knows is the most likely reason for the clause to have been added the way it was.

“I agree with Fri, and there is a very real risk that they will want to put Iron Man on that team.”
“Well they can't have me, I already have a team. A proper team. I would resign from the Accords before allowing them to put me on a team under Rogers.”

Tony hadn't even realized he had started to spiral before Yasha stood and moved behind him, cybernetic arm wrapping around him to keep him from slouching while the other hand started sifting through his hair.

“Breathe котенок.”

Tony focused on the voice and the touch, and soon he could feel himself settling down again and he couldn't help feeling a twinge of loss as Yasha removed the hand that had been splayed across the arc reactor.
For a moment he was confused, and frankly, a bit scared, when the hell had he grown so comfortable with someone touching the reactor, and even worse, when had he started equating the feeling of metal fingers spread across it with safety?

“Feeling better?”
“A bit. Let's just get this mess sorted for tomorrow then head out and get some food.”
“Sounds like a plan.”

When Yasha grabbed the stool next to Tony instead of returning to his usual seat Tony just hummed and scooted over to make room, they still sat close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from Yasha's body, allowing it to keep him grounded while they worked on the document.
Whenever he feels the panic start to creep closer, Yasha's hand is there, soft, warm, and unyielding against his back, pulling him back, focusing him.

By the time they were satisfied with the work on the Accords document Friday had already made them a light lunch, and was now asking where they would like to eat dinner.

“I feel like fish.”
“That super soldier body of yours running low on Omega 3 and Vitamin D again?”
“Probably.”
“Fish it is then, Fri, find us a nice place please.”
“Of course Boss.”

It had taken a bit of work, but one of the first things Yasha had really learned to have desires and opinions about was food, and for the most part Tony would let him pick the menu as he seemed to instinctively know what food his enhanced body needed to stay in optimal health.

There had been some quite interesting meals in the beginning, like the time Yasha had made short work of 3 whole roast chickens, then completed the meal by polishing off an entire 10 slice cake which apparently was an acceptable source for basic carbohydrates and fat.
Between Friday's tutelage on what was considered a normal meal, and Tony's promise to deliver whatever foods Yasha wanted he gradually developed more normal habits, if you ignored the part where he could easily eat enough food for 5 grown men.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“I know I should sleep but I just can't relax...”

Tony tried, he really did, but even Yasha's calm support didn't help.

“Maybe have a look at some juicy targets to hit if this meeting goes our way?”

He considered Yasha's suggestion then rolled out of bed and put some clothes on.

“Works for me.”

Once in their little briefing room Tony asked Friday to bring up the targets outside of the US.

“I think we should start by looking for targets that may have information on those blasted triggers of yours.”
“Risky...”
“I know, but we can run into someone who knows them at pretty much any base, and if we get our hands on some solid information it could help find a way to deactivate them. Or at least figure out if it's even possible using something like BARF.”
“There is still the possibility that a mutant or magic user could do it. With more and more enhanced signing up with the Accords it could be a possibility.”

The mention of magic makes Tony shudder and glare at Yasha.

“I hate magic...”
“You and me both. I still see that red in my nightmares...”
“Me too...”
“Doesn't mean we should rule out the possibility.”
“I know.”

Tony could feel the tension radiating from Yasha as he sifted through his memories from HYDRA, selecting bases with a high probability of having information about the process used to force the Winter Soldier to obey.

“I won't give up until I've found some way to prevent HYDRA from controlling you.”
“If they get control, will you kill me?”
“I refuse to let it come to that.”
“Will. You. Kill. Me?!”
“...”

Tony wasn't so sure he would be able to pull the trigger even if HYDRA regained control of their Asset, not any more, so he simply looked away and brought up the information they had on the next base on the list, which was pretty much just the coordinates.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“Is that it?”

The meeting with the Accords council in charge of the task force left the Asset confused, there had been far too much bickering and half answers, he was used to precise, concise, reports and orders.
The moment they were safely in the privacy of Tony's car he sought confirmation on the outcome of the meeting.

“Yeah, that's it. The HYDRA task force has been approved, and Unit 1, code name Team Phantom, has been approved for duty. We can start kicking HYDRA ass for real now.”

The grin that spread across Yasha's face was predatory, dark, and it spoke of death and a primal delight that sent a shiver down Tony's spine before his own face twisted to mirror the expression.

“Time for HYDRA to fall.”

Yasha's voice was low and the words, spoken in Russian, held an edge of steel and ice, a quick glance revealed eyes that were burning with a cold blue.

“I will burn anything and anyone who thinks they can threaten or hurt what is mine.”

Tony returned the promise with one of his own.

“About time, you two have been pacing like caged tigers for weeks now.”

Friday's rather annoyed quip left the pair laughing, and agreeing that they had been pretty tense for a while with no good targets left in the US to hit.

They had also found that Yasha didn't deal too well with prolonged tense anticipation as he had reverted more and more toward the sharp chill that had been dominant when he first arrived at the tower.
He spoke a lot less, and when he did speak it was short and sharp, and more Russian than English, but he still handled Tony's panic with ease, he still touched without hesitation, and he still joined Tony on the bed at night, even if he slept a lot less again.

Tony had been a bit concerned at first, but he quickly found that he didn't mind this colder version of Yasha, the comfortable trust was still there and in some ways Yasha seemed more comfortable, more at ease.
He didn't mind the silence any more because there was trust and companionship, he didn't feel the urge to prove himself, to gain approval, despite his silence Yasha never doubted him.
He offered ideas and suggestions and he asked questions, and he would disagree, but he never questioned Tony's intentions, never doubted him.

There was also that not so small part of him that was all hot and bothered by the cold confidence and edge of danger that was practically oozing from the super assassin.
Tony made damned sure to shut that part of himself up the moment it tried to surface, he was so not going down that road.

Once back at the tower they headed straight to the briefing room and confirmed that there had been no noticeable changes at the target location, they had no doubt that HYDRA was already aware that the task force had been approved with a 3 man team working with Tony.

“Fri, how is the new drone feeling?”

Tony had been pouring his heart into his latest project, drawing on all of his engineering skill, design ideas for Yasha's arm, aspects of the EXO-7 Falcon wings as well as his own suits he had created a drone for Friday to use on their mission.
Personally he thought the cross between a bird and a wyvern looked pretty damn badass.

“Really good. Can I have it in matching colours?”
“Of course baby. That one was only intended as a prototype to make sure everything works as intended.”

Screens instantly came to life showing the robotic creature and moments later the silvery gray was replaced by the Wraith colour scheme then a fairly long pause before Yasha's snowflake appeared on the wings.

“Wicked taste there baby girl.”
“...”

Yasha's silence as he looked at the projection dragged out, then the projection changed, the marks vanishing from the wings.

“Sorry Yasha, I shouldn't have assumed...”
“Fri, no, don't. Leave them... Please...”

Her apologetic words startled Yasha from his silence and he quickly reassured her he didn't mind her wearing what had essentially become his mark, quite the contrary, he was happy she wanted to.
Seeing the way Yasha reacted to Friday wanting the snowflake design on her new drone made Tony even more determined to solve the new arc reactor design, if only to see how he would react to seeing it.

Yasha was feeling overwhelmed, and the urge to slip deeper into the emotionless aspect of the soldier mindset was very tempting, especially since neither Tony nor Friday seemed to be bothered by the fact that he had been dropping the masks created from the fragmented memories lately.
The Asset wasn't supposed to feel or want, not supposed to have preferences outside of mission related aspects such as favoured gear, and even that was barely tolerated, he had regained memories of a few handlers that did listen to increase chance of mission success.
The Asset was certainly not supposed to like, or dislike, but he still found himself disliking using the memories of the Oth... of Bucky, to pretend to be a regular person.
It was tedious, and the fragments kept getting tangled in the conditioning, the compulsions, leaving him confused, and he hated being confused.

The Asset had been restless for a while now, with no missions other than protecting Tony there hadn't been any combat, only training and it left him wanting, and wanting left him confused, letting go of the masks made it easier, less confusion caused by the memories.
There was fear as well, something the Asset did not know how to deal with, a fear that Tony would reject the Asset without the masks, there were times where some of the voices would whisper darkly about how the world would not accept some HYDRA made tool that only knew how to be a weapon.

“Assembly will be completed in 3 hours Boss.”

Friday's voice once again brought Yasha back to himself and he focused back on the mission details, not that there were many considering how little they knew about the target.
It was an old missile silo, similar in layout to the location where the other Soldiers had been kept and there was some concern that it may trigger an episode for Tony, but he insisted they needed to go there anyway.

“Hey Terminator. You okay there?”
“No. But a combat mission will help.”
“Alright. How about food and rest before we head out then?”
“Complying.”

Tony knew Yasha was nowhere near as calm as the soft spoken, even words suggested, but hopefully he was right about a good fight helping him settle whatever it was, quite frankly he had been itching for a nice, bloody, fight himself.
Though, that ever growing part of him he was trying to keep locked away whispered that a good, rough, fuck would fix his own problems, and might just do the tense soldier some good too.
Nope, no way, Tony was not listening to that voice, his dreams were bad enough as it was.
Tony forced the errant thoughts down again and focused on washing the vegetables for the stir fry that was on the menu for dinner, it was tougher than usual though with Yasha at his side, expertly cutting skirt steaks into fine slices, the man, assassin, had one hell of a way with knives.
For what must have been the millionth time since meeting Yasha, Tony cursed his competency kink.

“Boss, Yasha, it's time to wake up.”

Friday always increased the light levels a few minutes before speaking up, it was enough to bring Yasha into a lighter sleep and keep him from having a negative reaction when she spoke up, he never showed anything but Friday's sensors had shown her the way his pulse would jump if she woke him too fast.
As always Yasha instantly started moving while Tony on the other hand appeared dead to the world until Yasha gave him a few not so polite nudges and mentioned that he could smell the coffee brewing.
Normally she would have breakfast ready by the time the two were done in the bathroom, but the sleep now had only been a few hours before they left for their mission so she only offered coffee and the tea that Yasha favoured.

“Alright, let's tear this place apart.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Eidolon, in position.”

The base was small, only a handful of scientists and a small unit of guards, though one of the guards had been an enhanced with fangs, claws, and overall enhanced combat performance, but Friday had quickly found him vulnerable to certain frequencies of sound, and had promptly knocked him out cold with a sonic blast.
The enhanced had managed to do some damage before being taken out though, including damaging Yasha's mask, rendering it useless.

“Well well, what do we have here, a lost Asset returning home.”

The voice over the PA system spoke English with a slight German accent and it instantly had Tony and Yasha on high alert, and Friday immediately started tracking the transmission location, and diverted some of her computing power to Yasha's earpieces, ready to act at the slightest hint of Russian being spoken.

“Stand down Soldat. Report for immediate recalibration and I will see to it that your punishment is lenient.”
“You are not this Asset's handler. The Asset will not comply.”
“Oh you will comply, one way or another. HYDRA will recover its Asset.”

The edge of insanity in the voice made Tony shudder and redouble his efforts to locate the man speaking.

“Wraith, I have located the room, bringing it up now.”

Friday's voice on the com was accompanied by a flicker of light on the suit's HUD giving Tony directions to the broadcast location.

“Get me access to that system.”
“Right away.”

A moment later an icon flashed briefly on the HUD telling Tony he was connected to the PA system.

“Sorry Fritz, but the Asset is mine now and I have no intentions of allowing HYDRA to mess with my stuff.”

The man, an upper level handler, hadn't even put up a fight, instead choosing to kill himself before Tony could enter the radio room.

“Eidolon, any more life signs?”
“Negative. But I do detect some strange readings in the bottom level.”
“What kind of readings?”
“Traces of Tesseract energy.”
“Fuck!”

Tony didn't know if he should be relieved or horrified when the source of the reading turned out to be a Chitauri corpse, or well, the head and spine from one.
Tony quickly flipped through the notes but most of the stuff was biology and neurology, not his best areas, he did understand enough to get a pretty good idea what they were working on though.
He was about halfway through the second pile of notes when Yasha's familiar form blocked the doorway for a moment.

“It looks like HYDRA is attempting to find a way to implement a Chitauri hive mind into their assets...”
“Total control without the need for recalibration or control words.”
“Yeah, doesn't look like they have gotten very far though, compatibility issues. From what I can glean from these notes exposure to the Chitauri tissue kills the human host tissue.”
“Good.”
“Yeah.”

They quickly collected all the files before setting explosives to take out as much of the small base as possible.

“Will these be enough to destroy the alien biological sample?”

Yasha held out a small crate containing incendiary grenades.

“Perfect, I'll add in some stuff from the wet-lab upstairs and it will definitely do the trick. Most of the Chitauri power is in their cybernetics anyway, and the chemicals they dose their soldiers with.”

The additional explosives were quickly set in the small bio-lab to make sure that the Chitauri sample was properly destroyed, Tony had toyed with the idea of bringing it with them, but in the end decided it was just too damned dangerous to have around.

“That's the last of it, let's blow this joint.”

Most of the files in the lab had been hardcopies so it had taken them a while to get everything loaded on the Quinjet, fortunately they had decided to take the larger one that Tony had been working on now that they didn't need to worry as much about being spotted.

“Are you injured?”

Yasha quickly picked up on Tony's obvious discomfort as he squirmed and shifted in his seat.

“What? No.”
“You look like you're in pain.”
“I'm not, I'm fine.”

The Asset could tell Tony was not being truthful and mission parameters dictated that he see to his handler's well being so without another word he initiated a basic examination.

“Whoa! Easy with the goods Terminator.”
“The Asset must ascertain that the handler is not injured.”
“I told you I'm fine.”
“You are not.”
“I'm not injured.”

The truth of the words left the asset confused again.

“Not injured, but not fine...”
“Fine, not fine... Just a lot on my mind.”

For a moment Tony couldn't help thinking that Yasha looked damned cute when he was confused, there was even a slight tilt to his head that despite being barely noticeable was a stark contrast to his usual perfect posture.
Tony tried to put a finger on why he felt so restless and off balance, maybe he had been exposed to something in one of the labs, but Friday was usually on top of things like that.
Clarity came to him with a shock as Yasha put his hands on his shoulders and started kneading the tension from his shoulders.

Some subconscious part of Tony's mind hadn't registered that the mission, the fight, was over.
Somehow he had gotten so used to Yasha's harsh kisses as the enhanced assassin came down from his battle high that he had begun to see it as a signal that it was over, that they were safe.

“We are safe now.”

With Yasha's soft words the tension bled from Tony's body and slumped back in his seat, letting his head fall back against the solid heat behind him.

“Safe...”

Without thinking Tony reached up and covered the large, strong, hands on his shoulders with his own, not wanting the contact to break.

The Asset watched as Tony leaned back against him, amazed at how the man calmed and closed his eyes in easy trust and he almost startled when calloused hands came down on top of his own, handlers usually frowned on any kind of physical contact outside of punishment or repairs.
Especially the cybernetic arm was avoided, many handlers would make him wear a harness that restrained it when not actively engaged in a mission, the Asset remembered the heavy leather and metal contraption that wrapped around his arm, and neck.

It took a lot longer than it should for Tony to realize that the touch was having certain effects on a certain part of his anatomy, the moment he did though he was cursing silently as he tried to will the erection down.
He could feel a slight heat rising in his face as there was no fucking way the ever observant super soldier hadn't already noticed the added bulge in his rather tight undersuit, at least Yasha didn't say anything or otherwise bring attention to it, thank god for small mercies.

Tony almost whined at the loss of the touch when Yasha moved away to the back of the Quinjet and started rummaging around in the crate of special MRE's that were always kept there.

“Eat.”

As always Yasha handed Tony the coffee and dessert along with the snacks from the pack before settling down to eat the actual meal himself, and as always he got up and grabbed a second one once he was done, once again handing Tony the coffee.

“Maybe we should just start packing picnic baskets when we head out, at least now that we have plenty of room.”
“Would taste better at least.”
“Yeah, instant coffee, not my cup of tea.”

When Yasha answered by handing him the packets of tea from the MRE Tony broke down laughing and by the time he managed to catch his breath he was feeling calm again.

“Thanks Snowflake. I needed that. And just FYI, tea, definitely not my cup of tea.”

Yasha rarely laughed, but when he did the sound of it did all kinds of things to Tony, it didn't matter if it was a light, amused sound like the one spilling from him now, or the dark, dangerous sound that would sometimes spill forth after taking out HYDRA trash.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

Getting called in for a regular villain clean up, or well as regular as it can be when dealing with an enhanced who can turn regular trees into something out of Tolkien, by the Accords felt strange and Tony found himself missing the sleek and stealthy Wraith suit, but more than anything he missed having Yasha at his side, they had grown into a damned good team.

Returning to the tower made it quite clear that Yasha hadn't liked it any more as the moment Tony stepped out of the suit he found himself the victim of a meticulous check for any kind of injury before being pulled into a tight hug.
Pulling back slightly Yasha placed his cybernetic hand across the arc reactor, gently brushing metal fingers against the casing and Tony knew he was checking to make sure the hum of the reactor was at its normal frequency.

“Safe..?”
“Yeah, I'm safe.”

Moments later Yasha was kissing him, harsh and brief, then he found himself pulled back into a tight hug and Yasha slumped slightly against him.

“Safe...”

Tony waited for a few minutes, enjoying the warmth, before carefully trying to extract himself from Yasha's hold.

“How about we head out for a nice dinner to celebrate kicking villain ass?”
“No. You will rest, and I will cook.”
“Alright alright. Getting bossy there Elsa.”

The way Yasha tensed made Tony regret his choice of words, and he quickly set out to assure him he didn't mind, that he wasn't upset, to be honest, Tony quite enjoyed Yasha's bossy mother hen mode, it made him feel accepted, valued, but that was something he kept to himself.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

When they finally find information relevant to how HYDRA implanted the trigger words used to control Yasha it's in a rathole in the Dharavi slums of Mumbai.

“Is that enough to get rid of the triggers?”

Yasha sounded so hopeful it made Tony's heart ache, and he found himself hoping with everything he was that they had finally found the key.
There was so much left for Yasha to work through in order to heal, but the could only do so much while the triggers were still in there, not just for the risk of activating them, but they were deeply ingrained in Yasha's mind, and pulling at the wrong memory, especially with BARF could cause massive damage.

Yasha was speaking more Russian than English these days and when Tony asked him about it he had answered that it made it easier to keep himself separate from the fragments of Bucky, made it easier to remember who he, Yasha, was.

“Hopefully. If nothing else it will tell us where to start.”
“Finally!”

Tony wasn't the least bit surprised when Yasha removed his muzzle before grabbing him and pushing him against the nearest wall, instead he retracted the faceplate and returned the searing kiss with equal fervour.
Tony couldn't put words on it, didn't know how to describe what had been developing between them, ever since that first Phantom mission together in Siberia something had changed.
It had only taken 3 more fights for Yasha to figure out why Tony had been having such problems calming down and since then he never hesitated to use kisses to calm or distract, and Tony really didn't mind, he just didn't know how to define them.

Tony was definitely feeling a lot of sexual tension, there was no denying that Yasha was fucking gorgeous, and if the impressive bulge he could feel during some of those kisses when Yasha was not in his tac-gear was any indication he wasn't alone in that, but somehow these post mission kisses weren't sexual.
It wasn't anything like love either, at least not as far as Tony was concerned, there was a lot of emotions, caring, trusting, a deep rooted longing and want, but it wasn't romantic in any way, it was something more primal.
It... It just was.

“Let's head home, see if we can figure this out.”
“Complying.”

Sometimes Tony envied the way Yasha could slip into the absolute certainty of the compliant state, he had developed a certain understanding for why some found the submissive role in D&S to be so alluring.
Part of him wondered if Yasha would miss it if they were able to fully remove the conditioning and triggers.

“Here try this.”

Tony handed Yasha a small paper plate with Pav Bhaji.
It had caused quite a bit of chaos when Tony had decided to put the Quinjet in a holding pattern and drop down for some authentic Indian street food, but the look on Yasha's face when he bit into the bread and buttery curry made it well worth it.
Tony couldn't help smiling at the way Yasha was devouring the various dishes, flushed and sweating from the hot spices.

“Guess you have a thing for spicy food, huh?”
“Makes me feel warm...”
“Yeah, it definitely does.”

Tony had learned early on that Yasha abhorred the cold, which was quite understandable with his experiences from WWII and with HYDRA.
Tony had been horrified to learn that Yasha's enhanced physiology had allowed him to remain conscious and fully aware through the initial freezing of the cryo process, mind still awake long after the body lost the ability to move.
Yasha loved the small sauna in the lair though and would happily spend hours at the medium or low settings, temperatures between 40-60°C, Tony would try to spend some of the time with him, sitting down at the floor where it was cooler, but with his memories and experiences in the desert and with extremis he had issues with heat instead.
Tony had thought that temperatures like those would make the cybernetic arm uncomfortably hot, but Yasha didn't seem to mind at all.

“Shit!”

Seeing Yasha's eyes start to water as he gasped for air from the heat after taking a big bite of the extra hot Misal Pav had Tony laughing and offer him a small cup with Raita to soothe the heat.
It wasn't even 2 minutes later that Yasha made short work of the rest of the Misal Pav, grinning like a madman at the burn.

“I have created a monster...”

Tony quickly regretted saying anything as he found himself the focus of Yasha's attention as the enhanced assassin quickly closed the few steps between them and leaned in to kiss him.

“Aw hell no! I don't have super soldier fireproof mouth!”
“Too bad...”

Yasha hummed teasingly before brushing his lips against Tony's, barely a touch, but still plenty enough to leave his lips stinging from the spicy heat for quite a while.

“You're a menace...”

Tony grumbled, but he was smiling all the same at seeing Yasha behave in a rather whimsical way, it was rare to see him anything but serious.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“I'm sorry...”

Studying the information about the method HYDRA had used to create the triggers confirmed their worst fears, there was no way to remove them without doing irreparable damage to Yasha's mind, at least not using BARF or any other method available that didn't rely on magic or enhanced abilities..

“The Asset should be terminated.”

Yasha took one of his guns and held it out to Tony.

“The Asset is not permitted to self terminate. But I can refrain from resisting if my handler decides to terminate.”

Tony took the gun with a horrified look and quickly set it aside.

“No, I refuse to give up just 'cause we had some bad news.”
“...”
“You chose to become mine, and I protect those who are mine. As long as you don't betray me I won't give up on you.”
“I'm too dangerous...”
“I'm not giving up.”

Tony refused to give up, and after spending weeks consulting various experts in psychology, neurology, neurochemistry and various aspects of mind manipulations Tony found a sliver of hope, in the form of a young enhanced woman with some pretty impressive mental abilities.
Even more impressive than her enhanced abilities was her understanding of the human mind, how to break it, how to heal it, and how to improve the BARF system to be able to help them.
It wouldn't remove the triggers, but it gave them hope of neutralizing the effect of them.

“The triggers can't be removed, but there is a possibility that we can recode them.”
“How?”
“The current sequence triggers a state of total compliance. According to this enhanced chick we should be able to use BARF to change the effect of the trigger, making you do something else when those words are used. The compliance trigger would still be there, but she claims that it would be possible to add additional words to the trigger sequence.”
“Making it highly improbable that HYDRA could trigger it...”
“Near impossible. From what I understand of what she explained we can lock it so that the additional words would only work if I'm the one saying them.”
“...”
“I'm not gonna sugar coat it, it's gonna be tough as hell, you're going to have to relive every step of the conditioning through BARF.”
“But it would render the triggers harmless?”
“If it works, yeah.”
“Then we do it.”
“Alright, let's get her on the horn and start drawing up plans.”

The young enhanced, who called herself Sei, was more than happy to help them find a way around the triggers and much to Tony and Yasha's relief she was sympathetic to their trust issues and didn't mind working with them over a simple audiolink.

“Will you stay with me?”

Speaking English for once Yasha's voice sounded frail and Tony wished he could suffer what was coming in his stead.

“I still need to monitor the BARF, but it's up to you if you want me to see what you see in the memories.”
“I think you should see. Not sure if I'll be able to talk about...”
“Alright, I'll watch it together with you then.”
“And keep a suit here. She said there is a risk that we will activate the triggers, and there may be fail-safes we don't know about.”
“Don't worry Tastee Freez. Fri is keeping two suits on standby and enough tranqs to put the Hulk down ten times over.”
“I will make sure you don't hurt Boss, or yourself.”
“Thanks Fri.”
“You are family Yasha and I will stop at nothing to protect Boss and his family.”

Tony was beaming with pride as he helped Yasha get comfortable in the soft recliner chair, picked specifically to not remind Yasha of the metal monstrosities HYDRA has strapped him into for the wipes and maintenance.

“Ready?”
“Ready.”

Tony couldn't help cupping Yasha's face for a moment as he did a last check on the BARF glasses.

“You can do this, you are stronger than anyone I have ever met.”
“I'll handle anything it takes to get HYDRA out of my head.”
“I know you will.”

It would be the first time they actively sought out memories from after James Buchanan Barnes' fall from the train, memories of Yasha's time as the Asset, the Fist of HYDRA, the Winter Soldier.
All their previous sessions had been focused at integrating the memories of Bucky, and the memories from the time with HYDRA that Yasha recalled on his own.
Now they would be digging into new memories, memories of the nightmarish conditioning and torture that had created the Winter Soldier in the first place.

Not even 2 minutes into the session Tony found himself emptying the contents of his stomach into the trash can by the door, and he quietly asked Friday to have a box of emesis bags brought from the medical wing.
The images showed memories of the first arm being attached, including memories of them cutting away what remained of Yasha's flesh arm, for him to remember that he must have been awake for parts of it.
Mixed in with the memories of the surgery was memories of Arnim Zola speaking softly to him, the first stages of the conditioning.

It took less than 5 minutes before Yasha tore the glasses off with a strangled cry and scanned the room with wild eyes, and the moment he laid eyes on Tony he scrambled from the chair and threw himself at him.

“Ssh, it's okay, you're safe.”
“Safe..?”
“Safe.”

Tony just held Yasha while he slowly came back to himself, it was familiar from the previous sessions even if none of them had been this intense.
Once Yasha calms down a bit his eyes shift to the trash can, no doubt picking up on the smell of the contents.

“I'm sorry...”
“Don't worry about it. I'll manage. Friday has some puke bags on the way up.”

Tony carefully nudges Yasha to move back to his chair and put the glasses back on, unfortunately there was little room for rest, to be able to reprogram the triggers they would have to keep pushing to the breaking point, memory after memory.

“I'm sorry, it's the only way.”
“Complying.”

The process of unlocking the triggers so they could be manipulated was pure torture and by the time they were ready to proceed Tony was dead on his feet and Yasha looked more like a hunted animal than a man, but as far as Tony could tell they had made it.

“Longing, Rusted, Seventeen, Daybreak, Furnace, Nine, Benign, Homecoming, One, Freight car...”

Tony recites the words with a voice that is far more steady than he thought he would be capable of.
It was the moment of truth, Yasha's response would tell them if they had succeeded or not, if he responded with anything other than Ready to comply, they would know they had succeeded.

“Priority objective override: Protect Tony Stark.”

The reply threw Tony off for a moment, he hadn't known what Yasha had picked as the new condition triggered by the words, but it was fitting as Tony leaned in to give Yasha the added phrase that would act as an extra lock to prevent anyone from triggering the compliant state.

“I trust you.”

The reaction was instant as Yasha rose to his feet and slipped into parade rest, making Tony's pulse picked up, it was the second moment of truth, would Yasha come back to who he had grown into after being triggered.

“Ready to comply.”
“Confirm active mission parameters.”

Yasha calmly lists his current missions, choosing Tony as his handler to take down HYDRA, the additional parameters about taking care of his own needs that Tony had implemented during those first weeks in the tower, and the mission to protect Tony.

“It worked...”

The relief was tangible in Yasha's voice, then moments later Tony was enveloped in a near crushing hug.

“It worked!”
“It worked, you're safe now.”
“Never again a weapon for HYDRA. I am yours now.”
“Mine for as long as you chose to be.”

Tony agreed with a hint of darkness, of possessiveness, in his voice, as long as Yasha chose to stay with him he wouldn't let anyone take him away.
He can't help frowning when Yasha pulls back slightly with a somewhat confused and concerned look.

“I am still the Asset...”
“I know. You are who you are, and I won't ask you to be anything else, that's up to you. The Asset has discretion.”
“Mission parameters accepted.”

By the time they made it back to their little lair Friday had a light meal waiting for them, though neither really noticed what they were eating, far too exhausted by the 3 days spent constantly running through memories with BARF.

Despite their exhaustion sleep was not forthcoming, the memories unearthed by BARF plaguing them both, when one managed to fall asleep it wouldn't be long before he startled awake from the nightmares, but the other would be there, pulling him closer.
Soft voices, guiding words, anchoring touches, and metal against metal soothing a shared trauma.

Friday watched over them, ever vigilant, and it was not the first time she wished she had a proper body so she could join them, she wanted nothing more than to soothe her creator, her father, and the broken man she had grown to consider a friend and brother.
The Eidolon drone and the various bots and mechanical arms she could control allowed her to touch, but not hold the way that would be needed to soothe them.
With nothing else she could do she sifted through her audio records and started playing the soothing sounds of summer rain and distant thunder.

She watched them closely as they struggled together to recover from the horrors of having to remember what HYDRA had done to create and control Yasha, she watched them grow closer, and she felt hope in seeing the way they protected each other without even noticing themselves.
Maybe her father had finally found someone worthy to call family, someone who wouldn't betray or abandon, and once again she found herself wishing she was as experienced as her predecessor, that she wasn't so young.

Friday worries and she cares, but she takes solace in trusting that they will manage, they had already explained to her that this would be hard, that it would probably take them weeks to return to a semblance of normal.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“You know, with the triggers out of the picture we could start working on bringing you in from the cold. Reinstate you will full legal residency and all that, no more hiding.”

Yasha turns slowly at the sound of Tony's voice, movements relaxed and if Tony didn't know better he would say sluggish and sleep addled, but he knows Yasha is like a serpent, he may be lazy, like a snake soaking in the heat of the sun, but he was always ready to strike.
Yasha might be learning how to be a person, but he would never stop being a weapon, and Tony had found that he didn't want him to, that deadly core of power and danger was a fundamental part of Yasha.

“I'm still the world's most wanted assassin.”

Yasha's objection was familiar, he was struggling with seeing himself as anything other than the weapon, HYDRA's Asset, even if HYDRA couldn't control him the way they had any more.

“After my legal and PR teams are done I'll have you welcomed back with a parade and a speach from the president. The heroic homecoming of James Buchanan Barnes, POW returning home after suffering 70 years of horrendous medical experiments, torture and brainwashing.”
“I have killed and hurt a lot of people. You saw some of the things they made me do.”
“I know, but you weren't acting on your own volition.”
“...”
“There's plenty of ways to prevent you from being held liable for your actions under HYDRA's control. Extreme duress, diminished capacity, the Nuremberg defence, the simple fact that they used fucking torture and trigger words to turn you into little more than a puppet to get you to do it.”

There was a long silence, then a sigh.

“I'm not ready...”
“Okay, that's entirely your call. But would it be okay if I start working on a solid defence for you though?”
“Yes.”

As much as Tony advocated accountability he wanted the true culprit to be the one to suffer the consequences.

“I want a mission.”

The almost glow of Yasha's eyes are telling and for a moment Tony marvels at the new aspect of Yasha that has begun to surface after they took control of the triggers, outspoken, demanding and sometimes downright dominant.
It's still a bit hit and miss which mood he will be in at any given time, but Tony finds that it just makes life more interesting.

“Sounds like a plan. Anything in particular you wanna hit?”
“I think so.”

Tony notices that the murder strut is out in full force as they make their way to their little mission central, something definitely has Yasha riled up, probably something from the memories brought up during the BARF session to disarm the triggers.

“Here.”

Yasha points toward Bangladesh.

“I remember a recent mission, protect a VIP. He specializes in human trafficking, providing not just HYDRA, but anyone willing to pay with slaves, test subjects and bribes, including underage girls. Dealing with the triggers, I remembered where his base of operations is.”

When Yasha looked over to Tony he was pale and shivering with fury and disgust.

“He knows the words, he used them a lot. I don't remember what he forced me to do, and I don't think I want to remember...”
“Whatever it was Yasha, what you really need to remember is that he used the words because it was the only way to make you do it.”

Friday speaks up to help ground Yasha while Yasha helps Tony keep from spiralling too far, they have found a balance and together they are managing.

“So this VIP, he can recite them from memory?”
“Yes.”
“Good thing that won't do jack shit to help him any more.”
“I want to let him use them, let him know fear when they do nothing to stop me.”
“He's all yours then.”
“Oh, I don't mind sharing. I have a feeling you know a thing or two about pain and fear.”

Getting into the new target location was easy, the traffickers were cowards, used to handling weak and broken people, who were unable to fight back.
Less than an hour after making contact they had the ringleader trapped in a hidden bunker and Yasha slowly walked closer while removing his muzzle and goggles.

“Time for you to face retribution.”

The moment he saw Yasha's face he began rattling off the trigger words.

“Freight car!”

Their target relaxed as the final word left his lips before Yasha reached him, assured of his own safety, never even noticing that Yasha never replied with the expected Ready to comply .
Yasha never spoke the new phrase either though, part of the compulsion he had created for himself to protect Tony kept him from saying anything that would reveal Tony's involvement.

“Asset, protect me! Kill that bastard! ”
“The Asset will not comply.”
“What the fuck?!”

Before their target could say anything else there was the familiar whine of a repulsor, then a flash of light knocking the man on his ass, strong enough to daze him, but not enough to do any significant damage.

“Eidolon, are we dark?”
“Full blackout confirmed. No one will disturb us.”

Tony and Yasha both threw a glance at Friday's drone at the use of Us, it would seem she wanted a piece of the bastard squirming at their feet as well.
Both nearly jumped when Friday aimed her own small weapons at the computer bank by the wall and fired.

“Boss, may I have permission to purge my memory banks?”

Friday's voice came through low in his earpiece, it sounded weak, almost broken and Tony was glad he had his faceplate down as he could feel himself pale as he realized what kind of information, what kind of sick material was probably stored on that computer.

“Of course. Wipe it all out.”

They took their sweet time with the target and they still felt he had gotten off far too easy, but there was no more time, they needed to get out of there.
For once they didn't burn the facility behind them, leaving the corpses as a warning, the facility was also the only shelter a lot of displaced people had, and it would take a few days to get the Maria Stark Foundation in there to assist.

Once back at the Quinjet Tony quickly set a course for Bangkok, intent on giving Yasha, who was making short work of one of the MRE's, a sample of the hottest Thai food he could find.

“Fri baby, do I need to worry about you going HAL on us?”

Tony had watched as Friday used the Eidolon's power system to deliver electric shocks that had to be excruciatingly painful while coldly reciting the ways the piece of trash had hurt innocents, and Yasha, taking particular offense at how the triggers had been used to force Yasha to hurt innocents.

“Don't worry Boss, I won't seek a target on my own. Only targets already flagged for termination.”
“Alright, as long as you check with me or Yasha and get target confirmation first.”
“Will do Boss.”
“Don't stuff yourself full there Snowflake, we're grabbing some proper Thai on the way back.”
“Extra spicy?”
“Of course.”

Tony can't help smiling at the almost childish delight on Yasha's face at the prospect of having proper Thai food, not the watered down, westernised version served in most US restaurants.
Finding out about Yasha's love for hot food made the strike against the HYDRA cell in Mumbai a triple victory, kill HYDRA scum, finding the answer to the triggers, and finding something Yasha enjoyed.

.·:*¨¨*:· The Power of Words·:*¨¨*:·.

“Boss, the DC Accords office has requested for Team Phantom to come in for a debriefing and planning meeting, tomorrow.”
“Of course they have, so much for that trip to New Orleans... Always last fucking second with those bastards.”
“I'm sorry Boss, I tried to get them to pick another day but they refused to.”

Tony had made plans to take Yasha to New Orleans for a crawfish boil as a bit of a surprise to see how he would like the food there.

“Is our resident murder kitten still toasting away in the sauna?”
“He is. Do you want me to let him know you're looking for him?”
“Nah, it's okay, let him enjoy steaming himself.”

Yasha was still being very reluctant about not being in the same room as Tony, but it was getting better as long as they both remained on the floor that Tony had jokingly dubbed the lair, which pretty much was home now, he only used the penthouse if Pepper or Rhodes was visiting.

Getting back to the coding he was working on Tony waits for Yasha to finish up and when he does return Tony finds himself enjoying the treat of seeing Yasha walk from the bathroom over to his wardrobe wearing nothing but a flush from the heat and a towel hanging low on his hips.
He sees him naked pretty much daily as they usually shower at the same time in the gym, but that's different somehow, not as enticing.
Tony quickly focuses back on the nanite code when the towel is unceremoniously dropped to the floor in front of the wardrobe, he is pretty sure that Yasha's total lack of modesty and inhibitions is going to be the death of him one day.

“Any luck getting those to cooperate?”

Yasha drops down on the couch with a huge bowl of mixed fruit and offers it to Tony while taking a glance at what he's working on.

“I'm getting closer. Trick is if I restrain them too much they won't work, and if I don't restrain them enough they start behaving a bit like cancer.”
“You will figure it out.”
“Hopefully. Meanwhile, we got some hoops to jump through. Council wants us in DC tomorrow to debrief.”
”Annoying...”

Tony can't help bark out a laugh at the way Yasha rolls his eyes and manages to sound utterly bored, and like the task would be the ultimate bother, it reminds him of himself when dealing with narrow-minded people in many ways.

“Yeah, got that right...”

The way Tony was grumbling under his breath told Yasha that there was more to it than just annoyance at having to deal with the accords council.

“Is something wrong?”
“Not really, I had just made plans for a little trip, take a few days to relax, explore and try some new food.”

Yasha can feel himself slipping, the anger is familiar, but the disappointment is not, it's not something he knows how to deal with, and even the anger as familiar as it is feels different, he has no target to aim it at, at least not a target he can actually go after without risking everything they have worked for.

“You okay there Snowflake?”
“No.”
“Want to tell me about it?”
“The Asset does not know what to do.”
“About what?”
“I feel...”

The Asset can't help hesitating to deliver his report, previous handlers have always considered emotion a malfunction, a reason for punishment and recalibration, pain, and wipes.
He knows of course that Tony is not like the previous handlers, but the hesitation is still there, Tony had explained it, that an abuse victim will avoid situations that have previously led to abuse, even if the abuser is gone.

“It's okay, take your time, and remember, no punishments for feeling.”
“I'm confused...”
“You're learning how to deal with the emotions that HYDRA stole from you, of course you're gonna be confused from time to time.”
“...”

When Yasha falls silent Tony decides to try to give him another nudge about hiring a proper expert to help deal with everything, he doesn't have high hopes though, Yasha is even more paranoid than he is himself.

“You want me to look into some professional help to get through this?”
“No. It's not safe. You and Fri are safe.”
“Okay, but neither of us are actually trained for this kind of stuff.”
“BARF helps, we will manage.”
“Yeah, I guess you're right about that. Might not be the best way, but we'll manage.”

The Asset settled back to find the appropriate words for what he was experiencing, and while he did Tony brought out the maintenance kit for the arm.
The new arm barely required any maintenance, but they kept with the once a week cleaning and inspection schedule anyway and the Asset found the routine to be comforting, and the way Tony would babble about anything and everything while working gave a very good look into his mental state.
This time Tony didn't speak though, instead he just hummed to himself, waiting for the Asset to put together his report.

Tony was closing up the last of the access panels when Yasha finally spoke up, the somewhat stiff Russian telling him he was deep into the compliant mindset that he fled to when overwhelmed.
He tried as best as he could to stay calm while Yasha spoke, outlining his confusion and conflicting feelings, his frustration at feeling anger and aggression while not having a hostile target associated with the feelings.

“Yeah, that big ol' mess of conflicting emotions kinda comes with being human.”
“It's distracting.”
“Mhm. It can really mess you up sometimes. But if focused, it can make you stronger, push you beyond the limits.”
“I don't like it. It's an unreliable variable.”
“Don't worry, you'll learn to handle it. Not to mention you're pretty damned amazing at compartmentalizing your emotions when needed. And remember what I said, you don't have to become all emotional and stuff, it's up to you.”
“The Asset has discretion...”
“Yes, the Asset has discretion.”

When Yasha didn't say anything more Tony just plucked another piece of fruit from the bowl before making himself comfortable on the oversized couch, using Yasha's lap as a pillow and soon he was half asleep mind muddled by the soothing touch of metal fingers sifting through his hair.

“I'm hungry, can we try something new today?”

Tony startled slightly when Yasha spoke up, this time without any trace of Russian, or the compliant state.

“Of course. Fri baby, any suggestions for stuff we haven't tried yet?”
“There is a new Lebanese restaurant that has received a lot of good reviews from Lebanese guests for its authenticity.”
“What do you say Tastee Freez?”
“Is it spicy?”

The question had Tony laughing while Friday brought up information on Lebanese cuisine.

“It's not spicy the way the Indian and Thai foods you like so much are, but I think you will enjoy it anyway.”
“I'm sure I will, I'm not picky.”

Tony was pretty sure Yasha would eat pretty much anything without complaints, they had found some of HYDRA's version of MRE's developed for their Asset and they were pretty horrid.

“Boss, I have uncovered some information about the requested meeting.”

They were finishing up their meal with some kind of extremely sweet semolina cake topped with pecans when Friday tapped into their earpieces.

“What's up baby?”
“The Rogues will be there.”
“Fuck!”
“Fuck!”

Tony and Yasha cursed as one.

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

“Boss, looks like the Rogues are waiting for us to land.”

Friday brought the Avengers Quinjet as well as the Rogues up on the targeting screen, painting them all in a fairly dark orange, indicating she saw them as hostile targets, but not currently engaged in active combat.

“Fri baby, stand down to yellow please.”
“Boss, they have already proven themselves untrustworthy and potentially hostile.”
“I know sweetheart, but we need to at least pretend to be friendly, you can put them back on orange if they as much as twitch funny.”
“Alright Boss...”
“That's my sweet baby girl.”

The way the Eidolon shifted where it was perched on Yasha's shoulder gave a distinct feel of a moping pout.

“You doing okay there Terminator?”
“The Asset is operating within acceptable parameters for the current mission.”
“Alright.”

Tony sighed slightly, Yasha was not reacting well to them having to be in the same facility as Rogers and his lackeys, not that Tony blamed him in the least, he would rather be just about anywhere else himself.

“You make sure to let Fri know if it becomes too much and we'll get the fuck out. I don't care what they say.”
“Acknowledged.”
“Fri, skip the aerial sweep and just stay on his arm for this.”
“Of course Boss. Don't worry Yasha, I'll be keeping an eye on both of you.”
“...”

They had determined that there was a risk that the Rogues would notice that something was different about Yasha's arm, so by carrying the Eidolon on his arm they hoped that any oddities, like sounds, would be written off as being caused by the winged drone.
Friday would also be controlling the Wraith suit to maintain the illusion that it was piloted by someone other than Tony.
Though, they all hoped they wouldn't get close enough to the Rogues for it to become an actual issue, but they all agreed that with their luck they would probably end up having the Rogues in their laps for the briefing.

“Tony!”

Tony cringed slightly as Rogers yelled from the ground level of the landing pad, but fortunately the guard seemed to have a decent situational awareness and insisted on checking security clearance before letting the Rogues up to the pad, giving Tony and Yasha time to get inside.
By the time the Rogues made it inside Tony and Yasha had made their way to the meeting room and settled into one of the small private antechambers connected to the main room.

“Cap, did you see that?”
“See what?”
“That new guy had your shield... Different colours, but it has to be it.”

Friday was tapping into the surveillance and showing the conversation between the Rogues to Tony and Yasha.

“Typical fucking Stark.”

Friday made a note in her own files about Barton's irrational hostility, adding an extra flag to find some way to make him pay.

“I thought it was supposed to be Stark and a three man team?”
“I think Eidolon is that freaky drone Ghost was carrying. The file says Eidolon is just communications and tech support, not a field operative.”

The debate between Wilson and Lang about her status on the team made Friday offer a dry quip that at least Wilson seemed to have a few brain cells to rub together, too bad he forgot about using them the moment Rogers batted his eyelashes...

Friday continued to monitor the conversation as the Rogues bitched and griped about everything from Yasha's gear to the colours on the Wraith, Roger's complaints were centred on his belief that Tony had done something to harm his Bucky.

“They appear unstable, and the Captain doesn't seem to be doing anything to reign them in.”
“Good to have you back Snowflake.”
“Sorry.”
“Nah, don't be. I'd rather not be here either. You do what you need to to stay in the game.”
“Rogers appears to be convinced that Boss has done something to harm His Bucky. Yasha, do you have any memories suggesting that Rogers and Bucky were romantically involved?”

Friday sounded confused as there hadn't been anything that she could find in the memories they had addressed using BARF that explained Rogers' possessive protectiveness.

“Nothing I can remember. Seemed more like brothers. I have memory fragments of Bucky saving Stevie's ass a lot when he picked impossible fights.”
“I actually think it's as simple as Rogers wanting the 40's back. A time he remembers as himself being the one in control. When the serum set him apart more than now, when he had his faithful Bucky at his side. He never seemed very interested in adjusting to the 21^st century.”

Tony had spent a lot of time mulling over why Roger's did what he did, but he never could get the pieces to fit together.

“So he views Bucky as his ticket to get his old life back?”
“I think so Fri. And he clearly has no qualms about walking over corpses to get it.”

A chime from the speaker by the door interrupted the conversation as it alerted them that the Council was ready to see them.

“Alright, game faces...”

Tony stood and took a deep breath before letting the appropriate mask slip into place.

“No, I will smile and play nice in front of the cameras, but I will not work with Accords Team Epsilon 4 in any way outside of large scale operations requiring multiple teams. Not as Tony Stark, and not as Iron Man.”

Tony refused to call them the Avengers, instead he insisted on using the Accords team registry designation given to them when they signed up for the HYDRA task force, Team Epsilon 4.
As the first, and original team of the task force Tony's little team was actually registered as Team Phantom.

“And I will never work under Rogers or Epsilon 4, not in any capacity!”

The entire meeting was essentially the Council trying to merge their team with the Rogues as a means to get Tony to once again supply and support them with tech and money.
Never before had Tone been so glad to have Yasha's deadly presence at his back, all burning flames and jagged edges, a presence that seemed to wrap around him every bit as smoothly as his Iron Man armours.

“Please Mr Stark, try to see reason!”
“I am being perfectly reasonable. You have no grounds for demanding that I put time and money into supporting the people who betrayed and attacked me.”

Friday was furious and felt utterly helpless as she listened to the Council trying to force her creator to play nice with those who had abused and betrayed him.
The microscopic movements of Yasha's finger tapping the familiar patterns of morse-code against a sensor on the Eidolon's tail told her he was struggling to stay calm as well.
She answered with minute movements of one of the claws against an extra sensitive spot hidden at the edge of one of the panels on Yasha's arm, sharing anger and frustration, and dark desires for revenge, desires to bleed those who had harmed, would harm her father, dry.

The Asset, sniper and assassin with no desires, no feelings beyond the mission had taught Friday a lot about the value of waiting for the right time, to patiently wait for days, hidden, unmoving, waiting for that one perfect moment where all factors aligned before taking the shot.

Friday watched with pride as her creator refused to bow or bend, refused to break, no longer allowing others to place the guilt and blame on him, all that remained now was for him to stop doing it himself, but she had hope now.

“No, and that's final. Call my office when you are ready to actually listen.”

Tony turned on his heel, making it perfectly clear that he was done listening to the Council not listening to him, he knew Rogers, Romanoff and Wilson were waiting right outside the conference room, Friday had warned him, but he just couldn't stand staying any longer, he could feel the panic creeping around the edges of his mind..

“Tony we need to talk!”

Tony just ignored Rogers walking toward the opposite exit, and he didn't need Friday's warning to know that Barton and Lang would be waiting for them around the corner before they could reach the exit.

“Would you just drop your ego and see the bigger picture for once in your life.”

Romanoff's refrain was getting really old, but Tony kept walking, he was not about to let them get to him.

“Stop being such a fucking brat Stark!”

As he knew they would, Barton and Lang appeared around the corner when Tony got close, and when they moved to block his way Tony just levelled them with a glare.

“Get out of my way Barton.”
“I ain't going anywhere until Cap is done talking to your selfish ass!”

Tony almost smiled when Barton made the mistake of taking a threatening step closer, something that Yasha and Friday did not look kindly on, both instantly intervening.
A split second later Yasha had Barton pinned to the wall by with his right arm against the archer's chest, applying just enough force to make it painful, and Friday had used the Wraith to hold Lang against the opposite wall, hand placed squarely in the middle of his chest, repulsor whining softly in obvious warning, and threat.

Tony just put on his biggest media smile, offered a mock salute and bow, then walked out, Yasha and Friday falling into line once he was safely out of reach, leaving the Rogues calling and cursing behind them.
The moment the ramp of the Quinjet closed, securing them away from prying eyes, both men crashed, stumbling against each other, seeking confirmation that they were safe.

“Easy Boss, Yasha, you're safe, we're all safe. Focus on breathing, I'll get us out of here.”

Friday watched Yasha rip the mask from his face and lean his forehead against Tony's, sensors telling her that both of them had elevated pulse and respiratory rhythm but between touches and soft whispered assurances that they were safe they were calming down.
She watches the familiar way Yasha moves Tony to allow him to breathe easier while Tony places one of his hands over the sleek metal of Yasha's left hand, not to move it away from the reactor, but to pull it tighter against it.

While watching over them Friday makes sure there would be plenty of snacks and finger foods waiting for them when they got back to the tower, it would help them relax and recover energy burned by the heightened state of anxiety, especially Yasha tended to be ravenous after an episode.
Yasha's already rather extreme hypervigilance burned a lot of energy, and having it cranked up to 11 by stress drained his reserves pretty fast even though the serum would let him run on a near empty for a significant amount of time.

A benefit of Yasha's metabolism though was that Tony was actually eating properly as well, his health had been steadily improving in several key areas.
She still wished he would spend more time looking into ways to repair the damage done by the arc reactor though, his life expectancy was alarmingly low with the poor condition of his lungs and heart, but the way Tony was growing closer to Yasha was giving her hope, maybe he had finally found his reason to live, to risk the changes needed to heal.

When the Quinjet lands at the tower Yasha carries a sleeping Tony to the elevator and Friday makes sure there are no noises to wake him while cancelling the action queue that would take food out of the refrigerator.

“Yasha, there are some suitable snacks waiting for you in the kitchen and I have a nice selection waiting for when Boss wakes up.”
“Thank you Fri.”

The Asset placed Tony on the couch and made sure he was comfortable before fetching the snacks that Friday had mentioned, as usual there was a nice selection of nuts and seeds, fruits and berries as well as a selection of meat and fish, prepared in various combinations of salted, smoked or dried.
As always Tony had allowed him to regain control, centred him and helped him calm down, but there was still a part within that burned with a desire to just kill those who caused Tony pain, but he had listened, a greater enemy approaching, one that would require the world to fight united.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

“Come on Winter Wonderland.”

Tony tugged at Yasha's arm, trying to get him to follow the dirt road toward a set of large greenhouses and factory buildings sprawled between a few fairly large fields and an orchard.
His high spirited mood was contagious and Yasha retaliated against the impatience by planting his feet and simply raising his arm, pulling the smaller man closer and almost lifting him off the ground.

“Hey! No using my tech against me!”

Yasha could smell the joy radiating from Tony, along with something that almost smelled like a lie that he had learned was Tony hiding something to surprise him.
Of course he could also smell the hot peppers on the air, making his nose and throat tickle with heat, revealing that Tony's surprise had something to do with his preference for spicy foods.

“Then slow down котенок.”
“Starting to feel that centenarian body of yours?”
“Not at all, but you are prone to tripping over air.”
“Hey that happened once!”
“A day...”
“Meanie...”

Tony couldn't help feeling happy at the way Yasha was developing and healing, he still spoke mostly Russian, but he didn't feel as broken or confused any more, he was being more confident about making choices, and about expressing himself.
He would still slip into the compliant state from time to time, but it wasn't the same any more, no more expecting punishments or any of those things, it was more of a coping mechanism to allow himself time to sort through his feelings when overwhelmed.
And to boot he was developing a streak of downright evil humour, the man was a menace.

Yasha had long since stopped questioning how a grown man could be so whimsical and childish, Friday had told him that Tony never really had a childhood worth mentioning, always expected to act mature and proper, always wearing masks so now he would sometimes let that part out when he felt safe and happy.
With an exaggerated sigh he starts following Tony again, letting himself be dragged toward the large greenhouses to see just what Tony had planned for the day.

Tony was a whirlwind of barely contained energy and Yasha could almost feel him vibrating whenever the guide paused the tour to explain something about the work in the green house where the small company grew the peppers used in their hot sauces.
Yasha found that it was actually a quite interesting tour as the woman spoke about how various factors affected the heat and flavour of the peppers grown and he could tell that Tony was hanging on every detail, no doubt up to something again.
He was surprised to find that the spicy fruits came in more colours than just red and yellow, including black, white and purple.

“Okay Snowflake, time to get our hands dirty!”

The rest of the group had already left but apparently Tony had managed to arrange something extra.
Curiosity was a fairly new feeling for Yasha, but he was pleased to find that it was one that didn't cause too much trouble, at least not mentally, it didn't overwhelm him, the amount of trouble it caused when trying to sate it was a different issue.
They followed one of the workers into a small side room where coveralls and protective gear had been laid out for them and they were left alone to change, though Tony had Friday do a quick sweep for surveillance gear first.

Yasha knew that Tony was no stranger to working with his body, the way he worked metal without using power tools, the way he would shift engines and heavy equipment around, just looking at his body was enough to tell, you didn't get that kind of definition just from the gym.
He had read all the things the media wrote about Tony, even in the short time travelling with the Captain he had heard quite a few things as well, calling Tony spoiled, accusing him of never having actually worked for anything in his life.
No one seemed to credit him for all the work he did, designing most of Stark Industries tech products, the man had a very impressive list of patents, and he had created Iron Man.
He had taken a weapons manufacturer built on government contracts and turned it into one of the largest, and most successful, cross discipline companies in the world.

“Hey, you okay there Tastee Freez?”
“Just thinking.”
“Anything you want to share?”
“Not now.”
“Alright.”

Yasha didn't seem tense so Tony saw no reason for further concern, instead he focused on checking to make sure Yasha's photostatic veil was working as it should before helping him with the long faux skin glove that keept the metal of his hand hidden.

A senior worker explained to them how to spot if the fruits were ripe and before long they were set to work on picking them.
Yasha found the work of harvesting the small, but insanely hot, peppers to be relaxing, carefully sifting through the plants to find the peppers that looked ripe, squeezing them gently to see if they were fully ripe.

“So, how did you like being a pepper-farmer for a day?”

Tony's somewhat nervous and hopeful energy made Yasha give him an amused smile, soothing those nerves.

“It was calming.”
“I guess it was, wasn't it...”
“Felt good to work with my hands, not just fight...”
“Yeah, feels good to create something.”
“Food now?”
“Mhm...”

Their next stop was a steakhouse in the nearby town that specialized in using the various products created at the farm, boasting to serve the hottest ribs and wings in the US.

“I want to try that.”

Tony barked out a laugh as Yasha pointed to a poster that offered a food challenge, anyone who could eat the huge plate of insanely hot food without drinking or throwing up wouldn't have to pay, and would get an ugly trophy and T-shirt, as well as a spot on their Wall of Fame.

“You know that's kinda cheating Mister Super Soldier Serum enhanced appetite and resilience...”

Tony's teasing reply made Yasha grin and order the challenge meal, Tony obviously wasn't upset about the so called cheating considering he had spoken Russian, and barely whispered, trusting Yasha's enhanced hearing to pick it up.

“I'll have that mini slider selection and the Carne asada fries.”

Tony's order rewarded him with a raised eyebrow and the hint of a challenging smile, Yasha clearly didn't think he would be able to finish the order on his own.
Waiting for their food they had already drawn an audience waiting to see if Yasha would be able to pull off the challenge.

“Alright, timer starts now!”

The server hit a small gong which started a countdown of 1 hour on the timer and Yasha started on his meal, calmly making his way through the various dishes.

“Damn, dude!”
“You got asbestos lining in that mouth of yours?”
“He's gotta be part dragon or something.”

The commentary as Yasha made his way through the food, flushed and a slight sheen of sweat, but showing no discomfort from the insanely hot food made Tony smile and tease him a bit.

“Challenge clear!”

Tony wasn't the least bit surprised that Yasha hadn't just cleared the challenge, but set a new time record as well, too bad he wouldn't get on the Wall of Fame with his real face and name.
They took some time to have a few drinks with the locals before heading back to the Quinjet, neither of them felt safe enough to stay at the small motel at the edge of town.

“I had a lot of fun today, Thank you.”
“...”

Tony couldn't find any words to answer with, his mind momentarily blanked out when Yasha wrapped his arms around him from behind the co-pilot seat and brushed his lips against his neck.
Struggling to find his voice Tony pressed the smooth metal of Yasha's hand tighter against the arc reactor, using the now familiar feeling to ground himself.

“That's good...”

Closing his eyes Tony tried to calm down, he had tried to keep some semblance of distance, keep things casual, platonic, but it was getting harder and harder every day to keep his heart from getting involved.
When Yasha's right hand came up to Tony's neck and gently tilted his head to the side before placing a kiss on the sensitive skin behind his ear Tony knew that everything had changed and he knew it could spell trouble.
The small part that told him to pull away, to ask Yasha not to do that again was quickly silenced by the part that wanted to beg for more, it was all he could manage to just keep his silence and not chase after the warmth of the touch.

Friday wasn't sure what had happened, she could tell that something had changed between her creator and Yasha, it was subtle, but touches lingered in a different way, and both had begun to move in ways that would expose sensitive spots to the other.
Most of the time those invitations seemed to pass unnoticed, but every now and then a brush of fingers, or lips would take what was offered, and it was always accompanied by subtle, but intense physical reactions, hitched breaths, erratic heartbeats and noticeable pupillary reactions.

She accessed every database she could find, scoured the internet, learned everything she could about the steps of the new dance she was observing, and she was very pleased with what she was learning.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

“Keep still.”
“I know!”

Yasha's hiss turned into a pained growl as Tony dug a bullet out of his shoulder and put some pressure on it while waiting for his enhanced healing to stem the flow of blood.

“I need to invent an easier way to pull bullets out of your ass.”

Tony complained and cursed while checking Yasha's injuries, but fortunately the rest of the shots had either been stopped by the tac gear and shield, or been clean through and through so they were already well on their way to healing.

HYDRA must have made some last minute plans, because the small base they had picked as their target was crawling with agents and left them at a bit of a disadvantage, at least there was no sign of them being expected.
They were making their way through it though, but had been forced to pause for a bit to dig out the bullet that had gotten wedged into the joint of Yasha's right shoulder, limiting mobility and impairing the healing.

“Good to go?”
“Yes.”
“Try to be a bit more careful, okay? I hate seeing you get hurt.”

Tony knew Yasha had an absurd tolerance for pain, but he felt it every bit as acutely as anyone else, if not more with his enhanced senses.

“The Asset will attempt to reduce damage sustained.”
“Please do.”

Tony reached out and brushed a hand against the side of Yasha's mask before letting the gauntlet envelop the hand again.
Things had become harder in some ways, just as he knew they would when the wall he had tried to build started to crumble, it wasn't that he worried more than before or anything like that, instead the pain of seeing Yasha hurt had changed.
But it had also sparked a sense of hope, hope that Yasha would choose to stay with him and Friday even if they managed to eradicate HYDRA, Yasha leaving was something that Tony hated to admit that he had been fearing for quite a while now.
With a shake of his head Tony refocused on clearing the HYDRA base while Friday stole all their data.

“Not that I mind the show, but you really should get those bullets out before they end up stuck in the soft tissue.”

Friday's voice held a teasing edge as she spoke up, making Tony break away from the harsh kiss and push Yasha back with a glare.

“How many this time Fri?”
“Scans indicate three projectiles still lodged within the soft tissue of Yasha's right leg.”
“Alright Terminator, you know the drill.”
“Complying...”

There was a distinct mix of a huff and a sigh in the reply as Yasha made himself comfortable on the padded seat section along the wall of the Quinjet that doubled as a medical cot.
The work of extracting bullets had become a familiar one, as they began striking against larger, more well organised cells and bases the resistance became increasingly competent and well armed, and Yasha tended to more or less ignore weapons aimed at him.
Tony really wished Yasha would stop being so careless with himself, sure, he would heal, but getting shot still fucking hurt.

“The Asset has failed...”

Tony sighed as Yasha took his usual kneeling position the moment the last of the fresh bullet wounds had been cleared and wrapped, the shield and gear worked wonders to protect his head and torso, but his legs were a bit more vulnerable and several of the HYDRA goons had tried to take him down by aiming low.
Fortunately Yasha wasn't that easy to stop, but having to dig bullets out never got easier.

“You're alive and you'll heal...”

Looking at his hands, and the thin medical gloves slick and red with Yasha's blood, made him flinch and he could feel the edges of panic closing in as he quickly pulled them off and disposed of them in the waste container that would be incinerated once back at the tower.
Tony tensed slightly as Yasha slumped forward and wrapped his arms around his waist, the mottled blue and yellow bruises from a fight as Iron Man the previous week were still pretty sore, and the hairline fracture to his pelvis didn't really help.

“Sorry...”

The grip let up slightly with the murmured apology, but Yasha didn't let go so Tony settled for running his fingers through his hair, calming both of them down.
Tony could feel the moment Yasha snapped out of the compliant state he had pushed himself into, the subtle change in the posture, a slight flex in the arms, then the mismatched hands started brushing a pattern over his back.
For a brief moment Tony wished he wasn't wearing the undersuit with its coverall design, wishing there was no cloth between his skin and those hands.
He found himself pinned against the bulkhead as Yasha rose to his feet, unbothered by his wounds, then Tony's mind blanked out as Yasha resumed the kiss, and this kiss, it was want, desire, and enough sex to have Tony painfully hard in a moment.
In the back of his mind Tony groaned as he knew full well he would be suffering from blue-balls once the closeness pushed Yasha too far.

After altering the triggers they had started working on looking into Yasha's memories as the Asset, unlocking the things that had been hidden, and despite knowing it had to be done for Yasha to heal they sometimes wished they hadn't seen the things HYDRA had forced Yasha to do, had done to him.
Intimacy past some very hot and hungry hugs and kisses was off the table, triggering panic attacks from memories of how HYDRA had used Yasha's body as a tool for torture in one of the worst ways imaginable, there were memories of handlers using him for their own twisted pleasures as well.
And Tony knew Yasha was worried about losing control of his strength and hurting him, it had been a fairly common occurrence when HYDRA had used the triggers to force him to do such things, often outright killing the victim, and there had been a memory of a dead handler as well.
Tony felt that the victims were almost certainly better of dead than subject to HYDRA's torture, and a dead HYDRA handler was always a good thing.

It would take time to work through all the traumatic memories, if even possible, but Tony didn't care anymore, he had resigned himself to the simple fact that somewhere along the line he had lost his heart to the enhanced assassin.
To make matters even worse Yasha was still trying to find himself, learn how to be a person, and that was an entire emotional roller-coaster on its own, especially with Yasha still trying to use the fragmented memories of Bucky as some kind of template for how to act when feeling overwhelmed or had a setback in his recovery.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

Seeing the out of control truck in the corner of his eye the world screeched to a halt around Tony, like a movie being progressed frame by frame the large truck came closer to their car, he could see Yasha, who had spotted the danger a moment earlier, reaching out for the steering wheel but there was nowhere for their car to go.

For a brief moment Tony's mind flashed to the total absurdity of the fact that with everything he did as Iron Man, as Wraith, and even the situations he got himself into just being Tony fucking Stark, he would end up being done in by an out of control truck.

The next moment the world exploded into sound and pain, then faded into darkness.

“Boss! Yasha!”

Friday was frantically scanning every signal, trying to find some way to confirm the condition of the pair and when she picked up the signal from Tony's gauntlet watch something inside her went cold, she wasn't picking up a pulse.
Activating the earpiece Yasha was wearing she pushed the volume to the max.

“Yasha!”

It took a few seconds, then a muddled reply in Russian, Yasha, or rather the Asset, giving a damage report.

“Asset, focus!”

She didn't hesitate to switch to Russian, addressing him as Asset, knowing Yasha would respond better to that in his current state.

“Boss' heart has stopped, administer CPR!”
“Complying.”

Making full use of both enhanced strength and the cybernetic arm Yasha made short work of getting Tony free from the car, but administering CPR to someone with such a damaged ribcage was a challenge, the crash had caused significant trauma to the already compromised ribcage and lungs.
Fortunately the sensors and controllers of the cybernetic arm allowed Yasha extreme precision and control over the force applied, and with Friday giving him very precise data he was able to maintain compressions with minimal additional damage.

The Asset's mind had gone cold the moment he realised they wouldn't be able to avoid the approaching truck and the force of the impact had knocked him out for a few moments.
Dazed and confused the Asset responded to the orders given through an earpiece he couldn't remember wearing, a VIP down, CPR required, detailed instructions given by a handler he also couldn't remember, she sounded young and emotional, but was clearly highly competent, perhaps not a handler but a specialist.
Instructions for the CPR kept coming through, mixed with orders to protect the VIP, Tony Stark, personal data was being listed so the Asset made sure to memorize it, stay close, don't get separated, possible assassination attempt.

As the Asset heard sirens approaching, the voice gave him orders to stand down and allow the EMTs and paramedics to take over, instructions to identify as the VIP's bodyguard and medical proxy and to join the VIP in the ambulance, redirect them to a private medical facility as the VIP had special medical needs.
It was a short ride to the tower, but it was enough for the Asset to recover from the confusion caused by the head trauma but part of him wished his memories had stayed away a bit longer, even so deep into the Asset mindset his emotions were a jumble, struggling to think as he took in the scope of Tony's injuries.

Friday was giving him a steady stream of data and details, letting him know that Tony's own medical staff was standing by at the tower garage to receive them and that the Quinjet had been sent out to pick up Doctor Cho who was fortunately in DC to negotiate with the Accords council about using the cradle to help the various enhanced teams.

Yasha was leaning against the wall outside the small emergency room while Cho and the team worked on saving Tony's life and every time he heard the alarm from the heart monitor he felt as if his own heart stopped as well.

“I'm sorry Yasha, the damage is far too extensive, the cradle can keep him alive for maybe a week, but no more, his body was compromised even before the accident. His rib cage just couldn't take another massive injury, and his heart was already in bad condition.”

Cho was pale and shaking with emotion as she informed Yasha that there was nothing more she could do before heading to the small room set aside for her to try to get some sleep.

Within hours of the crash Friday found herself fighting off a veritable avalanche of media and government representatives demanding information on Tony's condition, and on top of it all Miss Virigina Pepper Potts was in the elevator trying to access the medical wing.

“I'm sorry Miss Potts, I can't allow you access to the private medical wing at this time.”
“Friday! That's Tony in there.”
“I'm sorry, but the resources used to treat Boss are classified.”
“I'm Tony's medical proxy, I need to be there.”
“Boss' primary medical proxy is already present.”
“Rhodes is here? Put him on.”
“I'm sorry Miss Potts, Colonel Rhodes isn't here, he has been informed of Boss' condition but will stay at the compound until Boss is cleared to have visitors.”
“Then who's there with Tony?”
“I'm sorry Miss Potts, I can't reveal the identity of Boss' primary medical proxy.”

Friday was not happy when Potts tried to use her old override code to make her reveal Yasha's name.

“I'm afraid that code doesn't have sufficient clearance. I will inform you of any changes in Boss's condition in accordance with your clearance.”

Friday was conflicted about the woman, she knew how important she was to Tony, former lover, still considered a friend, but at the same time she couldn't help resenting her for not accepting Tony as he was, for trying to change him and hurting him in the process.
Fortunately Friday's words were heeded this time and she watched Potts leave the tower, she traced the call from her phone to the compound, trying to get information out of Rhodes, but he hadn't asked any questions other than to be informed of any important changes in Tony's condition.
Friday could tell that Rhodes trusted Yasha even though he didn't know who he was, Rhodes trusted Tony's trust.

She filed the call away in her private servers and continued to watch over Tony, and Yasha who was pacing the small room, restless, and with a deadly edge.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

“Fri..?”

Yasha's voice was flat as he lowered himself to the floor next to the cradle with a sigh, even with his well honed internal clock he wasn't entirely sure how long he had been keeping watch, he knew it had been days but there was no natural light in the room so he wasn't sure.

“Yes?”
“We are losing him...”
“No we're not, I refuse to.”
“You heard Cho, you have checked her data... There's nothing we can do.”
“There is, Boss has been working on a way to fix the damage from the arc reactor, and he has a working solution.”
“Then why hasn't he used it?”
“Fear, it would change him, enhance him.”

Yasha could remember talking to Tony about it before, the risks involved with using Extremis, and the fear of how it could change him.
The conversation, and Yasha's train of thoughts, is interrupted as an alarm goes off, warning them that Tony's heart has stopped again and moments later the room erupts into a flurry of activity as Cho and her team return to try to stabilize Tony once again.

“If you have anything that can save him you need to act now.”

An ashen Cho warns Yasha and Friday that their time is running out faster than she had anticipated.

“Yasha, you need to use your override code, order me to initiate the Phoenix protocol. I can't do it on my own. It's all we have.”

The Asset doesn't hesitate to do as Friday asks, he trusts her as much as he does Tony, knows that the very purpose of her existence is to protect her creator.

“What is Phoenix?”

Friday doesn't answer Cho, instead she orders everyone but Yasha to leave the room.

“Fri, what is the Phoenix protocol?”
“Phoenix is a last resort, an experimental combination of a modified, more stable Extremis, vibranium based nanotechnology and a derivate of your own super soldier serum.”
“Sounds dangerous.”
“It is. It's also Boss' only chance.”

Yasha struggled to hold on to his emotions, to not slip back into the blankness, Friday needed support and he wouldn't be able to give her that without feeling himself.

Friday explains the procedure while they wait for a delivery drone to bring Phoenix to the cradle room, the two stage process is initiated by injecting a primer consisting mainly of a diluted derivate of the super soldier serum to strengthen Tony's body so he can survive the process without getting overwhelmed.
A small amount of the stable Extremis in the primer would allow his body to adapt and accept the virus, and finally a small amount of the nanites coded to create a basic command structure would ensure the rest of the nanites added in the second stage would integrate properly with Extremis.

“So, Extremis will regenerate most tissue, the nanites consume the shrapnel and most of the arc reactor housing while the serum strengthens him enough to allow him to survive the process?”
“If everything works as intended, yes.”

Friday sounded worried, and it made it even harder for Yasha to maintain his focus and control, fortunately it didn't take long for the drone to arrive and before long he sinks into the comfort of following Friday's instructions for how to connect the Phoenix delivery system into the central venous catheter that was already set up.

“You have to inject the primer and start the delivery unit manually.”

Yasha nodded and picked up the smaller metal case with the primer and opened it to reveal a glass syringe with a very strange looking liquid, swirls of glowing orange and blue suspended in a clear liquid.
He quickly wiped the spot indicated on Tony's neck and inserted the needle, but he found himself unable to press the plunger.

“I...”
“Yasha, what's wrong?”
“I can't... I can't force something like this on him... Can't make this choice for him.”
“Boss picked you to be his medal proxy because he trusts you to make choices like these if he can't. He specifically added your override code to Phoenix protocol to allow you to do this if needed.”
“I can't...”

Friday could tell that Yasha was struggling, really trying to do it, but the shared trauma of involuntary procedures was holding him back.
She would have preferred to talk him through it, but there was no more time, her creator, her father, the man they both loved in their own way was fading away.

“I'm sorry Yasha.”

She paused for a moment to access the most secure parts of her file network.

“Longing. Rusted.”

Hearing the words Yasha knew what Friday was hoping to do so he closed his eyes and nodded.

“Freight car.”

When the final word rang out Yasha's mind felt clear for the first time in days, for the first time since the crash.

“Protect Tony Stark.”
“Asset, you know what needs to be done.”

The was only certainty and trust in his mind as he depressed the plunger in a slow, smooth motion before settling back next to the cradle and watching it close up to help support Tony through the first stage of Phoenix.

“Boss is strong, he will make it.”

Friday tries to soothe Yasha, tries to make him rest but he refuses, instead focusing all his attention on the cradle and its precious content.

Watching Tony fight for his life and not being able to do anything to help makes Yasha feel more powerless than he could recall HYDRA and their triggers ever doing.

It takes 12 hours for the primer to stabilize and Yasha slowly rises to activate the machinery that would deliver the second stage of the treatment and he is relieved that Friday doesn't need to use the triggers for him to activate it.
It didn't bother him that she had used them for the primer, he understood, accepted, and agreed with her choice, but it was obvious that she was beating herself up over it, something that proved just how human she truly was.
Unfortunately shouldering blame where they shouldn't was a trait they all shared, and could all do without.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

As bad as the primer had been it was nothing compared to the second stage of Phoenix, the mixture was volatile and burned through any drugs they tried to administer in a matter of moments, even the ones designed for enhanced individuals couldn't stand up to Extremis and the nanites.

Yasha found himself strangely grateful that the tubes down Tony's throat kept him from making any sounds as he tried to scream, Yasha wasn't sure he would have been able to handle that, though, the way Tony was arching and thrashing as blue and orange painted lines across his skin made it all too clear that the pain had to be excruciating.

“Yasha, you need to sleep. Boss is gonna need you to be there when its over.”
“I can't leave him while he's vulnerable like this, I don't want to...”
“If I have a bed brought in, will you sleep?”
“...”
“Yasha, will you sleep?”
“I'll try, is that okay Fri?”
“Sub-par, but acceptable.”

The dry reply that echoed some of his own mannerisms pulled a slight smile from Yasha, and acknowledging that he was worrying her he offered her a soft apology.
Less than an hour later a sturdy folding bed was brought in and set up next to the cradle and with a sigh Yasha settled down, then placed his hand against the cradle, making sure the sensors were set high enough to feel the hum of the tech.

Friday would have sighed in relief if she had been capable of it as she watched Yasha slip into a deep sleep less than 5 minutes after laying down on the portable bed.

She was constantly observing Phoenix's progress through Tony's body, communicating with the developing command structure and code of the nanites, monitoring the data stream from the cradle, watching as the nanites guided Extremis in rebuilding the ribs and sternum, using the metal from the reactor housing to reinforce the regenerating bone.
She watched with curiosity as nano-filaments of metal formed through the cartilage connecting the sternum to the rest of the rib cage, and around the arc reactor, forming a soft and flexible, but immensely strong, housing to secure it in place.

Tony had considered having the reactor removed even before Phoenix was created, it would have been a tricky surgery, but fully doable, however the power it provided was too much of a tactical advantage, and the psychological effects of removing it would be near impossible to predict.
Instead he had designed a new, better, housing and a smaller reactor that would be just as powerful, but without impairing his lungs nearly as much.
In the end he had never gotten around to actually having it done.

Now the nanites were accessing the design plan for the new reactor, and while Friday watched they accessed the design for the six-pronged core version as well and under her watchful eye and tutelage the two designs were merged and implemented.
She initiated assembly of the new design and watched as the nanites picked apart the old reactor, using the materials to build a neural-interface at the back of his skull, something that Tony had said would allow him to properly communicate with his children, she hadn't really understood what it meant until she felt the nanites speaking to her.
She watched as nano-filaments were formed from the nanoparticles of vibranium and the core element, spreading through Tony's brain like a spiderweb, adding what looked very similar to some of her own core structures.
Her creator would be so much more once he awoke, he would be amazing, she wouldn't need to worry nearly as much about her father with the changes, and maybe Yasha would stop worrying as much as well.

It took a moment for Yasha to get his bearings as he woke on an unfamiliar bed with the hum of power against the sensors in his hand, the moment the memories returned he bolted up and started checking the screens on the cradle.

“Don't worry Yasha, Boss is doing great. The damage had been repaired and he should be waking up in a few hours.”
“Fri, the reactor..?”

Yasha stared at the empty hole in Tony's chest, much smaller and different, but still there.

“A new reactor has been assembled, but I need your code to initiate creation of the core.”
“Of course.”

He quickly gave Friday the codes she needed and she informed him the new reactor should be ready by the time Tony woke up.

“If I have food brought, will you actually eat it this time?”

The first two meals Friday had brought had returned mostly untouched, and asking Yasha if he wanted food hadn't really worked either so she had settled for bringing him the usual snacks that wouldn't spoil, but she knew he had to be feeling the lack of proper food by now, it had been 6 days since the crash, she refused to call it an accident until she had confirmation.

“I will.”
“About time.”
“I'm sorry. I have added to your worries...”
“Don't be, people tend to have a hard time eating when worried about a loved one.”
“...”

When the food arrived Yasha made short work of it, barely even tasting it before laying down by the cradle to rest while waiting for Tony to wake up.

The first thing Tony becomes aware of is that he feels warm, rested, and there is no pain, then the panic comes creeping as he realises he can no longer feel the hum of the arc reactor in his bones.

“Boss, you are safe, you are in the cradle room in the tower.”

Friday's voice sounds distant as Tony frantically reaches for the arc reactor, but before his hands can reach it there are hands on his own, flesh and metal, Yasha.

“Easy котенок, slow breaths.”
“Boss, the old reactor is gone, we have the new one here, but we needed you awake first, you have to initialize it.”

Tony slowly comes back to himself, Yasha's voice helping him breathe, Friday's voice calmly explaining, he tries to speak but realises he has a tube down his throat but before he can panic again Yasha's fingers begin to tap against his wrist, matching his words.

“Easy, keep breathing.”
“Phoenix?”

Tony managed to tap out his question while focusing on calming down.

“Yes, it was the only way, you were dying.”
“Sorry...”
“No, this was not your fault so you don't get to apologise.”

Tony tried his best to glare at Yasha as arguing through morse tapping wasn't very satisfying, but when Yasha replied with his perfect murder face glare Tony shook his head and tried to huff, not so easy with tubes down your throat.

“Boss, you need to initialize the new reactor before we have the med team remove the tubes.”
“Fine fine, get it over here.”

Tony swapped to ASL to make sure Friday would understand him.

“Here.”

Yasha handed Tony the small metal case with the new reactor and when he opened it his eyes went wide, the reactor was unlike any design he had, but he could clearly see that it was a perfect fusion between the smaller replacement design he had made, and the snowflake design idea.
The problem was, he had never completed the six-pronged core design, but this one was definitely complete, more advanced than the designs he had made with an actual snowflake design, not just flat prongs, and it was working perfectly.
After a quick inspection, and look at the data for the reactor that Friday put on one of the screens next to the cradle, Tony initialized the reactor and put it into the new, slim, housing.

The feeling when it connected was unlike anything he had felt before, even the time when he had replaced the palladium core with the new element had nothing on it.
He could feel blue fire bleeding through his body, sparks of blue firing across his thoughts, then there was something, a presence in his mind and he almost sliped into a panic, reminded of the way Maximoff's powers had slithered though his mind.
He managed to bite it down though, this presence is arc reactor blue, warm and cool and safe, nothing like the burning, slimy, cold of Maximoff's red powers.

“Tony what's wrong?”

Tony was aware that Yasha was talking but he was too overwhelmed by the blue washing through his mind to understand the words, he could tell there was concern, but he couldn't answer.

“Fri, what's happening?”
“Don't worry Yasha. Boss is a bit overwhelmed at the moment, with a live connection to the reactor the nanites are cycling up to full power, completing the machine to brain interface.”

Yasha nodded and settled down, the process had been outlined in the documentation for the Phoenix protocol, indicating that it would probably take a while for the recipient, even one with a mind of Tony's calibre, to adapt to the computer interfacing directly with the brain.

It took longer than it should for Tony to make the connection that the blue across his mind was the nanites communicating with him but once he did he focused on the calibration exercise he had created for the task.

Yasha watched as Tony's breath calmed and found himself forced to slip into the compliant state to control his nervous energy while he waited for Tony to get through whatever it was he had to do to get a handle on what Phoenix had done to him.

When Tony finally opened his eyes Yasha could see flecks of Extremis orange in the iris, making the colour appear almost amber, and there was a distinct arc reactor blue limbal ring.

“You with us котенок?”
“Yasha, Boss wants me to tell you that the initialization of the interface is complete.”
“What?”
“The nanites, we are communicating.”
“Oh.”

Yasha watched as the slight blue glow faded, and the way Tony's pulse slowed into a stable rhythm was promising, and he noted that the breathing sounded healthy and normal, no wince or hitch as Tony took a deep breath.
Reaching out again he placed his left hand over the reactor, it looked different, but the soft hum was still the same and he found he quite enjoyed the way it fitted under his hand and how the new housing was barely noticeable.

“Dr Stark, ready get those tubes out of the way?”

Tony turned to the door and gave Cho a thumbs up, but Yasha couldn't help being on edge, his own memories of extubation were not particularly nice ones, though Cho would no doubt be far more gentle about it than HYDRA had been.
The times HYDRA had him intubated for something they tended to just yank the tubes out and leave him hacking on the floor, or restrained on a table or in a chair, counting on the serum to fix any damage done.

“Boss wants me to tell you this is not his first rodeo.”
“Excellent, then it should be nice and quick.”

Yasha watched as Cho checked the data, then removed the adhesive tape that kept the tubes secured and asked Tony to take a deep breath, then moments later he was seated, hacking and coughing from the irritation that came with removing the tubes.

No matter how many times he did it Tony still hated being extubated every bit as much, at least this time Phoenix was kicking in and helping heal the irritation, and the mind searing kiss he finds himself on the receiving end of after taking a few steady breaths made him forget all about it.

“Safe...”
“Yes, safe.”

The simple exchange had grown to mean so much more than it once had, and Tony savoured the feeling before pulling back slightly.

“What about you? Are you okay? You were in the same accident.”
“Some cuts and bruises, minor head trauma, nothing the serum couldn't handle in a day.”
“And the arm?”
“No damage.”
“Phew, that's good.”
“Might not have been an accident, driver was too clean.”
“Fucking figures...”
“Boss, I have a full debriefing ready once you have been cleared to leave medical.”
“That's great Fri. Doc, am I good to go?”
“Would you listen if I said no?”

Dr Cho sounded amused, and frustrated.

“Nah, doubt it.”
“Then get out of here Stark, but do try to take it a bit easy until you have a better idea what that stuff did to you.”
“Alright Doc.”

Cho turned her back on the pair and left the room, shaking her head with an almost fond smile.

“Friday, would you try to make sure those lovebirds take it easy for a week at least?”
“I will try Dr Cho, but I'm not a miracle worker.”
“I know, I know...”

Yasha had barely registered that the doctor left the room, almost entirely focused on Tony, overwhelmed by relief as he confirmed that the man he had chosen as his handler, and now called friend, and more should he allow it, was unharmed.

Tony just laid there, relaxing as deft hands checked him for injuries, allowing Yasha to confirm with his own hands and senses that he was okay.
He didn't realise Yasha's hands had stopped moving until he felt a tremor run through his arms, and something warm and wet drip in his face, realizing that he was crying Tony wrapped his arms around him as best as he could from his somewhat awkward position..

“Easy love, I'm fine.”

Tony didn't realise what he had said until Yasha pulled back with a look of surprise and hesitation warring with obvious question on his face, unable to form the words, again, under Yasha's intense scrutiny Tony just smiled, and nodded.

Friday watched as Yasha leaned back in, and she could tell that something had once again changed, the way they interacted, the way both their pulses stuttered for a moment, the slight hitch of a breath, it was different from before, and something told her it was a good different.

Tony could feel Yasha pause for a heartbeat, a hint of a breath against his lips, then a kiss that was painfully soft, but burning with emotion, carrying an intensity that left his body tingling, and his mind blank save for a single point of focus, Yasha.
Tony knew without a doubt in that single moment of focus that he would be willing to burn the world if it was what it took to keep his Yasha safely by his side, willing, if perhaps not able.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

The moment they were out of the medical wing Tony grabbed Yasha and dragged him toward the elevator and punched in the level and code for their private gym.

“Come on Winter Wonderland, I'm clearly stronger than before so let's see how much has changed.”

Friday sighed to herself, of course he would want to test everything right away, she tried to caution him and he promised they would just do some simple exercises, but she doubted it would stay at that.
Sometimes Friday hated being right, Tony and Yasha had been sparring for hours and they weren't taking it particularly easy.
Tony was stronger than before, but nowhere near as strong as Yasha, he did appear to have gained an advantage in speed and reflexes, and stamina remained to be determined.

Sparring with Yasha and actually matching his speed was exhilarating, and being slammed against the wall none too gently then kissed senseless even more so and Tony loved every moment of it, unfortunately he also knew there were a few things he would have to get sorted.

Calling Pepper and Rhodey had been a lot harder than Tony thought it would be, especially since he couldn't tell them the entire truth, it was too dangerous, he couldn't tell anyone that he was now enhanced, not yet, not until the Accords were properly fixed, it was bad enough that Dr Cho knew.
Instead of the truth he told them that the cradle had saved him, that while unable to safely remove the shrapnel it had repaired a lot of the damage and allowed him to switch to a less intrusive design for the arc reactor and housing.

It was no surprise that they both demanded to see him as soon as possible, but Tony managed to use Dr Cho's request that he rest for at least a week to put it off so he could focus on testing how much he had changed.
He needed to learn how to manage his new strength and reflexes so he didn't give himself away, and he needed to learn to handle the nanites and the brain/computer interface that essentially had given him a short range technopathic ability.
It would be troublesome if he activated electronics without touching them while anyone other than Yasha could see it.

It wasn't that Tony distrusted Pepper and Rhodey, he just couldn't risk telling them too much, Rhodey had obligations to the military and the Accords committee, and Pepper, he just couldn't deal with her no doubt intense reaction if she found out.
He had realized after Siberia, after learning about true trust from Yasha, that she as well had never really accepted him, never truly trusted him, she may not have betrayed him like so many others have, but he still found himself hesitating to fully trust someone who didn't trust him.

“You are spiralling again котенок.”
“I know...”

The nanites in Tony's body monitored his vitals, alerting him that stress hormones were increasing along with pulse, breathing and blood pressure.

“Care to talk about it?”
“Not now...”

Yasha just nodded and pulled him closer, kissed him and made him forget his worries for a moment.

.·:*¨¨*:· Rebirth·:*¨¨*:·.

The meeting with Pepper and Rhodey had been every bit as draining as Tony had feared it would be and by the time they left the penthouse he just wanted to retreat down to the lair and forget all about the world for a few more weeks.
But of course, the universe had other plans as Friday flashed an intruder alert through his mind.

“Boss, an individual has just appeared at the east balcony.”
“What the fuck? Can you ID them?”
“All data indicates it's Loki.”
“...”

Chapter Text

.·:*¨¨*:· A History of Scars·:*¨¨*:·.

Loki.

Of all the fucking madness the universe could send his way it just had to pick the supposedly dead alien prince who had lead the army of Chitauri against Earth to acquire the Tesseract, apparently in a bid to acquire a throne of his own.
Tony had a feeling there was a lot more to it though, Loki's actions during the invasion had never made much sense, for a supposed tactical genius Loki had made a lot of very odd choices that had ultimately led to the Avengers bringing him down and stopping the Chitauri.

Tony quickly sifted through the options, if Loki wanted to pick a fight there wasn't much he and Yasha would be able to do, last time it had taken the fucking Hulk to subdue him, Tony no longer believed that the fight in Stuttgart had been anything but a show.
If anything it had shown that Loki was quite capable of kicking super soldier ass if he wanted to as he hadn't even used his magic in that fight.
Tony figured that the best option would be to play the gracious host to try to figure out what Loki wanted, at the moment he didn't seem hostile.

“Fri, invite him in.”
“Boss?”
“I don't think he's here to pick a fight.”
“Alright.”
“Yasha, would you stay up there for a bit, just in case? Hopefully he won't notice you right away.”
“Complying.”

Friday opened the doors and greeted Loki as she would any guest.

“Mr Odinson, please step inside, Boss is waiting for you by the bar.”
“I am no son of Odin..!”
“Noted, how would you prefer to be addressed?”

Friday watches as Loki tilts his head slightly while stepping inside, appearing to consider her question, though based on the data she has on him any gesture needs to be assumed to be an act.

“You may address me as Loki, for now.”

The choice only worked to further convince Friday that Loki was up to no good, something she quietly passed on to Tony and Yasha.

“Of course he's up to no good, he's Loki, but for now I don't think the current no good is a threat to us.”

The nanites in Tony's body prove their worth as he quickly exchanges information with Friday without any way for Loki to notice.
He turns to Loki with a well practised smile, one he mostly uses when meeting in a more intimate setting with potentially useful individuals such as politicians.

“I see the rumours of your demise are once again greatly exaggerated, Reindeer Games.”
“Ah, but they are so useful.”

Tony carefully tracks Loki's steps as he approaches.

“I imagine. Come to collect on that drink I promised?”
“Don't mind if I do.”

Loki was practically purring, and Tony could feel his smile slipping into something more genuine as he recalls that Loki is a master of this game in his own right.
He makes sure to keep his movements slow, almost lazy as he pours some of his finest Scotch into a glass and offers it to the smiling god.

“So, wanna keep playing this game, or would you prefer just telling me why you're here?”

Loki makes a show of swirling the scotch in his glass for a while, as if contemplating Tony's question, but Tony doubts it took more than a blink of an eye for him to decide.

“I know Thor has told you what is coming.”
“So no games, good to know.”
“Stark!”
“Yeah, I know what's coming, I have known all along, saw it when I sent that nuke through the portal. Thor only gave it a name.”

Tony didn't mention that he still saw it in his nightmares, Loki was after all at best a wildcard, potentially a very dangerous enemy, and at worst, an agent for Thanos, though Tony didn't believe the last one to be the case.
Loki didn't seem to be the kind of guy who would graciously accept being used, which if Tony was correct, was the reason the battle of New York had ended the way it did.

“And yet here you are, without your mighty Avengers at your side.”

This time Tony couldn't help a slight flinch, and he knew perfectly well that Loki had noticed.

“I get it, you probably don't get the evening news wherever you have been holed up. But I'll give you the cliff notes, I no longer let people who lie to me, betray me and stab me in the back into my home.”

Tony watches the companionable smile turn into an ugly sneer as Loki growls something under his breath in a language Tony has no hope to understand and for a moment he is worried that he has misjudged Loki's intent.

“Fools, they would leave their greatest mind alone, unprotected?”
“Not alone, never alone.”

The fact that Loki actually startles slightly as Yasha speaks up says a lot about just how stealthy the Winter Soldier can be when he wants to.

“Loki, meet Yasha.”
“You keep yourself with a dangerous shadow, Stark.”
“As deadly as he is beautiful.”

Tony waits for Yasha to reach him before making a more formal introduction, knowing that Friday has given Yasha a quick briefing on Loki.

“Yasha, meet Loki, God of Mischief and Chaos, or more exactly, alien from a different realm."
“The battle of New York?”
“Not my proudest moment.”

Loki's quip was soft, but the wry smile held a hint of something familiar, a familiar pain.

“Your mind was not your own, was it?”

Yasha doesn't hesitate to speak up, asking the question that Tony had been wanting to ask ever since he watched Thor bring a muzzled Loki back to Asgard.

“A perceptive one, this shadow of yours.”

Tony noted that Loki didn't even seem to notice that Yasha had spoken Russian, he had meant to ask Thor about that whole language thing on several occasions, maybe he would get a chance to ask Loki instead.

“I have experience with being a puppet dancing to the tunes of an unworthy master.”
“And now who holds your strings?”

There is a biting edge to Loki's reply but Yasha just smiles before leaning in and tracing his lips along Tony's neck drawing out a soft gasp as Tony leans back against him.

“A worthy master of my own choosing.”

Tony can see the sparkle of curiosity in those green eyes and he knows they are safe for the moment, something telling him that as long as they don't do anything to become a threat Loki won't act against them, at least not until after he has sated his desire for knowledge.

“Stark.”

Loki's response was a statement, not a question and neither Yasha nor Tony bothered adding anything.

“Tell me Stark, will this shadow of yours be able to keep you safe?”
“Safer than most.”
“Even against those who have betrayed you?”
“Especially against them.”

The way Loki's eyebrow comes up is quite telling, so Tony reaches for Yasha's hand and pulls it behind him so he can tap out their usual morse-code without Loki seeing it as there's no way to know if he would understand it.

“I think we should get Loki up to speed.”
“You trust him?”
“I trust his self interest.”
“He needs you for something.”
“Mhm, and that makes him a potentially very valuable ally.”
“Alright.”

When he focuses his attention back to Loki Tony is met with unabashed curiosity.

“How curious, the two of you clearly have a way to communicate without speaking.”
“We do.”

Tony can't help a hint of challenge bleeding into his tone.

“It is good to see that you have the sense not to trust me blindly.”
“Oh, I don't particularly trust you at all.”

Tony almost smiled at the way Loki's eyebrow rose, but he seriously doubted he was actually surprised.

“I trust that for some reason you need me for something, so as long as we're not a threat to you, you won't be one to us.”
“How astute.”

Tony was getting a very strong vibe that Loki appreciated intelligence and competency every bit as much as he did himself.

“How about we get some food and have a nice, long chat, get you up to date with what's been going on?”
“That sounds like an excellent plan.”
“Guessing you eat as much as Thor?”
“Almost.”
“Alright, Fri, get us four of our usual orders, and mix it up please.”
“On it Boss.”

When Loki managed to look very unimpressed with the food order Tony couldn't keep from laughing.

“It's gonna be a lot more food than you might think, my Murder Kitten has quite an appetite.”
“Oh?”
“Yasha here is an enhanced human, stronger, faster, improved resilience, accelerated healing, highly resistant to drugs, toxins and disease.”
“A body like that would indeed require more food to support.”

Loki instantly caught on and turned his focus to Yasha.

“This enhancement is natural?”
“No.”

Tony knew it wasn't something Yasha was very comfortable with talking about, and when Yasha leaned closer to him Loki's eyes narrowed, then widened in obvious understanding.

“It was forced on you.”
“It was.”
“By those unworthy masters, and you paid a heavy price for it.”
“I did.”
“I will not ask again then, but if you are willing, I would not mind a sparring match, see just how superior you are to a normal human.”

Yasha instantly relaxed when Loki backed off from that particular line of questions, but it was clear that Loki was still curious so Tony decided that if Yasha was okay with it he would give Loki a quick rundown on the serum.

“Based on what Fri showed me of your fight against the Captain I don't believe I would be much of a challenge. It was clearly not your full ability and I understand you possess magic to aid your fighting as well.”

Yasha's comment earned him a slight nod and a hint of something akin to respect mixed with surprise, it would seem Loki was not accustomed to someone honestly praising his prowess as a fighter.

“I was raised a prince of Asgard, being an accomplished warrior was expected.”
“I get a feeling you didn't like that very much...”

There was something in Loki's tone that made Tony suspect he had hated that every bit as much as Tony had hated Howard's constant attempts to shape him into the perfect heir.

“I much prefer using my wits and have my enemies fall without the need to fight. But the Æsir consider that to be the way of a coward.”
“Sounds like they are idiots, why risk the life of your warriors if fighting can be avoided?”

Loki actually laughed at Yasha's comment, then shook his head with a rueful smile.

“The Æsir are indeed fools, trapped in a stagnant society. Convinced of their own superiority, just as I once was.”

Tony was slightly surprised by the admission, he hadn't expected Loki to be so open with himself, he knew better than to trust perceived weakness though, it had after all been Romanoff's favourite play to get her targets to open up and give her the information she sought.

The conversation shifted back and forth, question, quips and teasing banter that came surprisingly easy and it didn't take long before Friday called for their attention, letting them know that all the food had arrived and was on it's way up.

.·:*¨¨*:· A History of Scars·:*¨¨*:·.

Tony had to find some way to reward Friday for her choice of food to order as one of the orders was Indian, including a few of the insanely hot treats that Yasha favoured, and Loki's face when he tried one, despite Yasha's warning, was priceless.

“He did warn you.”

Tony smiled, and held out the bowl with Raita to help soothe the heat.

“By the way, I totally agree that his love for hot food is insane.”
“Oh, insane am I?”
“Oh fu..”

Tony grumbled and mock objected as Yasha grabbed him and kissed him, leaving his lips tingling and burning, and when Loki laughed Tony levelled him with his best glare and was rewarded with a knowing smile.

“A fucking menace I tell you...”

Tony wasn't entirely sure if he meant Yasha or Loki, but he would settle for both for now, and if this turned out to be the true Loki he had a feeling he would come to consider him a friend, assuming he proved to be trustworthy.
He was a bit concerned though at how easily they fell into banter and teasing quips as they ate, worried that Loki was somehow influencing their minds, he had Friday run every scan there was and she was monitoring them for any signs of manipulation or suspicious behaviour.

It felt a bit odd seeing Loki help clear the table with small bursts of green magic that transferred dirty dishes to the counter next to the sink while Tony and Yasha loaded up the dishwasher.

“Come on, let's get this shit out of the way...”

Yasha could easily pick up on Tony's tension as he moved toward the sitting area and part of him was bristling at Loki for being the reason, but after going through the information Friday had given him as well as what Tony had said he understood the need to tell Loki what had been going on.
With the threat against Earth approaching it would be beneficial to have an actual alien at their side, especially one with royal schooling and connections with other worlds, and what was clearly a sharp mind.

“I think we need to start at how I got this lovely little thing for everything after to make sense.”

Tony moved his shirt aside and gave the arc reactor a soft tap.

“It protected you from the power of the Mind stone when I attempted to use the sceptre to control you.”
“It did, don't know if it's the fact that it kept it from touching skin, or if it has something to do with the core element or energy field it generates.”
“It is likely to be both.”

Loki reached out toward the reactor, but quickly pulled back and apologized when Tony flinched, and Yasha outright growled as a knife appeared in his hand with startling speed.

“I don't like people touching it.”

Tony didn't really acknowledge Loki's gesture that was half surrender, half placating, instead he pushed on and started telling the story of how he had become Iron Man, for once not sparing any of the gory details.

Yasha watched Loki's face while Tony spoke, drawing on every bit of his training, slipping into the Asset mindset to keep his own emotions contained, to be able to focus on reading Loki as objectively as he was able to.
At first Loki's features were shielded, but as Tony kept speaking the masks seemed to fall away one by one and the Asset could see disgust, pain, even sympathy flitting across Loki's features and the occasional flicker of green power and unearthly glow in his eyes seemed to speak of fury.
Tony had warned him to be careful though, warned him that Loki was a master liar and manipulator, but as far as the Asset could tell the reactions did seem genuine.

By the time Tony's story reached the point where Loki entered into it the Asset had already helped him through five panic attacks and was struggling not to glare at Loki simply for being the reason Tony was dragging all the details up.
His anger was soothed though by the way Loki's features displayed a hint of nausea mixed with something almost apologetic.

Once they reached the point where Thor brought Loki back to Asgard Tony paused and took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

“So, any non arc reactor related questions so far?”
“None that cannot wait.”
“Suit yourself.”

Tony pushed on, telling Loki about AIM, Killian, and Extremis, but when it was time for the whole Project Insight and SHIELDRA debacle he paused and turned to Yasha.

“I think we should give him a bit of your story before we continue...”

It hurt to see the blue bleed from Yasha's eyes, but Tony understood why and he wasn't surprised when Yasha slipped down to his knees with his hands behind his back.

“Ready to comply.”
“Provide an abbreviated report on the origin and creation of the original Winter Soldier please.”
“Complying.”

Loki was looking very confused, and honestly, a bit angry and almost protective, which earned him a lot of points in Tony's book.

“Look, I know this looks bad, but he does do it willingly. It's hard for him to talk about this stuff, this way he can do it without being overwhelmed by memories and emotions. It'll make more sense once you know his story.”
“We will see...”

Tony gave Yasha a slight nod and he started by listing his birth date, earning him a raised eyebrow from Loki, Bucky's life was skimmed past until the first time he was captured, then came a detailed report of what had happened during the time the 107^th spend under the oh so tender care of HYDRA and Zola.
The time with the Howling Commandos was mostly glossed over as well and the details resumed with the fall, then continued by detailing the fitting of the arm and the extensive conditioning, which had Loki looking at them with an expression stuck somewhere between murder and throwing up.

“Whoa, it's okay! We have the triggers under control.”
“Such deep conditioning, using such methods, would not be possible to remove without destroying the host mind.”

Hearing about the triggers had caused an instant reaction as Loki's armor began to form around him.

“We know, but for now you will simply have to take my word on the matter, the triggers are not a risk.”

The way Loki was pacing was setting off all kinds of alarms in the back of Tony's head, and the way Yasha tensed made it obvious he didn't like it either.

“I would really appreciate it if you took a seat before you manage to set Yasha off, he can be pretty protective and his control can slip pretty badly if he thinks I'm threatened.”

For a moment Loki glared at him, then he huffed and sat back down.

“You are insane.”
“Oh, you just figured that out?”

Maybe taunting the agitated alien god wasn't Tony's brightest idea, but much to his relief Loki reacted by barking out a laugh that softened into a chuckle as he shook his head.

“I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering how you faced me the last time I was at this tower.”
“If you're serious about whatever the fuck this is, maybe you should explain what the heck that was all about...”

Tony was confused, and emotionally drained so maybe his question did sound a bit confrontational, but it would seem Loki understood, or at least didn't take offense.

“You are far more valuable than you seem to understand Stark, your mind is flexible and you have a rare ability to break boundaries and make leaps beyond most beings' wildest imaginations.”
“The titan. You're hoping I'll be able to help find some way to stop him.”
“Yes.”

The short, to the point answer was refreshing.

“You were concerned Yasha could be turned against me?”
“Yes.”
“Well, we made sure that won't happen, at least not by means of the triggers.”
“They would have the opposite effect.”

Yasha adding a bit extra information about the triggers was unexpected, and the whole titan part was one hell of a twist, but Tony rolled with it and focused on picking up the trail of getting Loki up to speed on what had happened to split the Avengers apart, and what had driven Tony into secluding himself in the tower with Yasha.

.·:*¨¨*:· A History of Scars·:*¨¨*:·.

When Tony was done speaking there was a stillness over the penthouse that screamed danger, the utter calm on Loki's face reminded Tony of how Yasha looked when he was deep in the killing mode, this was the calm focus of an apex predator.
He can feel that Yasha is close to that state as well, it's probably only his own presence in Yasha's lap that keeps him from slipping and prowling, he can feel the tension in the stillness of the metal arm and hand that's curled protectively around him, over the reactor.

“To fight the Mad Titan Midgard, Earth, must be united, and to unite your bickering governments this HYDRA and others like it must be purged.”
“We're working on it, but they are well connected, making it tough to do more than a few hits here and there, one base, one cell at a time.”
“Unfortunately I cannot offer aid, not without the risk of our enemy finding out. And I am needed in Asgard.”
“How does that work anyway if they all think you are dead?”
“They may also be under the impression that I am Odin.”

Tony watched as Loki's form shimmered and was replaced by an old man with a golden eyepatch, he blinked a few times as he processed the information, then he broke down laughing.

“Oh, that's fucking priceless, you took his place and no one fucking realized?”
“The Realm Eternal is flourishing, diplomatic relations, trade, innovation, all of them have grown beyond anything they have been since before the Jötunn war.”
“That's pure gold, sucks you're not getting credit for it though."
“A minor inconvenience in the face of what is coming. Odin is too proud, too stubborn, too set in his ways, too assured of the supremacy of Asgard, even after Malekith nearly tore it apart. But the people of Asgard would not be willing to follow me no matter how much it benefits the realm.”
“Guess people in general being idiots is a universal condition.”
“Indeed.”
“What about Thor?”

Tony is slightly hesitant to bring up the topic of the other prince, but it does seem prudent.

“Alive, but currently missing somewhere beyond the sight of the Gatekeeper. I have been sending him out beyond the nine to seek information about the Infinity Stones and the Titan's forces.”
“How do you know he's alive if he's missing?”
“There are ways to link the lifeforce of a person to an item, making the item reflect the condition of the person.”

While he speaks Loki reveals a narrow gold bracelet with a flat bluish stone that appears to crackle with lightning.

“Should Thor fall the stone will shatter.”
“Damn, as much as I hate magic, I gotta admit that's seriously useful.”
“It is a common bonding gift among the nine.”
“You mean like an engagement ring?”
“I suppose it is similar enough.”

Tony breathed a sigh of relief when Yasha finally joined the conversation again, he had been a bit too silent during Tony's recount of what had happened in the world, and his life, in the past two decades.