"I know you do." It's a violation of privacy maybe, but not one he places on Tony's shoulders. Knowing how Tony's mind works, the speed at which he can process and the way Friday can record things for him, he has no doubt that Tony had figured out quite a lot of it after he'd left the bunker. It's another thing they haven't talked about; he's not sure they ever will.
But he does know that if HYDRA ever got him again, pulled the Soldier back to the surface, that he'd want Tony to do whatever he had to do. If that includes using the trigger words, then so be it.
"Life is complicated." He curls one hand into Tony's hair; petting through it soothes him as much as it does Tony, and right now he needs that soothing. It's selfish, he knows, to want things, to want Tony's attention, to want his friendship with Steve, to want to continue his work eliminating the last pockets of HYDRA that are too deeply hidden or too deeply protected for the Accords-abiding remnants of the Avengers to do anything about them. "But I'll call more often, if you want me to. I know it'll be a secure line if it's yours."
It's protecting both of them; HYDRA aren't the only ones who'd like to get their hands on Bucky, and Bucky knows that Ross would love to pin anything on Tony.
He snorts and rolls his eyes at Tony's suggestion though. "You're impossible." Clearly he doesn't mind it, and it's just the kind of thing he'd expect Tony to say to make him smile.
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But he does know that if HYDRA ever got him again, pulled the Soldier back to the surface, that he'd want Tony to do whatever he had to do. If that includes using the trigger words, then so be it.
"Life is complicated." He curls one hand into Tony's hair; petting through it soothes him as much as it does Tony, and right now he needs that soothing. It's selfish, he knows, to want things, to want Tony's attention, to want his friendship with Steve, to want to continue his work eliminating the last pockets of HYDRA that are too deeply hidden or too deeply protected for the Accords-abiding remnants of the Avengers to do anything about them. "But I'll call more often, if you want me to. I know it'll be a secure line if it's yours."
It's protecting both of them; HYDRA aren't the only ones who'd like to get their hands on Bucky, and Bucky knows that Ross would love to pin anything on Tony.
He snorts and rolls his eyes at Tony's suggestion though. "You're impossible." Clearly he doesn't mind it, and it's just the kind of thing he'd expect Tony to say to make him smile.