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Jensen woke to a world of pain. He wasn’t even exaggerating… his fucking eyelashes actually hurt.
He forced his eyes open because apocalyptic levels of pain or not, he’d still like to know where the hell he was.
The first thing he noted was that he wasn’t in his cell anymore.
And wasn’t that perfect? If he wasn’t a ‘not so willing’ guest of Max’s then his Steve and Johnny hallucination hadn’t been so much a figment of his fractured mind, but an actual rescue attempt.
Jensen would have grimaced because he’d said some pretty embarrassing shit but he was fairly certain that his pain receptors would mutiny if he made any sudden moves.
The second thing Jensen noticed was the man sitting at his bedside and who’d have thunk it, Tony Stark was actually better looking in person. Not that the man was half as pretty as Carlos but Jensen could admit that he was highly biased when it came to Cougar’s aesthetic presence.
Stark hadn’t noticed that Jensen was awake yet, his focus on the tablet in his hands. Jensen took a long moment to mourn the fact that he’d never be able to get his hands on something like that before he cleared his throat.
*O*
Tony was used to Clint appearing out of nowhere so Steve the third’s attempt at giving him a heart attack fell pretty flat.
“So sleeping beauty’s finally decided to re-join the world of the living?” he observed, taking in the way that the man’s eyes flickered from him to the single door leading into their room. Tony knew that it was an instinct that the army tried to drill into its soldiers but he’d seen Johnny do the same damn thing. So it was either something that they’d picked up from Steve or it was a shared paranoia.
“S’not like I need the sleep,” the man, Jensen because Tony really needed to stop calling them Steve the second and third in his head, replied with a small smirk. “I’m naturally gorgeous.”
Tony snorted at that, acknowledging the joke just as much as he acknowledged the look in the man’s eyes when his gaze flickered back to Tony’s face.
Even broken and supposedly unable to move from the bed he was lying on, Tony didn’t doubt that that Jake Jensen was one of the most dangerous men he’d ever meet.
There was something in the cold blue of his eyes that reminded Tony of an artic wolf, beautiful but capable of ripping your throat out in the blink of an eye. Tony hadn’t gotten to where he was by sheer luck so he kept his gaze fixed on Steve’s brother.
“Steve tells me you’re a soldier?” he prompted, licking his lips when Jensen didn’t respond. “I pulled your files.” Tony added and this time Jensen nodded as he rested his head back against his pillow, his eyes closing. Tony was thankful for the reprieve because there was a madness in Jensen’s eyes that reminded him a bit of Loki.
“I figured you would,” the blond responded finally. “And I’m figuring that Steve has already told you that most of what you read was bullshit. If you don’t believe him, let me correct that. All of what you read was probably bullshit. As much as the military prides itself on communication, people don’t take the time to check shit over once it’s been entered into their database.”
Tony cocked a brow because he could read between the lines just fine. “So you’ve been messing with official records?”
“Messing with, correcting, playing God. I don’t like labels, you know? I think of myself as an artist. I’m just making their shit better. Plus if they’d actually made it a challenge maybe I wouldn’t have done it.”
Tony stared at him but Jensen kept his mouth shut, which was strange in and of itself, if what Tony had heard from Steve and Johnny was true. It took Tony longer than it should have to realize that Jensen wasn’t just being quiet.
He was waiting for Tony to make another move.
Well that was fine because they didn’t call Tony the life of the party for nothing.
“So let’s talk Super-serum,” Tony started and Jensen barked out a harsh laugh. Despite the sound the smile made Jensen look more like Steve, well it made his expression look more like Steve’s. He just looked like the version of Steve who had hit a rebellious phase as a teen and never outgrown it. The thought made Tony vow to keep a closer eye on the man because most teenagers came equipped with a God complex and a Steve look-a-like with a God complex was the last thing that Tony wanted to unleash on the world.
“You really don’t pull your punches do you?” Jensen asked as his laughter trailed off.
Tony wrinkled his nose. “Pulling punches is for the weak and guys who don’t have balls the size of a small island.”
Jensen snorted. “Can’t say I’m really all that interested in hearing about your balls,” he commented and Tony shot him a disbelieving look because any conversation about his balls was a serious conversation and required everyone’s undivided attention.
“Whatever you want to believe,” Tony conceded after a long moment. “So the serum?”
Jensen’s expression shifted into something that Tony couldn’t put a label on but that made his skin crawl nonetheless.
“I hear your dad was wrapped up in all that,” Jensen commented lightly, his eyes flickering to the door. “I can’t say I’m too sorry that I never met the guy because there’s a distinct possibility that I might’ve punched him in the face if I had.”
Tony frowned because while there was no love lost between him and his father’s memory Jensen’s reaction didn’t exactly make sense. Especially when considering the fact that the serum was the only reason why the three of them were alive, if anything Tony expected Jensen to be grateful.
His expression must have given away his thoughts because Jensen flashed him a shark-like grin. Peripherally Tony noticed the fact that Jensen’s split lip was healed leaving nothing but a memory of the gash that had been there when they rescued him.
“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that Steve told you his theory about the serum splitting us?” Jensen guessed.
“You don’t believe it,” Tony prodded and he’d meant for the words to be a question but the way that Jensen rolled his eyes was answer enough.
“The serum enhanced Steve and dragged me and Johnny along for the ride. But the thing to remember is that we died…Steve died. Constantly renewing cells, super strength and it didn’t mean a damn thing in the face of a bullet through the heart. Steve died that day and your dad’s precious serum failed.”
Tony didn’t flinch from the anger in the man’s voice only because he knew it wasn’t directed at him. “So how exactly do you explain your existence?”
Jensen’s eyes cut to his at the question. “I’d say the same way that you could explain yours…by existing,” the soldier paused then, his gaze shifting back to the door. “Steve likes you and I can see why. Hell, you and I could probably be friends by the time all of this is over. So let me give you some advice, from one curious mind to another….let it go. That cat wasn’t lucky and it had nine lives. How are your odds stacking up against that?”
*O*
Steve knew that Jake was awake and while a part of him wanted to go to his brother he knew that Jake wouldn’t appreciate it if no one told his team where he was.
By the time he hung up the phone the sense of Jensen in his head was more active than it had been a few minutes ago. Steve could feel the familiar tug that meant that one of his brothers was healing but the fact that it was gentler than usual and that Steve could see Johnny out of the corner of his eye meant that Tony was most likely in there with Jake.
A few years ago just the thought would have sent Steve storming into the room but Jake had mellowed, if that was the right word.
When Steve reached for Jake in the bond he could still feel that artic chill that seemed to come with his brother’s presence but it was tempered now. Steve was going to blame that on the quiet soldier he’d just spoken to. One of the traits that all three of them shared was the ability to lose themselves in someone else and Steve hadn’t needed Jake’s slurred words to tell him how his brother felt about his teammate.
The picture had been enough.
Johnny hummed under his breath and Steve glanced up just as the other man shut his laptop.
“Sent them the coordinates, now all we’ve got to do is keep Jake from going stir crazy until they get here,” Johnny reported and Steve nodded in acknowledgement, rising from his seat.
He could hear Johnny’s footsteps behind him but Steve was focused on the murmur of voices coming from beyond the door.
He didn’t knock, just pushed it open.
Tony glanced up at him but Jake just cocked a brow like he’d been expecting Steve, which he probably had.
“It’s lovely to see your face oh brother of mine but seriously how the hell did you guys find me in the first place?”
“Tony helped,” Steve explained.
“Well Tony helped us pinpoint your mental screaming,” Johnny added and Steve shot him a glare but Jake just snorted.
“Kinda hard to block out pain when every bone in your body is getting broken,” he shot back but there was nothing threatening in his voice and he moved his hand to give Johnny somewhere to sit.
The sudden surge of home that sped through their bond had Steve swaying on his feet and before he knew it he was seated at the foot of Jake’s bed, curling his fingers around his brother’s ankle as Tony’s eyes darted between the three of them.
“Did you tell Cougar the coordinates?” Jake inquired and Johnny snorted as he trailed his fingers across the healing scar on Jake’s arm.
“Told him twice, though I don’t see how he’s much of a sniper if he’s shit at directions.”
“Cougar is a special little snowflake who couldn’t navigate his way out of a paper bag unless he’s on a mission. Plus this way he won’t try to kill you guys in your sleep because you made him waste time getting here,”
Steve rolled his eyes at his brother’s description of his lover. “You certainly know how to pick them,”
Jake shot him a sly smile before letting his eyes rove over Tony in a way that made the billionaire bristle. “Can’t say I’m the only one,”
“Hey, what the hell does that mean? I’ll have you know that I’m quite a catch!” Tony spluttered and Steve let the sound of the scientist’s denials and his brothers’ laughter lull him for a moment.
He was going to enjoy this for as long as he could because somewhere out there was a man named Max that Steve was dying to meet but Max could wait…for now.
*O*
There were moments when Cougar thought of Roque as the closest thing to family that he had in their team, other than Jensen of course. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the others because he did, he trusted them to have his back but Clay’s woman obsession always left a bitter taste in his mouth. Then there was Pooch who was so normal and pure that it made Cougar feel bad for every life the man had to take.
But Roque rolled with whatever the world threw at them. He didn’t form attachments that wouldn’t last and he wasn’t scared to tell them when they’d fucked up. So when Cougar relayed the information he’d gotten and the others had balked, having Roque at his back had felt like a Godsend.
Cougar wasn’t surprised when the coordinates popped up on his phone screen as well because Jensen told him that he didn’t hide anything from his brothers.
The house that they found was almost hidden in the underbrush and Cougar frowned at the man who was waiting for them on the porch.
He’d seen the pictures but a picture was one thing, seeing Jensen’s face staring back at him while knowing that this wasn’t his Jensen was another.
The way that the man held himself screamed soldier and Cougar watched as the man’s gaze flickered over them, lingering on Aisha’s bound form before shifting back to meet Cougar’s eyes as he stepped forward and held out a hand.
“Captain Steve Rogers, at your service,” he greeted as he clasped Cougar’s hand in a firm grip. “I’m taking it you’re Carlos?”
Cougar inclined his head as Steve released his hand. “Si,” he responded and Steve’s lips pulled into a smirk that Cougar had seen often enough on Jensen’s face.
“Jensen wasn’t lying about you not talking much, huh?” he grinned and Cougar shrugged because he spoke when he needed to. “You go on in; Tony and Johnny are with him. I’d like a minute to discuss some things with your team.”
The words were barely out of the man’s mouth when Carlos slid by him, taking a second to glance back at Roque who just waved him on.
The sound of voices drew Carlos to the door at the far side of the room. Opening it he froze at the sight in front of him.
Jensen was on the bed talking to the brother who had to be Johnny and the sight of the two blond heads bent close made something dark curl in Cougar’s gut.
“It’s like a sexy overload,” an unfamiliar voice mused and Cougar started, his eyes flickering to the man standing in the corner but the stranger just smirked. “Tony Stark,” the man introduced himself before his eyes shifted back to the two blonds. “I’m guessing blondie number three is yours? Cause let me tell you I get the whole built for perfection thing with Steve but the three of them together really makes me wish that monogamy wasn’t a thing.”
“Even if monogamy wasn’t a thing, we don’t like to share,” Jensen’s voice had Cougar turning back to his lover and the small soft smile on his face made the sniper move before he even realised that he was going to.
As soon as he was close enough he wrapped his fingers around Jensen’s wrist letting the steady beat of the man’s pulse push back the bile that was trying to claw its way up his throat.
Jensen’s other hand came around to cup the back of his neck, pulling him closer and Cougar went, hiding his face against Jensen’s shoulder, uncaring that they weren’t the only ones in the room.
“Lo siento,” he breathed against Jensen’s skin as the sound of the door shutting echoed through the room. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for because none of them could have known that would happen, none of them except Aisha but that didn’t stop the words.
Jensen didn’t respond but the steady hand that was rubbing Cougar’s back was all the absolution he needed.
Jensen was alive and that was all that mattered to Cougar. Later they could sort everything else out but for now he was going to take his moment of happiness because he could.