Tony slowly regained consciousness, surrounded by the steady, shockingly familiar sound of the heart monitor beside his bed. He was pleasantly warm, and whatever drug they had him on was clearly doing its job well to keep him free of whatever injuries he had sustained from whatever battle he had been in. Actually, what battle had that been again? He cast his mind back, trying to remember, but nothing came. Actually, he felt a little too good, his mind was too sharp, at least for what it should be. He frowned, trying to puzzle it out, and-

"Tony?" There was a hand in his, "Tony, baby, can you hear me?"

He opened his eyes, blinked a couple of times in the sudden, harsh light, yelped, and scrambled back out of bed and onto the floor. Heart beating fast, he brought his legs into a crouch and peered over the top of the bed, into two wide, shocked, bright blue eyes.

"Who the fuck are you?"

The other man looked down at his hands, now in his lap, and his shoulders shook. Tony almost felt bad except for the fact that this strange man thought that they were an item, after a presumably difficult battle of which he had no memory, and Tony had no clue what the fuck was going on.

"God, Tony, how do I even start?"

"Somewhere, anywhere, I don't care, just get the fuck on with explaining right the fuck now." Having surmised that he appeared to be uninjured, Tony got to his feet and backed into the corner of the room, searching for anything he could weaponise. Perhaps with a little time he could make something from the heart monitor.

The man looked up at Tony again, his big, blue eyes filled with tears. Okay, maybe he now felt a little bit bad. The man was adorable. "I'm your boyfriend, Tony." His voice shook and his lip trembled. He looked down to try to hide the tear that escaped from his eye, but Tony saw it. Damn, this guy was good. Whoever was paying him certainly got their money's worth. Even so, Tony was having none of it.

"Yeah, right. Nice try, big guy, but I already have a boyfriend. Next thing you say you'll be trying to convince me you're Captain America." He snorted.

The man looked up again, looking somewhat startled. "I - I am, actually. And Bucky, he's my boyfriend too. The three of us-"

Now Tony really did laugh. The look of hurt on the other man's face almost shut him up. "Oh, you're really scraping the bottom of the barrel now. Whoever hired you clearly didn't do their research. Captain America? Anyone who knows anything would never try to bribe me with little Captain Your-Daddy-Loved-Me-More. And if we're both in a relationship with the Buckster, how come he's not here as well? Now if you'll excuse me, I have some escaping to do, and a boyfriend to get back to. A real boyfriend." He headed to the door, but before he could reach it, it burst open and Bucky Barnes strode in.

"Tony! You're awake! Oh my god, me and Steve were so worried!" He pulled Tony into his arms and held him close.

"Who's Steve?" Tony asked, pulling away. Bucky looked down at him and his face fell. Then he looked at the man on the chair and stepped away from Tony.

"Steve?" Bucky crossed the room, towards the other man. "What happened?"

"Bucky?" Tony was shocked, "what's going on?"

Bucky turned to face him. "Steve is our partner, our boyfriend."

Tony looked at him, face blank with shock. "No."

"Yes, Tony, please -" the strange man - Steve - reached towards him, but Tony flinched back.

"No. No, I don't - no -" he turned tail and left the room, breathing heavily. He heard Bucky calling his name, but by the time he heard the door open and Bucky's footsteps follow him into the hall, he was round the corner.

Looking around at the corridor that he fled down, he realised that he was in fact in the medical floor of the tower. What the hell was going on? He got to the elevator and pressed the button to close the doors. As he turned he saw Bucky's startled face as the panels slid closed. He pressed the button for the communal floor, then stepped out into what looked like a funereal wake. All the other Avengers were sitting on armchairs and sofas, looking glum. Tony cleared his throat awkwardly.

Natasha shot up and crossed the room instantly. "Tony! You're awake! Where are Steve and Bucky?"

"Bucky's downstairs, but there's a strange man, he says he's my boyfriend but I don't know what's going on, how long was I out for? Did Bucky move on? Oh, god, what if he doesn't love me anymore-"

"Tony, calm down, that's Steve Rogers, he's you and Bucky's boyfriend. There was an incident in a recent battle. Loki was involved. I think it's better if you let Steve and Bucky explain. They both love you you know, so much. You were unconscious for almost three days, I've never seen either of them so upset or so worried."

Tony was only half listening. "St - Steve Rogers? As in, Captain America?"

Natasha nodded. "He was pulled from the ice in 2012, you've been dating since early the next year."

"Three years? No. No way. No fucking way. Captain - nope." Tony backed away from her, and hit a warm, firm chest. Two hands gripped his shoulders, one flesh, one metal, and he turned with a yelp to see his boyfriend - one of his boyfriends, apparently - looking relieved.

"Tony-"

"Nope!" He ducked out of Bucky's grip and ran for the elevator again. "JARVIS, workshop."

"Certainly, Sir." The AI's voice was cool and calming, a reassuring presence that Tony knew he could rely upon. Whatever had happened in this strange world, he knew that JARVIS was behind him, no matter what he did.

When he reached the workshop he put it on total lockdown. "No one comes in, no one comes out. Not even Bucky."

"And Captain Rogers?"

"Shit. No. No one."

"Of course, sir."

Tony went to busy himself with whatever he had been working on last, but when he got to the work bench he found the blueprints for a new, more shock absorbing design for a horrifically familiar shield.

"JAR- JARVIS-" he croaked out, stumbling backwards.

"Sir, your heart rate is increasing, would you like me to allow Sergeant Barnes in?"

"No! I said no, J, don't let him in, please, I don't-"

"Very well, sir. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

"Yeah, J, what the hell happened? I've got a Captain America wannabe in my tower, and apparently a lot that I can't remember, including apparently dating Captain America, but I don't- I can't-"

"Sir, if I may, I have some footage I can show you which may convince you of the Captain and Sergeant's sincerity."

"Alright, yeah, let me see."

Jarvis pulled up a holoscreen in front of Tony. Tony pulled it over to the nearest chair and sat down before pressing on the first video.

"Tony," said Captain America, "there's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Yeah, I already know who it is, Steve. It's okay, you don't have to introduce us. You can leave now if you like. It's okay, I don't mind. I always knew you loved him more than you loved me."

Captain America - Steve - looked hurt. "Tony, no. That's not what this is. I love you, nothing could take that away from us."

"Then you're not - you're not breaking up with me?"

"No, of course not!" Steve pulled Tony into a hug. Tony could see how he had leaned into the broad chest and arms that encircled him. Maybe this was true after all.

"Then what do you want?" Tony asked after a moment. "You can't keep me and go back to him."

Steve hesitated. "Well, I was reading the internet," Tony snorted, watching the video, "and I found out that you can be in a relationship with more than on person, without it being cheating."

"What, like polygamy?"

"Yeah, exactly like that. It has to be consented by all sides though. So, if you don't want me to then-"

"No! I mean, yes. If it's what you want."

"Will you mind? If you don't want me to the do it then I won't, I swear. You have to be okay with this."

"No, Steve, I really don't mind. If it's what you want, then it's what I want, too."

Steve smiled and leaned down to capture Tony's lips in a gentle kiss. Tony watched himself smile and lean up into the kiss, before the video faded out.

"But- what?"

"If you play the next video, Sir, perhaps you might understand a little better."

Tony played the next video.

"Tony-" Bucky's voice in the video was broken, his face pained.

"What can I do for you, Buckaroo?" Tony put down his screwdriver and turned to face the assassin.

"I- I was wondering- I have- my arm-"

"You want me to work on your arm?" Tony's mouth fell open in surprise.

"Yes."

"Okay, can you tell me what's wrong?"

"It's sticking. The elbow joint. It's jammed, I think."

"Alright, I'll take a look." Tony grabbed a handful of tools from the bench and turned fully to face Bucky. After half a minute of fiddling, he opened a panel on the side of the arm. "Aha! Yeah, one of the gears is broken, that'll be what's jamming."

"Can you fix it?"

Tony leaned back and fixed Bucky with a withering glare. "Look who you're talking to."

"O-of course, I'm sorry, I just meant-"

"Nah it's fine, I'm just messing with ya. I just need to replace the broken gear. I should have one somewhere..." He rummaged around in a drawer and pulled out the correct part with a triumphant smile. "Of course, if you would let me build you a new one, I'd be able to make adjustments much more easily, and obviously it would be practically indestructible and wouldn't just break." He raised an eyebrow pointedly.

"Yeah, okay."

Tony slotted the new gear into place and closed up the arm, then looked up into Bucky's face, startled.

"Wait, what?"

"You can. I want that. Please."

"I- yeah. Of course. Thank you."

"It's not a problem."

"Was there anything else?"

Bucky hesitated. "I don't understand you."

"Very few do. I make a point of being enigmatic. It's part of my charm."

Bucky carried on, undeterred. "You love Steve."

"You're not wrong. Your point being?"

"And yet you allowed him to love me. Why is that?"

"You make Steve happy. Happy Steve equals happy Tony. Its a very simple equation."

"Is that really what it is?" Bucky's voice had completely lost the melancholy quality.

"I- yes. What else could it be?"

Bucky took a step forward so that Tony could almost feel his breath on his neck, warm, slow, even. "I think you know what I mean." Bucky murmured, raising heavily lidded eyes to meet Tony's.

"I think- you're going to have to show me." Tony gasped, taking a small step towards Bucky, so that their bodies were pressed against each other.

"That won't be a problem, doll." Bucky breathed, then surged forward, capturing Tony's lips in a passionate kiss. Tony moaned and leaned into the kiss, kissing back with enthusiasm. Bucky raised his metal hand and threaded it through Tony's hair.

Watching the exchange, Tony moaned, knowing what was about to come next.

But then Tony on screen pushed Bucky away. "I can't."

"What? Why?"

"Steve-"

"Listen to yourself, doll, we're both dating Steve, he's in love with both of us, and I- I love you as well."

"I think- I think I love you too..." Tony whispered.

"Then what-" the door burst open and the two of them sprang apart, looking like two rabbits in a floodlight.

"Tony, do you-" Steve cut himself off, looking between the two of them, open mouthed.

"Steve, I'm sorry, it won't happen again, I promise, if you want to break up with me that's fine, you two deserve each other anyway, I just get in the way between you, so please-"

"Stevie, tell this little punk to stop being an idiot." Bucky interrupted.

"Tony, is this-"

"Yes." Bucky said, firmly.

Steve face split into a wide grin. "Are you serious?"

Tony looked from one to the other, confusion written all over his face. "What?"

"Were you two kissing?"

Tony looked down. "Yes..."

Steve laughed, loud and happy, and crossed the room to stand in front of Tony, grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him passionately. When he pulled away his face was shining with happiness. "This is what I want. If you both want it that is."

"I do. I want it." Tony said, decisively.

"So do I." Bucky said, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. Steve smiled and pressed a kiss to his lips.

The video faded out. Tony sat, stunned, still staring at the blank screen.

"Sir, Sergeant Barnes is outside. Should I let him in?"

"Yeah. Let him in, J."

The door swung open and Bucky ran in, looking frantic. "Tony?!"

"Over here, Buckster."

Bucky vaulted the workbench and in front of Tony, reaching up cupping Tony's cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Oh, god-" Bucky choked out and pulled Tony into a tight hug. Tony wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's waist and held on for dear life.

He could feel Bucky's shoulders shaking with sobs, and felt the hot huffs of breath against the back of his neck. "I'm sorry I ran..." He whispered, fisting his hands in the back of Bucky's shirt.

Bucky shook his head. "I love you, you know, and so does Steve."

"I know. JARVIS told me. I want to speak to him though. Steve."

Bucky's face broke in relief. "He's waiting outside."

Tony chuckled. "I guess that's why I'm dating both of you... You're exactly alike. Let him in, J."

"Of course, Sir." The door opened once again and Steve Rogers walked in tentatively, wringing his hands and looking around for Tony and Bucky.

"Over here, Stevie!" Bucky called, waving. Steve hurried over to them, then stopped, looking suddenly small and uncertain.

"Tony, I am so sorry-"

Tony held up a hand. "It's me who should he apologising to you. I said some pretty awful things, which I'm sure you don't deserve."

Steve looked immeasurably relieved. "So you remember me?"

Tiny hesitated. "Not exactly, no," Steve's face fell, "but apparently I have two super hot boyfriends instead of just the one, so, hey, who am I to complain? But that brings me to the apatosaurus in the room... What the hell happened?"

Steve and Bucky exchanged glances, then Steve spoke. "We were on a call out with Loki. He was terrorising a school, we just had to step in." He looked beseechingly at Tony.

"I know, I understand. So he did this? But why?"

"I'm getting to that. You were trying to save a child he was holding captive. Except when you reached for her, she was one of his light mirages, and he captured you instead. Nothing any of us could do was able to get him to release you. He was- hurting you. I thought-" he choked back a sob, "I thought we weren't going get you back. So I bargained with him. He told me that he'd release you, in exchange for-" he closed his eyes, voice shrinking to barely more than a whisper, "in exchange for all of your memories of us together."

Tony gasped. "So, wait, this isn't just a temporary thing?" Steve shook his head. "I'm never going to get back my memories?" His heart ached at the thought of what he was missing. Just from the short amount of their relationship that he had witnessed from the outside, he could tell how much Steve truly loved him, and he was sure that he must love Steve in return.

"That's all we know. We don't know how long this will last, or if it's permanent." Steve looked away from Tony.

"I don't care if I never get my memories back. I still want to be your boyfriend." He looked up, nervously, "that is, if you'll have me..."

Steve looked up, eyes wide in relief. "You really mean that?"

"Yes of course I mean it. Now kiss me." Steve did so. He leaned up and pressed his lips to Tony's. It was nothing like the kiss in the video that Tony had seen. It was soft and tender, almost tentative. Tony almost melted. When at last the kiss was broken, Bucky took Steve's place, cupping Tony's jaw and kissing him reverently like he was the air he breathed.

When they finally pulled apart, after entirely too short a time, if you asked Tony, Bucky pulled Steve in and kissed him over Tony, and yep, that was just as good.

He might not be able to remember the love he had had for this man, but he knew that he could fall in love with him again.