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Tony stumbled over a wax deposit on the floor. He flailed until he regained his balance.
“Aren’t those supposed to be cleaned up by now?” Tony hissed.
Natasha shushed him. She led the way, making sure the coast was clear before she waved them down another set of stairs.
“I’m just asking, in case the cleaners are behind schedule or -”
Natasha glared at him, her face stern.
Tony’s wings whispered against his back before they resettled. He wasn’t used to the trek home taking so long. He and Natasha had a cubby - more of a suite of rooms, really - in a prime location toward the bottom of the hive. Their space remained nice and toasty, even in the worst of the winter, and the pleasant hum of sleepy, vibrating bees traveled down and sent Tony straight off to sleep most nights.
Usually they would fly down from the hole at the top of the hive and straight to their rooms, except tonight wasn’t the usual. Tonight they had a guest of sorts, one they didn’t want any of their nosy neighbors to see, and so they took the levels one at a time, instead of risking their usual flight down being heard.
Especially since their guest, Bucky, was a wasp and the sound of his wings in particular might alarm the rest of the bumblebees.
Also, Bucky was down a wing at the moment, so there was that.
Tony glanced back and almost stumbled again when he realized Bucky was right behind him. Bucky was just so quiet, and Tony both admired and hated that.
They snuck down, level by level. Natasha had taught him how to step on the tiled floor to not make a sound, and he thought he was doing pretty good despite Natasha’s continued shushing.
Tony didn’t know what the neighbors would say, what the rest of the hive would say, when they found out that they’d snuck a wasp into their midst. Tony didn’t particularly want to find out, though Tony thought that showing them how pathetic Bucky had looked - drenched in the recent rain, wing injured, and kicked out of his own hive - might tug on their heart strings enough to inspire sympathy.
Natasha had decided to err on the side of caution though, and Tony agreed.
Convincing the hive was an issue to be solved after Bucky was warm and dry and had a good meal.They’d wasted enough time arguing over how best to get Bucky into their rooms, they certainly hadn’t had time enough to plan how to assure the rest of the hive that what they were doing was definitely totally fine and not dangerous at all.
Or really, convince Queen Carol. That’s who they needed on their side when it came down to it - and Tony had a plan for that. Sort of.
Okay, Rhodey was Tony’s plan.
But for now, stage one was complete. They reached the level with their apartment, and Tony keyed the door open. Tony had already shaded their window, a hexagonal plane that looked out into the open center core of the hive, with the thickest setting already set so that no one would be able to see in.
It made the apartment too dark to see, and Tony waited to turn on the lights until Natasha and Bucky entered in after him and the door was shut.
Tony flipped the switch.
“Mi casa es su casa!” Tony said - quietly, of course, Natasha didn’t have to glare that hard - and spread his arms to welcome Bucky.
Bucky nodded, his gaze quickly darting around the room. His wings were tucked close into his body, his nerves showing in hunched shoulders and furtive glances.
Tony didn’t like it. He got it, but he didn’t like it. Tony and Natasha’s rooms were cozy, with overstuffed furniture and soft blankets and a few wax sculptures to make a bee feel at home.
“Come on, let’s get you something to eat,” Natasha said. She rested a hand on Bucky’s arm and led him over to take a seat at their table.
Tony saw Bucky’s wings perk up at the touch, and Tony’s heart squeezed as he imagined how lonely Bucky would’ve been without a colony.
Tony followed them into the kitchen, or the little nook that served as the kitchen. Some bees - mostly Clint - had all sorts of fancy gadgets to cook and modify nectar and honey in new ways, but Tony didn’t have the patience and Natasha didn’t have the taste for it.
The straight nectar was good for them, especially since Natasha always saved the best stuff from her forages - Tony’s favorite was the blueberry nectar.
Natasha’s hand hovered on the fridge handle, where the nectar was, but then diverted over to the cupboard for the honey instead.
Tony nodded in approval. They didn’t have much - it was only for dessert. Only the young bees needed all the sugars that were packed into honey. If they overindulged in it, Tony would get too fat to fly. But they had enough to share, and Tony could always scrounge up some more with the access his job in the creche gave him.
Tony pulled out a pitcher of nectar and poured himself a cup, just so Bucky didn’t have to eat alone.
Then he poured a cup for Nat, because he was polite like that.
Natasha handed Bucky the entire jar of honey and a spoon to go with it.
“You two are - this is too much. I’m not worth all this,” Bucky said.
“Eat,” Natasha ordered.
Bucky shoved the spoon in his mouth, sheepish, and Tony smirked.
Natasha’s instincts were, as usual, correct and Tony had no regrets over sneaking Bucky into their home, wasp or no wasp.
Bucky’s eyes closed in bliss and he said nothing else as he spooned bite after bite of honey into his mouth. Tony didn’t even know anyone could eat the sweet, sticky substance that fast - but then, Bucky was looking a little too thin.
For a yellowjacket, anyway. Bucky still towered over Tony and Natasha, and his shoulders were certainly broader than any of the bees in the hive. There used to be - and would be again, Tony promised - muscles in Bucky’s chest that indicated both speed and strength.
He would be a good provider and gatherer of food. That would come in handy, once that wing had a chance to heal up.
Tony and Natasha sat at the table, taking sips of nectar as they chatted about tomorrow. Nothing about Bucky, nothing about their plans, just - the normal day. What area Natasha’s flight was headed to, what activities Tony had planned for the younglings in his care.
Letting the attention swing off Bucky, so the wasp could eat as much as he needed to eat.
Which turned out to be the whole jar. Bucky scraped the spoon against the bottom and the sides, getting every last drop of honey that he could.
“We have more nectar -” Tony said, getting to his feet.
“‘M good. More than good,” Bucky said, a slow sweet smile spreading across his face. “Thanks. Really. I - thanks.”
“You’re very welcome.” Natasha whisked away the empty jar and spoon with brisk efficiency. “Help yourself if you want more, you saw where the nectar was.”
Bucky nodded, his eyes wide.
“Now.” Tony clapped his hands together. “I think it’s bedtime. All of us have jobs to do tomorrow. Me, wrangling younglings. You,” he pointed at Natasha, “fly your pretty ass to gather pollen and do the hive proud, and you” he pointed at Bucky, who startled, “need to rest up to heal that wing.”
Bucky looked adorably confused.
Tony liked it.
“Living room?” Natasha asked.
“Living room,” Tony seconded. He loved that they were on the same page.
He loved Natasha’s heart, the way she never even hesitated to invite an exiled, injured wasp into their home. He loved her efficiency, the way the parts of a plan fell so naturally into place as she snuck Bucky into their rooms.
He loved the way her fuzzy striped tail swayed away from him as she went to go grab blankets out of the closet.
“This is probably a lot for you, all at once, but you’re going to be fine and you can freak out later,” Tony said as he pulled Bucky from the table. “I don’t know how long you’ve been on your own, and you don’t have to tell me, but for tonight we’re going to cuddle it up like a good colony, okay? Okay.”
Bucky stumbled after Tony, still in shock.
Natasha laid out the blankets, tugging them every which way to her preference, and then plopped down. Tony tugged Bucky down so that Bucky was in the middle.
Bucky was stiff, unsure.
“You don’t haf’ ta,” Bucky started to protest.
“We don’t have to, but we want to,” Natasha confirmed. “Now sleep. Morning flight will come all too early.”
Tony settled onto his stomach, his wings stretching wide and long for one wonderful moment before settling back down. Bucky’s wings twitched, but stayed down. Natasha indulged in her own nightly stretch, and then they all nestled together, heads pillowed on their arms and blankets for sleep.
The warm buzz of a happy hive, full of the vibrations of slumbering bees, filtered through the quiet night air. Tony gave a sigh, and fell asleep.
Tony opened the door and saw Rhodey standing there, fist raised to knock and face set in determination, though that quickly turned to surprise, because-
“Nope,” Tony said and shut the door.
“Tones!” Rhodey called, banging on the door. “Open the damn door.”
Tony pushed against the door, making a show of keeping it shut even if Rhodey wasn’t trying to force his way in - yet.
Bucky peeked around the corner, his hair still dripping wet on his way back from the bathroom. He had forced himself into one of Tony’s shirts, not quite big enough to fit, while Natasha had taken his yellow jacket to Clint’s, who knew both how to clean leather and when not to ask questions.
“I have everything under control,” Tony assured Bucky.
“‘M sure.” Bucky blinked as Rhodey pounded on the door again. “I might just go hide in the back while you keep havin’ everything under control.”
Tony huffed.
Bucky disappeared into the back of the apartment and Tony fluffed up his hair before he swung the door back open.
“Rhodeybear!” Tony greeted with a smile. “To what do I owe this pleasure so early in the morning? I have a job to get to and everything, you know, so we better make this quick or even better, reschedule! How about next Thursday?”
“Tony.” Rhodey crossed his arms. “You know I love you.”
“I do! Good talk. See you next Thursday.”
Rhodey sighed and put his hand out to stop Tony from closing the door on him again.
“I love you but -”
Tony sighed. He hated buts.
“- we need to talk. You know I’m in charge of defense, right?”
“Yes, I remember hearing something about that.”
It was why Tony’s plan to get to Queen Carol was through Rhodey. But Tony’s plan also had a few steps before Rhodey - like getting Clint and Pepper on their side. Clint came up with the wackiest reasons to do weird stuff, and Pepper was more stubborn than a hornet.
“Good. So now I gotta ask why the hell you think you can sneak something by me in my own hive?”
“Just so I don’t say anything accidentally incriminating about…” Tony trailed off at Rhodey’s glare, “about nothing, because that’s what I’ve done, absolutely nothing at all, you wound me, Sourpatch, honestly, what is this world coming to?”
Rhodey continued to glare.
“Anyway,” Tony cleared his throat. “What exactly are we talking about?”
“I’m talking about whoever or whatever you and Nat snuck in last night past that dumbass Quill.”
Tony sighed and opened the door. Rhodey marched in, his wings fluttering with his emotions.
“What in the seven layers of hell-comb are you up to? And then explain why you thought I wouldn’t find out about it.”
“Rhodeyyyy…” Tony stalled as he racked his brain for the perfect answer.
Bucky took a deep breath and crawled out from his hiding place. The apartment wasn’t so big that he couldn’t hear what was going on, and he shouldn’t let Tony or Natasha put themselves at risk for him any more than they already had.
He’d gotten one night. One night where he’d gotten to gorge himself on delicious honey and then colony-cuddle with two soft, fuzzy bees who were the kindest and most gorgeous insects that Bucky had ever seen, but - it was more than he deserved, and it was time for him to face the firing squad.
Or whatever passed for a firing squad in a bumblebee hive. It certainly couldn’t be worse than getting kicked out of his last colony.
“It’s me,” he declared as he stepped around the corner and into view. “They were helpin’ me. Sorry for - for everythin’. It’s my fault. They were just - too kind.”
The black bumblebee took Bucky in with a heavy, serious gaze. Then the tension in the bee’s body abruptly disappeared, and he collapsed onto the couch to hide his face in his hands.
“Holy First Honey, Tones!”
Bucky couldn’t stop his shoulders from drooping.
Tony buzzed around, a little too darting and manic to be composed. “Sourpatch, honeybee, light of my hive - this really isn’t so weird, is it? His name is Bucky, okay, you can’t just - and his wing, Rhodey, his wing -”
Rhodey burst out into hysterical laughter.
“You had me so worried!” Rhodey shook on the couch, his wings rattling against the back cushions. “I thought - oh, I was worried about you dragging in a dung beetle that might spoil the honey crop, or that you’d finally let that ant man in -”
“Scott?” Tony questioned. “No, no, no. He’s sweet, but he’s got his anthill. Also, no.”
Rhodey’s bright, amused gaze met Bucky’s.
“‘M still a wasp,” Bucky defended. Though he was also glad that he wasn’t a dung beetle or an ant.
Rhodey propped up his chin on a hand, still amused. “You’re a yellowjacket. A pollinator. Forgive me if I’m not properly scandalized by your presence.”
Tony’s wings flitted a bit with agitation and his little tail puffed up before settling back down. Like the bee wanted to come to Bucky’s defense, but also didn’t want to give his friend any reason to be alarmed.
Bucky felt the same confusion.
“I, well, I guess -” Bucky stumbled.
“If you were a hornet, I’d have some more concerns. But I guess I can ask you - do you plan to eat Tony, Natasha, or anyone else in the hive?”
“Rhodey!” Tony protested.
“No, I do not,” Bucky answered firmly.
“Do you plan to steal any of our eggs to take them for your own?” Rhodey pressed.
“No!” Bucky’s wings twitched in horror at the thought. He wouldn’t send anyone back into that yellowjacket colony - even if it had seemed tempting to crawl his way back with his wing out of shape and the food out of reach.
Tony darted over to him, cuddling against his side. Bucky relaxed, a little, but he tilted his chin up and faced Rhodey. He could face more questions, any question, really. He wasn’t here to harm anything, let alone his saviors.
Rhodey eyed him. “Yeah, sorry if I ain’t as upset as you want. Don’t think I’m that worried.”
Tony perked up. “Do think Queen Carol…?”
Rhodey put his hands up in defense. “I won’t speak for Her Majesty, but -” Rhodey’s assessing gaze took in Bucky again, landing for an extra moment on his wing. “- maybe, while your wing heals, you might think about what you’d like to do. If you want to stay, it’ll go over easier if you can contribute to the hive. And there’s plenty to do, even if you don’t want to risk your wings again.”
Tony hugged Bucky tight, almost knocking him over with how much he was vibrating with happy little buzzes. Bucky slowly, cautiously, wrapped his arms back around Tony. His heart thundered in his chest, and Bucky felt his hopes rise.
Helping was no big thing, Bucky wanted to be helpful. He wanted to contribute to the hive. He wanted to stay.
“You should let Rhodey take a look at your wing,” Tony said, pulling back a bit. “He’s in charge of the defense of the hive and has seen a lot worse stuff. He can tell you that and make you feel better.”
Bucky bit his lip, fondness welling inside him like a fountain of nectar.
Rhodey rolled his eyes. “I can take a look, if you don’t mind.”
“No, please, I - I’d appreciate it,” Bucky muttered softly.
He turned, raising his wing so that Rhodey could see the translucent membrane easier - and where parts of it were missing. He’d gotten used to the pain that radiated up from his left wing, only really noticing it when he tried to fly.
It was hard to find food without flying, and it was hard to heal without food. If Natasha hadn’t found him, if she and Tony hadn’t invited Bucky into the colony -
“It’ll heal.” Rhodey didn’t touch, though his fingers hovered over the damage. He smiled at Bucky. “Tones is right, I have seen bees come back from worse. This’ll heal up fine, but it’ll take time. We’ve developed a wax that’s a super light coating - won’t weigh you down, I promise, but it’ll cover over the raw edges and take away some of the pain, if you want.”
“I helped develop it,” Tony preened, still tucked into Bucky’s side.
“I was there, I remember,” Rhodey said, voice entirely fond.
Bucky knew the feeling.
“I mean, if it’s not too much trouble -” Bucky started.
“That’s a yes. Our little yellowjacket is too polite sometimes,” Tony said, smiling up at Bucky.
Rhodey snorted. “Won’t last long around you. Alright, I’ll go get that sorted. You,” Rhodey glared at Tony, “do your best friend a favor and schedule an audience with Her Majesty, yeah?”
Tony nodded.
Rhodey shook his head, smiling, and headed out the door.
“Lieutenant Colonel Rhodes!” Natasha exclaimed, just out of view. “What a - a wonderful morning surprise. Do you like my new jacket?”
“It’s a little big for you,” Rhodey - Rhodes, Bucky corrected in his brain - “but might fit that wasp you got inside.”
Natasha darted through the open doorway, her face pinched with nerves. She was wearing Bucky’s jacket, freshly washed and refreshingly yellow. Her eyes widened as she took in Bucky in plain view.
“What happened?” she hissed, shutting the door.
“Rhodey approves!” Tony threw himself into Natasha’s arms and drug her around in an attempted circle dance. “He’s going to get some of that healing wax for Bucky, Bucky’s wing is going to be totally fine, and he thinks Queen Carol is going to love him!”
Bucky’s lips twitched, and he let the smile take over his face. That wasn’t exactly what Rhodes had said but - but close enough, right? Bucky was going to get to stay, and that meant - that meant he could stay here, with Tony and Natasha, right?
Tony whirled away, buzzing happily. He scooped up the blankets that had made up their bed last night and started folding them.
Bucky collapsed onto a chair, one with a wide slit down the back so that his tail and wings could poke through and rest comfortably.
Natasha slid Bucky’s jacket off her shoulders and handed it over to Bucky. He clutched it in his lap, his fingers digging into the leather.
It was, at the moment, all he owned. And he would give it right back to Natasha if she asked, even if it was too big for her. The sleeves had dangled past her fingertips and Bucky couldn’t think of anything cuter.
She perched on the armrest of the chair and flipped her braid behind her shoulder.
“You can stay with us here, if you want,” Natasha said, her voice quiet. “We’d be happy to have you.”
Bucky glanced at Tony who was humming happily to himself as he folded the blankets. Tony’s tail was swaying, not to the beat that Tony was humming but some other rhythm that must be in Tony’s head as he danced around. Bucky watched, helplessly entranced. It was almost like -
He flushed and looked away.
“It’s his dance,” Natasha confided. “It’s supposed to be seductive, but really he’s just a dork.”
Bucky blinked up at her, his face still hot. “It’s cute.”
Natasha smiled, her green eyes almost sparkling. “You’ll fit right in, just like I thought. You’ll stay?”
It was less of a question and more of a hope. Bucky couldn’t stop his own smile.
“If you’ll have me. It’s not too fast, is it?” Bucky frowned, suddenly concerned.
Natasha hummed and tucked a strand of Bucky’s hair behind his ear, and her touch sent sparks from his head down to his toes.
“I think of it like knowing the route home. When you know, you know,” she said softly. “What do you think?”
Bucky swallowed. “I think you two feel like home.” His gaze went back to Tony, who still swayed with his tail twitching in some crazy version of a courting dance as he folded the blankets.
He didn’t want to forget his way here, to this.
“Good,” Natasha said decisively. “Then it’s settled. Now come on - we’ve got to dance while the flowers are blooming!”
Natasha hopped off her perch and pulled Bucky up out of the chair and over to Tony.
“What? What?” Tony asked as Natasha yanked Bucky around, swarming Tony.
“Dance, Bumble Butt,” Natasha called out with a laugh. She patted his tail. “The flowers are blooming and we know the way home.”
Tony whirled on Bucky with the brightest of smiles. “You know the way home?”
Bucky grabbed Tony’s hands and swung him around, doing his best to shake his tail into something worthy of courting bumblebees. Natasha slipped under his arm, and the three of them twirled across the floor.
“I know the way home,” Bucky confirmed.
