Chapter Text
As he packed the last item into his duffle bag, he peaked over his shoulder to look at the sniffling soldier stood in the doorway behind him, his arms were tightly crossed over his chest, as if he was trying to stop himself from throwing them around his best friend’s neck. Once the bag was zipped up securely, he turned around fully and held out his arms ready for his best friend to ungracefully fall into. They embraced for a few minutes before he turned them both around and walked across the hallway into Steve’s bedroom, with the man himself tucked tightly under the arm across his shoulder. He reluctantly let go of Steve and grabbed the other duffle bag making sure to pack enough clothes for three weeks. He ignored the blonde soldier smuggling some of his own shirts and hoodies in the bag and focused on finding the beloved blanket that’s within reach at all times.
“Where’s Blankie at Buddy, you don’t want to forget him, unless you don’t want to take him.”
“I gets him.” Steve exclaims before he runs off towards the living room, soon returning with a familiar blue and white fluffy blanket. Although one of the corners seems to have disappeared inside his mouth, clearly a sign he’s trying to soothe himself.
“I will see you in a bit yeah, it’s only about 3 weeks long, Tony and Clint will look after you, hmm, they are in charge so don’t get that little butt of yours in trouble and try to behave like the good little teenager I know you are.”
“I’m not a baby Buck, I can look after myself.”
“Yeh well that blanket that you’re currently chewing on may say otherwise, I’m not sure Blankie likes being chewed on Stevie.” Bucky says as he pulls the blanket from Steve’s mouth and wipes a few stray tears from his cheeks. “Come on I need to go in a minute, and I haven’t had any of my ribs crushed yet.”
“Noooo Bu-Ubby don’t go, I neeEd you.” Steve shouts as he chases after Bucky and crushing him in a hug.
“Stevie, Steve, we go through this every time, it’s only three weeks, and Tony is in charge, and someone needs to look after Blankie, hmm, now go get your bag I need to drop you off at the penthouse so I know your there, if you’re a good boy while I’m away we can go get ice cream.”
“With Pe’er?”
“Yeah, Peter can come too, now I love you very much, and stay out of trouble or that butt of yours will be in trouble and then your nose will be in the corner after, now let’s go.” Bucky says as he grabs Steve’s hand and drags him towards the elevator. JARVIS quickly complying and moving up towards the penthouse.
“UNCLE BUCKY!”
“Hey, Squirt I missed you too, where’s your Daddy at?” Bucky asks as he lifts Peter up onto his front and smacks a kiss on his cheek.
“He’s in the kitchen making chocolate milkshakes for me and Stevie, he gots cookies too, let’s go Stevie.” He says as he squirms down and drags Steve along behind him.
“Hey Buckaroo, all ready to go?” Tony says as Bucky joins him in the kitchen while he dishes out two drinks bottles to prevent any spillages and a plate of what looks like chocolate chip cookies, to the over-energetic boys.
“Yeah, just delivering Steve, and then I’ll be off, although he’s not in a great mood so you have my permission to discipline as necessary, but he knows you’re in charge so there should be no issues. Just watch out for him for me yeah.”
“Hey, don’t worry, he’ll be fine with us, Peter and I will look after him, Clint’s here too yeah, don’t worry you just focus on being safe out there and coming home to us.”
“Yeh okay thanks Doll, I owe you one. Hey Steve, Peter I’m going now.” He shouted before a curly headed bundle runs straight at him.
“You’ll look after Stevie for me right Squirt?” Whispered Bucky.
“Yes, Uncle Buck, I’ll be in charge.”
“Sure, you are.” Followed by a kiss on the forehead. “Anyone else want a hug, no okay I guess I’m, Oomph.” As another body slams into him and holds on for dear life. “No don’t start crying now Bubs, I’ll be back before you know it. I love you very much okay. Good boy. See you later Tones.” Bucky says as he rubs Steve’s back before pulling away and kissing his forehead, then heading towards the elevator.
—————————————————————
That was a few weeks ago where Steve was trying to behave himself but as the days went on his behaviour just seemed to decline more and more.
“Right family meeting, I need a few things from the store, so I have made the executive decision that the four of us are going, yes even you Steve.” Tony says as he walks into the living room with two pairs of shoes. Clint and himself already to go.
“Daaaad why do I have to go to the shop too?”
“Because Petey-Pie I said so.” Tony replies as finishes tying both of Peter’s laces, so he can finish the last lap of the race he was on.
“Oi Steve, you need to actually tie the laces, they won’t do them on their own.” Clint says as he arrives in the room with the list.
“No.”
“What do you mean no, fine if you won’t do them, I will do them, happy, no I didn’t think you would be.” Clint exclaims as he bends down to lace them up tightly, before hauling him up onto his feet and dragging him to the elevator.
"STEVE GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE RIGHT NOW, I swear to god you are worse than Peter. No come back here. No, we don't need to go down there. Clint grab him will you before we lose him"
"On it, hey why did we even bring him I'm not sure he's any help in a supermarket." Clint shouts back as he tries to grab Steve's hand. "Are we sure he is 26, Peter is 8 and doesn't walk off.
"Might I remind you Legolas that I'm holding his hand right now, and he is a good boy and always listens to me, isn't that right Roo?" Tony says as he squeezes Peter’s hand to get his attention.
"I'm a good boy Uncle Clint, hey Daddddy can we get cookies please, the chocolate chip ones please."
"Yeh, I suppose so as you've been so good. Hey Steve, do you want a choc chip cookie, I know you like them?"
"Cookie, like the ones we had the other day, them ones. Yes please." Steve says as he stops trying to pull his hand out of Clint's clutches in favour of the cookie.
"Tony will give you one if you stop trying to squirm away from me, deal?" Clint says as he grabs a cookie from Tony once Peter is happily munching on one.
"Deal."
The rest of the shopping trip went smoothly with only a few whines here and there from both boys before they reached the checkout, but nothing a promise of another cookie after dinner wouldn't fix.
Once they reached the car Tony let go of Peter so he could get strapped into his car seat, as no matter how many times he argued he didn't need one he still wasn't above the recommended age and didn’t exceed the height or weight recommendation. There was no way Tony was risking Peter’s life so he will be staying in the car seat until he is at the seat’s maximum, which may be longer than average as he is on the small size, but then Tony is his dad so not much of a surprise.
"Hey Bud, can you get in the car and keep Peter company please, while we finish up."
"Yeh sure I can do that." Steve says as he climbs in beside Peter and closes the door.
"Chinese for dinner, and then movie night?"
"Yeh gives us a chance to get those two to calm down. I swear we should get Steve a backpack leash, I mean at least then we would have a constant hold of him. Peter is easy, mainly because he's so small and easy to grab a hold of Steve on the other hand just wanders off and then gets upset when he can't find us again."
"I know what you mean Man, once I grabbed him, he tried to break free until you offered him a cookie. We are gunna have to ask Bucky how he deals with him, let's just hope his mission has ended and returns as planned tomorrow."
While Clint returns the trolley Tony starts the car making sure everyone (Steve) is buckled just in time for Clint to hop in the passenger seat, already ordering the takeaway on his phone. It was a quiet car ride home, with only the slight humming of them singing along to the radio before they start pulling into the underground garage.
Before the car has even stopped moving Steve is pulling off his seat belt and pouncing for the door handle. The only thing stopping him from succeeding is the fact child lock was in place.
"Did you really try to jump out a moving car Steve, because you better not have unless you want me to stick that nose of yours in a corner for 10 minutes with a red behind. Do you understand?"
"But Tony, Bucky might be back, and I want to see him and and"
"YES SIR"
"Yes Sir." Steve mumbled as he slumped back into his seat with a pout.
Although it didn't last long as Clint soon opened his door and pulled him out of the car and into the elevator where Tony and Peter were waiting for them. The robots being left to sort the shopping bags out for the penthouse and deliver the rest to the common room.
When they had made it upstairs all four of them split to go get into comfy clothes before they settled into the movies and Chinese that JARVIS had just placed an order for and would arrive in twenty minutes.
Tony was the first ready arriving in sweats and a hoodie before starting to pour some drinks, just in time for Clint to arrive in the elevator dressed in the similar clothes carrying the bags of Chinese food.
“Daddy I’m starv-ving.” Peter says as he runs straight into his dad in his favourite Iron Man pyjamas and cuddly spider, Webster hanging from his left hand. He’s always had a strange fascination for spiders.
“Well, it’s a good thing Uncle Clint is sorting out the Chinese then isn’t it, Bambino.” Tony replies as Peter runs off to the sofas. “Leave some prawn crackers for Steve too I don’t want another visit from Captain grumpy pants, isn’t that right Stevie?”
“I’m not grumpy, wait I want some crackers too. Tony, I want some too that’s not fair.” Steve says as he appeared from his room, dragging along his favourite blue blanket along the floor behind him.
“Woah, woah, woah, who said you weren’t getting any, no put the pout away, you get your own bag of them, yeah, calm down I’m not that mean.” Tony replies as he brings Steve into a hug, which just makes Steve crack even more and soon breaks down into tears and crying into Tony’s shoulder.
“This isn’t about the crackers, is it?” To which a strong shake of the head was the reply followed by a few more tears. “Is this about not wanting Chinese? No, how about not wanting to watch Star Wars? No, how about I go out on a limb here and guess that you’re missing a certain Super Soldier. Hmm is the silence a, yes?”
“I wa-want bu-Ubby back.”
“Ohhh, I know you miss him Sweetheart, it’s been a long 3 weeks hasn’t it, hmm, well a little birdie told me that they are coming home tomorrow, yeah, so what we’re going to do now is join those two muppets in there and watch Star Wars while stuffing our faces and then have a nice cuddle yeah, and if you ask nicely, I’m sure Clinton will open his secret-not-so-secret cookie tin.” Tony says as he rocks them side to side softly while wiping his wet eyes with his blanket. “Come on let’s go eat some Chinese.” He says as he grabs his hand and pulls him along towards the others.
“I stuck your plates in the oven Man, so they didn’t get cold. Oh, these are for you Bud, panic over.” Clint says as he hands over a bag of prawn crackers to Steve.
As the three of them get comfortable Tony goes off to fetch the last two plates and then another beer and tops up a bottle of apple juice for Peter, before getting comfortable himself. Clint and Peter snuggling up on one sofa as they have finished their food, while Tony and Steve are on the other sofa.
It’s not long until they are on the second film of the night, Finding Nemo. Both Steve and Tony are both finished and the four of them are all full and content, until Tony feels a head butting against his shoulder, so he lifts his arm and snuggles the soldier closer to his chest. When he looks up, he sees Clint in a similar position with his boy although Peter seems to be getting restless if the constant fidgeting is anything to go by.
“Hey Petey, how about Uncle Clint gets you a bottle of milk yeah?” After getting a nod of approval Clint looks towards Tony who is smiling and holding up two fingers over Steve’s head. “Make them warm yeah.”
“Coming right up Squirt, Tones do you want anything.” Clint says as he walks in the kitchen and grabbing two water bottles, one Thor and one Winter Soldier bottle. “Just a beer mate, and then it’s someone’s bedtime.”
“Nu uh”
“Yeh huh, although maybe I wasn’t just talking about you, maybe I was talking about Stevie, huh Bud you want to go nigh night?” Which just got a tightening of the fist in his hoodie for an answer, as well as snuggling in further. “Okay you stay there for a bit longer huh.” Before giving him a kiss on the top of the head just as Clint walked in with drinks for himself and Peter. And then walking off to collect the last two, returning with the two drinks as well as a familiar blanket draped over his shoulder.
“Here we are one beer for you, one blanket, which I found in the kitchen, and can someone do me a favour and drink this milk as I heated too much up, huh Steve up for the job?”
“Yeh s’got Bucky on.” Steve says as he makes grabby hands for the bottle after making himself comfier on Tony now with his blanket as well.
“Cheers Bud, hey budge up Pete or do you not want a cuddle.” Which made the boy leap up and make room for his uncle before collapsing back into his chest and making himself comfy while a hand comes up and rubs his tummy for him while he drinks.
Twenty minutes later and Peter is fast asleep with a bottle falling out him mouth, while Steve is nearly asleep as he drains the last of the milk, as his bum gets patted rhythmically by Tony.
“Hey, I got Pete if you’ve got Steve yeah” Clint says as he gathers up Peter and Webster before making his way down the corridor and into Peter’s bedroom.
“Come on Sweetheart let’s get you into bed.” Tony coos as he sits Steve up, before lifting the surprising light soldier onto his front to latch on to him sleepily and making his way towards the room on the right side of his bedroom, Peter being on the left, but not without scooping up Blankie too. Once they reach the bed Tony let’s him down slowly after pulling the covers down and then tucking in the soldier and kissing his head goodnight before leaving the snoring soldier’s room quietly and joining Clint once again on the sofa, where more drinks and a new movie is lined up.
As the final credits of the film roll, there is noise from the elevator, where a metal armed man walked out silently before making a beeline towards Clint and Tony. He only appears to have a few cuts and bruises visible before collapsing down on the sofa nearly on top of Tony.
“Hey, mate I assume it was a successful mission then.”
“Yeh all sorted, and locked up, you lot been alright, no trouble I need to sort out?”
“Nah Clint’s been very well behaved, jokes aside, your boy has been very well behaved, struggled a bit these last few days, but nothing a good cry didn’t sort out earlier. Oh, and Peter wants you to take him and Steve to get ice cream next week for being so good.”
“I’d love to take the boys out, just say when and I’ll be there.” Bucky replies with his eyes still closed.
“Right, I’m off, see you in the morning, Tones, Buck, night.”
“Night Legolas, thanks for helping.” “Yeh thanks Clint, night.” They reply before Clint gets in the elevator and makes his way back to his floor.
“You sure you’re okay, I don’t mind if you stay the night in the spare room, so you don’t get jumped on early in the morning.” Tony says as Bucky replies with a nod before opening his eyes to look up at Tony who’s offering him a hand.
“Hey why is there a water bottle with my face on?”
“Quickest way to put a super solider to sleep after a breakdown, a bottle of warm milk, works a treat for Peter every night, your face was just to guarantee he would drink it.” Tony replies as he leads the soldier to the spare room next to Peter’s bedroom.
“Hey if you’re not up by 9:30 I’ll send in the boys to wake you up, night Bucky.”
“Night Doll, thank you for everything.”
The next morning was chaotic running after two hyperactive boys, both of which don’t know about a certain Super Soldier asleep in the spare bedroom. Tony was getting fed up with their antics, but luckily before he could lose the plot a metal and flesh hand landed on his shoulders and massaged them.
“Hey, why have I been woken up by shouting and screaming this early in the morning.”
“UNCLE BUCKY” “BUBBY” is all he heard before he was tackled by both the boys in a 3-person hug with Tony trapped in the middle.
“As nice as this is boys, I’m not sure Tony can breathe and I think I was in the middle of telling you off for shouting and screaming at 7am, are we going to calm down or am I putting noses in corners?”
“I’m a Good boy Uncle Bucky.”
“Okay thank you Squirt, why don’t you get dressed ready for breakfast on the common floor huh.” In reply Peter just runs off into his bedroom. “Are you coming out of my neck any time soon Buddy, no okay you stay there for a bit.” He says as he turns his attention onto the sniffling soldier hiding in his neck. He rubs his hands up and down his back a few times, while placing a few kissing onto his head, while Tony ruffles his hair softly.
“I’m going to check on Pete, you okay here for a minute and then will head down together yeah.” Tony asks as he pats Steve’s bottom to get his attention. “And you stay cuddled there for as long as you want, he missed you too.”
It took them another thirty minutes till they were able to get in the elevator and go down to join the rest of Avengers, mainly because Steve needed so much coaxing out of Bucky’s neck and Peter kept taking his pants off and being in his underwear, which earned him 10 minutes in time out after the fifth time.
Down on the Avengers floor the rest of the team was spread out, with Bruce finishing up cooking breakfast consisting of pancakes, sausages, eggs, and toast for the whole team. Clint and Thor in a game of Mario Kart on the TV while Natasha was sitting and reading a book.
“Hey guys breakfast is just done, excellent timing.” Bruce says as he takes plates to the table.
“Yeh could say that Peter next to me please.”
“But... yes dad.” Peter mutters and he slumps down into the chair next to Tony, while Bucky sits on his other side of him with Steve not far behind him, basically on top of him.
“So, I’m taking my two favourite kids out for ice cream later, anyone else want to join?” Bucky asks as he cuts up Steve breakfast and places the plate back in front of him.
“Steve will go with you I’m sure Buck.”
“Well done Clint but I’ve already included him and Peter, I was asking the adults in the room.”
“Okay don’t take this the wrong way Bucky, but we’re fairly sure Steve isn’t a kid, I think you were in the Cryo longer than you think.”
“What do you mean not a teenager he’s biologically only 16.”
“SIXTEEN, what are you on about he’s 26 the last time we checked, and I was told from the man himself over there.” Tony asks as he makes eye contact with the blonde haired one at the end of the table, who was trying to escape quietly from the table but didn’t get extremely far before a metal finger hocked the top of his sweatpants and pulled him back down onto his chair. His chair being pushed right up against the table and a foot placed in the way of the leg, so he was effectively trapped.
“STEVEN GRANT ROGERS.” Bucky growled dangerously low at Steve.