They had to loosen up every once in a while. Things like all trying to pick up Thor's hammer, sharing a few drinks, telling stories, making fun of each other (Clint and Natasha were especially good at the last one).
It was going great. Tony had supplied the alcohol, of course, Jarvis had a soft background track playing, and Pepper was sharing some of the odder moments of running Stark Industries.
And then Bucky spoke up.
"Hey, Steve, remember that song we used to sing?
Steve arched an eyebrow. "Which one, Buck? There were a few, as I remember."
"'Gee, Mom, I Wanna Go Home.'"
Steve nearly fell over laughing, Bucky not in a much better place, as the rest of the Avengers simply stared at them.
Once the pair regained their breath, Tony spoke up. "You know, now you have to sing it for us. Anything that makes the pair of you laugh like that has to be good."
Bucky shook his head. "Let Steve do it."
The mentioned man pouted. "You got us into this, Buck. You've gotta do it with me."
"...fine."
Taking a deep breath and purposefully not looking at each other so as not to burst out laughing, they started.
They tell you in the Army,
The coffee's mighty fine;
It's good for cuts and bruises,
It tastes like turpentine.
I don't want no more of Army life;
Gee, Mom, I wanna go home.
The biscuits that they give us,
They say are mighty fine;
Well, one fell off the table,
And crushed a pal of mine.
I don't want no more of Army life;
Gee, Mom, I wanna go home.
The clothing that they give us,
They say is mighty fine;
Me and half my regiment
Can all fit into mine
I don't want no more of Army life;
Gee, Mom, I wanna go home.
The salary they pay us,
They say is mighty fine;
They pay you fifty dollars,
And they take back sixty-nine.
I don't want no more of Army life;
Gee, Mom, I wanna go ho-o-ome.
There was a lot of staring when they were done, and Steve and Bucky finally broke down into hysterical laughter, the kind they had shared as children and then again as comrades-in-arms.
"I didn't know you had it in you, either of you," Tony commented finally. "The spangly Capsicle or the psycho assassin."
"Welcome to the Army," Steve gasped out. "Where we sing patently ridiculous songs and claim that we are the manliest men around."
Bucky rolled his eyes. "You got that right."
"Clearly."
I know it's short, but I got the song stuck in my head and couldn't shake the mental image of Steve and Bucky singing it.
I also know that the timeline is weird. Get over it. I wanted this to happen this way, so here you go.
Finally, this is a legitimate song. I first learned it at Girl Scout camp ("I don't want no more of Girl Scout camp..."), but it is a military song, and it is from the 1940's, so they could have sang it.