An experiment gone wrong, that was what the public were told. Well it was an accident. Tony had been scanning Loki to try and understand magic when the basic and technology had an unexpected combination outcome. An explosion of light that covered the lab leaving the two as toddlers.
Thor had instantly picked up Loki and disappeared off to look after him while Tony stayed in the lab refusing to let others come near him, all had tried one by one to get baby Tony to come with them to where a young child would be safe but he refused. It was only when he saw Steve that he gave any reaction.
"Buck Buck. Want Buck Buck!" Steve seemed confused but promised to go off and find the man for him which earned him a toothy smile from the child. As soon as the Winter Soldier entered the room Tony stood and began running towards him, falling over quickly but did not let it stop him as he continued towards him as Bucky walked closer.
"Buck Buck. Up!" His eyebrows furrowed but acquiesced as he bent down and picked up the boy with his flesh arm, balancing the child on his hip.
"Hey Tony?" The young mechanic nuzzled into Bucky's neck before placing a sloppy kiss to the other's cheek. "What was that for?" The child shrugged as he smiled widely. "Why didn't you let any of the others help?"
"Wanted my Buck Buck."
"Why?" Another shrug.
"Like my Buck Buck. He's nice. And metal. And you look pretty."
"Umm, thank you. You look pretty too?"
"No. I'm a disappointment. Is that good? That's what daddy told me I am, he seemed angry." Toddler Tony sniffed quietly and wiped at his eyes to get rid of the moisture growing there.
"No Tony, it's not a good thing, daddy was wrong to tell you that, it's not true."
"What'sit mean?"
"It doesn't matter what it means, it's not true. Okay?" Tony seemed to consider this with a frown for a few seconds before nodding sincerely at the man.
"'m not a disappointment?"
"No you aren't."
"'m sleepy though," Tony started with a yawn.
"Come on then, bed for you."
"No bed! Want Buck Buck. Couch!" Bucky forced a small smile for the child as he walked towards the elevator with the boy in his arms, asking JARVIS to take them to the team floor. Upon arriving with the doors opening to signal so, the soldier left the confining metal box and walked to the sofa, kicking Steve off it friendlily before lying down in his place with Tony led on his chest.
"Want down." Bucky placed the child on the floor where he walked unsteadily over to a chair next to the sofa and pulled two blankets off, one in each hand, before returning to the man and raising both arms to indicate that he wanted to be lifted. Bucky pulled him up onto his chest again, mindful to bring the blankets with him.
"Why do you need two blankets Tony?"
"Snuggle Buck Buck." He raised a brow in silent questioning until two small hands began wrapping his metal arm in one of the blankets, rather unsuccessfully making the child growl angrily as he tried again, eventually Bucky deciding to do it for him. Steve chuckled quietly as Tony curled up on his chest while holding his blanketed arm like a teddy bear, the other arm pulling the second blanket over the two of them. He rested his hand on Tony's back to ensure that the boy couldn't roll off the sofa in his sleep and hurt himself.
"Shut up Steve," he whispered at the still laughing man once the toddler had fallen asleep.
"I think it's the first time I've seen you cuddly."
"What was I meant to do, he's a baby?"
"But you hate children."
"But it's Tony," Bucky stated with a soft smile towards the other as he began running his hand through the soft hair on Tony's head.
"G'night Bucky," Steve whispered as Bucky shut his eyes and began to drift off himself. He didn't leave the room though, instead he picked up his sketch pad and abandoned the picture he had been drawing as he started a new page with the image of Bucky cuddling Tony's childish form in silence.
The room was undisturbed until Loki and Thor walked in the following morning with Loki shouting at his adoptive brother, unaware of the two sleeping on the couch until Bucky's eyes flew open while Tony began crying at the sudden noise.
"You took care of me!? You thought Poptarts and coffee were appropriate food for a toddler!"
"You idiots! Hey, hey, hey, shush Tony. It's okay, it's just a silly god and his silly brother." Bucky began calming the child while the two looked on somewhat guiltily, Loki more so surprisingly, and once he had stopped Tony crying Bucky turned to the two men. "Loki, you're- well- Loki again. How, when will Tony change back?"
"I'm afraid I don't know. I think my adult state has been returned due to my heritage and my magic helping. I can try and find a way to help the process along with Stark now though."
"Please do," Bucky stated calmly as he left the room with Tony on his hip once more, walking towards the kitchen, freezing once he got there. "Umm, JARVIS?"
"Yes Mr. Barnes?"
"Roughly how old is Tony at the moment?"
"He seems to be 2 sir. Although he is in the mental state he was in at that age so he will only know that which he knew at that age, and apparently the avengers as well, although not the relationships he has with them, just who they are."
"Okay, and what- what do I feed someone his age?"
"I would suggest a bowl of porridge and a small glass of juice sir."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure sir." Bucky began making the recommended breakfast, as well as some for himself to encourage Tony to eat it, while rocking the child on his hip.
"Hungry Buck Buck."
"I know little one, I'm making it at the moment, see?"
"Can I has some apple juice?"
"You may have apple juice if we have some. You know that Natasha normally drinks most of it?"
"She's a meanie. I want apple juice today."
"We should be able to find some somewhere. Steve normally has some on his floor so there's always some left. If there isn't any here, how about we ask Steve to share with us?"
"Okay. Thanks Buck Buck." The soldier felt small hands playing with his long hair as he began heating the cereal and looking in the fridge for the requested drink.
"JARVIS, can you ask Steve if we can have some of his apple juice? You can even tell him that I'll replace it myself."
"Yes sir." Bucky took both bowls to the island in the kitchen and sat at one of the stalls with Tony on his lap, feeding the child slowly while he ate at the same time. Less than a minute into their porridge Steve arrived in the kitchen and poured out two glasses of apple juice as well as a plastic tumbler of it which he handed to the child who was trying to make grabby hands towards it.
"Thanks Ste'e."
"My pleasure. I don't mind sharing my apple juice with you two."
"Not Natas'a, she's a meanie. Did you know she steals apple juice?" Steve took a gasp in mock surprise at this piece of information.
"She doesn't? Is that why we never have any in here?" Tony nodded vigorously as he looked up at the blonde.
"She does too! My Buck Buck told me so."
"I guess it must be true then, Buck Buck wouldn't lie, would he?" Tony replied with a simple shake of his head while looking up at Bucky with pure trust in his eyes. "How about you let me feed you breakfast so that Buck Buck can eat his before it gets all cold and yucky?" Tony looked back at him in contemplation before making his mind up and holding his arms out towards Steve who walked around the island so he was sat next to Bucky and took Tony into his own arms while pulling his bowl and cup towards them. The child grabbed the spoon from his bowl and started feeding himself, getting more of it on his face and down his top than he managed to get in his mouth but he was happy doing so. It was only after a couple of minutes that Steve realised he was copying Bucky and taking bites at the same time, or trying to anyway. As soon as he did so he nudged Bucky with his foot and mouthed to him to slow down.
As soon as they were finished, and Steve had cleaned up Tony's face while Bucky got changed from the day before, Bucky took him back from Steve as the child began getting restless with the other man.
"What are we going to do today Tony?"
"Can we watch film?"
"We can, but not all day. How about we go for a walk first?"
"Park?"
"Sure, we can go to the park if you want."
"Can we watch Disney Robin Hood when we get back?"
"I don't know what that is but if that's what you want to watch it'll be fine. Have you seen it before?"
"Yeah silly, it's my favourite film. Daddy and I watch it all the time when he's working if no one else is there to look after me."
"You're favourite? You've definitely got to show me it now then."
"Yay! Love you Buck Buck." Bucky felt a knife go through his heart as he longed for those same words to be said to him by Tony but as an adult, and still meaning them.
"Love you too Tony."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, what d'you mean?"
"You seem sad. Does you need a hug?" Arms wrapped around Bucky's neck without waiting for a response as Tony placed a kiss to his cheek and snuggled into his shoulder in silent comfort.
"Thank you for my hug. I- I feel much better now."
"You's lying to me. What wrong Buck Buck?"
"Nothing Tony, just wondering what this film is going to be like," he lied as he hugged Tony tighter.
"Is good. You can sing with me!"
"No, I- I don't sing little one. Even if I did, I don't know the film so I couldn't."
"I teach you."
"We'll see. We going for our walk now?"
"Yeah. Park! Is the park like the forest?"
"There are trees but it's not exactly the same as a forest. Why?"
"Oh, in Robin Hood they're in a forest. I thought we could be like that and I teach you a song."
"We'll see about you teaching me anyway, yeah? I don't know how long it will take Loki to figure out what he needs to do so we'll go shopping while were out. Find you a change of clothes first then on our way home we can buy some more and maybe even some toys for us to play with. Sound good?"
"Le's go!" Bucky stood in the elevator with the child in his arms before Tony began fidgeting. "Down?"
"Okay, but you make sure you hold my hand. I don't want you getting hurt alright." Bucky placed the toddler on the floor and took the offered hand as he stood back up, just as the doors opened on the ground floor and he walks out onto the street. "I should've asked before we left," the soldier muttered to himself before walking the two of them over towards a woman with a pram. "Excuse me, I don't suppose you can tell me where I can buy some children's clothes from around here?" The woman looked at him then down at Tony with a soft smile.
"Hey there. Umm, sure, there's a place not too far from here, second left then the first shop on the right hand side of that street."
"Thanks."
"Looking after him?"
"Yeah, he was suddenly sprung on me by my cousin but accidently forgot to give me a bag of stuff for him so we need to make a trip shopping. Afraid I'm rather new to this though so I don't know where to start looking for shops. Thank you though, I'll let you get back to your day. Come on Tony."
"Hope you find what you need." Tony began pulling on Bucky's hand in boredom so the two continued along their path to the store that the lady had recommended to them.
"See anything you like Tony?" he asked as they walked through all of the tops until the child stopped suddenly and pointed up at a rack holding Captain America t-shirts.
"You know who that is?"
"Captain America. Daddy spends all his time looking for Captain America. I like Captain America."
"I didn't think you liked Steve a whole lot, although you did seem happy enough with him this morning for a while."
"Steve gives me his apple juice."
"He does. But he's Captain America, isn't he?"
"Captain America's missing? Under ice. Daddy's looking though."
"Okay, Captain America it is. We'll just buy this for now, then we'll come back later for some more things just in case, okay?"
"Thanks Buck Buck." Once Bucky had paid he changed Tony's top to the new one and they continued on to the park, Bucky caught Tony mumbling something under his breath as they walked along the path.
"What's that little one?"
"Tryin' to remember Robin Hood song for you."
"That's okay Tony. I don't mind, you'll just have to show me when we get home."
The trip to the park was highly uneventful other than the fact that Tony fell off the play set and cut his leg, crying silent tears. He only stopped when Bucky picked him up into a tight hug and 'kissed it better' upon request. They had been there for nearly two hours when Tony began to get bored so they decided to leave for shopping. The first shop was the most boring one where Bucky just picked up a few cartons of apple juice and then a couple of other flavour juices as well.
After that they headed back to the store they had passed through earlier and brought some more clothes for Tony before heading to the toy section of the shop. The only thing there that caught his eye, other than a matching shield to Cap, was a giant box of Lego which Bucky happily brought for him despite not knowing what it was.