They were approaching the building, Steve lingering near his shoulder when Bucky stopped. "Maybe you should wait here and I'll bring them to you. They might not be as likely to castrate you if I give them a heads up." He added just to see Steve squirm (which he did) before he entered the ballroom alone.

Bruce and Tony had stopped dancing, reclaimed their seats at the table, and were currently feeding each other. Bucky stepped up to them and said "I thought the newlyweds didn't feed each other until the cake came out."

Both jumped but their expressions quickly turned to relief when they saw him. "Everything okay? You disappeared for a few." Tony asked and Bucky nodded.

"Yeah, I think so. But there is something we need to talk about." He warned, lowering his voice a little. They both leaned in a bit, so the three of them had relative privacy. "Okay, so… turns out Natalie isn't who she said she was." He started.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked as Tony spoke over him saying "Is she a threat to Pepper?"

"Nothing like that, Tony. She just... had an alternative motive for joining your company." Bucky explained.

"What motive?" Tony sounded defensive, understandably so since there were a lot of people who wanted to cause Stark Industries, Tony, and, by proxy, Bruce or even Pepper harm.

"To find me. Well, to find JB." Bucky informed them and they shared a quick concerned look. Bucky felt privileged he was included in their little circle of people who warranted that special concern. "She told me that Steve Rogers tasked her with finding me and she did. But what's important is that he's here."

"Rogers is here?" Tony said and Bucky nodded.

"We talked." Bucky informed them.

Bruce quickly reached out and took his hand. "Are you okay? Is that why you disappeared?"

Bucky nodded as he squeezed Bruce's hand a little. "Yeah. He… apologized. Said he was an idiot and a bastard. That he'd messed up and wanted to try again." Bucky informed them.

"You didn't." Tony warned and Bucky gave him a look.

"Of course not, I'm not a fool. But he sounded sincere and truthfully, I have missed him. Missed what we had. So, I said that he could start earning my trust back as my friend first and then if that goes well then maybe, eventually, we can try for more." Bucky informed them.

"You want us to give him the third degree. Happily." Tony agreed and Bucky chuckled.

"Thanks. Come on, I made him wait outside. Told him you weren't as likely to castrate him if I gave you a heads up." Bucky said as he straightened up. The couple quickly stood, chuckling as they did, and followed him outside.

Steve was exactly where he had left him, leaning up against the wall casually. His almost dazed expression morphed into a smile as soon as he saw Bucky and Bucky offered him a small one back. Steve pushed off the wall and stood up straight as the three of them approached.

"Tony, Bruce, this is Steve Rogers. Steve, meet Tony and Bruce." Bucky quickly introduced.

Before Steve even had the chance to offer his hand Tony was in his face, waving a finger threateningly in his direction. It was almost funny because Tony was noticeably smaller, but that didn't make him any less threatening. "Alright, listen up, Rogers. Bucky is in a good place now and if you do anything to jeopardize that… If you do anything to mess up his career or break his heart or get him hurt you will know what hell looks like and trust me, I have the resources to do it, mafia boss or not." Tony warned.

Steve actually looked concerned and Tony didn't back down until Bruce gently pulled him back. He still reminded Bucky of a dog with it's hackles raised. Bruce glanced between Tony and Bucky before his eyes landed on Steve. "These two men mean more to me than anything, but given the choice between them I have to pick Tony. So just know that if you plan to pursue Bucky then you sure as hell better be putting him first." Bruce warned.

"I promise." Steve said, and it sounded like he meant it. He glanced at Bucky before he added "I made that mistake once already and it cost me dearly. I won't make it again, not now that I have a second chance."

Tony and Bruce looked at each other before they nodded. "Good. Just know that there isn't an expiration date on threats." Tony added before he turned to Bucky. "Now, I believe you promised me a dance?" He said and Bucky laughed.

"Indeed I did." He agreed. He accepted Tony's arm and was promptly pulled into the ballroom, straight onto the dance floor. They danced to two songs before Bruce cut in. Bruce and Tony were very different dancers, Bucky realized. Tony liked to lead, often poorly, but Bruce was more than happy to let Bucky lead.

"You doing okay?" Bruce asked halfway through their second song and Bucky nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." He promised. And he meant it. The song finished shortly after and Bucky found himself ambushed by Pepper. And then after that Natasha stole him for a dance.

"Thank you." She said softly and Bucky gave her a look.

"For what?" He questioned.

"For making Steve smile again. He's happier than I've seen him in years." She explained and Bucky swallowed the knot in his throat.

"Yeah, well, this trip seems to be all about new beginnings so... " He shrugged. "Besides, grudges and anger don't do much good in the long term."

"You're right about that." She agreed, and there was definitely more to that story. But she didn't elaborate. When the song ended when she kissed his cheek and stepped away. Bucky took a breath and was about to step off the dance floor when someone else came up to him.

"Can I have a dance?" Steve asked and after a moment Bucky nodded. They got settled quickly and Bucky was happy to let Steve lead after leading so many dances himself. They danced in silence for a little while before Steve said "I've missed getting to see you dance."

Bucky raised an eyebrow. "Really? I don't think I'm that good." He objected. Steve gave a slight humm of disagreement.

"You have an innate sense of rhythm. It shows when you play piano too. I noticed it the first time I saw you dancing." Steve said and Bucky blushed.

"You mean that stupid strip show at the club." He muttered and Steve nodded.

"I'd never seen someone move like that before. That's why you caught my eye. Well, that and your choice of attire. Boots and black spandex? Quite the combo. And then I fell in love with watching you move." Steve admitted and Bucky chuckled.

"So that's why you were always asking me to dance." Bucky said.

"Guilty." Steve accepted lightly and Bucky smiled at him.

They continued to dance in silence for a while and it was comfortable. "I missed you, you know." Bucky finally confessed and Steve jerked like he hadn't expected that. "I really did. Even though it was only a month I couldn't get you out of my head. Still can't some days. I tried going on dates, in LA, but I could never connect with anyone the way I had with you and finally I just gave up. Figured I'd just play the bachelor for the rest of my life."

"Sounds lonely." Steve whispered softly and Bucky shrugged.

"Probably. But I have Tony and Bruce and my work and it's… It was enough." Bucky said and Steve hand tightened on his waist. Bucky obliged and took a half step closer, until they were nearly touching chests, and he heard Steve's breath hitch slightly. It was nice to know he had that effect on Steve.

They fell into silence again and slowly Bucky let his head come to rest on Steve's shoulder. This was still the place he felt safest. He took in a deep breath and realized Steve was wearing cologne. "Is that… the cologne you were wearing when we met?" Bucky asked.

"I… yes. I saved it. I wanted to have it in case I ever got the chance to see you again." Steve admitted and Bucky hummed, holding back a chuckle. It was such a little thing, and so sappy (he'd never pegged Steve for that kind of romantic). But it still made him happy. "You were right though."

"I was?" Bucky asked as he lifted his head to see Steve's face. The blond was nodding.

"You said that first night, based off my cologne, we were going to have a very good night and you were right. It was the best of my life, well, save maybe the month after. Good enough to put me off other men." Steve teased and Bucky laughed for real this time.

"Sure that wasn't just my charming personality?" He countered playfully and Steve winked. Before they could continue the song ended and then the kitchen staff brought out the cake. "Excuse me." Bucky ducked away and quickly found Tony and Bruce. He squeezed Bruce's shoulder before joining the crowd gathered around them and the cake. They cut the cake together and Bruce fed Tony first, which Bucky personally thought was kind of brave of him, but he was also fairly sure Tony had been threatened by both Bruce and Pepper about what would happen if he dirtied Bruce's tuxedo.

And Tony playfully seemed to consider it for a moment, before he settled for just leaving a strip of frosting on Bruce's nose after giving him a bite. As everyone rushed in to get cake Bucky noticed the two of them step away together and Tony licked it off before kissing his husband. The sight just made him smile.


Steve settled into a place against the wall where he could see the whole room, and in particular keep an eye on Bucky. Not that he expected anything to happen (he had to give Stark credit; the security here was much better than he'd expected). But he was not going to let anything happen to Bucky on his watch, especially not after the miracles he'd already received today.

He chuckled to himself at Stark putting frosting on his husband's nose, but didn't move from the wall even as they started handing out the cake. A few moments later Natasha fell into place beside him. "You look happy." She commented.

"I am." He informed her. "I didn't think I could have or even deserved happiness like this and I'm not going to take it for granted again."

"I know you won't." She assured and Steve gave her a flash of a smile. "He's a great guy. Has a way of making people care for him." She said and Steve realized that even Natasha had been caught by Bucky's pull.

"I just hope I can make him as happy as he does me." Steve let out a breath and without any effort he was able to locate Bucky in the crowd. He was standing with Tony and Bruce, having gotten his own piece of the cake, and the three were laughing at something. Steve had no idea what, but seeing Bucky smile like that… It was impossible for him not to smile too.

"Steve, there is one thing." Natasha warned and Steve glanced at her, waiting for her to continue. "I heard from Clint while you two were talking."

"About Bucky's visit to his father tomorrow?" Steve guessed and she nodded.

"There's something going on. I don't think he's in any danger and his father wasn't lying when he said he'd be dying soon. But something about it is fishy. We're still digging." Natasha warned.

"Okay. Good work. I wonder if he'd agree to take Clint with him." Steve muttered.

"Doubt it. He's too independent now and it's too early. But you should at least give him your phone number so he can reach you if needed." Natasha suggested and Steve nodded.

"Good idea." He straightened up and started weaving his way through the crowd. Only to find himself stopped short briefly when Bucky turned to look at him and offered him a warm smile. The smile Steve didn't think he'd ever get to see again. Steve took up a place at his shoulder, tempted beyond reason to wrap an arm around Bucky's waist and tug him close. But he held back.

"What's up?" Bucky asked.

"I wanted to give you my phone number. So in case something ever happens you can call me." Steve informed him and Bucky raised and eyebrow but nodded. He took out his phone (Pepper had returned it to him at the start of the reception) and opened a new contact before offering it to Steve. The blond filled it out quickly and gave it back. "Especially tomorrow. If something happens…" Steve started.

Bucky dismissed it with a wave and stepped back, holding up his phone. "I get already, now smile." He ordered. Steve did as he was told and Bucky took the picture. "There." He showed Steve the contact, now complete with his picture, before Bucky did something on his phone (Steve felt his own buzz in his pocket and assumed Bucky had texted him). "If something happens, I'll contact you, I promise. Now can we try to just enjoy the party?"

Steve chuckled and took a step closer, brushing Bucky's jaw with his fingers. "Alright, Bucky." Steve agreed, which got a charming smile from the brunet.

"Good." He declared before turning back to the Bruce and Tony, who quickly incorporated him back into the conversation. This time Steve lingered at Bucky's shoulder, unwilling to move away just yet, and quickly he found himself also involved in their reminiscing. (He made a mental note to ask Natasha to try to find the footage of Bucky's talent show performance because that sounded absolutely worth watching.)