Chapter Two

"I have been getting frequent calls from Wakanda," Tony said over supper one night making Bucky blink and look up from devouring his meal. Tony didn't cook often but when he did, Bucky didn't tend to say much during the meal.

"Have you answered any?" Bucky asked. Nearly a month into staying and he was coming to be able to predict the mischievous quality of Tony's personality, though he had no clue what would be coming, he knew something was coming.

"Nope," Tony popped the P. "The Princess and King have direct lines so I know it isn't them. I have been leaving different messages as the answering message,"

"And what was the last one that you left? You are clearly pleased with it," Bucky snorted.

"I said that I was on my way to visit a prison and would be back in about five hours after climbing back out the depths of it," Tony grinned.

"Please tell me you deleted it straight away, that is the last thing that the press needs to get hold of, Miss Pepper will have a heart attack," Bucky snickered.

"Good point Red October!" Tony clicked at him digging his phone out. "I thought May sounded a little odd when I called her back,"

"You're unbelievable," Bucky shook his head.

"I know right," Tony beamed at him.

Bucky shoved another massive forkful of carbonara into his mouth as he took in the man opposite him. He had thought that he had been healed when he set off from Wakanda to lay himself at Tony's feet - and he had not heard the end of the fact he had stripped down to his underwear - but he had realised that hadn't been true.

He had a lot of red in his ledger as Romanoff phrased it, even if it had not been under his control. He couldn't apologise to any of the other people that he had hurt, he wouldn't even know where to start. But Tony accepting him, allowing him to live with him and treating him like a friend had healed the wounds he did not know he still had. They were scarred over now, still sore and sensitive, but healed. The other man had given him more than he would ever realise.

And he hoped that he was giving Tony something back. Tony seemed to be smiling more and joking more, he wasn't burying himself in work the way that he had when Bucky had first arrived and started staying in the Tower, he took breaks and enjoyed himself as well. Even if sometimes Bucky had to pretend to need his help catching up on pop culture and dragged him into a TV marathon.

He had been thinking it, but when Pepper Potts called him and gave him the shovel talk, before adding that whatever he was doing, please keep doing it, confirmed that for him.

Life in the Tower was settling into a routine and a beat between them, Bucky was catching up with the world, reading and watching TV, Tony had gotten him set up to take his GEDs and get qualifications. Tony invented and created amazing things that he seemed baffled as to why Bucky could listen to him speaking about for hours. Bucky didn't get it, why wouldn't he want to listen to what that amazing brain was coming up with and creating to shape the world into something better?

They had formed a friendship and settled into something that Bucky had never dreamed that he would be able to have, especially when he had not been able to settle into a friendship with Steve again, something that he had believed was written into his DNA.

But they had both changed too much and Steve was desperate for Bucky to be the same man he had been twenty minutes before they hooked onto that zipline and gotten onto the train, and Bucky who had had any form of autonomy for 70 years couldn't make those bonds of friendship with someone who wanted to crush and wipe out who he was now to make him someone else, someone who he wasn't.

"You're thinking deep thoughts," Tony commented, drawing Bucky's attention back to the present.

"I am just thinking about how leaving Wakanda and coming here was the best thing that I could have done," Bucky smiled lightly, something that was new for him and felt a little foreign but oh so good!

"I do make amazing carbonara," Tony nodded.

"Yeah, the carbonara," Bucky snorted shaking his head.

"Where are you off to?" Bucky asked stepping into the living room in time to see Tony finish tucking his flight suit into his boots. It was still fairly early in the morning and Tony was looking a little stressed.

"There has been an earthquake in China, there are a lot of people trapped under buildings and rubble, they're desperate for any kind of help that they can get," Tony said as he stood and made his way towards the garage that also housed a small jet for moments like this.

"Can I come with you?" Bucky asked before he could second guess himself.

"What?" Tony blinked turning to see Bucky yanking on his boots and grabbing his arm.

"I want to come with you, to help," Bucky said firmly.

"You don't have…"

"I know I don't have to but I want to, I want to start giving back, to the world, to you for everything that you have done for me, I will never be able to pay you back for everything that you have given me, but having your back can be a start. And you said that they needed all the help that they could get, figure super soldier strength would be appreciated," Bucky rambled quickly.

"Come on, on the jet," Tony shook his head waving Bucky after him.

It was only once they were on the jet and well on their way that Tony turned around and narrowed his eyes at him where he was sitting in the co-pilot seat.

"You know that you don't need to pay me back for anything right? I have more than enough money," Tony said.

"Just because you have a lot of it doesn't mean that you HAVE to spend it on anyone. I would appreciate being allowed to eat at your table if you have $100 to your name or...however much it is that you're worth," Bucky frowned.

"I…" Tony stared at him as though the words just didn't compute, something that he was not used to seeing on Tony's face.

"Mrs Rogers would have beaten him black and blue," Bucky sighed shaking his head. "So would my Ma for that case!"

"What?"

"Steve, and the others, they all just accepted that you paid for everything, covered all their costs and buying their clothes and food and stuff without thanking you for it, or offering something back just because you're rich didn't they?" Bucky scowled.

"I have the money, they didn't," Tony shrugged staring fixedly ahead.

"Tony, just because you have it doesn't mean you have to share it, you should be grateful to anyone that shares what they have with you, no matter how big or little they have," Bucky said lowly.

"Is this why you get your panties in a bunch whenever I try and buy your clothes and things?" Tony jumped the conversation and Bucky allowed him, for now.

"I have more than enough money of my own, you made sure of that, to buy my own clothes," Bucky grinned at the familiar argument.

"You dress hobo chic though!" Tony whined sounding genuinely distressed.

"That's my style," Bucky shrugged.

"No Bucky Bear! No!" Tony shook his head.

"Yup Doll, yup!"

"Erm…" Pepper paused in the doorway to the kitchen staring blankly at the sight in front of her while she tried to get her brain back online.

Standing in the kitchen cooking what looked like pancakes, was Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, the person that the spy world was terrified of and whose name was spoken like the boogyman to those in the know.

And he was cooked said pancakes with a high man bun and wearing an Iron Man onesie.

"Morning Miss Pepper, have you eaten? Coffee?" Bucky smiled seeing her standing there.

"That would be nice thank you," She answered automatically but didn't move an inch.

"I believe Miss Pepper is wondering about your attire Mr Bucky," FRIDAY commented cheerfully.

"Oh, Tony was harping at me to allow him to buy me some clothing that was more to his style and taste. I gave in and took some money from him saying that I would go out and buy something he would wear, what do you think?" Bucky grinned a little spinning on the spot.

"You have an arc reactor on your butt, it isn't correct," Tony huffed stomping into the kitchen.

"It is supposed to be cute I think," Bucky shrugged going back to cooking.

"Cute isn't the word that springs to mind," Tony muttered, and Pepper had to stifle a laugh as she caught him taking in all the muscles bulging the seems of the onesie.

"Did you buy anything else?" Pepper asked beyond amused as she made her way to sit next to Tony at the breakfast bar.

"He got about 7 sets of Iron Man pyjamas," Tony grunted. "And he brought back most of the money,"

"Told you, I won't spend your money Doll, you're feeding me, housing me, making sure I don't get arrested, that is more than I can thank you for," Bucky shook his head placing a pile of pancakes in front of Tony and a cup of coffee the size of his head.

"New cup?" Pepper asked turning the cup so she could see it read 'I AM a rocket scientist'.

"Bucky bought it for me, out his own money," Tony pouted.

"Its called a gift, I know it isn't the type of things that you're used to but…"

"I love it!" Tony interrupted Bucky's embarrassed ramble. "Why do you think it is the only thing that I drink out of now. It is a gift from you," he said a little softer holding the cup close to him.

Pepper smiled sadly. So many people thought Tony was high maintenance and difficult, greedy and unappreciative. But she knew that he would love the cup 100 times more than if Bucky had brought back a fancy watch or something for him.

"And it holds a giant and ridiculous amount of coffee?" Bucky teased.

"That just makes it perfect!" Tony laughed.

Pepper noted that Bucky looked accomplished and realised that he had been trying to get Tony to laugh, no doubt knowing as well as she did that the Avengers had never bought Tony something outside of his birthdays and Christmas, and even then it showed that they didn't know him that well.

"Here we go," Bucky dropped a plate of pancakes and coffee in front of her as well, reminding her she had agreed to food.

"You two cooking so often is ruining me for the cafeteria at work," Pepper sighed.

"You should eat better," Bucky scolded her, Tony finally looked up from trying to drown himself drinking from his cup to stare with wide brown eyes between the two of them.

"Sorry?" Pepper arched an expertly shaped eyebrow at him, but Bucky wouldn't back down.

"You need to look after yourself better, you eat far too much take out at bad hours, you're nearly as bad as he is!" Bucky pointed at Tony making the two of them splutter. "I have no clue how you both survived a relationship together, you're terrible for overworking and eating badly. You need to make sure that you take more breaks and eat better. It will make taking over the world easier,"

"Are you talking to me now?" Tony frowned.

"Nope, you would come close, but Miss Pepper will be the one to take it over, and they won't realise until she has her stilettos through them all," Bucky snorted plopping down on his side of the breakfast bar and eating his own breakfast.

"That is very true," Tony nodded.

"Guys!" Pepper laughed blushing.

"It's true!" They both said grinning when she flustered even more.

"Steve, you might want to come and see this," Natasha called from the living room of their suite.

Things had been more than a little tense over the last month and a half since Bucky had left after he had told The Avengers the secrets that Steve had been keeping. It was clear that the respect he had held with them, the trust that they had implicitly given him was destroyed.

He wished that he could blame someone else, he wanted to blame Tony, he wanted to blame Bucky, but the conversations that he had had with the others had nipped that in the bud. And he was left alone most of the days to think about how his actions had led him to where he was now, never mind where they were because they had followed him.

Bucky had said that he didn't recognise him.

He wasn't sure he recognised himself.

He walked into the living room and was stunned to see Bucky on TV.

"What is going on?" Steve demanded, dread filling him, was he being arrested?

"They're in China on a rescue with the Government for the earthquake that happened," Clint had barely spoken to him since the day that Bucky had left.

"They?" Steve frowned.

"Him and Tony," Sam nodded turning the sound up.

"What is it you are doing here Mr Barnes?"

"Why are you with Mr Stark, are you working together?"

"Are you part of the New Avengers?"

"Why are you helping?"

Bucky was holding up what looked like half the building while staring at the cameras who had somehow gotten through to him, looking completely lost.

"Erm...I'm living with Tony...Mr Stark, he got the call from the Accords about help bein' needed and...I wanted to help," Bucky said awkwardly.

"Why did you want to help?"

"I want to give back to people. The people here need help, and I can do it, where else would I be?" Bucky frowned. "Shouldn't you be reporting on the help that is still needed?"

"Ok everyone, thank you for your time, Mr Barnes is quite correct and you are getting in the way of rescuing people!" Iron Legion bots dropped down in front of Bucky and started herding the reporters back before the shot cut out and they returned to the studio, there was a shot of Tony flying overhead in the Iron Man suit, saluting to Bucky as the Supersoldier looked up, a grateful expression on his face.

"They're working together now," Steve said lowly.

"Seems so, he didn't answer as to whether he has joined the Avengers either," Natasha added.

"And they're living together, Barnes is living at the Tower with Stark," Clint threw in, no doubt to rub salt into the wounds.

"He's clearly gotten Barnes a pardon as well," Sam sighed looking out the window to the place that was definitely not America.

"What?" Clint frowned.

"He's out in public with Tony, he wouldn't be out and about if he didn't have a pardon, smart though he is Barnes wouldn't have been able to sort out a full pardon for himself so quickly. Stark must have done it for him," Sam nodded to the TV.

"But...why...why would he do that and not for us?" Clint asked.

"Because out of us all Barnes has done the least damage to him, not betrayed him and turned against him without at least asking what was happening, what had happened and hearing Tony out as a member of the team, instead of treating him like the bad guy of the hour," Natasha sighed standing and leaving the room.

"Damn it!" Clint clicked the sofa on his way out.

"You ok?" Sam asked Steve seeing as the Captain just stood there staring at the muted TV.

"I feel like shit," Steve decided to try being honest. "My best friend is somewhere where I can't help him, I got it really badly wrong and he and Tony are getting on well, they're living together, and all I can think is that it isn't me helping Bucky and I am jealous and angry that it isn't me that helped him,"

"And?"

"And it is proof that if I had just told Tony….he would have helped Bucky," Steve dropped onto the sofa holding his head in his hands. "I fucked up,"

Bucky watched from the kitchen as Peter slumped his way into the living room, over to the sofa and flopped face down onto it with a faint groan and let out a loud sigh.

He had been allowed to interact with the kid two months ago, a month after he had started staying at the Tower. Tony was protective of the kid and had only allowed them to interact once he was 200% sure of Bucky and he got that.

He made his way to the fridge using all his 'assassin powers' to not make a noise thinking about the two. They were… Well, cute together, they both tried to keep up the pretence that this was purely a mentor/mentee relationship between the two of them, never mind the fact that Peter spent half the week here eating supper watching films and mucking around with Tony in the lab.

He had been pretty accepting of Bucky but then he thought that the kid would accept anyone. Bucky was just so worried about doing something to hurt the bright and bubbly kid and normally kept a distance between them, he didn't want Tony worried that he would hurt the kid.

Though he did think he was going to break a rib one of these days watching the kid try and avoid calling Tony dad. Oblivious to the hopeful expression Tony got every time that he did it.

"Hey kid, that was a big sigh," Bucky said approaching the sofa slowly so as not to freak him out.

Peter tensed before rolling into a sitting position and stared at his feet as Bucky got close, none of the normal bubbly and bright personality on show.

He sat down next to Peter and started the coffee maker making a hot chocolate before holding out a massive slice of ginger cake that he knew the kid liked.

"Tony isn't going to be back for another hour or so but you can talk to me if you like?" Bucky said concerned when the kid just stared at the cake in his lap instead.

"I don't want him to know, he will be disappointed in me," Peter muttered.

"Well I really doubt that unless you bought a Captain America shirt," Bucky hummed and smiled when it got a half-grin from Peter, he handed him the hot chocolate, "why don't you try me?"

"M bein bullied," Peter muttered, so quietly that Bucky wouldn't have heard it without super hearing. As it was he felt a rush of protectiveness and anger wash over him.

But that wasn't what the kid needed right now.

"And you think Tony would be disappointed?" Bucky asked.

"He's… He's… Tony," Peter waved his hands before shoving an alarmingly big chunk of cake into his mouth almost viciously.

"If you're insinuating what I think you are Peter, I hate to break it to you but Tony went to college at 15, he's a genius, smart-mouthed sarcasm monster, if people didn't bully him in college I'll eat my arm. I think that's why Rhodes is so protective of him," Bucky snorted.

"I'm letting myself get bullied," Peter said but he was looking at Bucky now. Except Bucky wanted to go beat the shit out of whatever snot-nosed brat had hurt the kid because he had goddam puppy eyes that put Steve's to shame.

"OK, that is victim shaming which nope! And you're being the better person by not resorting to this pricks level and pancaking him, doesn't mean you're letting it happen, it means you're a good kid. It is the same as me not biting back when the Press try and get a rise out of me by bringing up my past and saying shit about me, I know I can pancake them with a thought, so I keep my temper and ignore them," Bucky smiled.

"Don't tell Tony, please, I can cope with it," Peter said with that same damn determined look Tony got.

"I won't tell him, now finish your cake," Bucky rolled his eyes.

"I have history homework, can I ask a few questions? It's actually why I came over," Peter smiled a little brighter.

And Bucky well, that warmth in his chest that grew from those words only got brighter when Tony came back and found Peter excitedly scribbling away as Bucky spoke about the war.

Bucky used every skill and ability that had been 'gifted' to him by HYDRA. His mission hadn't been easy, some of his sources had been difficult and problematic in a way that he had not planned for or anticipated, but finally, he had gotten to where he needed to be and was ready to take down his target.

The little shit threatening Peter nearly wet himself when Bucky slammed his fist into the wall between the two of them, literally into the wall, and he made sure to use his metal one.

"Hey Pete, you were late leaving so I came to check where you were," Bucky said while giving the kid what Tony called murder face number 1.

"Bucky what you doing here?!" Peter gawped as Bucky yanked his arm free.

"I thought I would pick you up and take you out after school. Hey! Why doesn't your friend here come with us?" Bucky smirked and stepped up to murder face number 2.

"Erm…" Peter looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or not.

"We could take him for A. Nice. Long. Drive," Bucky put as much menace into his tone as possible. And the little shit squeaked before racing out of there.

"Erm…"

"Thought we could go and get ice cream, Tony showed me a great place, they do cookie dough as well, you fancy it?" Bucky asked brightly as he turned and started heading back to the car.

"I should have known you were going to do something when you said you wouldn't tell Tony," Peter snorted loping after Bucky.

"Don't know what you're talking about, I told you, ice cream and cookie dough," Bucky shrugged lazily.

"Ah-ha," Peter looked at him pointedly, meaning Bucky had to pull him out of the way of a pillar to stop Peter walking into it. Honestly, how the kid was still alive he didn't know.

"Don't ah-ha me like that," Bucky grunted. Peter grinned at him instead of being scared.

"Are you parked in a senior citizen space!" Peter spluttered indignantly when Bucky unlocked the car.

"I am a senior citizen," Bucky shrugged getting in, Peter managing to climb in on the other side while floundering and flapping his hands.

"Dude you are not!"

"Dude I am 91 years old, I count, now put your damned seatbelt on or we ain't going anywhere," Bucky rolled his eyes.

"That isn't how it works!" Peter protested as Bucky drove off.

"Nowhere in the rules does it state that Supersoldiers don't count for the senior spaces, it goes off your age, and my passport says I was born 1925!" Bucky smirked.

"...what type of cookie dough does this place have?" Peter pouted.

"I'm worried." Tony's words had Bucky pausing in reading his book and looking up right away, he stopped panicking himself though when he took in the pout on Tony's face where he had rolled onto his stomach, his legs swinging in the air as he looked at Bucky.

"You look it," Bucky rolled his eyes checking the time and closing his book as he realised it was nearly time for him to go and pick up Peter anyway.

"No, I am!" Tony insisted.

"Ok, and what are you worried about?" Bucky asked as he tugged his shoes on.

"You and my Honey Bear are getting on, Honey Bear has stopped glaring at you even!"

"And that worries you? You have spent the last four months complaining about that fact your 'Honey Bear and Bucky Bear' aren't getting on," Bucky grunted, but he knew he was screwed when Tony perked up, his eyes honing in on the red in his cheeks.

"What happened?" Tony begged to know.

"I'm not telling you," Bucky muttered.

"I'm just going to jump to conclusions! I am going to presume that…" Tony chuckled behind the metal hand that had covered his mouth before he had carried on.

"I don't even want to know what you were about to say," Bucky huffed grabbing the car keys and standing. "Ask Rhodes, tell him I said you could tell him," He said as he made his way to the elevator.

"Bucky!" Tony was leaning over the back of the sofa, his eyes and face warm. "If you don't want me to know I don't have to know, I was teasing,"

"I know," Bucky smiled before snorting. "Ask Rhodes!"

Tony barely waited for the door to close on the elevator before he was calling Rhodey, grinning when his Honey Bear's grumpy face appeared.

"Oh no, what do you want?" Rhodey sighed recognising the expression.

"Is that any way to say hello to the man that you love, I am telling Carol!" Tony pouted.

"Snitch. Hello light of my life, what you do you want?" Rhodey said dryly making Tony laugh.

"Bucky gave me permission to call you and find out why you have suddenly stopped glaring at him," Tony wiggled eagerly in his seat.

"You have that poor guy twisted around your little finger," Rhodey shook his head.

"See! He has gone from being Barnes to 'that poor guy'!"

"Ok, you know we have been working on the new set of stuffed bears in the shape of the New Avengers to try and increase our popularity?" Rhodey asked.

"Yeah, Carol complains all the time that she is a Captain, not a toymaker and PR person," Tony nodded.

"We were going over with Bucky the design of his, and we talking through his prosthetic arm on the bear. He is most recognised for the star design on it, but well...yeah the Soviet star was really a no, we talked about stars and stripes but he vetoed that right away because it was too close to Rogers. We went in circles for a little bit until I told him to think about where was home to him, meaning a place thinking he would say New York and we could slap an Empire State building on the bear or something, but he said...hang on I will show you…" Rhodey ducked out of shot to grab something leaving Tony watching the screen confused and trying to work out what Bucky would have said.

"Oh, that is cute!" Tony chuckled seeing the bear come into sight on the screen.

"Right, the design team did well with them," Rhodey smiled before turning the bear so Tony could see its prosthetic arm and the mini logo that was on there. Tony gasped and brought the phone closer to confirm what he was seeing.

"Is that…"

"Stark Logo, he said you and the Stark Tower were home," Rhodey smirked. "Can't hate or not trust the guy when he says something like that with the face he did. Even Carol nearly cooed,"

"Can you send me the bear?" Tony asked softly. Rhodey stared at Tony intently before he chuckled to himself.

"God Tony you never do things the easy way do you. Though in this case, I think I have nothing to worry about besides being called in the middle of the night to help bury bodies of people that looked at you wrong or blew a hair out of place,"

"Shud up," Tony whined into the cushion he yanked over his face to hide his blush.

"I will get it sent over to you," Rhodey waved the bear. "Now I need to go, I'm cooking for Carol tonight,"

"Don't give her food poisoning," Tony called cheerfully even as his mind was spinning.

"That was twice!" Rhodey spluttered.

"Five times," Tony snorted.

"You better not give me food poisoning James!" Carol shouted in the background.

"I will speak to you later!" Rhodey glared at him.

"Love you!"

"Yeah love you too," Rhodey huffed and hung up just as Tony heard Carol threatening to feed Rhodey to Goose if he gave her food poisoning.

He dropped back into the sofa staring at the ceiling as the thoughts ran faster and faster around in his head.

Peter dropped eagerly onto the sofa as Tony put their dinner dishes away into the dishwasher, the young teen started loading up the TV and scanned through to find the next film they had agreed to watch in Bucky's pop culture catch up.

He closed the dishwasher and grabbed a few blankets before wandering over and flopping down onto the sofa next to Peter, throwing a blanket over him as the teen got The Last Jedi up on the TV and paused it, already chattering Tony's ear off about the film and peoples reaction to it and what he thought about it.

Tony smiled to himself and he threw the second blanket over himself. This was the first time that they had done something like this with Bucky and the kid was excited. Bucky normally retreated from spending time with the two of them, scared of hurting Peter, but thankfully over the last couple of weeks that seemed to have gone and he was spending more and more time with Peter, and with Peter and Tony when they did things like their film nights.

"Where is Mr Barnes?" Peter frowned, finally taking a breath and looking around.

"He is doing the perimeter check," Tony said settling their sweets and treats out onto the table.

"Perimeter, why?" Peter frowned.

"It is just something that makes him feel better, to know that you and I are secure, it is leftover from what he has been through, the same way as I don't like being handed things except by those I really trust after what happened to me in Afghanistan," Tony explained.

"Oh, ok," Peter nodded acceptingly, and Tony met Bucky's eyes over his head, the hope and happiness, the sense of home that he could see in the man for being accepted, just as he was, flaws, damage and all, smiling and beckoning him over to them.

Bucky yawned a little as Rise of Skywalker finished and he turned to look at two of the most important people in his life.

He defied anyone not to like Peter within minutes of meeting him, not including that little twerp in Peter's school, and the more time that he spent with the kid the more he liked him.

And Tony. Well, Tony had given him EVERYTHING. More than he would ever realise. He was...everything to Bucky, and it slightly scared Bucky thinking what he would do for Tony, and what he would do if something ever happened to the frighteningly amazing man.

Looking at the two of them now he shook his head slightly, his lips turning up fondly. Peter was fast asleep lying on his side with his head on Tony's lap as the genius' clever fingers combed through his brown hair almost absently, and Tony was leaning against Bucky's arm blinking unseeingly and drowsily at the TV, clearly just waking up even though he had insisted to Bucky half an hour ago he was sleepy.

Shaking his head Bucky went to move and start them heading to bed. He managed to get Tony to his feet, and bending he lifted the kid up, still burritoed into his blanket and headed for the elevator, trying to hide his laughter when Tony just hooked his finger into the belt loop of his jeans and towed himself along behind Bucky, his blanket still wrapped around his shoulders.

It was scarily domestic, placing Peter into his bed here in the Tower, the room he stayed in becoming more and more his as the weeks went by. Tony had moved passed him to tug the blankets back for Bucky to be able to put him on the bed, and he drew them over the kid now, thankfully he had changed into sweats and a T-shirt earlier.

Bucky felt something shifting in his chest, something that he thought had been frozen and long dead when he watched Tony tenderly sweep Peter's hair off of his forehead and then tucked him in before turning and leaving, snagging Bucky's hand on the way passed.

They only stopped once they were outside Bucky's bedroom and Tony turned to look at him with those damned soulful brown eyes that Bucky wanted to fall into. He was both shocked and not when Tony cupped his face and went up onto his toes, and after a mili second of hesitation, he lowered his head to meet Tony in a sweet and simple kiss that said everything, and offered the world to him.

This seemed to have been coming all evening, something changed between them, and it was like a storm breaking finally tasting Tony and feeling his smaller, firm body against his own as he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him closer.

Neither of them deepened the kiss just enjoying the simple pressure and touch, exploring gently and tenderly until Bucky pulled away. The smile that he gave Tony was soft and completely for the brilliant man in his arms before he stepped back and released him.

"Goodnight Sweetheart," Bucky breathed kissing Tony gently once more before he turned and opened the door to his room.

"Bucky?" Tony called just as he went to shut the door. He looked up to see Tony standing there looking breathtakingly relaxed and happy. "You've become my home too,"

That night Bucky went to sleep carefully aware of that little flame in his chest, so delicate and fragile but so worth protecting and encouraging.

Bucky was slightly worried that Peter was going to hyperventilate if he didn't stop laughing soon.

"What's so funny?" Tony yawned walking into the kitchen. Peter just pointed a shaking finger in Bucky's direction as he carried on laughing. "Oh come on, how many of them do you have!?"

"They're comfy," Bucky shrugged where he was standing frying eggs in his Iron Man pyjamas. These ones had what FRIDAY had told him was Chibi Iron Men, hundreds of them in various cute and adorable positions. Including one where he was curled under a blanket that reminded Bucky exactly of Tony, he had even found him in the workshop one time in his Iron Man suit under a blanket sleeping.

"Well…" Tony smirked and Bucky felt a confusion mixture of arousal and panic go through him, Peter managed to calm his laughter down to chuckles to look at Tony eagerly. "I see your PJs and I raise them with…."

Bucky and Peter both fell about laughing this time, Bucky quickly rescuing his eggs off the hob before leaning on the counter to laugh as he took in the top Tony had hidden under the big sweater he had been wearing.

It was a perfect replica of Bucky's Winter Soldier leather jacket and metal arm printed onto the shirt, complete with fake abs that you couldn't see through Bucky's body armour anyway.

"Revenge is sweet my dear!" Tony crowed happily. "And…"

This time Peter and Bucky really lost it as Tony yanked his sweats down revealing Spider-Man pyjama bottoms underneath.