"They're staying."
Bucky wasn't even sure what he was doing out here.
He'd already circled the block around the diner seven times. It was what he always did when staking out a mission. He stopped at a corning, swallowing. The boy wasn't a mission. He was- something else. He wasn't sure what the kid was yet. Hell, Bucky wasn't even sure what he himself was yet.
Sam's suggestion was to take a walk. Bucky had seen the other man frowning while making phone calls. He'd heard something about child services and suspected abuse and recognized frustration in his tone at No, ma'am, I don't have any photographic proof.
Wandering around had to be better than staying at the tower. Where Natalia-Natasha-stood in front of Steve whenever Bucky entered a room, defensive. Where Tony ranted and raved about Bucky's arm, poking at it with assorted tools. Where Steve-god, Steve.
Bucky didn't know what was worse: remembering the warmth of Steve's lips, or knowing how much he'd give to feel it again.
He rounded the corner again. In other parts of the city, there are crowds to blend in to. It's easy to get lost, to turn everything off and forget where you are.
But the block where JJ's Diner was-well, it was virtually empty most of the time. That's why it was a bit easier to notice.
There was a figure hunched over something.
It was difficult to see, with the city night darkening and all, but it was familiar. The boy is smaller than him, and there's a gap between his two teeth, but-
Bucky takes a step forward, and the boy jerks back. It's too late, though. He sees the kid from the diner-Tadashi- folded into the younger boy's lap.
For once, Bucky's lack of speech isn't on purpose.
The kid pulls Tadashi closer to his chest, eyes darkening. As if they were daring Bucky to come closer.
Bucky falls to his knees before he can stop himself. His eyes flicker between the boy's wide, brown eyes, and Tadashi's shut ones.
So this is the brother.
"What's wrong with you?" The boy's voice quavered, but he jut out his chin. "Get away from us."
Bucky swallowed. Then he forced a smile.
"I'm B-James. A friend of your brother's. I want to help."
The kid glances down at his brother's pale face, then back to Bucky's blue eyes.
And he makes a decision.
"Where the hell did he get the kids?"
Steve ignores Tony, and stares at the open bedroom door instead.
"He can't keep them here." Natasha appears out of nowhere, but no one flinches except for Tony. They're used to her popping up unexpectedly by now. "Especially if he just took them from somewhere-"
"I know," Steve interrupts. His eyes don't move from the scene in front of him.
The bigger one already looks like he's asleep, wearing a hoodie Bucky pulled out of nowhere. The younger one stares at him with big brown eyes. Bucky pulls the blanket up to their chins.
"Steve," Natasha presses.
"He won't hurt them," Steve continues. "H-he, had baby sisters."
He leaves the rest of his thought unspoken: He used to take care of them. He still knows how to take care of people.
"I think he made the right choice, given the circumstances," Sam adds. "It's not like these are random kids off of the street. He knew one of them before-"
"Actually, that's exactly what they were." Natasha glares at them.
"Well, it's not like he was just going to leave them in an ally-"
"I'm going to make some calls." Pepper turns, briskly walking out of the hallway. Steve doesn't stop her.
Bucky steps out the door, shutting it tightly behind them. He fixes them all with the same glare.
"He's sick. They're staying," he says simply.
"If I recall correctly, this is my tower-"
"They're staying," Bucky repeats, voice harder. Tony backs down.
Steve doesn't argue with him.