Bucky lets out a yawn, stretching across the couch and sprawling out over Sam's lap. Sam rolls his eyes and looks down at Bucky. "You're just like your cat," he mutters.
"Our cat," Peter mumbles, half asleep in his usual chair across the room.
"He's got a point," Bucky admits with a chuckle. "Alpine is pretty much our cat. She's taken to all three of us. I think we're stuck with each other."
Sam snorts and runs his hand through Bucky's hair. "How will we ever survive each other?"
It's a typical Tuesday night at Bucky's New York apartment, and he's been casually visiting with his boyfriend Sam, and their friend Peter. Ever since Bucky figured out just who Peter is and what he means to the Avengers (and especially to Tony), he's been a bit protective of the kid. Peter's spent more time at Bucky's place than his own, and so has Sam. They've joined about all moving in together here, and Bucky's not opposed to the idea. There's a second bedroom that Peter could take, and he and Sam can take the main one. That's pretty much what they do already whenever they're over visiting.
They've all just finished up a heavy dinner from the Chinese place down the road and Peter is curled up in his chair with Alpine in his lap, purring her heart out. The cat absolutely adores Peter, and for good reason. Bucky remembers when they first met because of that cat, and he couldn't be happier for her existence. They've created a small family here, and he feels like he's finally got a place he belongs after everything he went through with Hydra.
"Should I start thinking about getting you boys to bed?" Sam asks, breaking Bucky's train of thought. Bucky internally winces at the thought of trains and sits up, looking at the other man. "You both look like you're ready to pass out," Sam adds.
Bucky hums and looks over at Peter, who might actually already be asleep. "Kid did a lot today," he sighs. "I wish there were a way to make it easier on 'im."
"You know what it's like, Buck," Sam shrugs. "Only so much we can offer. He's scared the others will recognize him like you did if we start bringing him around to the compound. Now that Clint's got his new protégé and all, they're in and out a lot."
"But would Barton really recognize him?" Bucky asks. "I mean, really. The closest any of us got to him was me nearly punchin' him. And I think the only reason I recognized him was because of the brainwashing shit. You still don't remember anything about him, right?"
Sam scratches at his head. "Well, no. I guess I don't."
"Not even my birthday?" Peter lifts his head and looks at Sam with wide eyes. Bucky ducks his head and fights back a laugh. "That's cold, Captain," Peter adds.
"For fuck's sake, kid," Sam grumbles, grabbing up a pillow from the couch and tossing it on Peter's direction. Peter snatches it out of the air before it can hit him in the face.
"Easy, you could hit Alpine."
"You wouldn't let that happen, Spidey," Bucky says. He pushes himself to his feet. "Sam's got a point. It's late. We should all hit the sack."
"You should never say hit the sack again," Peter says, shaking his head. "You sound like a-" He stops and turns his head, looking toward the door. A couple moments later, there's a knock. "It's too late for visitors," he whispers, brow furrowed in concern.
Alpine slips off Peter's lap and makes her way to the door, meowing softly when she gets there and sitting, tail swaying lazily. Bucky and Sam look at each other, then toward the door again. Peter stands and moves to the door, kneeling down to Alpine and gently scratching behind her ears. He looks back at Bucky with an eyebrow raised.
"Be careful, Pete," Bucky says, reaching for a knife nearby and coming around to stand behind the other.
Peter nods and goes the rest of the way to the door, peering through the peephole first. He takes a sudden step back, his hand coming up to cover his mouth, and lets out a strangled sound. "It can't- it can't be," he gasps, tears springing to his eyes as he backs into Bucky's chest.
Bucky braces Peter and looks at him for a second, then gently steps around him. "What's got into you?" he asks, turning to look out the door himself. What he sees stops his heart in his chest. His hand scrabbles for the doorknob before he's registering his movements.
As he steps back, pulling the door open inward, it swings in to reveal a man standing in the threshold. He's just a little bit shorter than Bucky, with hair graying at the temples and soft crow's feet at the corners of his warm, brown eyes. There's a hint of a smile on his lips, but scarring up the side of his neck and jaw. It stops just under his ear. He's wearing an AC/DC shirt and black jeans and he looks like he just stepped out of his lab to start talking about a new project he has planned.
Tony Stark, a man who should be dead, stands before them in the hallway, and Bucky can feel his head getting light and dizzy. He can't believe what he's seeing, because Tony's dead. He was at the funeral. All of them were. Yet, here he is, and Bucky could reach out and touch the man if he were so inclined, but he's terrified to share the illusion. Maybe he and Peter are sharing a hallucination brought on by exhaustion, and Bucky doesn't want to lose it.
He realizes just how much he actually misses Tony when he feels the tears in his own eyes slip down his cheeks. His jaw trembles and he shakes his head. "How?"
"I've asked myself that question a few times, James," Tony says softly. His smile widens just the slightest and he gestures at the apartment. "May I come in? Dead man standing out in the open and all."
Bucky's mouth works, but no sound comes out. He nods and steps aside instead, letting Tony step into the room. Tony steps past him and sets a hand on his shoulder. Bucky can see scarring there, too, no doubt from the power of the stones in the gauntlet. His hand is shaking just the slightest bit, but he squeezes Bucky's shoulder and looks at him.
"You're still around," Tony says, looking around. "I'm glad. World wouldn't be the same without Bucky Barnes, I think. Sorry I blew off your arm that one time, by the way."
Bucky nods. "Sorry I killed your folks that one time."
Tony stops and turns fully, looking at Bucky for a couple moments. His expression shifts and his smile broadens. "So this is Bucky Barnes," he says with a laugh. He reaches up and grips Bucky by both shoulders. "Oh good. Steve told me about you, but I worried we'd never see you. Wish he'd stuck around to see you finally evolve."
Bucky reaches up and wipes at his face. "How the fuck are you still alive?"
"More like alive again," Tony admits, letting his arms fall. He looks further into the apartment and his eyes go wide. "Underoos."
Peter lets out a startled sound and shakes his head, tears freely falling down his cheeks. "No, no, no. You- you're dead, Mr. Stark. You're- oh God."
Tony frowns and nods, looking down. "I was, kid. More or less. Didn't stay that way, though. There was- Well, a lot of things happened after that whole Thanos deal. Turns out, under the right circumstances, a human being can withstand the power of all of the stones. But it'll hurt like a bitch."
"We buried you," Sam says, moving away from the couch to get closer now. "There was a funeral."
"Closed casket, yeah?" Tony hums. "Or was it open? If it was open, it was a very good likeness. I was not at my own funeral, boys. I was recovering in Wakanda. Have been for-" He looks at his watch. "How many years has it been now? Too many. But here I am."
"Why'd you come here?" Bucky asks. "Assuming I believe you and you really did survive those stones, why'd you come to my place?"
Tony scratches at his beard. "I wanted to find someone familiar," he says. "I found your address in the files I may or may not have stolen from Uncle Sam." He looks over at Sam. "Different Sam. Congrats on the promotion to Cap, by the way."
"Why me?" Bucky repeats. "Why not find Sam directly? Or you seem to remember Pete, so why not go to his place?"
"Because you're all always here," Tony says, spreading his arms. "Seems like a logical chain of thought, James."
"How do you remember me?" Peter asks.
Tony turns and looks at him, blinking a couple times. "You're- how do I? Pete, you're unforgettable. You're brilliant, kiddo. How could I not remember you? I lost my mind when I lost you to that Snap. I don't know how Pepper put up with me those first couple years. Every night, I'd wake up choking on your name while you turned to dust behind my eyes all over again. Do you know how fucking awful that was? It was like losing my son over and over again. How could I forget you?"
Peter swallows heavily and wipes at his face roughly. "Your- your son?"
Tony gives a crooked smile and nods. "Underoos, Morgan may be my daughter by blood, but you were my first kid. From the second you got hurt at that airport, I knew I had to protect you."
Bucky looks past Tony and Peter to Sam, raising his eyebrows. Sam nods softly and smiles. They both look back right as Peter moves, stepping quickly into Tony's arms and gripping him tightly in a hug. Tony, who's always seemed uncomfortable with affection in the past, wraps his arms around Peter and holds on like he's afraid the kid will blow away in the wind if he doesn't.
"Mr. Stark," Peter whimpers. "Tony. God, I've missed you."
"I've missed you, kid," Tony chuckles. "Since I woke up, all I've been able to think about was finding my family again. And that included you." He looks up at Bucky, then over at Sam. "You guys, too. You all are family. I don't know where I would have been without you all in the end."
"Well, we're all here now," Peter says, muffled against Tony's chest. "And you? You're gonna stay, right?"
Tony leans back and looks at Peter. "Pete. I'm not going anywhere. The universe tried to kill me and I'm still here. You think I'm going to just up and vanish?"
"Some people do that," Bucky whispers, voice sullen.
"I'm not a geriatric do-good with my head stuck in the past," Tony says, looking straight at Bucky. "To be honest, I don't even have Pepper anymore, let alone someone to go back in time to dance with."
"No Pepper?" Sam asks. "Wait, what happened?"
Tony shrugs. "She moved on. As people do. It's fine. She didn't know I was around still, and her new guy is real sweet to Morgan, so I'm not complaining. I'll still get to see her." He smiles. "I've got a lot to do now I'm back in commission, boys. Tony Stark's back in business and I've got quite a few things I want to make happen in this world."
"Good," Peter says. "Then you'll be able to come visit a lot."
"We usually get takeout on Tuesdays and Thursdays," Sam adds, grinning.
Tony looks between them both, then over at Bucky. Bucky just chuckles and spreads his arms.
"Welcome back to the family, Stark," Bucky says softly. "We got a cat now."
Tony laughs and nods. Alpine, on cue, mewls and hops up on Tony's shoulder. He looks at her, then around at the others. "I'm home."