Bucky looked at Steve over the top of his book. He was sitting sideways on the couch, facing Steve, who was watching TV, with his feet in his lap.
"Buck, you're starin' again," Steve said, not looking over at him.
"I want a little," Bucky said and Steve sighed.
"Thought you wanted an omega."
"Want both. Alpha AND caregiver."
Steve picked up the remote and paused the TV before looking at Bucky. "Little omegas are rare and while I like the idea of us having a third. Four seems unmanageable right now. We may spectacularly fail at polyamory altogether."
Bucky let out a huge sigh and dropped his head back. "I want a little," he said, pouting only a bit.
"You're sounding a bit like a little, pal," Steve teased, "whinin' and all that. You need a spankin' and a nap?"
Bucky flicked one eyebrow up. "Try it, sugar," he said and he laughed.
Steve turned his body and stretched out, shifting Bucky's legs and hugging him around the middle. "We will try, okay? We have a little more wiggle room now and ain't nobody gonna blink an eye at two alpha tops together anymore. Maybe it'll be easier than it was before. And I actually look like an alpha dom now."
"Stevie," Bucky said, tapping his forehead, "you always looked like an alpha dom. Some people are just stupid. Always will be."
Steve pulled a face and then hid it against Bucky's middle.
There was a cough, and both looked up to see Tony Stark standing a little stiffly by the door to the kitchen.
"Hi Tony," Steve said, sitting up.
"Stark," Bucky said with a nod. They weren't friends. But Tony wasn't actively trying to take him down anymore. He still mostly avoided him, though, and Bucky was really okay with that.
"I... uh, am going to order from that pho place by the post office. You hungry?" Tony asked and he seemed so small. Bucky watched him, watched how unsure he was in this moment, but the guy was making an effort and he was gonna do it too.
"That sounds nice, actually. I'd love the large with double beef. Thank you, Tony," Bucky said.
Steve glanced at him... surprised, maybe? "Same," he said after a second. "Thanks."
Tony offered the smallest, most insecure smile and nodded. "Got that, JARVIS?" he asked.
"Yes, sir. The order has been placed and will arrive in thirty-seven minutes."
Tony nodded. "See you two soon," he said, then left very quickly. Bucky watched him go.
--
Dating apps were literally the worst. After three disastrous dates and one fairly okay one with a sweet woman who was just not compatible with them both, Bucky was morose. He refused to even look at the people Steve was showing him anymore. The one little omega they had met was the rudest, most entitled brat that Bucky had met in his entire life. He could handle brats. He could handle spoiled. But this guy was too much. Never in his life had Bucky wanted so badly to put someone over his knee in a public place, but he'd wanted to with that brat after he'd interrupted Steve for the tenth time to make sure they knew what basically boiled down to the fact that if they did not drop everything at his whim, they would be very sorry. Bucky had ranted the whole way home. He didn't want an obedient little doll, but he couldn't just let a little run amok. It wasn't good for them. And part of him felt bad for the guy. He'd obviously been let down and not given boundaries and structure, but Bucky still struggled with nightmares and slumps where his depression and anxiety got worse. He wasn't sure he could even be the structure that guy needed right now. And it wouldn't be fair to Steve to just expect him to bear the brunt of everything. He was really just ready to give up.
--
Steve had to go to DC overnight. Bucky knew he was working himself up, knew that worrying so much about sleeping alone was creating the exact environment that helped nightmares thrive, but his brain was having a moment. More than a moment.
He woke up screaming, which immediately rolled into a panic attack.
"You're in.... bed. In the room you share with Steve. In the tower," he whispered to himself between gasping breaths. "Can feel, uh." He grabbed the duvet in his fist, "stupid expensive duvet Steve bought. Smell, lavender from the wall plug." He kept going, cycling through all the senses, just like his therapist taught him until his chest finally released. He collapsed back, angry at himself. Finally, he got up and went down to the communal kitchen.
The lights were on and Tony was standing at the counter, a chocolate pudding cup in his hand.
He glanced over. "Hi Barnes," he said.
"Hi Stark," Bucky replied. He never knew what to say to Tony. Hey, sorry I killed your parents seemed aggressively wrong. He stepped around the smaller man and grabbed the kettle. He dumped it, rinsed, then filled it with fresh water before putting it back on the base and turning it on.
Tony just watched him for a few seconds, then said, "You okay? You look rough."
Bucky's first instinct was to snap and to shut down, but he was trying to work on it. "Nightmares," he said instead, "I..." he paused, letting out a deep breath. He tilted his head back to look at the ceiling. Tears stung at his eyes. He really didn't want to cry, especially not in front of Tony Stark, but Steve was gone and he was breaking down. "I see their faces. These people I killed. And even though I... I was brainwashed, tortured, controlled, it was still me. Still my body. And I can do all the good things in the world, but it doesn't bring back anybody who died by my hand."
The tears started and he dropped his head, pressed his hands over his face. "I feel like I should have died too. But I can't say that around Steve."
His whole body tensed when he felt the hug. He pulled his hands away from his face, sure that someone else had come in while his face was hidden, but no. It was Tony. Tony's arms wrapped around his middle, hugging him tightly. And Bucky did the only thing he could think to do. He hugged back.
"I'm so sorry," he said. "It doesn't make it better. But I am so very sorry."
Tony pulled back eventually and looked up at Bucky. "I forgive you. I didn't think I could. I didn't want to. But...” he trailed off, shaking his head. “When you first got here and you were slipping in and out, I just… there was so much fear and guilt. You’ve been through a lot.”
Bucky rubbed at his eyes. "Thank you, Tony," he said.
"You're welcome... Bucky," he said, and then he took his pudding cup and left.
Bucky made himself a cup of herbal tea and sat in the kitchen for a long time.
--
Bucky and Steve went on a date with a very, very sweet little. And there was a follow-up playdate at his house, but everything went to shit when Natasha called and said they had to go. It broke Bucky's heart to have to pull the little out of his headspace and leave him, surely feeling vulnerable and a little fragile.
Fifteen hours later, after a long, hard fight to take down a Hydra outpost, they sat on the quinjet, side by side, a little scuffed up, but mostly just quiet.
"We can't have a little, can we?" Bucky said quietly, not looking at Steve.
"I..." Steve trailed off, never finished the thought, but Bucky knew he was right. They stopped looking after that.
--
Bucky was in the kitchen when Tony walked in and noticed immediately how rough he looked. "Hey, how long you been awake?" he asked.
Tony waved a hand. "A while. I'm fine. Just need coffee."
Bucky frowned. "JARVIS?"
"Sir has been awake for sixty-one hours," chirped the AI.
"Traitor," Tony muttered.
"Tony," Bucky said, his voice soft, "your genius brain needs to rest eventually."
"I'm fine," Tony insisted, turning to look at Bucky. And he stomped his foot, had the cutest little pout on his mouth. "I'll sleep when I sleep."
Bucky just watched him. He had four younger sisters. He knew was the beginning of a tantrum looked like, but he didn't expect to see it from Tony Stark. Tony was a true neutral. It was a pretty rare designation, but all his paperwork said he was a baseline beta. Still, it looked like he was about to throw a fit like a little, and Bucky really wanted to follow that thread. Would he actual tantrum?
"Tony," he said, naturally sliding into his caregiver voice. "You look like you're about to drop. You need to skip the coffee, have some water, and go to sleep."
Tony gaped at him. And then he scowled. "Fuck you. Don't pull that top shit with me. You have no right." And he was right. Bucky was pushing in a way he knew he shouldn't and he was about to apologize when Tony spun away from him and stomped out of the kitchen. Bucky sat frozen. There had been tears brimming in Tony's eyes. Bucky had made him cry and he felt very bad about it, but by the time he processed what had happened, Tony was gone.
Bucky didn't see Tony for a week after that, but when he did, the man looked much better. Less tired, less pale. He was polite to Bucky, well, Tony Stark polite, but he didn't mention anything about that night in the kitchen. Bucky still watched him.
--
Bucky's arm was being weird, so he went up to Tony's lab to see if he could help, but as soon as he stepped off the elevator, he was hit with the powerful smell of distressed omega and... he frowned. Heat. There weren't any omegas who lived in the tower.
"Tony?" he called, but no answer. He stepped further in, followed the scent to a couch, and froze when he saw Tony curled up underneath a blanket. The scent was emanating from him. Distress, tears, heat.
"Shit, Tony," Bucky said, sinking to his knees. Tony wasn't a true neutral after all. He was good at hiding it, but did that mean he spent all his heats alone, or did he just live on suppressants?
"Hey." Bucky gently touched his shoulder and Tony whined. "Can I help you?"
Tony's eyes, which had been squeezed shut, opened quickly, filled with tears. "No, no, no, please," he cried.
"Tony, I'm not going to hurt you. I promise. Just maybe let's get you to your floor. Don't you think you'll be more comfortable in your bed?"
"You're a... a an alpha," he hiccupped in response.
"Yep. And I'm going to get you to your bed, all tucked in, make sure you have food and water in reach, and leave you be. I promise. Nothing more," Bucky said.
Tony looked at him for a long moment, then held out his pinky. Bucky hooked it with his own immediately. "Can you sit up for me, pal?"
Tony whimpered but pushed himself into a sitting position. That made it a lot easier for Bucky to pick him up, blanket and all, and carry him to the elevator. Tony clung to him, burying his face against his neck, letting out soft whines and whimpers. Bucky just held him. His caregiver instincts were currently clashing hard against his alpha instincts. The caregiver was currently in the lead. He got Tony to his room, helped him out of his jeans so he was just wearing a t-shirt and boxer briefs, and tucked him into his bed. He gathered bottled water and any snack food he could find, putting everything on the bedside table.
"Tony, I'm going to go now."
Tony let out a loud wail. "Please don't go," he cried, "please, please alpha, don't go." He took hold of Bucky's shirt and clung.
Bucky needed to go and fast. Alpha was starting to win over caregiver. "I can't stay, sweet omega. But I'm going to give you my shirt, okay? You can have it to help you through. A familiar alpha scent." He stripped off his shirt and handed it to Tony who immediately buried his face in it. That did something to Bucky and he desperately needed to go.
Tony's hand moved across the bed as if looking for something and when he didn't find it, he let out a soft sob. "Hannah missing."
"Who's Hannah?" Bucky asked.
"Whale shark." Tony looked up at him with wide, wet eyes, and caregiver took the lead. He searched for a whale shark and found her under the bed. He handed her to Tony who immediately hugged her tight, keeping both Bucky's shirt and the stuffed shark close to his face.
"I have to go, Tony. I'll check on you soon," he said, and he had to force himself to ignore the crying as he left. He went straight down to the gym and pushed his body until he felt like collapsing. Then showered before heading back up to the floor he shared with Steve.
Steve sat on the bed, freshly showered, wearing only a pair of boxer briefs and Bucky couldn't help himself. He kissed and teased and sank three fingers inside his boyfriend before he fucked him through two orgasms and then whined and shouted as Steve came for a third time inside of him.
After, Steve laid with his head on Bucky's chest. "Wow, what got into you? You going into a rut, Buck?"
"Tony is an omega. And I think a little," Bucky panted and Steve sat up.
"What?"
"I went up to the lab and he'd gone into heat and was distressed. I got him into bed and he was upset because his stuffed whale shark was missing."
"He's a true neutral," Steve said after a second. "Go smell my jeans if you don't believe me. Omega," Bucky replied. "Fuck, Steve. He cried when I left. It was so hard to walk away, but... I have you. And he isn't ours."
Steve laid back down. "So he's been lying. For how long?"
Bucky shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm worried it means he either doesn't go down or he goes down alone."
Steve rolled to his back. "God. I mean, you did the right thing, obviously. But I feel bad... I wonder if Howard falsified the paperwork."
Bucky scrubbed a hand over his face. "He never did much care for littles. So he what, switched one rare designation for another?"
Steve sighed. "Poor Tony. I don't know what to do."
"Me either," Bucky said.
--
Tony emerged four days later. He came into the kitchen and stopped when he saw Bucky sitting at the counter eating eggos. He didn't smell like anything more than soap. It would make sense that he had the good blockers, but Bucky was still surprised to smell nothing at all after the way he'd left him.
"Thank you," Tony said.
"Was no problem," Bucky replied.
The smaller man looked down at his hands. "You're a good caregiver," he said, "I didn't realize. Surprised you don't have a little of your own. Is... uh Steve one too?"
"He just leans that way. His main is dom," Bucky replied. "And... we tried. But, little omegas are rare. Plus we sometimes have to go at a moments notice. Not really fair on a little."
"You just gotta find one that understands," Tony said.
"Yeah," Bucky said then they were quiet as Tony got himself some juice and toast.
"Why do you hide?" Bucky asked when Tony sat down.
"It wouldn't look great for Stark Industries to be run by a little omega," came the reply and Bucky scoffed.
"Bullshit."
Tony gaped at him.
"You go down regularly and make sure you take care of yourself during heats and you're no different than anybody else, Tony. Tops need the release too and alphas rut," Bucky said.
Tony looked down at his toast.
"I..." he picked up one piece of toast, starting to rip it into little pieces, putting them into his mouth one at a time. That was fine. Bucky could wait.
"It's just that... well, I mean, an alpha comes in and uses a tone of voice and I'm easy to persuade. Get useless. It's dangerous," Tony said finally.
Bucky didn't think that was true, but he believed that Tony believed it. And it also made him think of the panic he'd seen when he'd offered to help. As if Tony was terrified of what could happen between alpha and omega. Bucky hated that. He reached out and pressed a gentle hand to Tony's arm.
"There are some pretty terrible people in the world. But there are good ones too. Steve, for example. He's good. Not a jag off who tries to take advantage of omegas."
"Captain America is the exception, not the rule, I've found," Tony replied. He shoved a bigger piece of toast in his mouth and followed it with juice.
"Do you go down?" Bucky asked.
Tony took his time chewing and then swallowed. "I... sometimes?"
"I can ask JARVIS."
"When my body makes me," Tony admitted.
Bucky made an unhappy sound in his throat. "That's so bad for you," he sighed.
Tony let out a soft whine and got up quickly. He dumped his plate in the sink. "Yeah, well, is what it is. Forgot I had a meeting, sorry bucko. See ya!" he called behind him before disappearing into the elevator.
Bucky sighed loudly to nobody.
--
The next time Bucky saw Tony, he walked out onto the floor he and Steve shared and they were sitting pressed right up against each other on the couch, both looking intently at the Stark designed tablet Steve had no idea how to run.
"Hey babe, hey Tony," he said, announcing his presence, which hadn't yet been noticed. "I got pizza and wings. You going to stay for dinner?"
"Oh, you know, I shouldn't. A lot to do up in my lab." Tony said, sliding away from Steve. "Was just showing Steve how to do something on his tablet."
"You gotta eat," said Steve. "Might as well eat with us."
Bucky glanced over. "You have anything planned already?"
"Oh, uh. No. Maybe Chinese," Tony replied.
"We already got food. More'n enough," Bucky said and he handed Tony a paper plate before opening up the boxes.
"Thanks," Tony said after a second.
"No problem," Bucky replied.
After dinner, they convinced him to stay to watch a movie, the newest DC film and they sat on either side of him. The further into the movie, the cozier they all got until Tony was curled up against Steve's side with one big arm wrapped around his shoulders. Bucky couldn't help but look at Steve and grin. Later, he carried Tony back to his room and tucked him into bed.
Bucky, who did most of the cooking, started making too much and he would call Tony and invite him to dinner. He fibbed only a little. He'd grown up in a seven-person family, which was really eight because of Steve. He only knew how to cook for a small army. They watched a movie after or played a board game. They were limited at three people, but Tony was really good at cribbage and kicked their asses almost every time.
About half the time, Bucky ended the night by carrying a very sleepy Tony up to his room and tucking him in.
--
"We have to talk to him," Steve said.
"I know, it just... feels so right, and what if we spook him and he withdraws?" Bucky replied.
"Then he withdraws. But he deserves to have a choice." And Steve shot him one of his patented "you have disappointed Captain America" looks and Buck groaned. He pushed Steve's face away from him. "I know, I know, okay? I know."
He got up then and headed out. He ended up at a department store, touching blankets.
The last time Bucky really dated, everything was much different. He was in love with Steve and not allowed to be with him. If he wanted to take an omega out, he had to go through their parents and get permission. And then there were courting gifts. Courting was complicated anyway, but then you also had to buy these gifts and once he'd brought a young lady a bunch of flowers and she'd burst into tears because of what the flowers meant. He had just thought they were pretty and smelled nice, like her. But she wouldn't see him again.
Blankets were safe. Nesting material. So he touched them all and came away with the softest one in Iron Man red.
Blanket in hand, Bucky found himself in the toy department. Because he would also be courting a little. They had a soft hammerhead shark that is about the size of Tony's Hannah, so he grabbed that. He stopped at a candy store on the way home and had the woman put an assortment of gummy candy into a jar. He knew that Tony liked gummies, would always choose them over chocolate.
Steve was at the table in the kitchen when Bucky returned and looked up. "Hey. You went... shopping?"
"Courting gifts," Bucky said, heading to the bedroom.
Steve chuckled and followed. He sat on the bed, watching Bucky unpack his bags.
"You really like him, don't you?" Steve asked.
Bucky glanced at him. "He's sweet when he wants to be. And so smart that it blows me away. He can be a bit of a brat and he sometimes makes bad decisions, but he tries. And he has a good heart," he said, then added, "and he forgave me. He didn't have to, but he did."
Steve leaned back on his hands. "He is good," he agreed.
"Do you like him?" Bucky asked, unsure. He watched his boyfriend, concerned that he might not be as into this idea as he was.
"Yes," Steve said. "I think he is fun and sweet. And he is exactly what we are looking for. I have really grown to adore Tony. And it feels really right when he is cuddled up between us."
Bucky nodded. He was relieved. And he felt the same way.
Steve helped him get the courting gifts wrapped and then they laid down together to take a nap, but Bucky couldn't fall asleep, too worried. What if Tony didn't like them like that?
--
Bucky made cheeseburgers. He knew they were one of Tony's favorite comfort foods and he actually really loved using the smokeless grill that Clint got him for Christmas. He baked sweet potato fries and made a caesar salad to go with. He spent a long time making sure everything was perfect and it was really worth it when Tony strolled out of the elevator and stopped to take a deep breath and grinned, heading right for the kitchen.
"Cheeseburgers?" he asked.
"Felt like grilling," Bucky said, trying to remain cool. And he didn't talk much during dinner, let Tony do most of it. He was excited about a new invention anyway and animated, happy throughout dinner. Steve managed a few snippets of conversation in there and just mostly looked amused. And fond. Bucky loved how Steve looked at Tony. Fond. Even when exasperated. He felt that too. It made him nervous.
"Is everything okay?" Tony asked, helping to clear up after dinner.
"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Bucky replied, rinsing the dishes quickly and putting them in the dishwasher (which was one of his favorite things).
"You're quiet," Tony said.
"You seemed really excited about your new project. I wanted to hear about it."
Tony didn't look convinced, but he went to join Steve on the couch anyway.
When Bucky finished cleaning up, which he'd insisted on doing because sitting around and waiting while Steve did dishes sounded like torture. When he’d finished, he went to the bedroom and got the gifts. He sat down on the bed first, trying to convince himself not to worry. It didn’t work. Never actually did. But he couldn't remember being so nervous before. With Steve it was easy. He knew Steve loved him. Always had, but Tony hated him once. And Bucky was falling for him, hard. If they did this and Tony wasn't interested, it was going to suck. And they might lose Tony because of it.
"Pull yourself together, Barnes," he said to himself and then took the gifts out to the living room. He sat on the coffee table, right in front of them both. Tony's eyebrows immediately came together and he looked between Steve and Bucky.
"Tony," Bucky said, voice shaking just a little, "you are so funny and kind-hearted. You try so hard to care for the people around you and you just... you're good. Even when you make mistakes, as all of us do, you're still good. And... well... Stevie and I wanna..." he trailed off, biting his lip, and glanced at Steve.
"Court ya, sugar," Steve supplied. "We've been looking for someone just like you for a while now, didn't even realize everything we wanted was right here under our noses."
Tony looked between them, eyes wide, looking unsure. "I'm convenient?" he asked quietly.
"No," Bucky said quickly, putting the gifts aside so he could lean forward to take his hands. "That ain't it. You're Tony. You're the sweetest little omega who comes and has dinner with us as often as we ask, who continues to play, even though we always lose at cribbage. You always fall asleep during movies and end up snuggled up between us. It feels right. Feels like I shouldn't have to carry you up and tuck you in alone. Feels like you should just get to be carried to our bed and cuddled up between us."
Tony dropped his head, looking at his lap. "But... why? I'm... an asshole and a brat. And I spend too much time in my lab. I panic easily. Get nervous in a crowd. And..." Bucky watched him, heard a sniff, and then cupped his chin, lifting the smaller man's face.
"I'm a former brainwashed assassin who has a lot of nightmares and has stabbed two mattresses. Stevie here is the only perfect one, here, good old boy Captain America."
Steve scoffed. "Hardly."
Tony closed his eyes, tears dripping down his cheeks. He let out a soft breath and sat up. "I have to think about it, okay? I need time."
Bucky nodded. He glanced at Steve.
"All the time you need, Tony," Steve promised.
"We ain't going nowhere," Bucky added. He walked the omega to the elevator.
Once inside, Tony looked at him like he wanted to say something, but he swallowed instead and the doors closed. Bucky pressed his forehead against the closed doors and sighed, let out a soft, sad sound when Steve wrapped his arms around him from behind.
"It wasn't a no," Steve said.
"Right. I'm just so scared he isn't going to come back." Bucky turned to face Steve and sighed softly.
"We just have to wait," the blonde replied. He took Bucky's hand and tugged him back toward their bedroom.
--
They didn't see Tony for two days. They were on the couch, debating about whether to watch another episode of Criminal Minds or go to bed when the doors opened and Tony stepped out. He looked a little pale, his eyes were a little red like he'd been crying.
"Tony?" Steve said, leaning forward.
"You don't want me. There's something wrong with me," Tony said, wringing his hands.
"What? Tony, what are you talking about? Come here, please, come sit with us," Bucky said softly. The omega hesitated, but gave in quickly, moving to sit on next to them on the couch, his body angled to where they were still half cuddled together.
"There's nothing wrong with you," Steve assured him, reaching out to gently stroke his hand down the omegas arm.
Tony just looked at the two of them, then looked down at his lap, rubbing at his eyes.
"I hate sex," he whispered, "I don't want to have it. Hate my heats. I'm a broken omega. You'll get bored of me. I'm supposed to... am built to... Can’t do the one thing I’m supposed to."
Bucky took a second to process that and then sat up. He leaned in and cupped Tony's cheek, wiping tears away with his thumb. A lot of things made more sense.
"Tony," he said, his voice gentle, "you're not broken."
Steve sat up more so he could take one of Tony's hands in both of his. "You're also so much more than a sex toy. I know how a lot of people look at omegas, but Buck and I didn't set out to get ourselves an omega for sex. He's a caregiver. Wants to be Daddy. And I wouldn't mind that either. But I also want an omega to take care of, to cuddle and kiss, to come home to. We... eventually want a family. And there are ways we could do that without having sex," he said.
"We just wanna be with you," Bucky added, "wanna keep eating together, playing games. Watching movies. We wanna take naps and vacations and go to the zoo. The three of us."
Tony slowly opened his eyes, looking at both of them. "You want me. Even though I don't want to... but you... don't you want to have sex?"
"Yep," Steve said, "so what? You're ace, but it's not like that means Bucky and I gotta stop having sex."
Tony rubbed at his face. "I... it's been hard. Because you're... both so right, but I've been scared that you wouldn't be interested once you found out." He let out a shaky breath. "It really doesn't matter?"
"It does matter," replied Steve, "but because it's how you feel and that's important. But it's not going to change how we feel, right Buck?"
"Not at all," Bucky said with a smile. "We want you to be ours. Would you like to open your courting gifts now?"
Tony looked between them and the gifts that had remained unopened on the table for the past two days. He hesitated for a few seconds but then nodded. He was so careful as he unwrapped them and his smile grew so wide. He buried his face in the blanket with a happy sound. And the shark went over well.
"I'm gonna call her Haley," he said, smiling and hugging her tightly against his chest. When everything had been opened, he launched himself at the two of them who just held him tight. They ended up cuddling and watching a movie during which, as usual, Tony fell asleep. But Bucky didn't carry Tony upstairs, but instead, with his explicit consent, to their bed where he quickly drifted back to sleep cuddled up between the two alphas.
Bucky didn't sleep immediately. He watched Steve and Tony and felt completeness. There would be a lot of conversations, negotiations, and learning to do still, all normal for navigating a new relationship, especially one that included little space and alpha omega dynamics. But Tony was worth it. And this trio, this new tiny family, was right. Bucky could feel it deep, deep down. They were endgame, the three of them. And he was excited for the life they were going to lead together.