Chapter 2
STEVE
It killed him to see her like this.
He loved having his girl back, since she’d been living in Wakanda the last four years. But he couldn’t just watch her sit around and get worse when she’d worked so hard to be better.
Shuri had said goodbye to her a few days ago and Emerson was still sulking. And yeah, maybe recently retiring with his husband made his free time rather…open…but he would still help his kids no matter how old they got.
Or if they become parents themselves.
Like his eldest.
And his twin toddlers.
Who were currently attacking their teenage uncle on the couch next to his smiling husband as he and his daughter joined them in the living room. He walked behind the couch to kiss his love’s cheek as they laughed at the sight before him.
Peter joined them a moment later, giving his blonde father a quick hug in greeting before grabbing his phone to record the attack. Steve leaned down to wrap his arms around Tony as they all watched the adorable toddler assault.
“You uh…need a hand there little brother?” Peter asked as Emerson walked around and sat on the other side of the wrestling match.
“No, please. You all just watch while tiny monsters eat me!” Miles exclaimed, which only encouraged the two to start growling like monsters.
“Have they even greeted you?” the blonde asked his husband, who shook his head no before catching a flailing toddler foot before it smacked his face. Steve laughed aloud as he extracted himself away from his husband and out of the line of fire.
“My only grandbabies don’t love me,” the brunette pouted at the man. Steve smiled as he leaned down to kiss his adorable husband again, ignoring their own children’s groans, before moving around the couch to finally help his youngest.
“Isaac, baby, come say hi to Poppy,” he said as he easily lifted the boy up into the air to distract him from attacking his uncle.
“Poppy!” the toddler shouted in excitement as the super soldier tossed his grandson in the air a few times before bringing him to rest on his hip. He added a few kisses to his cheek in greeting, loving the giggles it produced. He smiled as he watched Tony grab their granddaughter off their youngest as she too giggled from being held in the air – and upside down.
“G’andaddy!” the baby girl shouted in excitement.
“Lilli-bear! You are getting bigger every day!” the brunette said happily as Steve thought back to when Peter and Wade had first adopted the twins.
They were malnourished when Wade found them at a literal crack house. He saved them from a fire and – according to their son – immediately fell in love with them. Apparently it didn’t take Peter long to follow suit, Steve stealing a glance at his oldest who was just beaming at watching his father and daughter laugh together.
“Finally!” their youngest said exasperatedly with a grin he couldn’t hide. Isaac reached for his other grandfather as he and his husband carefully switched toddlers; the blonde bringing his granddaughter up in the air like he had her brother – savoring the laughter from her that filled his heart with warmth.
Being a father suited their son – which was still a strange concept to Steve. Especially because it meant he was a grandfather. He and Tony. Though it seemed to suit Tony better, mostly because he loved getting to spoil babies without consequences.
It’s only been about two months since they adopted them, but Peter seemed to already be a natural. Even Wade surprised the two fathers with his change in semi-retiring after adopting the twins.
The squirming toddler in his arms brought him back to the present as he handed the girl to Emerson – whose arms were stretched out in joyous anticipation.
He stole a glance at his husband, smiling at the man before pulling his phone out to snap a picture of his love and their grandson giggling together. He’d been needing a new background for his work computer anyway.
“So how’ve you been holding up papa bear?” Emerson asked as she let the toddler on the ground to walk around the living room.
“I haven’t slept in like two months but we’re all alive aren’t we?” his eldest said with a strained laugh as Steve carefully walked around the toddler to hug his son.
“You’re doing an amazing job, Petey,” he said as his son easily returned the embrace. “I knew you’d be a great dad, but I didn’t know you’d be this spectacular.”
“Yeah Bambi, do you know how frustrating it is to watch your son be a better dad than you?” his husband piped in, getting a laugh from their kids as Steve released his oldest.
“Yeah, well, I see why the youngest you guys adopted were five year olds…” Peter mumbled as he quickly walked over to stop his daughter from being able to climb up the bookshelf.
“We could’ve handled a baby! We just never adopted one. Or…oh Steven! Imagine if we would’ve had one of our own! Combined our amazing genes?” his husband asked excitedly as he flapped an arm out towards the blonde. “It would’ve been a super-baby!”
“Pretty sure your ego is big enough without producing any mini you’s,” Emerson teased. Steve saw his husband turn to glare at their daughter.
“Yeah? Well at least then we could’ve had a kid to actually brag about. Instead of you bums,” his husband retorted before Steve leaned over and flicked his ear.
“Literally all you do at work is brag about them,” he corrected his love who scowled at the taller man.
“If it’s any consolation, the twins kind of look like a cross between you two,” Miles piped in, Steve taking a moment to smile at the blonde hair blue-eyed boy and the brown-eyed brunette girl.
“Plus your baby would’ve had your height and Pop’s asthma. Doubt that little awkward nerd would’ve been as cool as you’re imagining,” Peter added as he dragged the toddler back to the couch. Steve joined his kids in laughter as he saw his husband pout again.
“You sir are no longer my favorite,” that brunette bastard of his quipped which earned another ear flick from the blonde.
“Ignore your father, he’s just acting like a child because he’s butt hurt the twins love their Uncle Miles more than him,” Steve piped in, only sticking his tongue out at the shocked face of his husband in response. As if he didn’t know the man after over thirty years of marriage.
He smiled when Tony’s jaw set to the side and he mock glared at the man. Steve couldn’t help himself, he took the step closer and leaned down to kiss him. Unsurprisingly, his love didn’t pull away and even smiled at the super soldier – though still trying to glare at him.
They were interrupted from any further PDA when Jarvis made an announcement.
“Sirs, it appears an unidentified helicopter has landed on the Tower pad.”
“What?!” Tony said, sitting up in alert as Steve straightened as well.
“I just thought you should be warned of the arrival of your guests – who have asked not to have their identities revealed,” the AI said as Steve found himself rolling his eyes at that.
“J we really have to work on your security protocols–” the genius began before they heard the sounds of pounding feet coming towards them.
It was a huge black lab puppy that came barreling into the living room.
“Harvey! Heel!” they heard a familiar voice shout as their guests followed in to join them. The pup immediately froze and dropped to the ground – tail wagging adorably.
“Bucky?” Steve asked incredulously at his oldest friend, as he and Natasha walked over to greet the surprised family.
“Hey punk,” the man said as he wrapped his arms around him in a hug.
“What’s with the surprise visit? Not that we’re objecting, of course,” Tony said as he got off the couch to hug the red head.
“You’ll have to ask this one,” she said with a wink towards Bucky.
“Puppy!” they heard the twins shout excitedly as Nat walked over to introduce them.
“Uncle Buck,” they heard Emerson growl angrily, causing her fathers to turn to her in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“I…I,” the man stuttered with a huge grin. Steve looked back and forth between the two as he watched his daughter walk around the couch with her hands on her hips.
“Spit it out, babe,” Nat spoke up as Steve turned and smiled at the twins and his boys adorably playing with the puppy. He then turned his attention back to the two as he waited for some kind of explanation for her behavior.
“Okay, yes! Shuri asked me to check up on you before she left,” the man confessed as he hilariously took a step back away from the much smaller person.
“I can’t imagine why,” Peter piped in as he walked around his sister to greet his uncle. “Hey Uncle Buck, glad you get to meet the Rugrats.”
“Zip it, Bambi,” Emerson frowned at her brother.
“Does that mean you guys are staying here a while?” Steve asked, opting to change the subject.
“We’re moving here, actually, at least for a few years,” Nat answered as Steve felt his excitement grow at the prospect. The two had been living in Wakanda for about eight years and it’s been a while since he’s seen the pair.
“That’s great! Aunt Tasha are you guys moving into the Tower?” Miles asked as he sat on the floor and played with the puppy and his niece and nephew. Steve stole a glance at his husband, both sharing a look of uncertainty.
The two had been talking about moving out of the Tower and into the mansion just outside the city. But it wasn’t a subject they were completely sure of and didn’t need to bring up to the group just yet.
“Your floor is the same as your left it, Nat. But I better not find puddles of dog piss anywhere in my Tower.”
“Language! There are toddlers present,” his eldest chastised his husband.
“My sincerest apologies, papa bear,” Tony said sarcastically, rolling his eyes at Peter. “Just cause you’re a Papa now doesn’t mean you should be boring and act like your own Papa.” Steve heavily rolled his eyes but was stopped from saying anything by their grandson.
“Papa?” Isaac said as he toddled over and pulled on Peter’s hand.
“Yeah, baby?” Peter asked as he pulled the boy up into his arms. “Wanna meet your great Uncle Bucky?”
“Hey there little man,” Buck said with a smile and a wave of his metal arm, which caught the toddler’s eye as he gasped audibly. Isaac instantly reached out for the man he had just met, while Bucky hesitated a moment before carefully taking the boy from his father.
“Oh great, now I gotta compete with a robot arm?” Tony muttered as they watched Isaac gently stroke the man’s arm.
“Wobot?” the boy asked adorably.
“Yeah, buddy. Great Uncle Buck has a robot arm. Pretty cool huh?” Peter asked as that suddenly got the attention of his sister.
“Wha wobot arm, Papa?” Lillian asked as she toddled around to join them.
“Lilli, this is your great Uncle Buck,” Peter said as he lifted the toddler onto his hip.
“Gay Unca Buck?” she asked, causing an uproar of laughter from everyone.
“Yup, gay Uncle Buck,” Bucky agreed.
“Wiff a wobot arm Lilli!” Isaac reminded the group as he played with the man’s fingers.
“Wobot arm…” the girl whispered in amazement as Steve smiled fondly at the sight.
“How about I whip up some snacks?” Steve offered as he left the group and motioned for his husband to follow him into the kitchen.
“Need any help, Pops?” Miles asked as he politely declined his youngest with a ‘no thanks.’
He and Tony had a few things to talk about.