Bucky stretches his arms above his head and yawns. He’s still tired despite it being way after eleven a.m. He watches as Steve messily eats his cereals, as always, Lady sleeping next to Steve’s chair and how Y/N rushes around the apartment to gather things together, tidy up a bit and organize. “Daddy?” Bucky snaps his eyes back to Steve and laughs as he sees some cereal sticks to his cheek. “Yes, pal?” He reaches out and swipes the cereal away. “Mommy says it’s your birthday.”
“Really? It’s not for a few days, though.” Steve frowns. He looks down at his bowl and then back up. “A present?”
“Hm, yeah. I might get presents.” Steve shakes his head at that. “No. You want one?”
“From you? Hmm… Lets see. I would gladly have one of the masterpieces Steven Grant Rogers draws in his free time. I wouldn’t mind if you get me one.” He leans forward and looks at Steve with a secretive gaze. “Do you know where I can get one?” Steve giggles and nods. His eyes are filled with joy and Bucky leans back, pleased and proud of Steve. He knows Steve is shy about his drawings. When he’s a kid he loves it when he gets compliments and is treated like the world’s best artist. As adult, though, he rarely shows anything he draws to anyone. He keeps them for himself most of the time and Bucky has made it his duty to sneak some of the pictures away and hang them up somewhere in the apartment for Steve to find days later. He blushes adorably each time he sees one and starts arguing. But Y/N always says they’re beautiful and then Bucky supports that. So, Steve lets them be.
Y/N comes in and smiles. She has her phone on her ear and talks in a quick motion to someone. She kisses Steve on the head and Bucky on the corner of his mouth before she takes a cup of tea and walks back out. “Stevie, what is mommy doing?” Steve raises his eyebrows and looks at him, spoon already in his mouth again. Steve turns around and looks at his mommy before he turns back around and smiles at Bucky. “Mommy and I go to uncle Tony. Uncle Sam is there, too. And we take Lady with us, right?” Steve looks down at the dog. The puppy just glances up for a second, lets her tongue loll out and lays back down, rolling onto her side.
“Really? And daddy?” Bucky sets up a pout and fakes being hurt. Quickly, Steve climbs down from his chair with a worried expression and runs up to him. He pats Bucky’s leg and arm. “Don’t be sad, daddy. Don’t cry. Aunt Nat comes to you today.”
“I don’t know, Stevie… You’re leaving me alone.” Bucky fakes a sob and scoops the small boy up in his arms. Steve is quick to hug him back and starts patting his back again. “Don’t cry, daddy.” Steve’s voice sounds watery already, so Bucky leans back a bit, feeling guilty. Steve’s eyes are filled with tears and he sniffles. Lady jumps up in an instant and starts pawing Bucky’s leg and whines. Just as he’s about to say something, Y/N comes back in. “Buck. Stop being mean. Come here, Stevie. Daddy is just a big drama queen.” She takes Steve form Bucky’s lap. The boy hugs her immediately and sniffs. “Daddy is sad. He wants to come, too.” Y/N sends a glare to Bucky who shies away from her gaze with a guilty expression. “Hm. No. Daddy has to learn to stay alone for a while.” She sticks her tongue out and makes Bucky laugh. “So, Stevie. Finished eating? Can we brush your teeth and go? Uncle Tony and aunt Wanda are already waiting.”
“Yes.” A small, sad sound escapes him before he lets go of Y/N to wave at Bucky. “Bye bye, daddy.”
“Hey, and my kiss. Please? I can’t stay with Nat without my kisses.” Y/N rolls her eyes but leans down to kiss Bucky nonetheless, Steve still in her arms. The boy laughs and squeals but gives Bucky a kiss to the cheek. “Now, daddy, we have to leave. Goodbye. Have fun with Nat. I think she said sparring will be a pain in the ass today.” Y/N throws him an air-kiss and leaves with Steve on her arms. Bucky sighs and falls back in his chair and glares at Lady who returns to her prior spot and looks at him with watchful eyes. “Great.”
A knock on the door lets him look up. He sighs again, stands up and walks to the front door. “Hello, Nat.”
“Hey. Ready?”
“For what?”
“Duh. Training? Did Y/N not tell you?” She crosses her arms and looks at him in disbelieve. And a bit annoyed. “She did. Fine. Just wait a minute.” Bucky turns around and walks straight into his room, letting Nat stand at the entrance and pat the puppy. He quickly pulls on some new sweatpants and his training shirt, pulls his hair in a bun and walks back out to her. “You know, I rather put up with him than with Stark ranting on for hours.”
“It won’t be that bad, Nat.”
“Really? Did you ever plan a party with him?”
“A party for what?” Bucky steps beside Y/N. She has Steve on her hand now and talks with Nat. She flinches before she relaxes quickly. “Just some… charity thing, I think? Right, Nat?” Y/N’s face looks a bit unsure and for a moment Bucky thinks she’s just saying it to not tell him the truth. “Yeah. Again. But this time he wants some people to help him. Something about ‘the thoughts and opinions from the lower half’.” Bucky raises the eyebrows at that. Nat just shrugs and pulls on his arm. She pulls him down the hall and start ranting on over what they will do today. Bucky feels already more tired than he did before he knew all that. He looks around and sees Y/N, Steve and Lady leave in the other direction. Well, shit.
* * *
Y/N sits sandwiched beside Tony and Sam. Clint and Bruce sit on the other side, together with Wanda. Tony tells them a lot of things from the right alcohol up to the music. Y/N’s eyes wander over to Steve. He sits at the coffee table, Lady’s head on his leg and draws a picture with his new pastel pencils. He has a really concentrated expression on his face, his tongue even sticks out a bit. While she stares at Steve, she gets her doubts. She knows Bucky doesn’t really likes celebrating his birthday anymore. And he’s not a fan of surprises, either. But everyone asked her if she would celebrate and they suggested a surprise party. She hasn’t had a chance to decline the offer because Tony was fully planning the whole thing after he heard the word. So, she insisted on being part of the planning and that is why she’s here. “Y/N, are you even listening?”
“Hm? What?” Tony rolls his eyes with an annoyed groan before he sits up straight. “We talked about a firework.”
“Oh. No firework, please.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s just a birthday and a firework is a bit too much. But I think it wouldn’t be a good idea. When Steve is big, he gets flashbacks form the noise and Bucky had difficulties on New Year’s Eve with the sound of the firecrackers. I don’t need a panic attack on his birthday.”
“Fair point.” Tony nods and starts changing the list on his tablet. “Mommy?” Steve tugs at her pants and she looks over at him. “What is it, sweetie?”
“Is the party for daddy? What is Charty?”
“Charty?” Sam looks up form Tony’s tablet, chuckling and raises an eyebrow in question at Y/N. “Charity, Stevie. That’s where people spent money for a good thing. It’s often a party or something you buy and the money goes to things and people who need it more.”
“Daddy needs money?” Steve frowns at Y/N and she lets out a short giggle while Tony snorts beside her. “No. We said it, so that daddy doesn’t know we’re planning a party for him. We don’t want a charity party but a surprise party.” She leans down and kisses his cheek. “How about you go back and finish your drawing? Or go and play with Lady. She looks quite bored. We still have much to discuss.”
“Okay.” Steve shuffles back to his spot next to Lady who attacks him immediately with her tongue and happy barking while her tail waggles against the floor. “Mommy, daddy doesn’t like balloons. He says it’s scary when they explode.”
“I know, sweetie.” She smiles at Steve before she turns back to Tony. “Okay. So, no balloons either.” Tony mumbles and looks at her, then at Wanda and Sam. “Food. Food is easy. How about a cake and cupcakes? I could order form this Italian restaurant that he liked last time.”
“Daddy likes apple pie.” Everyone looks at Steve but he already goes back to drawing.
It goes on like this for the next hour. Someone would propose something and Steve would throw in if Bucky likes or dislikes it. Each attempt from Y/N to get him distracted from the topic fails miserably. Now he knows every detail and has to struggle with not telling Bucky anything.
She has Steve on her hand and walks with him through the hall to her apartment door. Lady is on the leash and in Steve’s other hand. Just in front of the door she stops walking and crouches down. “Listen, Stevie. This party is a surprise. Daddy can’t know what’s going on and what we’re doing and you have to keep it a secret, okay? It’s a very important mission and I need you to try your best.”
“Okay. I’m good at missions.”
“I know.” She smiles at him and gives him a kiss to the cheek. Then she stands back up and opens the door. Steve is quick to rush in and all to soon sits on the couch cuddled up to the Lady. Y/N walks past them and into the kitchen and chuckles as she sees that the dog fell asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow. “Lazy dog just like the two daddies of you.” She mutters and prepares herself a cup of tea and a glass of juice for Steve. Just as she reaches out to give Steve the glass, she hears the front door. “I’m back.” Bucky sounds tired. And the way he shuffles out of his shoes and comes over to them indicates that Nat hadn’t taken pity on him. “Welcome back, Buck.” Y/N kisses him on the lips for a few seconds before she guides him onto the couch next to Steve. Bucky just flops down and rests his head against the backrest. “Daddy.” Steve snuggles into his side and almost spills his juice over Bucky’s pants but manages to catch the glass before it slips. Y/N quickly takes it and places it on the coffee table. “Hey, Stevie.” Bucky slings an arm around Steve and pulls him into his lap. “How was your morning?”
“Good. Daddy! On the party will be cupcakes and it is no charty party.” Bucky raises and eyebrow and Y/N quickly comes out of the kitchen and places a finger on her lips only for Steve to see. “Really? What party is it then?”
“A… a … drawing party. Mommy and uncle Tony painted with me the whole time.” Steve grins and Y/N just facepalms herself. Why again did I take Steve with me to the planning?
* * *
The next day Y/N walks out of the door, with Lady on the leash and leaves Bucky and Steve alone. “Steve? Where is mommy going?”
“Mommy meets with uncle Tony again. She says I can’t come because I can’t keep quiet.”
“You can’t keep quiet?” Steve nods and looks down at his picture book. “And what is mommy doing with Tony?”
“The planning for you.” Just as the word leaves his mouth Steve knows he said something wrong. “For me?”
“Y-yeah. Mommy said… she said something about... dinner?” Steve forms it as a question and briefly glances up at Bucky. “Dinner? Why’s that?”
“’Dunno.” Steve quickly scrambles up and takes his book back into the playroom to escape Bucky’s questions.
A few hours later, when Y/N is already back, she kisses Bucky goodbye once again and takes Steve with her. “Hey, hey, stop a second, doll.” Y/N stands already in front of the elevator and turns around. “What’s up, Buck?”
“Why aren’t you taking me with you? I want to go out with you.” Bucky pouts and looks at her with big round eyes. “Aww, sweetie.” Y/N lets go of Steve’s hand and hugs Bucky’s waist. She connects their foreheads and then gives him a long and intense kiss. “I’m sorry. It’s just an errand for Tony. You can come down to Town in two hours and we go and get lunch together. Maybe we can even go to the cinema?” Bucky’s shoulders fall down and he leans in to places his forehead on her shoulder. “I don’t want to wait. Take me with you.”
“No. Not now, you baby.” Y/N laughs and pats his back. “Stevie. Mommy is mean to me.”
“Daddy, mommy says you need to learn to stay alone.” Steve recites the words Y/N used a day prior and makes her laugh with it. “That’s right, Bucky. You have to learn; besides you have Lady with you. But we see us later, okay? Daddy?” She whispers the last word to Bucky’s ear and kisses him then once again. Bucky lets out a low growl before he lets go of Y/N. “Fine. But I want ice-cream later. And you’re paying.”
“Okay.” She smiles at the man in front of her and steps into the waiting elevator with Steve.
They make quick work of their task and buy three tickets for the observatory. Bucky mentioned he wants to visit it because he wants to actually see the stars. Then they meet with Bucky and, like she promised, they eat lunch and Bucky gets his ice-cream.
* * *
Lady snuggles with Bucky on the couch while Y/N sits in front of it and relaxes to the man’s hand in her hair. Steve sits across form her at the coffee table and draws little stars and moons on a paper. “Hey, Stevie, what’s with all the stars?” Bucky looks at him and Steve blushes quite red. “I- We- I want-” Y/N looks at the poor boy who desperately tries not to tell Bucky about the observatory. Steve meets Y/N’s eyes and in an instant, he scrambles up and runs out of the room. Shocked by the action Bucky sits up straight and looks after the boy. Lady sees her chance to help and darts from the couch over to the kid’s room. “What? Did I do something wrong?” Bucky looks down at Y/N and she shrugs innocently. “Maybe the picture is for you and he doesn’t want to tell you?” She makes a mental note to praise him at bedtime. The boy gets really stressed by not telling Bucky anything and until now he did really good.
* * *
The next day isn’t easy for neither Bucky nor Steve. Each time Bucky wants to do something with Steve or just is in the same room with him, the boy runs out as if he’s followed by bees. Bucky quickly gets frustrated and irritated at Steve’s behavior. Yes, he already picked up that Steve doesn’t want to spoil him to the obvious surprise party but the boy takes it a bit far and makes Bucky feel actually lonely. “Y/N, doll?”
“My room!” Y/N calls through the apartment to answer Bucky. She sits on the ground and folds the clean laundry. Bucky walks over to the bed and sits down with a sigh, then he lets himself fall on his back. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?” He hears her stand up and feels the mattress dip as Y/N lies down next to him. “I-” He sighs again and shakes his head before he rolls to his side and presses Y/N against his chest. “You know I don’t want a party, right? I know you’re planning one.”
“Yeah, it’s quite obvious, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Doll, I want Steve to cuddle me, to talk to me. Hell, he even can use me as trampoline. I don’t care. But I’m tired of him running away.” Y/N frowns and feels the sad vibe from her boyfriend. “Oh, Bucky. I know. But he tries really, really hard not to spoil you on anything. And he keeps quite real good. It’s all over by tomorrow. Can you wait that long?”
“I have to, right?” Y/N nods and places a light kiss to Bucky’s cheek. “Yes. How about I make it a bit more bearable and we two cuddle a bit longer and maybe, I don’t know, I send Steve to Wanda and we make… sport?” She smirks at Bucky who’s eyes instantly start to get a shade darker. “I agree. That will help.”
“Okay.” Y/N laughs and places a longer kiss to Bucky’s lips. Just wait a second for me to get the troublemaker to Wanda and then I’m right back.”
* * *
It’s right after dinner that Steve takes Bucky’s hand and surprises the man. “Where are we going? Stevie?”
“Bed.”
“Bed? It’s just somewhat after six.” Confused to what’s up with the boy Bucky looks over to Y/N who still sits on the kitchen table and guides her hand through Lady’s fur. She smirks at him but looks just as curious as Bucky feels. “Steve, stop. I’m not even tired yet.”
“But you have to go to bed early.” Steve frowns at Bucky and he just stares at him for a moment. “Why?”
“Because it’s your birthday tomorrow. You need to sleep.”
“And I will but not now. I want to watch a movie with mommy and you. And I want to eat ice-cream with you two.”
“No.” Steve tugs on Bucky’s hand again and actually gets him to take four more steps. “No?” Bucky says it with amusement and hears Y/N giggle behind him. “I’ll cuddle you. But only if you go to bed.” Steve crosses his arms over his chest and stares at Bucky. “You… You cuddle me only in bed?” Steve nods. “You won’t cuddle me on the couch?” Bucky pouts as Steve nods once again. “Mommy, Stevie is mean.” Bucky turns around and shows his pout to Y/N who just laughs. “Sorry, Buck. The boss has spoken.” She kisses his cheek and gives him a light slap on the butt. “Maybe I join.” She winks and leaves to go to her bedroom. “Daddy, come.”
“Fine.” Bucky sighs and lets himself pulled by Steve. “But I want the best cuddles, Stevie. The ones with kisses when you’re on top of me or I’ll stand right back up.”
“Okay.” Steve nods seriously and, to Bucky’s surprise, actually climbs just up on top of him and nuzzles into him as he lays down on his bed. Now and then Bucky gets small kisses on the cheeks from Steve. Y/N follows and joins them just a few minutes after and cuddles up to Bucky’s side. “Hmm, I could get used to it. Can we do it every day, Stevie?”
“No. It’s special.”
“But I want it every day.” Bucky pouts once again. “No.” Steve looks up at him and frowns. “It’s not special when we cuddle every day.” Bucky sees Y/N nod as she strokes through Steve’s hair. “He’s right.”
“Fine.” Bucky pretends to pout a bit longer but tightens his arms around Steve. He doesn’t even knows when he actually falls asleep.
* * *
“Daddy. Wake up. Happy Birthday. Wake uuup!” Steve bounces on the bed next to Bucky and when the men just stirs and rolls away from him, he has enough. Y/N watches as Steve pulls Bucky back on his back and jumps with his full weight right on Bucky’s stomach. “Stevie.” Y/N scolds as Bucky’s eyes shoot open and he lets out a strangle ‘uff’. “Whas’up?” The man yawns and rubs his aching middle as Steve climbs back down from him. The boy just shakes Bucky’s arms forcefully, a grin spread over his whole face. “Happy birthday, daddy!”
“To you, too.” Bucky yawns again and closes his eyes as both, Y/N and Steve, start to laugh. “It’s not my birthday, daddy. You get old today.”
“Old? Who gets old?” Bucky peeks through his lashes and suddenly tackles Steve on his back to tickle him until the boy screams. Y/N just watches for a few minutes. She smiles to herself and cherishes the moment while she takes a quick picture of the scene. Then Bucky collapses on top of Steve as Lady comes running in. She barks and jumps right on the bed where she jumps up and down with her front paws on Bucky’s back. “Lady, come down, you big energetic furball.” Y/N pulls the dog from Bucky and he closes his eyes. “Hm. You’re comfy, Steve. I think I stay like this.”
“Noho. You’re heavy, daddy.” Bucky lets out gasp and looks at Steve with disbelieve. “I’m old and fat now? Y/N…” He whines and looks over at Y/N. She shakes her head and walks to them, sits down on the edge of the bed and strokes Bucky’s hair behind his ear. “Yeah, you’re old and fat. But you are our old and fat daddy and we love you.” She leans in and kisses Bucky’s pouting lips. Bucky hums and pulls her in so that she falls on top of his chest. Steve quickly escapes form Bucky and climbs on Y/N’s back, which gets her to giggle into the kiss. Lady barks up from the floor and places her paws on the mattress to look at them with sparkling eyes and tongue out. “Daddy. Come on. Mommy stop kissing.” Steve bounces a bit and climbs back down and rushes out of the room. “I wonder, who’s birthday was it again?” Bucky looks at her with an amused expression and Y/N smiles. “He’s excited. He planned the whole morning. He even laid out clothes for you to wear.”
“He did?” She nods at him and leans in once again to kiss him. “Hurry up and come out, old man.”
“Pff.” Bucky scoffs but gets up nonetheless after Y/N leaves the room.
The moment he steps out of his bedroom he has a face full of confetti. Steve shouts ‘Happy Birthday’ once again and hugs his legs, causing him to almost fall flat on his butt. “Careful. You said I’m old.”
“Daddy, come, come. Your presents.” Steve points at the couch and the coffee table where some gifts are. He pulls Bucky with him as he runs up to Y/N. She’s already sitting on the couch and just watches them. Bucky has just enough time to sit next to here before Steve grabs one of the presents and presses it into his face. “Okay, okay, Stevie. Please, calm down a bit.” Bucky laughs and takes the present from his small hands. “Open it. Open it.” Steve climbs up on the couch and bounces up and down next to Bucky. The brunette smiles at him once again before he slowly unwraps it. Steve claps as he sees Bucky’s wide eyes. In the small box are three cards for the observatory and a flight ticket for three people to Germany from where Y/N’s family originally comes from. “That is… I mean. Wow. Thank you.” He smiles at Steve and ruffles his hair before he turns to Y/N and wraps her into his arms. “Thank you, doll. And all that just for a birthday.”
“I know you don’t like to celebrate it but I thought the chance on seeing the stars and a vacation with just us three would be a good gift for you.” She kisses his cheeks before Steve’s hands return to Bucky’s arms. “Daddy, now mine. Here.” Steve presses the second gift to Bucky’s hand. He takes it but before he can unwrap it, he sees Lady carry a stuffed toy from her basket over to him. She lets it fall right into his lap and barks once before she happily sits down and wiggles her tail. Y/N and Bucky start laughing as Steve pouts. The dog is stealing him the show. “Thank you, girl.” Bucky ruffles Lady’s head and the dog barks once again. Then the brunette passes the toy carefully over to Y/N and starts to unwrap Steve’s present. His eyes are wide and he smiles. He holds three pictures in frames. The first one is from Steve as a kid. He had painted Bucky, Y/N, Lady and himself under the sky full of stars.
The second one is also from Steve but clearly form the adult. It’s a drawing of the three of them once again but this one is from the vacation, they had a while back. They sit on the beach and look over the ocean. Bucky remembers the picture Nat had shown him once. Steve must have asked to draw it instead of getting the picture.
The last on is an actual picture. It’s not only him and Steve as kids on Y/N’s lap but all the others are on this as well. The whole family in one picture. Bucky stares at them all and Y/N sees the tears in his eyes. She knows, and he said it already, that he never believed to get a family. To get all of this. But he has and Y/N knows that it’s more than he ever hoped. “Happy Birthday, Bucky.” She leans in and lays her arm around his shoulders while Steve hugs Bucky’s middle as well. They sit in silence; Bucky occasionally sniffles but otherwise is content and hugs Steve and Y/N tighter to himself. “I love you two so much.” He kisses each of them on top of their heads just as FRIDAY speaks up. “I’m allowed to inform you that boss awaits everybody in the common room to celebrate the birthday of his dear terminator. I’m sorry Sergeant but he ordered me to phrase it exactly like that.”
“It’s okay, FRIDAY.” Bucky smiles, sniffles a last time before he stands up and drags the others up as well.
* * *
The party in the common room is quieter as Bucky had imagined. Tony really has ordered food from the Italian restaurant Bucky likes and there is plenty of ice-cream and cupcakes, and even apple pie.
“Buckaroo. Glad that you join us.” Tony walks over, a glass already raised over his head to hug Bucky. He lets the motion go over himself and walks with Tony, who still has his arm wrapped around his shoulders, to the area everybody is standing. “Guys! Our over hundred-year-old soldier has come back from his cave and is now ready to celebrate in the very 21st century.” Bucky scoffs and he hears Nat do the same. Y/N picks Steve up and walks with him over to Sam and Bruce who watch as Bucky hugs each of the others. Rhodey, Pepper and Peter drag him off to one of the comfier armchairs and press a big present into his lap. “It’s from all of us. Y/N told us you hate to celebrate your birthday but I actually found this a few months ago and wanted to give it to you.” Pepper smiles down at Bucky. With a curious glance he opens the box and just stares. “Oh my- That is- That is my Ma’s…” He looks up and has tears in his eyes once again. Pepper just nods at him with a kind smile as he picks it up from the box. The book is old and its pages are yellow form the time but as Bucky opens it the writing looks as if it’s written down yesterday. “Peter tried something and got the writing to clear, so you can read it better.” Bucky nods dazed at her words and quickly motions for Y/N to come over. Which she does. “What is it, sweetheart?”
“It’s… It’s my Ma’s diary. She kept all her recipes and favorite memories in it.” He looks back up and smiles at Y/N. She smiles back down at him and kisses his temple. “We can try some tomorrow if you want?”
“I like that.” He turns back to Pepper, Peter and Rhodey and hugs each of them with a quiet thank you.
Wanda and Vision gift him some self-made hair accessories that Bucky actually really likes. Nat and Clint give him a new cleaning set for his guns and new gloves.
Sam actually got him something, too. He brought him some new running shoes because he says that Bucky’s old ones smell like old cheese which earns him a playful slap from Bucky.
Bruce got him some tea’s while Thor brought some booze from Asgard.
Tony obviously got Bucky a crutch and at first Bucky thinks that’s really all he got him but a few minutes later, as his laughing subdues, he gives him a card, which actually is an appointment reminder. “I want you to come down that day. Pep cleared my schedule, so I’m free and here, only for you. I’ll work the whole day on your arm and we improve it a bit. I know you have some struggles with it lately.” Bucky smiles up at him and nods. “Thank you, Tony.”
The party goes on but stays quiet and Bucky is surprised by Steve dropping unnoticed form him and hug him from behind as Bucky is about to cut the apple pie. “Happy birthday, jerk.”
“Thank you, punk.” Bucky turns around and lets himself kissed by Steve. Someone wolf-whistles and Tony clearly shouts something about getting a room.
Later that night, when he lies sandwiched between Steve and Y/N in his bed he feels content. He has everything he wants. A family. Friends. From time to time a kid and a wonderful girlfriend and boyfriend. This is all he wants. This is what makes it worth living.
It’s the first night he actually believes it himself without Steve or Y/N constantly telling him that he’s worth it.