“Hey, boys. What are you doing?” Y/N looks amused at the boys. They obviously stole some of her make-up and now torture the poor puppy with her eye shadow. Lady whines and looks up at Y/N, not able to escape her capturers while Steve sits half on top of her. “Mommy, look. Lady looks like the elephant in Steve’s book, now.” Bucky points at his side of Lady’s fur and Y/N has to admit that Lady’s looks like Elmar with all the colorful squares on her fur. Steve had found the book ‘The Elmer Treasury’ yesterday and Y/N had to look at it four times in a row before she got them to sleep. It will be a hard time to get the dog washed. Still, Y/N smiles at him. “Yeah, I see. And why did you steal my make-up? What about Stevie’s watercolors?” That they would be easier to get out, she just thinks for herself. “No. Stevie won’t let me use them, right?” Bucky whips his head around and looks at Steve. The blonde still sits on top of Lady. He has the book clasp in his hand and tries to copy the pattern on the elephant on Lady’s fur. He nods briefly at Bucky’s words and returns to his art. “Okay. Could you two stop for a minute? I want to ask you something.”
“But-”
“Please?” Y/N looks pleadingly at Bucky and copies Steve’s puppy dog eyes he does if he wants something. Just like big Bucky, small Bucky can’t resist it. He sighs and puts down what he has in his hands and turns to look at his mommy properly. Steve does, too, but remains on top of Lady who whines again. Y/N pats her head before she pulls out an envelope from her back pocket and show it to the boys. “What is that?” Steve looks curious and reaches for it. Y/N passes it to his dirty fingers and cringes a bit as the paper instantly turns a soft pink-blue. “It’s a mission. It is called ‘Mail man’.” She looks around as if there would be someone to overhear what she has to say, then she leans in closer to her boys. “It’s really important. I can’t trust anybody to deliver it. I don’t know what to do.” She looks at the boys with a sad but serious expression. Bucky's eyes go wide and Y/N has to suppress her laughter as his face turns determined. He looks at Steve, to the envelope, to Y/N and all the way back. “Mommy? Can we do it? You can trust us!” He looks a little proud of himself. Y/N clears her throat to not laugh or do anything in that kind and frowns at him. “But… It could be dangerous. I don’t want you two to-”
“Mommy.” Steve reaches out for her, so she picks him up from Lady who instantly darts out of the room. Steve reaches up with one hand and pats her had while he holds the envelope close to his chest. “We’re careful. You can trust us.”
“You think you manage that?” Both boys nod and Y/N chuckles before she quickly hides her face in Steve's shoulder. She smiles before she speaks again, still hiding in Steve’s sweater. “I’m glad.” She looks back up and takes Bucky’s metal hand. “Okay. Listen up carefully. You need to get this to all of our family. It would be good if you start with Peter or Sam. They’re just across from us and then walk to the rest, okay?” Bucky nods seriously while Steve frowns a bit. “You don’t come?”
“No, Stevie. I can’t. I need to stay here.” She kisses his head before she stands up. She takes both boys hands and walks out of the room to the entrance and helps them to slip into their shoes. “Please be careful. You never know who wants to have this.” She points at the white letter in Steve's hands. Then she kisses each of them on the cheek before she shoves them out of the door. She watches for a second longer until she hears them knock on Sam’s door. Then she closes hers and walks back into the living room. Lady lies on her bed by the window and just looks miserable. “Hey, girl. Did they torture you?” The dog huffs out a breath as Y/N kneels down beside her and pats her heard. “Well, come on then. Let's get you cleaned and go for a walk before everybody comes.” She stands up and motions for Lady to follow her into Bucky’s bathroom. Better mess up his then mine.
* * *
Bucky knocks on the door while he holds Steve’s hand. He looks over briefly. Steve looks a bit anxious. He watches to his right and left and clutches the envelope in his hand as if someone’s going to rip it right out of his hand. The door in front of them opens and Steve’s eyes snap up in an instant. Bucky turns back to the now open door and squeezes Steve’s hand a last time before he starts to speak. “Uncle Sam. Mommy has a secret for you.”
“A secret? For me?” Sam yawns and crouches down so that they can look at him easier, and he doesn’t have to look down at them. “And what is it?” He looks at Steve who looks up and down the hall again before he passes the letter to Sam. “We’re on a mission for mommy. Pshh. It’s dangerous.” Sam can see how Steve squeezes Bucky’s hand a bit firmer as he presses his index finger to his lips. Sam forms a silent ‘O’ with his lips and nods. “Quick, come in.” He motions for them to come in, closes the door and looks back down at them. “Did someone see you?”
“No. We’re good.” Bucky announces it with such pride that Sam smiles at him. “Okay, let’s see what mommy has to say.” He opens the envelope and reads the letter over. Both boys watch him carefully until he’s finished. Sam frowns. “That’s surprising. Let me quick…” He doesn’t speak the sentence to the end. Instead, he grabs a pen and scribbles something on the paper before he shoves it back into the dirty envelope and gives it back to Steve. “Were you already at Peter’s?”
“No.”
“Then quick. Before someone searches for you.” He shoves both boys out of the door and wishes them good luck.
“Bucky?” Steve whispers and presses himself against Bucky’s side. The older boy looks down at him and stops in his tracks. “What’s wrong, Stevie?”
“I’m scared. Mommy says it’s dangerous.” Bucky frowns and hugs Steve to his chest. He can feel the small frame of the blonde shiver against his own and for a second, he thinks they should give up if it’s so dangerous. Maybe they made a mistake in proposing it. But Y/N wouldn’t let them go if it wasn’t safe for them. And there is their family, too. “It’s gonna be okay, Stevie. I protect you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Bucky smiles down at Steve’s fear filled eyes and gives him a big, wet kiss on the forehead which makes Steve giggle as he wipes at it afterwards. Together they run up to Peters door and knock on it, maybe a bit too hard. “What’s wrong? An emergency? Or a- Oh. Hey, buddies. What’s up?”
“Mommy gave us a mission.”
“Really?” Peter smiles at them and studies they’re faces. His eyes stop on Steve and he crouches down. “You okay?” Steve nods slowly but feels himself walk over into Peters arm. Peter is a bit startled, but he picks the boy up nonetheless and motions for Bucky to come in. The room is kinda messy with clothes and books flying around but Peter finds a spot on his bed to sit down, with Steve still on his arm. Bucky climbs on the bed as well and sits next to Peter. “Mommy says you have to read that.” Bucky points at Steve’s hands. “She says it’s dangerous. Steve is afraid.”
“'Am not.” Is the quiet answer from Steve, muffled into Peter’s shoulder. They all know that Steve just says it to look tougher. “Okay. Let’s see what is it, okay?” Peter takes the envelope while still holding Steve and reads it. He makes a humming sound before he picks up a pencil and scribbles something on the back of the paper before he shoves it back and passes it to Bucky. “You know, Steve. It's okay to be afraid sometimes.”
“'Am not afraid.”
“Yeah okay. You’re not. But you know, I’m afraid sometimes and I think Tony and Sam and all the others are too. It’s part of what we do. But you’re a hero if you try nonetheless.”
“You’re afraid?” Bucky gasps and shuffles around to get a better look at Peter. Peter nods at him. “Sometimes. But I can assure you that your mission isn’t as dangerous as you think. I think the worst that can happen to you is that you get lost in the compound if you don’t pay attention. Just make sure you don’t give that away to someone who’s not supposed to see that, okay?”
“But mommy says they will take it away.” Steve leans back a bit from Peter and looks at him skeptically. “She did? Hm. I don’t think that’s gonna happen. But you should hurry now.” Peter says goodbye to them after he assures them that anything is fine once again.
The next visits go by like the first two. They show the letter to Wanda and Vision who sit in the common room and to Nat and Clint in the kitchen of the common room. Each of them frowns at the letter and then scribble something on it, before they sent the boys away as quickly as the others did.
Bucky shuffles over to the elevator and Steve follows him a bit slower. He yawns and leans against a wall in the cabin while he rubs his eyes. “Bucky… I’m tired.”
“But we have a mission, Stevie. You can’t take a nap.”
“Don’t want a nap.” Bucky looks at him, a bit disbelieving like Y/N often looks at them when she knows that they don’t mean when they say something. He walks over to Steve and lets the smaller boy lean on him after he tells FRIDAY to get them to Tony’s workshop floor. The elevator rides down and just seconds after they stepped in, they step back out. Bucky tugs on Steve’s hand they walk around the halls, hand in hand. Steve isn’t sniffling any longer and looks around. “Buck? Where are we?”
“I… ‘Dunno.” The brunette admits and stops in his tracks. A lot of people are walking around them, sending them curious glances or ignore them completely. Bucky looks around, too but somehow, he doesn’t know where they are. FRIDAY surely let them out on the right floor but… Where is Tony’s lab? They were there more often the last weeks but they never had gone alone and now they can’t remember the way. “Let’s go over there, Stevie.” Bucky pulls on Steve’s hand and the blonde nods while he follows Bucky. They walk and walk and walk. At some point Bucky feels like his feet fall off every moment and Steve points out that they crossed the same door three times now. They’re lost. And they know it. Bucky hugs Steve to his chest as,, again silent tears fall from his blue eyes. This time, though, Bucky feels tears of his own fall. “Hey, you two. What’s wrong with you?”
“’ncle Bruce.” Steve sobs and stretches out his arms for the scientist to pick him up. The envelope in his hands is already well rumpled. Bucky just hugs Bruce’s leg as the man has Steve secure in his arms. Bruce guides them through the hall to a door that’s clearly his lab door. He quickly sits down on a chair and positions Steve on one leg while Bucky climbs up on his other. The man feels a bit lost. He was never that good with kids and his accident while watching them last time is proof of it. But this time it seems that they just need someone to calm them, so he takes it up to himself and then helps them with whatever they need. Bucky snuggles into his chest and hiccups silently while Steve hugs his neck and buries is wet face against the skin of his throat. “Hey, hey. It’s okay. Care to tell me what’s up?”
“W-we… M’my s-said we should g’ve you t-the letter.” Bucky hiccups and glances briefly at Steve who still clutches the envelope in his hands. “Yeah? And you came all alone?” Bucky nods and then mumble again. “’s a mission.”
“Ah.” Bruce nods, and then he shakes Steve a bit who is silent the whole time, except of his small sobs. “You still have the letter?” Steve nods and presses the envelope to Bruce chest before he gets back to cling on his neck. It's awkward to get the envelope opened while still holding two children on your lap but Bruce manages and flies over the letter. He hums in acknowledgment. “I see. What did Y/N tell you two what it is with this letter?” He looks at Bucky, not expecting Steve to answer at all. “Mommy says it's our mission to show you all. She said it can be dangerous, and we should make sure you all read it.” Bucky says it with a stern voice. Steve shivers in Bruce’s arms, and he directs his eyes to the smaller boy. “Uncle Sam says it's dangerous.” His voice is small and Bruce can tell that he is afraid. “Hmm. I see. But you know what, Steve? I don’t think it's that dangerous. The most dangerous thing that can happen is that you get lost. And you did, but I found you. So, it’s okay now.”
“Peter said that, too.” Bucky nods and then rubs Steve’s back. “We’re safe, Stevie.” Steve nods as well and even gives a little smile. Bruce gently pushes the boys from his lap and walks over to his desk. He scribbles something on the paper shoves it back into the envelope and gives it back to Steve. “So, who do you need to visit next?”
“We were looking for uncle Tony but…” Bucky doesn’t finish his sentence but Bruce knows what happened. They got lost. “You want me to bring you two?” Steve looks unsure at Bucky and Bruce can see in his eyes that Steve rather has him at his side than get lost once more. He doesn’t really look like he wants to finish this mission anymore. Bucky instead shakes his head and huff a breath. “It’s our mission uncle Bruce. We don’t need help.”
“Okay.” Bruce holds up his hands in surrender and smiles. “But sometimes you need help. We do, when we go on a mission.”
“Really?”
“Yes.” The scientist nods and crouches down in front of them. “Sometimes FRIDAY helps us or some from our work here at home. And at some missions we wouldn’t get far without their help. It’s okay to admit that you need it from time to time.”
“O-okay.” Bucky nods and makes an adorable thinking face before he gently tugs at Bruce’s coat sleeve. “Uncle Bruce, where is uncle Tony’s lab?”
“How about we drink a hot chocolate first and then I’ll show you the way?”
“Yes.” Steve jumps up and grins at Bruce which startles him for a second. He hasn’t expected for him to get so excited in just a few seconds. Bucky frowns at Steve and his eyes wander to the envelope but Bruce places a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. You don’t need to finish it right now. You two have time.” He smiles once again at the kids and Bucky nods. “Okay.”
Sometime into the laughter of the boys and the hot chocolate, Bruce’s phone starts to ring. “Hello? Y/N… Yeah, they’re here… No, no it's fine. We drink some hot chocolate and then I send them over to Tony… I know… Yeah, I got it… Yes. Thank you.”
“Was it mommy?” Steve looks up with round and curious eyes as Bruce puts his phone away again. “Yes. She wanted to know how you two are doing. She says she’s proud you came so far already. She would have taken all day.”
“Really?” Bucky looks up as well now. “Yes.” Bruce nods and smiles at them. “How about we finish quickly and get you two home?” A collective nod from both boys answers the question.
* * *
“Aunt Pepper!” Steve runs up to the red-haired woman. She sits next to Tony, with Rhodey across of her. He quickly jumps on her lap, hugs her and gets her to laugh. “Steve, hello. How are you?”
“Good.” He flashes a bright smile at her before he, as quickly as he got on her lap, leaves it again. He walks past her to Tony and tugs on his hand. “For you.” He reaches out the envelope just as Bucky steps up to him. “Thank you.” Tony takes it with a smile and places it on the table beside the couch he’s sitting on. “I’ll look at it later.” Steve frowns and looks at Bucky who also looks as lost as he does. “But… You have to look at it now.” Steve says it with confusion in his voice. He hasn’t expected Tony to NOT look at it right at the moment he gets it. “I will but not right now. Okay? I’m sorry, but we have things to discuss.”
“But-” Bucky tries to speak up but Tony interrupts him. “No buts. I’ll look at it later. Would you two just… leave?” Bucky frowns at Steve. He can see that Pepper looks at Tony, a bit disappointed. Bucky quickly nudges Steve’s shoulder and whispers something into his ear. The blond nods and trails after Bucky. They know well that Tony looks at them. Then Steve sobs. Bucky whirls around a bit frantic and rubs Steve’s arms. “No, Stevie. Don’t cry. It’s okay. We tried.” He speaks up a bit louder, so he makes sure Tony hears him. “B-but M-Mommy said-”
“I know. Don’t cry, Stevie.” Bucky hugs him to his chest and glares into Tony’s direction. The man looks uncomfortable to them and then at Rhodey who has crossed his arms by now and shares Pepper's look of disappointment. “Fine. Wait you two. I’ll look at it.” But Steve doesn’t listen to him. He lets out a ridiculous loud sob and Bucky still tires to hush him. Tony cringes and quickly opens the envelope, reads the letter and signs it. Then he scrambles up and all but runs up to the boys. He kneels down behind Steve and places his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, okay. I looked at it. Don’t cry, Steve. I looked.”
“Really?” Steve whirls around with a triumphant grin and Bucky matches it. “You- But- I thought- You were-” Tony sputters the words out and is only interrupt by Pepper's and Rhodey’s laughing as they join the boys. “Young man, you have a ridiculous good acting skill for your age. My poor heart.” Tony lets himself fall back on his butt and grabs his chest. He tries to look pained and as he sees Steve's face, he knows he succeeds. Steve’s smile vanishes as soon as he sees Tony’s pained face. “No. You’re okay.” He sits down next to Tony and pats his shoulder. Concern clear on his face. “Yes I am.” Tony quickly snatches the boy into his lap and tickles him merciless until Steve starts to wheeze from laughter. He stops shortly to prevent an asthma attack and instead grabs Bucky who dared to come too close to him. While Tony focuses on the little brunette Steve crawls over to Pepper and lets himself be scooped up. He snuggles into her chest and yaws, already almost asleep. “Tired?” Steve hums and closes his eyes fully. Pepper chuckles and grabs a blanket from the couch and wraps it around him before she walks with him and Rhodey to the door. Tony looks up at her before he gets onto his feet with some moaning. Then he grabs the envelope he had let slip to the ground and takes Bucky’s metal hand. “Okay, you rowdy. Let’s get you back to Y/N. She’s probably already waiting.” Bucky nods and smiles at Tony. He jumps up and down a few times at his side until he grabs Rhodey’s hand, too, who walks right beside Tony. With both men at his hands and Pepper with Steve in front of them he walks back home.
* * *
“There you are. I was worried. Hey, sweetie.” Y/N crouches down and catches Bucky in her arms as he runs up to her. “We did it, mommy. We showed everyone.”
“I’m glad. You did very well.” She kisses his cheek before she stands back up and smiles at the three adults. “Thank you, Pepper.” She takes the sleeping blonde from Peppers arms and presses her lips to his temple. Then she looks at Tony with a smirk. “Now I wonder how they got you out from your lab.” Tony grumbles something and Y/N smiles. Bucky jumps up to her in excitement. “Stevie played he would cry and uncle Tony got worried, so he read your letter and scribbled something on it.”
“I see. He’s a good actor.” Y/N laughs and motions for them to come in into the apartment. Everyone is already sitting in the living room. Chairs, couches and armchairs shoved around to face the TV. Food is placed on a makeshift table, made of cardboard cartons. “What is all that?” Tony looks around curious. “It’s an anniversary.” She smiles at the man before she sits down on the couch beside Peter, who already has Bucky on his lap. “Anniversary?” Pepper eyes her quizzically. “Yes, sit down and I explain.” She nods at the free chairs before she looks down and strokes a hand through Steve’s messy blonde hair. The boy mumbles something and nestles closer to her collarbone. “So. This anniversary is about you all, about these two.” She ruffles Bucky’s hair who quickly ducks away and grumbles. “And about me. Because, it’s a year now. Over a year since I started working for you to clean up your mess, that I’m living with you all and a year since I’m more or less a mom. I thought this is something worth to celebrate, so I send my boys to the Mission: Mail man and get you the invitation.” She smiles at them all. And they share it. They look like they hadn’t realized that its already that long. “Man, I feel like it’s just a few weeks.” Sam say and looks at her. “I feel like it has been years already. I’m so used to seeing you around.” Clint smiles at her, and she sees Wanda and Nat nod at her.
They all talk, laugh and eat for a while before they get settled and watch a movie. Y/N leans back, hugs the still sleeping Steve closer to her while Bucky holds her hand. He’s on his way to sleep as well and Peter looks like he falls asleep, too. So, Y/N kisses Steve and Bucky’s cheeks and even kisses Peter’s forehead. The boy smiles and slumps against her. A while later the breathing of the two brunettes even out and Y/N smiles. This family is great. And it is hers.