"Call me when you get home"
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay the night? It’s awfully late and everyone at the compound is probably asleep already. You don’t have to go,” Bruce says from the couch watching as Bucky begins gathering up his stuff.
“I really don’t want to intrude, I don’t know how long it’s been since you guys have had alone time,” Bucky says.
“We don’t want alone time we want time where we know you’re in a safe place with people that care about your wellbeing,” Tony says.
“Thank you but I really should head back. I have a training appointment with Natasha tomorrow morning,” Bucky says and Stephen makes him a portal to take him to the compound.
“Call me when you get home!” Tony shouts out as Bucky steps through the portal and Bucky has to consider that word.
What makes a place home? Is it a place to live? A place you enjoy living? A place with people who care about you? A place with people who love you?
If so than the compound only fits the first criteria, it’s a place to live. But Bucky hasn’t enjoyed living there in weeks if he ever did. Steve cares about him but not in a healthy way and Steve’s love, if that’s what that is, is suffocating.
In fact going by the criteria, the Tower is his home.
Bucky turns and pops back through the portal and sits on the couch between Bruce and Peter.
Being home feels good.