(Can I just say the support from all of you is so nice and I appreciate it so much this book would have probably ended after book one if you guys didn't all keep reading so thank you so much)
For whatever reason, Bucky was laying on the floor and staring up at the ceiling. I don't know why, Cas doesn't know why, Peter doesn't know why, Tony doesn't know why, you don't know why and Bucky doesn't either.
Tony ran into the room and almost trod on him.
"You good down there?"
"No."
Peter walked into the room and looked down at his dad. "Is the floor lava?"
"Yes."
Peter joined him. Tony just looked at them both like 'this is my life and that's my husband and he's my son.' The other two had become one with the floor.
"The floor is Steve."
Peter was on the ceiling in seconds. Bucky jumped up quicker than lighting, his claws stuck in the ceiling.
"Anyway, I finished the ears and tail."
"Oh, cool. Thank you."
"You're welcome, and the floor is the floor now."
Bucky tried pulling his claws out of the ceiling, Peter had just dropped down.
"I think I may be stuck."
Peter pulled Bucky out from the ceiling effortlessly.
"Thank you."
"That's okay."
Bucky gave him a smol hug, he returned it. He turned to Tony, "So um... Neko me up!"
Tony laughed, "Let's do this."
"Hell yeah." Bucky nodded.
Tony left to the lab, Bucky following behind. Tony attached the ears and the tail, showing Bucky how to put them on and take them off whenever he felt like it.
"Thank you..."
"No problem."
Bucky swished his tail back and forth, getting used to the feeling of having one again.
"Is it comfortable?"
"Yeah, it's... different? But not... bad different..?"
"Okay, cool."
"Yep! Thank you." He hugged Tony, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. Tony hugged Bucky back, kissing his forehead because he was proud of himself for being able to reach it.
"I like you, Tony."
"I like you too."
They hugged for a little longer.
"Also, don't freak out if your tail starts swishing or your ears go down slightly on their own. They're made to work like your original ears and tail which means if you're sad or calm they will reflect that. Not that me and Peter really notice or pay attention, we can usually work out your moods without that. You can also feel things in them, apart from when you're putting them on and taking them off. If it was painful to remove, there wouldn't be much point to it being detachable. But if I were to scratch your ear, you would feel it."
"Aright, thanks."
***
Bucky wrote down some of the new things he could remember in the journal that Tony had given him. Writing them down on loose paper wasn't efficient, especially with a torn backpack. Apparently he used to write in the journal before he forgot his memories again. Those pages actually did help Bucky remember a few more things when he read them. Tony has also got him a new backpack so that nothing fell out.
"Why do you write like you're running out of time?" Peter asked, not as a real question but just singing Hamilton.
Bucky stopped and thought about his answer, not understanding the reference. "I guess... I guess it's because I feel like... any day, he could come back and.. take all this away from me..."
"Fair enough..."
Bucky smiled grimly.
"But that wasn't really what I meant."
Peter sat there and made Bucky listen to the whole of Hamilton. Bucky was immediately obsessed. Peter knew he would be.
***
"How does a bastard orphan
son of a whore and a Scotsman dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean
A providence impoverished in squalor
grow up to be a hero and a scholar?"
"I... don't know..?"
"The 10 dollar
Founding father without a father
Got a lot farther by working a lot harder, being a lot smarter
By being a self-starter, by 14 they placed him in charge of a trading charter."
Tony was concerned, "That's... nice..?"
"And everyday while slaves were being slaughtered and carted away
Across the waves he struggled to keep his guard up
Inside he was longing for something to be a part of
The brother was ready to beg, steal, borrow or barter."
"...Anyways,"
"Then a hurricane came, and devastation reigned
Our man saw his future drip, dripping down the drain
Put a pencil to his temple
Connected it to his brain
And he wrote his first refrain, a testament to his pain."
"Okay, but like, do you wanna go out?"
"Well the word got around, they said
'This kids insane, man!'
Took up a collection just to send him to the mainland
'Get your education, don't forget from whence you came
And the world's gonna know your name. What's your name man?'
Alexander Hamilton
My name is Alexander Hamilton
And there's a million things I haven't done
But just you wait, just you wait
When he was 10, his father split, full of it, debt ridden
2 years later, see Alex and his mother bed-ridden
Half-dead, sitting in their own sick, the scent thick
And Alex got better but his mother went quick
Moved in with a cousin, the cousin committed suicide
Left him with nothing but ruined pride, something new inside
A voice saying, "Alex you gotta fend for yourself"
He started retreating and reading every treatise on the shelf
There woulda been nothing left to do for someone less astute
He woulda been dead and destitute without a cent of restutition
Started working, clerking for his late mother's landlord
Trading sugar cane and rum and all the things he can't afford
Scanning for every book he can get his hands on
Planning for the future, see him now as he stands on
The bow of a ship headed for a new land
In New York you can be a new man
Just you wait
(In New York you can be a new man) Just you wait
In New York you can be a new man
In New York (New York)
Just you wait!
Alexander Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton), we're waiting in the wings for you (waiting in the wings for you)
You could never back down, you never learned to take your time
Oh, Alexander Hamilton (Alexander Hamilton), when America sings for you
Will they know what you overcame?
Will they know you rewrote the game?
The world will never be same, oh
The ship is in the harbor now, see if you can spot him
Another immigrant coming up from the bottom
His enemies destroyed his rep, America forgot him
We fought with him
Me? I died for him
Me? I trusted him
Me? I loved him
And me? I'm the damn fool that shot him
There's a million thing I haven't done
But just you wait
What's your name man?
Alexander Hamilton!"
Tony stared at him as though he was such a rude person for ignoring him. Betrayal. How dare. "Are you done?"
"Fineee,"
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Anyways,"
"Yeah?"
"You wanna go out?"
"Sure!"
"Yay!!"
Bucky smiled, making Tony smile, which made Bucky blush.
"So... where are we going..?"
"Well, we're gonna go out for a walk in the park, then see a movie and go out for dinner. When we get back, all three of us, and maybe also Ned, are gonna have a disney marathon in the blanket fort."
Bucky smiled and nodded, "Sounds like fun."
Peter actually wasn't going to be staying at home. He was going to Ned's. Not that Tony or Bucky knew of course, Tony would kill him if he were to find out. Peter knew he would be back before the other two were. He had worked out what time the movie started, and knew what they were going to see and how long it was. Usually when Bucky and Tony went out for dinner they spent an hour, and it would take half an hour to get back from the closest restaurant if they were walking, which they probably were if they were going for a walk in the park. They would get back at roughly 9:25 pm. Christ, Peter should be Sherlock.
***
Tony had walked through this part of the park with Bucky before, but from what Bucky actually remembered, he had only been outside when he left Steve's and when he was out with Peter. Actually, Tony had already taken Bucky everywhere they were going today. Not only was it a date, but it was also him trying to help Bucky remember more, which Tony didn't realise yet that it was actually working.
"You know, I think I could hold the whole world in my hands."
"How? That's impossible!" Tony's Deja vu was skyrocketing.
Bucky upped Tony's face in his hands, "There, I did it." His smile was so pure and adorable. He remembered that time on the walk a few seconds ago, and decided he wanted to repeat it.
Even though Tony remembered it, he still blushed like hell. Bucky gave Tony a small kids, still cupping his face. Then as they started walking again, he intertwined his metal hand with Tony's hand.
Lately, not many of Tony's smiles had been genuine, the ones that did had something to do with Bucky or Peter, and those smiles didn't hurt. They felt nice. This was one of those smiles. Being at the park, like the dates they had before Steve, before everything, felt amazing. It made Tony almost manage to forget his fear, forget the scars and the pain. Forget Steve. He was just here, in the park, happy, with his husband and his son at home. For the first time since those 3 months of torture, Tony felt fully alive. The love and joy he felt were almost too much to bear. For a split second, everything was perfect, for a split second, nothing could go wrong, for a split second, Tony was content.
During the movies, Bucky had his head leaning on Tony's shoulder despite being in another seat. Tony was stroking his head the entire time. It was kind of mortal torture because Bucky was trying not to purr, but at the same time he didn't want Tony to stop.
Peter was with Ned building Lego's and eating pizza. He had climbed in through the window since Ned's mum has been told by Tony he wasn't allowed there unless Tony had dropped him off. Ms Leeds understood, if Ned had disappeared for 3 months - presumably kidnapped, although none of the Barnes' had confirmed it yet - she wouldn't have wanted him to go out either. Ned did agree with the fact Peter shouldn't be going out unless his dads knew where he was, but he didn't think it was right to keep him in all the time.
"When my dads come back we're going in the pillow fort to have a Disney marathon. You can come if you want."
"Hell yeah I'll come!"
"Great!"
"Yay!"
"We should go back now though, don't want dad to know I snuck out again."
Ned nodded, "That's probably a good idea."
It didn't take long after they got back for Tony and Bucky to get back from dinner.
"Hai!"
"Hello."
"How was your date?"
"Freaking amazing!"
"Yes!" Tony agreed with his husband.
"That's great!!"
"So, Disney marathon?"
"He'll yes!"
"LAST ONE TO THE PILLOW FORT IS MOULDY CHEESE!" Peter said, naruto running.
Tony just activated his suit, Bucky leaped over the table and Ned gave up on life right then and there. Bucky ended up in front of Peter by smashing through an open window, how he got outside we have no idea. Peter had to slow down so he didn't bump into his dad, but then he skidded to the side of him and sped up again.
"GAHAHAHA SUCKERS!!" Tony screamed as he overtook the both of them. Peter was already there though. Ned died.
"You little-"
Peter smiles innocently, casually pretending he wasn't gonna faint from running that fast in a binder.
"Bitch-" Tony finished the sentence for him.
"That was- so- wow- cheaters-" Bucky attempted to catches breath
"To be fair, I only used my legs. Him on the other hand," Peter pointed to Tony, "Did cheat."
"Yeah, fair enough."
"You love me."
"Yeah, I do."
Ned finally caught up, "You- left- me-"
"Mouldy bread."
"I know-"
They had a Disney movie marathon and Tony fell asleep first , passing out on Bucky's lap. He strokes Tony's hair like he did with Bucky all the time. Tony snuggled close in his sleep. Next it was Peter and Ned who fell asleep with Ned's arm around Peter who lied on top of him. 15 minutes later, Bucky also fell asleep.
Tony woke up to the sound of Peter and Bucky sobbing, with Ned having no idea how to comfort them. He pushed his nightmares aside, preferring to ignore them rather than confront with them, and instead help his family.
"Wha- are you two okay..?"
"J-just nightmares..."
That's when Tony realised that he was the first to fall asleep, he wasn't able to stop their nightmares. "Fuck..."
"W-What..?"
"I'm sorry... I should've.. ugh I'm such an idiot!"
"What? N-no, you're not... what's going on?"
"I.... UGH!"
"Tony, what is happening?!"
"I took the nightmares!! Okay?! I should've... if I had just... stayed awake then... ugh!!!"
"That's why this is the only nightmare we've had?"
"WHAT?!" Bucky hugged him, "YOU IDIOT! DON'T YOU EVER PULL A STUNT LIKE THAT AGAIN, YOU HEAR ME?!"
"I don't get it... why is that bad?"
"Because I have to keep them myself in order to take them from someone else."
"You idiot!" Bucky screamed, slapping Tony.
"Which is why you weren't sleeping... you had all our nightmares, recent and past."
"IDIOT!"
"Okay, I get it, I'm an idiot. Please stop hitting me."
"Idiot." He said, slapping him for the third time.
"That hurts, and you're not even using the metal arm."
"I still might. Don't ever do that again."
Tony shrugged, "At least you remember I've done it before."
"Asshole."
"Bitch."
"Fucking idiot." He slapped him with the metal arm.
"I get it! God!"
Bucky pulled him into a hug, "You're an idiot."
"I know, but if all of us can't sleep, and I can make it so that only one of us can't, why shouldn't I?"
"Because if there's something I've learned over the years, and this might be a little fuzzy, it's that we all have our own demons. And, in time... we have to face them. It helps to surround yourself with people who care about you, but some journeys must be taken alone." He smiled, "And if I recall correctly, I've already faced one of mine."
"Really? What's that?"
"You. You know, when I was living on the streets, I was terrified of you. But when you found me again... and took me back in... I realised there was nothing to be afraid of. Not here, at least. Yeah, I'll still have nightmares, and... still be a bit skittish, I guess... but, I'm not afraid of you. Not deep down, at least."
"I'm sorry... I think we've established that I'm an idiot."
"Yeah," Bucky laughed.
They hugged, and the tip of Bucky's tail flicked Tony's hand.