Chapter Text
“Alright, you’ve got a connection in Charleston though I can’t imagine why they’re routing you through that nightmare,” Bucky says, checking the tickets one last time. “You’ve only got an hour between flights, so make sure you go straight to the next gate and stay there. If you miss your flight and wind up being late getting home, your mother will kill me, and that’ll mess up all our plans to have you come and stay with me and Tony and Steve for the summer.”
“That’s silly, Uncle Bucky,” Kate informs him. “She won’t kill you.”
Harley looks far more dubious, which is exactly how Bucky feels.
“Alright, you guys got everything you need?” he double checks. “Books and things to keep you entertained?”
“We have iPads,” Harley says.
“That’s just sad,” Bucky replies, pointing at him.
“They’re going to be fine, Bucky,” Tony says amusedly, resting a hand on his shoulder. “I was flying on my own when I was a toddler.”
“That’s because your dad was fucking insane,” Bucky replies, only to wince. It’s the honest to god truth, and every single thing he learns about Tony’s relationship with his father makes Bucky want to learn necromancy so he can raise that fucker from the dead just to kill him all over again, but Tony doesn’t like hearing it. He had a weird relationship with his dad, and he doesn’t like having it pointed out that Howard Stark would best be described as abusive.
“That’s a bad word,” Kate says.
“Yes, it is,” Bucky agrees. “But what do we know about bad words?”
“That sometimes they’re the best words you have,” Kate and Harley say solemnly because he’s long since given up on keeping his mouth clean around them.
“Good god, is that what you’ve been teaching them?” Steve says, sounding like nothing so much as a scandalized old man from a century long gone. “Forget killing you because they didn’t make it on the plane; Becca’s going to kill you because you taught them to say ‘fuck.’”
“For gosh sake, Steve,” Tony teases. “Watch your language.”
Steve scowls at him.
“Alright, alright,” Bucky says, waving them off. “Can you give me a few minutes alone with my niece and nephew?”
“If you insist,” Tony sighs dramatically. “But I want to say bye to the kiddos too!” He links his arm through Steve’s, leading him away a bit.
Bucky kneels in front of the kids once they’ve stepped away, putting himself on their level. “Thank you,” he says hoarsely, as honestly as he can. “Really. I was lost before you two came here, stuck in a rut, in a holding pattern I couldn’t get myself out of and didn’t know I wanted to. I wasn’t sure about it when your mom told me she was dumping you guys on me, thought to myself what am I gonna do with a couple of kids in New York? But I am so glad she did. You two have changed my life for the infinitely better. I would never have considered Christmas or even letting Steve and Tony into my life if you hadn’t come along. So thank you. I owe you guys so much.”
Kate throws her arms around him. “Uncle Bucky, you don’t owe us anything,” she says, voice muffled by his coat.
Harley, on the other hand, shrugs and says, “Come visit us for Christmas next year, and I’ll count it even.”
“Deal,” Bucky agrees immediately, not bothering to tell him that he would have agreed anyway. He pulls away from Kate’s hug, not much, just enough that he can open his arms up to Harley too, who gladly steps into them. He breathes in their warm scent: hot chocolate from Steve and Tony’s apartment, the spicy scent from the air freshener Kate had insisted on buying earlier in the season, that fresh smell that all children have. “Oh, I’m gonna miss you guys. The apartment’s gonna be so much quieter without you there.”
“Alpine will like it,” Harley points out.
“Yeah, probably.” Bucky sighs and stands up. “Alright, let’s let Tony come over here and hug you guys to death.”
Tony does just that, squeezing them so hard Kate actually squeaks. “Don’t forget we’re shipping your presents to you. They should be there in a few weeks. Harley, don’t use the potato gun on your sister; that’s for inanimate objects only like your mom’s favorite lamp.”
“Tony,” Bucky and Steve protest at the same time.
Tony laughs. “Kidding. We’ll see you guys this summer, huh? Harley, don’t forget to look up SI’s junior internship program. Obviously not for another few years, but it’s never too early—”
“—to start thinking about science,” Harley finishes, nodding.
“Kate, I’d recommend checking out a few of those arrows you got for Christmas. Some of them do special things.” He winks broadly, drawing a groan from Steve.
“Tony,” he complains again, but even he seems more amused by it than bothered.
Steve gives them both quick hugs, whispers something in their ears that leaves both of them smiling, and then steps back so Bucky can give them one last hug.
“Behave yourselves on the flight,” Bucky murmurs, kissing first Harley and then Kate’s cheeks. “I love you guys so much.”
“We love you too,” they chorus back.
Bucky blinks back tears and steps away. “Alright, I’ll let you two go before you’re late for your flight.”
“See you this summer!” Kate shouts as she and Harley dash away, joining the TSA line.
Bucky nods back to her and waits until they’re both through the line and gone from view before turning to Steve and Tony. They’re both watching with understanding smiles, arms wrapped around each other’s waist. Once, Bucky would have thought that there wasn’t a place for him between them, but he knows better now, knows how much they love him. He reaches out, grinning when they separate to take his hands, lacing their fingers together.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s go home.”