The Captain's Husband

56. Threads (Bucky)

"I'm impressed," Tony smiles as Steve and I shuffle off the elevator into the kitchen across from the team lounge. "We didn't hear a thing from Jarvis last night."

Nat smirks from the couch, saying, "I think they need just a bit more soundproofing though."

"Seriously?" Steve sighs, not even surprised at this point. "Didn't we just put in more of that fancy-ass soundproofing insulation?"

I squeeze his hand and pull him closer to my side, saying, "I don't even care, babe. If it's that much of a problem, they can always kick us out."

"If you move out, I won't have anymore tapes to sell," Nat teases.

Tony grins, "You're wicked, woman."

Steve leads me over to the couch across from Nat, and we curl up just as the kids come off the elevator.

Wade has his arms around Ana and Peter's shoulders, clearly at ease in his role as Ana's big brother and Peter's boyfriend. Niko is holding onto Ana's hand. Meri is skipping alongside Peter, her little hand in his. And Zander, well, he's on Wade's shoulders, chattering away about Lord knows what.

"Hey, Dad!" Peter smiles when he sees Tony.

"Momma Spider, good morning," Wade beams as he and Peter break from the Rogers-Barnes kids, Zander launching off of his shoulder and into Ana's arms.

Nat smiles as her boys join her on the couch, tucking themselves under her arms. Tony joins them, sitting on Peter's other side. He reaches behind Peter and Nat and squeezes Wade's shoulder, letting him know he didn't forget him. It's nice seeing the four of them, as fucked as as it may seem, as a family.

Ana sits on the floor by Steve and I, and the triplets come running and jumping onto the couch, racing to see who can get to us first. Niko curls up between Steve and me. Meri bounces up onto Steve's lap. Niko curls up on mine, grinning as he casts a little vision around us, phantoms of kittens running across the floor.

Wanda comes in from the patio with Brookie, tail wagging, tongue hanging out of her mouth.

"Look who's finally home!" Wanda announces.

The triplets peer around Steve and I, unsure of what to think of the massive German Shepherd that their Dot has just brought in.

But, Ana runs right for Brookie, saying, "C'mere, big girl!"

Brookie meets her with an excited bark and jumps right into her arms, licking Ana's face from top to bottom. Steve smiles, and my heart skips over a flurry of beats.

Brookie is home after helping lend a paw to the men and women that fought in space with us, serving as one of the key components of the Infinity War Veterans Recovery Initiative.

She hasn't met the triplets yet.

"Papa, who's that?" Meri asks timidly.

Steve and I move to our feet, taking the kiddos with us, and we lead them over to Brookie and Ana.

"Meri, Niko, Zander," Steve says as he kneels down to Brookie's Level and scratches behind her ears, "This is Brooklyn Liberty Rogers-Barnes, Infinity War Veteran and honorary Avenger. She's ours, and she's finally home from helping out the people that your Papa and I fought beside. They needed her, but she's come home."

"Brooklyn?" Zander asks.

Brookie inches carefully toward the triplets, nose down, tail still wagging, and I take Zander's hand in mine.