Chapter Text
Over the course of a few months, Tony steadily became more and more comfortable around Bucky and the team. Save for a couple setbacks caused by Bucky having a temper tantrum, Tony had improved very much and was basically back to where he was before. It seemed as though their relationship was never interrupted. Steve was over the moon the first time he was able to leave the room without Tony running to him and attaching himself upon his daddy's side. Tony eventually didn't even give him a second glance, he understood his daddy exited the room, and continued coloring a picture for Bucky.
Steve, to his credit, stuck firmly to his and Bucky's plan of spending one day a week(except the one week Steve had business somewhere else and he missed their special Daddy/Bucky time, but he didn't want to even think about that— everyone had pushed the awful moments that week carried to the back of their minds) doing what ever Bucky's little heart desired, without Tony's company. It all went smoothly for the most part. Tony was so glad when he found out he got to spend the day with his favorite Uncle Bruce! He didn't think twice about it when Daddy and Bucky left and barely even realized they were gone. He soon recognized the pattern, though, and he was determined to find out why his daddy and big brother were leaving him with Uncle Bruce so often.
Tony woke up on the wrong side of the bed on a Wednesday morning and wanted nothing to do with his daddy. He woke him up way too early for his liking, and in the meanest way he could possibly think of no doubt! He was sleeping soundly, stuck in a rather spectacular dream might he add, when he was so rudely interrupted by Steve waking him up with tickles, a known way to not bring him up from sleep. Which, there really wasn't any good reason to wake the boy in the first place. All the adults let the littles sleep until they naturally came to, unless absolutely necessary. Tony never found it necessary— the adults all had the worst reasons.
He was extra cranky from being woken up and short with his daddy, but he was quite content when he learned was going to Uncle Bruce's floor once again. He hoped Peter could come play, too!
Tony's curiosity got the better of him for the first time in months and he couldn't keep his mouth shut. He glared suspiciously and addressed Steve, "Daddy."
Steve let out a short hmm as a reply as he reached to press Bruce's floor number in the elevator. He glanced down at the curious boy.
"Where are you and Bucky goin'?" He asked, satisfied that he had Daddy's attention on him. "Why I always go to Uncle Bruce?" Steve was surprised that it had taken Tony so long to even ask.
"Remember when I told you that me and Bucky had a plan to make sure he didn't get mad again?" He paused for Tony to answer with a nod. "Well, we go somewhere or do something he wants once a week. So you get to spend time with Brucie!"
Tony's eyebrows scrunched together in thought. That didn't sound very fair to him. Why wasn't he allowed to join?! His glare came back in full force. "Tony wanna go, too, Daddy!"
"Sorry, baby," Steve laughed softly and walked out of the elevator. "It's just for me and Bucky today. We can have a Daddy and Tony day soon, too, okay?"
"No," Tony whined as he was set on the floor with chunky baby toys that lit up and made all kinds of noises. "Daddy and Bucky and Tony, too!"
Steve kneeled down to be eye level with the boy and his face became more serious. "We have lots of Daddy, Bucky, and Tony days, baby. Today is just for me and your big brother. You get to hang out with Bruce."
Tony's eyes welled up as he continued to glare at his daddy. Tears of anger, frustration, or just plain sadness, he didn't really know, but he was upset with his daddy for too many reasons and he just wanted his Bruce now. The man soon joined them in the room and greeted Steve kindly. Tony was quick to reach his arms up to be held. Bruce scooped him up easily and the baby stuck his tongue out at Steve, who chose to ignore the gesture. He knew Tony would, most likely, be upset about the weekly get together when he found out and his suspicions were confirmed. He was glad he had waited so long before asking.
Steve gave Tony an unwelcome kiss on the cheek and a goodbye to both him and Bruce and made his way back to Bucky. Tony glared at his back as he walked out and rubbed the kiss off his cheek. Bruce knew from just that moment that he had a cranky baby on his arms; cranky Tony wasn't his favorite Tony.
•••••
"Thank you for keeping an eye on him, Jarvis," Steve said as he went to wake Bucky from his slumber. He let him sleep in a bit more as he readied the baby for the day and brought him to Bruce.
"Of course, Captain," the AI replied.
"Good morning, Bucky," he whispered rubbed boy's back to ease him awake. "Are you excited for our day at the fair?"
Bucky sat up slowly and wiped the sleepiness from his eyes with closed fits. "Mornin', Daddy! I'm so excited!"
Bucky absolutely loved having days with his daddy. Sometimes he missed Tony, but for the most part he soaked up all the attention he received. He had enough days with his little brother, too. And he hadn't been to the fair in such a long time! He couldn't contain his excitement when Daddy first told him there would be a fair in town and asked if he wanted to go.
Steve laughed at his boy's enthusiasm. "Let's get going, sleepyhead!"
Bucky got himself dressed, with minimal help from Steve, and, naturally, talked his daddy's ear off in the process. He never really stopped talking in the first place, but add a boat load of excitement in with that? Steve didn't expect anything less.
He sent his usual text to Bruce saying if Tony became too much, especially with the fact that he was in such a bad mood, he could shoot him a text or call to inform him. Although, he didn't know why he still tried, Bruce never really listened to him. He always got back a 'you know I have it under control, Rogers' in reply. Every time. Steve trailed behind Bucky towards the elevator— too slow for Bucky apparently as he grabbed his hand and pulled him along— and the two made their way out of the tower and to the awaiting fair.
•••••
Tony was a lost cause. Bruce tried everything to entertain the boy, but along with his sour mood, he didn't want to do anything but sit and pout. Or be held, which only lasted until he was offered a craft or game to play, then he would shout no and demand to be put down. They weren't to the throwing a fit phase yet for which Bruce was thankful for; he was just on the cranky side and didn't know is mind was in a battle with itself. But he knew it was coming eventually. The little declined all of Bruce's suggestions so he finally just gave in and turned the TV to cartoons and went to do his own thing. Sometimes he was glad to only be an uncle and not a caregiver.
Tony, as it turned out, wasn't fond of Bruce walking out of the room and proceeded to cry. "Unca' Bruce!"
He turned around to face the boy before he fully exited the room. The poor baby was quite pitiful and was reaching out towards him, crocodile tears rolling down his face. He sighed and seated himself next to the crying boy and allowed him to crawl into his lap to let his tears out. "Tony, I was giving you ideas of what we could do, but you're shutting everything down. What would you like to do?"
Tony didn't answer right away, he let his tears cease and he cuddled into his uncle. "Just wanna be mad and sad. Want cuddles."
"Why are you mad and sad?"
"Because Daddy and Bucky leave me and go by themselves," Tony sniffled. "Not fair."
"I know your daddy explained to you why they do that. Sometimes it's hard for Bucky to have to share his daddy, just like it is for you, too. You get lots of time with him, and you sometimes get more attention because you are so little, and that's hard for Bucky," He did his best to explain. He could tell Tony was rather small right now by his speech and he wanted to explain the situation as well as he could. "You wouldn't like it if Daddy only paid attention to Bucky, would you?"
Tony evidently didn't like that answer. He let out a groan and the waterworks started back up again and he threw himself to the floor. Bruce seemingly triggered the throwing a fit phase. He lied face down on the floor, forehead resting on his arms that were wrapped around his head, and cried and screamed. He mostly yelled out the word 'no', but Bruce could decipher a couple other names, including his own and Bucky's and his daddy's. The rest was just flat out angry screams, maybe some gibberish mixed in.
"Alright, looks like you need some quiet time," Bruce sighed and lifted the pouting baby off the floor, not bothering to shush the annoyed screams coming from him, and carried him over to a corner with a designated timeout chair. "You may sit here until you calm down."
Bruce then wandered off to do his own thing and left Tony to continue his meltdown. He sent a text off to Steve to tell him he had really done it this time. He knew how Tony was with grudges and he was almost positive this would be held against Steve for a very long while.
•••••
Bucky looked around in awe at all of the blinking lights on the various rides and pointed out all the games he was sure him and Daddy could win. He really wanted to win one of the giant stuffed animals for his baby brother. He kind of wished he had come along, even though it was a Daddy and Bucky day.
"Daddy, can we come again later? And bring Tony?" Bucky asked, still looking around at how much there was.
Steve scrunched his eyebrows together, a bit taken back at the request. "Did you want him to come with today?"
"No, it's Daddy and Bucky day," he said with little hesitation. "But I want to come back with him."
"We may be able to do that, bud."
They did a few of the rides meant for younger kids or a younger state of mind, before Bucky got brave and decided he wanted to try out one of the big roller coasters. But not one that goes upside down, Daddy, he had stated very clearly. Steve, on the other hand, wasn't so sure he would enjoy it as much as he thought he would. Knowing Bucky, he probably just needed to show how brave he was. He often made proud statements of bravery only to find out something was a lot scarier than it seemed. He had to learn somehow.
The lines weren't terribly long for the smallest big roller coaster in the park and they soon boarded on. It took off around a fast corner and Bucky's eyes went wide and face a bit pale. It only got worse as they began the ascend to the top of a steep incline, where the big drop would follow. Bucky looked kind of terrified and Steve, call him a bad caregiver, failed in stifling a laugh.
"Daddy, um," his voice was shaky. "I don't like it. Can they let us off instead?"
"Sorry, buddy, they can't now. Just hold on tight and it'll be over before you know it. You're my brave boy, you can do it!"
As they reached the top of the roller coaster, Steve worried Bucky might actually wet himself out of fear. He was pretty sure he heard a gulp in the split second stop before the carriage raced downhill and went through all sorts of twists and turns and whoop-dee-does. Steve glanced over and saw Bucky holding on to the over the chest seatbelt for dear life and kept his eyes shut tight.
Probably not soon enough for Bucky, the carriage came to a complete stop and they were allowed to climb out. Steve undid Bucky, who was sat frozen, from his seat and lifted him up and out. He gripped onto his daddy when he tried to place his feet on the floor. "Hey, Buck, it's okay. It's all over now. You did it!"
Bucky didn't really seem to feel like replying. He just laid his head on Steve's shoulder and kept his grip firm.
"Should we go play games now?" Steve suggested. Bucky shook his head. "Do you want to go home?"
Bucky nodded at that. Well, at least he had fun while it lasted. Now they could also save Bruce from Tony's wrath.
•••••
Tony's screaming eventually ceased and then he was just crying out for Bruce, more sad than angry. Bruce came to the rescue and held the boy and shushed him softly. Tony mumbled out apology after apology for being so mad. His speech began getting more and more slurred and less understandable and Bruce could tell he was slipping to a younger headspace. He just held him close and swayed his body side to side. He wasn't really one to deal with very little Tony.
He heard the elevator and walked towards it in confusion. He wasn't expecting Steve back til later in the afternoon; it was barely after lunchtime. It only took him one glance at Bucky to realize something may have happened to cause their earlier than planned arrival. He looked as if he had been crying not too soon before and was holding firmly onto his daddy. Tony's head rose off of Bruce's chest and let out a few coos and giggles and reach an arm out.
"Is he alright?" Bruce asked, concerned.
"We wanted to go on a big roller coaster. But we quickly decided that wasn't a very good idea," The look in Steve's eyes was somewhat amused and Bruce knew everything was fine. "How'd everything go here? He, uh, seems rather young."
"He had a big meltdown and it apparently triggered him to fall deeper into headspace. I think a discussion needs to be had between you three, just a suggestion," Bruce said. "Would you like me to bring him up? Your hands seem kind of full."
Steve chuckled at the last request, with a look to the still rather shocked boy in his arms, and allowed him to follow. He was afraid Bruce would tell him he needed to have another talk with his littles.
•••••
Upon returning to their own floor, Steve fed Tony a bottle and he was soon consumed by sleep. He somewhat hoped he would age up a bit when he woke back up so he could discuss today's happenings. Steve decided he really hated the fact that jealousy existed.
Bucky quietly ate a small lunch of a cut up apple and peanut butter for dip. He was slowly but surely becoming his normal self. The roller coaster sure scared him a great amount. After he finished eating, he laid himself over his daddy and promptly fell asleep for a short nap.
When both boys woke, Tony was miraculously a bit older in his headspace and would be able to understand what Steve had to say. But he also apparently still had pent up anger towards his daddy and brother. Bucky, however, seemed to be completely content and back to himself as if nothing ever happened. He was excitedly trying to tell Tony about their time at the fair, but, through his continued grumpiness, Tony wanted nothing to do with the conversation.
"No, Bucky," he whined and pushed lightly against his brother chest. He just wanted to play with his toys and he left alone. Why couldn't Bucky tell he was upset with him?
"I want you to go next time, too," Bucky ignored the protests. "Daddy said we can go again and bring you!"
"No! Don't want to. Don't want Bucky no more!" Tony shouted.
Steve was taken aback at the statement. He knew here was absolutely no way he could actually mean it— he was just upset. Right? Bucky looked up forlornly at Daddy and hoped the same thing.
"Tony, baby, what's wrong?" Steve advanced towards him. He sat next to the boy on the floor and pulled him into his lap. "Why don't you want Bucky anymore?"
Tony crossed his arms and let out a huff. "Taked my daddy lots and made me mad."
Steve let out a long sigh and motioned for Bucky to come and sit beside them. "Tony, that's how Bucky felt too and that's why we go do our own thing. I know it's very hard for you both to have a sibling sometimes because you have to share me and it never really feels fair, but you're my boys and I love you both very much." He looked between the two directly in their eyes while he spoke. His eyes landed in Tony's agitated stare. "Bucky gets jealous just like you do. You're younger and you require more attention and that's hard for Bucky sometimes. But he is allowed to have some one-on-one time with me like we have been doing."
He turned his focus to Bucky who's expression was hard to read. He appeared deep in thought and seemed to be still upset over his baby brother's previous statement. There may have been a bit of embarrassment mixed in as well. "I'm not telling either of you that you aren't allowed to feel how you do, you are and it's more than okay, but I can't have you taking it out on each other or other people."
Bucky and Tony both nodded after Steve's small speech and wrapped their arms around his neck. They both mumbled out a "love you" before letting go. Steve hoped all their issues had been put to rest for the time being.