Post-it Notes

He's Home

He didn't expect any one to be up when he opened the door and wasn't suprised to find all the lights off and no one around. He flickered the kitchen light on and motioned for Hali to take a seat, although she insisted that she should make him something to eat or drink. She eventually gave up and slumped down in a chair as Bucky grabbed two cans of coke out of the fridge, placing one down in front of her and sitting himself down in the chair opposite.

"Do you not know how to use a chair?" He teased as he opened his can, seeing that she had spun the chair round and sat on it backwards. She rolled her eyes and proceeded to open her can.

"Listen, boobs are a pain, i need to put 'em somewhere." She chuckled, moving her arm and showing off her chest. He almost spat out his drink and shook his head. The mood changed instantly as she gave him a knowing glare. "You should go see him." She raised her eyebrows.

"It's five am." He sighed, slouching down in his chair. She almost threw her can at him in frustration.

"I don't care. It's been two weeks. He misses you! You can't just avoid him." She almost yelled in a hushed, harsh voice.

"God, when did you become my mother?" Bucky sighed again, slamming his can down and standing up, mumbling a 'fine'. Just as he stood up they heard footsteps racing down the stairs and a shortish figure stop in the doorway.

"Bucky?" The figure asked in a childlike, sleepy voice. Bucky froze and almost passed out. Hali almost squealed in the background as she saw who it was. "You're home?" Tony asked as he stepped forward and reached out to touch Bucky's face. Bucky smiled and nodded as he reached out and pulled his boyfriend into him, hugging him as hard as he could. "How?" Tony asked, tears falling out of his eyes as he held Bucky at arms length. Bucky just moved himself to the side and pointed towards Hali, who was still looking up at them, she smiled lazily and saluted them with two fingers. Tony froze and his face twisted into one of complete shock. "I know you..." he trailed off moving around Bucky, but grabbing his hand in the process, not wanting to let go just in case this was another one of his dreams again.

Hali nodded and smiled at him gingerly, she had kinda half hoped that Tony didn't recognise her, but unfortunately he did. What else did she expect from a genius? He probably remembers everything. Her smile was small and awkward and slightly off and Tony couldn't work out why she looked slightly mad at him.

"What did i do?" He asked in a quiet voice, tightening his grip on Bucky's hand. Bucky noticed the stress in his voice and moved closer to him, wrapping his arm around his waist, letting him know that he was still there so that he wouldn't spin out into a full blown anxiety attack. Hali saw this an contemplated telling him what he did, but she knew what it was like to deal with anxiety, if someone didn't tell you what you'd done then you'd freak out even more and be set on finding it out. She looked up at him, her eyes slightly teary, she didn't understand why she was getting so emotional.

"Oh nothing much really, you just left me waiting for nine years..." she smiled sadly, he voice full of a mixture of disappointment, anger and something else that she didn't understand. She could see Tony working it over in his head and a look of realisation spread across his face and he covered his eyes with his hands.

"I am so sorry. You're Hali Gunner, George Gunner's daughter." He smiled at her as he looked up, feeling so bad for not recognising her. She grinned proudly as he said her name and nodded. "You made that painting of me!" He smiled fondly, remembering the flattering feeling of walking into a strangers home and seeing his daughter wotking on a painting of him, but his face suddenly dropped when he remembered what he promised. "I had promised you robotics classes and then never called you back."

"But it's okay, i knew that you were really busy, i was just kidding myself thinking that someone like you would call back a 20 year old to teach her how to build a robot." She tried to pass it off as nothing, but Tony could see that it had really affected her, she had spent months on that painting and he burst in and signed it, promising her a better life, but it never happened.

"Well, how about we start those classes in the morning?" He asked, smiling gently at her, her eyes lit up and she threw herself out of her seat and grabbed Tony's outstreched hand, shaking it excitedly. In the few hours that Bucky had known her, she had never acted this way, she had been calm and cool the entire time, but now she was freaking out like a puppy on the first day of puppy school.

"Thank you so much, Mr Stark, i would love to work with you!" She rushed, Tony laughed and stopped her.

"Don't call me Mr Stark, i sound too much like my dad." He smiled again, she nodded and smiled back, grabbing her coat off of the table where she had thrown it earlier.

"I should probably get home and get some rest then." She said greatfully, heading to walk out of the door, when Tony turned around, Bucky doing the same.

"Miss Gunner-" he started to say, but was cut off.

"Actually, it's Doctor..." he informed him. Tony twisted his head round to look at the man and pulled an impressed face.

"Well then, Dr Gunner, i think it would be best if you didn't drive home so early in the morning, stay here the night and we can talk properly later on, we've all been stressed and worried and busy, we all need time to process this." He smiled at her, she thought about it for a second then agreed. Tony showed her to a room and gave her a spare tshirt to sleep in, they said their goodnight's and she went off to bed, whilst Bucky and Tony went back downstairs to talk things over, neither of them would be able to sleep with this on their mind.