A/N: words: 2026. HEY. LONG TIME NO SEE. jk, its only been a day, i am a god, slayed. thought i'd make up for all the days a missed. anywho, 2 CHAPTER LEFT GUYS. anyway, enjoy!

"So is Bucky our uncle, Sam?" Bucky left 3 days ago. And this question haven't come up. So the fact that Sam chocked on his pancakes when Cass asked the question was pretty reasonable. Sarah was no help, she was quietly laughing into her orange juice. Sam realized he was alone in this conversation. Well, as soon as he could properly eat this pancake.

"Uh, what?" Sam asked, his eyes going from Cass to Sarah. He could answer this two ways. One way, the safer way, is to answer it maturely, how an adult would. The way Sam was leaving towards was more of what he was feeling. Panic and confusion.

"I mean- what?" Sam repeated.

"Well, it's just that, he seemed to really like us."

"And you." AJ added, eager to add to the conversation. Sam sighed, realizing there was no way out of this, and no help from his delightful sister.

"So, okay, yes, um, me and Bucky are friends, but he's not your uncle."

They almost looked surprised, or disappointed, Sam couldn't tell. "It seemed like you guys really liked each other, is all we're saying." It seemed that Cass was not done with the conversation, but Sarah was done stifling her laughter. She ended up leaving the table.

"Your mother finds this very amusing." Sam grumbled, loud enough for the two boys to hear and laugh at. What a fantastic way to start the day.

~~~~~~~~~

Sam: I hate you

Buck: ouch

Sam: the kids think you're their uncle

Buck: oh?

Sam: yeah

Buck: I'll swing by tomorrow

Sam: huh

Buck: I'm coming by tomorrow, get your couch ready

"Oh god what have I started?" Sam muttered. It was yesterday when Cass and AJ thought Bucky was their uncle, and Sam was working with Torres on finding Karli the rest of the day. But Sam was home, finally, and he thought it'd be funny to see Bucky's reaction. He did not anticipate Bucky inviting himself over.

Buck: that okay, yeah?

Sam shook his head. Dear god Bucky. Did he forget their last interaction? Why wouldn't it be?

Sam: course it is Buck

Good god, Sam was so gone.

"Hey, Sar?" Sam called out from his makeshift office, and Sarah poked her head in the doorway.

"Yeah?"

"Guess who's coming back for another visit." Sam said with faux enthusiasm. Sarah rolled her eyes, and for a second, Sam thought she was upset.

"Just get married already, dear lord."

~~~~~~~

"Hey, Buck." Sam greeted with a wave at the front door, the net day around 11:30 in the morning Bucky grinned at him, his eyes crinkling up, and he waved back. "You didn't have to come back here, you know." Sam added, and the older man waved him off.

"Nah, if the boys are missing their favourite uncle-"

"Don't even." Sam said sharply, and Bucky chuckled. "You may have a metal arm, but I can cook, and I'm Captain America." The words took a minute to set in for Sam, but Bucky's face lit up even more, if it was even possible. He walked up the steps of the porch, clapping Sam on the shoulder.

"I guess you got a point, Cap. Now, if you claim you can cook, that'd be delightful, because I'm starvin'." Bucky said, grinning ear to ear at Sam. He couldn't help but grin back at him, and led him back inside.

"Boys! Bucky's back!" Sam called out, and few seconds later, they came tumbling down the stairs. A grin spread across the two kids faces, and across Bucky's face.

"Bucky!" They both shouted at the same time, and raced towards Bucky, who looked like he was about to cry from happiness. "Uncle Sam, why didn't you tell us?" Cass questioned, him and AJ wearing matching grins.

"Thought it should be a surprise." Sam said nonchalant with a shrug. Without warning, they both crashed into the two men.

"You both are the best." AJ announced against Sam's leg. Bucky looked up at Sam with look that Sam's never seen before, and the younger man didn't miss the tears that threaten to spill. He smiled at Bucky, and he caught the way Bucky's vibranium arm was wrapped around Cass' back. Oh dear god, Sam was so screwed.

~~~~~~~

"What the hell do you mean 'ruin it'? Samuel Thomas Wilson, you are an idiot." Sarah knocked him in the shoulders, as they sat on Sarah's porch. Sam rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"I'm just saying, a lot of things have happened since we were together. And I just... I've lost him so many times, I don't wanna lose him again."

"Sam, I get that, believe me, but look at him. Look at him." Sam was looking at him. Despite being in a conversation with Sarah for the past 5 minutes, he hadn't taken his eyes off of Bucky. Bucky, who was letting his two nephews tackle him to the ground, and was bending over as if he was in pain, making the boys cheer and laugh. Yeah, he was looking at Bucky alright. "Sam, you haven't looked my way this entire conversation, I know you know he isn't leaving anytime soon. He loves my boys, they adore him. C'mon Sam, tell him."

Sam sighed. He knows she's right. He knows it. But he can't bring himself to do it. Everything is so fragile between them right now, and he doesn't want to ruin it. He wanted to keep it like this. Easy and simple and real.

"I just..." Sam sighed. What was he supposed to say? Sam finally turned to Sarah. "We just.... we fell in love at the wrong time. That was never supposed to happen. I was supposed to find him and come back home. Or I was never supposed to find him and come right back home. I wasn't supposed to fall in love."

"But look what happened because you did." Sarah said simply, gesturing to Bucky swinging Cass and AJ around on his vibranium arm. Sam smiled softly. She was right. God, she was so right. What if they didn't fall in love at the wrong time? What if they didn't find each other at the wrong time? What if they didn't look into each other's eyes and find the answers but become blinded to their scars? What if they didn't hold each other sunset to sunrise, when the only warmth they could find was in each other arms? What if Bucky never told him to stay? What if Sam never stayed? What if, what if, what if?

"Maybe it wasn't supposed to happen, maybe it was never supposed to be written in the stars, but Sam, it happened. I've never seen someone look at you like that, I've never seen you look at someone like that."

"You need to stop being right." Sam quipped, and Sarah chuckled.

"I know, right?" Sarah paused as Bucky's loud, energetic, true laughter erupted from where he and the boys were. Sam hadn't heard that for a long, long time. Sam's face split into a giant grin. Bucky was goddamn beautiful. He was smile was the brightest thing he'd ever seen his laugh was the best sound he'd ever heard. That never changed. He had sweat dripping down his face, and the two boys had taken advantage of his outburst of laughter to pin him to the ground. Bucky pretended to struggle against them.

"Ugh, you've wounded me boys, you've wounded me!" Bucky shouted, and Sam knew for a fact he was in love. After everything that happened, he was a bit unsure, but good God, he was done for.

"I'm gonna go get the house cleaned up, get your boy, Sammy." Sarah said, and Sam heard the door close a few moments later. Sam locked eyes with Bucky, and Bucky nodded for him to come over.

"Uncle Sam, Uncle Sam, we got him pinned!" AJ shouted.

"I see that. Looks like he got him pretty good."

"They're pretty strong." Bucky added, never breaking eye contact with Sam.

"I know, clearly your metal arm isn't as strong as you're playing it up to be." Sam joked, a smirk on his face now.

"Put it to the test." Cass suggested. AJ got visibly more excitable, and he nodded his head.

"Yeah, Uncle Sam! Maybe Uncle Bucky should pick you up." If Sarah was outside, she might just fall over laughing. Bucky, the idiot, god he was annoying, he was smirking at Sam, and Sam's smirk had fallen. The boys had stepped away, looking at Sam expectantly. Sam shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Alright, let's do this Barnes." Sam said, seemingly calm.

Bucky pulled himself up, and a smirk still on his face. "So how do you wanna do this?" Sam muttered. Bucky had an exact idea of how. Without warning, Bucky looped an arm around Sam's legs, holding him close to him. On instinct, Sam wrapped his legs around Bucky.

Sam gasped, and stared at Bucky wide eyed. Bucky still had a cocky smirk on his face. "You're so, so stupid." Sam breathed out, flustered. Bucky laughed softly, and Sam thought he was about to die. Sam decided he was going to mess with him, too.

They were close. They were so close. Sam smirked at him, trying desperately to think of a quip to say to Bucky quickly. "You're adorable when you're playing with them, by the way." And, Sam was almost dropped at that point. Bucky looked like a deer in headlights. It was glorious.

"Uh, I- uh." Bucky was unwell. He suddenly became quite aware of how Sam was looking at him, how close Sam was to him. He was quite aware of what was happening and where they were. And that smirk on Sam's face that almost made Bucky faint. He was slowly getting lost in the dark brown eyes. He was getting lost in the look Sam was giving him. He was in love. He was so very in love. Oh dear god, Bucky was gonna lose it. Sam was laughing, and Bucky felt like he was in heaven and equally felt like he was going to die.

The boys were on the ground laughing, and Sam swore he could hear Sarah laughing in the background. But he was too caught up in the look Bucky had on his face to care. Slowly, Bucky set him down.

"You win, Barnes. The arms pretty strong." Bucky still couldn't form words properly, so he just nodded. Sam grinned, even though he felt like he was about to melt from what had just happened. Thank god Sam had told Bucky about the uncle situation.

~~~~~~

Bucky had left before Sam woke up. Before any of them had woken up. Sam woke up to a text and note on his door because Bucky was equally 14 and 84 at the exact same time. Sam wasn't bothered by it, because he knew he had to work with Torres looking for Karli.

What he was up in arms about was the look Sarah was giving him. "Don't even with me, Sar. Yes, I'm down bad, shut it."

She was laughing now, plating some eggs for the two kids. "You know, Uncle Sam, you and Bucky seem like a really good team." Cass said, his smile big. Sam looked down to hide his bashful smile.

"Yeah! Is he gonna be your partner when you're Captain America?"

"I hope so, that'd be really cool!"

"What would his name be?"

"Imagine if you guys do the really cool photos the Avengers did?"

"That'd be so cool!"

"When are you doing your first mission as Cap, Uncle Sam?"

"Because, like, not to sound like Mom tells us not to, but we could totally brag about it at school."

"And, also, you're Captain America, end of point."

Sam smiled at Sarah, who just shrugged. Then, he turned to the two kids. "I have no clue. Also, I have no idea what your Mom is talking about, I can be used as a bragging right, please do." The boys laughed, and Sarah was looking at him pointedly, amused.