There's a low murmur in Tony's ear that pulls him from his deep sleep and the warm body pressed against his back tells him that Bucky is still curled up with him. Tony turns his head slightly and when his nose brushes the metal arm, he grins. "Hey."

Bucky snorts and noses at Tony's hair. "Hm?"

"Either my memory escapes me or this is a sign of the apocalypse; it's Sunday. Why aren't you making pancakes?"

"We're out of shit to make them with."

"Where's my coffee, then?"

It's affectionate and halfhearted when Bucky says, "You're an ass."

"Well, if we're going by the past six months, you've brought me coffee in bed and made pancakes on Sunday morning for as long as I can remember. Not my fault you're breaking your own traditions."

Bucky shifts behind Tony and presses his chin in the crook of his neck. "I thought maybe we'd go out this week."

Tony squirms out of Bucky's hold, rolling over to look at him properly, and when he does, he smiles because Bucky always looks so beautiful in the mornings. He kisses Bucky and it's soft and sweet and they breathe each other in for a short while. That is, until Tony pulls away and sits up with a shrug.

"We can go out if you want."

They go to Bucky's favorite café in Brooklyn and it's almost comical that Steve and Natasha are there. Bucky knows he shouldn't care, but he does, and he notices that Steve glances at him and Tony throughout the duration of their meal.

Bucky gets up to go to the bathroom and Natasha pretends not to notice that Steve heads in the same direction at the same time.

It's been a while since they've seen each other, but Bucky isn't caught off guard when he hears Steve's voice behind him.

"Hey."

Bucky takes a deep breath and contemplates not acknowledging him, but he knows that Steve is relentless, so Bucky turns around slowly. "Hi."

Steve's eyes shoot to the ground and Bucky's relieved because he doesn't really want to look at Steve directly.

"You doing alright?"

It's not like he really cares, Bucky thinks. He shrugs a little and nods. "I'm okay."

Steve nods. "How's Tony doing?"

Bucky refrains from snorting because it's really none of Steve's business, but Bucky is trying to get away from being that person. And, judging by Steve's tone, he's just genuinely asking.

"He's good," Bucky nods, crossing his arms. "How have you been?"

"I'm good," Steve says softly. "I'm doing a lot better lately. Look, Bucky—"

"You don't have to say it," Bucky cuts in. He's sure Steve is going to bring up the whole affair thing. "I know what I did was fucked up, okay? And I'm sorry."

"I wasn't actually going to say anything about that." Steve looks down at his feet, clearing his throat, and Bucky isn't expecting to hear the next thing Steve says.

"I've been dealing with my own stuff, getting help, going to counseling after the divorce; all that. And I've sort of come to terms with all of it, but it's just that—Tony never looked at me the way he looks at you."

Bucky isn't sure how he's supposed to respond to that. It's not even relevant right now. His gut tells him to ignore it, but he certainly isn't going to let Steve think those ridiculous things.

"That's not true," he replies finally.

"Yes, it is. When you came along, our marriage was long gone. I just wish I would've seen that earlier."

"Well, it doesn't matter now," Bucky retorts, and he's not trying to sound snarky but it kind of comes across that way.

Regardless, the corners of Steve's mouth tugs up in the smallest of smiles. "I guess you're right. No point in dwelling on the past, right?"

"Guess not."

Bucky is becoming increasingly uncomfortable, but this exchange between them is the closest thing that has felt like the old Steve and Bucky since Bucky fell off that train, which is odd considering, but maybe Tony truly was the one to bring him back.

After a moment, Bucky clears his throat. "So, where does that leave us?"

"I want Tony to be happy. That's all I want," Steve mutters. "That's all I can hope for. I just need to know he's okay and that he's happy. And if—if you make him happy, well… that's great."

Bucky can't even believe what he's hearing. He's known Steve for a while, and Steve does have the tendency to be an ass sometimes, but this Steve that is standing here talking to him right now is the closest thing to Steve that Bucky has seen in the last year.

"He's happy," Bucky whispers.

That's that, then. Steve has his answer and he has closure and things can only look up from here.

"I forgive you," Steve says next, shrugging a shoulder. "Kinda just needed you to know that."

Bucky doesn't deserve forgiveness; he knows that. But he thinks about it sometimes and he thinks about how nice it'd be to have Steve's blessing, and until this moment that's seemed like a delusional want. Yet here Steve is, in all of his humble glory, and Bucky realizes that just maybe Tony was the reason for Steve being the way he was all those months ago.

"Thank you," Bucky finally says, because that's all he can say.

Steve purses his lips and nods, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'll see you 'round, then?"

"If you—yeah, sure," Bucky stutters. He watches Steve walk away before going into the bathroom. He blinks away the tears and when he's done, he goes back to the table where Tony is waiting for him and he can enjoy his waffles and he can enjoy Tony's stupid jokes and he can finally enjoy being happy without feeling such immense guilt for what he's done.