"It's not funny!" Clint grumbled dropping onto the sofa, he squeaked and made a frantic motion brushing at his shoulder, fluff managing to evade his attempt to dislodge it, no matter how hard he tried.

"It's a little bit funny," Sam said dryly, pulling fluff from his hair with as much dignity as he could manage.

"Things get freakier and weirder by the day. I mean aliens are one thing, but giant stuff rabbits trying to take over LA? Seriously?!" Natasha groaned, her red hair and black suit covered in the white fluff.

"I think you guys have given kids nightmares for the rest of their lives blowing up fluffy like that," Tony chuckled.

"Didn't see you there helping come up with another way!" Clint snapped.

And suddenly everything was tense again. Steve opened his mouth, whether to tell Clint off or to try and say something to Tony it wasn't clear, but then he closed his mouth and sat back to carry on pulling fluff out his boots. Natasha and Sam looked uncomfortable while Clint closed his eyes slightly and opened them looking a little sorry.

Peter, Vision and Rhodey were glaring at them, and Tony was looking suspiciously blank in a way that he had more and more.

"I'm, just going to go to the lab and...finish up," Tony muttered already turning and fleeing back down to the lab. Where he had been spending more and more time as the return of the rogue Avengers to the complex put a strain on everyone, no matter how hard they were all trying to move past what had happened.

"Might want to remember that Stark wasn't there because he was busy in his lab, designing tech for you, to keep you safer and make sure you don't lose any more brain cells than you already clearly have considering you don't seem to know when to keep your mouth shut,"

The silence was deafening as they all turned to the figure sitting in the corner with his nose buried in his book, not even looking up as he spoke. The rogue Avengers and the new Avengers as they had been being called were both staring at him, though it did not seem to bother him that much considering his just turned his page and carried on reading.

"That is the longest sentence I think I have heard you say!" Sam blinked.

"And it is in defence of Stark!?" Wanda sneered a little.

"Considering he is a good guy, yeah," Bucky shrugged.

"He's selfish and self-centred, arrogant and a..."

"I suggest you stop right now before we test out whether the arm he made me can go through the armour he made you!" Bucky snarled, and when he looked up Winter was flashing in his eyes.

They didn't stop staring as he stomped passed Wanda and down to the lab, no doubt to sit guard over Tony, something Steve had noticed he did every time after any form of attack on the genius.

It was pure coincidence, really it was. They had been sitting having breakfast the next day, a very tense breakfast but something that they had all agreed that they would all try to do as often as possible.

Clint had been flicking through Facebook on his tablet, his free Stark tablet Bucky noted with narrow eyes, when he started so hard that he nearly knocked his bowl over. Everyone was reaching weapons and looking around confused - Bruce was not very with it before his morning cup of coffee, and Strange started like someone had blown a horn down his ear from where he had been starting to snooze, circles of gold appearing around his arms as they looked around for the enemy.

"Fuc...bloody bunnies!" Clint growled shoving the tablet away. Natasha actually started when she caught sight of the bunny as well, and Sam and Steve paled slightly.

"What the hell did they do to you?!" Tony blurted out, also catching the reaction.

"They were giant, killer bunnies!" Clint wailed.

"Wow ok," Peter muttered before cursing and racing for the door muttering about being late. Tony rolled his eyes and also stood, trailing after the kid at a more sedate pace, obviously the teen had forgotten exactly who his ride was.

Bucky, however, was looking at the Rogue Avengers with calculating eyes.

"Mister Barnes, if I might suggest this site," Bucky blinked when FRIDAY interrupted the quiet and brought up a second screen next to his, flashing up a few things that were definitely appropriate for his plan.

"Any ideas on what I could do with them FRIDAY? I could use a couple more," Bucky smirked.

"Actually sir I do after I realised what your plan was, I performed an extensive search on the internet and came up with several ideas. I have also contacted Miss Potts and she has offered the use of the company accounts," FRIDAY informed him proudly. "She also had a couple of ideas,"

"Wonderful," Bucky smirked dangerously. They were going to pay for upsetting Tony. The Winter Soldier once again had a search and destroy mission.

For his first target, he made sure that Tony was in view of everyone for the whole day so that suspicion could not fall on him, they would blame him straight away, so Bucky had used the kid. He felt a little bad about that, but needs must. So he had convinced the kid that he should get Tony and Bruce to help him with his science project, and that they would be more comfortable in the living room. When he saw how much fun Tony was having he didn't feel quite so bad. And Bruce. He was ok.

Then he snuck away to put his plan into action.

The shriek made it very hard not to smile right before Sam came stomping into the room.

"What the hell happened to my bedroom!" He demanded. Tony and Peter looked up from where they were sitting on the living room floor surrounded by all sorts of things, Steve looked confused. Then there was a second shriek followed by a bang.

"Stark what did you do to my bedroom!" Natasha glared as she stormed in.

"And mine!"

"And mine!" Clint and Wanda stormed in too.

"Wow there is an echo," Bucky grunted.

"Tony has been here the whole day," Bruce frowned at them.

"Yeah! Helping me!" Peter glared.

"What's wrong with your rooms?" Steve asked confused. And boy did Bucky want to smirk.

"There...there are...there are..." Natasha stammered.

"Bunnies! Everywhere!" Sam waved his hands around.

"What?" Steve stood along with Tony, Bruce and Peter and they made their way to Steve's bedroom, the targets following as well.

Steve's bedroom walls were covered with stickers of bunnies, from sweet innocent looking ones to ones that FRIDAY had informed him came from a film called Donnie Darko and looked like a nightmare bunny. Either way, it had the reaction Bucky wanted as Steve jumped upon stepping into the room and eyed the walls like they were about to attack.

"Tony..." He started to say disappointed only to blink when Bucky appeared at the genius' back glaring.

"Fairly sure I heard Bruce and the kid saying he has been with them all day, and I presume it wasn't like this this morning, so when would he have time?!" Bucky glared.

"He had to go the toilet!" Clint waved his hand.

"He went like twice, and was not gone long enough to do this to one room, never mind all of them," Bruce snorted.

"But then...who did it?!" Natasha waved her hands around.

"FRIDAY?" Tony asked.

"I am afraid I did not see anyone sir, and as requested there are no cameras near the sleeping areas," FRIDAY answered smoothly, as they had practised.

"It's just a practical joke," Bruce rolled his eyes, already wandering down the hallway back to the work. Everyone else filtered out, the Rogue's eyes the walls suspiciously until just Bucky and Peter were left.

"Please tell me that they aren't going to just peel off?" Peter asked.

"No idea what you mean," Bucky grunted.

"Ah ha. I'm thinking of asking Tony to take me to a science show thing on Tuesday by the way, we should be out all day," Peter said nonchalantly walking out the room with a smirk. Smart little bugger.

"The glue we found seems to be holding well Sir, it is withstanding removal quite well," FRIDAY muttered into the piece he had in his ear.

"High five FRIDAY," He murmured before trailing back into the living room.

"What the...not again!" Steve groaned.

"Need help getting off the ceiling Punk?" Bucky smirked.

"How are they all hiding in there?!" Clint whined.

"Another rabbit?" Strange smirked.

"You! It has to be you!" Wanda pointed at the man.

"I have been sitting right here, with my hands in plain view reading," Strange motioned to his shaking hands which were still clutching a book. He needed two hands to hold a book and read with the way they shook.

"They can't just keep appearing in every single cupboard and room though!" Steve groaned.

The jack in the box rabbits were the best thing Bucky had found recently, and FRIDAY had talked him through how to change them so that they would pop open when a door opened. The Avengers without the rabbit phobia would start a little and laugh, the ones with the rabbit phobia nearly hit the roof every time. And Bucky had hidden them in nearly every single possible place.

"It's getting a little much n...for the love of!" Steve yelped when he absently opened the cupboard right next to the last one and another rabbit jumped out.

"Ok who is doing this!" Clint stormed into the middle of the busy dining area with Natasha behind him. All the Avengers and agents there paused and turned to look at the two brilliant spies and assassins as they stood there looking furious, clutching bunny slippers.

Cute bunny slippers.

"This is torture!" Clint threw the slippers onto the floor.

"Erm, is there a problem agent Barton?" Maria Hill queried.

"Yes, this bunny thing has to stop! It is too much!" Clint growled.

"You're complaining because someone gave you bunny slippers?" Pepper raised her eyebrow. She and Maria had been deep in a conversation, but now were looking at Clint and Natasha like they were mad.

"No! We are complaining that someone stole every single right shoe we own, so we had to go out on a mission with one left shoe and a bunny slipper on the right!" Natasha huffed.

"You guys too huh?" Steve sighed walking in. He did not look angry, instead, he had a sense of resignation as he walked over to them. Tony snickered before he could stop himself, covering his mouth looking concerned.

"You can laugh," Steve said a little sadly when he saw the reaction. "They actually helped, the guy I was fighting was so distracted looking at my feet I knocked him out in five seconds," he added looking down to where the bunny slippers were resting on his feet.

"They, er...they look good with the outfit Cap," Peter snickered.

"They're surprisingly comfortable," Steve shrugged dropping onto a seat and actually putting his feet up on the table to show off his bunny slippers. That did it for Tony and he burst out laughing, resting against Bucky's shoulder.

"But where are they coming from?" Clint demanded.

"I would guess the answer is more that they will keep coming until we learn a little grace," Steve shrugged, his eyes flicking onto Bucky. The soldier leant back in his chair, draping his arm over the back of Tony's as the genius tried to take a sneaky picture of Steve. He failed as the Captain spotted him, but to everyone's surprise, the blonde posed for him, grinning and flashing the peace sign.

"Agh!" the scream had them all racing into the living area, all of them in their pyjamas, ruffled and clutching various items.

When they got there they all drooped when they found Sam standing in the middle of the living room, clutching his chest and looking sheepish. And around the living room, literally, every surface, chair, sofa and table were covered in white rabbit cuddly toys, with glowing red eyes.

The sight of the Rogue Avengers starting and huddling together was worth Sam getting up earlier than Bucky had expected and scaring them all out of bed at 0300 in the morning.

Of course, the fact that they were all wearing bunny pyjamas of differing types made it even more funny. Steve was standing clutching his shield while wearing a bugs bunny onesie which was bursting dangerously at the seams.

None of them could find their pyjamas, and wouldn't considering Strange had clicked on and decided to help Bucky out, they had opened a portal and threw all of them through to the Sahara desert. They had taken Steve's advice and were trying to roll with it...which just made it even better for Bucky and his conspirators. Especially considering FRIDAY had started taking pictures of their mistery and Peter was sticking up the things EVERYWHERE.

"Where...where would you even get this many stuffed rabbits?!" Tony blinked staring around open-mouthed at the transformation. And yeah that hadn't been easy. And Peter and Strange had had to help him lay them all out or he would have been at it for hours and risked discovery.

"I'm going back to bed," Clint groaned turning and stomping down the hall sleepily, the cottontail on his shorts bobbing merrily.

"Oh! Come on!" Natasha groaned as they walked into the canteen and found all the bunnies had magically made their way down there during the rest of the night and were now layered over all the tables.

"I have a delivery for Falcon, Black Widow, Captain, Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye," Four agents walked over to them once they had broken up the meeting, the five of them taking the massive box each.

"These must be the new equipment, thanks Tony," Steve said brightly.

"Er, no I haven't finished ye...you ok?" Tony blinked when Steve went a bright, burning red.

"What is it?" Peter asked reaching into the box only to have it slammed shut.

"Not for young eyes!" Steve squeaked.

"What is it?" Maria smirked crossing her arms.

"Rampant Rabbit...what is this?" Vision asked holding up the box he had managed to snag from Clint's box before he could close it. Snickers started from around the room as the agents tried and failed to pretend they weren't listening in, and the five Avengers all turned bright red.

"Erm, I will explain later," Tony coughed covering his face and snickering.

"Oh, come on Stark! What else are you good for?!" Clint sneered.

That probably would have done enough damage, but then he decided to take a swing at Tony. The genius managed to dodge out of the way mostly, but the sound of Clint's fist catching Tony on the cheek rather than the nose as planned was still loud in the living area.

Everyone froze, even Clint stunned at what happened. They had been getting on well, it had been nearly three months since the last rabbit prank, and the tension that had lingered between them all had managed to fade almost completely, the pranks actually seeming to have broken the ice. There had been no arguments and they were even able to laugh and have a good time together.

And then Clint had had a bad day. Laura was refusing him access to the kids, and they all knew it was frustrating and more hurting him, and he was desperately trying to save not only his marriage but trying to maintain a relationship with his kids, who were angry that he had chosen to fight and had to go on the run.

So he had had a bad day, and then they had been called out. The idiot had barely been a challenge, but Clint had run out of arrows too soon into the fight, and only half his quiver was the arrows Tony had designed to return to him magnetically. When they had got back to the tower Clint had demanded Tony make all of them retractable. Tony had bristled at the tone, as had a few of the others, but he had promised to get them done the next day.

When Clint had insisted he do it there and then Tony had pointed out it was movie night and he was tired after a long day in the lab and then the fight. It had descended there and then, and when Clint had snapped his response Steve had already been stepping forward to intervene, but then the man had thrown the punch.

Tony was standing holding his cheek, more stunned than actually feeling the pain, when there was a fierce snarl from behind him that had his blood chilling. He half turned in time to see flesh and metal reaching out before Clint was gripped and thrown across the room, luckily slamming into a chair which protected him enough to probably not break any bones.

And then Bucky was standing in front of him, radiating fury and anger and deadly intent and...

"Winter?" Tony reached out and gently touched the flesh shoulder - they had learnt early on touching the metal shoulder when Winter took over was not a good idea.

"Stay back!" Winter snarled when Steve stepped forward, his flesh arm went out, branketting Tony in as he backed him towards the corridor never taking his eyes off of the Avengers. "Kid, get them out the way! Now!" Winter snarled at Peter, motioning to Bruce, Natasha and Maria who were standing behind them blocking their exit.

"Erm..."

"You have your mission! Perform it!" Winter growled.

"Ok, out the way if you would mind please, just keep it moving, yes thank you, moving out the way," Peter squeaked and raced over, waving his arms frantically to try and urge the three to walk faster.

"Winter, what is your mission?" Steve asked softly. They had learnt quickly that when Winter took over, he searched for a mission and then stuck to it until Bucky came back.

"Protect Tony Stark! Bucky and myself have agreed this is our overall mission!" Winter snapped glaring when Steve went to step forward.

"I am safe B...Winter, I'm safe, it was just an argument that is all," Tony tried to reassure him.

"No! Not safe, I don't trust them not to hurt you, they can't be trusted with your safety!" Winter shook his head.

"Hey!" Peter protested.

"The spiderboy..."

"Its spiderman," Peter muttered.

"...and the Strange Doctor can be trusted moderately, they helped Bucky with the Bunny Mission," Winter amended.

"If I may then, it is imperative to get Mr Stark to safety straight away, I could open you a portal to a safe place?" Strange offered stepping forward.

"Don't patronise me," Winter grunted."The lab,"

"Of course," Strange smiled a little and quickly opened the portal.

"Hey!" Tony protested as he was suddenly over Winter's shoulder and he was diving through the portal like the hounds of hell were on their tails.

"That was a bit of an overreaction," Clint muttered petulantly as he stumbled to his feet.

Strange and Peter exchanged a look and then nodded. Before Clint realised what was happening a portal opened directly behind him in what looked like Germany, and the next thing Peter fired a web to the ceiling and swing, his feet catching an already unbalanced Clint directly in the chest and shoved him through.

"Wait!" Natasha said sharply as the portal closed. "Does that mean Bucky was the one behind all the bunny stuff!" She spluttered.

Steve blinked and then started laughing.

"Tony?" Bucky asked confused looking around. His head was fuzzy, and the blurred memories normally meant Winter had taken over. The last thing he remembered was Clint snapping at Tony and drawing back his fist and then...blank. Yup Winter had taken over. He would get the memories back in the next hour or so.

But right now they were in Tony's lab, the genius was close by working away on a new project he had refused to show Bucky. At the words however he turned off the soldering iron and took his mask off, turning to grin at Bucky.

"Your face!" Bucky growled seeing the bruise forming already.

"Woah deep breaths, only just got you back," Tony hurried over.

"What happened?" Bucky frowned.

"Clint decided it would be a good idea to punch me because he has his knickers in a twist, you decided the throw him across the room, well Winter did, then you were determined to keep me safe from everyone, announced that you have apparently been the one with all the bunny pranks - which bravo - and then announced that you and Winter have both agreed that you main mission is protecting me, then you kidnapped me using a portal Stephen created, brought me here and refused to allow me to leave, stalking me around the lab like a giant, slightly scary puppy," Tony smirked.

"I scared you?" Bucky frowned.

"No not me, I found it kind of adorable. Steve I think found it less so when you tried to use Dum-E and U to form an attack while you smuggled me deeper into the lab," Tony laughed. "Also you and FRIDAY were planning something and would not let me know what it was,"

"Huh," Bucky blinked as the memories started trickling back.

"So your primary mission is me, and both you and Winter agreed on that? I think that is one of five things you guys have agreed on," Tony tried saying casually. Bucky, however, turned in time to see bright red cheeks and a hopeful expression.

"We agree because you are one of two most important people to us," Bucky nodded, stepping a little closer.

"Me and Steve?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, with the kid coming in close as well," Bucky admitted with a soft grin.

"Hey, I'm glad to hear I rank in friendship with Cap, that's pretty awesome," Tony meant it, but he also looked disappointed as well, and it was that that gave Bucky the courage he needed. Snatching Tony's arm as he turned to leave, he easily - if not carefully - had the younger man lifted and pressed down onto the sofa in a whoosh of air. Tony gasped and stared up with stunned chocolate brown, soulful eyes at the super soldier leaning over him, blue/grey eyes smouldering, no other word for it.

"You and Stevie are most definitely not in the same area," Bucky grimaced.

"We're not?" Tony asked hopefully, his hands floundering trying to decide where he should put his hands.

"No, I have never, ever felt the way I feel for you towards Steve," Bucky mock shuddered, getting a laugh from Tony.

"And how do you feel for me?" The words were Tony's normal swagger and confidence, but his eyes were not as he gazed hopefully up at Bucky.

Instead of answering verbally he leant down and pressed their lips together gently, hands both metal and flesh cupping the genius' face gently, tenderly holding him like he was the most precious thing in Bucky's world. And he was.

Tony trembled under him, twining his arms around Bucky's neck and holding onto him tightly, scared that he would drift away and Tony would wake up to this having all been an amazing dream, again. But he didn't, if anything else Bucky pressed against him harder as their kisses became deeper until Tony groaned into his mouth. Then Tony's clothes suddenly seemed to disappear as he suddenly had a very enthusiastic super soldier on top of him.

"Hey, Buck?" Tony asked shifting his head where it was lying on the soldier's flesh shoulder, his fingers gently rubbing Bucky's stomach.

"Mm?" Bucky hummed too relaxed and content to even bother opening his eyes.

"Do you know exactly what those bunnies did to them?" Tony asked. Bucky paused for a second before he burst out laughing, reaching down to pull the genius to him for a kiss.

A loud scream pierced the morning, startling all the Avengers from bed and had them racing into the hall, all of them but Bucky and Tony who strolled out their room at a much more sedate pace, Bucky's hair was in complete disarray and Tony's lips were swollen with stubble rash showing on his cheeks.

"Shut it, I have sensitive skin and his stubble is super strength!" He grumbled when Bruce smirked at him.

"What's happened?" Steve asked looking around, then he realised whose room they were outside of and who hadn't joined them in the hallway. "Buck, do you not think him being thrown across a room and being stuck trecking around the German forest for six hours was enough?" he sighed.

"No," Bucky answered simply.

"Buckeroo? What did you do?" Tony asked slowly, turning as thumps and bangs started coming from the room. They all gulped as the smirk given was truly evil.

Slowly and worriedly Steve slid the door open, the rogue avengers all jumped and waved their weapons while the others fell about laughing. "Bucky!" Steve whined placing his hand over his heart.

"Guys! Help! One of them got in! Help! Attack! We're under attack!" Clint squealed from behind the teen foot bunny rabbit.

FRIDAY cackled happily from the speakers as she used the wires Bucky had hooked up to make the bunny dance around Clint who was sleepily waving his bow at the bunny in panic.

Tony blinked before grinning, turning and pulling Bucky into a deep kiss.

"I have no idea where you found that monster, but you're amazing!" Tony said before slamming their lips together again.

"Gross its like watching mom and dad!" Peter groaned slumping back down the hall to his room.

"Hey! I had better be the dad in that analogy! Peter! Peter!"