AN: For starters, I want to say that this is not the promised sequel to The Road Less Traveled that I keep mentioning, so I'm sorry if I got anyone's hopes up. ^_^' But here's a fluffy little drabble to tide you over until the next part! :)

I wrote this for the very talented fannishminded after they sent me an adorable bit of art (which you can find the link to on my profile) while I was still writing The Road Less Traveled. I'd completely forgotten about it until I found it again while going through my notes for the series and cleaning out my docs. (Yay for spring cleaning!)

Also, all the love to followthemuze for being awesome, and for encouraging me to post this. 3

This takes place sometime between The Road Less Traveled and the next installment, and likely won't make a lot of sense unless you've read 'The Road Less Traveled at the End of the Line'.

Summary:

Bucky finds a bit of Tony's childhood, which leads to some embarrassing revelations.

A short, fluffy drabble set in the Every Road You Take (Will Always Lead You Home) series. Takes place sometime after 'The Road Less Traveled at the End of the Line'.

~Who the Hell is Duky?~

"Who the hell is Duky?" Bucky asked, causing Tony to pause his work on the gauntlet he'd been fiddling with.

"What?" he asked around the screwdriver he had in his mouth, sure he'd heard wrong.

Last he'd checked Bucky had been buried in a pile of his dad's old papers, but that had been almost an hour ago. They'd been going through some boxes of Howard's old things that Pepper had had sent over, and while Tony had gotten bored pretty quickly and written it off as a bad job, Bucky had persisted, determined to find something familiar in the old files and mementos. Tony was sure Bucky had given up and wandered off by now, but he should have known better.

"Duky," Bucky repeated, much closer than he'd been a second ago and holding a sheet of old paper in his hand. "Who is he, why did you draw him, and why is he holding what I assume to be Steve's hand?"

Tony raised his eyebrows and put the screwdriver and gauntlet down, even more confused. "I have no idea what you're-"

He froze, mouth falling open, once he saw the picture. A fuzzy memory returned to him, getting clearer the more he stared at the drawing. "Give me that!"

Bucky tugged it out of reach, lips twitching. "Nuh-uh, I'll never see it again. Now answer the question."

Tony jerked forward and made a grab for the drawing, but Bucky - ever the trained assassin - easily swung out of reach. When Tony made another grab, Bucky actually backflipped onto the worktable.

"Now even without the names I'd know this was Steve," Bucky said casually, still holding the drawing aloft while Tony cursed his height. "I'd recognize that spangly outfit anywhere. This handsome little devil with the cape is you- " Tony's face flamed. "- so who's this other guy supposed to be? An old friend of yours?"

There was a note to Bucky's voice that Tony couldn't quite pinpoint, but he was embarrassed enough not to read too much into it.

"It wasn't- it's not," Tony started, yanking over a rolling chair to climb on the table.

"I mean, whoever he is, he seems pretty cozy with you and Steve." Bucky added, that same something still in his tone, which-

Suddenly, Tony got it.

"Wait, are you jealous?" Tony asked incredulously, pausing mid-climb. "You know I drew that when I was like, three, right?"

Bucky turned his face away, looking almost as embarrassed as Tony felt, and knelt down to sit at the edge of the table where Tony stood.

"No, I..." He let out a frustrated breath. "Yeah, a little." he admitted bitterly. "I'm sorry, I know it doesn't make any sense. It's stupid."

"I'll say," Tony said, tugging the drawing out of Bucky's grip. "Especially considering it's you."

"What?" Bucky said, dumbfounded.

Tony's cheeks reddened further. "I, uh, kinda remember painting this." he mumbled, not making eye-contact. "And it's, uh, supposed to be you. Or, you know, what little me thought you looked like from what Steve had told me."

Bucky didn't say anything, so Tony plowed on.

"Look, I told you Steve used to tell me all these stories about you. Well, most of them were from when you were younger, so I thought you were, you know, a kid, so..." Tony looked up to see what Bucky was doing, and was greeted with the sight of Bucky covering his mouth with his hand, trying not to laugh. "Hey!"

"I'm sorry, darlin'," Bucky choked, shaking with suppressed laughter. "But that's the most adorable thing I've ever heard." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, honest-to-God tears running down his face. "That, that's just..."

"I was three!" Tony protested weakly. "I'll have you know that that is a marvelous masterpiece from a toddler such as myself!"

Bucky shook his head and grinned, hopping off the table to run his hand through Tony's hair affectionately.

"Yes it is," he agreed, gazing at the picture over Tony's shoulder. "So, did you think my name was Ducky, or was that just how you thought it was spelled?"

"Steve never corrected me," Tony sniffed primly.

"Of course he didn't," Bucky snorted fondly. "Little shit probably thought it was cute and funny. Bet he made sure you spelled his name right, though."

Bucky reached over to take the artwork from him, but Tony held it away.

"You're not getting this back." Tony declared, waving the painting.

"We're framing it and putting it in our room." Bucky shot back.

Tony snorted and slipped the drawing into his desk once Bucky had walked off and wasn't looking.

He woke up with it hanging over the bed the next day.