Charlie's POV:
Once Steve, Clint, Bruce, and Thor carry Tony's body off, Bucky wraps me up into his arms in a tight hug, "Are you okay, doll?"
"No, but I will be. In time." Sam comes over to us and hugs us both. "You guys can come with us. The compound is destroyed, and we have room."
The men come over to our side. "I think I'm going to head to the farm, want to join me, Charlie?" Clint asks, knowing my answer.
"No papa bear, I think we're going to go home. People will be expecting us." He nods his head and walks to Doctor Strange, he conjures a portal like he has with so many and sends him off. Bruce walks off alone, I have no idea where he intends to go. "Thor?"
"I'm heading to New Asgard, I have some things to take care of, I'll see you in a couple of days."
"Looks like it's just us, prin... Charlie." Steve says looking between me and Bucky and how the moment we reconnected he hasn't been far from my side. "Let's go home." We walk over to Strange and he conjures a portal and sends us to our cottage. Steve walks ahead, "I'm going to shower." He walks up to our room leaving me with Sam and Bucky.
"You guys have another bathroom?" Sam asks awkwardly.
"Yeah, let me take you to the guest room. There's a bathroom there." I guide Sam to the guest bedroom. "I'm sorry we've only got one true guest room. But the office has a fold out couch." I tell him. Bucky was left in the front foyer. "I guess you two can argue between where you're going to sleep."
"Where are you sleeping?" He asks.
"Umm...well, I don't know. I just assumed I would sleep in my bed with Steve. Doesn't seem right to do that." I fiddle around with my finger, where the engagement ring once was, it feels weird not having it there. I've had it for nearly five years. Sam picks up my hand and notices a faint tan line where the ring was.
"You gonna talk about that?" I glance back at the door seeing Bucky standing there, and also waiting on the door knock bringing Maggie home, making things even more awkward. Reality of our situation has finally set in.
"Uh, no." My eyes never leave the front, but Bucky's eyes meet mine as I give him a soft smile.
"Steve?" I nod my head, focusing back on Sam. "It's complicated, huh?"
"Not like it was. But the complications will get more complicated in a little bit." He looks at me confused, "You'll see. We're not together. Steve and I. We broke it off, recently, but we're just friends, but...you should shower, I'm sure Bucky wants to shower, and I know I do. So go." I turn leaving him alone, letting him know this conversation is over.
I walk over to Bucky and he gives me a gentle smile before hugging me. "I've waited for that for five years, James."
"This yours and Steve's home?" I nod. "I missed a lot in five years, huh?" I start to interject. "No, I knew about you two. Your biggest obstacle was out of your way. And now I'm back. I shouldn't be here, but I can't stand to leave you. You guys built a life."
"We're friends."
"Right. You've always been friends." He says sarcastically.
"No, we're just friends now. Not the whole five years, but we're done forcing something we don't want to be in. He and I both knew who I wanted something real with."
"And who's that?" He whispers.
I step closer to him before kissing his lips. He pulls me in closer, extending our kiss, and pulling back long enough for me to whisper, "You." He smiles and pulls me closer to his lips. We continue kissing. I'm not sure what the past five years were like for him, but for me, while I was happy, I had a deep desire for Bucky's touch.
I hear Steve clear his throat. We both look over to him. "I'm going to take a shower quickly. I'm sure Happy or someone will be here soon." I walk quickly away and let the warmth of the water ease my sore muscles and help clear my mind. I keep turning the heat up hotter until I hear a gentle knock on the door, thinking it's Steve, I answer with a, "It's open."
The door opens and closes. No word is spoken so I peak my head out of the curtain. "Bucky?"
"Disappointed?"
"No, I just thought you were Steve. What are you doing in here?"
"I was uncomfortable with Steve and I staring at each other." I nod my head and continue washing myself. Our quietness isn't what I would call uncomfortable, it's just peaceful. There's no need for either of us to talk. I turn off the water and he hands me a towel before undressing and getting in the shower himself.
I dress while he showers, still a comfortable silence spreads through the bathroom. "I feel like Steve and I owe you a long conversation." I say in the silence.
"You don't need to." Once he meets Maggie, I'm sure he'll think differently. I should tell him, but I can't bring myself to tell him anything. He turns off the water and opens up the curtain and I hand him a towel. He wraps it around himself and brings his hands to either side of my face, bringing me closer to him. We just rest our foreheads against one another.
"You should get dressed." I tell him as I bring my fingers across his face. Tracing the perimeter of his face, over his eyebrows, nose, jawline, and ending on his lips. He kisses my fingers.
"Memorizing my face?" I smile and bring my lips to his in a quick sweet kiss.
"Get dressed. I'll meet you downstairs."
"Stay with me." I look up at him and he gives me puppy dog eyes and scrunches up his nose, "Please." I nod my head and I hand him some of Steve's pajamas. We walk out to the bedroom. Our closet is open and I see him lingering on the fact that both mine and Steve's clothes are in there.
He grabs at my hand as we walk downstairs. Steve is sitting in a sofa chair watching the door, Sam is quiet on the couch, laying back, not really asleep, but not fully awake. We walk over to the loveseat, sitting down, Bucky sits close to me and wraps his arm on the back of the couch. My eyes turn to the door. Waiting on Maggie has made me beyond anxious. Bucky looks between Steve and I and seeing where our eyes are.
"Who are you waiting on?" I look over to Steve trying to figure out the best way to explain her.
"It's..." Steve starts to say.
"If you say complicated..." before Bucky can finish his sentence, I see the headlights. We both get up quickly walking to the door. Sam and Bucky share a look between the two of them and get up to go to the door. I open the door running outside, Happy opens the car door, placing Maggie on the ground before her little legs run to me. "Mommy!" I fall on my knees grabbing her body up and holding her like I've never held the small toddler before. Steve comes up behind us, when Maggie sets her eyes on him, her sweet voice calls out, "Daddy!"
I hand her to Steve. His large arms wrap around her body, looking at her perfect face smiling. I look over to Happy, not able to vocalize anything, I'm just thankful for him taking care of the girls. With tears in his eyes he nods, still both of us shocked over Tony's death. I go and hug him, "I've got to go. You guys take care."
Maggie wraps her small arms around Steve's neck, and we turn around to face Sam and Bucky. Both shocked, confused, and still not getting answers. I motion my hands back into the house as we all walk in. We take our seats in the living room how we were before, Bucky a bit further away. "Guys, I want you to meet my daughter, our daughter..." I smile over to Steve as Maggie turns around to look at both Sam and Bucky. "Margaret James." I hear a deep inhale from Bucky as his blue eyes fill with tears. "Maggie James this is Sam Wilson and... James Barnes, but we call him Bucky."
Maggie looks at Sam smiling, "Uncle Sam." He smiles back over to her. Her body pulls off of Steve as she walks over to Bucky. Her hand comes up to his cheek, "I'm named after you." She pulls him closer to her as she whispers in his ear. "Mommy loves you." His lips pull back in a smile. "You love her, too."
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Bucky's POV:
I can't help but watch the young girl. So many emotions envelope me. It's been a long day, but she's here. Charlie. She's not with Steve, but with the little girl in front of me, she's been with Steve. Maggie looks uncannily like Steve. Especially her eyes. We listen as the little girl tells us about her day with Pepper and then with Happy. Charlie's face glows down at her daughter, Steve watches between Maggie and the space that's separated me and Charlie. Overwhelming feelings, but I still can't pull my body too far away from Charlie.
"Where's Tito?" The little girl asks. I see Charlie's eyes dart down as tears fill her eyes. Tito must be Tony. Maggie senses Charlie's anguish and comes closer to her, placing a hand on her cheek, as they both look at one another. "I can never see him again?" She asks. I look over to them, is her hand on the cheek a way for her to read people, like Charlie? "He's gone. But why?" She asks, her little voice cracks as tears fall down her chubby cheeks. Her joyful cherub face is replaced by a heartbroken one.
Charlie shakes her head no before bringing the small child to her body in a hug. "I want to go to bed." She tells Charlie. Charlie picks her up and heads to what I'd assume is her room. "With you and Daddy." Charlie looks over to me, not wanting to hurt me, but her small child needs her more than I do. Maggie senses Charlie's hesitation, and pulls at her arm, looking at her left hand. "Please." She looks over to Steve, he nods to her. Charlie walks up the stairs and into their room. The child looking at Charlie's ring finger wasn't lost on me. At one point, they were engaged.
Steve turns to look at me, "I'm sorry Buck, but...Maggie she's a child...a baby. A lot has happened in the past few days. She's never been away from us that long, and Tony, that's her uncle."
I look up at him, confused on how I should feel. "I get it."
"We still owe you some explanations. Don't...don't take...look, I'm sorry." His eyes well with tears, he's overcome with emotions as well. "She loves you Bucky. Always has. The biggest issues with our relationship has always been you and Peggy. But Maggie...she's amazing."
"She looks like you." I smile up at him, still confused on what to feel, even more so with everything he's telling me.
"She acts like her mom. Stubborn, smart, gifted. Charlie...we tried to make things work. But we were fooling ourselves. She's my best friend. And I don't want to see her hurt. I know, that this is a lot, but...it's you...it always has been."
"Steve..."
"No, Buck, I need you to understand. I see you're confused, but don't take it out on them. You can put all the blame on me, just not...not Charlie."
"Where does that leave you?" I look up at him, genuinely curious. They have a family together. It's not just me and Charlie wanting to be together.
"Don't worry about me. I'm not." I nod at him, knowing he wants to say more, but there's too many people around. Steve nods and walks upstairs, closing the door behind him.
"You good?" Sam whispers over to me. My eyes still looking at their closed bedroom door. "Five years, Bucky." I look over at him. "Five years is a long time to be alone, waiting on a dead man." I get what he's saying, five years ago neither Charlie or Steve foreseen us coming back. "Shotgun the guest bedroom." He stands and walks away.
I move over to the larger couch laying down and thinking about the day. Just one day, and so much has occurred. I was snapped back into existence. We fought Thanos. Tony snapped him and the Black Order out of the present, killing himself. Charlie is back in my life, only to find out her and Steve played house, even creating another life. I don't blame them. Charlie and Steve have a child. They have a house. They were engaged, they tried to make something work, but both of them wanted to be with someone else. And now, one of those someone else's in back in the picture.
The upstairs bedroom creaks open as I hear soft footsteps walk down the stairs and into the kitchen. I sit up on the couch and look over into the kitchen. It's Charlie. Her body is covered in one of Steve's shirts. It's massive on her body, draping over her like a nightgown. She reaches into the cabinet pulling out a cup and pouring water in it. She's being very quiet, but doesn't realize I wasn't asleep. Her petite body sits down at the bar as she takes a drink. As she inhales, she brings her hands up to her temples before resting her elbows on the bar.
I sit there watching her. She's so deep in whatever thoughts she's having she doesn't realize I'm even there. I hear a whimper escape her lips and I know that she's crying. So often she tries to be strong in front of people. She's emotionally exhausted. I fight with the urge to go to her and to also give her some privacy. If she wanted to cry in front of me earlier, she would. I lay back down on the couch, listening to her cry. She sniffles, "Would you like some water too?"
I sit back up and look over to the kitchen, she's still sitting at the bar, but looking over to where I am. Her lips turn up into a pained smile, and I pull myself off the couch walking towards her. She reaches into the cabinet pulling out a cup and filling it with water before sitting it at the bar beside her. I sit down at the stool and turn to look at her, "I saw you when I came down the stairs, and then I saw you lift up out of the corner of my eye." Her hand inches closer to mine.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"I never feel like I have to hide behind my mask with you. I don't have to feel the need to be perfect. I can just let whatever emotions come out."
"So, you have a kid." I move my hand closer to hers, hoping she realizes I don't want to keep too much space between us.
"Yeah, she's incredible. She irritatingly looks just like Steve though." Her eyes light up as she talks about her daughter and a little giggle escapes her lips. "This isn't how I pictured my life. I never envisioned Steve and I like this. I always thought everything would be complicated with him. You know? After Wakanda...I wanted to be with you even more, and then finally seeing you again, it was...this is cheesy, but like heaven. And then...Bucky you turned to dust in my arms. And I couldn't...I couldn't stop it."
I can't speak. I just watch her, watch everything drain from her face as she recalls what happened five years ago. "Read me. Use your empathy to tell me everything." She brings her hand to mine.
"Bucky, I don't know." Fear and worry are printed on her face.
"I knew about you and Steve beforehand. I see you have a child; you have a home; you had a ring. I just want to see things from your point of view. Nothing can make me change my mind about you Charlie."
"James, I love you. I'm in love with you. It has always been you. These past five years weren't a hell with Steve, there was a lot of happiness."
"As it should be, doll. But I missed out on five years of living. And five years of your life. You don't have to be super personal when you cast things in my mind, but I would like to be able to experience those things with you, and yes with Steve. I love you both, obviously I love you differently. Please, Charlie."
Her hand comes into mine, "Just remember, despite everything, he was never you...don't hate me"
"I could never. No matter what."
She completely grabs my hand and closes her eyes. I feel her loneliness after the snap. Not being able to eat or sleep. Steve trying to do whatever to comfort her. I see them searching for a house, trying to find any happiness they could, forcing themselves to do something normal. I see him proposing to her, Charlie feeling like she was settling, but Steve was a good man and she loves him. The moment they decided to try and have a child. Her thoughts of me the whole pregnancy, Steve knowing that I was the reason she couldn't really allow herself to fall in love with him. I see the birth of Maggie and true joy between her and Steve. Her and Steve having happy moments, but both wanting to be with another person, loving every moment they have with Maggie. I see her training, her growth with Tony and Pepper. I see her break up with Steve, even before they realized they could bring me back. Charlie pulls her hand away from me, tears falling down her face, as I gasp loudly.
Emotion overcomes me as I bring my lips to hers, kissing her the way I've wanted to since seeing her on the battlefield. We don't hold back; Charlie's body tries to come closer to me as she realizes that we're sitting at a bar in stools. I stand reaching down around her ass and bring her up to me, and going back to her lips, she pulls away, "Into the office." She whispers breathily. I have no idea where the office is so drop her on the floor. She smiles and pulls at my hand leading the way to the office.
She closes and locks the door behind us and I pick her back up, pushing her against the door. She shushes me, reminding me that there are other people in the house, and they're sleeping, but at this moment I just want her. I shove my hips up into hers as a quiet moan leaves her swollen lips. I trace my mouth down to her neck kissing and sucking on whatever piece of skin I can get my mouth on. Her head leans back hitting the door as her hands roam over my body.
She pushes me back from her and walks us over to the couch, advancing on me like a lioness to her prey. Once my legs hit the couch I sink my body to it, and she brings her legs on either side of me and straddling me. Our lips finally make contact again, and my hands go to her hips as I move her body on top of mine, seeking any form friction from her body. Charlie's mouth comes to my neck as she pants at the feeling. As much as I just want to fuck her, I also want this moment to last and linger.
Every part of her body I want to memorize. Her sounds, the way she's melting on my body, the feeling of her fingers wandering over me. Everything. Every little small detail that I've missed while gone for five years. I want to explore her body. I want her to realize what she's missed these past five years.
Very little material separates her body from mine. I feel the heat and wetness coming from her, as the friction we're creating begins to dampen my pants. I reach down to the hemline of the shirt pulling it off of her. I smile looking at her body. In five years, she's grown. No longer is she a naïve young lady, but a woman. Her hips are wider, thighs thicker, nipples darker, and she's not as shy about her body as she once was. She's perfection.
Wanting to feel even closer to me she pulls my shirt off and our chests connect, nothing but skin on skin. As we continue to kiss, I feel her fingers lightly trace on my body, wanting to feel every part of me. Her movements on top of speed up and I lay my head back on the couch just wanting to feel her, let her enjoy herself. She continues grinding on my lap, arching her back she brings an arm up to move her long strands out of her face. I lift my head up, watching her, smiling, she's beyond beautiful. Seeing her breasts so free, I bring my hands up to cup them. Holding onto her feels so fucking right.
I can't handle what few clothes we have dividing us. I adjust my weight, picking her up and laying her on the couch. My hands slide to her panties, "Is this, okay?" I ask with as much calm as possible.
"For fucks sake, James, get us naked." She pants, starting to pull at her panties herself. I flick her hands away, wanting to enjoy every moment with her. Painstakingly I pull down her pale blue underwear. She sucks in a deep breath, adjusting her hips to allow me to slip them off. I drag my fingers down her body before resting my hand on the inside of her thigh, gently massaging the area. Close to her pussy, but never actually touching. My body moves back up and I place my lips to her mouth to kiss again. Her hands pull at my hips, hoping for some continued friction, but I refuse, at a teasing pace my lips trail down her body, I kiss over every part of her, wanting her to know I love every scar, every imperfection, every part of her.
When my mouth reaches her lower stomach, I see her back arch up as she slightly trembles at how close I am to her dripping pussy. My eyes move back to her face, she watches me with bated breath as I finally dip in between her legs, leaving a quick touch of my tongue on her clit I move my mouth over to her thigh, continuing on the teasing, but longing for another taste. She smirks down at me and puts her hands through my hair, brushing it out of my face.
Charlie tries to pretend that the teasing kisses on her thighs isn't driving her crazy, any movement towards her core tells me otherwise. When I have finally had enough teasing myself, I put a finger inside, Charlie releases a small moan. I pump into her, watching her pussy take my finger, I add another still looking. The way her body stretches for my fingers is rousing. I see the way her body is falling apart at my touch. Her hands trace along her breast before she herself stimulates her nipples. She watches with a smile and I dip my head in between her legs. Finally allowing my mouth to lap up her honey. Her breathing hitches as the feeling becomes almost too much for her to handle.
"I never thought I would ever get to feel you again James. But I've never forgotten. My body has craved you, but not as much as my heart has."
The walls of her pussy tighten around my fingers, Charlie's hands leave her breasts as she entangles her fingers in my hair. Her breathing becomes irregular and her hips buck as a sweet but deep moan breaks through her lips. I feel her body relax. I lean up over her. Sweat beads along her hairline as she pants smiling up at me.
I use my fingers to trace her glaze on her protruding nipples, and then wipe off my beard. She smiles before biting her lip. I'm still not finished exploring her body. I bring my lips to her nipples, kissing and sucking on each one, our eyes never leave one another, she just smiles and caresses the side of my face.
"Will you let me help you cum, James. I know you want to fill me up with your cock."
"I'm just enjoying you, doll. It's like discovering you for the first time."
"Please, I want to feel you inside me."
She pulls at the elastic on my hips, I don't object. I allow her to remove both the pants and underwear. My cock bounces up in her face. Her doe eyes look up at me as she uses her tongue to spread around the pre-cum on my tip before completely taking me in her mouth. Her fingers massage my balls as she bobs her head on me. Her hazel eyes look back up at me as her hands push mine on her head, and her hands find my hips, "You wanting me to fuck your mouth?" She smiles and hums. The vibrations make me close my eyes as the pleasure overtakes me.
I grip the back of her head tightly as I thrust into her mouth. She relaxes her mouth, granting me the ability to crash deeply in the back of her throat. A choking noise emerges from her mouth as she gurgles on my dick, "Am I hurting you, doll?"
"No, James. I want you so bad right now. Just enjoy yourself. I'll scream if you hurt me."
This was my invitation to fully let go with her mouth. Crashing into her over and over again. I feel myself getting close, and I still want to feel her pussy again. I abruptly stop, panting. "Lay down." My voice is deep and hoarse, but Charlie lays back down on the couch, reaching her hand over to mine. I hover over her body, placing my dick right at her entrance before looking up at her. I hitch my hips forward, letting her pussy to fully encase my dick with her warmth.
Her eyes close as a moan escapes her reddened and swollen lips. We just lay like this, feeling one another in a closeness that can only be achieved with sex. We look at one another intently, enjoying the feeling of me being inside her. Tiny little hands come to my hips, urging me to thrust into her, "Please, James."
I begin plunging in her and her hands come up to my face, using her fingers to memorize every part of me. God, she's perfect. I don't deserve her, but I want her. I want her so bad, and she's now free. Free from Steve, she can actually be mine, all mine. The thought of this excites me more than it should as I speed up my pace, I pull her hands up above her head, on the armrest, and hold them there, pumping into her hard and fast, "Whose girl are you, doll?"
"Yours. Only yours, James." She pants. I crash my lips onto hers as I feel us both reaching our peak. Sloppily our lips kiss whatever parts of our face we can find. Charlie's pussy clenches around me before we both reach the most satisfying orgasm I've ever experienced.
I look down at her. Both of us have heaving breaths from the high of our orgasm. I can't bring my eyes from her. "I love you, Charlotte Allen."
She gives me a cheeky grin, "I love you, James Barnes." I lean forward kissing her lips ever so gently. "I never want to leave, but let me get some sheets and actually pull out the bed."
I pull myself out and off of her. She sits up, high and exhausted from sex. I stand throwing her the shirt from the floor, and slip on my underwear. She puts on the shirt and walks out into the hallway, returning with sheets, duvet, and pillows. I help out pulling out the bed and putting on the sheets. I lay down and pat the other side of the bed. "I really should get back upstairs." She pouts down at me.
"What?" I look at her confused.
"I don't want to leave you, but, Maggie..."
"Oh yeah. I'm sorry." I look down at the empty space beside me. And then I feel the bed sink beside me and look up to her sweet eyes.
"I can sleep down here for a few hours, but I do need to be back up there before she wakes." She snuggles up close to me and I wrap my arms around her, her hand comes up and rests on my cheek. Neither one of us want to take our eyes off one another.
"How old is she?" She smiles softly and rubs her thumb on my cheek, it's such a relaxing feeling.
"Two and a half. She's a vocal little one." She lets out a giggle looking over my face.
"What?" I smile back searching her face.
"She was born on March 10th." Her eyes look at me, trying to decipher anything. "She was due March 1st, but she was stubborn, even then."
"A lot has changed in five years. Why did you name her that?"
"One name was from Steve's true love, and the other name from mine." A comfortable silence settles over us. I see her eyes get heavy and she completely drifts off and I pull her closer to me. I don't know how we can make this work, but I want to. For her, and even for Maggie.
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Charlie's POV:
I wake to Bucky gently nudging me. "It's 6:00. I don't know when she wakes up, but you may want to go ahead and go up there."
I yawn and stretch, looking at him. My body is exhausted mentally but definitely physically. "Good morning, James. I don't want to leave you."
He pulls me closer to him. "I know, but Maggie will want to see you when she wakes. You definitely don't want her to find you in here with someone that's not her dad."
"You're right. You'll be, okay?"
"I'll see you in a bit." He smiles at me. I kiss his cheek and then his lips before walking up to mine and Steve's bedroom.
I pause at the door, deeply breathing. As quietly as possible I open the door, tiptoeing over to the bed. Maggie is snuggled up close to Steve, leaving most of the king size bed empty. I pull back the cover and crawl in.
"Where have you been?" Steve casts over to me, not wanting to wake Maggie.
"I was downstairs. I fell asleep."
"With him?"
"Yes." I feel a slight bit of shame, not because of Steve, but because I left my daughter.
"I'm happy you two can jump back together so easily. Charlie, our daughter needs you. I know that you needed him, and it was something I couldn't, shouldn't be giving you, but she needs you. She's a child. And we can't completely switch things up in a second and she not get too confused."
"I know." I turn to look at him. "I'm sorry, it's just new. Our situation. For eight years we've had an...understanding. And this is an odd feeling. Are you okay?"
"Yes, princess I'm okay. I'm happy for you. I feel it's something I've always known would happen. How is he with Maggie?"
"He's curious about her. I mean, it's just been a day. It's a lot to take in."
"We've got a couple more hours before she normally will wake. Why don't you get some sleep. I'll make us some waffles when she wakes."
"You mean you'll entertain Maggie as I make waffles?"
Steve actually laughs as he nods, "You know me too well."
I move the tiniest bit closer and rest my hand on Maggie's back as I close my eyes. Getting a couple more hours asleep. I wake with Maggie crawling closer to my body, "Mommy, wake up." Her sweet little voice whispers to me.
I open my eyes to see her smiling down at me, "Maggie James, you want waffles for breakfast?" I sit up stretching and let out a yawn. I look over to the other side of the bed and Steve's gone.
"With choc chips?" Maggie asks.
"Of course. Come on sweetheart." I walk over to the closet and grab some shorts and a sports bra, before putting them both on and returning Steve's shirt. We walk downstairs and see Steve, Bucky, and Sam sitting in the living room talking. Bucky's eyes find mine and we smile at one another. "You men hungry? I'm making waffles." Maggie looks up at me, "With chocolate chips, if you don't want them, I can make some without."
"Is it even waffles without chocolate chips?" Bucky asks, getting a small smile from Maggie as she jumps in Steve's lap. Since we've been back the two are inseparable. Losing Tony must have made her feel she needs her daddy more than ever. I walk into the kitchen and grab up the ingredients I need for waffles, turning on the stove, placing a frying pan on top for some bacon, and then another for eggs, and turn on the oven to keep the finished waffles warm.
Once I have everything settled, I begin mixing up the batter and see Bucky making his way in the kitchen. "You don't have to come in here."
"I know. I just wanted to be close to you." My back is to him as I add some chocolate chips to the batter, and I let out a smile and throw a chocolate chip at him. He catches it with ease, popping it into his mouth and eating it. I give him a little chuckle before grabbing some eggs and mixing them up, placing them into the hot pan and checking on the bacon. I pour some batter in the heated waffle iron and look over to him.
He smiles as he watches me, "What?" I cast over to him, trying not to have my emotions explode all over him. This seems so surreal having him here, and then I think about the people I lost to get him here in this moment. I glance back at the iron and pull out the waffles, placing them on a cookie sheet and into a warmed oven, pouring more batter in the iron.
"This life looks good on you." I mix up the eggs and flip the bacon, looking at Bucky only long enough to roll my eyes at him. "I'm serious. I'm very jealous of Steve. He got to see you grow into this."
"The beginning years were rough. My cooking has definitely improved." I move back to the waffles, removing the finished ones and placing them in the oven, and pouring more batter. I stir around the eggs a bit more, once I turn back Bucky is still intently watching me. I walk closer to him and rub on his thigh. "Your metabolism fast like Steve's?"
"Yeah...plus everything smells good and I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything for five years."
Maggie comes running into the kitchen. My hand leaves Bucky's thigh. Steve is right, we have to take things slow for Maggie. "Five years? That's older than me." I pick her up and place her in the stool next to Bucky, walking over and doing my same routine with the waffles, eggs and bacon.
"Really? So how old are you then?" His voice goes up a bit in pitch as he tries to converse with my little girl.
"Two...two and a half. Did you know my birthday is your birthday?" I look between the two. He's really trying with her, and she is charmed by the former assassin.
"I didn't know that. When you turn three, I'm going to be..." Bucky pauses and pretends to count on his fingers, "107."
Maggie's eyes go big and she smiles, "You're old like daddy."
"Uh, yeah, we knew each other when we were kids. Your dad was always getting into trouble."
"Daddy!" Maggie screams over to him.
"Buck, don't go telling my daughter lies."
Bucky leans over whispering in her ear, "I'm not lying. He just wants you to think he's perfect." Maggie giggles at him. Bucky grabs the container of chocolate chips, grabbing some out and offering some to the small girl. She grabs a few out of his hand and eats them.
"Margaret James." I tell her. She straightens herself up and whispers a "Thank you." To Bucky, which he returns with a "You're welcome."
I finish up the breakfast and set the table, taking the food over to the table, "Alright, Maggie James, go to the bathroom and wash your hands." She hops off the table and runs into the bathroom. I walk up to Bucky, going to place a kiss beside his lips. He turns his head, so I kiss his lips instead. He stands up wrapping his arms around my waist, and deepens the kiss. I pull away, "Maggie will be back shortly Bucky. Save that for when she's asleep." He gives me a devilish smile. "Alright boys, breakfast is ready."
Maggie comes running through the hall before Steve picks her up in the air and placing her in the seat diagonally from him. Steve's spot has always been at the head of the table. Sam sits down beside Maggie, and Bucky on the other side of me. We enjoy our morning breakfast. Trying to keep things light for Maggie. Even Steve doesn't seem as strained as he was. Under the table, Bucky's left hand rests on my knee, drawing circles with his thumb. Our moment of peace before we say goodbye to Tony and Nat.