Asylum

Epilogue

Bucky opened his eyes slowly, the sunlight coming through the window pointed directly at him. That morning was especially clear. He reached out as he turned his body to hug Steve, but he noticed that the blond had already gotten up. What time was it?

"Shit!" Bucky whispered as he turned to look at the clock. It was almost 7:30. He was about to jump out of bed when he remembered that his baby bump prevented him. He smiled to himself as caressed his belly.

Before Bucky got up, Steve came into the room with a large tray of waffles, milk, juice, and fruit. "Hey! You're awake!"

"Stevie... you shouldn't have."

"Of course I should. You can no longer cook or exert yourself."

Bucky pushed himself up into a sitting position and, as Steve set the tray in front of him, pulled him in for a soft kiss.

"I think it's a little late...," Bucky said before starting to eat. "Shall we share food?"

"Not an option. You really have to eat," Steve replied. "Besides, I already prepared food for two."

The brunette chuckled. "Could you turn off your 'alphaness' for a moment? It really is late!"

"I think at school they will understand that you are very pregnant. And no, I'm not going to turn off my alphaness," he said as he left the room.

The blond returned a few seconds later and sat on the bed next to Bucky. They both ate their breakfast in silence, and from time to time one of them would feed the other with his own spoon. When finished, Steve took away the dishes and trays.

"I can help you," Bucky said as he slowly got up.

"You can't even hold your weight," Steve chuckled.

"Are you saying I'm..."

The alpha kissed him before he could finish his sentence. "You're perfect."

For a couple of weeks now, Steve would wait outside the bathroom while Bucky took a shower and be with him the whole time he got dressed. Sometimes the brunette felt that it was unnecessary but, when he caught his alpha's scent, happy to keep him safe, he knew that no effort in his relationship was too much.

Steve had talked Peggy into coming to work later every day and she agreed. Normally she was a strict person, but over the months she had grown fond of Bucky and now she considered him her friend as much as Steve.

The brunette had to admit that it was getting more and more difficult to follow a normal routine. He couldn't spend too much time on his feet, he tired quickly and he had to change his wardrobe completely because the old clothes didn't fit him.

His body felt totally different, but he had never been happier. Not just because Steve was always there to hug him, care for him, feed him, and mutter sweet nothings to him whenever Bucky showed the slightest hint of anxiety about the future. Seeing his belly in front of the mirror was a promise, it meant realizing that everything was real; there was someone else here, someone they would both love more than anything. Someone who would need Bucky completely and be his at least in his heart. No one could ever break the bond that already existed between this omega and his pup.

Every time Bucky had managed to sense the pup's movement, the scene had ended in tears of joy from both him and Steve. In fact, few things could feel as indescribably good as when the alpha rested his head on his belly singing very softly, with a voice as off-key as it was sweet.

"I thought it was too late, baby," Steve said as he watched Bucky in front of the mirror, deep in thought.

"You're right. We have to hurry!"