Little Secrets, Little Bucky

It's All Fun And Games

"Uncle Steve, look!" Bucky held up another blue flower, grinning widely as he showed it off.

"Nice, Buck!" Steve called back, tossing a few more flowers into his pile. "Pick about three more and we should be good to go, alright?"

Bucky happily nodded his head. They'd been picking flowers for the last half hour, intending on making flower crowns for his mama and Sam. He brought his pile of flowers over to where Steve was sitting and held them out.

"What are you doing, kiddo?" Steve asked. "You've gotta make the crown for your mama!"

Bucky shook his head. He knew he wasn't capable of doing something that delicate. Not with the monstrosity of his left hand. He'd just end up destroying the flowers and ruining everything.

"Bucky always breaks things," the little boy said sadly, still trying to give his uncle the flowers that he'd picked, and Steve's heart just about broke.

"You don't always break things," he tried to tell Bucky. "How about we do it together?"

Bucky tentatively nodded, still not entirely convinced that he wasn't going to destroy his mama's flowers, and Steve beckoned the little boy to come sit on the grass beside him. He picked up two of the flowers that he had chosen for Sam, expertly weaving them together as Bucky watched. "Alright, which two are you going to start with?" Steve asked.

Bucky held up the flowers he'd chosen but hesitated to weave them together. Much to his surprise Steve didn't get frustrated with him, instead he wrapped an arm around Bucky so that he could help him. Steve gently guided his hands as they carefully intertwined the flower stems, and Bucky watched in awe as the very hands that he'd thought were incapable of anything less than violence created something beautiful. He looked up at his uncle with a big smile on his face, to see Steve gazing at him with pride.

"Do you think you can keep going?" Steve asked softly.

"Help with one more?" Bucky asked, wanting the security of Steve's hands on his own rather than the actual help.

"Of course, kiddo." Steve guided him through the next step, gently correcting Bucky's hands every so often, and before long the little boy had finally gotten the hang of it.

They sat there for a long while, weaving flowers together in peace. Bucky was grateful for the fact that his uncle wasn't trying to get him to talk, instead just gently correcting him once in a while when he forgot a step and letting Bucky lean against him. After they had finished the crowns, they set up a picnic blanket that Steve had packed in the backpack and snuck into the house to get food. Once the two of them were satisfied with the picnic setup, it was time to go and convince Sam and Y/n to take a break to eat.

Bucky walked into the cabin, having been instructed by his uncle to get his mama. He couldn't help but remember the last time he'd interrupted one of her phone calls and hesitated in the doorway of their bedroom, thinking it through before making a decision. Mama had promised not to be unkind like that again, and Mama never broke her promises. He took a deep breath before walking over to her and tugging on her shirt. She had an upset look on her face and for just a moment he was afraid that he'd made the wrong decision but as soon as she saw her baby, Y/n's expression changed to one of love. She told the person on the phone that she would call them back and hung up, giving Bucky her full attention.

"Do you need something, baby boy?" She asked softly.

Bucky smiled when he saw how happy his mama was to see him and grabbed her hand. "S'time for a break, Mama!" He told Y/n as he pulled her out the front door to where Sam and Steve were waiting.

Bucky instructed Sam and his mama to close their eyes and they were guided around the cabin. Steve fought the urge to laugh at how cautious Bucky was while guiding his mama, making sure that she went all the way around every possible obstacle, even the rocks in her path that could be easily stepped over. When they had arrived at the blanket Bucky handed Sam's flower crown to Steve before excitedly telling his mama and Sam to open their eyes.