GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

9

They patched up Olivia's scrapped knees in the bathroom, Aurora setting her on the sink's counter, and Bucky and Steve lingering by the doorway. Tony had somehow managed to buy princess band aids for such an occasion, so Olivia looked through the different characters, seemingly happy again.

"I want... Jasmine? No! Ariel!" She decided, grinning up at her mom.

"We need two band aids, you you can have Ariel and Jasmine!" Aurora smiled.

"Yay!" She cheered.

After putting on the band aids, Olivia walked around the tower, hunting down each Avenger to show them her wounds and inform them how brave she was. After getting validation from every last one of them, she decided to lay down on the couch for a while, a movie playing in the background. It had been a long day for her.

Steve sat next to Olivia on the couch, asking questions about the characters and making comments that prompted Olivia to giggle. Aurora watched from behind them, smiling as she rested against the wall. Bucky came up to join her, standing by her side. She glanced up at him, happily.

"I've always wanted this for her. You guys are like her family." Aurora whispered.

"No, we are her family." Bucky corrected.

Aurora's eyes watered with happiness and she laughed quietly, lifting her arms to wipe her tears away on her sleeves. She leaned her head back against the wall.

"You guys were the best thing to ever happen to us." She whispered.

Bucky smiled at her softly. Honestly, he thought it was the other way around. Aurora and Olivia were the best thing to ever happen to him. They brought a light back into his life that he hadn't known was even missing, let alone how to replace it. They made him open up, smile, and let down his guard. They made him happy. Sometimes he wasn't sure if he deserved that happiness, but most times he was too busy enjoying every moment to worry about it.

Aurora grew tired after standing against the wall after a while, so she checked in with Bucky and Steve before leaving them to watch Olivia while she showered. She trusted them, she realized with a burst of joy. Maybe Chris didn't ruin her after all. Maybe he was simply a rough patch in her life, but not her entire life. Maybe she could move on from her past. This felt a lot like healing.

After her shower, Aurora walked back out into the living room. Natasha and Tony had joined the group and were almost through watching "Beauty and the Beast". Aurora waited for the end credits before getting Olivia up and ready for a shower as well.

After drying off and carefully applying new princess band aids, they walked out of Olivia's room to find the nightly routine of  the "what's for dinner?" debate in full speed. Aurora sat down on a couch with Olivia, who was clutching her "Bucky" dog in one arm, and cuddling into Aurora with the other.

Bucky couldn't help the smile that made its way onto his face every time he caught Olivia with that stuffed dog. A few years ago, the idea of a child naming their toy after him would've been comical. Now it was an honor that cheered him up whenever he was hard on himself about his past. It was easier now that Aurora knew the truth about him, too. Less guilt invading his mind so frequently.

Tony waltzed into the room, a device in his hand and dramatically cleared his throat loudly so that he got everyone's attention.

"Pizza." He announced.

Surprisingly, everyone agreed to that suggestion, so they ordered pizzas, every Avenger getting their own box with custom toppings and Aurora getting a plain cheese one to share with Olivia. After hanging up the phone from that long delivery order, Tony looked at Aurora with mischief gleaming in his eyes.