The Dark Captain

Chapter 42

It was just after dinner that Bucky sat in Tony's old room at the palace. As much as the memories hurt, Bucky couldn't bring himself to stay in his old hut. To be fair, though, the thought of spending the night cleaning out the mess the goats had left behind once he left didn't sound appealing either.

Ramonda had left the room alone, leaving all of Tony's tools and forgotten tinkering projects just as they had been left, though the room had been cleaned regularly. Bucky couldn't find a speck of dust or drop of oil anywhere in the room.

Bucky sat in one of the armchairs, staring at a photo of him and Tony just before Thanos attacked. They were still early in their relationship. The super soldier was stiff in the photo but the billionaire was at ease, coaxing a smile that Shuri managed to get a picture of. Bucky swallowed the lump forming in his throat, knowing he had to put the picture down and try to get comfortable for the night but unable to make himself do it.

He looked up as the door opened. He expected Arianna, Steve, or one of the Wakandans to enter but was greeted with the sight of his husband. It didn't help Bucky settle his emotions, but he went stony-faced to try and hide them. Tony wasn't fooled.

The younger man went to his old workbench, picking up a tool to play with. The tension was palatable and Tony didn't know how to break it, so he waited.

Bucky sighed. His husband wasn't used to having to admit he was wrong, so the super soldier knew he would have to start them off. The problem lay in the fact that they were still hurting. Bucky from the betrayal and Tony from how much pain he had put his family through. But it had to end at some point.

"Tony," Bucky said, "whatever you're going to say," he finally put the picture back on the table, leaning his head back, "I can't right now."

Tony hated hearing the ache in Bucky's beautiful voice. He hated the fact he had put it there more. So, he decided to bite the bullet and just get it out. Lying had gotten him into this mess and only the truth could get him out.

"I know I messed up," Tony said. "I shouldn't have lied, and since you need space," something both of them hated but knew it was necessary, "I brought a gift."

As if my forgiveness can be bought. Bucky didn't want a thing to make his resolve crumble. He got the admission, but now, he needed proof. Words only went so far and he couldn't let Tony just get away with hurting him so fundamentally. However, Tony's way of expressing himself was with gifts, and Bucky couldn't and wouldn't change that about the man he loved.

"Fine," the super soldier said, slightly agitated but accepting, "I'll take it. But that doesn't fix this."

Tony nodded. He knew where his husband was coming from. Still, a smile played on his lips.

"You can come in now, Morgan," Tony called out.

Any mask Bucky had been trying to maintain fell away as he said in shock, "Oh my God. Morgan?"

She ran in and straight into Bucky's arms, her raven hair flying out behind her. He held her as tears formed in both their eyes. This was not the gift Bucky had expected but it was one he needed. He hated and loved that Tony could do this to him, that the younger man knew exactly what to give him to make everything seem better.

"Я скучал по тебе, папа! - I missed you, papa!" Morgan said.

Just like Bucky, when she was upset, Morgan would revert to Russian. Moments like this were private and she didn't want anyone else to know how deep her emotions ran. Bucky didn't like that she got that from him, hiding her vulnerability, but he knew that those who earned the right to see it meant the world to his daughter.

Bucky pulled back to look at her, both letting the tears fall as he said, "Я тоже скучал по тебе, Долли. Мне жаль, что меня не было так долго. - I missed you too, Dolly. I'm sorry I was gone for so long."

Bucky knew he had kept her at arm's length ever since finding out Tony had lied to him. She didn't act like it bothered her, but it had to. She needed both of her parents and both were isolating in their own ways, leaving her alone even with them in the same room as her.

But Morgan was smart, just like Tony. She knew something had happened between her fathers and they needed to work it out. She was an independent young woman. It didn't matter how long it took, she could handle it, knowing Bucky and Tony were meant for each other.

Tony had told her that he lied to Bucky on the way back to Wakanda. He hadn't told her what it was about, only that it had pushed Bucky away. Lies were the one thing her papa could not stand, and she had learned at a young age that it seemed to break open something inside him that took over his every thought. She had lied to Bucky one time and he had distanced himself then too. She vowed to never do that to him or anyone else ever again.

Finding out her dad had done that to her papa made her mad, but when Tony explained that she was Bucky's gift and that he just wanted to see him smile again, she couldn't keep the anger. Morgan knew she was the first step to fixing what Tony had almost broken.

"Я знаю, папа, - I know, papa," Morgan said. "Я понимаю. - I understand."

Tony gave a teasing smile as he asked, "So, am I forgiven yet?"

The smile his husband and daughter had been waiting for appeared as Bucky answered, "Not yet, but getting there."