Never Go To A Stark Party

Chapter 10

Steve stared at Bucky incredulously, his eyes the size of saucers. He took a long while to process what he had just been told. Bucky, a man, had gotten pregnant. And he was the father. What kind of sick joke was that?

Was it even a sick joke, though? He wasn't quite sure if he thought Bucky was lying. However, he was even more unsure of how he was supposed to feel. Happy? Shocked--well, he certainly had that one in the bag. Disgusted? Was he supposed to be in disbelief? Was he supposed to question Bucky?

Half of him screamed yes, while the other half told him no. Bucky wasn't a liar. Yes, he may have kept things out of the light, but lying? About something that big? There'd be no point to it.

With each passing moment, Bucky squirmed in his seat. He didn't like silence, not one bit. Silence meant something big was going to come, and nine times out of ten, it wasn't anything good.

He stared at Steve's shocked face intently. The man no longer seemed to be receptive to his surroundings.

"Steve...?" He waved his hand in front of the other's face. "Stevie." He shook Steve gently then stopped when his efforts proved to be fruitless; the other was in shock. He bit his lip hard and sighed.

After a few minutes passed, the brunette decided he couldn't take it anymore and pressed his metal hand to the blonde's cheek. He cupped Steve's face gently.

"Stevie, please talk to me." The yearning evident in Bucky's voice mixed with the coldness of his prosthetic slowly but surely started bringing Steve back.

He blinked once then twice. He instantly took note of the scene in front of him once his eyes became adjusted: Bucky's hand caressing his cheek, the anxiousness in his eyes, the soothing chill against his skin, and the close proximity in which they were. He leaned into Bucky's touch and closed his eyes for a few moments.

Bucky watched him, confused until he finally looked at him. He sighed.

"I don't know what to say, Bucky. What do you want me to say? It's...it's a little hard to believe."

Immediately, the brunette looked down. His eyebrows furrowed deeply. "I know. I know it's hard to believe. But it's the truth. I have the pregnancy test to prove it." He ripped his hand away from Steve's cheek and began searching through his pockets.

Panic set in instantaneously when he didn't find the stick. He quickly shot up from the couch so he had better leverage and pulled the inside cloth of his pants out. "Fuck, fuck, where did I put it...?!" He muttered frantically to himself.

As each moment passed with the pee stick not being in his hand, Bucky could feel his anxiety grow stronger. Without the test as proof, Steve wouldn't believe him. And if Steve didn't believe him, then he'd get mad instead and ban Bucky from ever even looking at him again. And if that happened, then...then Bucky would no longer have a place in this world.

His anxiety beginning to worsen, the brunette started to close in on himself. The paralyzing thoughts and fears that packed his head to the brim with insecurities crippled Bucky and resulted in him whispering frantic apologies and pleads.

"Please believe me, please believe me... I'm so sorry, Stevie, please believe me..." He continued to mutter the rushed words.

Steve stared at the man in front of him in disbelief, mouth agape slightly and his eyes wide. He'd never seen his friend in such a state before, and it terrified him to know that he was the cause of it. He hurriedly shot to his feet and pulled Bucky into a tight hug.

"I believe you, Buck, I do. I promise." He muttered the words softly as he rubbed the other's back in calm, circling motions. The man leaned into his embrace and hugged back just as tightly, if not stronger. His body quivered as he tried calming himself.