A Stucky Story

The Asset and Rumlow part 5

Rumlow woke to the TV playing Paw Patrol. The asset was sucking his thumb again, Rumlow saw that he wasn't focused again. His eyes were twitching and crying.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Rumlow wiped his tears away and stroked his hair from his face. He was twitching too much. Rumlow knew he was having another seizure. Rumlow now figured his withdrawal from the mind wiping was taking its toll on him.

"I'm here for you, baby. Just hold on for a minute." The asset took a deep breath and blinked. He looked at Rumlow and smiled.

"Daddy."

"Hey baby, you feeling okay?" He nodded and laid his head on Rumlow's chest. They laid in that position for another hour, flipping through SpongeBob and Paw Patrol. Rumlow fed him some yoghurt and got him bathed down.

"It's time to go baby, I love you." Rumlow kissed his head and held his hand out of the motel. The asset and Rumlow walked through the city until the asset stopped and smelled the air.

"Familiar."

"I bet it does. We're almost there."  They kept walking through the city and then the asset froze at an alleyway. Rumlow looked at him then at alley.

"Fight?"

"What fight? Baby, come on." The asset looked at the alleyway until it was out of his line of sight. Something about that alley triggered a memory and Rumlow was happy that his hometown was able to jog a small memory.

They stopped at a small, old apartment complex. Rumlow looked at the address and sighed. This was the place.

"Friend?" The asset pointed up. Rumlow nodded and held his hand. They went up the stairs and stopped at a door.

"Listen, baby, whatever happens from now just remember that I love you, okay?" The asset nodded, Rumlow knocked on the door. When the door opened, it revealed Steve Rogers. He took one look at Rumlow then looked at the asset.

When the asset looked at Steve, his whole demeanor changed. He became stiff and more aggressive.

"You're my mission." Said the asset. He tried to swing at him, but Rumlow grabbed his flesh hand.

"No, no. Mission aborted. He's a friend." The asset relaxed, but wasn't sure how to be around this man.

"Bucky? How did... when did..?" He kept stuttering over his words. The asset turned his head at the name Bucky. Rumlow never called him that before.

"Can we come in? I'll explain everything." Asked Rumlow. Steve stepped aside and let them inside. Rumlow sat the asset on the floor, who then put his thumb in his mouth. Steve's face turned questionable.

"How long do we have until your Shield buddies come?" Asked Rumlow.

"Five minutes at the most." Said Steve.

"Alright, I'm not going to fight you. I'm giving him to you. I can't care for him anymore. But once I'm in jail, I want to see him at least twice a month. Just so he knows that I still love him."

"Okay, but why didn't you give him to me earlier?" Asked Steve.

"Like just going to you wouldn't scare him. Look, I know how Shield is, who's to say Fury won't put the death penalty on him. I'm bringing him to you so you can help him."

"How bad is he?" Asked Steve.

"Not eating hard foods, wears diapers and talking is limited." Said Rumlow.

"He's not eating hard foods? So what did you give him?"

"Pedialyte and just recently yoghurt and apple juice."

"And his thumb in his mouth?"

"Buy a pacifier. And more diapers. There's only two more in there, but he should be fine for tonight. I'm pretty sure you have a friend who can help his other issues."

"I do. Anything else I should know about Bucky?"

"Don't call him Bucky for a while, I haven't been calling him a name since I got him. Your Bucky might be in there with the asset, I don't know, but I don't know how he'll respond to a name."

"I'll get him adjusted to it. Anything else?

"He's suddenly developed seizures. He should be fine with medication. He likes to snuggle before bed time and be tickled. And he likes to watch Paw Patrol and SpongeBob." Then there was a knock. Rumlow felt his stomach drop, he looked at the asset and sighed. Steve opened the door and three Shield agents came in.

"Brock Rumlow, are you surrendering?" Said a male agent.

"Yes." The male agent cuffed him. One of the agents looked over his shoulder and saw the asset on the floor.

"The winter soldier, put your hands up now." They drew guns at him. The asset raised his head and looked at the guns pointed to him. He was about to get up but Steve stepped in.

"I'm taking him under my care. He's mentally unstable."

"Discuss that with Fury, get up." Said another male agent. Steve wasn't moving away from him.

"Captain's orders. Let this man be." The agent stood down and went to Rumlow.

"Let's go." They started to go, but Rumlow heard the whining. He looked at the asset and saw that he was confused and becoming scared.

"Can I talk to him for a minute?" The agent let him go to talk to him. Rumlow sat in front of him and sighed.

"Listen to me baby, daddy has to go away for a while because he did some bad things. But I promise you'll still be able to see me."

"No. Stay." He whined.

"I can't. Stay with Steve, he'll care for you."

"You care me. Stay please." This was going to be a lot harder than Rumlow thought it would be.

"Sweetheart, he'll take care of you better than I can. I can't continue caring for you." Said Rumlow. The asset looked at Steve then back at Rumlow with watery eyes.

"No go please." He said.

"I'll try to check on you as much as I can, stay here and be good for him."

"Daddy no." Rumlow kissed his head and the agents started to pull him away. Then the asset started to scream and cry.

"NO. DADDY NO LEAVE." He yelled, Steve was holding him back, they took him outside to their car. He could still hear the asset crying from outside. He didn't want this, he wanted to keep him but this was for the best. For both of them. Rumlow sat in the car, tears fell from his eyes. He was going to miss the asset.

In Steve's apartment, the asset still screamed and cried. He was upset and confused. He didn't know this man and he didn't know why his daddy left him.

"Hey, you're going to be okay. I promise to take care you." The asset looked at Steve, he looked stronger than daddy. Steve sat on the couch and looked at the confused little boy in front of him.

"Do you want to lay down or eat something?" Asked Steve. The asset looked at him, he didn't want to be here. Steve could tell he was nervous, he went in his room and got a plush lamb.

"Here Bucky, I know you're scared and this is a sudden adjustment, but I will try to take care of you like he did." The asset tilted his head up at the name Bucky, it sounded familiar. He took the lamb and hugged it, it was soft.

"You daddy?" Steve sighed, he didn't like hearing the word in this context but it brought him comfort and Steve wasn't going to take that away.

"Yes, you can call me that and I'll call you Bucky. Sounds good?" The asset...Bucky nodded. His name was Bucky now. He now lives with another man who claimed to have known him. This was a huge adjustment but he oddly trusted the man to care for him.

"Come on, pal. Let's go get a bath and get ready for bed." Steve opened his arms, Bucky crawled into his arms. Bucky felt safe in his arms, he didn't exactly feel like Rumlow's but it was good enough. And he was satisfied to call this man daddy.