A Stucky Story

The Asset and The Grandparents

It was a sad day for Steve. He didn't like this time of the year for two reasons. One, the cold weather was creeping in and two, his mother's passing. He knew it's been over seventy years since she passed, but he could vividly remember sitting by her bed and telling her that he loved her. The day of her funeral, he had no one until Bucky came. He was always there, even offered him to live with him. But he had to assure him that he would be okay on his own. 

Steve woke up feeling sad, it was like his body knew what day it was. He got up early and sat outside on his patio. Usually he go for an extra long jog, but he couldn't leave his sleeping boy alone. Then Harley came outside. He sat by Steve and put her head on his lap.

"I always heard dogs knew when their owners felt grief, I didn't believe it. You just proved me wrong." They sat outside watching the sunrise, then Harley's head popped up.

"He must be awake. Let's go see him." They went inside. Bucky was awake and sucking on his paci.

"Hey, sweet boy, did you sleep good?" Bucky nodded and looked at Steve for a long time. Steve had to touch his face to snap him out of his daze.

"What do you want for breakfast? The usual?" Bucky smiled. They went in the kitchen and fixed eggs and rice and Harley's breakfast. Bucky was nearly finished with his, Steve barely touched his. Bucky saw him and pushed his bowl towards Steve.

"Yeah, you can have more."

"No, you."

"You want me to have some? I'm good Buck." Steve got up from the table and unbuckled the waist belt. Steve sat on the couch and sighed. Bucky looked at Steve, why was he being so weird today? 

Bucky got up and got Lamby. Lamby always made him feel a little better. He put the lamb in front of Steve.

"I don't need your Lamby, Buck." Said Steve. Bucky pushed the lamb further into Steve's arms and Steve kept pushing it away, growing more irritated.

"Damn it, Buck. I don't need the stupid lamb." Steve said aggressively. Bucky flinched at his tone and started to cry. Steve didn't bother to stop him and went in his room. 

After a half hour, Steve realized it was strangely quiet. He went back in the living room and saw Bucky had fallen asleep on the floor. He was still crying, but he needed a nap.

"Oh Bucky, I'm sorry. Today is a hard day and I wished you remembered why." Steve sat on the couch, he really did want Bucky to comfort him. But Bucky was still mentally unstable and could barely understand his own emotions, how would he react having Steve crying all over him?

Steve got an idea later in the day when Bucky woke up. He didn't look at Steve for a while. Steven didn't feel any better, even Bucky could tell.

"Hey, Buck, can we go somewhere special today?" Asked Steve. Bucky looked at him, then nodded.

"Okay, I have to make one stop then we can go there." Steve got dressed and got Bucky dressed something warm. Steve put on his harness and the new lead that was apparently could withstand wear and tear and biting. He put Harley's on and they left.

Apparently, this one stop was a floral shop. Bucky looked at all the pretty flowers, they were cool and there was a lot of smells. A lot of earthy smells and some sweet smells. 

"Hello, what can I get you today?" Said the clerk lady.

"Two dozen white lilies."

"Oh are we seeing someone special?"

"You could say that." Steve didn't notice that she had been blushing like crazy since he walked through the door. Bucky sat on the floor and played with the fallen flowers. The clerk lady came back with the white lilies. 

"Thank you, they're beautiful." He paid the lady and told Bucky to get up.

"You're welcome. Tell her what's on your mind. And it's okay to cry." The trio left the floral shop, it wasn't a long walk to the special place. But when they arrived, Bucky didn't understand why there was rocks standing up from the ground and there was words on them.

"We're almost there." They walked a little more then they stopped in front of two headstones.

Sarah Rogers: October 15, 1936 TB loving mother and wife.

Joseph Rogers: May 8, 1918 KIA loving father and husband. Loyal soldier.

Steve took a deep breath and sat down in front of the graves.

"Hey, guys it's me. I brought your favorite flowers ma." Steve wiped off the dirt from their graves and placed the flowers down. Bucky tilted his head and sat down. These were daddy's parents. 

"I'm pretty sure you guys remember Bucky. He's not the same as before, but he's as stubborn as ever. And this lovely girl is Harley, she's Bucky service animal and in a way my emotional support." Steve sighed. Bucky started to chew on his necklace then he heard sniffling. He looked and saw Steve crying. He's never seen daddy cry and it was making him nervous. But then he felt something change.

Steve tried to hold in his emotions but it never got easier. Seventy plus years of not having his mother and growing up without his father crashed down on him. The only reason he didn't crash earlier in life was because he felt completely numb when he lost Bucky. Now that he had him back, he wish he had his parents too.

"It's okay, Steve. They're watching over us." Said Bucky. Steve looked at him, he was staring at their graves and shaking.

"Bucky."

"She loved you more than anything and will support you, your father too."

"Yeah, they will."

"Don't cry, I'm still here." Bucky touched Steve's face, he still wasn't looking at Steve. But Steve could tell it was his Bucky. Steve kissed his hand and smiled when the wind blew softly. Bucky crawled onto Steve's lap and signed milk.

"You know, if they were still here and saw you like this. They would spoil you so much." Said Steve getting Bucky's milk from his bag.

"Daddy's daddy."

"We call that grandparents. My dad would have been your grandfather and my mother would have been your grandmother."

"Granddaddy and grand mommy."

"That's right. And they love you so much."

"Like daddy?"

"Daddy loves you a little more." Said Steve poking his stomach. Bucky laughed. That laugh made almost everything better. If Bucky's laugh could heal all his problems, he wouldn't have to be Captain America more. But hearing every once in a while always brightened up his day and he really needed it today.

"Hey, I'm sorry about yelling earlier. I knew you were trying to make me feel better, I didn't mean to snap at you."

"Daddy, happy?"

"Daddy is happy. Let's go back home, have some soup and watch a movie." Bucky nodded and stood up.

"Bye, grand mommy and granddaddy." Said Bucky waving to the graves.

"Bye ma and dad. Same time next year, I promise. We'll be here for you guys birthday too." Said Steve smiling. 

The walk home was fun, Steve kept tickling his side and Bucky was trying to find his tickle spot. But Steve wasn't ticklish on his stomach and he wouldn't tell Bucky. If Bucky suddenly remembered that spot, he was in trouble.

Once they arrived home, Steve warmed two bowls of chicken and rice soup. Bucky picked the movie 'Lilo and Stitch'. Bucky had seen half of the movie then fell asleep during the rest. So now he figure out the movie ended. Steve picked up Lamby from the floor and place  it in between them.

Steve smiled at the lamb, his mom loved lambs. And she would always tell him that lambs were always more than what we count in our sleep. Steve now knew what that meant. The lamb, in a way, was like his mother, caring and always there for support. That was why Bucky was pushing him to hold the stuffed lamb.

"Daddy, Lamby love you."

"I love her too."