The Encyclopedia Of Bucky Barnes' New Beginnings | Stucky

Three ∆ As Good As It Can Be

Bucky closed his car door after setting up the car seat and getting Olivia into the back. She refused to look at him, or even speak to him, so all communication had been done with Julia between them. But now they were alone. And Bucky had no idea how to talk to this little girl, that seemed to hate his very existence.

He inhaled gratefully as he took off the disposable mask, taking his usual one out of his pocket to put it back around the gearshift. "You can take off your mask, if you want." Glancing over his shoulder, he watched her take the disposable mask off.

Dot was right - she did look a lot like him. His dark wavy-borderline-curly hair, his winter ocean eyes, his mouth, his cheekbones. But she had Dot's freckles, her adorable button nose.

Turning back around, he took his phone out of his pocket as he asked, "You like mac and cheese?"

"Yeah," she said, her soft voice hoarse.

"That's good." He opened up his messages, and sent 'Dot died. I'm bringing Olivia with me, so you may want to start dinner' as he added, "My husband makes really good mac and cheese. It's an important part of our relationship."

"...Husband?" she asked, sounding incredibly confused. Bucky wasn't surprised - knowing that he and Dot had been together, it seemed like that wasn't an option.

"Yeah. Steve's amazing, and he's excited to meet you."

He was met with silence, and he quietly sighed as he turned on the engine and set the gearshift into drive. It was going to take time, he knew that. But he couldn't understand why she hated him the way she did, and hoped this was just a stubborn part of the grief.

He continued to overthink as he drove back home, hands white-knuckled around the wheel. Making a mental checklist of everything he now had to do on top of everything he previously had, then rewriting it as he thought of more and more. But he finally turned down his street, and suddenly something twisted in his gut, this need for Steve, to hug him, to talk this chaos out with him.

As he slowly maneuvered the small SUV into the driveway, he reached up to press the garage remote, to open the door. It pulled up, and, when he could fit, he led the car into his open side. When he was in place, he pressed the close button, and turned and pulled his keys from the ignition the engine turning off and the pure silence smothering them. He shook himself from his daze, so he wouldn't end up sitting there for another half hour, and got out of his seat, pushing the door shut behind him as he moved to open Olivia's. She was trying, but he intervened and unclipped her car seat, holding an offering hand out for her, just in case, as she pushed herself out of it and hopped out of the car. She got out of the way and he closed the door before they both walked up to the door that connected them to the kitchen inside. He flicked through his keys, unlocked the knob and deadbolt, and pushed the door open.

Steve was standing at the stove, in the flannel pajama pants Bucky had left him in, a black T-shirt added to the ensemble. He looked over at them as they walked in, Olivia moving slow as she took in the new location. Steve opened his mouth to greet her, but closed it when she brushed past him and walked out of the kitchen to see what was next.

Steve muttered something under his breath and turned his eyes on Bucky. He noted, "You look exhausted."

"I am," he huffed. Steve reached out and set his hand on his hip, tugging him closer until he was in his arms. Bucky dropped a chaste peck to the crook of Steve's neck, then raised his head to say under his breath, "I had my evening set in stone. Get well-fucked, eat, and then pass out immediately after. I was so close to getting two of three!"

Steve laughed lightly, and kissed his cheek. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Bucky pressed his smiling lips to Steve's, and carefully pulled away from the gentle embrace. "I should get back to her."