Disclaimer: Marvel Characters are property of Marvel. Original Characters are mine. Just for fun, not for profit.
Short Nights, Long Days
After the fitful night, Bucky slept later than he typically did. The sun was already up when he rolled out of bed. Nyssa was still asleep curled up on her side, with both babies asleep in the cove of her body, tiny arms entwined. He smiled at the sight, then ventured out to the kitchen to prepare something for breakfast. He decided pancakes sounded good and began assembling ingredients. He had just finished whisking everything together when a loud moan from the bedroom brought him back to investigate. Nyssa was sitting up in the bed, hands cupped around her breasts with a pained expression on her face.
"Do they look bigger?" she asked, her tone distressed. "They feel gigantic." Bucky's eyes widened. They had more than doubled in size overnight, looking… rather impressive, actually, given Nyssa's small frame.
"Ah… yes. They are definitely bigger," he agreed.
"I guess Shuri's tea worked as intended," Nyssa concluded. "But holy cow, I didn't expect it to be so uncomfortable. Come on, babies, you need to help your mama out." She picked up the nearest sleeping infant and cradled her to her breast. Brooklyn latched without opening her eyes, and Nyssa first winced, then sighed.
"I thought I'd make pancakes," Bucky informed her. Her expression brightened.
"That sounds wonderful," she sighed. "But I'm not sure I'll be able to make it to the table anytime soon."
"I can bring some in for you," he offered. He glanced over at Jameson, still sleeping at Nyssa's side. "Are you sure it's safe to have them in bed with us? Couldn't you roll over and…" He trailed off, not wanting to complete the sentence. Nyssa shook her head.
"I was doing research last night," she informed him, touching the interface tucked behind her ear. "Since there's not a lot else to do when you're up walking the floor with restless babies. It's possible to bedshare safely, as long as you follow the safe sleep rules." She held up a hand and ticked them off on her fingers. "No smoking, parents not under the influence of any substances, breastfeeding mom, healthy baby, lightly dressed, on their backs and a safe sleep surface, which means no extra toys or pillows, firm mattress, and keep blankets away from their faces." She shrugged. "You know I wouldn't do anything that would harm them. Believe me, I am aware of them the entire time."
"So, were you thinking of making this a permanent arrangement?" Bucky asked skeptically.
"Permanent, no. They're not going to still be sleeping with us as adults," Nyssa said cheekily. Bucky raised an eyebrow at her.
"You know what I meant," he replied archly. Nyssa sighed.
"I know that I am more comfortable when they are close by," she admitted. "I don't know that I want them in a different room. But we can try some different arrangements to see what works best for us. You need to be fully on board, too. There's two of them and two of us, so this is going to be a team effort."
"Having them in our bed will make… other activities… more difficult," Bucky pointed out. Nyssa smirked at him.
"You say that like you've never bent me over the couch before," she teased him.
"Hey," he replied, pointing a finger at the nursing Brooklyn. "Cover her ears when you say shit like that." Nyssa put a hand over the baby's ear and shot him a mock-scandalized look.
"Language," she reminded him. With a chuckle, Bucky went back to the kitchen.
The next few weeks were filled with laughter, touching moments and challenges. It took them about a week to come up with a nighttime plan that worked for everyone. Having the twins sleep in their cribs all but guaranteed that Nyssa spent the majority of the night out of bed, and Bucky was sleeping alone. Putting a mattress on the floor of the nursery helped her get more sleep, but he preferred having her in their room. Bringing the babies into bed with them kept Bucky up most of the night, afraid to fall asleep and roll over on them. Finally, he found a bedside bassinette that kept them within Nyssa's reach, and they all finally got more than a couple hours of sleep. So that was one problem solved. They were not only figuring out new sleeping arrangements, but also adjusting their entire lives around the two tiny humans who had arrived. There was a lot of walking the floors, many sleep-deprived discussions, multiple pots of coffee, several slightly panicked trips to the store, mountains of tiny soiled clothes, and the diapers. So many diapers. Not that it didn't have its perks, too. Unless they had guests over, Nyssa didn't bother with a shirt. It had taken Bucky by surprise the first few days, as she was typically a rather modest person, but he grew to enjoy having her walk around the apartment in nothing but her yoga pants. She often was wearing the babies instead, using the cloth Shuri had given her to secure one or both to her torso, and some days it seemed they nursed constantly. But she was still showing more skin than he was accustomed to. He appreciated it.
Equally thrilling, but for different reasons, was the realization that, as new as they were, the twins already had distinct personalities. Brooklyn was typically the more vocal of the two, making frequent burbles and coos when she was awake, and quick to cry when she was uncomfortable, or when this new, strange world was overwhelming. In contrast, Jameson seemed content to watch everything around him. Light patterns on the walls, the pattern of Darshan's fur, any of the brightly colored toys, and especially faces seemed to capture his attention. Which wasn't to say that he never cried, but it seemed less frequent and less intense than his sister. Not that either of them seemed to fuss for long. Nyssa was particularly adept at discerning what they needed and getting them settled.
The non-human members of the household had to adjust as well. Darshan had been a watchful guardian over the babies, lying nearby when they were on the floor, and following Nyssa around the apartment when she was carrying them. Balaur seemed not to notice that the household had expanded, aside from being put out that he was no longer allowed to fly around the apartment at his leisure. Bucky tried to keep him occupied with extra food scraps and shiny baubles to play with, and occasionally let him out to stretch his wings when the babies were sleeping and he could supervise him closely. The little dragonette had sharp teeth, and his unpredictable breaths of flame had become larger recently. It wasn't something Bucky was willing to risk.
The food that had been brought over by their friends certainly came in handy. Bucky had never seen Nyssa have such an appetite. Usually, he had to remind her to eat, but now she had taken to rummaging through the fridge several times a day, and every plate that he brought to her was scraped clean. Occasionally, she even requested seconds, which was unprecedented. It amused him, and it made sense considering that she was eating for three people. The babies seemed to be thriving. They didn't have the rolls of chubby baby fat that he remembered his sisters having, but that might have been because they were growing so fast. After a month, they had both gained nearly four and a half pounds and more than two inches in length. Sometimes it seemed like they were visibly bigger in the morning after going to sleep for the night. The three-month baby clothes they had started with were already growing tight.
The first week had been filled with friends coming to visit, excited to meet the babies. It was almost overwhelming. As time went on, visits were more sporadic, which Bucky found himself grateful for. It was hard enough adjusting to the new normal without having to entertain guests.
Nyssa abruptly stood up from the couch, setting Brooklyn down momentarily on the cushion as she grabbed her shirt from the arm of the sofa beside her. Brooklyn protested. Nyssa began to sing a nursery rhyme, making faces at the baby as she shrugged into the garment before picking the baby girl up again. Brooklyn's protests turned to giggles. Bucky smiled at the sound. He was only mildly surprised when, a moment later, a knock came at their door. He glanced over at Nyssa expectantly. "It's Tony," she informed him. With a nod, he went to answer, Jameson cradled in one arm.
"Hey, Tony," he greeted him. Tony's expression had been exasperated initially, but softened as Jameson waved a fist, contemplating him seriously.
"Bucky," he said, inclining his head towards him. "How's fatherhood treating you?" Bucky half-smiled.
"Not a lot of sleep, but plenty of… other rewards," he said, thinking of sweet sleeping baby faces, first smiles and tiny heads resting against his chest and shoulder. "It's kind of… new territory." Tony nodded.
"I know exactly what you mean," he agreed. "Is this a good time?" Bucky stepped back and gestured for Tony to enter. Tony strolled in. "Good morning, Nyssa."
"Good morning, Tony. Here to see the babies, or did you have other business?" she inquired. Tony shrugged.
"Other business can wait," he said dismissively, stretching his arms out towards the infant in Nyssa's arms. "Does Jameson want to see his Uncle Tony?" Nyssa chuckled.
"I don't know, but Brooklyn would like to," she replied, handing over the infant. Tony frowned slightly, but then cradled Brooklyn in one arm.
"Well, hello, Miss Brooklyn," Tony said in a high-pitched, silly voice. Brooklyn gurgled and reached up to grab Tony's beard. Tony chuckled. "Did your mommy pick your clothes this morning?"
"No, I did," Bucky said, nonplussed at Tony's comment. "Why?"
"I just thought… some interesting color choices, that's all," Tony commented. Bucky frowned.
"Blue for girls, pink for boys, right?" he said. He was pretty sure that's how he remembered it from when his sisters were small. Most of the clothing Nyssa had selected were solid colors, without frills or lace or cute sayings that would give clues one way or the other. Nyssa chuckled from the couch.
"That custom changed after World War II, but don't worry about it," she assured him. "It's just marketing, and they're just colors. I'm sure the blue onesie matches her eyes perfectly."
"Right, and the hot pink on Jameson is stunning," Tony agreed blandly, gesturing towards the infant Bucky held. He bounced Brooklyn up and down a few times. "It's been awhile since Aaron was this small, but she seems… bigger than I expected."
"According to Shuri, they're maintaining their accelerated rate of development," Nyssa confirmed. Tony's eyebrows rose, and he whistled.
"Wow," he commented. "That's impressive." Brooklyn grabbed onto his finger, pulling it closer to her face. "As is her grip. How is someone so tiny that strong already?" Bucky shrugged.
"It's not like they did any studies of the effects of the serum on child development," he pointed out.
"No, I guess that's what you two are doing," Tony pointed out dryly. "Technically."
"You mentioned you had other business?" Bucky reminded him. "Technically." Tony nodded and handed Brooklyn back to Nyssa.
"Right." He turned to face Bucky. "I'm here – officially – to inquire when you are returning to active status as an Avenger. Both of you, I suppose." He gestured his arm to include Nyssa in the question. "And also, Double Helix wants you to go in and do some voice recordings for their game. They mentioned they might have to find someone else to record your part if you aren't going to be able soon." Bucky sighed. He had intended to take just the first week off, but no world-ending crises had come up, Nyssa still needed him at home, and it was harder to leave the babies than he had thought it would be. So he kept putting it off.
"I can be back," he conceded, glancing over at Nyssa. "Starting tomorrow." Tony nodded approvingly.
"Well, that's a relief, because we're due to meet with the National Security Council tomorrow," he reminded him. Bucky sighed. He hadn't missed those meetings at all. Tony turned towards Nyssa. "And you, Dr. Taylor?" She shook her head.
"I think I'll be out for quite awhile yet, Tony," she replied. He nodded, his expression unsurprised.
"Very good," he declared. He pointed his finger at Bucky. "See you tomorrow, then."
As if sensing the impending change the next morning, the twins were restless and fussy most of the night. They alternated their waking, leaving only twenty to thirty-minute periods of quiet in between. By the time the sun rose, Nyssa's head was throbbing from fatigue, and Bucky groaned as he rolled out of bed to prepare for the day. By the time he got out of the shower, Nyssa was moving around the kitchen in a zombie-like daze. He paused and watched as she poured herself a cup of fresh, hot coffee, added a small dash of creamer, stirred it in, then returned the coffee carafe to the refrigerator, leaving the creamer sitting out on the counter. He retrieved the coffee carafe, put the creamer back in the refrigerator, and raised his eyebrows at his wife.
"Are you sure you can handle it on your own today?" he asked. "Last night was rough." Nyssa nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.
"I just need to let the caffeine kick in," she breathed.
"Alternatively, you could go back to bed, now that they're finally sleeping," Bucky suggested.
"I wanted to make you breakfast and see you off for the day," Nyssa said ruefully.
"And I appreciate that," Bucky replied, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her back towards the bedroom. "But I am a grown man, and I can fend for myself. You need more sleep more than I need someone to cook me breakfast." Nyssa did not fight him as he steered her back towards the bed.
"You're right," she sighed. She paused in the doorway and turned to face him. "At least let me kiss you good-bye," she whispered, keeping her voice quiet so as not to wake the babies. Bucky pulled her in close and kissed her thoroughly. She sagged against him for a moment, burying her face in his chest. Then, with an effort, she released him, and crept back into the bed. She was asleep in moments. Bucky watched the three of them slumber, wishing he could stay. Instead, he got dressed and left.
"I'm so glad you and Petra could come for a visit today, Wanda," Nyssa said sincerely, handing the other woman a fresh cup of coffee. "I'll admit, I was a little nervous about my first day solo with them." Wanda smiled warmly at her.
"I remember my first afternoon solo with Petra. I think I might have cried a couple times," she admitted. "And you have twins. You must be exhausted."
"Just a bit," Nyssa said dryly. "I'm basically running on caffeine sheer willpower today." Wanda chuckled softly.
"I've had a few days like that myself," she sympathized. She looked down at where Petra was playing on the carpet, just a couple feet away from where the twins were lying. Brooklyn was on her tummy, staring in fascination at a brightly-colored stuffed octopus set about a foot away from her face. Jameson was on his back, staring up at the quilted animals hanging from the arches of the activity gym. "Are you ever tempted to, ah, 'help' them go to sleep? Since you can?" Wanda asked. Nyssa shrugged.
"Tempted, sure," she conceded. "But their brains are still developing. I don't know what effect that kind of manipulation would have. The last thing I want to do is condition them so that they can't fall asleep without me… 'helping' them." She raised an eyebrow at Wanda. "Have you?" Wanda chuckled.
"That's one skill I haven't exactly mastered. I don't think I should practice it on her." She looked lovingly over at Petra, who was sitting up playing with a set of soft blocks. "I'm not entirely sure it would work, either." She watched her thoughtfully. Petra held up a soft pyramidal block with black and white patterns on two sides and a light blue textured cloth on the other sides. She wrinkled her little brow in concentration, and a soft golden glow surrounded it. The pyramid began to shake and spin, then with a little pop, a second, duplicate pyramid appeared beside the first. Petra giggled in delight and clapped her hands as the blocks spun around each other in the air before her. Nyssa raised her eyebrows.
"Is she….?" She asked. Wanda sighed.
"Only eight months old, and she can already duplicate anything she touches," she confirmed. "She also has inherited her father's tendency to go through walls, though her control is still a bit shaky."
"I bet that keeps you on your toes," Nyssa commented. Wanda grinned at her.
"It does keep life interesting," she agreed. "Though I have a feeling yours are going to be a challenge, too." She gestured towards the carpet. "If I'm not mistaken, Brooklyn just rolled herself over."
Starting his first day returning to work with a meeting with the National Security Council was a little like jumping into the deep end of the pool to get his feet wet. Tony brought him up to speed on everything he'd missed in the past month, but a quick debrief didn't capture all the nuance of the politics. Thankfully, with Tony there, they didn't expect him to talk much, so he just listened instead.
After the meeting, he had Tony drop him off at Double Helix to check if he had missed his chance to be included in their project. He had been half-prepared to argue with them about it, but it turned out that wasn't necessary. They were relieved that he still wanted to be involved. He signed a revised contract, and then several autographs at their request. It still seemed strange to him that somebody would want that from someone like him, but life was surreal in many ways at times. He left with copies of the script that they wanted him to look over for his recording session for next week. He had a script for Nyssa, too, and promised he would have her touch base with them soon.
It was a short walk from their office to the subway. With a jacket on that covered up his most recognizable feature, he didn't attract too much attention. He settled onto the train and began to read through his script. He was only a few pages in when there was a deafening explosion, and he found himself tipping backwards. The lights flickered and went out to a chorus of screams from injured and frightened travelers. He pulled himself up on a pole to look out a window on the other side, and caught a glimpse of shadowy figures, then a flash of blinding light. The train car exploded around him, and everything went black.
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