All the mistakes are mine, but the characters are not.
Hey guys! I'd glad that you guys liked the last chapter. Its March 2nd and I'm writing the 4th one now [April 20th, now writing the 5th and last chapter] while I just put up the first one up last night. By the time I post this it'll be weeks probably or months and I'll be knee deep in another story and its multiple chapters but I just wanted to add this note here so you can see how I work.
Thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites. You are what drives me to continue.
By the time the jet had landed and Steve was moved to the house the work day was coming to an end. It took a little bit to get Steve to come around eventually just standing in the back of the jet with his head on his best friend's shoulder with both the other's arms wrapped around him. He was heavily medicated with something strong enough to work on the super soldier. Eventually Steve was coherent enough to nod in understanding that they had to move into the house. Clint took both their bags and Bucky very slowly walked Steve inside where Laura helped him settle Steve on the couch for now.
"Sorry.." Bucky hadn't even said hello to Laura before she was already helping them. Making sure Steve was tucked in, kissed the top of his head before she placed a glass of water on he coffee table with a coaster on top. She could tell he was medicated and there was no holding a conversation with him in the moment.
She wiped her hands on her dress as if they were wet or dirty, a habit, and smiled over to Bucky before going over and opening her arms to take him in a hug. Clearly very excited to meet him, "No no, it okay, I'm just happy to see you guys finally. Its so nice to meet you Bucky, hi!" She greeted him with a hug.
Bucky was careful in returning the hug, didn't want to accidentally press her too hard and squish her. Its not like him to be giving hugs. He was nervous about every little movement and even talking to Laura, but she smelled nice, she was soft and it just kind of felt like home and something within Bucky calmed when she pulled back and sweetly smiled at him while keeping her hands on his side she offered to get him a drink or tea if he liked while they sat and talked about the day. "Yes, I'll have some tea." He found himself agreeing, usually not one to accept anything either.
A few hours later when everyone had settled and both Clint and Laura got the download on how to properly care for Steve. The man was still out cold right beside them but it was about time he wake up have something easy to eat and take one of his meds then Bucky wondered if he can attempt to keep him awake for a few hours with either a game or a movie with the kids before its late enough to get Steve to have another snack, take meds and properly move to bed for the night. He still hadn't seen their room or even met the kids. Buck wondered if they were even around. Maybe because the whole jet thing or that Steve is ill and could use the peace at arrival.. the kids were elsewhere?
"Come upstairs Bucky? I'll show you your room. Steve will be alright, he's just napping." Laura was calling from upstairs and Buck wasn't really into leaving Steve alone but Clint from the kitchen gave him a nod, an understanding on one: To follow what his wife said and second that he will keep an eye on Steve from there. Bucky made his way up. "Coming."
Laura showed him all the rooms. The two older kids roomed together, the baby had his own room. She and Clint had the master, the second room was same size as the master bedroom and it had two beds pushed very close together and that was the room they had set for Bucky and Steve. It had its own large bathroom with a tub that looked more expensive than his arm and something in it he'd never seen before. Little silver holes? Laura said it was for bubbles and pressure water to come through ang that he should try it. There were two dressers and a walk in wide closet. "I know, it looks like I set you two up with the master but I promise its not. I'll show you my room next. Its bigger." She chuckled, he nodded and followed her.
"You have a wonderful home, Ms. Barton." Bucky complimented following after her to the laundry room and the linen closet, she spoke the whole time and he listened as close as he could to every detail. "Call me Laura, sweetheart. I feel like I'm tutoring a student when you say Ms. Barton. Well, I am a tutor but I am not tutoring you." He chuckled and nodded to her, Laura it is, he said to himself. "Oh and all the extra towels are here. I always make sure this is full because obviously I have little kids and accidents happen. One of them throws up or something." He made a mental note about that closet.
"Thank you for taking us both in. It can't be easy.. especially with little kids and Steve is no longer capable of helping in any way." He wasn't sure how else to say it because he wanted to bring up the fact that her life was already a little hectic but now she had to watch out for not one but two other men in her house.
With a shake of her head she smiled sweetly at Bucky, "Steve may not be able to help, but I have you. Don't I? I think we'll be okay. I absolutely love Steve with all my heart, literally, I contemplated adopting him but I'm not sure if you can adopt a grown man. He speaks very highly of you so I am very happy to have you here as well. I think you could use some down time too. This last month hasn't been easy for the both of you. And.. I'm glad you're okay." She reached out and squeezed his right arm to which he smiled back sadly. Guess she knew, either Steve or Clint had told her.
"Thank you, Laura. I'm really happy to be here and I can help with anything you like." He said with a content nod to which she took her arm back and pulled up her hair in a messy bun, "Anything?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, oh yea.. she already had things in mind. A mother will never deny any help. Definitly not her. "I think I'll have you help me with little Nate then. You ready to meet them?" Bucky's eyes went a little wide, wait.. he thought "The kids are here?" he asked confused.
"Of course! Where else would they be?" She laughed a little and pushed into a room where little heads immediately popped up. "This is the game room slash office slash play room for the kids. I just had them here while the jet was landing. I put some headphones on them so they don't get scared form the noise and Cooper checks out the window for when its gone and he'll remove all the headphones and play with his little sister Laila and they both keep an eye on Nathaniel for me." The kids were staring at Bucky who awkwardly stood there while Laura started picking up toys from the floor. It must be the shiny arm he thought. Fully exposed with this short sleeve, pretty comfortable shirt. He never wears short sleeve shirts..
Little Nathanial was the first to get up and break the silence and this whole awkward stare down that was happening. He wobbled and walked straight up to Bucky who was now looking down at the toddler who suddenly put his arms up and made a "Ugh" sound. Bucky just stared at him like his brain had just stopped working. The gears were no longer turning. Uh-oh.
"Its okay. You can pick him up." Laura wasn't even looking while she responded. She placed the toys in their correct locations and told the other boy something in his ear. He immediately waved at Bucky and Bucky waved back. Laila was next to speak, "Hi, 'm Laila." Bucky smiled to them both and waved at her too. "Hi Laila, Cooper. I'm Bucky." At his feet there was a grumble and then something was pulling at the fabric of his pants. It was Nathaniel. Bucky looked down at him once again, unsure, "Palms under the armpits, one arm perpendicular on the back once you got him up." Laura said with a quick air demonstration so Bucky bent a bit and got his palms carefully under Nate's arms and lifted him up. He brought him close to his chest and switched his left arm out to keep behind the young toddler who was grinning at him with the biggest cheeky smile.
"He loves being carried, he's going to do that a lot to you now that you did it once. Most of us distract him and run away." She half joked. She wasn't fully kidding, Nate is a happy and heavy toddler. Finally off breast feeding so he was a little chonky and loved all the snacks and usually cried for more if it were in his eyesight.
"You guys want to go say hi to uncle Stevie? Laila, be careful okay. He is resting, no jumping and only one kiss, okay love?" Laila nodded to her mother and stormed out of the bedroom, Buck was quick to move aside with little Nate in his arm who was curiously inspecting Buck's cold shoulder with his lips, just drooling into his metal crevices. Laura just watched Bucky confusedly watching her youngest so closely and with such precision. It was honestly hilarious and she did her best to not laugh out loud. "No Nate.. no.." She came over to give him a stern look and he stopped and buried his face into the assassins' neck trying to hide." Bucky about turned into a puddle, this was unbelievably cute. His features softened some more and his arm gently rubbed at the boy's back.
"Its okay, I don't mind. I understand that its different therefore it shall be inspected. I do the same thing.. sometimes drool's present too." Bucky spoke to the baby like he understood any of it while following Lura out of the room and down the stairs. Laura couldn't help but laugh, Clint raised an eyebrow seeing her coming down with a laugh so she explained that Bucky was holding a conversation with baby Nate and they were exchanging similar experiences. Clint just silently chuckled to himself.
Downstairs Steve stirred awake when Laila plopped her usual kiss to the corner of his lips. His lips curled up in a smile and he blinked his eyes open to see Cooper fixing the blanket over him. Such a sweet caring boy, Steve thought. He reached over and took the boys hand gently and carefully pulled him onto a hug before letting him go. "Are you okay?" The boy asked his such concern, it melted Steve's heart.
"I'm okay, baby. Just tired." He said keeping the smile on. He was still laying down and didn't quite have the energy to sit up. "Just needed to laydown for a little bit." He added to which cooper nodded and Laila was already turning on a Tinkerbelle movie for Steve to watch. She did that because she liked Tinkerbell and she thought if anyone wasn't felling well they should watch Tinkerbell and they'll feel better again. It was cute.
Bucky finally came down to sit beside his friend's head. Steve was laid up on one of the long 'L' sections of the couch facing the tv under one of his blankets. Steve looked up at him and gave a smile, happy to see Bucky was getting along with the kids since he literally had baby Nate in his arms. "Hi Nate." He said up to Buck's arms and Nate's eyes went wide and he immediately squirmed out of Buck's arms and crawled to Steve's face plopping down a wet kiss on the bridge of his nose before crawling under the blanket and laying beside Steve's chest.
"Awh, did you miss me Nate? I missed you too muffin." Steve brought his shaky right arm up to run his shaky fingers along the little boy's cheeks who seemed to already be ready to sleep there but it was too early sleep when he glanced at the clock on the wall and only was 7:45.
"Nate, baby, uncle Steve is not feeling well. You want to come to daddy?" Clint tried from the kitchen, knowing that the he will try to play with Steve like usual. Nate only clung to Steve and pouted, Bucky watched in awe. Steve was so comfortable with the kids and all the kids seem to care for him so much.
"Its okay, Clint. We'll both be quiet and watch Tinkerbell." Steve called over the couch, just happy to be back 'home' and around the kids. Family. Bucky.
While the movie went on, Clint made them all dinner and made Steve something soft and easy. They had dinner on the couch, a little weird but they didn't have it in them to leave Steve alone there or make him move to the dining table. The kids ate on the floor, the movie went on into the next one. Somewhere in there baby Nate was fast asleep and Bucky and Laura took him from Steve to his room. Bucky went without asking because he wanted to know how to properly put the kids to sleep especially the toddler which involved changing to a clean nappy and specific creams, a bottle and sometimes some rocking in place but today he was already knocked out. Downstairs the hot chocolates were coming along for the four adults as they talked about the last four days. Bucky learned how the Bartons found Steve by his bike. Clint and Laura learned how Bucky found out and they both learned from Steve about how the last four days in the hospital were like. Just sharing stories. Talking about Phil, Natasha and Wanda.
The night went on and eventually the two helped Steve and Bucky to their rooms. Steve was exhausted have way up the stairs and Laura and Clint thought about giving them the smaller guest bedroom downstairs. Shared last minute information on where to find certain things for Bucky and Steve. Soon after that Bucky had stretched Steve sore and huffing on that right side and after he took his meds then the super soldier was fast asleep. Bucky sat by his friend's bedside for a few minutes just watching Steve peacefully sleep. Eventually he got up to brush his own teeth too, have a drink of water and turned off the bathroom light and both their lamps, using the little bit of moonlight through the curtains to find his way into the other side of the bed and laid down to rest. Tomorrow was going to be a new day and for the first time in a long time he was excited for the following day. Spending time with Steve and friends.
A/N: Next chapter is definitely last. I was getting that last chapter vibes here and I think I should've definitely closed it but I pushed through.
Next chapter is going to definitely be a little bit of a time jump somewhere in the middle.
Thanks for all the likes, favs and follows. I love your reviews.