Bucky watched Maxim's concentrated face across the table. They were in the living area of the tower. Bucky sat on the couch across from Maxim. He was sitting on the floor on his knees holding a yellow Connect4 piece and staring intently at the game. His tongue stuck out one side in concentration.
Maxim held the game piece over the second slot to the right. After a few seconds he dropped it in and sat back looking to Bucky.
"Tвоя очередь." (Your turn.)
Bucky picked up his red piece and dropped it in the right end slot.
They had spent the past two hours watching T.V. and then playing board games. The games came from a bookshelf. So far they had played: Checkers, Candyland, and now Connect4. Maxim never played any of them so Bucky had to teach him.
He already told Maxim that a woman named Pepper was going to come by and take him to the store to go shopping. After he assured Maxim that Bucky was going with him, he seemed a little excited.
"Могу ли я получить больше пижамы? Это действительно круто выглядит." (Can I get more pajamas? These are really cool looking.) Maxim asked him and stretched out his shirt for Bucky to see them. "Посмотрите на них!" (Look at them!)
"Я уверен, что вы можете получить еще немного." (I'm sure you can get some more.) Bucky said.
It was just past twelve when Steve and Sam walked in. Maxim spotted Steve and waved excitedly.
"Стив!" (Steve!)
Steve waved back at him and sat down by Bucky. Sam sat in a armchair close to Maxim. They each took turns playing Connect4 and other games with Maxim until Pepper arrived.
"Here's a list of things he'll need if he's going to be living here." Pepper said and handed Bucky a piece of paper.
As Maxim and Sam put the games back in their boxes, Bucky looked over the list. His eyebrows shot up in surprise at the length of the it.
Shirts
Pants/Shorts
Pajamas
Socks...
Pepper had thought of everything, even the little stuff like kids toothpaste.
Kid toothpaste
Toothbrush
Toys
All of a sudden Bucky realized that Maxim was going to live here. He knew that already, yes, but it was like being in a dream. It didn't really sink in yet that Maxim was going to grow up here until now. That he was going to be taking care of Maxim.
Bucky heart started racing and his breathing quickening. He was starting to panic.
How could he take care of Maxim? He took care of Steve when he was little and he can take care of Alpine, but this is a little boy. Someone whose going to be greatly depending on him.
The paper began to wrinkle under Bucky's grip; he stuffed it in his pocket before anyone could notice. He looked back at Maxim who was still putting the games back with Sam.
"Let me go get my coat." He walked out of the room and into the hallway.
He turned a few corners until he was a little distance away and started pacing back and forth, running his flesh hand through his hair.
You can't do this. What's wrong with you? What were you thinking? It's not fair. It's not fair to Maxim to have to depend on you of all people. You've done to many bad things. Ruined to many lives. You can't take care of-
"Bucky." It was Steve. "You okay?"
Bucky let out a long sigh and stopped pacing. "I'm fine."
"Really? Cause you ran out of their pretty quick." Steve stood a few feet away.
"I'm fine, Steve." Bucky crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his back against the wall.
"Come on. Talk to me."
They stood in silence for a moment until Bucky let out another sigh.
"I can't do this."
Steve made a confused face. "Do what?"
"Do this." Bucky pulled the list from his pocket and waved it in the air. He got up from the wall and started pacing again.
"I can't take care of him. I don't know how. I'm the last person he even needs to be around, Steve. What if something happens and the trigger words are still in my head? Maybe Shuri didn't get them out completely. What if I can't wake up from a nightmare in time? Or-"
"Bucky." Steve stopped him by putting a hand on each of Bucky's shoulders. "Calm down. Breathe."
Bucky dropped his gaze down to Steve's shoes. "I just don't think I'm good enough to take care of him. What if he finds out about what I've done. He'll be terrified of me." He sounded a little choked at the last part.
This time it was Steve who sighed. "Bucky... look at me." Steve shook Bucky by the shoulders when he didn't. "Look at me."
When Bucky finally lifted his head up he saw the same pained expression Steve always had whenever Bucky talked liked this.
"That wasn't you. It was wasn't your fault. Hydra did those things not you. You're not bad. You're James Buchanan Barnes. You're my best friend. One of the best people I know."
Bucky looked away at the wall.
"And when Maxim gets older and he knows about everything, he'll tell you the same thing."
Bucky clenched his jaw a few times before nodding. "Maybe your right."
He looked back at Steve to see a small, sad smile on his face. "I know I am." Bucky was then pulled into a big hug that he gladly returned.
"How many times am I going to have to tell you this?" Steve asked.
Bucky laughed. "I don't know."
Steve squeezed Bucky's shoulder before separating.
"I guess I should go back." Bucky said. "Maxim's been excited to get more pajamas."
Sam appeared around a corner then, holding a worried looking Maxim gripping Sam's shirt.
"Barnes. I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Баки!" (Bucky!)
Maxim slid down to the floor and ran to Bucky.
"He's been panicking ever seen he noticed you were gone. Kept saying your name. Couldn't understand him until Pepper thought of asking F.R.I.D.A.Y. to translate." Sam smoothed his shirt were Maxim made wrinkles on it. "He was afraid you weren't coming back."
Bucky looked down at Maxim's face. His eyes were big with worry and he was gripping Bucky's pants leg.
"Баки, пожалуйста, не уходи. Я не хочу, чтобы ты уходил." (Bucky please don't go. I don't want you to leave.)
Bucky sighed for what felt like the hundredth time today. He shouldn't have left like that. He felt bad for worrying Maxim and leaving everybody else to try and help him when they couldn't even communicate. Maybe once Maxim gets settled in living here he can start to learn English.
"Все в порядке Максим. Я не ухожу." (It's okay Maxim. I'm not leaving.)
Bucky ran a hand through Maxim's hair. "Прошу прощения, что не сказал вам. Я только что пошел за курткой." (I'm sorry for not telling you. I just went to get my jacket.)
Maxim looked around. "Где это находится? Я этого не вижу." (Where is it? I don't see it.)
Bucky chuckled a little. "Это в моей комнате, я еще не получил это. Хочешь пойти со мной?" (It's in my room I haven't gotten it yet. Wanna come with me?)
Maxim shook his head up and down.
"Хорошо, пойдем." (Okay, lets go.) Bucky said. Maxim grabbed Bucky's hand.
"Thanks for helping him." He told Sam.
"No problem, he's good at Connect4. It was all good til he realized you were gone. Started going all invisible until we calmed him down."
Bucky wondered if all kids were like this. He didn't remember his sisters being this clingy, but he could be wrong. He decides to think later about. He felt bad for practically running out on Pepper and he doesn't want to make her wait any longer.
Bucky retrieves his jacket and gloves and Maxim changes into some clothes Pepper got for him earlier so he doesn't have to wear his pajamas. Steve and Sam went also saying they just wanted to get out of the tower.
They shopped for clothes first. Pepper and Maxim both looked through clothes and she helped him get the right size.
Then they went for shoes and then basic needs like a toothbrush and soap for kids.
It was taking a lot longer then Bucky thought; he was surprised to see that it was almost four. Maxim was excited at all the new stuff he was getting though and Bucky thought it was worth the long hours of walking in a crowded, hot place.
The last place they stopped at was the toy store. It was big and had more toys then Bucky thought he'd every seen in his entire life. Maxim dragged Bucky down one isle.
"Вы имеете в виду, что я получаю игрушки!" (You mean I get toys to!)
They spent another hour in there. Maxim looked through the aisles. They found one with board games. Maxim studied all of them and picked one.
"Баки смотри! Может быть, Сэм может сыграть это со мной! Могу ли я иметь это?" (Bucky look! Maybe Sam can play this with me! Can I have it?)Maxim gave the game to Bucky.
They moved on until Maxim stopped at the animal figures. He started showing Bucky and the others different animals.
"Смотри! Разве это не зебра?" (Look! Isn't this a zebra?)
"Aга," (Yep,) Bucky answered. (I didn't know you liked animals.)
"Я не знал, что вы любите животных." (They're so cool Bucky, don't you like 'em?)
"Я люблю кошек." (I like cats.)
Maxim liked Giraffes. He kept talking about how long of a neck it has and how cool his spots were. Pepper said he could get some and Maxim got as many as he could carry. Some of the figures weren't that small and Maxim gave most of them to Bucky while he held clear tubes filled with little insects and sea creatures.
One figure was a two headed dragon with spikes on its back and tail. Maxim thought it looked cool; Bucky thought it looked a little scary himself. They followed Maxim around and Sam brought a small crate to carry the toys.
Maxim wanted to look down one last aisle before they left. He picked the stuffed animals. He wondered down it slowly as he felt the fur from them. He stopped at a giraffe and Bucky guesses that a giraffe is Maxim's favorite animal. Pepper encouraged Maxim to get it and went to the cash registers.
Bucky had been trying all day to pay for Maxim's things, but Pepper wouldn't let him.
"Tony wouldn't let you do it if he were here himself. Besides, he needs to spend his money on something besides his suits and tech anyways. He's got to much of it."
By the end of the day the car Pepper drove was filled with shopping bags. Steve sat in the front with Pepper and Maxim sat between Bucky and Sam in a booster seat.
Maxim talked for a while and admired the stuffed giraffe he held.
"Что это говорит?" (What's that say?) He asked and showed Bucky the tag on the giraffes left ear.
"Там написано, что его зовут «Джерри Жираф», но вы можете назвать его как хотите." It says his name is 'Gerry the Giraffe', but you can name him anything you want.)
Maxim repeated the name. "Джерри ... Но если у него уже есть имя, зачем мне его менять?" (Gerry... But if he already has a name why would I change it?)
Bucky started laughing. "Вы можете сохранить имя, если хотите." (You can keep the name if ya want.)
Maxim grinned. "Я назову его Джерри." (I'm gonna call him Gerry.)
Maxim turned Gerry to face Bucky. (Gerry this is Bucky. He's got a cat named Alpine.) He turned it to Sam. "Джерри, это Сэм. С ним весело играть в игры." (Gerry this is Sam. He's fun to play games with.)
He turned the giraffe to Steve and then Pepper. "Это Стив; он большой человек, но Баки говорит, что он просто большой плюшевый мишка. И Пеппер действительно милая, она помогает тебе, и она тебе понравится." (This is Steve; he's a big person but Bucky says he's just a big teddy bear. And Pepper is really nice and she helps you and you'll like her.)
Maxim let out a big yawn then; he leaned his head against Bucky's arm and hugged Gerry. He stayed asleep for the rest of the way back.