Wit
Steve was on the ground from a well placed kick, from Bucky, to his abdomen, that sent him flying five feet away. He groaned. Why did he think a sparring match today was a good idea.
He looked up, watching Bucky stalk over to him, slowly, like a cat to it's prey, and noticed Darcy, Jane, and the kids behind them in the stands.
Oh that's why.
He wanted to show off his skills to impress the pretty lady, as Bucky would put it. But Bucky was in fine form this morning, and was handing him his ass on a platter.
I should have asked Sam.
"Ready for me to take you back to the nursing home, Punk," Bucky grinned, he looked at the stands then back. "I'm sure they have some canasta tournaments or something like that for you to join, old man."
Steve groaned and held his hand up for Bucky to help him up, the match clearly over. "You're older than me, jerk."
"Am I," Bucky feigned shock. "I never would have guessed based on your performance today. What happened, the Bengay wasn't enough for the sore muscles?"
"That's hilarious," Steve glared.
Bucky shrugged. "You know, I hear yoga is good for flexibility even for people as advanced in age as you."
"Your wit is in fine form today," Steve growled.
Bucky shrugged, "At least one of us is."
Steve shook his head, and a few drops of sweat hit the mat as he groaned. "You've been holding back on me," he accused. "No way have you gotten that much better than me overnight."
Bucky's smile grew wider. "So?"
Steve glowered at him, "So, you're a fucking jerk."
"Oh," Bucky laughed. "Language Captain. Small ears and all." He motioned to the kids sitting with the girls. Sofia was especially interested in watching them, though he knew she couldn't hear the conversation over the roar of the gym fans going to keep the place cool.
"You and I are going to talk about this endlessly. And then you're going to train me."
"Fiiiiine," Bucky sighed dramatically. "Try to keep up." He headed to the stands. "Want me to grab your walker?"
"JERK!"
"Fine, your cane then!" Steve glared at him, and Bucky laughed the whole way back, then sat next to Jane and gave her a kiss on the cheek before Sofia climbed onto his lap.
Darcy smiled at him softly and made her way to him. "That was," she paused. "Entertaining."
"Yeah," Steve grinned because how could he not? "He kicked my ass."
"I wasn't going to say it. I'm just a little shocked. Jane said that you guys were pretty equal and I shouldn't worry. That's not what I saw today."
Steve grimaced and ran a hand across his forehead. "Bucky's been holding back, apparently. I shouldn't be so surprised, except it took everything I had to go head to head with him when he was."
Darcy placed a hand on his arm then quickly pulled back. "Well I'm sure he can teach you."
"I'm sure he won't have a choice but to," Steve smiled. "Are we all going to the cafeteria to eat? They have restaurants there that we could all choose from."
She bit her lip and smiled. "That sounds great. Mason is due to be hungry again." She laughed and made her way back to the stands with him staring back at her retreating form. Bucky noticed and grinned shaking his head.
He watched as his friend stood and helped Jane down the stairs then lifted Sofia onto his hip and felt a stab of jealousy. Something had definitely changed between Bucky and Jane almost overnight it seemed. Their closeness was very noticeable. The way they watched each other and knew where the other was at any given moment. The fact that he grabbed hold of her hand and led her out as he carried her niece.
Bucky's easiness with Sofia was something else too. He had of course grown up with three younger sisters, and Bucky protected them with every fiber of his being. But Bucky and his sisters weren't particularly close. And of course he was young when they were all born, so he never had to play the paternal role.
Sofia was a different story. Based on last night, Bucky was great with all of Darcy's children. And as well as Sofia took to Steve yesterday morning with her nap, her easiness with Bucky was another matter completely.
It was a stupid thing to be jealous of. Of course it was going to be easier for his friend, Bucky didn't have anything to prove. But Steve was set on Darcy, and with Darcy came her children, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
Bucky, at this moment, knew more about Darcy and the kids, because of Jane. Something Steve was heartily ashamed of was ignoring Jane when she spoke of her family that was coming. He'd been concerned that she was using his friend. And while being protective over Bucky was admirable, it clearly wasn't needed. Bucky had his relationship well in hand.
He followed the group, watching Sofia chatter in Bucky's ear and play with a lock of his hair as he carried her. "He'll make a great father one day," he thought.
His thoughts were interrupted by a tug on his arm. It was Bella. "Hey Steve," she smiled like Darcy and talked like Jane. "So I was watching you and Bucky and something didn't make sense. I thought you guys were given the same serum?"
He cleared his throat and gave her a smile. "We actually don't know. We do know that there were some of the same proponents in both serums but that's it. They were definitely designed by two different doctors."
"Oh," she bit her lip like her mom. "But you look taller and stronger than Bucky and yet, he kind of just kicked your butt."
"That's the nice way to put it," he laughed. "Bucky was active longer and was trained by some of the best until he was the best. He was a good fighter even before the war. I trained a lot after I woke up but not to that extent. Even I don't know entirely what Bucky is capable of and I'm sure he doesn't either."
"Is that scary for you?"
"In the beginning, yeah. But Bucky knows when to stop and hold back. He'll only push back when he's pushed. He actually has a lower kill rate than Sam and I do on missions with the Avengers."
"How's that possible? I thought he was a sniper? A guns expert."
"Bucky rarely uses his firearms unless he absolutely has to. He mostly uses his fist."
"Why? If he's so good at what he does?"
"You are just like your Aunt Jane, you know that," he smiled at her. "Full of questions."
She smiled and put her head down. "Sorry," she said softly.
"Don't be. It just struck me as odd. Sofia looks like her and you talk like her." He ruffled her hair. "To answer your questions. Bucky has guns that are balanced for him and him only. He had Tony make a fail safe that should someone else even try to shoot any gun of his that the weapon will explode. One time during a mission a target was able to take him out for a few seconds with an EMP, it hasn't been able to happen again, thanks to Tony, but it did happen. Bucky was down, and Tony and I were a mile away. The idiot kid picked up his gun and tried to kill him. The gun exploded and killed the kid instead. That mission still haunts Bucky, no matter how right he was to have Tony create his tech like that. Bucky prefers hand to hand combat now. Does he take his gun? Absolutely. But he's still haunted by a past that was full of darkness and to have this happen, it affected him."
"Oh."
He smiled at her again and led her to the elevators where the group was waiting.
"You know," she said as they approached. "I think I want to be a doctor, to help people like Bucky."
He smiled again. This girl was amazing. "I think you'd make a great doctor." They joined the family in the elevator and Steve hit the button for the fifth floor, noticing Sofia watch him from the corner of his eyes, he turned and smiled at him.
"Are you hungry, Sofi?"
She nodded eagerly. "Mmhmm. I want Chinese."
"You know, I think I want Chinese too," Steve said and Bucky nodded in agreement as did the rest of the family. Only Jane looked a little pale.
"You ok, Jane," he asked with genuine concern.
She looked up at him with wide eyes, and nodded whole biting her lip. "Yeah, I'm good." He noticed Darcy rubbing her back.
She wasn't fine, but she wouldn't tell him if she weren't. They weren't exactly close. He watched as Bucky leaned over and whispered something in her ear and Jane smiled gently up at him, her eyes shining with love and admiration.
He'd give anything to have Darcy look up at him like that. It was much too soon, he understood. But goals were goals.
Mason took his arm when the elevator door opened and led him out. "Will you teach me how to do that flying, leap kick thing you did?! That was so cool!"
Steve chuckled and grabbed his wallet from his pocket. "Maybe someday. Now go order what you want," he said as the boy skipped off. He felt a tiny pair of arms wrap around his neck as Bucky slipped Sofia into his arms.
"Apparently the princess doesn't want to walk today. Jane wants a sandwich and soup, so I'm going to go with her to order. Order me my usual, will you punk?"
Steve nodded and looked at Jane again who was chatting with Darcy. "Yeah. Is she ok?"
Bucky grinned. "She's fine. Just been having some stomach issues and doesn't rely want the grease."
Steve nodded. That he got from all of his time watching what he ate in his youth. "Ok. We'll be at the corner table."
Bucky nodded and went back to Jane, taking her hand in his, he led her gently and forcefully through the crowd to the sandwich shop.
Darcy came up next to him. "You dont have to pay for us Steve."
"I insist," he smiled and she laughed.
"They say chivalry is dead."
"Who is they?"
"People in general," she shrugged.
"They're stupid," he laughed.
"Yeah," she smiled back.
Sofia looked at him and took his face in her hands. "Steve. Stupid is a bad word."
"I'm sorry, princess. I didn't know."
She nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer, and he grinned and mouthed a 'sorry' to Darcy.
"It's ok," she mouthed back.
He waited for the girls and Mason to order before he ordered the usual for him and Bucky, which was the equivalent to about five human meals each. Darcy shook her head and smiled
"I will never understand," she stared. "Jane had said, but I thought she was joking.
"You're scientist cousin told you a scientist fact and you thought she was joking," he teased.
"How does a person eat like you eat and look like you look," she blushed as his smile lit up his face. "Sorry. Nevermind."
It took three trips to get the food back to their table, and then Jane and Bucky joined them. "This is a lot of food, you guys," Jane said smiling.
"It'll be gone in thirty minutes, sweetheart. You know that," Bucky kissed her head and started sorting out the food.
Jane glared at him and then took a tiny bite of her sandwich and almost literally turned green.
Steve narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely up.
Darcy was helping Sofia set up her plate while Sofia destroyed one of her egg rolls. She spooned some of her own orange chicken onto the little girl's lo mein and Sofi grimaced.
"No thank you, mommy. That look yucky." She pushed her plate aside and Darcy chuckled quietly.
"It's not. I promise, bean. You'll like it."
"Oook," she shot a look at Jane who stifled a giggle and nodded.
"Orange chicken is good Sof."
"Why aren't you eating it then," the toddler looked at her sandwich.
Bucky laughed and Jane smiled. "Touché, little bean."
Darcy sat next to her toddler who was still gnawing on her egg roll and glaring at her plate when her phone rang. It was Nick.
"Yes," she answered.
"I want to talk to my kids." She sighed and handed the phone to Sofia. "It's daddy."
"Daddy," Sofia squealed and held the phone to her ear, while Bella rolled her eyes and muttered something to Mason who laughed and whispered something back to her. Sofia was unfazed.
Darcy hoped that Nick could repair his relationship with the older kids. They needed a father. She watched Jane and Bucky while she listened to her daughter. He whispered something in her ear, and she smiled looking absolutely radiant. Bucky, though she barely knew him, wasn't a 'Nick' type of guy.
He was a guy's guys for sure. And took care of Jane like she was a made of glass that was absolutely precious to him. Darcy never got that even during their honeymoon, from her ex-husband.
"Daddy we live in a castle now! And Steve and Bucky and us are going to go roller skating later. And 'Piderman!"
Darcy chuckled. They'd met Peter Parker in the hallway early this morning on the way to breakfast. While Mason loved The Winter Soldier and Captain America, and Iron Man, Sofi loved Spiderman. Darcy had to keep cushions and pillows on the ground in her room at the old house because Sofia would pretend to swing from trees by jumping off her bunk bed and dresser. One time she found her at the top of her closet and she had to put a lock on her door. She loved pretending to be Spidergirl.
And while she loved Steve and Bucky, had them wrapped around her fingers even, she was absolutely star struck when meeting Peter this morning.
"Are you coming to see us," she asked, as she pushed the orange chicken around her plate. "Oh."
Darcy's heart broke into a million pieces at the disappointment that flashed across her face.
"Cause Leah having my baby brother," she asked.
"He's not our brother," Mason interjected.
"Yeah," Bella rolled her eyes.
"Kids," Darcy hissed as Sofia looked at them confused. Jane leaned across the table and whispered something to Mason who nodded and turned to whisper to Bella again.
"Ok daddy. I love you," she handed the phone to Bella. "Sissy, daddy wants to talk to you."
Darcy watched in amazement and shock as Bella took the phone and held it to her ear. "You want to talk to us, you have our phone numbers. If we don't answer, it's because we don't want to talk to you. Don't try to get to us through mom. We know you only want to talk to us to look good in front of Leah and her family. So maybe when you stop being a douche and start being a dad again we'll talk to you again. Until then, buenas tardes."
She hit the end button as Mason pumped his fists in the air and yelled, "yeah, sister!"
"Bella," Darcy exclaimed.
"Oh mom, stop trying to be perfect in this whole divorce situation. Dad has no qualms about telling you how he feels you messed up. Grow a back bone and tell him to buzz off." She tossed her hair and stood up. "Mason, Sofia, and I have sibling stuff to do in our new apartment." She lifted Sofi into her hip. And the trio walked to the door.
"That orange chicken was yucky, sissy," Sofia said and Bucky and Jane chuckled as Steve looked at her in sympathy.
Darcy looked at Jane. "Did I do something wrong there? Is it wrong for me to want them to have a relationship with their father."
Jane shrugged in that unaffected manner of hers. "I think your raised them to speak their mind. And while I agree with them, naturally, it's coming back to bite you in the ass."
She stood up and tossed her napkin down. "I have a doctor's appointment." Bucky stood with her, took her hand and smiled at Darcy.
"We'll see you later."
Darcy and Steve watched them go, the latter through narrowed eyes.
"There's something going on with those two, and I have a feeling you know what it is," he narrowed his eyes at her.
Darcy laughed and tossed her hair like a teenage, school girl and the blushed. "So tell me. How does a person eat like you eat, and look like you look?"
Steve blushed this time and looked back at his food while Darcy took a slow sip of her soda while watching him.
"I can do this all day, Steve," she teased and it felt good.
She would get back in the saddle. Even just a little bit.
The three kids were sitting around the table playing Candyland when Bella let out a sigh.
"I feel bad for talking to mom like that."
"Why," Mason asked. "She needed to hear that."
"It's just," she tossed her hair to the side. "Mom really got the brunt end of the stick. She puts up with so much abuse from dad and this whole thing was his fault. This morning was the happiest we've seen mom in a long time and then dad calls and it's ruined."
"I want mommy to marry Steve," Sofia looked up and her older siblings looked at her surprised.
"You do, Sof?"
"Mmhmm," she moved her pawn two red spots. "He's nice to me."
Bella laughed. Of course Sofia would plan her mother's future romantic liasons on how nice the guy was to her. "He is really nice, Sofs." She rubbed her head.
"Dude," Mason's eyes were wide. "Imagine having Captain America as a dad! That would be so cool!"
Bella laughed and shook her head. "I don't think mom wants to get married again. I heard her talking to Aunt Janie a couple months ago over the phone."
"I hope she does," Mason bit his lip. "She's the best mom and deserves to be happy. And I think Steve likes her."
Bella nodded and moved her pawn. "Yeah. It'd be nice to have a dad that I could actually respect."
Jane and Bucky were in Bruce's lab getting ready for the ultrasound. They had spent last night talking about their expectations for today.
They were both excited to get a due date and to actually see their baby. While the blood test confirmed that she was pregnant, this would give them a visual. Ultrasounds were new to Bucky, and the more Jane explained them and what they were about, the more he got excited. While the baby wouldn't be more than a blob, it was their blob.
Jane changed into a gown and got onto the table. She'd explained that they'd mostly do two ultrasounds, one inside and one outside. Which led to several more awkward conversations because they put the wand inside you, was not easily accepted by a centurion.
Thank God for google and YouTube.
Bruce cleared his throat and smiled at him. "I don't normally do these, but I definitely know how, so I hope that's ok. I just feel the less people involved, the better."
The father-to-be nodded in agreement. Hydra was radio silent lately, but that didn't mean that if they found out their Winter Soldier was going to be a father, that they wouldn't try something. Especially if in a few weeks they found out that the serum was passable by blood.
Jane nodded too, but for a whole different reason. She was at the top of her career, and she refused to be sidelined because she was going to become a mother.
They did the transvaginal ultrasound first. Bucky watched as Bruce typed and pulled lines across the screen over a whole lot of nothing, as far as he was concerned. A glance down at Jane showed her with her arms behind her neck watching the screen in some kind of awe.
He kissed her head as Bruce prepared for the second scan.
This one Bucky was more comfortable with. Bruce squeezed some warmed gel onto Jane's firm abdomen and ran the probe over it. Bucky was busy watching the screen when Jane gasped.
"No."
"Afraid so," Bruce laughed.
"No way."
"Yes way," Bruce typed on the keyboard a few times. "There, and there."
"We didn't even order one, how are there two," Jane exclaimed, while Bucky looked at her in shock.
"Wha-," he started.
"Twins, James," Jane pointed to the screen. "And it's very clear."
"What," Bucky looked at Bruce, who nodded.
"What is this," Jane hissed. "A buy one get one special?
No way. Return to sender. Now"
"Jane," Bucky began.
"No James," she exclaimed. "I was nervous for one. But it was only going to be one and I figured we could use it as like a practice one in case we wanted another."
"Did you really just refer to our child as a practice dummy," he asked, amused.
She huffed. "You know what I mean."
With a few more clicks. "Well congratulations, it's twins for sure," Bruce cleared his throat at Jane's glare. "Fraternal twins if that makes you feel any better. No? Ok. Well I'd say you're measuring about eight weeks, but that could be the serum. So let's do some lab's next week, just to be sure. And you can glare at me all you want Jane, it's still twins."
She sighed and laid back and ran a hand through her hair.
"James, what are we going to do?"
For the first time in a long time, James Barnes was speechless.