Some Things Are Meant To Be
December 3rd
Bucky was really starting to hate snow.
It was cold, it was blinding, and there was way too much of it.
It didn’t help that he had a big blond Alpha, three little sisters and a father who were very adamant he not fall in the thick snow.
The hovering they did around him was beyond suffocating, and Steve’s thick coat wrapped around him wasn’t helping with that feeling. He felt too insulated, and the jabs coming from inside him only let him know there was no escaping the constant clinging of everything and everyone around him.
The only two people giving him space were his mother and Sarah.
“What about this tree, Bucky? Would the baby like this one?” Sophie asked, pointing at a tall, thick tree.
“The baby’s not gonna be able to see the tree, Soph’.” Bucky explains. He rested a hand over his bump, hoping the kid inside would calm the heck down already.
“But it will be the baby’s first Christmas!” She shouted back, clearly taking advantage of the fact they were out in the woods and therefor she didn’t have to use her inside voice.
“Won’t technically next year be the baby’s first Christmas?” Rebecca asked, leaning against Bucky.
Apparently the two oldest of his little sisters have taken it upon themselves to make sure Bucky didn’t slip or hurt himself, the title of aunt meaning so much to them.
Christina was in front of him, making sure Bucky didn’t walk into anything that would poke the baby.
Steve stood behind him, arms resting on his hips incase he slipped. His Alpha instincts were probably going crazy right now, the need to make sure his Omega and child were safe from harm clearly a hard task to accomplish when out in the middle of the forest.
“Soph’ I think this tree is a little too big.” George said, patting his hand against the trunk a few times.
She sighed and hung her head, mumbling about ‘how was she supposed to know, all of the trees are too big to her’.
His dad ruffled her head, picking her up and leading the group onwards.
“You boys see any good ones?” His father asked.
Bucky was having a hard time concentrating on the trees when he had three people trying to keep hands on him at all times (not to mention the other set of hands moving around inside of him), and he sighed, stopping.
“Okay, guys.” He started, gathering the attention of his two sisters and Steve. “I can’t even walk when you three are hovering around me like this, just- a little space, please?”
They all sighed, but stepped away. Although Steve slid up to his left, staying close incase Bucky needed to grip onto him lest he slip.
They didn’t even make it that far before George turned around to ask. “You wanna take a break, Buck?”
“No.” Was all he said.
He could hear the two mothers chuckling behind him. “You guys, stop putting James in a grumpy mood and leave him alone.” Winnie said.
The group sighed, but listened and Bucky was eternally grateful.
He turned his head to look at her, mouthing a ‘Thanks’. She nodded, an understanding smile on her face.
At least there was two people in their group that understood what it was like to be pregnant, and how uncomfortable it was to have people crowding around you all the time.
It only took another twenty minutes before George and the girls found a tree they could all agree on, short enough to fit in the living room but full enough to hold all of Winnie’s ornaments. Bucky was happy to lean against Steve’s chest, the Alpha’s arms around his middle and tucked under his sweatshirt. The blond claimed it was because his hands were cold, but Bucky knew it was just because the baby was so active today.
Must be all the walking their doing.
Getting the tree back to the car was a sight, George and Steve taking the brunt of pulling it through the snow, and the girls all trying to help but really just slowing the whole process down.
Bucky happily walked next to his mom and Sarah, the two brought snacks and hot chocolate because they’re always prepared.
When they got back to the car he sat down in the back seat, watching his dad try and tie up the tree and lift it to the top of the vehicle to be strapped down.
Rebecca and Christina decided now would be a good time to have a snow ball fight, Sophie joined in, using Steve as a shield. The Alpha yelped as he was pelted with snow, holding up his arms in defense as he made his way back towards Bucky.
The sound of his sisters laughter and giggles was comforting, and he finally started to relax a little when his dad started the car and the heater kicked on.
Steve walked right up to him, leaning down for a soft kiss. Bucky wrapped his arms around the blonds waist, face pressed into the others chest from his spot in the backseat.
“Are you feeling okay?” Steve asked, running his fingers through Bucky’s short hair.
“Mhm...”
“Hey, boys!” George called, gathering their attention. “You guys hungry?”
Bucky nodded immediately, making his dad chuckle. Steve responded with a yes, rubbing Bucky’s arm.
His family loaded into the car (after Winnie broke apart the snow ball battle going on), with Sarah and his two oldest little sisters in the very back, and Sophie sitting in between him and Steve.
She insisted on holding each of their hands on the way to a diner, where they all piled in to get lunch.
..........
December 13
“I’ve never loved you more, Natasha.” Bucky sighed from Nat and Clint’s dining room chair.
She chuckled, pulling out a fresh tray of sugar cookies, using a spatula to move them to a cooling rack.
“I don’t understand what’s so fun about decorating cookies, when I could be eating them instead!” Tony groaned from his spot beside Bucky.
“Because you decorate them, put ‘me on a platter, and then give them to people.” Bucky explained, frosting a snowman shaped cookie.
“Wait, so we’re spending two hours making cookies only to give them to other people?” Tony looked appalled.
“You can take home a plate of cookies Tony, don’t worry we made enough.” Natasha soothed from her spot at the oven.
“Thank god...” The Beta sighed.
“So Tony?” Bucky asked, catching the others attention. “Why’d you decide to make cookies with me and Nat instead of going to see the movie with the guys?”
“Why? Do you not want me here or something?”
“Woah.” Nat held her hands up. “No need to get defensive, if we didn’t want you here we would have told you.”
“That’s true, you two are sometimes harshly honest.” The Beta said to himself, scratching his chin and getting pinkish red frosting on it.
“So...” Bucky prompted, adjusting in the wooden chair for a more comfortable position (even though that did nothing seeing as his kid is awake and apparently wanting to participate).
Tony sighed once more, nibbling on his lip, eyes locked on the round wooden table covered in various cookie types. “Well, I uhm, didn’t really wanna hang out with Sam.”
Nat and Bucky looked at each other, brows furrowed.
When Tony didn’t elaborate they both stared him down, forcing the shorter brunette to look up.
Honestly the way they simultaneously raised they’re eyebrows at him was freaky as hell.
“Sam- caught me in a, uhh- embarrassing... predicament.” He glanced at his lap, then back up to the two.
“That predicament being?” Natasha inquired.
“Okay, so you know that Omega Bruce? Banner? He’s a junior...” At his friends nods he continued. “Right, so me and him have uh, been talking recently. Sam maybe walked into an empty class room and saw something he shouldn’t have seen.” He rushed the last bit out.
Silence.
“Oh my fucking god!” Natasha exclaimed, a loud laugh (read: cackle) erupting from her lunges.
“Poor Sam...” Bucky covered his laugh with his free hand (conveniently not covered in frosting like Tony’s).
“Poor Sam! What about me?!” Tony shouted.
“I don’t even wanna know what you got caught doing, the mental image is scarring enough.” Bucky went on, fully laughing now.
“So what you’re just gonna avoid Sam forever?” Natasha asked.
“Uhhh, yep.”
Bucky checked his phone, seeing a text from Steve. “Well the movie ended about twenty minutes ago so they’ll be back soon.”
“What!” Tony yelled, his voice accompanied by the sound of the front door opening.
“We’re back!” Clint shouted.
“In here!” Nat called, laughing at Tony’s betrayed look.
“Hey,” Steve was the first one through the kitchen door, sliding into the chair beside Bucky and wrapping his arm around the brunette.
“Hey.” Bucky smiled into the kiss he received. “How was the movie?”
“Sucked.” Clint said, snatching an already frosted cookie and shoving it in his mouth.
“It was awesome.” Sam and Steve said, big grins plastering the Alpha’s faces.
That is, until Sam made eye contact with Tony.
He’d never seen the Alpha look so embarrassed before, usually Sam was the calmest of their group, but now he’d never looked so caught off guard.
Tony just went back to sloppily slapping frosting onto a bell shaped cookie.
Sam and Clint joined the group at the table, making it a tight squeeze when Natasha finally sat down with the last batch of cookies.
Steve weaseled his way behind Bucky, hands wrapping around him and the baby to get out of frosting duty.
Clint kept eating.
And Sam frosted whatever Natasha set in front of him.
“So Tony?” Steve asked. “How’s Bruce?”
Sam choked.
Clint laughed.
Nat face palmed.
And Tony gasped.
“You told!” The Beta pointed an accusing finger at the Alpha across the table.
“I had too!” Sam yelled back, eyes wide in panic (and horror). “Every time I closed my eyes Tony! It was eating away at my brain!”
Bucky leaned against Steve, whispering to his Alpha. “What exactly happened?”
“You don’t wanna know.” Steve whispered back, shaking his head and hiding his laugh in Bucky’s neck.
“-come on Sam don’t be such a-“
“You weren’t there Clint! YOU WEREN’T THERE!”
“I can’t believe you would betray me like that Sam!”
“I’m sorry!”
“BETRAYAL!“
........
December 19
“All I’m saying Buck, is that if we found out we could decide on a name, and what clothes we should be buying them-“
“And all I’m saying Steve, is that we should just buy dinosaur themed everything and the decorating and shopping problem would be solved.”
“Are dinosaurs gender neutral?” Steve asked.
“Dinosaurs are everything neutral, babe. They’re just cool.”
Steve sighed from his side of the bed, well, his side of Bucky’s bed. Against the wall, because the Omega said he was not dealing with climbing over him when he had to pee in the middle of the night.
“But what about the name?” Steve asked, hand sliding up and down Bucky’s side.
“What about the name, either we pick one we like for either gender or chose two. It’s not that complicated I don’t know why you’re being so weird about all of it.” Bucky sighed.
It was past midnight, the room was dark and a little chilly, so Bucky snuggled into his Alpha in hopes the blond would become tired so they could sleep already.
“I just wanna be able to call our baby something other than ‘Baby’.” The Alpha huffed, pressing against Bucky so their tummy’s were smooshed together.
Bucky was so soft and cozy now, and all Steve wanted to do was cuddle his Omega and live in the comforting mommy scents he was emitting.
The brunette reached his hand out, smoothing over Steve’s cheek with his soft finger tips.
“Yeah, but I’m the one that’s going to have to go through labor, and I want an exciting surprise at the end of it.”
Steve relented his arguing as he felt the Omega’s smaller body become heavy with sleep.
No matter how curious he was, Bucky would always win.
........
December 24
Christmas Eve, 9:35 PM.
“One present each!” Winnie called into the living room, walking in moments later with four mugs of tea.
Sophie ripped the reindeer themed wrapping paper off of her gift, uncovering brightly colored socks.
Christina and Rebecca unwrapped theirs at a slower pace, both receiving socks as well.
George went to hand the boys their one present each as well, only for them to shake their heads.
“It’s okay dad, we can wait to open our socks tomorrow morning.” Bucky chuckled, leaning back against Steve’s chest.
“Aww, socks.” Rebecca sighed, but still put the fluffy things on and smiled.
“Thanks mom and dad.” Christina said.
“Cool, socks!” Sophie exclaimed, putting on her bright blue pair and wiggling her toes.
By the time the girls had been sent off to bed, Bucky, Steve and his parents were finally able to enjoy the Santa Claus movie without Becca pointing out all of the plot holes.
“So Buck?” George asked.
Bucky nodded, watching as his parents exchanged nervous looks. He furrowed his brow when they started to become hesitant, and Steve shifted a little behind him.
“Yeah?” He questioned.
“So Steve said you don’t wanna find out the gender?” Winnie asked, looking at the tv but glancing back at her son every now and then.
“Umm, not really.” He said.
“Why not?” Winnie asked, clearly not wanting to over step but desperately holding back asking what she wants.
“Cause I want it to be a surprise.”
Bucky poked Steve in the belly button, making the Alpha jump. Serves him right, eliciting his parents to try and get what he wants.
“But if you found out it could be your Christmas present to us!” Winnie said, George nodding along.
“I already got you guys Christmas presents though.” He said, eyes staying trained on the tv.
“Please.” Steve whispered in his ear, hand reaching out for Bucky’s.
He knew how much this meant to Steve, especially if he was willing to ask his parents for help with it. It’s not that he wanted to deny his Alpha, and the father of the baby of this. It’s just that he’d made up his decision on this a long time ago, before he’d told anyone. Before he’d even realized what exactly he wanted to do, it was just something he felt he wanted.
But it would make Steve happy.
And it wasn’t like it was that big of a deal to find out earlier than planned.
Sighing, Bucky said. “If I agree to find out the gender then I get to name the baby.”
George and Winnie sat back, awaiting Steve’s answer.
The Alpha squeezed Bucky’s hand, the rough pads of his fingers rubbing against the soft smoothness of Bucky’s.
“Deal.”