Chapter 2
When Bucky woke up, Steve wasn't in bed instead he was in the hallway, talking on the phone. That was never good.
"I don't know anyone else who could watch him. Sam, Natasha and Tony is coming with me and Pepper and Bruce doesn't want to watch Bucky alone. And Rumlow said he has other things to take care of. Clint is busy elsewhere." Said Steve a little frustrated. Bucky didn't know why, he could just let the others go on the adventure and he stay with him.
"Either I'm going to have to stay back or I'm going to have to get Thor. The only problem is Bucky isn't comfortable around him and Thor probably has never taken care of a child." Steve waited a few minutes then he hung up and called someone.
"Thor, is your schedule busy for the whole day?" Even Bucky could hear his no.
"If you want to come over in a few minutes, I'll show you how to take care of Bucky for a day." Bucky heard a wonderful and also daddy saying to keep his voice down when he came. Bucky wasn't happy that Thor was coming over, he was weird and feel out of the sky and now daddy trust him to care him.
"Hey, you're awake. You okay?" Said Steve coming in and sitting on the bed.
"Yeah."
"Okay. I have a mission coming in a few days and Thor's going to watch over you. But since you two just met last week, I invited him to come over and watch how I take care of you."
"Daddy stay?"
"I'll stay to show him what we do in a day. But in a few days, I have to go."
"No." Bucky whined and faced away from him.
"Are you upset about me leaving again or Thor coming? Or both?"
"Both."
"I'm sorry, pal. I have to and Thor is the only one around to watch you."
"Long?"
"I don't know. I'm hoping it's just a day mission. If it isn't then I'll see about getting someone else." Not what Bucky really wanted to hear but if it meant papa or mommy could be with him then that was okay.
"I HAVE ARRIVED, CAPTAIN ROGERS!" Yelled Thor, hitting instead of knocking on the door. Bucky panicked, Harley started barking and Steve was starting to rethink somethings.
Steve left the room and opened the door.
"I thought I said to lower your voice? You've probably woken up the entire block." Said Steve letting him.
"Forgive me, I am just excited." Thor, for some reason, had his hammer and put it next to Steve's shield.
"Where is Bucky?"
"You scared him. I'll be back." Steve left to the bedroom, Bucky wasn't on the bed. Steve lifted the bed cover and saw him and Harley under the bed.
"Baby, come out please." Bucky and Harley came out from the bed. Bucky apparently found his Lamby too which wasn't unusual since the lamb also found it's way under the bed.
"Do you think we can keep Lamby from going under the bed again?" Bucky shook his head. Steve picked him up and brought him in the front room where Thor was looking at the old books on Steve's shelf.
"Aw Bucky, it is nice to see you again." Said Thor. Bucky put his face in Steve's shoulder.
"Bucky, say hello."
"Hi." He still didn't face Thor.
"Okay, once he wakes up, I change his diaper then we'll go take Harley out for a walk then we'll eat. I assume you haven't changed a diaper before."
"I have not."
"Come this way." Steve lead him to the bedroom, he laid Bucky on his back. Bucky didn't want Thor seeing him exposed.
"No see." Said Bucky gripping his pajama shorts.
"He has to know how to change you when I'm not here. You don't know how to, so he needs to know." Fair enough. Bucky let go and Steve slid off his shorts.
"Okay, first undo these two tabs and slide the diaper off. Then clean the area thoroughly, nobody wants a rash in this area. You get a fresh diaper and slide it on and put these two tabs here and here. Make sure it sit on his hips. Then you're done, simple enough."
"I agree this does seem simple. Is this all for the changes?"
"Yes and you'll throw the dirty one in this bin, he usually goes through three or four a day, but just watch him. Now, Bucky can usually pick out his own clothes for the day. If you don't go anywhere that day, he can wear one of his onesies. If you do just let him wear a shirt and joggers." Thor nodded and followed them to the kitchen.
"Now for walking Harley, she wears this at all times. Bucky wears this at all times. If you don't put this on, Bucky will run away and Harley will follow him. And the only thing that will save him is his medical bracelet. I do not want a call from anyone saying he ran away, so keep him at arms reach." Steve put on Bucky's and Harley's harness. Bucky sat down on the floor while Steve got his shoes on, then he started to bite his arm.
"This is another thing. He's been biting his arm a lot when he's nervous, scared or in this case bored. Don't let him, Tony made him this so if he starts to bite, gently put this in his mouth or just hand it to him." Steve gave Bucky his chewing necklace. Bucky stood up and they went outside. They went around the block a few times then back inside. Bucky kicked off his shoes as usual, Steve didn't even bother to correct him.
"Breakfast will be premade. He will eat eggs and rice. Drinks consist of milk or juice. I will talk to you about the milk situation." Steve fixed a small pot of eggs and rice and put it in front of Bucky.
"The waist belt stays on until he is done with eating." Thor nodded and quitely observed Bucky eating with his hands.
"Harley gets two cups of dog food and make sure her water container is always full." They ate in comfortable silence until Bucky choked. Steve got up quickly and patted his back, Bucky immediately tried to go for another bite but Steve slid the plate away. Bucky stopped choking and drank his milk.
"That's hasn't happened in a while, slow down please." Bucky signed done, Steve undid the belt and Bucky went to the couch and got on his tablet.
"So know we can talk while he's distracted. Warm milk is only allowed after breakfast, before nap time and before bed time. If he gets fussy, he can have some but sometimes that doesn't settle him."
"That hand sign he was doing, is that a new language?"
"It's called American Sign language and it's used for people who can't hear. But in his case, he learned to use it when he doesn't want to talk. I'll show you all the signs he knows. Now this part is important and mainly the reason why Tony had so much trouble with him. That tablet is his life line, he only watches Paw Patrol. He will use it whenever we're not doing anything. If he's not using it, charge it. If he misbehaves and doesn't want to give it up, timeout corner. Don't negotiate anything, just put him in the corner. He'll stop, if he doesn't; call me."
"I believe I will find ways to tire out Bucky."
"Thor, no electricity. That's the whole reason why he's in this mindset."
"Do you think electricity can reverse the damage?"
"I rather not fire his brains anymore. Just let him heal naturally. If he wants to know more about you just tell a story he loves magic stuff." Thor nodded. They talked a little more until it was turning twelve. Nap time.
"Alright, Bucky, nap time." Said Steve preparing a bottle of milk. Bucky groaned and faced away from them.
"Bucky, now." Bucky didn't move.
"If he's doing something like this, use your authoritative voice, but don't yell." Said Steve. Thor nodded.
"Bucky Barnes." Said Steve seriously. Bucky's head popped up. "Nap time, now." Bucky got up and handed the tablet to Steve in exchange for the milk. Bucky walked to the bedroom.
"For nap time, make sure he has his pacifier and Harley can sleep on the bed with him. When it is one o'clock he can leave the room. He may sleep more or less than an hour, but just listen out for him." Ten minutes later, Bucky was fast asleep. Thor and Steve were talking for a while. Thor learned a lot about Bucky, but Steve told him that there was something that he hasn't seen from Bucky and the only way that Thor could learn how to deal with it, is if he saw it.
Steve was really hoping it wouldn't go too badly.
Later into the afternoon, Bucky woke up but he started to cling onto Steve more than usual. Steve asked him why and all Bucky did was shrug. Thor asked him if Bucky would snuggle with him and Bucky growled at him.
Close to dinner time, Steve let Thor take Harley for a walk while he and Bucky walked closely behind. Bucky wasn't happy about sharing his dog. When they arrived home, Steve fixed pasta. Bucky, being the messy person he is, had pasta sauce on his chest and hair.
"Is he usually this messy?" Asked Thor.
"Always, so wrap a towel around his neck. I'll fix something else when you babysit him."
"More, please?"
"Good asking. If he ask for more, don't give him too much just a corner of your plate." Steve gave him a little more. Bucky finished quickly then signed done. Steve wiped his mouth and chest and undid the belt. "Open." Said Steve getting his pills. Bucky opened his mouth and swallowed them, he got his tablet and sat on the couch.
"Well, Captain Rogers I must say I don't know why everyone was so skeptical of me watching Mr. Bucky, he is simple."
"Simple when I'm here. But Thor, there is something you haven't seen and I'm hoping you won't encounter. So the reason why Bucky has problems with electricity is because Hydra has used that to torture him. And that was how the Winter Soldier was born. Now the soldier sometimes comes out after bad seizures, he can't control it. He has takes those pills when he done eating, they don't always stop the seizures from happening but it's an improvement from when he first got here. So if he just happens to have a seizure and the soldier appears, please just lightly knock him out. Don't fight him."
"I do not intend harm a child."
"Thor, when he's like that you'll forget that he's a child. He will try to kill you. "
"Okay, how do I know if he is about to have a seizure?"
"Well, Harley will.." Harley started to whine and paw at Bucky who was completely frozen. "Do that. Okay, at this point just talk to him." Steve started to talk to Bucky in a gentle voice, Bucky wasn't moving. Thor could only watch one the sidelines as Bucky went through a seizure. Steve looked calm and composed, so he had to maintain that when he was with Bucky. After a minute, Bucky took a deep breath and stared at Harley.
"Bucky, look at daddy." Said Steve. Bucky slowly looked at Steve then smiled.
"Hey, can you tell the name of your doggy?"
"Harley."
"Good job, how are you feeling?"
"Tired."
"Let's get ready for bath time. Can Thor watch?" Bucky nodded mainly because he didn't care. Steve carried him to the bathroom while he told Thor to get his animal farm onesie. Thor got to the bathroom, Bucky was already playing with his toys while Steve was watering him down.
"If I may ask, this clothing is kind of a resemblance to a restrictive clothing we use on Asgard when our prisoners were too destructive, is he harmful to himself during sleep?"
"Well onesies are meant for babies and toddlers who aren't ready to wear two piece clothing at night. I like it because it keeps him warm and he can wear them all day if we're not doing anything."
"Ah." Thor watched in silence as Steve bathed Bucky. Steve moved to wash his face and Bucky bit him.
"Why are you biting?"
"No."
"No what?" Steve brushed his cheek with the towel and Bucky bit the towel.
"Do you and the towel have some sort of problem that I don't know about?" Steve drained the tub and got Bucky out. "Can Thor change you this time?" Bucky stared at Thor then at Steve. Steve brought him in the bedroom, Bucky laid on the bed and watched Thor.
"Do you remember how to change him?"
"My memory is sharp, Captain."
"Okay, I won't say anything." Thor cleaned him and got a diaper. He put the two tabs and snugged it on his waist. Thor sat up and smiled victoriously.
"Perfect."
"It's backwards." Even Bucky could tell something felt off.
"You'll know it's the front because of the animal print." Thor fixed him mistake. When Steve was putting on his onesie Bucky tried to bit him again.
"Lamby isn't going to sleep with you, if you keep biting me. What's going on?"
"Hurts."
"What hurts?" Bucky pointed to his mouth. Steve told him to open his mouth, Bucky had bit his tongue.
"Did that happen when I washing your face?" Bucky nodded and signed tablet.
"Then tell me. You'll be fine, it'll stop hurting in a few minutes. " Steve gave him his tablet and Bucky went under his blankets.
"Okay from here, he will watch Paw Patrol for thirty minutes and the tablet will automatically shut off at ten. He can usually get himself to sleep, but since I'm not going to be there just sit with him until he sleeps. I'll lay out a couple of my shirts for him so he can have my scent. Harley can sleep with him too. I'll be back in a few minutes, Buck." All he got was a groan. Steve and Thor left the bedroom.
"Does he always bite you?"
"Kind of. I'm trying to break that habit though. When he's hurting he will redirect his pain to himself or someone around him. So keep your hands at a distant, cause sometime he will just bite for no reason."
"I can take a few bites, Captain, do not worry."
"Also, he growls a lot. If he does, ask him what the problem is and if he doesn't want to stop, time out corner."
"I believe I can handle the little one during your absence, Captain. He will be well care for."
"I know he will be, but he likes to push buttons to make you tick, just stay calm with him."
"Thank you for the advice, I will see you shortly." Thor left and Steve could only hope Bucky wouldn't dare to misbehave. But Thor is a big softie and wouldn't hurt anyone unless he needed to and he seemed to understand that Bucky isn't mentally stable, but he still couldn't get over the fact that Bucky would become too aggressive for him to handle and he would shock him. He turned around and saw Harley waiting for him.
"Sometimes I wish you were an actual human, I would feel better leaving Bucky with you." Harley could only tilt her head at the comment. Steve scratched her head and went back in the bedroom. Bucky was asleep, the tablet was still on. Steve smiled and took the tablet away from him. He set Lamby in the place of the tablet and managed to get the paci in his mouth.
"I hope you don't give Thor a hard time like everyone else." Steve kissed his head and smiled at the tiny smile that grew on Bucky's face.