The Gender
Becca took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
She hadn’t been to her parents house since Bucky’s boyfriend had arrived, and now with only three days until the wedding she had things to talk to her mother about in person.
Becca had hoped that Winnie would keep meeting her to go over wedding arrangements but her mother told her last night on the phone that she should just come over, and now here she was, listening to the quiet steps nearing the door.
Ever since she’d met T’Challa she’d been nervous.
Something about him just made it feel like her whole world was about to change, like that Alpha would say something, reveal something that Becca didn’t want others to know.
But that’s ridiculous, he doesn’t know a thing about her.
She shouldn’t be worried.
But she is.
Luckily her mom opened the door, making her worries wash away with thoughts of wedding plans on a deadline.
“Oh, hi honey.” Her mom said, smiling at her while wearing a pink bathrobe and fuzzy dark purple slippers. “Come on in, I was just gonna start breakfast. Why don’t you go sit at the table.” Her mom ushered her towards the dining room table, where she sat alone.
Rebecca listened to the banging of pots and pans as her mother prepared everything, listened as the sizzle of bacon sounded and the stirring of pancake batter filtered through the doorway of the kitchen, into the dining room.
She smiled at the comforting sounds of home.
She smiled until another voice joined the fray of noise.
It was muffled over the bacon sizzle, quieter than her moms responding “Just go sit down honey.”
Rebecca’s eyes shot up as T’Challa walked through the joining door between the kitchen and dining room, cup of coffee in his hand and sweatpants covering his legs.
Their eyes met, hers full of nerves and his admitting calm, unreadable steadiness.
It was disarming.
He took a seat across from her, setting his coffee on the table as his hands came to wrap around the warm ceramic.
She swallowed, hoping her gulp wasn’t audible to the Alpha’s ears.
They just sat there, looking at each other.
For awhile.
Uncomfortably long.
God, she felt like he was interrogating her, and he wasn’t even speaking for fucks sake.
Jesus, does this guy not blink. Is he secretly a mob boss, was he gonna kill her?
No, probably not.
But it felt that way.
It’s been at least five minutes.
Five whole minutes of non. Stop. Staring.
Don’t they say that cats will stare you down until you look away first? It’s like they’re looking for a sign of weakness or something.
Was this guy a fucking cat?!
She cleared her throat, not being able to take the silence and impending stare down, so she made noise, she showed her weakness.
She felt so weak right now.
“Ha- have you been settling in well?” She asked, looking at the table.
He didn’t answer her, and when she looked up he was still staring.
“Let’s not do this.” The Alpha spoke.
“Do- do what?” She stuttered.
“Make small talk, pretend that we’re going to get along.”
Well, that’s not really what she was expecting.
“Why can’t we get along?” She asked him.
“You hurt someone very dear to me, and though I did not know him at the time, nor you, forgiveness is something I will never give you or do I think you should be given from him.” He spoke so calmly, it made the ball of guilt that resided in her throat reappear.
She gave him a small nod.
“Well, I- I know I hurt him. I feel terrible-“
“Do you?” He cut her off.
“Y-yes.”
“You had to know your actions would hurt him, no?” He asked, eyebrow rising slightly.
“I... well, I just-“ she cut herself off this time.
“If you could go back and not hurt him like that would you?” T’Challa asked her.
What? What was that supposed to mean?
“I don’t... understand?”
“Would you go back in time, if you could, and not sleep with your brothers boyfriend? It’s a simple question.” He said, taking a slow sip of his coffee.
Well...
If she never slept with Steve then they wouldn’t be together now, and she wouldn’t be getting married in three days.
On the other hand she could repair her relationship with Bucky before it was even broken.
But,
“But then I wouldn’t be with Steve.” She spoke aloud, accidentally sharing her thoughts to the Alpha.
“Hmm.” He hummed.
Her lips parted in shock of her own confession, but before she could rebuttal Bucky walked in, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and yawning.
T’Challa smiled up at the Omega, and Rebecca watched as her brother grinned back, sitting next to the Alpha and giving him a kiss.
The two broke apart and just looked at each other.
It was like Becca wasn’t even there, she was sure her brother hadn’t even taken notice of her company yet.
The way they looked at each other was fascinating, only warmth and comfortability in the stare.
Rebecca wondered, Is that what love looks like?
“Okay, Breakfast is ready. Oh, hi sweetie, you’re awake.” Winifred said as she entered the dining room, trays of food gathered in her arms.
“Thank you for making breakfast Mrs. Barnes, it looks delicious.” T’Challa said, smiling at Winnie.
“What have I said, T’Challa? Please, call me Winnie.” Her mother smiled at the Alpha, getting an endearing look on her face when Bucky snuggled into T’Challa’s side.
She never looked at her and Steve like that.
.•O•.
Steve sat uncomfortably in the back seat of his parents car, his legs were too long for this and his mom, tiny as she was, liked having her seat back as far as it would go.
It was no better behind his dad’s seat on the drivers side, seeing as Joseph was just as long as Steve and needed the room.
He felt like a child again, but this time in an adults very large body.
They were on their way to the Barnes residence, Rebecca had texted to meet her there, because apparently they had last minute details to go over. And of course his mother heard (probably from Winnie) and decided that her and his father would just pick him up and zip on over, resulting in Steve being crammed in the back of a very small car.
If Steve was being honest with himself, which he wasn’t, he would admit that his nerves built the closer they got to the house.
He hadn’t seen Bucky or T’Challa since that night out, and yeah, he had a good time. It reminded him of old times, back before when he and Bucky were only friends, best friends, and how they used to hang out with the same group of people.
And goddamnit, T’Challa fit right on in. Him and Steve were even able to have a decent conversation between each other. Solidifying his assumptions on the fact that the Alpha was 100% better for Bucky then he was. And if that didn’t hurt his little Alpha heart enough he had to watch as Bucky completely melted over the other, oblivious to Steve’s presence at times he was so focused on his boyfriend.
And baby daddy.
Fuck.
Bucky was having that guys baby.
It was weird to think of Bucky as a parent, not that he wouldn’t be good, it’s just that when he thinks of Bucky it’s that sweet little Omega from high school and the thought of him having a baby makes his stomach turn.
Having a baby that isn’t Steve’s, because Steve is a total butt.
Jesus, in only three days, legally, Bucky’s baby will be his niece or nephew.
Woah.
Oh god he shouldn’t be thinking of these things right now, deciding to melt into the ridiculous pop station his mom has on in the car he just banged his forehead against the window and closed his eyes, cheek and nose smashed against the glass creating an amusing sight for any passerby’s.
Steve figured listening to Ariana Grande sing about having no tears left to cry was relevant to his life as of currently.
What a stupid butt he was.
.•O•.
“I’m telling you, it’s gonna be a boy. You just wait, I’m gonna have myself a grandson.” George Barnes said, grinning proudly as he held Bucky’s shoulder, his face alight with happiness as he spoke to Joseph and Sarah Rogers.
“Bucky I’m so happy for you.” Sarah said, smiling sweetly towards the Omega. “T’Challa seems like a very nice man, and I’m sure the two of you will make great parents.”
“Thank you, Sarah.” Bucky smiled back, always happy to receive the kindness that was Sarah Rogers.
“Are you going to be finding out what the gender is?” She asked.
“Yeah, hopefully soon. The doctor said she’d call when the results came in, which should be any minute now.” He patted his tummy, feeling a little tap beneath the skin.
“And it’s gonna be a boy, I just know, call it grandfathers intuition.” George said, tapping his index finger to his head sagely.
Bucky just laughed, smiling as his father continued to talk about his future granddad life.
He caught T’Challa’s eye across the room, sitting on the couch. His Alpha smiled his way, indulging one of Bucky’s uncles in conversation.
Rebecca sat on a chair next to Steve, watching as Bucky talked with Mr. and Mrs. Rogers, watched as Steve’s parents responded only with happy smiles and kind words.
Never, not once had Becca ever had a good conversation with Steve’s parents.
Joe always responded with one worded simple answers, and Sarah would indulge her in conversation, but it was never warm or happy.
Rebecca knew they didn’t like her, but the fact that they liked Bucky so much made her angry.
How could they like him more than her? Clearly she’s the one Steve chose considering they’re getting married, if he really wanted to be with Bucky he would have never given into temptation and kissed her back. They had to understand that, she was the one Steve wanted not Bucky, she won, she’s better suited for their son.
So why?
Why are they suddenly so happy and vocal when her brothers around?
She looked over at Steve, hoping to find a comforting face and maybe a nice encouraging word, but when she saw his face it was lit with a smile.
Aimed towards Bucky.
She turned back towards the group, frowning as her anger grew.
Only for that ball of guilt in her throat from earlier to dwindle.
They were supposed to be talking about her wedding, not making chit chat about Bucky’s fetus.
Steve smiled as he watched his parents talk with Bucky and his dad.
He knew his mother would always be disappointed in him for hurting Bucky, the Omega was always someone she liked. Sarah had never really warmed to Becca, probably because she ruined any chance of having Bucky in her family.
Steve wondered if his mom could read the shift in his emotions between when he was with Bucky and now that he’s with Becca. The Alpha knew if he could go back in time and not kiss or sleep with the Beta he would, cheating on Bucky was his biggest mistake, though he’d never admit it. Maybe his mom could tell, heck, maybe his dad could even tell.
It was nice to watch them interact though, he could let himself daydream.
It’s like this wasn’t plans for Rebecca and his wedding, it could’ve been plans for his and Buck-
No.
He shouldn’t even daydream about that, it’s not only selfish or rude to Bucky, it’s rude to Rebecca.
He’s committing his life to her, and it’s disrespectful to think about being with another, even if in his head. He’s already been a cheater once, not again.
Not again.
He watched as Bucky excused himself for a phone call, his eyes trailing after he Omega all the way to the kitchen door, where he disappeared too.
.•O•.
Bucky doesn’t think he’s ever been this happy, and it was a surreal feeling to just know.
He’d hung up the phone a minute ago, but he just couldn’t seem to stop smiling at the dark screen. Standing alone in the kitchen, he decided it was probably best to go tell T’Challa.
Slowly he turned around, pressing his palm against the white door and pushing until the noise of the living room filtered through. He hadn’t realized how quite it seemed in the kitchen, all by himself and his baby.
His sweet, amazing little baby who was dancing from their parents excitement. He put his phone back in his pocket, and then slid his hand to rest over his child, on the curve of his belly where his baby kicked at.
T’Challa spotted him across the room, seeing his elated grin and excusing himself from Bucky’s uncle to make his way towards the Omega.
When they got close enough to touch Bucky kissed him, hard.
“What’s got you so happy?” T’Challa asked as they pulled apart, contented smile gracing his handsome features.
“The doctor called me.”
The Alpha’s face morphed into a look of shock, then curiosity, and anticipation.
“...And?” He whispered.
“We’re having a boy.” Bucky whispered back, his grin still firmly in place as his eyes watered.
Fuck, he was so happy.
“A son?” T’Challa asked, breathless.
Bucky nodded, kissing his Alpha’s cheek.
“I’m having a son!” T’Challa announced, joyous grin on his face, his bright teeth on display.
Bucky loved when T’Challa smiled with his teeth, no matter how rare or hard it was to make it happen.
Bucky heard his mother scream, a shriek of joy.
The Omega was vaguely aware of his fathers “I knew it!” Being shouted in the background.
He heard kind congratulations from family.
He felt his mother hug him from behind, her hands splayed over his pregnant belly.
And he felt the little push by his belly button from their baby, their son.
But never once did Bucky’s eyes stray from T’challa’s, neither of their grins withering.
This is what love felt like.
And god, Bucky was so in love.