illuminate. (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Interlude

~*~*~*~

Shuri's Laboratory. Mount Bashenga. Late October 2017.

T'Challa made his way to Shuri's laboratory. His sister hailed him through the Kimoyo beads early that morning insisting he come to Wakandan Design Group Headquarters as soon as he was able. Walking the glassy sleek hallways, the king pondered the possibilities. He hoped she had good news. What he thought would only take a few months had stretched into a full year filled with numerous setbacks. He could feel himself beginning to doubt the advancement of Wakandan technology, wondering if he promised Steve and Y/N too much. Each time he and Shuri spoke to you regarding their efforts and the lack of progress, their hearts broke to hear how defeated you had become.

As he strode into the main chamber holding Bucky Barnes, he caught Shuri's attention. She beamed at him, hopping from one foot to another in excitement. "Please, tell me you have some good news," T'Challa asked, wary of becoming too hopeful.

The princess nodded her head voraciously, "I do, brother." She gestured him over to the computer screens surrounding the cryo-chamber. "Come, let me impress you with my genius."

T'Challa clasped his hands behind his back and leaned over to peer at the computer screen displaying scans of Bucky's brain. "Tell me and then I will decide whether or not to clap for you," he said to her with a playful smirk.

Shuri scoffed at him but continued on, "As you know, removing the programming as deeply ingrained as this is immensely difficult. The human brain is one of the most complex organs in the body. As such, there is no 'delete button' to press. The trigger words are so intertwined with many of his memories that a process that broad runs the risk of erasing Sergeant Barnes' personality, everything that makes him who he is. That is the last thing we want, and I do not think Captain Rogers and Y/N would ever forgive us if we allowed that to happen. So to avoid that, we have to find each and every memory that has the greatest amount of control over his physical actions and the ones HYDRA manipulated to serve their needs...of which there are many."

T'Challa raised an eyebrow at his younger sister, "This is the part where you tell me the good news, I hope?"

Shuri huffed at his impatience, "I have finally perfected an algorithm that will remove the influence of the ten trigger words whilst retaining the memories with which they are associated, essentially rebooting him." The princess' cadence rose rapidly as she excitedly explained the other possible applications of this base program. T'Challa eyed her in wonder. With Shuri's vast intellect, it was easy to forget that she was still just a teenager.

He smiled and looked over to the man resting peacefully in the cryo-pod, "Hopefully with this, Sergeant Barnes will be able to dream in peace once more."

~*~*~*~

The wind rattled the cabin window rousing Bucky from a deep sleep. Rubbing his eyes, he looked out the window, noting the ice covering the Japanese Magnolia tree that stood sentry outside. A pastel rainbow painted the sky by the sunrise hinted at the possible arrival of an early spring. He smiled at the thought of soon being able to open the windows and letting in the fresh Rocky Mountain air after being shut in all winter long.

A whimper came from his right side. He turned to find you lying on your left side, facing him. Your brow furrowed in discomfort. He pursed his lips slightly at the sight of you in any type of pain, but he had seen that look on your face before over the past 7 months. His knuckle trailed lightly down your cheek, arm and torso before coming to a stop where his unborn son rested. Even through his metal prosthesis, he could feel the force behind his child's kicks.

Shaking his head with a sigh, he moved further down the bed slowly lifting the hem of your sleep shirt, revealing your baby bump in all of its glory. Bucky marveled for a moment at the sight he never thought he would get to see. Softly caressing your stomach, he brushed kisses over every spot he spied his foot, knee, elbow, or fist. "Now, son," he cooed lowly, "I know you are anxious to meet everyone, but let's give your ma a break, huh?" He continued to kiss and murmur sweet nothings into your belly, watching the child within you slowly settle down at the sound of his voice. "Atta, boy," he murmured against your skin. He laid there for a moment, listening to the sound of his child's heartbeat. After a while, he felt your fingers gently stroke his hair. He looked up at you and the soft contented smile that graced your lips while your eyes were still glazed over with sleep.

"Good morning, Sarge," your  morning voice rasped.

"Good morning, doll," he replied, pulling himself away from your swollen belly to lay next to you. Your buried your face in his broad chest, your forehead resting against the crook of his neck. "Little man giving you trouble?" he asked, massaging circles into your lower back to relieve some of the tension you carried there.

You shrugged, "No more than usual, especially with you here to settle him down." You sighed relaxing further into his embrace, "He's gonna be such a Daddy's boy."

Bucky chuckled, moving his hand from your lower back to stroke your hair, pleased that hesitation no longer laced his movements when it came to touching you. Once, the thought of being around a baby, much less holding one, terrified him, but not anymore. He was proud of the progress he had made since he escaped HYDRA's clutches.

You sighed contentedly against his chest, allowing his ministrations to lull you slowly back to sleep. As your breathing evened out, Bucky's hand traveled to your stomach once again, reveling in the fact he was able to live freely and on his own terms.

A soft creak came from the bedroom door. Over the top of your head, Bucky spotted a mop of hair in a shade that matched your own and a pair of sleepy steel-blue eyes. He put a finger to his lips and waved his daughter over. The little girl tiptoed to his side of the bed and climbed up and over him, settling between you two. Bucky kissed his eldest child's forehead, "Whaddaya doin' up, angel?"

"Had a bad dream," the toddler whispered,  her thumb halfway in her mouth. She hid her face from him.

Bucky nodded in understanding, "Ah, thought so. I get them too sometimes."

She looked up at him wide-eyed, "Daddies aren't supposed to get nightmares."

Bucky chuckled, "Oh, trust me, we do." He nuzzled his daughter's head, breathing in her scent. "We just know how to make them go away."

"How?" she asked quietly.

Bucky stroked his daughter's hair and watched as you instinctively reached for her, sensing her presence. With a tired sigh, she cuddled into you, her eyelids drooping with exhaustion. Bucky chuckled and draped his arm over his two best girls, "Lots of cuddles," he whispered before falling asleep once more.

~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

Happy late birthday to me! I had hoped to get this out on my actual birthday as a gift to y'all, but a food coma caused by too much sushi prevented me from doing so.

Hope you enjoyed the Daddy!Bucky fluff. I just think it's fucking adorable even if it is just a dream. I will try to have the next chapter out as soon as I can.

As always, comment, vote, and share with friends if you are enjoying the story!

Thanks for reading!

Ginger