Distressed // Steve Rogers

7 - Nothing Changes That

Two Years Later

"Buck?" Talia shifted through piles of boxes, all pulled down from the attic, twisting slightly to avoid knocking the pile into the small room Bucky Barnes was holed up in. "You in here?"

A grunt seemed to emanate from behind the pile of clothes and gifts bundled on the rocking chair and Talia laughed as she spotted him, grumbling to himself, as he reached for the screwdriver that had rolled away.

"Need some help there, buddy?" 

Bucky grunted again and Talia held out his coffee.

"What have we said about this, huh? We use our words when we're upset in this house Bucky Barnes. It's the rules: even when you're just visiting." She grinned as he held up a metallic middle finger.

"Shouldn't you be resting, Little Widow?" He didn't look at her, but he did smile a little and these days that was a win. In the last six months, James Buchanan Barnes had become a grump and Talia had enough to deal with with her own mood swings without a Super Solider sulking in her spare room.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for another date, Wiener Soldier?"

Bucky's groan was pained and pitiful and Talia smirked as he rolled his eyes.

"You know, you're meaner with this one." He pointed at her swollen stomach and grimaced and Talia grinned.

"Yep. I think it's because it's a boy."

"Girl," Bucky countered with a smirk.

"You know, you and Steve keep saying that, but I keep reminding you that you're never right." She shrugged as she watched him struggle with the base of the crib he was trying to assemble, knowing he'd reject her help if she tried. "A mother knows these things."

When he scoffed she kicked. Just gently, but enough to push him off balance.

"So, Mr Deflector. Date. Why aren't you getting ready?"

"Relax, Tal." He frowned deeply as he stared at the small frame now standing, assembled before him and pushed to his feet. "It's not for another three hours. I've got time."

Talia nodded as she watched him. His eyebrows were knit together and his lips were pulled into a tight frown. Six months of failed dates and awkward conversations. Six months of Bucky coming back to the farm and crashing in the spare room when another failed attempt at romance saw him running from the city and hiding out with the little family he had. Six whole months of Talia trying to convince him he needed to just relax and open up to the idea of dating. Just a little. Just enough to let someone see the good in him long enough to want to stick around. Bucky was miserable and Talia hated it.

"Now where's Steve?" He continued on as he pushed the frame slightly, leaving it rocking just a little. "I can't get this thing straight and no offence, but you look like that thing is going to explode any minute now."

When he grinned at her, Talia felt the tension ease from him. She watched as a little light came back into his eyes. She found her best friend hidden beneath all the layers of self-doubt and loneliness.

"That thing," she laughed, "is not going to explode. And you might not want to say anything that could be construed as you calling a heavily pregnant super soldier fat, Soldier."

"Soldier? Shit. I really screwed up this time." Bucky winked as he moved the clothes and baby bits from the chair for Talia to sit. "You haven't called me that since... well since we hated each other."

"Oh the good old days."

"Yep." Bucky sat on the floor as Talia lowered herself down into the chair and put her feet on his lap. "Before you became my favourite pain in the ass."