Little Secrets, Little Bucky

Babysitting

As the day progressed, Bucky finally felt calm. His mama had managed to make him feel better, just like she always did, and he was enjoying the time spent letting her take care of him.

But of course it couldn't last. Mama's phone rang halfway through lunch time and while he was eating she disappeared into her room to answer it. She didn't come out for a while, which made Bucky nervous. Mama never left him alone this long while he was little. When she finally came out, Bucky had just finished his food and she picked him up to sit with her on the couch.

"Baby, we need to talk about something important," she started, holding him close, "Steve just called me and I have to go with him on a recon assignment until tomorrow morning." Bucky tensed up, Mama was leaving? What if she got hurt?

"I go with you?" He asked in a quiet little voice, "M big, can go with Mama."

Y/n shook her head, "You know as well as I do that even if you were big, which you're not, you still wouldn't be allowed to tag along. We have our orders, it's just me and Stevie this time."

Bucky's eyes filled with tears, "I gotta protect you though, Mama. Can't lose you, I can't."

"Steve will protect me, baby, just like I'll protect him," Y/n took a deep breath, "Sam's going to come take care of you while you're little and tomorrow Mama will be back."

Bucky shook his head, tears beginning to fall down his cheeks as he held on to his mama, "Don't wan' Sam," he cried, "Wan' Mama."

"I know, baby, and I'm so sorry," Y/n fought to keep her tears from falling, knowing that Bucky needed her to be strong right now. "I promise I'll come back, just like always."

Sam knocked on the door of her suite and Y/n told Jarvis to let him in. He saw Bucky crying as he clung to his mama and understood that the devastated little boy already knew exactly what was happening. Y/n stood up, carrying Bucky with her, and gestured for Sam to follow her to the common area, heading straight for the mission room near the elevator.

Sam helped Y/n pack up her suit and mission equipment, she only had one free hand due to the frightened baby that was holding on tight to her torso. Steve came and winced sympathetically when he saw his sister trying to calm her baby. He wasn't crying anymore but he wouldn't look at anyone but his mama and he had a death grip on her shirt.

Y/n carefully pried him off, setting him down on the common room couch. Bucky whined, reaching to be held again, but she crouched down so that she was at eye level instead. "Bucky, I know you're scared, and you have every right to be," she cupped face with one hand, "but Mama is not going forever. I promise you I'm coming back." She spoke in a calm voice, not betraying a single ounce of the pain she was feeling. "I need you to be a good boy for Sam for the rest of today, alright?"

Bucky nodded, even as he burst into tears again, and she pulled him into a hug. She held him for a few minutes, telling her baby how much she loved him before Steve came and tapped her on the shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Y/n," he whispered, "but we need to go if we're gonna make the plane." He kissed Sam goodbye and walked over to the elevator, waiting for his sister.

She nodded, pulling away from Bucky, and pressed one last kiss to his forehead. "Mama loves you, I'll see you tomorrow." She walked to the elevator waiting for the doors to close before she let herself feel the emotions she'd been concealing. Her brother pulled her into a hug, letting her calm down before reassuring her that Bucky would be alright, Sam would take good care of him, and that they'd be back together before she knew it.

The second the doors closed Bucky started sobbing hysterically, begging for his mama to come back, and Sam's heart just about shattered. He went into Y/n's suite to retrieve Bucky's blankie and came to sit near him on the floor by the elevator where Bucky had ended up. The little boy was curled up in a little ball, sobbing into his knees as he pressed himself against the elevator doors where he had last seen his mama.