Little Secrets, Little Bucky

Surfacing Insecurities

Y/n took Bucky to the kitchen before realizing that he probably needed to be held continuously at the moment. There was no way he'd be okay with just sitting on the counter. She took him to the nursery, intending on handing him off to Steve and found her brother looking into the fort with Tony, Rhodey, and Clint. Rhodey put a finger to his lips, signaling her to stay quiet and she peered into the fort. It took everything in her not to make a noise from how sweet the sight in front of her was. Sam was sitting in the fort, leaning against a pile of pillows, and curled up in his lap like a puppy was Tasha, sound asleep. He was slowly stroking her hair where her head rested on his shoulder and was watching her closely for any signs of discomfort but she seemed completely at ease. Clint looked like he was about to cry from how happy he was and Y/n smiled, remembering that same feeling when Bucky had connected with his uncles.

"Stevie," she whispered. "I need a favor." Steve walked with her to the other side of the room. "Bucky needs a bottle but I don't think that he should be set down right now."

"Oh, do you want me to heat up a bottle for him?" Steve asked. "I don't mind doing it."

"No, he needs regular milk not the meal replacement stuff and he's kinda picky about how much cinnamon and honey goes in it," she explained. "Can you just hold him while I make the bottle?"

"Of course I can," Steve said. He gave Bucky a big smile and held out his arms. "C'mere little guy, I'll keep you safe until your baba's ready." Bucky reached out, content as long as he was being held, and rested his head on Steve's shoulder. His fingers made his way into his mouth and Y/n reached for the pacifier that she kept in her pocket for him. But Steve beat her to the punch and she looked back up to see him already giving Bucky a red pacifier.

"Where'd you get that?" She asked in a confused voice. She kept the extras in a bin under Bucky's changing table but they were on the other side of the room from that.

"Oh the pacifier? Sam and I each keep one in our pockets," Steve said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Just in case he slips and you're not here. They help so much to calm him down and you know how scared he gets when he's little without his mama, it just seemed like a good idea."

"Steve-" Y/n had never felt more touched by something that wasn't even for her. "That's so- I just- Thank you."

Steve gave her a little smile as he rubbed Bucky's back. "You don't need to thank me," he said softly. "Honestly you've done me a huge favor. You helped my best friend find peace again. Now why don't you go make his bottle so that he can take a nap? I'm sure he's getting tired after how busy he's been today."

Y/n nodded her head and went to go make Bucky his bottle. While she was heating up the milk to add the honey and cinnamon, Tony wandered into the kitchen with his daddy close behind. "He was wondering what you were doing," Rhodey explained.

"I'm making Bucky some cinnamon-honey milk for his baba," Y/n said, helping Tony onto the kitchen counter. "It's gonna help him calm down for his nap."

"Can I have some?" Tony asked tentatively. The milk looked, and smelled, delicious. He didn't want to be a bother, but he figured it was worth a try. Y/n glanced at Rhodey for confirmation and he nodded his head.

"Of course you can," Y/n smiled at the little boy and added more milk to the pot. "Do you want to borrow one of Bucky's sippy cups?"

Tony nodded his head, giving Y/n a big smile. "Thank you," he said quietly.

"Of course, sweetheart," Y/n finished stirring in more honey and cinnamon and poured the milk into a bottle for Bucky and a green sippy cup for Tony. "Rhodey, does Tony take naps?" She asked, handing over the sippy cup once she'd checked the temperature.