Marvel One Shots: Bucky & Steve

Daddy Barnes Prequel

The first few weeks after the birth of your child had been rough. The change you and your husband had to make to your sleep schedule to fit your newborn son's was exhausting. Bucky tried to help in any way he could; occasionally cooking and cleaning, getting up to change the baby, and making the environment more peaceful. He was being an absolute gem as you tried to get into the groove of parenting.
After a few weeks of breastfeeding, you realized it just wasn't for you and switched your son to formula. It was a bit more of a hassle at night, but this way Bucky could do some of the feedings as well. Tonight was the first time to try bottle feeding. You prepared by leaving a pan with water on the stove top before you went to bed to make the process smoother when you were woken up in the middle of the night by your screaming child.
You lay down your baby to sleep, sneaking out of his room quietly and making your way into yours. Bucky's already laying beneath your comforter, flipping through the channels on the television in near silence.
"What'cha watching?" You ask him as you slide into the covers on your side. He looks down at you for a second moving his metal arm to let you cuddle up to his chest.
"Trying to watch tv with the volume on eight. Gilbert asleep?" He rubs circles on your back.
"For now," you yawn, moving impossibly closer into his warmth.
"We should probably get to bed. Sooner or later he'll be waking us up." He turns the tv off before turning the bedside lamp off. You yawn again as Bucky wraps you in his arms.
"Night," You mumble.
"Goodnight," he kisses your forehead as you drift into blissful darkness.
*Baby crying noises*
Your eyes open instantaneously at the noise. You sit up, fighting the urge to cry yourself. You were so tired. No one told you how exhausting babies could be.
Bucky stirs from his sleep at your movement.
"I'll feed him this time..." he yawns standing from your bed.
"Are you sure?" You're tired but nervous that your instructions weren't clear. What if he doesn't warm the bottle enough? Or too much! Bucky hasn't burped Gilbert enough to know exactly how to do so!
Bucky's already out of the room and in the kitchen by the time you spring from the bed. You don't want him to feel like you don't trust him. All you want for Bucky is to feel that he's a normal dad, and normal dads helped out with midnight feedings. You had prepped him on how to heat a bottle of formula, but you hadn't expected him to act on the information the same night.
You couldn't help but creep through the halls to observe him prepare the formula. You hide behind the wall, peeking out as he turns the stove on letting the water warm before transferring it to another bowl where he places the bottle of formula. He picks up the bottle after a moment and begins to test it. In his sleep deprived haze, he tests it on the inner wrist of his metal arm.
You let out a giggle, blowing your cover. He spins around, confusion written on his face until he sees you.
"What's so funny?"
You step forward sheepishly, "James, you tested the bottle on your metal arm." He looks down at the formula that drips from the silver metal.
"Oh," he grabs a towel wiping it away, "But the rest I did correct?"
"Let me test it." He hands you the bottle.
"It's perfect," You hand the bottle back to your husband, "You can still feed him if you'd like to. I didn't mean to interrupt or take over."
He smiles, "Come sit with us."
He pulls you towards your sons room. Handing you the bottle, he picks up the screaming child and sits in the large rocking chair you had insisted on. Gilbert instantly quiets down in Bucky's embrace.
You watch sleepily the beautiful sight in front of you. When you had first met James you couldn't have imagined him in this position now, holding your son against his chest. Lovingly staring down at the little boy with dark hair like his daddies.
"Go back to bed (y/n). I got this doll," he smiles up at you. You smile back at the twinkle in his eyes. You kiss him on the forehead, softly brush your sons dark locks and hear back to bed to dream of dark haired boys and girls with your eyes, smiling and playing with the man you love.