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Bucky never thought he would have a life after Hydra. From what he could remember during the rare times he could form his own thoughts in that dirty cell with the one small window, he always believed that he would spend the rest of his very long life there.
But now, standing in his bedroom doorway of the cozy Brooklyn apartment, he could never imagine his life any different than what it had been in the last year and a half.
Peter James Barnes. His light in the dark, his pride and joy, his beautiful baby boy.
Before Peter was born, Bucky struck a well paying job at a luxury mechanic shop. After his time in Wakanda to get the brainwashing out of his head, he wanted to get his life together. He went to Kingsborough to get his degree in automotive engineering which helped him land the job.
He had been having a tough day at work. A gas cap on a Range Rover was more loose than he expected, so when he went to pull it off, he got gas all over his face and the front of his clothes. After that shitshow, some Karen in a red Mercedes came to get a simple oil change. While he was working on her car, she decided to waltz around his shop and touch everything in sight basically. Then after that, he noticed too many things wrong with her engine and that the entire thing needed to be replaced. That itself is the most annoying thing ever, but then she proceeded to tell him that it should cost the same as the oil change because she wasn't prepared for it. What would go through your head to even remotely think anything like that.
Literally the worst person he’s met in months.
By the end of his shift he was run down, grumpy and just wanted to go home and snuggle his baby.
*
When he walked through his door and wasn't immediately greeted by excited squealing and a little body waddling to hug his legs and reach up to him, he was a little confused.
Peter's babysitter was on the couch watching TV when he greeted her.
“Hey, Katie. How was he today?” Bucky said as he kicked off his shoes and dropped his keys on the hook.
“Pete was great and giggly as always. He’s down for his nap right now, so i’ll get out of your hair and let you do what you need to do.” She started packing up her things and took the money from Bucky when he gave it to her.
After she left, Bucky went to go check on Peter before he showered. The little boy was sleeping on his stomach with his legs bunched up next to him like a little frog. He had his favorite baby blue t-shirt on with a diaper and was idly sucking on his pacifier, making it bob slightly in his mouth.
It was one of the most precious sights that Bucky had ever seen. His son was so beautiful and perfect and so cute.
Bucky reached his hand into the crib and gently smoothed Peter's hair down so it wasn’t sticking up in all places like it usually did. He gently caressed Peter’s smooth cheek before quietly exiting the room.
Bucky made his way into his room and grabbed lounging clothes. He made his way into the bathroom and stepped into the shower.
*
When he went to check on Peter once more before he started making a late lunch and he wasn’t there, Bucky started to freak out a little bit.
Why isn’t he in his crib? Where did he go? Did Hydra take him to try and lure Bucky back into their grasp? If anyone laid a finger on his baby’s head he's gonna rip-
During his internal monologue he was unconsciously running through the house to try and find his precious boy. He stopped in the doorway of his bedroom when he saw a lump in his bed that he didn’t see before when he went to get his clothes.
The lump shifted and out poked a little head from the blanket. When his son’s sleeping face turned to him he almost melted into a puddle of lovey-dovey dad. His mind eased of all worries as he stared at his son.
He walked closer to him and sat down gently on the edge of his bed, as to not wake the sleeping baby. Bucky studied Peter’s sleeping form. He was blissfully conked out, still sucking on his pacifier.
Bucky assumed that Peter had woken up when he was in the shower and climbed into Bucky's bed. The baby was starting to develop that habit of crawling into his Papa’s bed after he was put to sleep. Instead of crying like a normal baby, he would somehow pull himself out of the crib and onto the floor to waddle to his Papa’s bed. Bucky had to assume that his super soldier serum was playing a part in his ability to do that at 18 months old.
Peter was wrapped in Buckys favorite blanket, a soft navy blue one. Bucky knew he chose that blanket because it smelled like him, since he used it so often.
He laid a hand on his baby’s back and rubbed slow but pressed hard enough to wake Peter. The boy shifted and eventually blinked his eyes open to look blearily at Bucky. Peter smiled softly at his father and lazily batted a hand at him to be held.
Bucky scooped Peter into his arms and cradled him just like he had when he was first born. Peter snuggled into his papa and the blanket that Bucky laid over him as he was held.
“Hi, baby,” Bucky said softly. Peter glanced up at him with his warm brown eyes, then nuzzled into his chest. “How was your nap? Did you have any dreams?”
“Papa.” Peter whined softly, trying to get comfortable in Bucky's arms.
“Oh, you had a dream about me? What was it about?” He asked jokingly. It was always fun to interact with a half asleep Peter. It was especially fun to joke with him, because he gets all mad and it's the cutest thing Bucky has ever seen.
“Nooo, Papa. Cuddle!” He was also very straight forward when he woke up. Always stating exactly what he wants. Papa, cheerios! TV, Papa. Blankie!
“Well how can I say no to that?” Buky stood up and crawled into bed, Peter still in his arms. He settled Peter on his chest and put the blanket over both of them. Bucky secured Peter in his arms as he kissed his son's head.
“Go back to sleep, bubba. We’ll have lunch after.” Bucky started to run his fingers over Peter's hair and back as a way to soothe him to sleep.
“Love, Papa.” a little voice spoke up and a dopey grin spread itself across Bcuky’s face.
“I love you too, honey”
He would go through hell if it meant he would come back home to this.