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Bucky was getting really goddamn tired of cleaning up HYDRA’s messes. This time it was an abandoned warehouse in rural New York that they had used as a training facility. For what? He wasn’t sure. He did find some papers that talked about both the Black Widows and the Winter Soldiers. The moment he read that, a pit formed in his stomach, and an uneasy feeling rose up.
“Lena,” He says, activating the comms. “I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“Why?” She asks, appearing in the doorway a few moments later, making her way to his side quickly, looking at the papers in his hand.
He doesn’t need to respond to understand what’s making him so uneasy. It’s not the papers themselves, but the ‘project’ that they detail. The project that forced the Soldiers to procreate with the Widows.
“Shit.” Yelena breathes, glancing at Bucky.
“Uh, yeah.” He mumbles, his face pale. He knows that somehow, he was involved. He was always involved, being the original Winter Soldier and all. They wanted more of him. Bucky feels sick to his stomach, having to shove the papers in Yelena’s hands so he can turn away, holding a hand to his mouth, eyes squeezing shut. Yelena flips through the papers, glancing at him occasionally with a concerned look. And then she sees it.
‘Original Winter Soldier procreation event: Successful.’
Her breath hitches as she looks for any sort of proof that somehow, maybe, it wasn’t him. But the next page seems to confirm their fears, with his full name printed in bold across the top of the paper.
“I’m- I’m sorry, Bucky. This is horrible.” Yelena murmurs, glancing over at him.
“It was successful, wasn’t it? There’s a kid out there?”
Yelena hesitates, eyes flickering between him and the paper again. “It only says it was successful. Looks like the Widow program took over documentation after…”
He nods, taking a shaky breath. “I can live with that.”
Bucky had finally calmed down, ready to move on, when John came onto the comms, screeching for help.
“There’s a wild Widow here, guys! The fuck-” he grunts, panting. “Fucking get here.”
Bucky and Yelena exchanged a look and then bolted, running as fast as they could to the floor that John had been on. When they reach him, Alexei and Ava still haven’t gotten there. So they jump in, assisting John with dealing with the Black Widow that he was not equipped to handle, despite the serum running through his veins. Somehow, the Widow’s attention gets turned onto Bucky, and surprisingly, she’s able to knock him over quite easily with a kick between his legs and then to his chest. She fights off all attempts to pull her off of him, pressing her knee to his chest.
“James Barnes?” She rasps out, pulling a folded paper out of her pocket.
He nods, hesitating to actually do something about her on his chest. He watches her closely, noticing her features, her movements.
Shit. She’s barely even eighteen. It’s obvious.
The moment he realizes that, he glances at Yelena, giving her a glare that meant to stand the fuck down, which she understands immediately, putting her arm across John’s chest, shaking her head at him. The paper that the Widow- well, really, kid- pulls out has a bunch of scientific jargon that he doesn’t understand. But she points to the bottom margin, where the whole thing is summarized.
This kid… she was his daughter. He doesn’t know what to say, with an oblivious look in his eye. She doesn’t need him to say anything.
“I’ve been looking for you.” She states, getting to her feet, stepping back, leaving him to get to his feet on his own.
“Why?” Bucky asks, stepping closer, but she steps back.
“Why would anyone go looking for their father?” She deadpans. John chokes out a breath, eyes wide, but Yelena… Yelena seems relatively calm, as though she had already had an idea.
“That’s… a good point. But, still. You know who I am. Why would you look for me?” He emphasizes.
“Again. Why would anyone want to find their father? It doesn’t matter who you or I are. I still wanted to find you.”
“What’s your name, kid?” Bucky sighs, staring at her, already getting frustrated.
“They didn’t give me a name.” She huffs.
“Well, I can’t just call you kid, now can I?” He exclaims, putting his hands on his hips, exasperated. Yelena and John glance at each other, holding back laughter.
“Fine! You choose one!”
Bucky pauses, lips parted in surprise. But he recovers quickly.
“English or Russian, ты маленький умник?”
She rolls her eyes, recognizing the foreign language easily. “Why would I want a Russian name?”
“You’re part Russian, I’d assume.” He deadpans.
He gets a scoff and an eye roll from the girl, who’s become eerily silent, obviously having no retort for him.
“Thought so. You coming with us, kid?” He asks, daring her to refuse.
“Where else would I go?”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s go.” He grumbles, turning on his heel, glaring at Yelena and John, making them back down from any questions they were about to ask. “She’s coming with us. Not a debate.”
They pass by Ava and Alexei as Bucky leads the girl out of the building, awkwardness building now that they’re not butting heads. Yelena quickly explains the situation to the others before following Bucky, assuming the mission is over.
“Get in,” Bucky says, holding the passenger door of the van open for her, unsure what else to do. She nods, watching him closely as she climbs in. But the moment she’s sat, he shuts the door and climbs into the driver’s seat. He starts the engine, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel as he waits for the others to get in.
“You’re, what, eighteen?” He asks awkwardly, glancing over at her. She nods, arms crossed over her chest.
“This would be way easier if you’d talk to me, you know.” He huffs, unable to help the smile pulling at his lips.
“You’re moody. Grumpy, even. It’s kinda funny. Who knew a kid could have such a personal vendetta against the world?” He teases, smirking over at her.
“Oh, shut it.” She grumbles, rolling her eyes. Her lips part as though she was going to say something, but she hesitates. And right as she’s about to speak, the rear door opens, and she slams her mouth shut as the team clambers in. It’s immediately loud and chaotic in the vehicle, with everyone asking questions at a million miles a minute.
“Shut up!” He yells, giving her an apologetic look when she flinches, his heart aching at the sight. “All of you, quiet.”
He puts the car into drive, glaring in the rearview for a moment, before driving off. But, of course, the silence is too much, and he’s soon being nagged about music.
Bucky ignores every single one of them until the smaller voice next to him pipes up.
“Can I turn on the radio?” She asks, already reaching out for the knob, but hesitating, as if she were afraid that she’d be punished if she dared to do so anyway.
“Free range, kid.” Bucky nods, trying not to frown at her hesitation. He also ignores the snickers coming from the rest of the team, knowing that it’s his awkward way of interacting with this girl that’s got them laughing at him.
The ride back into the city isn’t long at all, and if anyone else had complained about being hungry or needing the restroom, Bucky would’ve ignored them. But the moment the girl next to him pipes up, albeit quietly, about being hungry, he immediately rummages through the glovebox, pulling out some of the snacks that he has stashed in there. Her smile and the way it absolutely lights up her face make it worth the loud protests coming from the team. The moment she’s done with her snack, now left with a crumpled wrapper in her palm, Bucky holds his hand out for it, not even looking away from the road.
Finally, when they do get back to the tower, the team has grown tired of complaining and bickering. The sky is fading into darkness as the sun disappears on the horizon. Bucky parks the van wordlessly, shutting it off and getting out, hesitating at the front of the vehicle, waiting for the girl to follow.
His girl. His little girl. He has to admit, it does make him a bit giddy, now that the initial shock has worn off.
“We probably don’t have any rooms ready to move into right now. We weren’t expecting anyone new to join us.” He says awkwardly, leading her inside. “You can sleep in my room. But if it’s more comfortable, I’m sure Ava or Yelena wouldn’t mind bunking with you.”
“I wouldn’t mind being with you.” She says, fidgeting with the hem of her jacket as she follows him. Gone is her confident demeanor, that of a Black Widow who’s ready to kick anyone’s and everyone’s ass. Replacing the Widow is a teenage girl who’s been reunited with her father, who has no real knowledge of how to navigate such a circumstance. A teenage girl who feels so little, so naïve, compared to the man walking beside her.
“I’ll show you around, then.” He says, seeing through the tough façade she has painted on, getting a glimpse of the vulnerability underneath.
He eventually reaches out, resting his hand on her upper back as he shows her around, trying to make her feel a little more welcome. Finally, when they get to his room, he opens the door and lets her in. It's the same basic setup as all of the other rooms: a dresser, a walk-in closet, a desk, a sofa, a mounted TV, and a full-size bed. And sure, his room is a bit messy, a fact he’s suddenly embarrassed by.
“I’ll uh… I’ll get new sheets and then you can take the bed.” He offers, unsure of himself. “And I’ll see if Yelena has clothes that you can borrow. I doubt you’ll wanna end up borrowing mine.” He chuckles awkwardly, but smiles when he sees her own soft smile.
“Thank you.” She breathes, glancing up at him.
“You don’t gotta thank me for anything, alright? You came to me, I ain’t gonna turn you away. We’re family now, kid.” He says, moving toward his dresser to find a change of clothes as he continues to speak. “I can bring you to Yelena now, if you’d like. Or I can just have her come here with some clothes while I shower. Up to you. And then after, we can eat, then maybe decide on that name?”
She smiles, nodding. “That- that sounds good. She can come while you’re showering, I guess. I don’t wanna get lost or anything.” She rambles, getting comfortable on the sofa.
“Got it,” Bucky says, sending a quick text to Yelena before heading to the connected bathroom. “She’ll be here in a few minutes. I’ll be quick, ‘kay?”
“Okay.” She says, watching him disappear into the bathroom before hesitantly grabbing the TV remote, flipping it on.
She flips through the channels, but the moment the door creaks open, she sits up straight, eyes attentive to the woman walking in.
“Hey. I’m Yelena.” She says, shutting the door behind her. “I got you some clothes.”
The girl looks up at her, smiling. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” Yelena says, handing her the stack she had picked out from her closet. “I don’t wear most of these, anyway. We could probably go shopping for some clothes for you later, if you’d like. I’m sure Mr. Grumps wouldn’t mind spending his money on you.”
The girl laughs, eyes lighting up as she goes through the clothes. “I hope so.”
“Well, I know so,” Yelena says, sitting on the arm of the couch. “He’s already let you break so many of the rules that he’s set for the rest of us. And he’s already looking at you like… like you’re an angel, of sorts. Men are weird like that, I guess. Some would rather swallow a knife than be a father, but some… some are like him. They worship the ground their kids walk on. He’s headed on that path already. I can see it. He’ll be awkward for a bit, but that’s how he always is. You already have a good dad, kid. And with him, you got a family.”
She looks up at Yelena, lips curled into a small smile as the blonde speaks. “I- thanks.” She breathes, nibbling her lip.
Yelena nods, squeezing her shoulder as she stands.
“Anytime, kid. You’re family now.” Yelena says, heading to the door. She glances back at the girl with a small smile before leaving.
She sits on the couch, staring down at the clothes in her lap. She’d have never guessed that looking for her father would end up like this. That she would’ve gained an entire family, and a loving one, at that. She tears up, lips trembling as she runs her fingers over the fabric.
“Hey, kid, I’m done in here if you wanted-” Bucky pauses when he sees her on the couch, her cheeks glistening with tears. He drops the towel he was using to dry his hair, making his way to her side immediately.
“Hey, hey, what’s the matter?” He asks, taking her hands in his, trying to figure out how to soothe her.
“I- I just…” She sniffs, squeezing her eyes shut. “I’m overwhelmed.”
“Okay, that’s okay.” Bucky breathes, sitting on the couch next to her, naturally pulling her into his arms. “I got you. Just breathe. It’ll be okay.”
She chokes out a small sob, curling into him, clutching his shirt. He hums softly, rocking her in his arms, one of his hands cradling her head to his chest.
“Does this help you?” He asks, gently running his hand through her hair when he notices her slowly calming down. She nods, not loosening her grip.
“Gotcha.” Bucky murmurs, continuing to hold her. His chest pangs with every sob that falls from her lips, wanting nothing more than to fix whatever made her so upset in the first place. But she needs him to do this, not to fix every single thing that may be a problem. So he stays right there, rocking his girl in his arms.
Eventually, when her sobs turn to sniffles and she starts to pull away, Bucky lets her, still keeping his hands close.
“You wanna talk about it?” He asks, leaning against the back of the couch, waiting for her to speak.
“I just… Wasn’t expecting this. I don’t know what I was expecting, really. I… I went looking for you and now I have an entire family, and I dunno how to really process that.” She starts, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. “It’s a lot.”
“Yeah, it is. Trust me, kiddo, I get it. But I’m right here, alright? I ain’t leaving. I’m staying right here as long as you need me.” He says, reaching out to swipe away a stray tear. “How about you go take a shower, alright? Then we can figure out dinner. Maybe watch a movie or something after. Okay?”
“Okay.” She sniffs, swiping at the remaining tears on her face. She gets up, clothes in her arms. But halfway to the bathroom door, she hesitates, turning back to put the clothes down and wrap her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
“Oh, hey, okay. I got you.” Bucky chuckles, pulling her close, running his hand in circles over her back until she pulls away. “You don’t gotta thank me, kiddo. Keep that in mind. You ain’t owing anybody anything.”
“Okay.” She nods as she steps back, grabbing the clothes once again. She turns toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.
As she takes a shower, Bucky sits at his desk, scrolling through countless lists of names, trying to find something that he could hear belonging to his little girl.
And eventually, he finds it, after scrolling through the third list of Russian baby names that he came across.
Liliya.
He knew it from the moment he read the name. Sure, he made sure to find a few back-ups, but he was dead-set on this one.
So he waits patiently, cleaning up the room as she showers. And when she eventually comes out, looking a bit more human than she had earlier when they first met, he smiles.
“I think I found a name for you.” He says as she sits down next to him on the couch.
“What is it?” She asks, genuinely curious, and slightly hopeful.
“Liliya,” Bucky says, smiling softly. “Dunno, I just think it suits you.”
She nods, tearing up. “I like it.”
“Good. That’s good.” Bucky breathes, unable to contain a soft laugh as he pulls her into a hug. “Liliya. My sweet Liliya.”
She can’t help but giggle, wiping her eyes, leaning into his embrace, slowly warming up to him. But she can’t sit there forever, especially not when she starts feeling as though she’s starving. She doesn’t even have to say anything. Bucky immediately gets up, leading her to the kitchen downstairs in the common area.
There, he starts a simple dinner for everyone, inviting Liliya to join him in the kitchen. At first, she hesitates. But she eventually warms up to the idea, easily finding herself at his side, watching as he cooks and doing everything he instructs.
“So, you got a name yet, or are we just gonna keep calling you kid?” John asks once they’ve all sat down to eat.
“Liliya.” She responds, a proud smile on her lips.
“Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful little girl!” Alexei exclaims, genuinely excited- for too many reasons to name.
She can’t help but laugh, feeling more at ease as the night rolls on. They make her feel like family as they pull her into their jokes, immediately filling her in on every little secret. It’s home already.
And Bucky watches her proudly throughout the night, partly in amazement that someone as good as her could ever come from an experiment as intrusive as the one she had been created in. The fact is, plain and simple, that she’s his little girl. It was written in stone the moment he found out about her. Nothing could’ve stopped it.
Not that he really wanted it to stop, anyway. Not when he finally has everything he could ever want or need from life. Liliya simply just sealed the deal for him.