Mine (Bucky Barnes)

Thirty-Nine

I promise no sad stuff in this chapter! Brought back some spice and (hopefully) some laughs! This chapter was going to be a lot longer, but it was easier to split up. <3 Artie

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Days passed before Mirjana and Bucky could bring themselves to actually discuss names about their little girl. The night after the funeral she ate, then felt sick again and stayed in bed the rest of the day. Bucky, Nat, Yelena, and Steve stayed in the room with her, mostly watching movies. Peter, Wanda, Sam, and Shuri came and went, bringing them food and suggesting films to watch.

Bucky was able to compartmentalize his emotions much better. Hell, it was the thing he was best at – aside from, ya know. The obvious. Being able to compartmentalize helped him to take care of the love of his life. He read to her, massaged her back, rubbed the lotion onto her stomach that Ororo dropped off, washed her hair, and brought her food in bed. His favorite thing to do was go through one of his many journals and tell stories from before the war, before he became The Winter Soldier.

After so many days of letting them wallow in their grief, Shuri had had enough. She burst into their room early in the morning, shaking them from their stupor. She carried what looked like a large grenade in her hand, and a determined grin on her face. Peter and Wanda slunk in behind her. Their kitten, recently named Alpine after a vote yesterday, jumped up from her spot at the foot of the bed and hid in the bathroom.

Blind without her glasses, Mirjana was more frightened than Bucky at the intrusion and hid behind him and under the covers as best she could. His brows scrunched together as he stared at the trio, confused as to what was happening.

"Shuri, I know you said you planned on forcing us out of the room today, but I don't think threatening us is the best way of doing it," he frowned.

She glanced at the object in her hand and back at him. "What? Afraid of a dance battle, old man?"

"Dance battle?" He ran a metal hand down his face. "I'm confused. What kind of weird Wakandan tradition requires a grenade in a dance battle?"

Realization dawned on Peter's face and doubled over in laughter. "It's not a grenade, Mr. Barnes! It's a portable speaker! It plays music!"

Wanda, who'd been completely engrossed in making 'the perfect playlist' looked up from the phone in her hands. "Grenade? Who has a grenade?"

"Mr. Barnes thought Shuri brought a grenade to a dance battle!" Peter cackled. Beside him Shuri held a stitch in her side as she joined in the laughter.

Mirjana poked her head around Bucky's broad back, still covering herself with the blanket. "Wait, who's all here?"

"Princess Shuri, me, and Wanda," Peter answered.

"Who's me? Peter?"

He sighed. "Yes, Ms. Ilić."

"Peter, how many times have we told you? It's Bucky and Jana." She leaned over to grab her glasses, failing to remember that they were on Bucky's nightstand. He had taken them off her after she fell asleep in the middle of a movie.

And then proceeded to wake him up by straddling his waist and taking him for the ride of a lifetime. He was tired, but it was well worth the lack of sleep.

"Sorry, Ms. Jana, but I can't help it. My parents and aunt and uncle raised me to always refer to people as Ms. or Mr.," Peter shrugged.

"Anyway," Shuri cut in, glaring at Peter. "The reason we're here is because we want to challenge you to a dance battle."

"Or a knowledge test!" Wanda piped up.

"Knowledge test? Ugh." Mirjana fell back against the pillows. Bucky chuckled, offering his hand for her to hold.