Love Grows: Love Series 1 (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

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PENCIL ON PAPER, Steve glanced up at Bucky while the alpha lounged on the chaise in front of the fireplace, reading an old, thick novel. The alpha looked effortlessly sophisticated as he relaxed there. No fire was burning beside him, but that didn't stop Steve's imagination from running wild.

They were at Bucky's brownstone and Steve could imagine kids climbing onto the alpha's lap, begging him to read them a story. Or running up and down the stairs to come down for dinner or to hurry down for school. On the second floor, there was a library, and he knew that he'd place the kid books on the lower shelves so the kids could always reach them. He just hoped that they'd still want their fathers to read them to them.

Fathers?

Steve paused his sketching, causing the scratching noise to stop. And since those had stopped, Bucky glanced over at him. Steve paid little attention to the brunet. His mind was still on that sentiment. On fathers. As in plural. As in him and, who? Bucky??? Sure, Steve cared about the alpha and he knew that Bucky felt the same. But he couldn't expect for Bucky to step up and be a father. It wasn't fair of him to expect that from him.

"Stevie?"

Blinking his thoughts away, Steve looked over at the handsome man. Humming in acknowledgement, "Hmm?"

"Everything alright?"

"Of course," Steve good-humoredly scoffed. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Setting the novel aside, Bucky sat up so he could fully focus all of his attention on Steve. Explaining, "You stopped drawing me."

Blushing, Steve weakly denied, "I wasn't drawing you."

"Sure," Bucky rolled his eyes, but an arrogant smirk stayed on his lips, "Whatever you say, Stevie."

Steve insisted, "I wasn't."

"I believe you."

Playfully, Steve narrowed his eyes at the alpha, "Don't patronize me."

"'M not sure what you're talking about."

Shaking his head, Steve set his sketchbook off to the side and stood from the cozy armchair. It was a little harder these days being in his third trimester, and he knew that Bucky would help him if asked, but the alpha knew better than to assume Steve needed his assistance.

Steve knew he was stubborn. He did. He also desperately hoped that Guy-or-Rosemary wouldn't inherit that from him. Of course, with their beta father being a stubborn son-of-a-bitch too, it didn't look good either way.

After he was done in the bathroom, Steve glanced at the clock on the mantel. Trying to stretch as best as he could with a coconut sized fetus bullying their way around his womb, he sighed, "Well, I guess I should get going."

Bucky checked the clock on the mantel and his watch and back again. Asking, "Want me to drive you to your appointment?"

"I can take a cab, it's not a big deal."

"I know it's not a big deal." Bucky shrugged, "I just thought that I could take you there and then take you home. And, y'know, just hanging out there while I wait."

Seeing how flustered the alpha was and how the baby wiggled inside, Steve asked, "Are you asking if you can come to my appointment?"

"In a roundabout way, I suppose," Bucky admitted. "But only if you want me to."

Technically, they had only been dating for a few weeks, but it felt much longer than that. It had been longer than that, just not officially. This alpha had helped set up the baby's nursery. No complaining, no sarcasm, not like Hodge. Instead, Bucky was happy to help. More than happy. In fact, he was the one who suggested it from the beginning.

"Okay," Steve huffed, putting his hands on his hips, "We need to have a talk."

Eyes widening, Bucky meekly agreed, "Alright."

"I'm pregnant," he began.

Fighting a laugh, "I know. I don't know how to tell you this, but I'm not the only one who knows."

"That's not what I mean," Steve swatted at him. "What I mean is that if we take this step, this step that has us playing house, it's not just you and me. I have a baby to think about. And it's all fun and games now because they're not here yet, but they will be soon enough. Do you know what I'm saying?"

"Steve," Bucky stepped forward and cradled the omega's face in his hands, "I know what I'm getting myself into. Knew it from the moment we met, I think. Even though everything was different, I knew it would somehow lead to this. Or, at least, hoped it would."

Not able to stop himself, Steve leaned up and kissed Bucky. Zac-or-Elsie kicked up into his lungs, but all Steve could do was smile at the alpha. Even if Bucky didn't stick around once they were born, at least Steve could say that once-upon-a-time there had been an alpha who wanted to be there for them.

Bucky placed his hand on Steve's abdomen and teased the unborn pup, "You've got the worst timing, you know that, bud?"

Steve couldn't help but think they had perfect timing. Especially whenever Bucky took notice and talked to them. And Steve felt lucky. He felt blessed. Felt as though he was floating.

The feeling only grew and magnified once he was on the examining table with his supportive band rolled down, shirt pushed up, and his baby on the ultrasound monitor. It was the first time that Bucky was seeing them in real time and Steve noted the twinkle of joy and unshed tears in his steel-blue eyes. Steve watched him in wonder. He had seen partners act like that in movies, but hadn't experienced it yet for himself, not until now.

Giving his hand a soothing squeeze, Bucky looked down at the omega, "Isn't this the best thing you've ever seen?"

"It really is," Steve assured, his own eyes growing misty.