Bucky comes and plonks himself beside you as he starts to wrap his knuckles, getting ready for a sparring session with Steve.
"Now remember." He he says slowly as he winds a bandage around his metal hand; the only reason he does that hand is for the protection of others. "Even if it looks like we are hurting each other we aren't, so don't freak out."
"Okay." You nod.
"Good." He smiles.
But then you see him lift up his flesh hand and as he flexes it he winces. Just as he's about to start wrapping it you grab it and stop him.
"Buck!" You gasp as you examine it.
It's puffy and bruised and there are grazes on each of his knuckles.
"What?" He shrugs.
"You're hand!" you exclaim worried.
"It doesn't hurt." He shrugs.
You give him a look. "Then why did you just wince?"
"Look." He sighs. "It's just what happens when you punch someone."
And with that he gets up and goes over to Steve. You can't help but shudder at his words.
"Don't worry about him, he's going to be fine," Peggy murmurs from beside you. "He was merely just protecting his son, as any father would. He just doesn't know the full extent of his abilities yet. You said for yourself, he scared himself."
You nod trying to convince yourself. You told Peggy all about what happened yesterday after she came running up to you frantically after reading about it in the paper.
"And like you were saying earlier, he's more like his old self again now right? It's a distraction from his thoughts and he's doing it for the right reasons," she continues.
"You're right." You nod in agreement.
You watch as Bucky strides over to Steve who is waiting for him, leaning against a rail with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Took your time? You putting things off because you're too scared?" You hear Steve say.
"Now now punk, its good to see you have hope but don't get too confident because I'm about to kick your ass," Bucky shoots back.
"Pathetic aren't they?" Peggy shakes her head.
"Come on boys! That's enough with the smack talk! Let's get to the fighting." Howard Stark shouts from one of the benches near yours.
You turn around and look at him laughing. "Strange, they look like grown men but they're acting like children."
"Perhaps the serum affected their brains in the wrong way," he jokes.
"Yeah Stevie come on, stop mucking around and let's go," Bucky teases, taking up his stance, bouncing on his toes and banging his hands together to hype himself up.
Quickly they start sparring, throwing punches and kicking each other. However, soon enough one of the trainers comes in holding up an array of guns and knives and other weapons.
"Okay guys weapons are up for grabs now!" He shouts to them.
You gasp in fright at this.
"Don't worry, they aren't real. They're made of rubber and fake," Peggy whispers sensing your concern.
"The guns don't actually fire either. They're just to simulate an actual fight. You watch, in order to get the weapons too they have to continue fighting whilst trying to get them, which is a possible situation in a fight. It's all to help them keep improving," Howard explains as he suddenly comes to sit beside you.
"Oh I see." You nod.
"I don't think we've officially met, I'm Howard, Howard Stark," he says and sticks out his hand.
"(Y/N) Barnes, Bucky's told me all about you." You smile and shake his hand.
"He says a lot of stuff about you too, all good might I add," he says. "And I want you to know that that arm of his is one of my proudest achievements; the way it can move, feel, and replicate an actual arm so well. When it comes to the upkeep of that arm I will give it my best care, most up to date technology and my utmost attention."
"Oh, thank you," you mumble not really knowing what else to say.
You continue watching the fight, it's very interesting. Both men are clearly very evenly matched in all aspects of the fight. Both seemed very relaxed in their movements as in they know what they're doing.
"You guys are doing a good job with them, it hasn't been that long and they look so skilled and strong and sure," you point out.
"It's all on them." Howard shrugs. "They're very determined people."
You're beginning to think that this fight could go on forever because of not only the fact that no one seems to have a clear upper hand, but because of their incredible stamina. Neither seem that tired, in fact both seem as if they could just keep going and going, especially since they're so competitive.
Until finally when Steve goes to hit Bucky with a right hook, Bucky manages to duck and swing his leg out, tripping Steve over so that he falls to the floor. In a flash before he can even recover Bucky is on top of him, straddling him and pinning him yo the ground with his thighs, holding a gun to his head and a knife to his throat.
You tense up a little shocked as they glare at each other for a few seconds but then just like that they snap out of it and Steve bursts out laughing, pushing Bucky off of him who collapses beside him on his back laughing huskily and gasping for breath.
"Took you long enough," Howard shouts to them teasingly.
"I let you win that one jerk." Steve huffs.
"Whatever Stevie keep dreaming." Bucky scoffs, his chest heaving.
"We're having a meeting with them after this if you'd like to stay along," Peggy says with a hint of guilt in her eyes.
"Oh no, I need to get going. I have to pick up the kids. I can't leave them with my mother all day." You shake your head.
"You sure? It's quite important," she urges.
"I really should get the kids. Bucky can tell me about it when he gets home. Trust me Peg, you'll understand in a few months." You smile and pat your rounding tummy. "You won't want to be away from your baby for more than a few seconds."
Peggy lights up with excitement. "Okay, see you later." She sighs.
"Bye now, nice to meet you Howard." You wave as you stand up and start walking out. "Bye guys!" You yell to the two men still laying on the sparring mat.
"Aw! Where are you going?" Bucky pouts in a pathetic, exhausted voice.
"To pick up the kids," you say in a duh tone.
"Without giving me a goodbye kiss?" He quirks an eyebrow.
"Why don't you get off your lazy ass and come give me, your pregnant wife, one?" you tease.
"Cos I'm too tired." He wines.
"Try being pregnant," you say sassily. "Steve I think you need to train him a little harder," you joke and with that you leave to the sound of everyone laughing.
"Hey!" You hear Bucky exclaim defensively.
~~~~
It's late. You haven't heard from or seen Bucky since the training session and you are beginning to get increasingly worried. Surely the meeting wouldn't take this long right? No matter how important?
Luke and Isla are all upset because you sent them to bed without getting to say goodnight to their dad and they always love his bedtime stories and kisses goodnight.
You're too concerned to bother trying to sleep. Something just doesn't seem right. If he was going out he would tell you that he would be late.
Now you find yourself sitting up waiting and hoping. You sit in the kitchen in silence, rubbing your belly nervously with nothing but the dim light in the lounge on and with your elbow on the table you rest your head on your palm.
It's after midnight when Bucky finally shows up home, with bright red eyes and absolutely reeking of alcohol and smoke.