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callalillywrites · 5 hours ago

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The Day Their Sun Set

Written for @stuckybingo. I5 - Sunset.

Stucky Masterlist | Stucky Bingo | Main Masterlist

Relationship: Stucky x Reader*

Steve and Bucky = romantic

Steve and Reader = romantic

Reader and Bucky = platonic/best friends

Word Count: 3846

Summary: A week before you end up going into labor, you ask Bucky to look after Steve and the baby should something happen to you. When things go wrong in the delivery room, Bucky finds himself having to keep his promise to you sooner while they wait for news of your fate.

Warnings: open-ended ending; cliffhanger ending; possible character death (leaving it up to readers to decide); angst; so much angst; pregnancy; labor; reader suffers unexplained medical emergency; heartbroken Steve and Bucky; worried Steve and Bucky

A/N: I was in a particular mood when I wrote this story, and I was definitely feeling a bit petty when I wrote the ending. I make no apologies about either, but you are free to scream at me for all the angst that awaits should you decide to read this.

A/N2: Inspirations for this story include Please Don't Take the Girl by Tim McGraw and Lullaby by Nickelback.

A/N3: The Russian used later in this story was translated by Google Translate. If it's wrong, please let me know and I'll do my best to fix it.

I do not give permission to have my works copied, translated, reposted, or fed into an AI machine.

*****

The blanket came into view a moment before Bucky's voice washed over you, admonishing, "You're going to catch a cold, doll. What are you doing out here?"

You barely spared him a glance as you murmured, "The sun's going to set soon."

Your hand rubbed soothing patterns over your protruding stomach. The babe within kicked every now and then, reminding you of their presence.

The swing creaked under Bucky's weight as he slid into place behind you, his metal arm coming to rest across your chest. He tugged you backward into his warmth even as his other hand settled the blanket more firmly around you.

"Still coulda brought a blanket if ya wanted to watch the sun set, doll. What'll Steve do if ya catch a cold so close to the baby's due date? Ya know he's helpless when you're sick."

You couldn't help the small grin that slid over your lips. "Yet, it's not my husband who's come to check on me but my best friend. How do you explain that one?"

Firm but warm lips pressed against your temple, resting their for a moment before he moved off. His voice was quiet as he said, "Best friend's intuition. Figured ya needed one of us."

"I'm guessing our Stevie is still determined to outfit this cabin with enough wood for the season even if we're leaving the day after tomorrow."

His low chuckle vibrated through you. "Ya know it. If ya need him, I'll get him."

You shook your head, allowing it to fall deeper into his shoulder. For a moment, you were content to soak up his warmth and simply enjoy the moment.

Bucky had always been your rock against the raging storm what was your mind at times. Steve tried, and you appreciated his efforts, but he couldn't understand what it was like. He never would. Your mind wasn't always your own, not with the magic you possessed. It was a magic that proved both blessing and curse in equal measure. A magic that summoned images of what could be, what would be. Images that haunted you with some still. No matter what you tried, not all of them were capable of being changed. Some set in stone, long foretold and certain to play out as they should.

Having such a tormenting type of magic, it helped you bond with the very man who'd lost his free will and mind to others. Many years, Hydra had kept Bucky locked away, bending and wiping his mind until all that remained was the machine they'd worked so hard to cultivate. Their Winter Soldier. Cold and efficient. Deadly and almost perfect. Failure wasn't an option.

Becoming best friends hadn't lessened even when Steve's part grew in both your lives. He just fit the two of you, completed you both in ways that neither of you could do alone.

You may have gained the ring upon your finger and Steve's last name, but you freely shared him with Bucky. The two loved each other so deeply that it wouldn't have been right to stand between them.

Life hasn't always been easy, but the three of you had stumbled into something that worked.

Clearly, you mused as your hand rubbed once more over your growing babe.

"Peanut giving you trouble?" Bucky asked, his hand coming up to mimic your actions on the other side. A kick met his efforts, causing his chest to swell with pride.

"No, she's perfect."

"She? Ya know Steve's certain it's a boy."

You nodded, your grin slowly slipping away. "I do."

"Hey, hey, what just happened?" Bucky's voice came out whisper-soft, concern lacing his words. He stretched his neck so he could meet your gaze, his brows pinching. His lips mirrored the frown working its way across yours. "Talk to me, doll."

The urge to do just that nearly overwhelmed you, but it wouldn't do any good. The images you'd seen were too blurred, too hard to interpret with any real certainty. Yet, that didn't diminish the knowledge that came with them. The hurt that was to come. You couldn't stop it. All you could hope to do was mitigate it.

Your voice shook, but your gaze remained steady. Seeking out his hand on your belly, you grabbed it "Do me a favor, Buck. If something happens to me, promise me you'll take care of them both. They're going to need you. She's as much yours as she's mine or Steve's. Please, promise me."

"What's this about, doll? Ya have a vision or something?"

The worry etched deep lines in Bucky's features, stilling the truth in your throat.

With a shake of your head, you forced your hand to loosen around his. Patting it, you did your best to lift your lips into some semblance of a smile. "Nothing like that. I'm just having a moment, I think. These damn hormones, you know? But, you'll promise me, won't you? Settle my mind a little?"

Bucky studied you for a long moment before he finally nodded. His brows remained pinched, but the rest of him released the tension he'd been holding. "Yeah, I'll take care of them, but nothing's gonna happen to ya, doll. You're not going anywhere."

"I hope so. I really hope so," you muttered so low that even Bucky's sensitive hearing couldn't pick up.

Curling into his side the best you could, you two sat and watched the sun sink below the horizon. The quiet of the moment soon grew loud with the melody of crickets chirping and the evening birds' songs as they came awake for the night.

Neither of you moved until Steve came out, bringing with the smells of freshly cooked dinner.

He came forward and helped you to your feet, taking care you didn't trip over the blanket Bucky had draped over you. "How ya doing, sweetheart? How's our little one? He behaving himself?"

"Told you," Bucky murmured so only you'd hear.

You shook your head even as you grinned at Steve. "She's doing fine as is her mama. We're a bit hungry now that we've smelled whatever you've made for us."

"It's nothing fancy. Just some reheated soup you made earlier in the week and some of those rolls Bucky likes to hoard."

Pressing a kiss to his cheek, you took the moment to simply inhale his scent and bask in his warmth, so like Bucky's yet so uniquely Steve. In that moment, it didn't matter what visions you'd seen or the way they clung to you with a certainty that both frightened yet calmed you. All that mattered was this closeness to the man who'd captured your heart and cherished you in ways that you'd always wanted to be cherished.

When you pulled back, your smile came out, genuine. "Doesn't need to be fancy as long as it's made with love."

Steve's smile turned boyish, his energy almost excited as it usually was every time you said that to him. It was a real sight to behold, especially when Bucky's own energy shifted to something calmer but no less happy, enthusiastic about the evening ahead.

It was an evening you hoped they'd forever remember well after you were gone.

*****

"Doll, you're doing so good. Just a little more," Bucky encouraged, his hand cramping from where yours gripped so tight. He wasn't about to complain as another contraction raked through you. Your fingers gripped impossibly tighter.

He caught Steve's grimace as your other hand held onto his from your other side. It didn't stop Steve from saying, "He's right, sweetheart. We're right here with you. We've got you."

"I'm so tired."

Your voice came out hoarse even as your eyes dropped closed. Head dropping to your chest, you breathed out as the contraction's hold finally loosened upon you. Sweat beaded and slid down in long rivulets, soaking the top of your hospital gown. The towel Steve had brought you still rested against the back of your neck.

Bucky picked it up and wiped your forehead and down your cheeks, earning a smile for his efforts.

Not about to feel left out or outdone, Steve grabbed up the cup of ice chips he'd retrieved earlier and set the largest one he could find on your tongue.

You hummed your gratitude, but that proved short-lived as another contraction hit you.

The nurses moved around them in a dance they knew well-enough, offering encouragement of their own from time to time.

Yet, nothing motivated you more from what Bucky could tell except the doctor finally announcing it was time for you to push. The one word you'd been longing to hear since they'd rushed you through the hospital doors in the early morning hours. Bucky might've lost track of the time, but he knew it was growing late. Well, over twelve hours since your arrival and admittance into L&D by the way the sun had risen to its highest point and started its descent towards the horizon.

A stray thought of the previous sunset he'd shared with you flashed across his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

His focus remained on you and you alone.

It had to be.

He couldn't and wouldn't let you down. Not when you'd asked him of all people to be your birthing coach, even over Steve, your husband.

Out of all the missions he'd taken in his life, this was the one he'd known counted the most. He'd be damned if he failed you in any way. As your best friend, it was his duty and his honor to see you through this important moment.

Time grew hazy between the moment the doctor told you to push and the baby's first wail. Silence had swelled within the room until its newest occupant declared her presence proudly.

"You were right, mama," Bucky whispered against your damp hair, his heart so full at the few glimpses he'd gotten of the baby. "She's a beauty, just like you."

Your smile was faint, but it was there.

Bucky watched as Steve's hand shook as he cut the cord. They didn't stop shaking until the nurse placed the screaming girl in his arms, her large eyes open and searching for the moment.

"Hey there, peanut," Steve's voice shook even as his eyes filled with awe. An awe that matched Bucky's as he simply watched the two of them get acquainted for the first time. His best friend and lover had finally found what he'd always been looking for, even if Steve hadn't known it. "Hey, precious girl, your mama's the smartest mama. Told me you were a girl, but I didn't believe her. I shoulda believed her. You're so beautiful."

When he would've kept watching the scene in front of him, you captured Bucky's attention with a brush of your hand against his. Your eyes drooped even as a beatific smile graced your features. Your voice, more hoarse than it had been, rasped, "Remember your promise?"

He nodded.

"Keep it…"

Your body went completely limp a moment before the monitors tracking your vitals rang their alarms.

"Doll?"

Bucky reached for you, but he never made contact. He never got the chance.

A nurse got between you and him and shoved him toward the door.

"You have to leave. Now."

Another nurse did the same with Steve, swiping the baby from his arms and taking her to the nursery. Doctor's orders, or so she mumbled loud enough for Bucky to hear. When Steve would've argued, yet another nurse pushed him toward where Bucky stood, the door slamming behind her.

More nurses and another doctor rushed towards the room.

Bucky lost count of the number that went in but didn't come out.

Only the final nurse slowed her pace until she stood in front of them. Her voice was gentle, sympathetic, as she said, "Come with me, please. We have a room already set up that you can use. The baby will come to you after she's cleaned up a bit, so you can bond with her while you wait."

Steve's wreaked expression met Bucky's.

Nudging Steve's shoulder, Bucky swallowed past the lump in his own throat. "Come on. It'll be okay. She's a fighter. Hasta be to put with us, right?"

The nurse's face never lost its sympathetic expression as she nodded.

It took Steve another moment or two before he finally lifted his feet to move them, crowding himself into Bucky's side. The fact that it was usually reserved for you wasn't lost on either of them, but there was no moving Steve to his side. No strength would've held him up at that point.

Bucky pressed a kiss to Steve's temple, much like he'd done to you that evening at the cabin.

"Do you have a name picked out?" the nurse asked, breaking the silence. No doubt she wanted to try and lighten their mood.

Bucky nodded. "Yeah, the baby's name is Sarah. Sarah Rogers."

"No, it's not." Steve shook his head, meeting Bucky's gaze. A ghost of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth though it faded as quickly as it came. "It's Sarah Winifred Rogers. Her mama wants her to have a strong name. So she picked the two strongest women she'd ever heard of. The same women who raised us."

"She wants Peanut to have my ma's name?" Bucky's voice barely made it past the swelling lump in his throat.

Steve nodded, his own gaze watery.

"It's a wonderful name," the nurse said softly. Her sympathetic expression broke for a moment though she quickly turned her face so they couldn't see how this tidbit had affected her. After clearing her throat, she pushed open a door along the hall and motioned them behind her. "You'll find all the privacy you need here. We'll bring little Sarah to you after she's been checked over."

"Thank you," Bucky murmured, stepping past her and guiding Steve towards the sofa along the far wall. No way did it appear comfortable, but it would hold the both of them. That was all that mattered at the moment. His arm came up to sweep over the room as he added, "For all of this."

The nurse nodded. "Of course. I'll come by when there's an update. Hopefully, we'll have some news soon on your wife's condition."

Rather than correct the nurse, he focused his energy on Steve, who looked more lost than he'd ever had before. This was worse than when Steve had lost his mother all those years ago. But then, they'd known her end had been coming. Nobody back then survived tuberculosis, a disease that she'd been all too close to working as a nurse in that particular ward.

Sinking to a crouch in front of Steve, Bucky leaned into Steve's space.

"I need her to be okay, Buck. She's gotta be okay," Steve whispered, his tears breaking free and trekking down his cheeks.

His fists clenched, slamming into his thighs with enough force sure to leave bruises. It didn't seem to faze Steve though as he continued to repeat his words over and over. Buried beneath his pain lay hope. Hope that you'll be okay. Hope that you'll be with them again soon. If Steve said the words enough and long enough, then maybe they'll come true.

Unable to see him in such pain, Bucky reached out and stopped Steve's fists before they could make contact yet again. Heat blared beneath the fabric of Steve's jeans from the sheer number and force he'd subjected his skin to in that long minute.

Doing so brought Steve's gaze to meet his, blazing and almost accusing.

His words confirmed it as he demanded, "What promise did you make her? What promise did you make to my wife, James? Why didn't I know about it?"

Letting go of Steve's hands, Bucky grabbed his cheeks instead and held him still. His words came out clipped but earnest. "Your wife is also my best friend, so don't start that. She means as much to me as she does to you. I've been there for you both as much as you two have been there for me. I'm not your enemy, punk. I get you're upset and you're scared right now, but I'm your friend, your love, too."

Steve crumbled then.

Wrenching his face from Bucky's hands, Steve dropped his head onto Bucky's shoulder. His grief and fear shook his shoulders even as Bucky curled around him, holding him steady. It was all they could do in that moment, lost in their shared emotions.

"I'm sorry. So, so sorry. I didn't mean it, Buck, I swear, I —"

"No, hey, it's okay. It's okay. Shh. You're scared. We both are. She's been our sun since she came into our lives. Neither of us want to lose her. I know that. I'm not mad. Not even a little bit," he gently assured Steve even as he tried to keep himself from breaking down further. Bucky had made you a promise, and he feared he'd have to keep it a lot sooner than he'd planned to. Yet, he wouldn't let you down. Couldn't. How could he ever call himself your best friend if he did?

Time seemed to matter little as they remained like that.

Only when his knees protested his position did Bucky shift to Steve's side on the sofa.

Steve didn't hesitate in curling into him, burrowing into the comfort Bucky offered. His tears had dried by then, but the streaks remained on his cheeks. Shadows haunted the skin beneath his eyes, much like it probably did with Bucky. It didn't matter though. They had no interest in looking their best while your life remained hanging in the balance.

Bucky's hand ran through Steve's hair, soothing him much like he'd done in their younger years. They'd been holed up in either his bed or Steve's while one cold or another racked his too-thin frame.

"What did you promise her?" Steve asked finally, his voice wavering but not accusatory.

Bucky's mind drifted back to that evening once more. The barest of smiles drifted over his features at the sweet moment he'd gotten to share with you. A moment he'd hoped to cherish, but he feared then it would forever be tainted with the omen he'd chosen to ignore. His smile slipped then.

"She asked," Bucky cleared his throat, having heard his voice crack, "me to take care of you and Peanut. Said you'd need me to help ya raise a little girl if anything happened to her."

"Did she know? Did she see this?"

Bucky couldn't help thinking you might've known, but you hadn't been able to say it. Why? He couldn't offer up an explanation. Not one that satisfied him as well, so he didn't try. Instead, he settled for saying, "I don't know. It's possible. She was a little off that night, but I chalked it up to Peanut bugging her."

"There's a chance, right? If she did see this, she could've seen it wrong. It's happened before."

Tears burned across Bucky's waterline and his breath sucked in until his lungs ached. To hear his friend and lover's voice so broken, Bucky would rather take out his own heart. He'd give anything to trade places with you.

"Pozhaluysta, voz'mite menya vmesto vas. Yesli vam pridetsya kogo-to vzyat', pozhaluysta, pust' eto budu ya," he spoke the words softly, not wanting Steve to overhear them and ask about them. (Please take me instead. If you have to take someone, please, let it be me.)

"Anything's possible, Stevie," he said louder this time, pressing a kiss to Steve's temple.

They fell into silence once more, only disturbed by a knock on the door.

A moment later, it opened without either getting the chance to answer.

The nurse from earlier came in with a rolling bassinet and little Sarah resting peacefully within. Her new name had been written in bright bubbly lettering across the front. On the shelves below, Bucky could make out some supplies for the baby. Pre-made formula and diapers. Some wipes and what looked like some burp cloths and another blanket.

"Here she is. We had a nice bath in the nursery, and she's doing well. All her vitals appear normal. Now, she just wants to be held. Who'd like to go first?"

Bucky nudged Steve up until they were both sitting once more.

"You never finished your turn, punk."

Steve rolled his eyes though he motioned towards himself as the nurse lifted little Sarah from her bassinet.

"Skin-to-skin is recommended for bonding purposes between you and the baby. We usually do it with the mothers, but fathers are encouraged as well."

A blush rose over Steve's cheeks, something Bucky didn't get to witness too often anymore, as Steve realized what the nurse meant. It took him a bit to finally tug his shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the chair opposite them.

The nurse remained professional and courteous as she helped settle little Sarah against Steve's chest. Sarah's shirt had, too, been removed with a few efficient maneuvers. She draped the blanket that had been wrapped around Sarah over the newborn and part of Steve's chest.

Steve reclined just enough to keep her from sliding down his chest. His hand came up to support her bottom while the other rested over her back.

Bucky could make out a few sweet noises from little Sarah before she settled and fell back asleep. Her trust in her dad was clear in the softness of her form as she rested against him.

"Already a natural," the nurse said, setting the bassinet within their arms' reach. "I'll be back to check on you three in a little while. She was fed before I brought her, but she'll need another bottle in a couple of hours. Use the call button if you need anything in the meantime."

When she would've turned to leave, Bucky asked, "Any news?"

The nurse turned to shake her head. A promise to see what she could find out fell from her lips before she retreated from the room.

Alone once more, Bucky leaned over and rubbed a hand over Steve's arm. "No news is good news right now."

Steve nodded though his gaze remained transfixed on his daughter. His vigilance had gone into overdrive even though no threats existed near them. It was clear to Bucky how much his friend and love had become entranced by the tiny life in his arms. Then again, that tiny face had the power to entrance Bucky, too, as he watched her sleep in Steve's arms.

Neither noticed the sun dipping its final rays below the horizon outside their window.

They only looked away from the tiny life in Steve's arms when another heavier knock sounded against the door.

A doctor stepped in this time, his familiar face no longer hidden behind his mask.

"Mr. Rogers," the doctor began, "about your wife…"

Bucky scooted closer to Steve and wrapped an arm around him.

Whatever news they would hear, they'd hear it together.

#thank you for reading and reblogging

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