Chapter Text
“Are you nervous?”
“Are you gonna try to spike the eggnog with vodka tomorrow?”
Natasha smirked.
“You shouldn’t be, Bucky told you that they already know about you being pregnant. Hard part’s covered.”
“Of course the hard part is over. Not like they could meet me, decide not to like me and vaguely tolerate my presence for the grandpup.”
A soft knock echoed through the apartment. Ignoring Steve’s last statement, Natasha crossed the living area to the door, opening it to reveal a slightly red faced and rumpled Bucky dusted with the remains of the snow lightly falling outside.
Steve felt himself calm unwittingly at the sight of the alpha. Their compatibility did wonders for his nerves at times.
“Ready to get goin’? I heard through the grapevine that Ma’s got lamb goin’ for the occasion.”
“He sure is!” Natasha said, coming behind Steve and pushing him in Bucky’s direction.
“You’re in an awful hurry to get rid of me. Should I be worried?”
“The faster you get your visit over with the faster you get back here to tell Sam and I about it.”
Steve and Bucky both snorted. “Gossip,” Steve shook his head fondly.
Steve closed the door behind them when they left and heard the door being locked from the inside.
“Nervous?” Bucky asked as they set off towards his childhood home.
“Of course I am. Isn't everyone when they're meeting the family?”
“You shouldn't be. Honestly after this visit I'm pretty sure Ma is gonna disown me and adopt you in my place.”
Steve could only hope that Bucky's confidence was well placed. This was his first time meeting any romantic interest's family. With him being a scrawny omega with a laundry list of ailments and an attitude, no one had even been tempted to bring him home. He was glad for that in his previous relationship though; he mentally shuddered at the thought of the household that made his ex the abusive piece of shit he was.
Steve braced himself as they pulled up to an older but obviously well-loved two-story brownstone. Bucky grasped his hand as they met in front of the car and made their way to the front door together.
There was a cacophony of sound throughout the home as Bucky guided him inside without so much as a knock; the television booming in a room up ahead and to the left accompanied by a handful of voices and the clanging of pots and pans coming from an open archway to the right where soft holiday music was playing and an even softer voice singing along with it.
The effect of it all on Bucky was similar to the one the alpha had on him earlier. He hadn't realized Bucky held any tension despite his sure words until he watched his right shoulder slump slightly.
"I would get ya to Pop first cause he's the easiest of em all to handle but it sounds like the girls are with 'im." Bucky mumbled as they shed their layers and hung them in a small closet near the entrance. "Ma it is then."
He tugged Steve's hand gently and led him into the dining area that led to a kitchen where heavenly smells immediately encased their senses. Steve could see an older woman bustling around, splitting her attention expertly between the pots on the stove, the crockpot near it, and the prep work she had going on on the counter opposite. There was a smile present whenever they caught a glimpse of her face as she hummed.
Bucky stopped in the middle of the opening separating the two rooms, his bulk nearly taking up the entire space. Steve peeked around him just as the woman started shaking her hips to the jolly tune.
"Ma, if ya loved me you would stop whatever it is you were about t' start doin’."
Steve could smell a hint of embarrassment in the alpha's scent as his mother faced him with a wide grin on her face, unrepentant at being caught in her own world.
"I'll have you know James this was the shimmy that had your father practically tripping across the dancefloor to me when we were around your age. This shimmy is why you're here today."
The smell of embarrassment grew and Steve couldn't help but snicker - though it was immediately covered once the older omega leaned over to get a glimpse of him. Steve immediately felt the urge to hide himself completely behind Bucky but the alpha would have none of it. He entered the kitchen fully and angled his body to the size to give his mother a full view of Steve. The blond shuffled in place with his gaze to the tiled floor as Bucky’s mother took him in. He wondered if she found him lacking with all his bones and angles. Sure, things were slowly filling out due to his pregnancy but he still looked to be on the thinner side. He wondered if she was disappointed in Bucky for impregnating such a scrawny omega and most likely tainting their bloodline with his issues. He wondered if-
“Oh James, he’s precious .”
Steve’s eyes snapped up just in time for Bucky’s mother to place warm, gentle hands on the curve of his hunched-up shoulders. He heard Bucky chuckle next to him.
“Yeah ma I think so too but if I told ‘im that I’d prob’ly end up castrated.” He joked. “Ma this is Steve Rogers. Steve, this is my ma, Winifred Barnes.”
“It’s uh, it’s nice to meet you Mrs. Barnes.” Steve said, holding his hand up to try to initiate a handshake.
Winifred tsked and batted his hand down and brought him into a hug. “You’re giving birth to my first grandpup; as long as you treat my boy right you call me ‘Mom’ or ‘Ma’ you hear me?”
Steve glanced over at Bucky and when he saw the alpha’s smile, he slowly brought his arms up and wrapped them around Winifred. She pulled back a bit and began speaking rapidly at him.
“Have you eaten recently? James mentioned you being incredibly nauseous, has it cleared up any? I’ve got a nice little remedy I learned from George’s mother when I could barely hold down soup while I was pregnant with James. I know the kitchen’s a bit warm due to all the cooking going on but I saw on the news that it was freezing out there, do you need any blankets? Have you begun showing yet?”
Her immediate fussing over him brought his thoughts to Sarah Rogers’s worrying and he found himself getting misty eyed at the similarities. He missed his mother so much .
“Steve?”
Winifred backed away completely. “Oh dear, was it something I said?”
Steve hadn’t realized that enough moisture gathered up for a tear to leak out of his right eye until Bucky had stepped in front of him and wiped it away. “Stevie? You okay?”
Steve nodded and huffed an uneven laugh as another tear came out. “I’m okay, Buck. It’s just that my mom used to hit me with lots of questions about how I’m doing as soon as she saw me, too.” He looked past Bucky to Winifred. “I didn’t mean to worry you Mrs. Bar- Ma. One heck of a first impression huh?”
Winifred huffed and nudged her son out of the way, pulling Steve back into her arms. “Don’t you mind that. Is she no longer here?”
Steve nodded against her shoulder. “Cancer. Little over two years ago.”
“Then I’ll fuss over you two enough for the both of us.” Winifred declared determinately before a teasing smile graced her lips. “Just try not to burst into tears in front of the others. George won’t give you trouble but those hellions I call daughters won’t hesitate to bring it up when I’m not in the vicinity during future visits.”
Bucky snorted and Steve giggled softly.
The sound of a timer shrilled behind them and Winifred stepped away regrettably. “Give him a moment or two to compose himself and go wait in the living room with the others. I’m sure George is dying to ask about how our boy is treating you.”
Bucky groaned. “Ma-”
Winifred glared at her son as she silenced the timer and took the lid off one of the pots at the back of the stove. “Don’t you dare complain. We all know what led you here.”
Steve felt himself flush. Did Bucky’s family think of him as easy? “Um. I- We-”
“Don’t worry. Your mistake led to something quite a bit more permanent than others but we all make dumb decisions in the heat of the moment. We planned for James but Rebecca was conceived after a wild little night at-”
“Stevie! Ya look better already but I noticed ya look like yer shiverin’ a bit why don’t we get ya bundled up in some of the blankets out in the livin’ room?”
Steve both laughed as Bucky ushered the blond away from the kitchen and away from Winifred’s reminiscing.