Chapter Text
Steve
They’d spent the rest of the day of Jane’s birth at the Odinson’s farm, Steve helping Bucky soak in a well earned tub of hot water filled by multiple buckets that just kept coming. Steve scrubbed him from head to toe, relishing the smiles and laughter, tired though they were.
At first, the emotions he felt hearing Bucky so freely happy had been almost painfully sad. The sounds had been a reality check that his mate, his kind and gentle mate, had been so distant and so withdrawn compared to the joyful, eager omega with the adventurous spirit with whom he’d spent that wonderful winter in the cottage in town.
The sadness was short lived, however, because Steve refused to waste any of Bucky’s new found happiness on the past. He vowed to relish this time and celebrate Bucky’s ability to move forward, grateful that helping Jane had been a catalyst for being able to do so. He could learn to live with the truth that he wasn’t able to be that breakthrough for his mate. It was the moving on that was most important.
Once clean and dry, Bucky let Steve usher him off to one of the spare rooms they’d been given for Bucky to take a well deserved rest. Steve noted to himself that he would have to make time to discuss with Thor the amazing construction of the beautiful cabin. In only their summer union suits, he and Bucky crawled into bed and slept one of the deepest, most restful slumbers either of them had in months.
They stayed the next two days immersed in the busy celebration of the new baby, accepted as a vital part of the extended family. Bucky helped Jane along with all the other omegas and Steve’s soul filled with a happiness so bright he thought he may just burst. To see Bucky happily interacting with his friends again was truly a welcome sight.
Jane listened to all the female omegas for advice and accepted their help in situations that were rather intimate. Still, she had kept Bucky just as close as he’d been for the birth, or so Bucky told Steve. Those things were all done behind closed doors far from alpha sight, except for Thor of course. Anyone with two eyes could see there was an unbreakable bond between the two omegas who had tackled the frightening task of bringing a baby into the world on the high prairie.
When Jane was settled with Frigga, she was finally happy to let Bucky go, satisfied with the promise of a visit very soon. Loki, seemingly their new found friend, drove them home. He told them who had been caring for their place while they were away. True to his word, they found their homestead in good condition, several young alphas there taking care of the afternoon chores so Bucky and Steve could relax one last night before their life returned to normal.
But it wasn’t normal. Normal would have been walking on eggshells in his own home, constantly trying to read Bucky’s mood, wondering when the best time to try to seek and give simple affection. Normal would have been Bucky laughing then catching himself in the end and almost stopping himself, as if he couldn’t allow himself to feel that free.
Steve did not see that Bucky, currently. He glanced up from the edge of the garden where he stood watching a different, but familiar Bucky talk and laugh with the young alpha who had apparently been caring for Bucky’s garden over the time they had been away. As his shoulders shook, the slight curl of his hair caught the sunlight, and his laughter rang across the homestead, Steve realized this was his old Bucky.
It was the Bucky who had so willingly accepted his offer to join him on the train to an uncertain future, the Bucky who left the few friends they had made and followed him out to the prairie to carve a life from the sod . This was the Bucky who poured over notebooks until dark and then took Steve’s hand and drew him toward the bed bringing waves of pleasure that consumed them both.
Steve shook his thoughts clear. Then he remembered all that had happened since and it sobered him slightly. He reminded himself to take small steps and not expect too much from Bucky.
Parts of Bucky would never be the same since that fateful day Steve had gone hunting, leaving Bucky feeling very unwell in the shade of their unfinished cabin. In his heart Steve felt the spirit of Bucky had returned, or at least been released. As he watched the two people walk through the garden going over each flourishing crop, he felt hope spread across the homestead, watering their future, the way the young alpha had watered the garden.
When Bucky looked up, he made eye contact with Steve from where he stood, surrounded by the green of his magnificent contribution to their survival on the harsh prairie. He flung his arm out, emphasizing his pleasure that his efforts away from the homestead had not harmed his pride and joy, and threw his head back in the most delightful fit of ringing laughter Steve had ever heard.
At that moment, Steve knew they would be okay. No, he knew that despite what had happened in the harshness of the open prairie, they would be better than okay, they would prosper and thrive.
Together.
Bucky
As the wagon creaked and rattled over the last knoll and their homestead came into view, Bucky thought it might just have been the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. Sure, there were lots of things to do before winter hit, but they had already accomplished so much. Wheat fields were dancing in the wind, the house and the barn and the chicken coop stood out against the horizon announcing their existence in the massive expanse of the prairie. They had carved more than just a homestead, they had turned earth and wood into a home.
Bucky’s girls were scratching in the yard and as he panned to the left, he could see the green of his garden, looking great, to his relief, at least from this distance.
Once in the yard, Steve helped him down from the wagon and Bucky took stock of his body as he stretched out the kinks of the long ride from Jane and Thor’s place. He felt the slight swell of his belly as his hand passed over it. A flush of excitement tingled through him at the thought of tiny Frigga in Jane’s arms. That would soon be him and he had a lot to do before winter came and brought with it the end of his pregnancy and the cry of a little one of his own. He gave Steve a smile as they both parted to check on their homestead.
He spoke eagerly to the young alpha, Baldr, as he showed him what he had done while Bucky was away. Bucky was so pleased and knew just where to pick up now that he was back. Several of his plantings were ready to be harvested. The cabbages were taking off for sure. He was reassured that his girls were in good shape as well, having continued to increase their egg laying. He shook Baldr’s hand and thanked him for his attention and hard work in the garden.
Steve was heading his way along with the alpha who had tended to their animals while they were away. Loki was by the wagon waiting and they all joined up to say goodbye.
“Thank you, again, for caring for our place while we were away. Bucky and I are very grateful,” Steve expressed the gratitude they both felt.
Loki spoke up quickly, clearly talking to Bucky. “The thanks is for us to give to you. Our Jane needed you and you came to her assistance. Our family is one bigger today for your kindness and attention to her. Nothing we could ever do would repay you enough for your care of our Jane, and sweet Frigga.”
Caught up in the emotion of the moment, Bucky could only smile and nod, though Loki looked him dead in the eye and nodded back. Soon Steve and Bucky were once again, alone on their homestead.
Bucky found himself grateful to be alone with his alpha for the first time in days. Bucky may still be riding high from the events of the past few days, but he knew what he was feeling and it was about damn time.
There had been hints of it as he helped Jane who’s kept him close after the birth, despite female omegas being available. The pride of being needed and asked for, of seeing your alpha with the others eyeing you from a distance with his shoulders held high for you.
Now here at home Bucky had so much to make up not only to Steve, but also himself. The first natural thing to do was to reconnect, to take back the whole reason for being mates and to take down the wall between them that he’d put up in self preservation.
A nagging thought from the recesses of his mind bubbled to the surface. Would Steve even want to? Bucky was different now, and despite Steve’s regular statements that it didn’t matter, that he was still his Bucky, that reservation could not be shaken.
Bucky knew he wanted to try. The time had come.
They headed into the house and to Bucky’s relief he smelled a pot of beans cooking on the stove. There was also corn bread on the table along with a big bouquet of the beautiful prairie flowers that grew around their fields.
“Well, that’s supper taken care of,” Bucky chuckled as a breeze, a little warm though pleasant, blew through the windows of the cabin. “Hmmm…”
“Hmmm, what?” Steve asked.
“Well,” Bucky answered coyly, feeling a little heat build within him. “Supper’s on the stove and all the barn chores are done, so… looks like we have a little time on our hands.”
Unaware of Bucky’s intention, Steve quickly filled in what he thought Bucky wanted to hear. “Oh, well, I’m sure we can find something to do. I mean, there’s - I can always chop more firewood and I bet you could find something to pick in the garden, Buck.”
Bucky smiled at his sweet, unassuming alpha. “Is that what you want to do with the rest of the day? Chop wood and pick vegetables?”
That sent Steve backpedalling if the look on his face meant anything. Bucky saved Steve from himself by pulling him close. “I was thinking that we might find something to do together.”
Steve, who had to be able to scent what was beginning to happen, what Bucky’s body was finally doing as he thought about welcoming his alpha, still looked a little puzzled. Bucky should have just put him out of his misery, but he knew it would be okay in the end. So he waited.
Swallowing, Steve tentatively responded with, “You mean like take a walk? Or something?”
There was Bucky’s door and he stepped through it. “Or something,” he replied, tilting his head at his unsuspecting alpha, exposing his claim mark. He ran his hand up Steve’s back pressing ever so slightly as a hint.
Bucky wasn’t sure if Steve made the noise or raised his eyebrows nearly off his forehead first, but he was sure that things were finally clicking. He locked eyes with Steve and stroked his hand up over Steve’s shoulder and down Steve’s arm to squeeze his bicep.
“I wanna be with you, Steve. If you’ll have me. You can tell me if it’s too late, or too whatever-”
“Buck,” Steve interrupted. He took Bucky’s face in both his hands. His words were gentle, careful. “Buck, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Bucky nodded. “I just don’t know if I can still have you, like this, I mean.” He gestured to his missing arm. “Can I…have you?”
Steve’s eyes flared a little as he wrapped Bucky in his arms, tucked his face into Bucky’s neck and took in the developing scent between them. There was a little edge of heat in the words he whispered in his ear. “You have me, you’ll always have me, Buck.”
“Yes, but can I have you? I mean, do you want me?”
Steve pulled back as if in shock at what Bucky had asked. The softness flitting back and forth in Steve’s eyes was all Bucky needed. His words were almost too much.
“Do I want you? Yes, all the time. I want you all the time. I want you because you’re beautiful. You're big and strong and damn if I don’t like that a whole lot. You make me hornier than I don’t know what. But I don’t just want you because you look like you do. Buck, you’re brave and hardworking, and so god damn smart. You’re my better half. You’re all I ever wanted and everything I never even knew I needed,” Steve finished in nearly a whisper.
Bucky had hoped he was all those things to Steve, hearing them just helped Bucky confirm that. He laughed and the one part that hit him funny.
“I make you horny?”
As usual, Steve back pedaled on his feelings, probably out of some stupid insecurity he had no business having being the giant handsome alpha he was.”I probably should have kept that to myself, it wasn’t polite to just say it…like that.”
“Oh Steve… “ Bucky shook his head, an uncontainable smile finding its way to his lips. “Who gives a shit about being’ polite here in our own home? It’s just us, here. This is our space…we can be whatever we want. Besides, I kinda like that I make you horny. That might come in handy for how I plan to spend the rest of the afternoon if you’re willing.”
Steve face nearly split his smile was so wide and bright. “Dang, I’m willing, but only if you tell me how you’re feeling and make sure you’re not hurtin’-“
Bucky cut Steve’s caution off with a kiss. The first real kiss they shared in a while. Not the simple, pleasant, but timid kisses they shared since moving in to the homestead.
No, this was complicated with want that had been dormant for quite a while. It was complicated because they were rusty and because Bucky’s missing arm changed the way they’d have to do things. He was uncertain, not in the ultimate goal, but in the mechanics considering how he’d always had two hands to grab and feel with. It was awkward in the first few seconds. Then it took on a hunger, it fell into a familiar rhythm and soon Steve was manhandling Bucky towards their bed.
Perfect. Just what Bucky had hoped.
By the slip and slide between his cheeks, Bucky was reassured that finally his body, heart and mind were all on the same path, though he was sure the path of his mind was dirtier than the rest of him. He kept having flashbacks to the cabin and to his heat on the prairie. He was eager for those feelings again and was perfectly happy with Steve making quick work of both or their suspenders.
Their kissing continued to improve and fuel their desires to be reunited in this one way they hadn’t been for so long. Bucky’s pants fell around his calves as Steve worked the buttons of his shirt enough to quickly drag it over his head before working on his own the same way. It was clear even in this early stage that Steve would make up for the fact that Bucky no longer had two arms.
Steve made like he was going to pick Bucky up by his thighs, but stopped. He broke their kiss and spoke.
“Before we go any further I have one question.”
Bucky, assuming his alpha was still concerned about it being their first time in a good while, since all of the heartache, preemptively answered the unspoken question. “Sweetheart, thank you for tending to my feelings, but I’m sure, and I’m ready.”
Steve got the biggest smirk on his face. “Well I’m glad for that, I truly am Darlin’, but what I was really wondering was after all the nice things I said about you, why’d you settle on the part where I said you make me horny?”
Pleasantly surprised, if not a little taken aback, by the question and its tone from his alpha, Bucky schooled his expression before answering. He could not, however control the heat he felt in one set of cheeks and the slick in the other as he playfully responded, “Let’s get out of these union suits and I’ll show you why.”
Bucky calmly used his only hand to work his buttons, but Steve’s limbs were a flurry of movement as he undressed himself completely and helped Bucky finish removing his fallen pants and socks before taking over the buttons of his underwear.
Steve whipped the quilt and top sheet back and looked to Bucky who crawled up onto the bed and laid himself out for his alpha.
“We are gonna make a mess of these nice sheets,” Steve said intently from where he stood, looking Bucky up and down like a steak dinner he was about to devour.
Bucky returned the favor watching Steve’s cock fill to its fully hardened state. His body responded in kind and Bucky replied, “I’m less concerned about sheets I can wash and more concerned about how well Thor built this bed frame.”
It didn’t take long for them to find out it was sturdy and that Bucky not having one of his arms didn’t hinder either of them at all.
Bucky never felt dread when Steve's weight made the bed dip, after all he loved his alpha. But for the first time in a long while, the shift of the bed caused a flush of excitement to wash through him. Steve settled alongside Bucky’s right side and leaned in.
Bucky wasn't sure what he expected Steve to do next, but cupping his face and gently rubbing their noses together was not it.
“Hey,” Bucky sighed.
“Hey,” Steve responded with a soft sigh of his own.
“Everything okay?” Bucky asked, bordering on concern.
Steve smiled from ear to ear, a little shyly, “Pretty sure everything is great.”
“Good, same here. Now if you don’t have anything better to do, can we get going here,” Bucky replied, bending his left knee and opening it wide, hoping Steve would take the hint. Luckily for Bucky, he did.
Steve held Bucky’s face in his hand and kissed him again, much more intensely, his tongue searching, his lips devouring Bucky’s. Their mouths came together is a steady rhythm, both of them enjoying the simply intimacy. Eventually, Steve’s fingertips wandered down Bucky’s neck, his lips following, lighting a fire that seemed to go right to Bucky’s belly and further to his core and causing a flush of slick that could not be missed by anyone’s nose. The closer Steve got to his chest, the shallower and quicker Bucky’s breaths came in anticipation that Steve might still enjoy giving Bucky some attention there.
As if his body understood his thoughts, Bucky shivered and his nipples pebbled causing him to moan. His hand reflexively made its way to Steve’s head, fingers slipping into Steve’s silky hair and giving an encouraging push, hoping he was just hurrying his alpha along to where he was intending to go. The first brush of Steve’s beard and the hint of his breath ghosting over his hardened nipple caused Bucky to arch his back and call out at the same time.
“Fuck, Steve!” Bucky simply could not help himself.
A grin he could feel just above where he wanted Steve’s talented mouth to be did not help at all. It was as if Steve was teasing him, dragging things out that did not need to be dragged. The sudden loss of even that contact had Bucky searching for a reason. He opened his eyes to find Steve’s own beautiful blue eyes staring down at him with a softness and reverence he’d seen before but not for a while, no fault of Steve’s.
“You’re even more beautiful than ever like this,” came the sweet whisper.
Bucky melted. Reassurance poured into the holes made by the insecure thoughts of his changing appearance, knowing it was minimal at this point in his pregnancy. Still, he was soft around the middle and definitely not as muscular in his chest. He was still strong, but it was as if softness was covering those muscles. He knew that Jane had known some of these changes because he had taken care of her, but he wasn’t sure how much change to expect as a male omega.
“Really?” He sought his alphas' confirmation.
“Really.” Steve uttered with a nod and then placed a tender kiss to each of Bucky’s nipples before rolling himself between Bucky’s spread thighs. He rolled his hips once and Bucky could feel that Steve did find him attractive, if the heat and hardness of his alpha was any indication.
Steve returned to kissing Bucky and started his way back to Bucky’s chest, though he was much quicker this trip and soon Bucky had Steve’s warm mouth right where he wanted it. Steve would tease his taught nipple with his tongue and then kiss it with warm open mouth kisses until it would relax back to fullness. He would suck until Bucky keened and didn’t think he could stand how good it felt for even one more second and Steve would let go with an audible pop and blow gently until the swollen nub hardened again.
It was sweet torture and Bucky loved it.
Bucky somehow came to his senses as Steve continued to lavish attention to him and reached with his hand to touch Steve’s hard length, thinking Steve might enjoy a relief from what must be a lot of anticipation. He had to be aching for some friction at the very least. A hand grabbed Bucky by the wrist before he got in even one good feel.
“Thank you, Buck, but if I let you do that, it will all be over before the main event even starts,” Steve’s tone seemed almost embarrassed.
“Oh…” Bucky had no clue Steve was not in complete control of his desire. “Well, what are we waiting for, then?’
“I wanted to be sure you were feeling ready, you know…slick enough. It’s been a while,” Steve said so assuredly. Bucky knew he was a lucky omega with an alpha like this in his bed. He also realized that other than the one roll of his hips, Steve had not once touched him below the waist. Other than his scent Steve may not actually have known how ready Bucky was for him.
“Steve, if I was any more ready, we’d probably slide off the bed,” he laughed, feeling his face pink up.
“Well, we can’t let that happen, can we, Darlin’?” Steve answered with a grin and an arm under Bucky’s neck, supporting his weight as he nestled himself further between his thighs. “Oh, Buck, you are ready…” the words came as a groan and he began to kiss Bucky with a want that Bucky had missed. .
Bucky pulled at Steve’s waist, tugging him closer and opened his legs further as Steve centered on him. Bucky lifted his legs and Steve raised up just enough to line up the blunt head of his enormous hard cock with Bucky’s opening.
“Oh fuck, please, Steve…” Bucky moaned at the feel of Steve pressing into him slowly until he felt the head nudge through with little resistance.
Steve must have noticed the ease of the slick because before Bucky could reach for Steve’s ass to encourage him, he felt the weight of his alpa shift and the full length of Steve fill him gloriously full.
Bucky barely had time to enjoy Steve’s thrust when he suddenly pulled back. Before he could object, Steve sheathed himself again and Bucky realized in his fog of pleasure what was happening. He rolled his hips to meet each of Steve’s thrusts and did his best to hang on with one arm. He grabbed at Steve’s ass and planted his feet to help get Steve even deeper. Steve was kissing him so vigorously, Bucky felt he might run out of air.
It was incredible.
It wasn’t long at all before Bucky felt Steve’s thrusts become sporadic. “Buck, Darlin’...”
Bucky realized Steve was going to finish and was sounding apologetic. “It’s okay, Stevie, it’s okay, give it to me…I want it.”
Steve growled as he thrust deeply into Bucky and his knot locked them together, pulsing as he came. Bucky felt Steve’s hand encircle his cock and stroke him quickly, catching him off guard. Bucky howled out as his own orgasm slammed into him and he heard crying. He felt the warm wet tears on his neck as he realised it was Steve.
“Hey…hey now…” Bucky whispered to Steve as he stroked the back of his neck. Steve calmed pretty quickly, but apologized.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. That was more aggressive than I intended and I would never come before you, Buck. I really tried to…”
“It was so good, Steve. It felt so good to be with you again, don’t apologize for that,” Bucky insisted. “I finished, you made sure of that. It makes me glad that you enjoyed it that much.”
“God, how did I end up with someone like you? You’re so good to me, Buck. After all you’ve gone through. I love you so much. I never thought I could be so happy with a mate, and now here I am with you.”
“You have no idea how much I feel the same way about you, sweetheart…” Bucky said with a soft kiss to Steve’s quivering lips. “Now lay down and let me enjoy the weight of you on me for a while.”
He must have dozed off, because when Bucky woke he was alone in bed and had been wiped up with a clean towel under him.
Steve came over to the bed, in only his union suit. “There you are…Feeling okay?”
“I feel better than I have in a right while.”
Steve helped him out of bed with a kiss and wrapped the towel around his waist. Supper was on the table and they ate half dressed like starved men. Later they went out to the water pump in the yard and soaped each other up and rinsed off as the sun set and Bucky felt like their world was beginning to right itself.
Steve and Bucky stood together again, hands clasped, admiring the prairie sunset as the breeze blew them dry and the sky blurred from yellow to red to pink and then finally to purple before the sun finally slipped beyond the horizon. They kissed before turning to their cabin to head to bed.