Chapter Text
They let him babysit.
It shocks him. Ella’s still an infant, five months at most. And he is an internationally renowned assassin they’re trusting with this tiny, innocent life. His goddaughter’s life.
Ella Margaret Rogers.
And of course Steve would name his daughter after Peggy. Assuming it had even been Steve’s idea of course. Bucky’s known Maria long enough to know the woman would want her kid named after as many strong women as she could get her fists on.
She’s been the light of Avengers’ Tower. They’ve all held her, Natalya included, but he hasn’t touched her since that first time in the hospital. He hasn’t been able to. Who trusts him with an infant?
Yet here he is, in Steve and Maria’s huge family suite of the Tower, looking down at Ella in her crib. Her arms flail, her legs follow, and she gives him what must be a smile. She’s making noises now too. The baby books he keeps hidden away say she’s trying to talk. For now though, it’s just screams.
He finds himself smiling down at her, unable to stop himself. A tiny innocent life, so much to give, so much still sacred. He’d vowed long ago, back when he’d first found out Maria was pregnant that nothing would happen to Maria or this little thing. Nothing will touch them so long as he can make a difference. Steve deserves it. So does Maria. They deserve this chance.
And Ella, Ella doesn’t know. She doesn’t know the lives he’s changed, the ones he’s taken. She doesn’t know that he’s been a pawn his whole life, that he hadn’t known much more before he’d been convinced to come back to New York. She doesn’t know his strength, his ruthlessness, that he’s still trying to atone for sins he can’t forget, no matter how little control he had over them to begin with.
She’s just Ella.
And he’s just Bucky.
So the next time she flails he reaches down with a low chuckle, runs his flesh hand down the front of her. She cries out and flails harder, manages to catch his thumb in her tiny fist. His breath catches as she gives him that gummy smile, as she cries out again maybe even laughs a little. At least he’s pretty sure it’s a laugh.
It’s the first time he really thinks Steve and Maria had known what they were doing, not only in bringing Ella into their lives, but in making him godfather. He loves Steve, Maria, his Natalya, but they know his past. They know what he’s done. Not Ella.
So he leans in, picks her up. She squeals in happiness, bounces in his arms and he chuckles.
“Come on, zvezda moya. Let’s go cause some trouble.”