Bucky sat waiting, kicking his feet silently. Sam would be home any minute. Of course Bucky only knew because Sam had called. The mission he was on had been broadcast everywhere by the end of it, though the media did actually know all of the details. But Bucky isn't allowed to watch that stuff when he's little. He wishes he could, he likes seeing his daddy on tv, but Daddy doesn't want him to see any of the bad stuff.
Bucky's head turns when he hears the door unlock. He runs over and bounces on the ball of his feet until the door finally opens. When Sam opens the door Bucky is already waiting for him, dressed in his Captain America onesie.
"Daddy! Daddy, you're home!" Bucky squealed, reaching out for Sam.
Sam smiled and wrapped Bucky in a hug, "Hey Jamie Baby."
"I missed you." Bucky mumbled into Sam's shoulder.
"I missed you too." Sam said, "Were you good while I was gone?"
"Uh huh." Bucky nodded, "We watch tv now? Wanna see Daddy!"
Sam shook his head, "I don't think so Buckaroo. Everything they're gonna show tonight is a little too big for you."
"Aww." Bucky pouted.
"I know." Sam frowned and ran his fingers through Bucky's hair, "Daddy has to go take a shower. Stay out of trouble until I get back."
"Kay Daddy." Bucky nodded.
Sam smiled and tussled Bucky's hair one more time before heading to the bathroom to clean up. He was sore, everywhere. His suit was bloodied, luckily he'd had the time to change before coming home, he hated for Bucky to see him like that. Beneath his clean clothes his body wasn't much better, coved in scrapes and bruises.
He let the warm spray wash away the blood and grime from the day. Some of the tension left his body and for the first time in nearly a month he began to truly relax. When he felt the water growing cold he knew he needed to get out.
Bucky seemed to be a bit bigger tonight, but he didn't want to leave him on his own for too long. He'd been away from Bucky for too long anyway. He made quick work of drying off and getting dressed into a pair of clean pajamas. As soon as he left the room he heard Bucky calling out to him.
"Daddy! Daddy come here! I made you a picture!" Bucky cheered.
Sam smiled, "You did? Let me see it."
Bucky proudly held up his drawing to Sam, "See, there's me, and there's you, and there's Sarah, and AJ, and Cass!"
"It's beautiful baby. I'm gonna hang this up." Sam explained, and he kissed Bucky's cheek.
Sam stuck the drawing to the fridge like he did with most of little Bucky's artwork he was given. A few of the drawings were in their bedroom and he kept one tucked away in his mission bag. Sam quickly rejoined Bucky.
"Wanna show me some of your other pictures?" Sam asked.
"Yeah." Bucky nodded, grinning widely, "This one's a lion, and this is a puppy I saw yesterday, and this one's a kitty playing with a bunny, and this one is two princesses."
"They're so good, Buck." Sam said.
Bucky climbed into Sam's lap and cuddled up to him, "I missed you."
"I missed you too." Sam replied.
"Don' want you to leave again."
"I know." Sam sighed, petting Bucky's hair, "But Daddy has a really important job."
"I know." Bucky mumbled.
Bucky nuzzled his face into Sam's shoulder, unaware of the bruise there. Sam winced and Bucky scrambled off of his lap. Sam quickly tried to play it off but Bucky clear wasn't going to be buying it at all.
"Daddy hurt?" Bucky asked frantically.
"Just a little sore from the mission is all. I'm okay, Buck."
"No, you have an owie!" Bucky wasn't dumb, he knew that Sam wouldn't have done that if he was just "a little sore".
"It's not bad. Don't worry about it baby." Sam said.
Bucky wasn't having any of that. He ran off to the bathroom, coming back a few moments later with a colorful box decorated in little stickers. Sam recognized it as little Bucky's "Boo Boo Box" as he often called it.
"What are you doing?" Sam laughed.
"Makin' Daddy's owies better." Bucky replied.
Bucky took out some Band-Aids. He hand picked red and blue ones, because they were his and Sam's favorite colors, as well as a few that were decorated with the Captain America shield, and finally a few animal Band-Aids with birds on them. He carefully placed two of them over the bruise he bumped earlier and gave it a little kiss.
"It doesn't need a Band-Aid if it's not bleeding." Sam explained.
Bucky shook his head, "Makes it feel better."
Sam chuckled. He couldn't exactly blame Bucky for that logic he hand placed plenty of Band-Aids on Bucky's knees after he bruised. It was only natural that Bucky would do the same.
Sam sat still while Bucky "took care" of the rest of his cuts and bruises, being sure to give each one a kiss. Kisses help even more than Band-Aids do. Bucky put a Band-Aid on every owie he could find, then he cleaned up his "Boo Boo Box" and put it away.
"Thank you Bear. They feel a lot better now." Sam smiled.
"Need one more kiss." Bucky said.
Sam shook his head, "I'm pretty sure you got all my Boo Boos, Buck."
"Nope." Bucky leaned over and kissed Sam's cheek, "All better now."
Sam smiled, "I guess you were right. I did need that one."