Bedtime Shorts

Snoring pulls me from the light sleep that I had been trying so desperately to fall into around 3:00 in the morning. I turn away from the sound, hoping a readjustment to my body would allow me to ignore it, but the annoyance continues to my own demise. I shove the body behind me with the sole of my foot, hoping to lightly remind it that I also exist here, yet gain no relief from the drowning tone.

Groaning as I reach a hand behind me, I whisper-yell, "Shut up! I just got to sleep." Pushing against the metal does nothing to the weight of the man laying beside me - in fact, I'm convinced it makes him louder. I curse to myself and roll back over to face him, now completely angry at the noise in combination with my lack of sleep.

Having spent the past four hours watching this lump peacefully lay on his back in blissful sleep started as a calming, loving activity and soon turned into jealousy and despise. I just want to sleep, and this fool does it so easily. One stroke of his hair and he calms enough in his safe space to release all his tension with no distractions, yet I lay here for hours begging to sleep and the universe tells me "no". Incredibly rude, honestly.

Insistent in annoying him as revenge, I start poking his cheek with my eyes closed. If my brain won't rest, at least my body can attempt to. I poke him as I hum to myself a few lines from a song that always escapes me when I'm doing small tasks. The rhythm of tapping his face and my own self-sung lullaby is enough to pull me back to sleep.

Just as I'm drifting or just in time to wake me up, I'm not sure which, I'm startled awake by a hand around my wrist. I jump, a little too dramatically, in my half-asleep terror and my eyes bolt open to see Bucky staring down at me with knitted, angry brows.

"Would you stop that, you woke me up." The sleep colors his voice in a soft scratch as he glares down to me.

I scrunch my nose at him, angry yet again that he's woken me up. "For fuck's sake, you just woke me up again. I was just falling asleep, asshat." I close my eyes and move my face to squish against the cold metal shoulder as I hear a huff in reply.

The grip remains on my wrist as he brings my hand to his chest, "Such a jerk." Bucky takes a breath which I'm sure is accompanied by an eye roll as he adjusts my hand, "Here, tap here and not my fucking face."

I groan in response and pick up my rhythm again, centering myself to the sound of the air conditioning as it turns on. I lay for a few moments trying to coax myself back to sleep but I'm defeated yet again. I huff as I turn onto my back, pulling away from the soothing metal temperature and the instrument of Bucky's chest.

I feel the bed sink as he turns towards me and pulls me into his chest. "How long have you been awake?" The once gruff and annoyed voice is now low and concerned through the darkness of the bedroom.

I stare at the ceiling to trace the slight texture created from the paint, my eyes having adjusted long ago. "Good question," I turn my head to the bedside table and read the white numbers illuminated, "right now, about five hours since you passed out. Not counting the three minute nap I got before your freight train of a mouth woke me up." I turn my head back to him, rolling my eyes.

Bucky smiles slightly and returns the eye roll, "Yeah, yeah." He brings his right hand to my cheek as he apologizes, "I'm sorry you can't sleep. What's going on in there?" His index finger taps my temple twice as Bucky readjusts himself to be face to face with me.

Not even knowing where to begin I sigh and let my gaze travel from his eyes and down his face, settling on where his hair lays against his neck. "Honestly, I'm not even sure anymore." I push the hair around his ear and tuck it into place before rubbing my thumb over the scruff on his jaw. "A little bit of everything I guess."

Bucky pushes his fingers into my hair and gently massages my scalp. "I'm sorry, dove."

"I'm sorry I woke you up." I apologize and lean my forehead against his as I sigh with relief from the pressure on my head, releasing the tension in my shoulders.

Bucky places a peck to my nose and forehead before settling back against me, continuing his massage down my shoulders. "It's alright. Part of the job, right?"

I giggle at his description and beg for more of his job requirements, "What else do you have to do?"

He starts running his nails around my back after getting me to lay on my stomach, face still faxing him as he talks. "Hmm, well I think there's a solid list." Bucky traces my spine and creates loops with his nails, "Aiding in falling asleep and relaxing, saving dinner after you've chosen to ignore the recipe," He chuckles as I scrunch my face up to his list and continues, "picking out the best produce at the store because you're so so bad at it-"

I cut him off, muffled by the pillow, "now you're just being mean."

Bucky responds with a huff, "No, I'm being truthful. Anyways," He continues as his hand squeezes at the muscles and skin of my back and arms, "I also have to be the funny one which takes a lot of work; oh! And I'm required to leave small messes around the house for you to clean up."

I laugh, "I don't think that is a requirement."

He hums, "mmm, no I think it is."

"Watch it Barnes, I'll fight you." I grumble back.

Another laugh escapes his chest, "sure you will." Nkw too tired to respond, I just grunt slightly as I focus on the fingers he's trailing around my skin. The motion creates an overall calm in my body, finally ceasing the slight tremble I hadn't noticed prior.

"Feels so good." I mumble into the pillow to show my appreciation and a slight request so he won't stop. I feel a gentle kiss to my forehead as Bucky scoots closer, letting his body heat help my temperature as it drops while I fall into sleep.

Bucky hums the same tune I focus on while cleaning or focusing on small tasks. He traces all of my back with light fingernails, giving me something other than my own mind to focus on. Several more soft pecks are placed around my head abs shoulders as I fall asleep to the hum: you are my sunshine, my only sunshine.