Babysitter Bucky
“Alright little lady, it's time for dinner!” You announced from the kitchen, beckoning the toddler from the front room. Instead of the pitter patter of feet you expected in response, you got nothing. Trying again, you took a few steps to cross the kitchen and peer into the living room, “Hey crazy, it’s time to eat. I even made the unicorn mac and cheese!” You started stepping farther into the room, taking in the cushion and pillow fort that had appeared within the last hour.
As you stepped closer you heard a silence shushing covering tiny giggles. A smile started on the corner of your mouth, “Oh no, where is she? Where is Lilly? What ever will I do with all of the ice cream I have for her?” Dramatizing your voice with the bribe of sweets got her attention and a tiny beg came from the fort as you stood at the entrance.
“I’m right here! I want ice cream!” Lilly shouts from within the walls of pillows and sheets were quickly followed by a low grumble and laugh.
“Oh, c’mon kid. You broke immediately! If we stayed here longer she would have given us ice cream before dinner.” Bucky’s voice whispered to the five year old as they both crawled out from their hiding spot.
In response to his complaint you rolled your eyes, “No, I wouldn’t have given you ice cream before dinner. And now you may never get it.” Lilly scrunched her face up in complaint and you bent over in response, “You can have ice cream once you’re done with your dinner, little lady.” Standing back up you pointed towards the kitchen, “Now get a move on or I’ll have to tickle you forever.”
A tiny shriek of laughter was sung as the child ran into the kitchen taking her seat at the table, beginning to eat. You turned your attention back to Bucky, “Were you really trying to get my own blood to work against me? What a jerk!” A playful push to his arm was dramatized by the soldier.
He scoffed in fake offense, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I was simply explaining proper negotiation techniques.”
“To the five year old?”
“Yes, to the five year old. Never too young to know when you have the upper hand.” Bucky wiggled his eyebrows.
“Oh yeah?” You questioned, “Upper hand, huh? Well, you take that upper hand and go eat your dinner - without dessert.”
He pouted, “I’m a grown man.”
“Who is horrible at negotiating. Go.” With a shove, Bucky sat at the table while the group of you finished dinner over silly faces and a walk through of Lilly’s day at preschool. After all bellies were full and the table cleared, Lilly stood behind you at the sink and latched onto your legs as she whined your name.
“Can I have ice cream now?” She squeezed and tugged at your pant legs. You turned and picked her up, making her sit on the counter.
You glanced around your shoulders and made sure bucky was nowhere in earshot. “Only if you keep it secret. I have two ice cream cones left. One for you,” you pointed to her as she smiled wide, “and one for me.”
Lilly giggled, “But what about Bucky, he needs ice cream!” She matched your whisper and hunched shoulders.
As you retrieved the packaged sweets from the freezers and discarded their wrappers, you handed one to her. “Bucky was being a butt, so he doesn’t get ice cream.” You scrunched up your nose with a smile, making a silly face at Lilly’s continued giggle.
The two of you sat for a moment, enjoying the sweet dessert and talking about ice cream flavors in between bites. Lilly’s eyes dart behind you for just a moment causing your own suspicion to rise before allowing it to drop, answering another one of her random questions. “Well I think all colors are good, what about you? Do you have a favorite color?”
She thought for a moment and hummed, “I think my favorite color is rainbow!” You smiled and nodded in response, finishing your ice cream. Lilly’s face contorted in thought as she was coming to an end of her cone.
“Watcha thinkin about, small one?” You took a wipe to her face and hands as she took her last bite.
She answered as her words were a muddled by the wiping of her cheeks, “Do you think you and Bucky will have a baby like aunt Wanda and uncle Vis?”
You tossed the wipe into the trash can, still facing her as she sat on the counter. You thought for a second, “I don’t know. Do you like the baby? Is it fun having a little cousin to hang out with?” You picked her up and held her on your hip as she laid against you.
A small yawn left her before answering, “The baby is so tiny and boring right now. But, aunt Wanda promises that when she gets older I can play with her more. I think it would be fun to have a bunch of cousins to play with, but only when they’re older. Babies are boring.”
You laughed lightly at her admission, “You’re right. Babies are boring. You were a boring baby once. You’re pretty alright now.”
Lilly giggled and shot straight up as she realized you were carrying her towards her bedroom, “I’m not tired! I want to play in the fort more! With Bucky! He promised!” Her pleas were met with Bucky’s head popping out of the fort.
“There you are! I’ve been waiting.” Lilly smiled as she hopped down from your arms and ran into the fort with Bucky. You just sighed and retreated to the kitchen to finish putting the dishes in the dishwasher.
After nearly half an hour of playing, you could hear the giggles start to flatten and all conversation stop. Tip-toeing into the living room, you pulled one of the roofing sheets back and took in the site below you.
On top a bundle of various pastel blankets and stuffed animals laid Bucky with a tiny Lilly wrapped around his right arm, both snoring lightly in their sleep. You shook your head as you slowly started to dismantle the fort, attempting to reach Lilly and take her to bed. As you pulled back one blanket covering their torsos you noticed a line of pink and yellow on Bucky’s metal arm. Out of curiosity you pulled back the rest of his sleeve and smiled at the sight. The black and gold metal had been decorated with a magnetic doll figure that was covered in a yellow dress and multiple pink and purple accessories.
You looked around at the other toys they had pulled into their fort and picked up the book where the magnets belonged, slowly peeling them off Bucky’s figure and returning them to their home. As the last piece was returned you finally traced your eyes back to Bucky’s face and nearly jumped as his eyes were open, watching you.
He made a shushing motion with his free hand and pointed to the sleeping Lilly. He carefully made his way to a standing position, holding onto the little girl in each step and made the way to her room. After tucking Lilly in and leaving her nightlight on, Bucky emerged to you setting the last cushion back on the couch, beginning to fold the sheets. He grabbed one edge and began helping you tidy the mess he had helped make.
As you stepped towards each other for the third time, finally completing the folding, Bucky moved his hands over yours. You smiled up to him, “Yes?”
“You’re very pretty.”
You bit your lip and giggled, “I know.”
Bucky ran his tongue across his teeth in a cheeky grin, “You’re horrible, did you know that?” He released your hands as you pulled them slightly to set the sheet aside.
You thought for a moment and hummed, “I did not. I do know that I’m pretty, very funny, incredibly intelligent and,” you paused to think as you stepped back towards him, allowing his arms to wrap around you, “pretty much the coolest person you know.”
Bucky sighed in defeat, “That is about 75% true.”
“So you’re saying I’m not pretty, funny or smart? Because if that is what you’re saying, Mr. Barnes, I may fight you right here.”
Bucky chuckled, “No, those are true but I think Lilly may be the coolest person I know.”
You pulled your head back from his chest and raised an eyebrow to him. With a cocked head and small smile you sighed, “You got me there. She is pretty cool.”
“Way cooler than any boring baby.” Bucky nodded in agreement, causing you to laugh.
“Hear that, did ya?”
Bucky nodded again with a smile, “The whole thing. Very precious, but I have to agree that babies are boring.” Bucky scrunched his nose playfully as he nudged it against yours.
“Oh gods,” you realized, “How much of that did you hear?”
Bucky smirked, “Everything from Bucky was being a butt.” Your eyes widened as your teeth grabbed your lip to keep from smiling. He continued, “So what I’m hearing now is I was never getting ice cream to begin with.” You shook your head in admission and had to keep from yelping as Bucky tackled you onto the freshly made couch, “and now, I shall tickle You forever!”