End of the Line: Road to my Heart 1 (Pre-Serum Alpha!Steve x Omega!Bucky AU)

Thirteen

After a successful bath for the pups, a quick shower for Steve, a delicious meal featuring a phenomenal dessert, and an old Disney movie Bucky found himself trying to get the pups to sleep with Steve right there beside him helping. One man on either side of the pups, boxing the two toddlers into one of the queen size beds. Boxing them in was definitely necessary as the kids were too excited about everything that the night had given them. And although Bucky wanted them to always be so lighthearted, he wanted them to sleep, so he could sleep.

"Daddy, I'm not tired," Maisie whined, rubbing her eyes which was a dead giveaway that she was, in fact, very tired and was just fighting it.

"Well, I'm tired," Bucky told her, fighting back a yawn. Gesturing over to Steve on the other side of Noah, he said, "Steve's tired too. We'll all feel better after a good night's sleep."

Maisie's face furrowed in her grumpiness and she buried it in Windy's frame, the way she did whenever Brock was around because lord knows what he'd do to a misbehaving, disobedient pup. It still churned Bucky's stomach when he remembered all the times that Brock would force the kids into sleep by using his Voice. Sure, it might've been easier than to let them fall asleep naturally -- especially when they were hyper from an exciting day filled with new experiences -- but it always made Bucky feel like he had been force fed hot, sticky tar.

"Daddy, sing? Sing song?" Noah pleaded, looking up at Bucky with those big blue eyes that he could never say no to. All the while, his eyelids fluttered whenever Steve stroked his fingers through his clean, soft, brown curls.

Blushing, Bucky glanced up at Steve who softly smiled at him, giving him a nod of encouragement. And despite him always being embarrassed to sing in front of anyone except for his pups, he cleared his throat. He wasn't the best singer in the world -- Brock had been quite clear about that -- but it comforted his babies, and helped them once Brock broke Windy so the stuffed bear would no longer play the Dumbo lullaby.

"From your head to your toes, You're so sweet, goodness knows. You are so precious to me, Cute as can be, Baby of mine," although it wasn't the beginning of the song, it was the part that he remembered the most.

Then, Bucky was pleasantly surprised when Steve joined in, "Baby mine, Baby mine."

Locking eyes with Steve for a moment, the pair smiled at each other. Still smiling, Bucky directed his attention back down to Maisie and tenderly pushed her waves away from her face. Leaning down, he kissed her forehead and said, "I love you, baby. Sleep tight."

Standing from his spot on the bed, Bucky took one of the extra pillows, fluffed it and placed it behind Maisie where he had been sitting. Maisie rolled onto her side and stated, "Night, night, daddy. Love you."

"Night, night, 'Teve," Noah told the alpha, kissing his cheek before Steve could move too far away after kissing his forehead.

"Night, night, bub," Steve affectionately replied, tucking the blanket loosely around the toddler. Taking the other extra pillow and placing it on the other side of Noah before walking around the foot of the bed to say goodnight to Maisie.

Passing each other as they exchanged pups to tuck in, Bucky couldn't help but think about how much it felt like they were a family. It tugged at Bucky's heartstrings. Especially after having overheard the conversation Steve had with the toddlers.

"Night, night, Steve. Love you," Maisie tiredly stated. Steve's eyes snapped up to Bucky, but Bucky was pretending to be too focused on Noah.

Realizing that Bucky wasn't going to make a big deal out of it, Steve let out a breath of relief and tucked the comforter around Maisie's small body, the same way he did with Noah. Kissing her forehead, Steve told her, "Night, night, honey."