Word count: 1,200
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You hid in a dark cupboard, the smell of fresh linens filled your nose and the muffling of men filled your ears. You scooted further back, getting as far away from the door as possible.
Heavy footsteps grew nearer making your body tremble.
You didn't see who was wondering around your house but you knew they had guns by the sound of firing when they first came.
You heard one of them stop outside the door. The dark shadows cast on the floor under the gap.
You held your breath, and the door flew open.
You gasped awake.
It had only been a dream, a nightmare And you were now back in your soft bed staring up at the slats of the top bunk.
The miniaturised models that hung from the ceiling suddenly felt ominous and creepy.
The dream still lingered and replayed in your mind. Even though it wasn't real, you were still worried and shaken.
Leaning over to turn on your bedroom lamp to help control your breathing for a moment. It helped but the uneasy feeling never went away.
You searched the room just incase and saw nothing out the ordinary so slipped your legs over the edge and stood.
You stepped around the one spot you knew would creak and opened the door into a partially lit hallway.
Your dads door was slightly open as it usually was which gave you an easy view to their bed.
Steve lay sprawled out, clearly fast asleep, but on Buckys side was only the crumpled sheets.
He was probably just up but it still made your stomach drop.
He wasn't in the bathroom so you made your way downstairs and past the front door. Everything seemed to be dark until light from the tv fluctuated in the living room.
Of course Bucky realised as soon as you stood in the doorway.
"Hey sweetheart. Are you ok? It's 3am".
You walked wordlessly over to his outstretched arms and relaxed into his warmth.
You felt much better knowing both your dads were safe.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
You nodded.
"Haven't had one of those in a while have you", he said as more of a statement than a question.
"You can't sleep either?" You questioned quietly.
He looked down and smiled reassuringly. "No I couldn't sleep either. It's like old times huh?" He kissed your nose.
When you were younger you had nightmares regularly and resisted sleep to avoid them. Bucky happened to suffer from insomnia at the time, so you would stay up together doing all sorts of things.
You caught up on a lot of films that Bucky had missed out on that Peter had recommended for you both and that's where your love of the hobbit started between you.
You lay in his embrace for a while longer until you felt more grounded.
"Want a hot chocolate?"
Of course you would never say no to a hot chocolate so he carried you to the kitchen, body contact making you feel relaxed.
"Dinosaur or Cinderella?" He asked, holding out two mugs.
"Dino, please", you said quietly.
"And Cinderella for me", he replied with a smile.
He was being nice and gave you whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate shaving to put on the top of your drink.
"Mmmmm", you said not taking your eyes off it.
You walked back to the sofa and sit down together to sip what dad calls, 'a cup of pure sugar', and turned on a film.
"I love the incredibles", you murmured. "They're like you guys but they always get happy endings".
Bucky peered out the corner of his eye. "We have our happy ending right here".
For some reason that instantly reassured you so you rested your head against his shoulder. "I hope so".
"I know so", he grinned, making you do it back.
You leant down and ate the whipped cream straight from the cup and into your mouth.
Just like Buck, you've always had a sweet tooth much to the disappointment of the healthy Steve.
You peered up to him, making him laugh out loud. "You've got something on your face there", he chuckled at your new white moustache.
You tried your best to lick it off and keep drinking your drink.
"Wanna make cookies?" He asked suddenly.
You were feeling a lot better and sat up onto your knees, nodding your head vigorously.
He turned on the smaller kitchen lights leaving the room in a dull, relaxing yellow.
"Your in charge of mixing and I'll do the eggs".
You had to mix it by hand as the electric whisk would probably wake Steve up and he couldn't know you were making cookies until you ate all of them. Well you would save him one.
It seemed to take forever until they were in the oven and slowly rising. You'd decided on chocolate chip and sprinkles, Steve would never let you make these if he were here. Which was understandable, without his order the house would be in chaos all the time.
"Let's eat them with ice cream!" You suggested to a very happy looking Bucky.
"Amazing idea. Chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?" He asked.
You thought for a moment before asking questionably, "all three?.."
"Yea I want all three to", he laughed.
You all ate so much with your fast metabolisms so it isn't much of a shock when you eat five times the amount of a normal ten year old.
The incredibles had finished so you moved on to monsters inc. childrens films were a good way to relax after a nightmare or meltdown so they were often the only thing playing in the house.
"Ice cream cookies and monsters inc, this is a great combo", said Bucky, licking his spoon. "Hey, do you want to carry on that game of uno we were playing the other day?"
"Yea I was winning!" You cheered quietly. "Your behind by two games dad!"
"Oh I'll catch up!" He teased.
It was 6am when Steve noticed the bed was empty and walked downstairs, expecting to see Bucky sat at the counter drinking coffee.
But instead he was first faced with a mess of a kitchen. Dirty mugs and Trays with their baking sheets still on them filled the bowl in the sink. Flour scattered over all the surfaces and even up the side of the cupboards somehow. He noticed pieces or raw dough that must have escaped still left on the side.
A single cookie sat on a plate with a handwritten note saying, 'stevie'.
He rolled his eyes and wondered how he had slept through all this.
Wondering into the living room he saw you completely passed out over an also sleeping Bucky. Dried whipped cream still stuck to your cheek and you were both covered in chocolate from the cookies.
He saw the empty bowls on the table and bent down to pick them up before quietly leaving the room.
It had been a while since you'd both been up all night so he let you sleep in for as long as you needed whilst he ate the very delicious cookie you'd left him.