Steve's Baby

chapter 6

 It's about dinner time by the time they get home. Sam brings Bucky into the spare bedroom, sitting him on the bed while he puts away the newly bought clothes. 

 "You like pizza?" He asks Bucky, who is playing with his teddy bear.

 "Yeah, yeah! Pizza!" Bucky replies excitedly. 

 Sam chuckles. "Okay, pizza for dinner it is."

 Sam finishes putting the clothes away before he pulls his phone out to order their dinner. He orders a large pepperoni pizza, and goes ahead and adds a cookie pizza too, for dessert. He heads to the kitchen where he pulls a package of steam-in-the-bag mixed vegetables from the freezer and pops that into the microwave. 

 He hears pattering footsteps approaching before he hears Bucky say,

 "M' firthty."

 "Come again?" He asks, confused. 

 Bucky takes the pacifier out of his mouth so he can speak clearer. "Thirsty." He says.

 "Oh, okay. I think your cup is still in the backpack. It's by the door." Sam tells him.

 Bucky goes to the backpack pulling out his sippy cup of water. He sips on it as he walks to the living room and sits down on the couch. 

 Sam comes in a minute later and sits with him. He picks up the remote and turns on the TV, flipping until he comes to "teletubbies".

 He looks to Bucky who is staring in awe at the colorful characters dancing around on the screen in the field with the flowers and bunny rabbits. He chuckles to himself. This kid is adorable. 

 When the doorbell rings, Sam goes to get the food. He pays and tips the delivery guy, bringing the boxes to the kitchen. He sets out 2 plates, 2 slices of pizza on each, and servings of the mixed vegetables. He calls for Bucky in the living room, and receives no answer.

 "Bucky, dinner." He calls again.

 When he's met with silence once more, he goes to the living room. Bucky is still staring at the TV, giggling as Noo-Noo the vacuum is noisily sucking up tubby custard from the floor. 

 "Hey bud, dinner's ready." Sam says.

 "Wanna watch." Bucky says, pointing at the TV. 

 "We can have TV later. Right now, it's dinner time. Don't you want a cookie after you eat?" Sam coaxes.

 Bucky looks up at the mention of a cookie, and Sam turns off the TV. Bucky gets up then and follows him to the kitchen.

 They sit down to eat and Sam watches Bucky pick up a slice of pizza, pointedly pushing the vegetables to one side of the plate with his spoon. Sam raises an eyebrow at that, but says nothing.

 They both eat quietly, and Sam sees Bucky reaching for the box with the cookie after he's finished his pizza. His vegetables are untouched. 

 "Little boy, I know I don't see you going for that cookie when you haven't eaten your veggies."

 "I can't eat vet'bels." Bucky says with a pout, and Sam has to try way too hard not to laugh. 

 "Oh yeah? Why not?" Sam asks.

 "It's yucky." Bucky explains. 

 "Don't you think your daddy would want you to eat your vegetables?"

 "No."

 "I think he would. I bet it would make him real happy to hear when we go to see him."

 Bucky pouts and glares at Sam, but picks up his spoon anyway. He sticks out his tongue just a little bit and touches it to a single pea on the spoon. "Done." He says.