The Sharpest Lies [Bucky x ReaderxSteve]

Fifty-one

A hand brushing over your hair startles you awake. You blink your eyes open, surprised to find the room in gloom. "Huh?"

"You fell asleep, baby," Bucky murmurs, and you feel him lifting the bundle from your arms. "Why don't you go on to bed and I'll get Sasha changed and put her down?"

"Huh?"

Bucky encourages you to your feet and then nudges you out of the room, keeping an eye on your retreating back until you disappear into the bedroom before heading back into the nursery. You'd fallen asleep breastfeeding, so Bucky shifts Sasha to his shoulder to pat her back until he's rewarded with a burp that seems entirely too big for such a small body.

"There's a good girl," Bucky coos at her. "Why don't we get you outta this wet diaper huh?"

Sasha watches him with eyes that are already shifting in color to match your own. "You seem entirely too awake, angel. You're supposed to be ready for bed."

Her legs kick and flail as he changes her and slips her into a new set of pajamas. As he's swaddling her, talking over her objects to explain why it's necessary, Bucky sense someone walk into the room. Turning to find Steve grinning at him like an idiot.

"What are you looking at?"

"Do you know how weird it is to see you like this?" Steve asks, smirking. "For such a big bad tough guy, you sure are a softie."

Bucky rolls his eyes. "Please, as if you aren't as gooey as me. I've seen you at it."

"I mean, can you blame me?" Pushing off the doorframe, Steve lumbers over to where Bucky's standing in place and rocking slightly in an effort to convince Sasha to sleep. Her eyes are wide open, blinking at him. "She's the cutest thing in the world."

"That she is," Bucky agrees, fighting with his own exhaustion. When he can't keep from yawning, Steve eyes him carefully.

"Why don't you let me take her and put her down. You can go join our girl in blissful sleep."

"I can do it," Bucky says, defensive for some reason.

"Sure you can, but what is it you always tell her when she tries to tell you she's got something when she's wiped out?" Steve asks, his eyebrows lifting.

Groaning, Bucky shakes his head. "That the whole point of me being here is to help out so she doesn't have to do everything herself."

"Exactly. Well, same goes. Now hand over that adorable football and go to bed."

"I'm the boss here, you know," Bucky can't help but snark, even as he's carefully handing Sasha off. Steve just gives him a bland look. "Fine. I'll go to bed. But only because I'm not sure I can stay on my fucking feet for much longer and not because you tried to send me to bed like a child."

As he leaves the room, he hears Steve addressing the baby. "Don't you believe it for a minute, sweetheart. It's your ma that's the real boss."

The moment his feet cross the threshold to the bedroom, Bucky's already stripping off his clothes, leaving them to lie where they fall. He thought you would be asleep already, but as he slides in behind you, you're rolling over to face him. You're eyes are heavy, but you give him a soft smile.

"Sasha already went down?" you ask, a little surprised.

"No, Steve's taken over with that," Bucky explains, wrapping his arm around your back as you snuggle against his chest. "I was hoping you'd be asleep already."

"My mind doesn't want to shut off apparently." You sound thoughtful, and the eyes he's shut flying back open when he feels your hand gliding down his chest and over his stomach.