Daddy noticed my tears and gently wiped them away.
Bucky: "Don't worry, baby, I'm fine, okay?"
I nodded, trying to reassure them, but the unease lingered. They both brought me back to my room where Daddy was holding one of my stuffed animals.
Steve: "Alright, goodnight, y/n."
They gave me sweet goodnight kisses before closing the door behind them.
As the sun rose the next day, I hurried downstairs to find Daddy making the most delicious pancakes.
Bucky: "Morning, doll. Hey, we were wondering if you'd like to do something fun today?"
Y/n: "Mhm, why not...?"
Steve: "Where would you like to go?"
Y/n: "I don't know."
Bucky: "Something you're interested in!"
Y/n: "I wanna see a lion!"
Steve: "Alright, then it's a zoo day!"
We finished breakfast and headed to the zoo, accompanied by Peter, Tony, and Natasha.
Y/n: "Can we go see the lions?"
I asked eagerly as we got the zoo map and stepped inside.
Bucky: "Well, what's the first animal on the map?"
Y/n: "Lion!"
Bucky: "No, it's a bird! Let's go see the tropical birds!"
Y/n: "It's the same, the lion will eat them anyway!"
A nearby kid started crying, and Daddy quickly covered my mouth whenever other kids walked by.
Just as we were about to head to the giraffes, Daddy and Dad bumped into a friend.
Y/n: "Dad, let's go! We're almost there!"
Bucky: "Y/n, don't interrupt us when we're talking, okay?"
I rolled my eyes, feeling a bit ignored, but I watched the tigers with fascination.
When we moved on, they met another friend, and I started to feel a little left out.
Y/n: "Dad, the lions..."
Bucky: "They won't run away. And don't interrupt us!"
Feeling a bit frustrated, I sighed and decided to take the map myself. I walked to the lion's cage, mesmerized by their majestic presence, and secretly wished I could pet one.
But as minutes passed, I started to feel anxious, so I left for the reptile exhibit, hoping to see a crocodile.
~Steve pov~
After we finished talking, I reached out to hold y/n's hand again, but suddenly, she was nowhere in sight!
"Bucky, where is y/n?" I panicked, my heart racing as I searched for her.
"Y/n?!" I called out, desperately scanning the area.
Worry etched on our faces, we rushed to the lion's cage, hoping to find her there.
Approaching other visitors, we asked if they had seen a little girl with a red pullover and black pants.
"Excuse me, ma'am, have you seen a little girl around seven years old with a red pullover and black pants?" I inquired, but the woman shook her head no.
Anxiety gnawing at my gut, I hurried back to the entrance, hoping she might be there.
To my immense relief, I found y/n near the penguins.
"Y/n! What the hell were you thinking?!" I scolded gently, pulling her into a tight hug. I couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and worry all at once.
I quickly called Bucky and informed him that we found y/n by the penguins.
As Bucky arrived, he hugged her too, his worry evident on his face. We were just grateful to have her back safe and sound.
For the rest of the zoo trip, I insisted on carrying her, not willing to let her out of my sight again.
In the end, we bought her a stuffed lion, which she clung to dearly. It was heartwarming to see her smile again after the scare.
"Tafari is hungry," she said, referring to her new lion toy.
Bucky seemed a bit confused. "Who?"
"My lion!" y/n clarified, giggling.
With a smile, I nodded. "Alright, let's go eat something so Tafari won't eat you!"
As we continued our zoo adventure, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the love and care we shared as a family. Despite the little scare, it turned into a memorable day filled with laughter and joy. I knew that with y/n in our lives, every moment was precious, and I was determined to cherish each one with her by my side.
