It Only Takes a Second

- LIV -

Steve rubbed his eyes as he padded down the hallways towards source of the amazing aroma wafting through the penthouse. It wasn't even 6 in the morning, yet he knew Harry had already been up and baking for quite a while.

However, despite knowing this, the impressive spread of food that was displayed upon the marble countertops in the Stark kitchen took Steve by surprise.

Harry was flitting around the kitchen like a hummingbird, checking on multiple mixers that were going at once, adding ingredients to some, and checking on things that were baking in the oven. He hadn't yet noticed Steve standing in the entry way to the room.

In an attempt not to frighten the teen, Steve reached over and knocked lightly on the wall, and cleared his throat. Harry looked up, and grinned at the super-soldier, flour smeared across his cheek in the most adorable way possible.

"Harry, this is incredible," Steve spoke, bewildered as he watched a bowl float through the air, landing in front of Harry. "How long have you been at this?"

Harry's face flushed bright red, not wanting Steve to scold him. "I wasn't able to sleep. I came down here around 3, and decided to make everything on my menu so that everyone can try it. I figure having a star of approval from an Avenger next to it might increase sales."

Steve had to give it to the kid, it was a good marketing strategy.

"What have you made so far?" Steve questioned, deciding to let the fact that Harry hadn't slept slide by.

"I've made a peach cobbler, blueberry pie, cherry chip cake with buttercream frosting, and right now there's a lemon pound cake, coffee cake, and apple pie being made. I'll do more puddings, fudges, cookies, brownies and other simpler desserts here in a bit."

Steve couldn't help but chuckle at the idea that those items were any easier, but held his tongue. He had no room to hold an opinion when it came to cooking and baking. The last time he had tried to make the team dinner, he came close to giving everyone food poisoning.

"What are you going to do with all of this food?" Steve asked, hooking his foot around a barstool and pulling it out to take a seat.

Harry looked up at the super-soldier with an amused expression. "Do you really think that this team is going to let anything go to waste? Several of you have extremely high metabolisms, and the others just really like desserts."

"The others just really like your cooking in general," a new voice declared, entering the room. Steve and Harry looked up and grinned as Bucky made his way towards the island beside his fiancé.

"Did I wake you?" Steve asked softly, brows furrowing with worry. He would feel bad if his getting up had disturbed Bucky, but the man just shook his head.

"No. Nightmare," he whispered sheepishly so that Harry wouldn't be able to hear.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you after you woke up," Steve's heart ached for his fiancé. He wished that there was a way that he could take all of the pain and memories away from him, but he knew that it wasn't possible. It was the same way he felt about Harry's nightmares and flashbacks.

"It's alright. I just took a hot shower and it helped," Bucky replied before raising his voice to where Harry could hear. "And then I could smell Harry's amazing baking, so I had to come check it out."

Harry blushed, placing a slice of everything that he had made thus far on to a plate and setting it down before the two soldiers.

"Here, let me know if these are any good."

Bucky chuckled, "Harry, I know for a damn fact that these are going to be amazing."

"He's right. You've yet to make anything that I haven't enjoyed enough to go back and get a third or fourth serving of," Steve smiled, reaching across the counter and grabbing a fork. He started in on a piece of the cherry chip cake, and let out a hum of delight as he tasted the dessert.