Positive Regard

Chapter Forty

Stephanie was asleep on Bucky's lap, curled up in his arms. Loki had taken her to the park today (which I'd been kind of nervous about, but they both came back safe and, you know, alive) and tired her out. She usually went to bed around 8:00, but it was only seven and she was out. That was probably good, since she'd have a long day tomorrow. It was her fifth birthday. Her classmates would be coming in the afternoon, and family would be coming for dinner.
"She's not gonna want a sibling." Bucky said.
"Yeah, well. Neither did Matthew."
"And look what he got stuck with." He grinned.
"And look who's not getting laid in the foreseeable future." I laughed quietly.
"Hey, I chose to be stuck with you, remember? I'm gonna bring her to bed, and then we can discuss that situation, 'cause that's not gonna fly."
I raised my eyebrows. "Oh? It isn't?"
"It isn't." He kissed my cheek and stood up.
Stephanie opened her eyes. "What're you doing, Daddy?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Taking you to bed. Tell Mommy goodnight." He bent down so she could hug me.
She held out her arms. "Night night."
I hugged her and kissed her head. "Night night. I love you."
"I love you too, Mommy." She moved her arms around Bucky's neck. "You're so strong, Daddy."
He looked like he'd melt. She had him wrapped around her little finger. It was a good thing she didn't ask for a pony, or he'd be building a stable in the back yard.
I turned the tv to Criminal Minds, so I got distracted and didn't really realize Bucky was taking a long time to put her to bed. I got up to check on them, and found him laying in bed with her, reading a book. She was asleep, so he was reading in his head.
"What are you doing?" I whispered.
"I wanted to know how it ended." He answered with a smile, but closed the book and got up.
"Daddy." She mumbled.
"I gotta go to bed too, baby." He kissed her head. "Goodnight."
"Finish the story."
"Tomorrow night."
She nodded and rolled over. "Where's Puppy?"
Bucky got up and handed her her stuffed animal. She wrapped it in her arms and put her face under it. Bucky came out and shut the door behind him.
"You know that book ends the same way every time, right?" I smiled.
"I know how books work." He laughed. "I haven't read that one yet, thank you very much."
"Mhm. Okay."
"You're mean." He wrapped both arms around me and pulled me down onto the couch with him. "So, she's asleep. You know what that means." He smirked.
"Yeah. I can finish this episode." I grabbed the remote and pressed play.
"That wasn't what I was getting at. But okay."
"What?" I smiled. "I have to know how it ends--I haven't seen this one yet."
"Yeah, got it." He rolled his eyes. "As I said, mean."
"Mhm." I agreed.
"You only like it because you think that guy's cute." He kissed my cheek.
"I think you're cute, but that's not the only reason I like you."
"Aww, you like me?" He grinned cheekily.
"Hush, cute guy's talking." I smiled.
Bucky made a disagreeing noise. "I don't think he's that attractive."
"Then you think wrong. You have bad taste in men, honey." I laughed.
"I mean he's all right, but not someone I'd worry about if he was hitting on you or anything."
"If he was, you should definitely worry."
"Right. Well, I'll keep that in mind, then. Are you trying to tell me you wanna be called baby girl?"
"Only if it's him, darling."
"Thanks, doll." He laughed and kissed me.
"What are you guys doing?" Stephanie asked.
Bucky and I pulled away. He cleared his throat. "What's up, baby?"
"Can I have water?"
I stood up. "Sure. Come on."
She followed me into the kitchen. "I want sink water."
"Yes ma'am."
"And three ice cubes."
"Three? I thought you got two."
"Yeah, but I want three tonight."
"Three it is." I agreed.
"I want chocolate milk." She said as she took the cup from me.
"You can have some with breakfast."
"But I want some now."
"No."
"Tuck me in."
"Is that how you ask?"
"Please tuck me in, Mommy."
She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to her room. She crawled into bed. "Daddy didn't pray with me."
"He didn't?" I asked.
"No."
I sat on her bed while she sang God Our Father, then kissed her head and left.
"Momma." She said as I was shutting the door.
I opened it back up.
"I love you." She smiled sweetly.
"I love you too, honey. Why don't you wanna go to bed?"
Her smile turned into one of excitement and she bounced out from under the covers and sat on her knees. "I'm too excited to sleep."
I smiled. "I know you're excited, but you gotta sleep or you're not gonna have very much fun tomorrow."
"You're right." She agreed. "Night night, Momma. Will you tuck me in again? Please."
I tucked her in again.
"Is Nathan coming tomorrow?"
"Yes, Nathan's coming." I smiled.
"Is Uncle Loki?"
"No, he can't come. That's why he took you out today."
"What about Thor?"
"I don't know. I haven't heard from him in a while."
"What about Uncle Steve?"
"You know he wouldn't miss it. Now stop procrastinating and go to bed, okay?" I kissed her forehead and went out again. This time she let me go.
I went back to the living room. Maverick was sitting in my spot on the couch, so I sat in the chair instead.
"No." Bucky said. "That's not where we were at."
I laughed. "Give it up, honey."
He smiled and stood. "Come on. We should get to bed."
"Yeah. We're gonna have a long ass day tomorrow." I stood up too.
Bucky picked me up and carried me down the hall to the bedroom with Maverick trotting along behind us.
"Don't let her have ice cream for breakfast again, Bucky." I said casually as he sat me down on my side.
"But she asked for it. She said please and everything." He grinned, taking off his shirt as he went around the foot of the bed. Instead of walking a few feet out of his way to put it in the dirty clothes, he dropped it on the floor with three others I'd told him to put away several times. "What was I supposed to do? Say no?"
"Yes. Exactly that. It's literally one syllable."
"But she's so cute."
"You've let her do it for the past three days."
He got in bed. "But she said please."
"Buchanan."
"But it's her birthday."
"Her birthday's Sunday."
"So you're saying she can have it Sunday, if she asks?"
"No, Bucky. That's not what I'm saying at all." I laughed. "Goodnight, love."
"'Night. Love you."
"Love you too."