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'Fucking finally reached the bloody ass door.'

Which of course I had to open myself with the fucking added weight of Eve being a bloody ass. Had to throw more of my body weight into than usual.

My ribs, if they had their own voice, would most likely be cussing up a storm.

The way Bucky's head snapped to me, brows knitted together and teeth gnawing at his bottom lip, pulled a sigh and a smile from me.

The man had his arms wrapped around Ixie, and she stayed rather still for him. Just her tail leisurely wagging.

I struggled with the giant bear I won at the theme park and was sore for three days. And here he was, twisting his torso to face me like she weighed nothing.

A perfectly timed sidestep had Zephyr scrambling to stop himself from crashing into the shelves. I rather not crash into them and be a cushion for the sneaky little bastard.

'Stop channelling your happy princess, Val.'

The last thing I wanted to do was turn that nasty habit onto Bucky. I could see the cracks, places I could prod at and watch how he'd shatter to pieces.

"9:59. Back by the end of the hour." Kept my voice light and airy, draining it of the annoyance at Eve and the excitement that still bubbled.

That did nothing to relax the tension in his hunched shoulders. Damn adorable how he pulled up Ixie closer to his face with the dog's legs sticking every which way.

"...How did it go?" he cautiously enquired. Not prying into what I did, just gauging where my head was at.

"Played out exactly as planned?" I offered.

No lie there.

Played out exactly as planned right to the beat of each break.

'Damn it, Eve.'

Now that I was rather sure I wasn't curious about hurting Bucky, I didn't need to find some distraction to focus on or keep my distance. But her words had me holding back. Not wanting to "latch" onto his side and not wanting to not "latch" onto his side. She'd win no matter what I do.

'I hate playing your fucking games.'

"When's bedtime for you?" I asked as casually as I could.

"...In nine minutes. But I can stay up," he offered almost instantly. "I don't need so much sleep."

"...If you want, we can have some cookies and milk before you sleep," I said as a compromise.

At his eager nod, I poured a glass of milk and stared at the second glass. Did not want to deal with the cleanup if my right hand decided to twitch open.... With a shrug, I tossed the jug back into the fridge and grabbed the packet of Oreos.

Zeph stayed at my left side so that I could lean into him for support when I used my bad ankle. My nerves curled and bubbled, waiting for the moment.

And as always, it came. I threw my arm right up with the packet of Oreos. Right out of the jaws that stole so much from me.

My right foot crossed the left, and I swayed out my hip. Bumped the sneaky little bastard onto his side. Couldn't help the smirk I shot down his way.

'Oh shit.'

My eyes darted over to Bucky. Only breathing when he wasn't freaking out like I tortured Zeph. So that's a win...?

I carefully settled down in the little spot. Bucky cleared of blankets on his right. Always on his right.

'I'll have to work on that when I figure out what's making that arm twitch.'

The confusion in the way Bucky dunked the cookie sandwich had me wondering if they had something like this when he grew up. His brow even furrowed at the first bite, closing in together as he chewed.

'...Maybe it's too sweet...?'

"It's different..." he whispered.

The next sandwich, he perfectly twisted one cookie away from the cream center. A cookie should not be able to move like that, and I could not tear away from the elegant movements of his fingers making the cookie dance between them.

"It looks different.... Tastes different too."

"The recipe and design were changed over the years. Replaced the lard with vegetable oil, and Val likes the double stuff version."

He split the third treat as well and just licked off the cream. Long slow licks.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

He tossed the cookies into his mouth with the hint of a smile.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

He plucked another Oreo, glanced my way, and dunked it into the milk for the about the same amount of time I did with the two cookies I did manage to eat. He stuck it in my mouth. Even tapped my chin to shut it.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

And Bucky went right back to happily eating the cream centers with the licking. I could not, for the life of me, could not look away.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

"You're done with the cookies already?" he asked, between licks. "...Okay.... Do you want the milk?"

He downed the entire glass in a couple of seconds. His head tilted to the side, his eyes just staring at me. Then his thumb came up to my face and swiped along the skin right beneath my bottom lip.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

His pink tongue licked off whatever it was on his thumb... that was once on my face....

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

His shoulder shrugged and he stood up, arms wrapped around Ixie again.

"Wake me up if.... You're not alone here, Val," he said, climbing the steps to the top floor.

'Uhhhhhhhhhh....'

Ixie officially became a plushie. Who the hell could lift her like that? Bucky, apparently. The little swagger to his walk didn't even change with the added near 200 pounds.

For having a room set up for him to have some sort of privacy under Eve's watch, Bucky had decided to use the top floor. Probably for the whole vantage point bit. Or the fact that he could lie under the stars with nothing to obstruct the view. In a damn doggy cuddle pile.

'Oh boy.'

Giddy energy bubbled up my chest.

My cheeked flushed as my feigned calm shattered.

'I need to climb.'

As silently as I could, I headed for the hole in the floor, for the basement levels.

No way in hell am I going to risk having my light burn out in that darkness while in the forest on a motorbike. It used to be fun. Now... I'd probably destroy my own voice box from not being able to see....

And Bucky would never stop frowning at me if I did....

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Author's Note:

This is one of my favourite scenes. This anybody else's?

If you enjoyed this part, please consider leaving a vote. They're very much appreciated. ^^

And a big thank you to TinselA/Bunny Carrot (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/7591081/) and the Anonymous Fifth Beta for Beta-ing this chapter.