Summary: Bucky has trouble sleeping and Steve fears it might be caused from their little sleepovers.

"What do you do when your boyfriend doesn't sleep at night?"

"Are you really asking me for a professional opinion right now?"

"Doesn't have to be professional. It's just an opinion."

"Steve, I'm a kindergarten teacher. I'm not psycho-analyzing your boyfriend," Peggy states in a flat voice. Even across the phone he can feel Peggy's sarcasm just flowing out.

"Come on, Peggs I could really use some help right now," Steve pleads.

"If you're so worried about your boyfriend WHOM I HAVE YET TO MEET—" Steve rolls his eyes so hard it almost hurts "—then why don't you just ask him yourself?"

"There's this thing, you see. It's called pride and dignity, and for a former soldier with PTSD I wouldn't want to wound that anymore than it probably already is."

"Just ask him."

"Why can't I ask you?"

"Because you're being a child. Man up and ask him."

Steve makes a wordless noise at that. It's true though: he really doesn't want to wound Bucky's pride, and calling him out on it doesn't exactly make for the best case scenario. He hasn't had the heart to say anything because he doesn't want to destroy what is already becoming a nice, peaceful cohabitation between the two of them. They haven't necessarily moved in with each other per say, but they've started doing a little 'sleepover thing' as couples often call it. Bucky was the one to bring it up, all shy and blushing and the tips of his ears a stark red in comparison to his usual pale skin. Steve was more than happy to comply, of course. He'd been trying to find a way to bring it up in conversation, but after much talking with Peggy and occasionally Natasha (despite the fear she strikes into the hearts of men and women alike), Steve decided to wait it out and let Bucky come to him first.

He's not really all that impatient when it comes to their relationship. If he was in a normal relationship, maybe. Not to say his relationship with Bucky is abnormal, but it's definitely different. The one differing factor out of all Steve's past relationships would probably be their shared background. They were both soldiers, but served somewhere in the Middle East, and both currently have PTSD. While Steve's is more subdued and only comes about once in a while, Bucky's is still pretty recent. He still has a lot to deal with, and for that Steve is willing to be patient, willing to take the baby steps necessary to secure their relationship and get them on stable footing. Steve will admit his patience has been sorely tested at times, and some days he finds himself really put under a lot of strain, but then he reminds himself: it's all worth it. In the end, it is so worth it. So just like with all things Bucky-related, Steve decided to wait it out. And yes, it was worth it.

But now he's come to the problem of what happens when your boyfriend doesn't sleep at night? Steve's dealt with his own types of sleeping problems, so he really shouldn't be surprised that Bucky may be suffering the same thing. But still, Bucky never hinted at it, never really said anything to lead Steve on that he may be suffering from type of mild insomnia or anything. But he's more afraid this all started ever since the sleepovers started. He's trying to think whether or not either of them have overstayed their welcome, but the longest any of them have stayed was five days. Steve always made sure to ask if it was okay, whether they were at his place or Bucky's, and Bucky seemed genuinely fine with everything. Until Steve woke up in the middle of the night to an empty space next to him, and then again when that empty space was crawled back into by his boyfriend.

"Steve?" Peggy's voice echoes in his ear.

"Hmm, yeah?" He answers distractedly.

"Just ask him."

"Peggs, you know I can't! There has to be another way that—"

"That doesn't involve confrontation?" She sighs.

Steve would agree, only the way she says it sounds so condescending.

"Steve, he's not some delicate flower that needs handling and a little bit of water and sunshine. He's a grown man. I think you not asking him will just wound his so-called pride even more."

"So… you really think I should just outright ask, 'Hey, noticed you're not sleeping ever since we started shacking up together!' Like that, you think that would work?"

"Steven Grant Rogers do not get fresh on me," Peggy commands in what Steve likes to call her 'commanding officer' voice. He swears, in another life she was a secret British agent for like World War II or something.

"Alright, fine fine!" Steve puts his other hand up in defense. "I will… talk to Bucky."

"Really? Or are you just saying that to get me to shut up?"

"So I need to inform you whenever I talk to my boyfriend now? Is that gonna be a thing now mom?"

"Oh for bloody sakes Steve—"

"Kidding, kidding I'm kidding!"

"Just—talk to him," she grits out.

"Yes ma'am."

"Don't 'ma'am' me. And don't even think about saluting either!"

Steve slowly puts his hand down and tucks it under his armpit. "Right, nooooo saluting. Right, of course." How Peggy could see that he'll never know.

Apparently it's another sleepless night for Bucky, because when Steve wakes up at precisely 3:30 am on the dot there's a cold empty spot next to him and he's hogging all the blankets. He sighs and rubs at his tired eyes. Waking up at 3:30 for the past few nights wasn't exactly doing wonders for his body, but then again it's better than not being able to sleep like a certain PTSD-stricken soldier.

He sighs and swings his legs onto the floor, wincing when his toes come into contact with the cold wood. He bundles himself up in his sweatshirt and shuffles over to the door. He peaks his head out of the room and sure enough Bucky is in his usual spot. When Steve stays over at Bucky's place, he likes to sit on the floor by the radiator near the window with a bundle of blankets and pillows under him. When Bucky stays over at Steve's place, he does the exact same thing only he sits in the middle of Steve's living room. He's always in the same position too: knees drawn up until they're bunched together at his chest, legs crossed at the ankles and his elbows folded on top of his kneecaps with his chin resting right on top. Around 5-6 am Bucky will come crawling back into bed and snuggle up next to Steve, and when morning comes Steve pretends to stay blissfully unaware of the whole no sleeping thing.

It's been a struggle, maybe more so for Bucky than him but he's still worried! He doesn't want their little sleepovers, as nice as they've been, to be a source of discomfort for Bucky. If he can't sleep, they need to end these immediately or Bucky will continue to walk around looking like a zombie. Also it's very possible Peggy will kill him.

He hasn't actually figured out what he's supposed to do beyond this point. The obvious choice would be to walk outside, sit next to Bucky and maybe just talk about it. Or he could wait till morning, but it's very likely Steve may chicken out and lose his chance. So walking out into the unknown it is. He takes a few careful steps forward in case Bucky finds him intrusive and can hide back in the bedroom, but Bucky seems to take no notice of Steve's presence. He finally reaches Bucky when his toes make contact with the bundle of blankets and just waits for some kind of permission to move.

Bucky's eyes finally meet his and he arches up an eyebrow. Steve tilts his head at him in silent response. Bucky continues to hold his gaze until he shrugs and scooches over to make some room on the blankets. He huddles up closer to the radiator as Steve adjusts himself, but it doesn't really leave a lot of space between the two of them. Their sides are practically pressing into each other, and as much as Steve wants to throw an arm around Bucky and curl into him he wants to give the other man some space too.

He waits about five minutes before coming up with a lame, "Hi."

Bucky snorts. "Hi."

"It's a little early, don't you think?"

Bucky shrugs one shoulder and murmurs back, "I guess."

Cue awkward silence.

"I'm sure it can't be comfortable sitting like that," Steve comments after a while.

"Eh, it's okay." Bucky curls in more on himself until he's nothing more than a tiny ball with only his scraggly mop of hair sticking out. It's such a small movement, subtle, but it makes Steve freeze up and hold his breath because Bucky just… he looks so vulnerable like that. And he's seen Bucky at his most vulnerable, he's seen him at his worst. It still does something to Steve though.

"….You wanna watch a movie?" He asks hesitantly.

"Too tired to actually focus on a movie plot," Bucky mumbles. His shoulders sag a little in what Steve guesses must be just pure exhaustion. Lack of sleep can do that to you.

"Is there… anything you do want?" Steve tries again. He doesn't want to keep badgering Bucky, but if there's anything he can do for him he'll do it in a heartbeat, no questions asked.

Bucky chews on his bottom lip, like he's nervous to say what he truly wants even though Steve is already willing to do whatever. "Can you just—sit here, with me? For a while? And then we can go back to bed?" He directs a wary glance at Steve as he asks this.

"Sure Buck, of course." Just for some extra reassurance, he nudges Bucky's shoulder and presses a light kiss on the top of his head. He doesn't miss the small quirk of Bucky's lips.

And so they stay like that for maybe thirty minutes or so. Steve's lost track of how much time they've sat there exactly, but he's more than happy to just sit it out with Bucky until he's ready to go back to sleep. It's around 4 am when Steve starts yawning and Bucky says out of nowhere, "It's not you."

"Huh?" Steve says mid-yawn. He blinks blearily and stares back at Bucky. "What's not me?"

Bucky avoids the question by digging his toes into the blankets and playing with the loose threads. Steve waits patiently, doesn't push, doesn't try to draw an answer out of Bucky, instead allowing him to think it over and how he wants to proceed with this.

"I know you're not stupid. I know you've probably noticed my whole insomnia thing, and I know it worries you to death and I really am glad you've chosen not to be pushy or… whatever," Bucky mumbles. "I'm glad you're here, and I'm glad you're with me and don't get me wrong I wouldn't wanna be anywhere but here but—dammit. I don't even know where I'm going with this anymore." He grimaces and tugs at his hair as if trying to force his thoughts out and into the open. "I…It's not you," he repeats again. "I just… haven't been sleeping great. I think it's nightmares and.. stuff. I don't know why I just… I'm being stupid, aren't I?"

"Well…" As Steve draws out the word he takes note of Bucky wincing and ducking his head. In all honesty, Steve figured he would be the one to ramble and blush and spout out a lot of awkward sentences that don't really make sense, but instead Bucky's already beaten him to the finish line.

"You can be stupid, and sometimes you don't really have a lot of common sense because you're a stubborn jerk and all, so there's no doubt about that. But there's nothing stupid about nightmares."

"Was that supposed to make me feel better or something?" Bucky asks in a dry voice.

"Your stupidity is a quality I love most about you," Steve grins from ear to ear. He leans into Bucky's space and pecks a quick kiss to his mouth. "Also," Steve adds as he pulls back, "For the record and all, I don't mind if you're, you know, having nightmares. If you ever need something you could just wake me up instead of hiding out here by yourself every night. I don't.. mind."

"Isn't it kinda.. tiring though?"

"Buck, I'm gonna be tired regardless. Might as well do it together, right?"

Bucky tucks his chin into his arms and breathes in deeply. As he exhales, he slowly drifts towards Steve and settles against his side, Steve throwing an arm around him and drawing him in closer. "Okay," Bucky whispers.

"Okay?" Steve echoes back.

"Yeah, I.. o-okay. Yeah, okay." He noses against Steve's shirt and scoots closer.

"Okay," Steve repeats.

"Um, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"…Thanks."

"No problem."

The silence that falls over them isn't awkward this time, but content. He's not sure if they've exactly made any progress, but at least they've talked about it in their own way. At least they've addressed the issue and can start going forward from there. Steve would call this a success in a sense.

"So we can.. still continue? With this…?"

Bucky lifts his head up at that.

"I mean…" Steve gestures to the two of them. "The sleepovers. We can…?"

Bucky blinks, then chuckles and nuzzles back into Steve. "Yeah Stevie. We can keep doing the sleepovers."

"Oh… okay."

"Disappointed?" Bucky teases.

"No, no! Not at all!" Steve hurries on. "Just… nothing. Okay."

"Okay," Bucky repeats in amusement.

Well, this is definitely a success then.