#mind-reader

“Okay we just need to grab washcloths, lotion, and the bubble bath set for your little friend.” He squinted at the list.

“Sweetheart, which scent did you want to get for them? We’ve got bubblegum and blueberry written down but they’re also crossed out.”

He looked to you for a response but figured you might be distracted by the display shelf in front of you. 

“It’s okay, we’ll just get both. Let’s keep moving.” He darted back and forth between aisles, trying to gather everything as quickly as possible. Your daddy was so distracted, he didn’t notice how overwhelmed you were getting. All the different, potent scents in the store were no help. For the moment, the only thing you could do was hold onto Bucky’s sleeve with one hand and use your other to cover your nose. 

It took Bucky a while to find the items. By the time you finished checking out and walked back into the mall, it had gotten significantly more crowded. Ever the strategist, your daddy held all the shopping bags in his vibranium arm so he could wrap his other arm around you and move both of your bodies as one to a faster exit. 

He let out a relieved exhale once entering the parking lot. “Oh man, that crowd was crazy, wasn’t it?” Bucky loosened his grip so he could look at you. You were clearly listening, but didn’t respond. 

He looked at you curiously. “What happened to my little chatterbug?”

You simply tugged his shirt and pointed to the car. 

“Okay, we’ll go home, baby. I know that’s what you’ve been wanting.” Bucky looked both ways before stepping off the sidewalk and walking to the car with you. 

He helped you buckle into your seat and placed the shopping bags in the trunk before sitting in the driver’s seat. Some days Bucky would have a chauffeur so that he could sit in the backseat with you, but today was not one of those days. 

After making sure it was safe to go, he wasted no time before pulling out of the lot and driving home. Bucky wanted to ask you if something was wrong, but he knew you’d be more comfortable discussing it at home. He settled for softly playing your favorite music and glancing at you in the rear view mirror once in a while. 

When you reached the house, one of Bucky’s employees put away the shopping bags as he led you upstairs. 

“You doin’ okay, baby?” He asked, holding your hand as you two walked towards your room. 

You shook your head. 

“Can you use your big kid words and tell Daddy what’s going on?”

You shook your head again. He helped you sit on your bed while he stood in front of you. 

“Okay then,” Bucky said, placing a hand on his chin. He looked at you carefully, as if he could tell what you were thinking if he just looked hard enough.

“Are you feeling extra tiny today?”

You shrugged, still looking up at Bucky unblinkingly. 

“Did something happen at the mall?”

You shrugged again. 

“Let’s try something new, sweetheart.” He went to your desk and picked up a crayon and a sheet of paper. “Can Daddy use these?”

You nodded. 

Bucky crouched down at your desk while he wrote on the paper. As with everything he did, he looked completely focused. His concentration face was a familiar sight when paired with the large oak desk in his office, but it looked a little silly and out of place with your bright, plastic table. The only seats available were a few floor cushions. He settled for sitting on the floor as to not mess up your cushions with his “outside pants”. You craned your neck trying to see what your daddy was up to. You could just barely make out a few letters before he was finished. He drew a few more lines, then handed you the sheet of paper with a hard book underneath and a new crayon. 

“Daddy made some ‘buttons’ for you, okay. You press this one to say yes, this one for no, and this one for I’m not sure. This spot is for you to make your own buttons. And this spot is if you want to write more. Does this help?”

You pointed at the “yes” button. 

His eyes lit up, then he complimented you for being such a fast learner. 

“Can you tell Daddy why you aren’t speaking right now?”

“Mall. Too much,” you wrote. 

“You got overwhelmed at the mall, bubba? And now talking is too much?”

“Yes.”

He let the crease in his brow deepen before taking a breath and relaxing his features. “I know we were supposed to have dinner with Natty and your little friends today, but how about we push those plans to another day? We’ll have a quiet night with just us. See if we can calm this baby down.”

You gave him a small smile. “Yes.” Then you created a new button. “Please.”

Bucky chuckled. “Even when you’re not speaking you’re still the smartest, most polite baby in the entire world. Can I give you some kisses?”

“Yes.”