Something didn't feel right. Bucky paused as he squinted around his room.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

He frowned. Was something out of place?

He checked his trinkets and books, dresser and closet -- nothing out of the ordinary there. Maybe a used shirt, but he tossed it in the laundry bin and looked around again.

It was perfectly clean, but there was... something. Bucky grabbed his emergency switchblade and stepped carefully around his room. 

His door was closed. He didn't remember closing it, but wouldn't he have heard it regardless?

Bucky slowly walked to the door and pressed an ear against it. Silence, silence that made him expect a sudden screech or movement. Nothing.

No movement on the floorboards, either. Bucky grabbed the door and pulled it open.

No one.

Suddenly he was face to face with an energetic Peter, who, upside-down, grinned and spread his arms out.

"Happy birthday!"

Bucky flinched back and leaned over his knees, huffing a breath.

"What the hell, Parker," he wheezed as he straightened up again. Steve poked his head around the corner, holding a cake.

"He wanted to surprise you," Steve hummed. Bucky eyed them warily as he slid his sheathed knife into his pants again.

"What for?"

"Really?" Steve looked amused. "It's your birthday, Buck." Peter hopped to the ground and grinned brightly at Bucky.

"Some of the others aren't up yet, but uh, Cap and I wanted to be the first to say it." Bucky was amused hearing Peter refer so casually to Steve just by calling him Cap.

"Oh. Uh, thanks," he said and smiled at Peter, and raised an eyebrow at Steve. Peter went to the kitchen and started gathering the food they had apparently made. Bucky walked over to Steve.

"Are no secrets safe with you?" he sighed and Steve smiled as he looped an arm around him.

"Ones that matter. Why do you hate your birthday again?" He looked at him and Bucky rolled his eyes.

"I'm getting old, Rogers. What am I, one hundred and one?" He crossed his arms. Steve smiled and shrugged, leading him to the kitchen.

"Some ladies prefer older men," he teased.

Bucky snorted and sat. Peter excitedly presented him with a breakfast he'd prepared -- a stack of pancakes and bacon. The top pancake had a smiley face.

Bucky smiled at that and Peter beamed as he saw him smile.

He counted that as success.

Bucky's birthday was actually enjoyable for once. He thanked Peter and Steve especially for sticking around the entire time.

"Happy birthday, Buck." Steve hugged him and Bucky smiled and hugged him back.