fossilised | For Steve

[He can't help it, he bursts into surprised laughter. The noise has a slight rasp to it, like it's not a sound he's made very often in a long time, but it's entirely genuine.]

You're just messing with me, it's not really apple pie, is it?

[Nobody is that much of an all-American boy scout.]

[Steve loves that sound and now he's got a goal to hear it again as much as possible.

He's got it so bad.]

It is! Warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if I can get it but the pie all by itself would be great. My mom used to make them whenever she had the time when I was a kid. I have her recipe but I've never tried making it - I think I'm scared I'll mess it up and it won't taste right.

You're killing me here, Steve. It's like you're some kind of comic superhero, I don't know-- Captain America or something. All apple pie and helping old ladies defeat muggers. I bet you're first issue would be saving a cat from a tree.

[Though he's teasing, it's with admiration rather than derision. He had forgotten that people this good existed in the world, it was a soothing reminder to meet one.]

You'll have to show me the recipe, maybe I can help out.

[Steve blushes a little -well ok more than a little at Bucky's words, though he's smiling and laughing too.]

Sure. I unpacked it, I can show you when we're making pancakes.

[A pointed pause, then,]

... I did actually save a cat from a tree once.

[They round a corner and their apartment building is suddenly right there. Bucky feels a knot of tension unravel, one he barely noticed before. It's good to be home, he associates this building with safety.]

You so did not.

[He's calling bullshit on that.]

Cats don't get stuck up trees in real life, no way. What, did the owner kiss you on the cheek and the picture make the front page too, Cap?

[New nickname: acquired.]

This one did! One of the kids on the base just got a new kitten and the thing chased a squirrel up a tree before it realized it didn't know how to get down. The kid was too short to reach the first branch but I just barely could at the time so I climbed up to get the cat. The kitten shredded my arm to ribbons for the trouble though. Mom wasn't happy - she was a nurse - but it wasn't like she could get mad at me for helping someone.

[He's got the slightly sneaky smile that comes from someone who has figured out that that is how you get away with things. Just do good deeds! What are they going to do, get mad at you for breaking a rule to help someone? Sometimes, yes. And that's why Steve also got more detention than any other straight A student.]

[Perhaps in time Bucky will learn that Steve isn't quite the perfect boy scout he seems to be, but right now he's taken in completely by the innocent and helpful side to him.]

Your Ma sounds like a good lady.

[He awkwardly tugs at the door with the tips of his fingers, as the rest of his hand and arm are holding the shopping bag. But he refuses to ask for help, and he's not about to stand there pathetically and wait for Steve to open the door for him. He can handle it.]

I guess that put you off cats though, huh?

Nah, it was just scared, still love 'em. Though I think I'm more of a dog person.

[Steve gets the door when Bucky goes for it anyway. Bucky's carrying groceries, so Steve will get the door. When Steve carries groceries, Bucky can get the door.]

[He glances sidelong for a moment, but there's no hint of pity on Steve's face so he lets it go.]

Lucky you, I'm getting a dog in about a week and I have no idea how to care for one, you can help out. That's what you get for asking me out.

Wow, still on the pre-date period and you're already asking me to co-parent your future dog with you? I'm honored.

[But really Steve does love dogs, so he's thrilled. He resists the urge to ask if it's a service dog - all things considered Bucky's doing great for someone who doesn't have one, and it can only help. Provided Bucky's not allergic or anything.]

What kind of dog? Big dog, little dog, mutt?

[He's taken the leap and told Steve that he's fucked up now, perhaps it's almost a subconscious defence mechanism to hammer it home in the hope of protecting Steve from this whole situation.]

I don't know yet, it's through the VA, some program for assistance dogs.

[Finally reaching Steve's door, he leans against the jamb and waits for it to be opened up.]

They said there's probably a match next week.

[SURPRISE Steve just continues to be more and more endeared. Good luck getting rid of him now, Bucky.

Steve fishes his keys from his pocket and unlocks the front door, stepping in to hold it open so Bucky can come inside.]

That's great! Assistance dogs are huge helps to have around, I'm sure you'll get a good one.

[All dogs are good, of course.]

[Stop being so perfect, Steve! He huffs a tiny almost admiring laugh as he follows Steve into the apartment and puts the bag of ingredients down onto his kitchen counter. The whole place still looks pretty bare, the new and empty look of someone just moving in.]

You're a real punk, did anyone ever tell you that? Doesn't anything phase you?

[Teasing his words might be, but there's a slight hope and warmth in his eyes that says he's grateful for it. For someone giving him some hope he can have this again.]

Sure, plenty phases me.

[The kitchen is right near the entrance, not that much is far away from it with how small the place is. Still, Steve opens the cupboards to grab mixing bowls and a spatula and frying pan and the like. He figures Bucky will tell him if he needs anything different for making them from scratch.]

Just not anything you do. You're not so big and scary.

[He leans on the counter and looks up at Steve, every tall and muscled inch of him. He's pretty sure that nobody looks big and scary to Steve these days, but that's not exactly the point he was making.]

It's Halloween before long, give me a chance to show you my scary side.

[He gestures to the eggs, flour, milk, and salt.]

You ready, cooking padawan? Because if you're making date pancakes, then they've gotta be good.

Please teach me, o master of pancakes.

[Steve grins, stepping aside a bit to let Bucky share the access to the limited counter space. He's ready and willing to learn, especially if it'll impress Bucky later.]

Four eggs, a cup of flour, a half cup of milk, a pinch of salt. Mix it all together, no lumps, got it?

[He raises an eyebrow, more than ready to watch Steve cook. He can almost picture him with streaks of flour on his cheeks, an adorable grin on his face.

A text comes through to Steve's phone.]

FROM: Clint
TO: Steve

Nat is drivin me nuts. R U havin hot sex yet? Kiss and tell. ;)

[Steve ignores that text - the only person who texts him regularly is Nat, sometimes Clint, occasionally Tony. All people that are put on the backburner right now because they're just going to tease him and he wants Bucky to have all his attention. He mixes them all together as directed. Though Steve does make his own pancakes from mix he is practiced with cooking from scratch, okay. Just not pancakes.

Only when he's done with that does he give Bucky an apologetic smile and say quietly,]

One sec,

[Steve wipes his hands off on the dishtowel and pulls his phone from his back pocket to check the text. His cheeks color faintly when he reads it and he shoves the phone back into his pocket without replying. He doesn't know what he expected.]

[It's actually kind of pleasant to just stand here with Steve. Despite the fact that this is all so new, it feels familiar, it feels safe, like something he's done a thousand times before. There's something about this giant, gorgeous, puppy of a human being that has just clicked with him.

Even if he is still sure it's going to go down in flames.]

Everything okay?

[He wouldn't have asked, but he wasn't expecting Steve to go quite that stunning colour of red and push his phone away. A tiny part of his mind whispers that maybe he already does have someone, but he shoves that thought to one side. It's not fair to think someone might be that kind of douche with no proof.]

Yeah. Just... gossip machines for friends who are now asking for updates.

[While Steve does try to leave off how graphic said update request was, the whole blushing thing he did before probably made it pretty obvious.]

Sorry, some of them really don't understand personal boundaries.

You told them about me?

[His eyebrows shoot up, unsure whether that's adorable or a little creepy.]

You only just asked me out, and already we're the subject of gossip?

[Quickly, going even redder. Nat, Clint, he is going to murder you.]

I just said we were making pancakes, and that you were very attractive and they decided to jump to their own conclusions, I promise.

[He can't help the small quirk of his lips at being called attractive, it seems like an impossibility from someone as gorgeous as Steve is, but there doesn't seem to be any lie there.]

I guess that 'making pancakes' can sound pretty dirty to the wrong mind.

[He shrugs, not really bothered by it.]

If you want to really drive them nuts, just tell them that you're turning your phone off for the night.

[Steve's mouth hangs open at that, as if to say that Bucky is positively wicked.

... Steve... really likes it.

Still red, biting his lip, he takes his phone out and shoots a quick text back.]

FROM: Steve
TO: Clint

Sorry, turning off my phone for the night.

[And then he does just that. Well. No taking that back now.]

They're going to flip. And make certain assumptions.

[He thinks he might have fallen for Steve a little bit more when he actually goes along with it, and that red faced blush is adorable. Sure, he apparently spent his childhood as a scrawny little thing, but there's no way he's that innocent now. Surely he's been around the block enough not to be embarrassed.

Right?

He leans on the kitchen island and waggles his eyebrows in an overly suggestive way.]

Well, hey, what else would you assume for pancakes?

[He drops his voice on that last word to an almost sinful throaty growl.]

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