captain america (capsrogers) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2016-07-27 17:53:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, bucky barnes (winter soldier), sharon carter, steve rogers (captain america) |
Who: Sharon Carter, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes
When: Early May
Where: Steve and Bucky’s place
What: Sharon's come over to look for Bucky, instead finds Steve then Bucky comes home.
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete
It’d been a pretty long day for Sharon. Work was long. She’d gotten into an argument with one of her coworkers, and she just wanted to forget about it. After picking up Viv from day care, and packing them both into the car, Sharon sat for a long moment listening to the baby chew on things and babble. She pulled out her phone and glanced at it… but then she decided to just go to Bucky’s place instead of calling. Hopefully he wouldn’t mind her just… showing up.
By the time she reached the place where Bucky and Steve lived, Viv was asleep in her carseat. The wonderful thing about babies at this age was how portable they still were. Sharon easily brought the baby in her seat up to the front door, then knocked and leaned against the frame. She was grumpy, tired, and really looking forward to wrapping up in Bucky’s arms.
~*~
Steve had done the work thing, but not any of his volunteer work on this particular day. He wasn't scheduled at the hospital, so he'd returned home to cook some dinner for himself and Bucky, provided that his friend didn't have any plans for the evening.
He wasn't planning on starting dinner until later, for now he was kicked back, socked feet up on the coffee table with the television playing. He was trying to catch up on the latest baseball scores when a knock came at the door. Brows furrowing over his eyes, Steve pushed himself up off the couch and headed to answer it.
Seeing Sharon with Viv surprised him.
"Hey," he offered with a smile, "come on in." He took a step back from the doorway so that she could enter.
~*~
“Hey,” Sharon matched his smile with one of her own. It wasn’t a surprise, exactly, to see Steve Rogers standing there. She knew he lived here. She’d been expecting Bucky to open the door, and to melt into his arms. But Steve probably wouldn’t appreciate a flustered, exhausted, single mom collapsing against his chest the way that Bucky would like it.
“How are you? I’m not interrupting anything important, am I?” She asked, stepping carefully through the doorway and bringing Viv in asleep in her carseat, dangling from Sharon’s arm. Once inside the place, she could see the television on, the sounds of baseball filling the room.
~*~
Shutting the door behind her, Steve gave a shake of his head. "Nah, I was just trying to catch up on sports news." It wasn't that Steve was a real big sports guy, but he did enjoy baseball. It was, after all, America's favorite past time.
"I'm good though, what about you?" He asked, stepping back toward the couch, "Come on in, and make yourself comfortable. Bucky should be home," he flipped his wrist over to look at his watch, "pretty soon actually."
~*~
Sharon moved into Steve and Bucky’s home and set the carseat with the sleeping baby down carefully by the sofa. Then she turned her attention to the television and smirked a little. “My father used to love watching sports.” There was a bit of bittersweet nostalgia attached to the memories of her father. It hadn’t been that long since he passed, so the wound was still fresh--but talking about the things he loved and remembering the good times brought a smile to her face.
“It’s been a long day. I’m tired and grumpy,” she wasn’t ashamed to admit it. “I was just hoping… I dunno. For a cuddle.” That part was a little more embarrassing to say aloud.
~*~
Steve smiled softly, empathically even at the mention of her father. He could understand all too well what it was like to lose a parent. "It'd just been awhile since I'd caught up on the latest scores, so I figured I should take the time while I had some downtime." He chuckled softly and then raised a brow at Sharon's admission.
"Uh," Steve started, brows furrowing slightly, "he'll be home soon. If you want to wait on him you're more than welcome to since I'm sure he'll oblige." Steve wasn't sure really what to say in this sort of situation. "And in the meantime if you want to talk, or want a drink? That I can do."
~*~
“That'd be great,” Sharon replied, giving him a sheepish smile. She knew it was silly for her to be here, but the draw to Bucky was so strong. When she was having a crappy day, even if it wasn't really that bad, she wanted to see him.
“Thanks, Steve.” She plopped down on the sofa, making herself somewhat at home. She was used to this place, since she'd spent so much time here with Bucky. “What sports news are we watching?”
~*~
"You're welcome, Sharon." Steve replied giving a small nod of his head in her direction. He would never have let Bucky's girl feel as if she weren't welcome in his home. Steve's brows rose a little, "Sports Center. At least, I think that's what it is. I'm a bad baseball fan I guess." He chuckled softly with a shake of his head.
"Alright, I'll grab you something." Steve went into the kitchen, grabbing a beer for himself, and then one for Sharon. "Hope this is okay? Unless you want something else, there's plenty of drinks in there." Steve tried to keep his fridge well stocked, but of course, that was dependant on the type of week he was having. "So do you want to talk about your day?"
~*~
“It’s okay. I’m a bad baseball fan, too,” Sharon supplied, giving him a smile. Actually, she was a little surprised that Steve--Captain America himself--wasn’t up on the nation’s favorite pastime. That just went to show how different this world could be from the Dreams. The smile brightened when he brought her a beer, and she gratefully accepted it. “Yes, please,” she said, and brought it to her lips straight away. A quick gulp, then she could reply again. “No, this is perfect. Just what the doctor ordered, I think.”
The smile faded only a hair--something Steve might not notice, even--when he asked about her day. “It’s nothing. I just keep forgetting that I’m on a team? And that other people make stupid decisions and work-related things.” She chuckled. “I guess I’m used to working on my own. I Dream about it at night sometimes.”
~*~
"Good, good. I'm glad." He looked over at the sleeping baby, a smile tugging up the corners of his lips at the sight of her. Viv was beautiful, and one day Steve hoped to start a family of his own. "A good cold beer does tend to make everything right in the world. Even if it's just for the duration of the beer." Steve only drank to unwind, and never to get rip roaring drunk. Although, admittedly, he had a hard time getting drunk any longer.
"Ah, the dreams. I haven't had one in a while." Steve admitted with a shrug of his shoulders, "I'm glad for it, and yet not? If that makes sense." Knowing Steve's luck he'd get hit with them all at once, or something else ridiculous. "But people do suck, especially when it's in a team environment and you're used to soloing it." He turned his head as he heard a car door shut, and he gave a small jerk of his head toward the door. "Sounds like Buck's home."
~*~
Rehab never stopped for someone with a permanent injury. Nerves didn't grow back except in fairytales. Bucky had gotten used to feeling as if he'd been subjected to too many hands on his body after a session. All he wanted was to get inside his place where the only people ever there were people he wanted there. It'd been a rough enough session he'd showered at the center to change into a set of scrubs rather than wear his own sweat-soaked clothes home.
He hooked the patient belonging bag containing his clothes over his arm as he locked his jeep, taking himself through the door without bothering to knock. It was nice to know this was his place---his and Steve's of course, but it went without saying they could consider any place either of them lived 'their' place. The pair of them had been friends too long to think of each other as only friends any longer.
They were brothers of circumstance rather than birth which was its own kind of miracle.
"Well, hello there. Figured things would get better if I could just get home. Wish I'd know how much better. I'd have driven a little faster."
Bucky slid down onto the couch, placing himself between Sharon and the seat as he situated her more on him than the sofa. It was nice, the stage they were at in their relationship where he knew he could assume some leniency regarding physical intimacy. Sharon could do anything she wanted to him and he'd be fine with it. Bucky liked knowing he could hold her because he wanted to, because she wouldn't mind, because it was contact comforting to them both.
"How're my favorite girls? Steve, you treating them right?"
~*~
That was a very good point. Sharon wasn't the biggest fan of the taste of beer, to be honest, but it was kinda nice to feel the warmth that the bitter brew brought to her stomach, her chest. She liked the light-headed feeling she got after drinking a couple. There was a social aspect to it, too--it was nice to share with friends and enjoy together. There were a lot of good things about beer.
Sharon didn't want to go into details about her Dreams, because she didn't want to give Steve too much... she didn't want to spoil him for his future, if he hadn't... well. They probably should talk about their Dreams eventually, shouldn't they? She suspected if she left herself available to him, he'd come talk to her when he wanted to, or needed to. Until then? She kept mum.
The smile that lit Sharon's face was bright and loving when she saw Bucky come into the room. Though she was tired and frustrated after a long day at work, somehow just being around him brought life back into the blonde. She cuddled up against him after he settled on the sofa, tucking in against his side and wrapping one arm around his waist. "So much better now you're here. No offense, Steve." Sharon said, grinning over at Captain America.
~*~
It made Steve smile to see the two of them together, and he shook his head. "None taken, Sharon." It was hard to offend Steve, and he could understand how it was to see the person you cared about. The rest of the world faded away, and life became a little brighter just by seeing them or hearing their voice.
Steve was happy just to see them both happy. It'd been a long time since he'd seen Bucky be this happy, and he was glad he'd convinced his best friend to move to California with him. Steve had a few good ideas every now and then.
"And I'll have you know, I treated them with the utmost respect." As if Steve Rogers would do anything less. He grinned over at Bucky, "You want a beer?" Steve would've asked about his day, asked how therapy was going but he didn't want to ruin the moment that he and Sharon were having. "I'll be starting dinner soon. Burgers and hot dogs alright?" He asked them both, brows raising slightly.
~*~
"I could definitely do with a couple of dogs, All-American style."
Bucky remembered eating hot dogs from vendors on the streets with Steve from the time they were too small to reach all the works themselves until they'd headed out to war. He liked his the same way now as he'd done then: spicy mustard, grilled onions, some sauerkraut. That was the New York Dog. No one had ever sold him on chilli or cheese on a hot dog. Both seemed almost sacrilegious to suggest. He closed his eyes as he made himself comfortable with Sharon, letting the safety, the familiarity of 'home' soothe him after his session with the people who seemed intent on making him give more than he had to offer.
"Do we have any water in the fridge? I think I'll save beer for when our chef has the food done."
None of them would outright comment on why Bucky wasn't interested in drinking liquor after a PT session. Steve was too much the nice guy to risk embarrassing him in front of his best girl while Sharon was too good a woman to make him feel less of a man in front of his best friend. There were perks to being surrounded by 'good' people. Bucky considered himself one of the luckiest men on the planet where his friends and family were concerned. There literally weren't better people than those he had the good fortune to call his own.
"You want a water, beautiful?" he asked Sharon, reaching his good hand down to rub at hers where it rested at his waist.
~*~
Burgers and hot dogs was absolutely perfect for Sharon. If she hadn't been smiling already, that thought definitely would have made her beam brightly. So very all-American. What else would she have expected from Steve Rogers?
“Sounds great, Steve.” She lifted her head to grin at him again. “Lemme know if you need any help.” Sharon wasn't a fantastic cook, but she could help grill. Or chop tomatoes. Or toast buns.
“I'm good,” she added to Bucky, taking his tapping on her hand as a sign he wanted to get up. So she sat up and peeled herself from around him. “Steve offered me a beer.” There was, indeed, a mostly finished one on the table. “I'll have more with dinner.”
Then Viv started to stir in her carseat.
~*~
"That I can do." Steve replied with a grin, thinking back to their childhood as well. Steve missed New York sometimes, but he was grateful to have found himself in Orange County now that things were really looking up for him. "Yeah, there's water." He replied over his shoulder as he headed on into the kitchen and then outside beyond that to the patio to start the grill up.
While that warmed, he came back in and moved to the fridge to pull out the already thawed hamburger meat and the hot dogs. Going to the counter he started mixing up the hamburger meat with various spices before forming them into patties.
Once he was finished with that, Steve headed out onto the patio, placing the burgers onto the now hot grill and closing the lid back.
"Feel free to change the channel. I've caught up on what I want." He didn't yell, but his voice was loud enough for the two of them to hear him as he started chopping up vegetables.
~*~
Domestic life wasn't something most would have imagined Bucky Barnes enjoyed. They'd have been wrong. His favorite memories were of being at home with his mother and sisters, all the girls cooking while he kept the fire going, did the heavy lifting or opened jar lids. It had been idyllic. Had he missed his old man? Plenty. Bucky had known it wasn't his father's fault he had gone on to a better place all the same.
No man asked to die and leave his family behind.
"Anyone who can enjoy a good cold beer on a hot day like today is good people. I'll be right back. I'm getting some water. Oh---"
His attention was captured by the stirrings inside the carrier. Bucky froze standing beside the couch where Sharon looked the very picture of an All-American Beauty. Viv wasn't crying which meant she was likely only starting to wake up, ready to face the world again, not particularly needing anything such as being changed or fed. Babies didn't live wholly based on needs. They had wants, too.
"Looks like a little lady is waking up. Could I---Does she need to be picked up or should we let her wake up where she is?"
~*~
Sharon didn't have to be told twice to change the channel. She didn't have a whole lot of time in her life to watch television, so when she was given permission to channel surf, she reached for the remote. Of course, there was Viv to consider. The baby was just stirring, just waking from her nap. She wasn't fussy, just waking up in time for dinner.
"You can pick her up," Sharon said, turning a smile to Bucky as he approached the car seat where Viv was stirring. "We should make sure she's up for dinner. She'll sleep better later if she has some excitement now." And what was more exciting than spending time with Steve and Bucky?
~*~
Steve continued working in the kitchen, pausing after a few moments when Bucky didn't come in to get water. Curiously he peered out of the kitchen after he'd finished doing what he was doing, and a smile tugged up the corners of his lips at the sight of Sharon, Bucky and Viv. For the moment he decided not to bother them, instead he moved over to the fridge, pulling out two bottles of water and then took them back out.
"Dinner will be ready soon. Hopefully the little lady will be awake." He placed the bottles of water down onto the coffee table before turning around and heading back to the kitchen. There was chili set out on the counter, both for the hamburgers and hot dogs, onions, tomatoes, slaw, and everything else that one could really want on one. Picking up the hot dogs, Steve took those outside, and flipped the burgers before putting the dogs down onto the grill. It wouldn't take much longer and everything would be finished up.
At least, he was hoping so since his stomach had began to rumble halfway through chopping up everything for their dinner.
~*~
Steve was a familiar shape moving in Bucky's peripheral vision while he crouched to pluck a light blanket off Viv. His hand roamed over the fastenings still holding her in place in the carrier before he opened them, grateful the things weren't too difficult to undo with only one hand. He could work the arm to his advantage at times. It wasn't completely worthless as much as the manual dexterity he'd once had was all gone.
Viv fussed slightly while Bucky maneuvered his bad arm under her, leaning into her as he pulled her close to lift her with him when he got back on his feet. It was a small accomplishment -getting her out of the carrier on his own- but it was enough to have him grinning as wide as the Cheshire cat. Her small body was easier to move around when he had her against his chest. Bucky leaned back to support her while moving his good arm around her to be certain he could keep a good grip on her should she want to get feisty.
"Look, Ma! No hands!"
Bucky laughed at himself as he faced Sharon with her daughter in tow. He had no idea what he'd done to deserve a chance at being in her life. All Bucky was certain of was he hoped he kept doing the right thing since Sharon seemed absolutely the right choice for him.
"Steve managed water, I see. Would you mind opening mine? I seem to have acquired a friend who needs my good arm. I'll need to look into getting one of those backpack things to take her jogging. You like to run? Steve and I both do. I bet if I asked him, he'd go on a few laps with me and our girl while you took care of some things. I wouldn't mind giving your mom a break on occasion. I'd like the chance to spend more time with Viv."
~*~
Sharon’s ex, the one who took off when she became pregnant with another man’s baby, left her with some strange feelings. They’d talked about kids at one point--before they were together. She’d seen how he was with kids, and knew that he would have made an amazing father. But when it came down to it, a few weeks into their relationship, Sharon found out she was pregnant. They hadn’t slept together, so it couldn’t possibly be his. He’d ended things, and Sharon was pretty devastated. Since then she’d been so focused on the baby she hadn’t even thought about romance. Until Bucky came along.
And it still scared her. The idea that Bucky was well on his way to becoming Viv’s third father? It was terrifying. And exciting.
She smiled as she watched Bucky with the baby. “Yeah, of course.” She reached for the water and twisted the cap to open it, then set it back down again. “Yeah, we go jogging sometimes.” Sharon normally did her exercising sans Viv, but she could see bringing the baby along. When Viv was younger, that much bouncing around in a backpack might have given her whiplash. Didn’t they say not to shake a baby? But now that she was almost a year old, she could imagine it. Though, the stroller was probably a safer bet.
“Oh. That sounds amazing, actually.” Sharon said, reaching for the second bottle of water. “I could actually get some things done around the house.”
~*~
Steve came back into the living room with a nod, "Sure, I'm down for giving mom a break and taking the little lady out in a stroller for a couple of laps." He'd seen plenty of moms running at the park with their young ones in strollers. Steve was more than happy to help out where he could, heck, he figured Sharon could use some much needed 'her' time. Steve's own mother had never complained about it, but when he was younger he remembered his aunt saying that his mom needed some time to herself when she'd pick him up for the weekend.
"Food will be ready in about five. So if you want to start getting your plates ready right now might be the time to do that." Steve cracked open a water for himself, his beer finished and tossed into the recycling bin, and took a long drink sip of it.
He moved back into the kitchen, sitting his water down on the counter before heading back outside. It took a few moments for him to pull the food off the grill, placing them on a clean plate that he'd brought out earlier. "Alright, who's hungry?" Steve came back in, sliding the door shut behind him before he placed the burgers and dogs down on the counter.
~*~
"Stroller sounds safer come to that. Do you have one of those you can run with her in? They make them different for running, don't they?"
Steve was the kind of guy who would accept such an offer easily; Bucky was glad he could count on his friend for always being the good guy in any situation. It was a comfort he needed desperately in his life which felt all too uncertain all too often. He liked having a friend who was too reliable for words. No one could have asked for a better man than Steve to have for a best pal. Bucky knew exactly how lucky he was to have the guy willing to keep him around.
Going with Sharon to get their plates together, Bucky mumbled to her as he lightly rocked Viv in his arms. She didn't mind fixing his plate with him standing there. They traded off sometimes: Bucky holding Viv while Sharon plated things. He could see this working with them. It was the first time since coming back half the man he'd been before where Bucky felt as if he could be whole again.
Steve gave him stability, but Sharon? She made him whole.
"I'm starving. Doesn't mean I'm not willing to wait a few to give this little miss her meal first if Sharon doesn't mind. Thanks for manning the grill, Steve. Amazing job as always."
~*~
Sharon smiled over at Steve. He was a great guy. The fact that they hadn't all talked in depth about their Dreams made Sharon feel a little guilty. She knew so much about the two of them in the other world. and they didn't know about... any of it. Did they?
They took turns a lot, actually. Having a second person around was wonderful to Sharon. She could use both of her hands, not have to worry about holding Viv and balancing other things. She put together plates for herself and for Bucky, loading them up with salad or whatever, giving them each a healthy serving.
"Yes, thanks." Sharon added, giving Steve another smile. She set the plates down at the table, then slipped into a chair. It was going to be a lovely meal with some of her favorite people in the whole world. How could it not be amazing?