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When Steve woke up in the new century, it was an adjustment. So many things had changed, from clothing to cars to politics to slang. It wasn’t just that they’d changed, which he knew was normal, but that’d he’d missed the changes happening, so everything was changed and he had no idea how it had gotten from there to here.
Until he met Sam, he’d kept the future at arm's length: being friendly with his new team but missing the Commandos, changing his hair but only just, downloading music but only things he already knew. Yes, he had his list but it was more a courtesy for those trying to help him than something he intended to do.
And then Sam asked about food.
He gave the standard, “I’m glad it’s not all boiled” anymore answer, but then Sam started asking about specific foods, and was visibly appalled at how much he hadn’t tried. “Unacceptable. I’m having words with people about this. You haven’t had sushi yet?!”
“Well, I had shawarma once…”
“Once? Once!”
Sam had meant to drag him out for sushi that weekend, but then the Triskelion happened.
So it was later, when their search for Bucky was in one of its slow spots (who was he kidding, the whole thing was a slow spot) that they finally made it.
And just like that, Steve’s whole world changed.
Between a stomach that could finally handle every food he threw at it, a lack of allergies, no Western Front rations, and his need to put away at least twelve-thousand calories a day, food became Steve’s gateway drug to the new world.
Sushi, Phở, Tagine, Kotthu Roti, every curry he could get his hands on, mantee, doro wat, tacos, noodles from everywhere, meat he’d never considered eating, and every iteration of bread known to man found its way into Steve’s stomach and Steve’s heart.
It got to the point that food was one of his sole joys in life, and if he wasn’t fighting or training, he was eating.
“Can’t stop, won’t stop,” he said to Sam one day, proving that he did, in fact, use the internet for more than just ordering more food and finding restaurants.
But then, a funny thing happened. See, everyone had opinions about the food he was eating or should be eating. So what started out as a solo project soon turned into group dinners themed by country. Everyone had favorites and everyone had recommendations and suddenly, Steve realized he liked this century. No, he loved this century and he loved these people.
Sam caught him smiling when he was elbow deep in goat curry on Jamaican night. “You’re lit up like a light bulb. I didn’t even know your face made that shape. Look at all those teeth! You happy or something?”
Steve looked around, finding himself surrounded by good food and better friends, and found his smile growing even more.
“You know what? I am.”