Work Text:
Steve had been putting his plan for this evening into place for a few weeks, not specifically for tonight but just so that it was ready at the right moment.
It had taken Tony all of 30 seconds to agree to help when Steve had asked, Bruce's offer to assist coming immediately after. It had taken a little longer to fully iron out the details of what Steve was after but with the specifics down, and after Steve had demanded a promise that Tony would work at a reasonable rate and not forget to sleep, the Science Bros got to work.
The finished product had arrived that morning unexpectedly, which caused Steve to scramble to hide it before Bucky got out of the shower, though the other man still looked at him suspiciously for a while.
But now, with Bucky out of the house (he'd gone to buy some cinnamon for baking) and just an hour before sundown, it was time for Steve to get busy preparing the surprise.
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"Steve?" He heard Bucky call as he got home, luckily just in time.
Stepping back and giving it one last check, he nodded with a smile and called back, "Out back, Buck."
"What are you doing out here Stevie, it's cold and dark.." Bucky asked as he stepped out into the backyard, trailing off as he saw what Steve had set up for them. "Is that a tent?"
Laughing, Steve moved to grab Bucky's hand and pull him closer, "C'mon let me show you inside."
When the two had clambered inside gracelessly, Steve manoeuvred them both onto their backs, before nudging Bucky to look up.
The brunet's sharp intake of breath told him it had been worth it.
"Stevie, what, how, is... I don't know what to ask first" Bucky breathed through a shaky laugh.
"Well" Steve twisted to curl into Bucky's side, "I know you always loved watching the stars, you were always campin' out on the fire escape, and I wanted a way for you to do that here, where you could be warm and dry. And because this is a Stark special, Tony's even found a way to filter out the pollution so it's clearer."
"Thank you Steve" Bucky's eyes were sparkling with unshed tears as he leaned over for a kiss.
They lay there in silence for a little while longer, Bucky watching the sky, Steve watching Bucky, before Steve whispered, "hey Buck? Tell me about the stars."
Bucky's surprised gasp turned into a warm chuckle as he shook his head against Steve's, "Haven't heard you say that since the 40s, doll."
"Mmmhmm, always loved hearin' it from you Buck."
"Alright" Bucky murmured into golden hair, "well, the sky's not quite the same as it used to be, 'cause some of the stars that were there back then aren't anymore, some've moved and some are new. See that one?" He pointed to direct Steve's gaze.
"The faint one?"
"Yep, that's Barnard's Star, it's the one that moves across the sky the quickest, but it would take 180 years to see it move as far as the moon is wide. And the moon itself is further away now, not much but it moves away by just over an inch every year. So it's further away now than when we were born."
"Huh, now I understand why you like your space documentaries so much" Steve admitted, breath warm against Bucky's collarbone.
"Well, you'll always be my brightest star" came the reply, whispered against his temple.
"And you'll always be mine."
"Thanks for this Steve" Bucky gestured at the tent and the sky, "I love it."
Steve sat up to grab the flask of hot cocoa he'd hidden before Bucky got home, "Anytime Buck.. anytime you wanna come out here, just pop the tent up. Oh, I almost forgot, Thor and Carol both added star maps for you, so you can explore a bit."
"I'll have to bake them something to say thanks, Tony and Bruce too. But for now, I'm happy with staying in Brooklyn."
"Me too, Buck, me too."