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“So, I really fucked up this time, Steve.”
Sam Wilson and Steve Rogers were sitting in their university’s library trying to study for their finals coming up in a few days. Trying being the key word. Sam had only been staring down at his opened textbook for what felt like hours. That was until he blurted out loud something that made Steve jump from his sketches.
“What do you mean? We haven’t taken the exam yet.”
“No,” Sam sighed. “I told my family I was bringing someone home for the holidays a few weeks ago, thinking I could find someone by now, but everyone seems to be taken already.”
Sam laid his forehead on his open book with a sound of exasperation. There was an odd silence from the other side of the table.
“Well, not everyone,” Steve said quietly enough that Sam was sure only he could hear him.
Sam sat straight up and squinted at his best friend. “Who do you suggest? It better not be that Barnes guy. I know you love him, Steve, but I can’t pretend to like him enough for my family to think it’s real.”
“No, not Bucky.” Steve took a deep breath. “What about me?”
Sam blinked a few times in shock. He couldn’t get a word out before Steve continued, “Hear me out. We’re as close as best friends can get. We already can handle the physical aspects of looking like a couple since we cuddle all the time. You actually like me as a person, and I’m good with children. I’ll fit right in.”
Sam’s face slowly turned into a beaming smile. “Oh, of course! I should have just asked you first. Are you sure you’re okay with this? A week of pretending is a lot to handle.”
When Sam made eye contact with Steve it was frighteningly intense, and Sam flinched back a little. “I’m sure I’ll be fine. Will you be?”
There was pounding in Sam’s ears. With a look like that, he wasn’t sure he would be okay, but he nodded anyway.
“Cool. We can talk logistics on the drive over to your family’s house.”
It was funny. Now that his issue was solved, Sam still couldn’t focus on studying. All he could think about was how for a week he was going to have to snuggle up to Steve and pretend to be in love with him.
Except it won’t be pretend. Sam Wilson was in love with Steve Rogers and has been for years.
~*~
Sam kept bouncing his left leg as he drove. The car was packed with suitcases and gifts, which Sam was used to on this specific trip home. What was particularly driving him up a wall was how calm Steve was in the passenger seat.
“Ready to talk boundaries and how this will work?” Sam prompted.
“Yes. I know we’re good with the outwardly expressions like holding hands, cuddling on the couch, and other small things. My one question is if your family is expecting to see kissing.”
Oh fuck. Sam hadn’t thought of that.
“Probably not. They’re pretty respectful of my privacy. They do put up mistletoe every year, though. Would that be okay? I could kiss you on the cheek, or you could kiss mine.”
Steve let out a pleased hum. “Yeah, that should be fine. Anything else?”
“We’ll be using my childhood room, so if you make fun of me, just know you’ll get what you give.”
The laugh Steve let out allowed Sam to relax for the rest of the ride home. He can do this.
~*~
He can’t do this.
Steve was already a major hit with his folks. Sam’s Ma wouldn’t stop cooing over how handsome Steve was, and his Pa gave him a clap over the shoulder with a gruff, “You did well, son.”
There were points where it hurt to know how well Steve fit in with his family. Sam watched as Steve played with his nieces and nephews in the backyard, and he couldn’t help the smile that came. Steve could picked them up and spin them forever with his never-ending stamina. His sisters were impressed and gave a seal of approval mere minutes into them being there.
“Why don’t you come help me in the kitchen, baby?”
Sam looked up and his Ma was smiling knowingly at him as she nodded in the direction of the kitchen.
“Now, what’s on your mind?” She asked as she handed him a peeled potato and a knife. “You look sick in love.”
He started chopping as he thought of a way to respond. The truth was the best bet. His Ma had weapons in here if she caught him lying.
“I am in love, Ma. I’m scared he doesn’t love me back.”
An added sound of peeling started on his right. “Have you seen the way Steve looks at you? Baby, he’s got it bad.”
Sam scooped up the chopped starch and dropped it in the pot on his left. “I don’t know, Ma. He hasn’t been too forward about how he feels.”
Another potato landed in front of him. “He’s here, isn’t he? If he didn’t think it was serious, he wouldn’t have agreed to meet your family.”
He had to put the knife down at that. “I think I need to talk to him.” A weathered hand rested on top of his.
“I’m glad you figured that out quickly. Some people take ages . Go to him, baby. Dinner will be ready in an hour.”
With that, Sam’s Ma went back to peeling and Sam ran into the backyard. Steve had just set down his youngest niece and he looked up with a bright smile when he saw Sam. Sam couldn’t stop, though. He kept running until he was toe-to-toe with Steve and cupped his face with both hands.
“Sam?”
Steve was hushed as Sam pressed in and kissed Steve with all he could. The feelings he had been hiding for way too long and the love that came bursting out of him. Sam felt Steve melt under his hands, kissing him back with the same passion. Soon, there were wolf whistles coming from his family, and Sam had to pull away to laugh from the dramatics of it all. His head fell perfectly on Steve’s shoulder as Steve used Sam’s hips to keep him close.
“What was that?” Steve asked in a low whisper.
“The real deal,” Sam replied just as low. “I’m in love with you, Steve.”
“I’m in love with you, too. You wanna talk about this somewhere else? The kiddos are getting impatient.”
At that moment he could hear the whines of his smaller family members and laughed again. “Yeah, let’s go upstairs.”
After some coaxing and appeasing of everyone, the two of them set off hand-in-hand up the stairs and into Sam’s bedroom. It was understated and not covered in posters of bands or toys scattered. It looked like an adults room.
As soon as the door was closed, Sam was being pushed up against it and Steve was kissing him again. He pulled at Steve’s back to get him in closer, twisting his hands into the blonde locks, anything to keep Steve right where Sam wanted him.
Steve started to kiss down Sam’s neck and murmured, “How long? How long have you known?”
Sam’s breath was picking up with the intimacy. “Years. I’ve loved you for years,” he breathed out.
Steve’s kissing slowed to a halt and he pulled back to look at Sam.
“You’ve known for years? Why didn’t...Why didn’t you say anything?”
There was hurt in Steve’s eyes and that was the complete opposite of what Sam wanted.
“I didn’t want to lose you. You are also my best friend and if you didn’t feel the same, it could have ruined what we have. I couldn’t risk it. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”
A hand rested on Sam’s cheek. He turned into it and kissed Steve’s wrist.
“It’s okay, Sam. I didn’t say anything either, which I am kind of regretting right now. I hadn’t realized how deeply you cared for me.”
“Of course I care deeply! You’re the most amazing and understanding person I have ever met. You take hit after hit and still get back up. I love you and I won’t stop loving you. Honestly, you’re the reason I’m graduating next semester. I wanted to be in your company so badly that I had to study just as much or more than you since that’s what we mostly did.”
“You’re such a dork. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Needless to say, they did not have to pretend the rest of the time they were with Sam’s family.