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"Just rest the groceries down on the kitchen counter! We'll pop this bottle and then we could get to cooking," Sam called from the living room already setting himself down on the couch, kicking his boots off, and grabbing the remote to turn on his TV.
"Don't you think we should cook FIRST and THEN eat," Joaquin called back from the kitchen. It just made more sense to him. "No no no you're gonna mess up the flow just grab two wine glasses and come sit down! Plus we just ate four hours before we left Conakry!"
With a defeated sigh Joaquin did as the older man asked and searched the cabinets until he found the wine glasses of which there were many to choose from. The man loved his wine and he couldn't fault him for it. Wine wasn't really Joaquin's style (he was more of a beer guy) but he was always being told of Sam's exquisite taste by both Bucky and Sarah so he figured he might as well go along. Also, this was actually his first time in Sam's home so he had better be a good guest as his grandma would say.
Swinging around the corner with glasses in hand and scepticism placed to the side, Joaquin took in the sight before him. Sam had somehow stripped completely out of his suit down to his thermal wear, threw on a robe and already had chips poured in a bowl before him on the coffee table... which his feet were also propped on. It took him a double look before he noticed a second robe resting over the edge of the couch. At that point, Sam looked up at him with a wide grin and encouraging eyes. Eyes that then darted to the glasses in his hand, the bottle of Oliver Camelot Mead in his own hand, and then back at Joaquin.
"Come one take all that off and put this on! It's part of the tradition," he said cheerily with his arms widespread.
"Tradition? When you get back from a three-day mission overseas this is your tradition?"
"Well yeah. We worked hard we deserve a little pampering and self-care. I usually do this by myself but now I have someone to share it with." Sam's expression turned serious before it shifted to pleading.
"Ugh, I can't say no to your pout face dammit! Okay fine!"
And with that Joaquin rested the glasses on the coffee table and began the process of pealing the Falcon suit off of his body and readjusting his thermals. After four months of being the Falcon, getting into and out of the suit did not get any easier but Sam assured him he would get the hang of it. This time he didn't need anyone help like he normally would so maybe Sam was right this one time. After throwing on the red robe (in contrast to Sam's deep purple robe) he slumped on the couch and stared Sam down who was staring at him right back with his typical goofy grin that Joaquin had come to learn well the more time he spent with Sam.
The way his cheeks puffed up on the sides of his face, the smile lines that crowed around the edge of his eyes, the multiple characteristic dimples that outlined his lips that showed Joaquin when Sam was actually smiling or when he was faking, the way his nose twitched with the rest of his mouth as he moved it, lips that could be his if only he just leaned in and took them..... The warm feeling that spread over Joaquin's body snapped him out of his apparent trance. Embarrassment soon followed because why would Sam ever think of him that way? They weren't like that... were they?
The longer Joaquin stayed in his own head the longer he felt he was making the moment awkward and then he noticed Sam's lips were moving.
"Joaquin? Torres?? Earth to Joaquin! Hello!" Sam was pretty much shouting in his face at that point, the same goofy smile plastered on his face.
"Huh? Oh yeah, what did you say?" Joaquin replied, knowing he looked like a deer caught in a headlight.
"I said, what movie did you wanna watch?" Sam let out with an exasperated sigh.
"Oh! Ummm doesn't matter, whatever you want I'm sure I'll enjoy."
"Okay well, I'm gonna put on Moonlight you good with that? I never got the chance to see it being on the run and all."
"Oh...oh! Yes, that's a good one I liked it..." Joaquin felt Sam was testing him somehow. Testing him or testing the waters. Maybe to see if he was homophobic or something. Little did he know he was completely the opposite especially around him. "I fully endorse Moonlight."
Sam's smile somehow got even wider (if that was possible) and said, "Alright cool! Let me just pop some popcorn and we can get started! Can you look up the movie? I think it's on one of those streaming sites." and with that Sam was up and off to the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure!" Joaquin called after him. While he opened the app on the TV and typed the movie name in the search bar, he took the time to look around the room some more. The was a wooden wine rack hanging above the TV that was half full of bottles. Joaquin could only imagine where they were from and how long they were there. As Sarah said, the man REALLY loved his wines. There was a window to his left with a view of the street plus some of the neighbour's homes and the window behind him had a direct view into the backyard. In front of the window behind him sat a massive clear vase with corks in them. Joaquin didn't know how he didn't notice it when he first walked in the space. There had to be hundreds of corks in there, each different colours and sizes indicative of what bottle they were from and how long they had been a part of the collection.
On closer inspection though, Joaquin noticed Sam's telltale scribble on the sides of some of the corks. He couldn't make out exactly what each said but he noticed some numbers - dates, and some letters, possibly a description or a name or a place maybe? He'd have to reach in and move some around. So that's exactly what he did. He fished one from the top out and held it against the faint light of the TV to see what it said.
"First Time Home Post Blip - June 18th, 2023"
Joaquin gasped and quickly placed the cork back. They WERE dates. Very important and personal dates he probably shouldn't have touched. He was sure if he pulled another it would be another important day in Sam's life. A cork journal of sorts. He loved the idea. It was amazing. Years of his own history and memories stored on those corks. Probably Sam's most priceless possessions. It made him want to be in Sam's life even more. Making memories and eventually adding to that vase. To fill it even.
He sat there in silence ruminating on the idea until heard Sam shouting, "POPCORNS DONEEEEE!!! POPCORN GET YOUR POPCORN!!" and he heard Sam's feet shuffle on the ground, a telltale sign he was doing a little dance back to the living room. The thought brought a smile to Joaquin's face which only grew when what he heard was confirmed by Sam coming into the living room doing just that with a large bowl in his hands. With a large plop Sam returned his body to the couch and this time instead of propping his feet on the coffee table, he put them right in Joaquin's lap making the younger man freeze.
"Oh, you don't mind right?" Sam asked with a mischievous grin plastered on his face.
Joaquin shook his initial shock off, rolled his eyes and returned a similar grin, "You're lucky they don't funk or else I would've flung them far away."
With a laugh, Sam retorted, " Pfft my feet smell like mango and the forest your welcome! Now let's get this movie started. Did you wanna open the bottle?"
Joaquin paused and stared at the bottle in front of him like he was seeing an alien for the first time. He had never seen one but Sam said they existed and he remembered the invasion of New York and the fights in Wakanda and Los Angeles so he knew they were out there. He also had never opened a wine bottle before. He figured he better start with the wine corker resting next to the said bottle. Gingerly, as if approaching a wounded deer, he reached for both the bottle and opener before studying the parts and trying his hand at it. After a few attempts he looked at Sam pleading for help but Sam looked very pleased and amused with himself for witnessing Joaquin's struggles.
"Sammmmmmmm! A little help?"
"No, no man I think you were nearly there that time." Sam continued to chuckle to himself.
"SAMMMMMMMMMM!!!" Joaquin all but cried out.
"Okay okay! I'll teach you come here." Sam replied, sitting up and turning Joaquin's arms, and subsequently his body, towards him. He placed his hands over Joaquin's and took them over. Guiding them as if they were his and his alone. His movements with them confident and fluid as a wine aficionado like
himself should be when opening bottles. Joaquin felt himself blushing again being this close to Sam. It's as if, at that moment, they were sharing the same breath. Sam looked up from what he was doing through his eyelashes at Joaquin, locking their eyes together and steeling contact. He found himself unable to look away nor blink like he was in a trance. Sam had cast a spell on him through his hands and his eyes and Joaquin didn't know whether or not he wanted to be freed from it. If he had it his way, he'd be under Sam's spell for the rest of his life.
It wasn't until Joaquin heard the indicative pop of the cork being freed from the bottle that he was able to move again. He blinked and Sam had already rested the cork on the desk and was filling glasses still chuckling to himself. "I'll teach you again when you're actually paying attention okay?" Sam quipped while handing Joaquin's drink to him.
"Ye.... yeah that'd be great... thanks...." It was as if Joaquin's body and brain had turned to mush which was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long while. At this point, Sam was back to reclining and had pressed play to on the movie. Popcorn propped on his legs and mead in his hands. Joaquin took a sip and opened his eyes in surprise.
"Good right?" Sam asked. Apparently, he was watching just so he could see his reaction.
"Holy shit... yeah it's incredible. Dam I've been missing out." Joaquin chuckled to himself.
"Dam right you have. Don't get me wrong, beers great but the range wine has is truly where it's at."
"I believe you man. I believe you." With that, the two settled in for the movie and at the end of it, they loaded up another. And another. Before long all the snacks and all the wine was gone and Joaquin was fighting sleep demons off left and right. At some point in time, he must have nodded off because the next time he opened his eyes, rays of sunlight were brushing his face and he was no longer upright, but lying square in the middle of Sam's chest with Sam's arm wrapped around his waist.
This realization instantly woke him up and he began to panic. Did he overstep? Did he do anything he wasn't supposed to do? A million thoughts were racing through his mind.
"It's okay nothing happened. I dragged you up here." Joaquin jumped again at the sound of the groggy voice from above him. Sam still had his eyes closed but obviously knew Joaquin was awake and in panic mode because that same mischievous wide smile was plastered on his face. "You make cute little snore sounds in your sleep you know." Sam teased.
"Oh hush it you!" Joaquin shot back with a slight chuckle after. He knew he snored but he never heard it be described as cute. At that, he was blushing all over again.
"Well we can either stay here.... or we can try to get up to make hangover breakfast for ourselves," Sam offered. "I for one am ready down to stay like this all day but it's already 11 and you might have places to be."
"11?!? Dam we slept long. Uh yeah, we should do breakfast, also my arm fell asleep."
"Alright, static beauty up you get. Let me get on up." Joaquin pushed himself off of Sam's chest, as much as he wanted to stay there, and sat up on the couch. Sam sat up, stood up, and then stretched before making his way to the kitchen.
"Eggs? Pancakes? Bacon? Oranges? Sounds good to you?" Sam asked, taking a look back over his shoulder whilst walking away.
"Yeah, that sounds awesome thanks," Joaquin replied, giving the other man a big smile of approval before wincing in pain and holding his head. His hangover came on quick and strong.
"Yeah, I'll get you some aspirin," Sam replied, his chuckles could be heard from down the hall.
"Oh yeah laugh it up!" Joaquin threw back. He forgot how irritable he could be during hangovers. He hadn't had a proper one in years so this one was definitely whopping his ass. He held his head in his arms while waiting for Sam to come back and from there he spotted the cork from last night on the ground by the leg of the coffee table. He picked it up and inspected it. It seemed like Sam had begun to write something on it before falling asleep. So far it said, "Our First Sle" and ended right there. Joaquin smiled to himself before searching for the pen to finish the memento.
"Our First Sleepover <3 - January 21st, 2024"
Joaquin quickly pocketed the cork as Sam turned the bend with an aspirin and a cup of water in hand. Once again his body was warm from embarrassment at the thought of Sam seeing what he had finished the cork with. Sam put the aspirin in Joaquin's outstretched hand along with the glass, "Here gulp that down then join me in the kitchen so we can finally feast! I was starving last night but completely forgot we were supposed to make food."
"Who's fault is that?" Joaquin bit back. Remembering how the food situation went back the night before. "Sorry... hungover and hungry are not a good mix for me."
"Dam, it makes you very mean. But also very endearing." Sam replied back with a wink before heading back to the kitchen. Joaquin quickly downed the aspirin and the water before heading to the kitchen. The cork filling his pocket and memory of the night before and that morning filling his mind and his heart.
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Over the next few months, the two had many missions together, which evolved into wine nights, which evolved into randomly staying over for multiple days at a time, which evolved into Sam finally asking Joaquin on a date and Joaquin saying a flustered yes, which lead to MORE dates and more multiple day stays until they had one kiss, and then another, and then a few hundred more, until Sam asked Joaquin to just move in completely to which this time, Joaquin gave a confident yes.
As Sam began unloading the moving truck parked in their yard, the first thing he noticed was a large clear vase. Upon closer inspection, it was about a quarter way filled with corks. Each cork had a label and a date on it just like his own. At first, it shocked him until he remembered he never did find that cork from the first night Joaquin stayed over. He guessed he finally found its new home and by some twist of fate, back to this home.
At that moment Joaquin walked around the side of the truck and saw Sam holding the vase. He stammered out, "I liked your idea about keeping the corks so I.... I started keeping the corks every time we met up and did anything together... and now they're all in there. I didn't want to fill your vase with a bunch of me." At this point, he was red all over and rubbing the back of his neck.
Sam put the corks down before walking over to him, pulling a cork out of his pocket and placing it inside Joaquin's palm. He leaned in close to Joaquin's ear and said, "Read that one." Joaquin could only obey and slowly open his palm and read what was on the cork,
"Sam proposes to Joaquin - Today"
And before he could look up at Sam, Sam was already on one knee with the ring in hand, tears flowing down his eyes and a wide smile on his face, "Joaquin, from the moment I met you I haven't had a dull day. I haven't stopped smiling. I haven't stopped making beautiful memories with you. I cherish each and every one of them and seeing that vase only solidified what I knew, that you cherished them too. I already had an idea that you were the one taking all the corks whenever we opened a bottle but I knew that meant you were keeping them safe and I'm glad to see they've all led to here. I want my vase to be completely filled with you for a long as that dam vase can be filled. I want my life filled with you from here on out till the end of our days. I love you Joaquin and today just confirms what I knew long ago. You're my partner and my person and I don't want anyone or anything else but you okay?"
Joaquin could barely reply through the tears but he got, "Okay, yeah, okay, I love you too Sam, and I love every moment we spend together, more than you could ever know. You're MY person." out before he broke down in Sam's arms. He second-guessed himself and his place in Sam's life from day one but hearing it all out on display for all to see threw away any doubt in his mind about how he felt and where he stood in Sam's life and in that moment he committed himself into letting Sam know the same.
"Sam?" Joaquin asked as Sam slipped the engagement ring onto his finger.
"Yeah?" Sam replied, looking up at Joaquin and locking their gazes together.
"Let's make some more memories, but first we're gonna need a bigger vase."
Sam stood up and chuckled, "Yeah. Yeah, we definitely do."