Chapter Text
(We don't own any characters etc etc)
It was a warm June day in New York, not as hot as the summer promised it would be, but no walk in the park either.
Well, for most people at least. Most non-serum people. For Steve, it was a comfortable day, but then again, most temperatures were.
He had just finished breakfast following his morning workout, and was sitting freshly showered staring out the windows of the tower, overlooking New York. It was both his city and not his city, he wryly reflected.
Sure, he was a New Yorker through and through, but so much had changed while he was on ice. He barely recognized the city, and didn’t often have time to go exploring it. Unfortunately, most times that he was out and about he was either on a mission, or he was too much in the public eye and was stopped by fans, wellwishers, and paparazzi.
Sighing, he rubbed a hand through his still damp hair. Sure, he was grateful to be Captain America. And yes, he was more than grateful to still be alive. But some days he definitely missed just being Steve Rogers, not the Man With A Plan.
“Just Steve,” he said to himself. “Wouldn’t that be nice…”
Rolling his eyes at himself, he went to check his schedule for the day, and was surprised to find it empty. He went through his electronic device, he couldn’t remember the name for it (tablet, was it?) to the team’s schedule, but that was also cleared.
“Jarvis,” he called out. “Is the schedule today actually empty?”
“Yes, Captain, it is,” the AI’s voice replied.
Steve furrowed his brow. “I thought we had meetings?”
“They were canceled, Mr Stark was called away to another meeting.”
“Huh,” Steve mused. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, Captain.”
Steve pursed his lips as he thought about it. He had a free day? That didn’t happen often, usually there was a meeting of some kind if not a training exercise or public event, and that wasn’t even remotely counting the possibility of an actual mission somewhere.
Turning his attention back to the city, Steve suddenly had an idea for what to do in his new found free time…
___
He wished it was the winter time, as then he could put on a coat. A nice, thick, heavy coat to hide himself. Or even spring or fall, where a lightweight coat was even acceptable. But summer? No, that would just draw more attention.
Not that someone with a body his size wouldn’t draw attention anyway, Steve sighed.
He nervously tugged the baseball cap on his head down more. It had been a fan gift, a retro hat for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and Steve adored it. The dark blue with a fun white B on it brought him back to better times, funner times, at least. These days he found himself seeking out anything that might connect him to his past, as he danced and maneuvered his way into a new century.
Adding to his disguise was a pair of aviator sunglasses, and he had chosen a regular bicycle as his transportation for the day. It may not be full Steve Rogers, but surely he was no Captain America today, right?
So he hoped, at least, as he locked up his bike at a bike rack in the Brooklyn Bridge Park and began to stroll around the area.
He had only been back in this area two, maybe three times since defrosting, and one of those had been by car with some PR person chattering away. Steve couldn’t really remember anything more from other trips here, so he counted this as more like his first time back home.
Home, he thought to himself with a smile. If only that still existed…
Taking a deep inhale, he decided to let himself have some fun and enjoy the day. It was a free day, and what felt like his first day to try to unwind since the battle in the city just over a month ago, so he was determined to make it count. Kids were still in school, and it was a weekday, meaning crowds should be smaller than on the weekends. Plus it wasn’t Manhattan, so there would likely be fewer tourists.
In short, he had high hopes for privacy as he set off exploring. He wandered the park, taking in the sights and sounds of the riverside, then went more inland to his former apartment building and neighborhood. It was a bit of a hike away, but he didn’t mind, as he surveyed the area along the way. Unsurprisingly, much of it had changed. Small stores were newer, and generally different types of business than had previously existed. Residential buildings had either gotten upgrades and face lifts, or straight up demolished and rebuilt.
His own apartment building existed, but barely. It definitely looked different, much fancier than it had been, and he soon turned away from it, a sour note in his stomach.
Still, a few things stuck out here and there. A school looked fairly similar to how it had been, a library as well. And one or two family owned businesses seemed to still be up and running, though he felt too shy to enter any.
Or, he did, until he saw Iocco’s Family Bakery.
It was as he remembered, from long ago - a nondescript bakery near the corner of a busy street. Large glass windows, simple white and black signage, and a black awning with the address and phone number on it.
His mouth watered as he thought about all the treats he had consumed when he was younger. They always treated everyone nicely, and gave discounts left and right, so much so that he had at times wondered how they stayed in business.
Seeing them still up and running all these years later, he was grateful that they had remained.
Steve gnawed at his bottom lip as he stood across the street from it. He hadn’t gone into any other business that had been familiar to him…but then again, none held the same place in his heart (and stomach) as Iocco’s.
“When in Brooklyn,” he said to himself, shrugging as he crossed the street on the green light, and pushed open the door.
A small bell cheerfully tinkled overhead to signify an arrival, and he paused inside as the air conditioning hit him, as did familiar smells.
Something pleasant stirred in him, and he smiled as he took off his sunglasses, tucking them away. While there were a few small tables for people to sit at, he was grateful to find them empty.
“Hello!” a middle-aged woman greeted him from across the open area. “Welcome to Iocco’s, let me know how I can help you.”
Steve returned her smile and slowly walked to the counter and display case where she stood.
“Have you been here before?” the woman asked.
“It’s been a while,” Steve admitted, eyes roaming the display. “It looks like the same choices,” he commented, surprised and delighted.
The woman laughed. “We don’t change much around here, so probably. The recipes almost never change, so even if it looks different, it will probably taste the same. My family doesn’t budge on things like that.”
“You’re part of the family?” Steve asked, and the woman nodded.
“Third or fourth generation of bakery staff, depending on who you ask,” she replied. “Haven’t seen you around here, I have to admit. I know all the regulars. But…your face does look a little familiar,” she said, squinting slightly at him.
“It’s been years,” Steve quickly told her, fighting the urge to fidget with his hat. “But I’ve been dying for some of your cookies,” he sighed, staring at the various trays of eye-catching cookies in the case. “Can I get a half pound?” he asked. “Wait, no, make it a pound.”
The woman laughed. “Sure thing. Any in particular?”
Steve shook his head. “Nah, just an assortment, please.”
The woman smiled and went to grab a white paper box and tissue paper, and Steve turned to look at the rest of the bakery as she got his order together.
The bakery itself was pretty straightforward. Kitchen area in the back through a doorway. This area had the counter and cases, as well as the tables for guests (that was new, he noted). And on the walls were framed articles about the bakery, as well as a number of pictures, ranging from black and white to color ones.
He walked over and began to look at them, surprised to find some familiar faces jumping out at him. A few neighbors, some local business people, a class or two from a nearby school. And the family, the members of the Iocco family he had known at the time.
He gave a small smile at it, remembering yet again their kindness and friendship shown towards him when he had been a scrawny kid, and then a scrawny adult, scraping by trying to find his way in life as the world tried to get through a war.
“Family throughout the years,” the woman said as she continued to fill his box. “Anyone you remember?”
He smiled fondly as he looked at them, nodding. “Actually, yeah, a few.”
“Well, they’re usually in more often than not,” the woman said, tying up the box with red and white string. “Come on back and you’ll run into them, I know they always love seeing people they know.”
Steve smiled as he paid. “I’ll do that, thanks.”
“Great,” the woman said, smiling. “I’m Mia, nice chatting with you.”
“Steve,” he introduced himself. “And it was nice talking to you as well, Mia. I’ll be sure to be back next the chance I get.”
“See that you do,” Mia said, smiling as she tucked in some napkins. “Arrivederci.”
Steve smiled and left, feeling lighter than he had been. The feeling increased as he headed back to the park he had left his bike at, grabbing a bottle of water along the way.
There, he sat eating cookies that reminded him of days from long ago, reminiscing of his life then, his life now, and what it all meant or could mean…
He slept better that night than he had for some time.
____
Steve couldn’t get back to the bakery for about two weeks, which was probably fortunate for his health as he had polished off the entire pound of cookies in one day.
There had been some training exercises, and then a mission in the forests of Poland, followed by a small but cold detour to Canada.
But as soon as he had some free time, a good few hours, he took his motorcycle and headed to Iocco’s, having checked beforehand that they were still open as it was early evening.
There were several customers there, some sitting at the tables drinking coffee and eating as they chatted, and some in line picking up orders.
Steve got in line and Mia greeted him as she darted around a younger woman who was also helping customers, with other employees running around here and there bringing out other items.
“You’re back! I was starting to wonder,” Mia teased him.
“Work’s been busy,” he sighed. “Looks like I could say the same for here.”
“Sure, it’s getting to be that time of the year,” Mia said, wiping her hands on her apron. “Graduation parties, summer parties, it’s a good season for us. What can I get you tonight?”
Steve paused before asking for more cookies, as well as a few pastries.
“Working through our menu?” she teased again, and he nodded.
“These are so good, they remind me of living around here,” Steve told her. “I’ll just add on a few miles to my run the next day.”
“Better you than me,” she laughed, and soon Steve was winding his way back out of Brooklyn, excited to get back to Avengers Tower to tuck into the treats.
He was able to get back a week later, on a Monday morning, and Mia yet again greeted him as he walked through the door, again the only customer.
“Oh, you wait right here,” she said, before she asked for his order. “You got some free time right now?” she checked.
“I’ve got time,” Steve agreed, surprised by the exchange.
“I’ll be right back,” Mia said, rushing into the back area through the swinging double doors.
She emerged a moment later, smiling widely. “I’m so excited!” she cheered.
Before Steve could ask her more, an older woman came out from the back area. She was shorter than Mia and had coiffed white hair, wearing a leopard print collared shirt and black pants.
“Who’s here?” she asked Mia, who nodded at Steve.
“Someone who may have known you before? This is my aunt Isabella,” Mia told him.
The older woman pursed her lips as she studied Steve, who smiled and said a general hello, dipping his head.
Her eyes widened as she came around the counter, holding out her wrinkled hands towards him.
Taking her hands in his, he smiled as he greeted her more familiarly. “Hello, Izzy.”
A wide smile lit up her face. “Steve Rogers? Is that you?”
“It is,” he laughed.
Isabella laughed and pulled him in for a hug before holding him at arm's length. “Steve, you look great!”
“So you do,” he told her, but she shook her head.
“I’m old, I have white hair and wrinkles. But you look just like you ever did!”
Steve laughed again. “I’m not quite how I was when I lived around here.”
“Sure, sure,” Isabella said, waving it away. “But we all knew you before you became this, and then after.” She sighed and shook her head, a fond smile on her face. “We all cheered for you in the war, but then when you went missing…” She paused, a frown flashing over her face briefly. “And then to think, there you were again one day on our televisions and newspapers!” She shook her head again. “And now you’re here! I can’t believe it!” she cheered, pulling him into another hug again before letting him go.
“I can’t believe I found this place again,” Steve said. “I didn’t have time off to come back here since I ‘came back’.”
“Well, here you are, and here we are, and it’ll be just like the old days again!” Isabella said, before looking at her niece. “Mia, do you know who this is?”
Her relative shook her head.
“Steve! Steve Rogers, Captain America!”
Mia’s eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. “I knew I knew your face from something! Captain America in our bakery, wow!”
“I’m off duty right now,” Steve said, shuffling in place. “I liked just being Steve from Brooklyn again…”
Isabella took his hand in hers again and squeezed it. “And that’s just who you’ll be here, then. Right, Mia?”
Mia smiled and nodded. “Of course, Steve. Your secret is safe here.”
Steve laughed. “My face is a big giveaway, but I appreciate it.”
“Ah, come, come, let’s sit and catch up,” Isabella said. “Pastries and coffee first, then we talk.”
And talk they did. She had been a few years younger than Steve back then, but was outgoing and pretty, so that, combined with her family owning a popular local business, lent her to knowing most everyone around.
“Do you remember Joe Conley and his fellas?” she laughed. “They played the craziest pranks!”
Steve nodded. “They at least left me alone for most of them, just not the ones I could actually get them back for.”
Isabella nodded, smiling. “Joe moved to Boston after the war, met a real pretty girl there. He comes back time to time to catch up, boasting about his fifteen grandkids.”
“Fifteen?! That’s a lot,” Steve whistled, shaking his head. “Though, looks like your family’s been kept up too,” he teased.
“Sure, we’ve done well, no complaints here,” she replied. “I got married to Marco, who was always sweet on me. He wrote me letters from bootcamp til the front line,” she recalled with a soft smile on her face. “They stopped for a bit, during the war. He was one of the boys in Italy you rescued,” she told Steve, who nodded quietly. Isabella reached out to take his hand. “We owe you, Steve. Not just for the big stuff, but for helping everyone out. As you were, as you are.”
Steve blinked away tears, surprised by it all and she smiled again, squeezing his hand.
“But!” Isabella exclaimed, releasing his hand and sipping her coffee. “We have to get you around here for some of our other regulars, people from back then you might remember. They’ll just go crazy to see you again!”
And so they did, as Steve and Isabella exchanged numbers and he would give her a heads up if he could swing by.
It was nice, he realized, having somewhere to go to, a sort of feeling and place of being home, having a home again. As Isabella had told him, there were a few people from the old neighborhood still around that he had been on good terms with, and no one gave them a second glance if a younger man spent time at a table in the corner with a much older crowd.
Of course, there were other customers present in the bakery, buying items and leaving or sitting at their own tables, but no one paid them any mind, and Steve was always able to sit with his back towards those tables. And if it was very crowded, Isabella took them to the staff area in the back to spend time.
Steve also began to come in on his own when he knew the others were likely to be home with their families, finding that evenings were a pleasant time to travel to and from the bakery, as well as to sit there to read or draw, something he had begun to spend more time doing.
By now, after a number of visits and weeks, the entire family knew who he was, and while some of the younger ones fawned a bit more, they all just thought of him as Steve now rather than Captain. He couldn’t get them to stop giving him free items, though drew the line at anything he was taking back to the tower. But over time he found a rhythm of coming in and, if he was sitting by himself, getting a cup of coffee and maybe a small sweet to nibble on, pulling his cap down low, and pulling out a book or sketchbook.
Isabella, Marco, and others would pop over here and there if they were around, and he still spent plenty of time with the older crowd if he could get there early enough in the day.
It was a familial setting he hadn’t known he was missing, and he felt like he became part of the family, like he had more than just his team concerned for his well-being.
As with many families, concern for his well-being stretched into more…personal areas.
“I’m just saying,” Frankie, a former neighbor of Steve’s, said one morning. “You’re too nice and good looking to be single.”
“I’m busy a lot,” Steve countered.
“No one’s too busy to meet the right person,” Marco argued. “Look how long it took me to win over Izzy, and that included fighting the damn Nazis!”
“They’re right,” Isabella agreed. “You’ve had more free time to come here over the past few weeks, why not add dating onto it here and there? You could even bring them here on a date, we’ll watch over you!”
Nina, Isabella’s cousin of a similar age, who had always been nice to Steve, nodded. “If they’re not good enough, we’ll kick them out,” she decided.
Steve laughed and shook his head. “It’s a bit harder to do that as, well, me,” he sighed. “I don’t want anyone to date me for who I am now.”
“You need a nice Brooklyn girl,” Frankie said, wagging a finger at him.
“Uh, n-no thank you,” Steve quietly said, looking at his coffee cup.
“Ah,” Nina said, laying a hand on Steve’s arm from where she sat at his left. “I remember. A nice Brooklyn boy, then.”
Steve looked up at her with surprise in his eyes, recalling how she had found him once in a compromising position but had been very supportive of him then. And now, apparently.
She smiled warmly at him and moved to pick up her cup of tea, as he turned to look at the others, unsure of their reactions.
“Fine, a nice Brooklyn boy, but he’s gotta be from Brooklyn, not just living here now,” Frankie said, wagging his finger again.
Steve exhaled louder than he expected to, and the table laughed.
“Don’t worry,” Marco said. “Times have changed, we’re not old cronies. We’ve got lots of different love in our family, and in this neighborhood.”
“We just want you to have some of that yourself,” Isabella told him, and the others nodded.
Steve smiled. “I feel like I’m back in old times, being here with all of you, and accepted as me,” he said, shaking his head.
“So that’s a yes, we can set you up?” Nina posed without waiting for a response, nodding. “Great!”
“No problem!” Isabella agreed, gesturing with her hands as she excitedly spoke. “We’ll find you a nice guy, you’ll have great dates, and when you get married, we make your cake!”
“As many tiers as you want,” Marco said, nodding.
Steve laughed again. “Sure,” he agreed, “why not?”
_______
As his renewed set of friends began their journey of deciding who would be good enough to be set up with Steve, he continued fighting for the good side, being called away last minute for missions, and whatever else was thrust upon him.
It was now almost September, and he continued to spend time at the bakery when possible with or without the others from the neighborhood, who had also spent time in the summer to take him to other old haunts, as well as a trip or two to Coney Island to see how it had all changed.
Steve was now at least a little aware of other regulars to the bakery, depending on when he was there. Some parents, grandparents, and nannies buying sweets for their kids. Young couples coming in for celebratory desserts or lighthearted dates, people swinging by for brunch items.
And during the week, a range of people sat enjoying the free wi-fi and delicious items while they worked, talked, or did whatever else there.
As school started again, some college-age students began to also use the bakery as a study workplace here and there, as well as what Steve knew were now called “young professionals.” People looking like his age (well, physical age, at least), and whose work allowed them to work from anywhere, not just an office or similar setting.
It was still something he was trying to wrap his head around in some ways, but as someone who had also wanted to work unrestrictedly as an artist of some type, he could appreciate it. Appreciate it and be envious that now many more careers had that freedom, but that was the twenty-first century for you, he figured.
One day, a new face showed up, though he appeared to only be new to Steve, as Mia greeted the man warmly and seemed to know what he would be requesting before he placed his order.
Steve tried not to stare at the glimpse of a handsome face and was able to do just that when the man went to a table across the bakery and sat with his back to Steve as he pulled out a laptop.
Shrugging, Steve returned to his book. It was a Wednesday morning, after all, and he wasn’t free most Wednesdays, so he thought nothing of it.
Until he began to come in on Wednesdays a bit more, noticing the same attractive man, for yes, Steve had well and truly begun to stare.
Around his age, dark brown hair, a strong jaw, and a smile to die for, as Steve did when he saw it for the first time. Not directed at him, unfortunately, but appearing when the man and Mia exchanged small talk one day.
As September continued, Steve noticed the man was only ever there on Wednesdays, but didn’t know what to do other than try to hide how he watched him, especially once the man had happened to sit across the bakery so that his side profile was on full display for Steve one day.
He had drawn the man, several times over…
Isabella, curse her shrewdness, must have noticed, though Steve also blamed Mia as she was often present at the front counter when they were there.
“I think you’ve got yourself a crush, hmm?” Isabella asked one night when it was just Steve and her.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, shuffling in his seat.
She smiled over her cappuccino as he willed the heat in his face to die down.
“The good looking young man who comes in to work sometimes, I know you know who I mean. Do you have his number yet?”
Steve rolled his eyes as he grabbed a cookie from the plate in front of him. “No.”
“A name?”
“Uh…”
“Have you even talked?” she gasped, and Steve mumbled something around the food in his mouth. “Steven Grant Rogers!”
“I don’t think this deserves my full name, Isabella,” Steve replied, using her full first name instead of her nickname. “It’s not like I work with him or anything.”
“No, you’ve just been in the cafe together often enough to stare at him like he’s one of our cannolis,” she teased. “What’s stopping you?”
Steve shrugged. “I’m not here all the time, and I haven’t even chatted anyone up since I got out of the ice. Or much even before that,” he admitted, scratching his chin.
She reached over to squeeze his arm, his large bicep dwarfing her smaller hand. “Steve, times have changed. And you’re a great guy, so is he. Things are different, and you need to get with it! Remember, we told you it’s time to start getting out there and meeting someone. And James is a wonderful person, let me tell you.”
“James,” Steve repeated in a soft tone. It was a perfect name for a perfect face. James…it just rolled off the tongue.
“What do you say to at least saying hello next time you’re both here?” she asked, but he frowned.
“I can’t. I mean, for one, he’s always working.”
“Work requires breaks,” Isabella challenged.
“For two, I wouldn’t know where to start!” Steve sighed. “I don’t want someone to date me for being Captain America,” he reminded her in a low tone in case anyone else heard, even though they were alone. “I’ve had those offers, trust me. But I want something genuine when I do get back out there, you know?”
She nodded. “You need some help, and who better than your old friends?”
Steve narrowed his eyes at her. “Izzy, what are you plotting now?”
But she only smiled and sipped her drink. “Nothing, nothing. What are friends for? Anyway, didn’t you mention there’s a big meeting coming up, and that some of your team love tiramisu? We should send some with you for it…”
Steve groaned slightly as he let her change the subject, wondering what he had gotten himself into…
___
He found out the next time he and James (James!) were both in the bakery, pausing in his step as soon as he entered and looked around for his friends.
Steve’s heart sank as he saw that all the tables were taken, and that there was not even an extra seat at his friend’s table like there usually was.
Glaring at them, he adjusted the hat on his head as he walked over.
“What’s going on?” Steve asked, but they all shrugged.
“Busy day,” Isabella casually remarked, and the others agreed.
“Real busy, good for business,” Marco commented.
“You always save a seat for me,” Steve pointed out. “Should I grab one from the back?”
Frankie shook his head. “Just find a spare one somewhere out here, we had to use a smaller table today and we won’t all fit.”
Steve couldn’t argue with that one, but did wonder where the larger table the group generally sat at was…
Sighing, he went to the counter to order a coffee and pastry, and Mia soon passed it to him with a wide smile.
“There’s an open seat there,” she said, nodding over his shoulder. “I’m sure James won’t mind sharing the table.”
Steve sighed again, grimacing. “Are you all in on this?” he whispered, but she smiled and shrugged innocently.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Mia said. “But today, this is on the house. Think of it as…good luck.”
Steve rubbed a hand over his face before taking his coffee, shaking his head as he turned.
He took a deep breath, looking to see if there were other options, but part of him also kicked himself for trying to skip out on this opportunity.
It had fallen into his lap, so who was he to deny it, and his friends? Or himself?
“Let’s not get ahead of myself,” he said to himself as he walked over, feeling the heavy weight of several pairs of eyes watching his every move.
He made his way over, heart thumping loudly in his chest. This was silly, he told himself. He had been experimented on, fought Nazis and Hydra, not to mention the whole battle of New York, and time-travelled, so to speak. Surely he could just ask a stranger to sit at their table!
Swallowing heavily, Steve paused at the table next to James, who was typing on his laptop, clearly engrossed in his work. Did he really dare interrupt?
A quick glance at his friends’ table and their thumbs up suggested that yes, yes he did.
Taking a deep breath, Steve spoke.
“Excuse me, all the tables are taken. Do you mind if I join you?” he asked.
James’ fingers paused over his keyboard and he looked up, bright blue eyes staring at Steve in surprise.
Eyes he could get lost in forever, Steve sighed.
The same eyes widened in surprise before the other man nodded.
“Sure, of course!” James exclaimed, reaching to move whatever items off the other side of the table, and drew his coffee cup closer to his side.
“Thanks,” Steve said, setting his to-go cup of coffee down with his pastry. He didn’t want to read into having a to-go cup today; surely his friends didn’t think he was going to walk off into the sunset with James, right?
Not that he wouldn’t if the chance arose…
“Baby steps, Rogers,” he warned himself mentally.
He looked over and locked eyes with James as the other man looked up, exchanging a smile.
“Thanks again,” Steve said, and James nodded.
“No problem,” he replied, before returning to his work.
Steve pursed his lips slightly but moved his focus back to himself lest he stare openly at James. Grateful he often brought a book with him wherever he went, he pulled it out of his pocket and opened it to the last page he had read, eager for anything to do to keep himself occupied.
He also fought the urge to finish his food quickly, wanting to relish the time sitting opposite the other man but not wanting to linger for hours either. This was a first step, and he didn’t want to rush himself into anything…
As he read, Steve processed his friend’s meddling. They at least knew his preferences, and if they suggested James, well, that meant something, right?
Steve smiled to himself. Did that mean James also passed Frankie’s view of getting him a boy from Brooklyn? Though, if so, that was a whole new world of possibilities for him…
Possibilities that could be crushed once James found out who he was, Steve sighed, adjusting his hat. A quick glance around showed that no one was taking pictures of him, or generally paying him any attention, so that was helpful.
Still, he found it hard to focus on anything and to even enjoy the time at the table. After twenty minutes, he put his book away and left, throwing his empty items out on the way. He waved at his friends before he exited, missing the glance James threw his way.
___
It happened the following week, though Steve was at least more prepared that time. Wearing a new shirt, same baseball cap, and now carrying his sketchbook, he entered the bakery armed for whatever lay ahead.
And when the same situation occurred, well, it wasn’t the end of the world now. James welcomed him to the table, and Steve settled in to be there for longer than the previous week. He also knew from the past times seeing him that James worked there til about lunchtime and then left, so Steve arrived a bit later today to have more time with the other man, but knowing it had a time limit too. Well, at least time sitting together at the same table, which was nearly the same thing as time with him, Steve told himself.
He quietly settled in and took out his sketchbook, finishing a sketch of some gizmo Tony was working on “for fun,” not that Steve understood what it was. But it had a lot of details and angles, and Steve was enjoying drawing it in several different styles.
“Are you an artist?” someone suddenly asked, and Steve looked up to find James watching him over his laptop. The man glanced at his sketchbook and Steve blushed slightly.
“No, not really. But I like to draw, I’m just getting back into it. Maybe I’ll take it on for side jobs one day, but not now.”
“Can I see?” James asked, and Steve showed him his book without hesitating. He knew that Tony’s robotic thing he was drawing was more like a pet or toy, and nothing on his drawing connected it back to Stark Industries or even the team.
“That’s fun,” James said with a smile. “Very cool.”
“Thanks,” Steve replied, returning the smile. “I’m just getting back into it,” he repeated. “What about you?”
“Draw?” James asked, and Steve nodded. “No, I don’t. I’m jealous of people who do, I don’t do anything artistic really.” He sighed. “I’m a numbers guy, data, that sort of thing. I work in consulting, which is actually more fun than it sounds. Plus I get to choose my hours and I can work away from the office a bit, as you see,” he said, laughing as he gestured around him.
Steve nodded. “Sounds nice,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind some more regimented hours, mine can be all over the place.”
“What do you do?” James asked. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he added.
Steve paused. What did he do, he wondered? “A military support program,” he settled on, figuring it wasn’t exactly a lie, but was unlikely to lead to further questioning.
Fortunately, it seemed to work.
“Say no more,” James said, nodding and smiling. “I can only imagine how tough that could be.”
“You have no idea,” Steve agreed. He was racking his brain to wonder what to say next, when James’ phone rang.
Frowning, James looked at it and silenced it. “I need to run, apparently I have an emergency meeting soon and I refuse to do that in public and be ‘that guy’,” he said, starting to pack up. “Thanks for showing me your drawing.”
“Thanks for liking it,” Steve said, ignoring how un-cool it sounded. “Have a good day.”
“You too,” James said. “See you around some time?” Steve nodded and James smiled. “I’m Bucky, by the way,” he said, holding out a hand.
“Steve,” he replied, taking it and shaking just firm enough, as James’ phone chirped.
“And that’s my cue to run,” James sighed. “See you around, Steve.”
“Bye, Bucky,” Steve replied, watching the man leave.
Just then, a thought occurred to him - who was James, then?
___
Unfortunately, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it as the team was called to a mission in Europe, though the question did stick with him as he dozed off here and there whenever possible.
He missed the following Wednesday, arriving back late Thursday night and raced to the bakery as soon as the briefing was over on Friday.
Mia and Isabella gave him very unimpressed looks, the younger family member crossing her arms as she stood behind the matriarch, sitting at a table.
“You missed Wednesday, and I thought we were making progress,” Isabella said, frowning.
“Blame work,” Steve informed them as he sat. “You know how this is.” He sighed. “This is why this is a stupid idea, who would want to date someone who could be called away at a moment’s notice? And for an unknown amount of time, and with no phone calls…”
This softened the women and Mia sighed as she finally sat with them, someone else manning the register.
“Yeah, because only your team does that,” she gently reminded him. “It’s not like there’s also cops, firefighters, other soldiers, doctors, nurses –”
“Okay, okay, fair point,” Steve conceded. “I just…I don’t know.”
“Well, you sat with James, what, twice now?” Isabella asked, nodding as she spoke. “So that’s good.”
“Yeah, about that,” Steve began. “Was that James? Because he introduced himself as something different.”
“Like what?” Mia asked. “Jim?”
“Uh…no,” Steve admitted. “Like a different nickname, maybe? So honestly, I wasn’t sure it was the same guy.”
“No, that’s him alright,” Mia told him. “I used to ask for his name for coffee til he was a regular.”
“You just need more help,” Isabella said, tapping a finger on her chin, a move Steve recalled from long ago as hinting at her definitely plotting something. And something big…
“Or, we just see what happens naturally?” he asked, but the women shook their heads.
“Just keep being you,” Mia cheerfully told him. “The family’s got you covered!”
___
At least work had let up a bit, Steve thought, as he headed to the bakery the following Wednesday. It was now September but still warm enough for just a t-shirt, though truthfully Steve ran warm all the time now due to the serum so he didn’t mind.
He checked that his shirt was still in good shape as he walked in, the hat on his head just so.
Frowning, Steve realized that his friends were nowhere to be seen….but Bucky was there, so his frown was quickly replaced with a wide smile.
Fighting to keep it down, he walked to the counter and greeted Mia, who smiled warmly at him.
“I’ll bring you a pastry in a moment, just take this over,” she said, passing a mug of coffee at him.
Steve shyly thanked her and headed towards Bucky’s table, feeling more confident than he previously had.
“Hi Bucky,” he greeted him. “Mind if I join you again? There’s no free table.” Which was true, fortunately!
Bucky looked up and gave him a wide smile. “Steve! Hi! Of course!”
He quickly moved a folder and Steve sat down, smiling at each other over Bucky’s laptop.
“You seemed to have been MIA last week,” Bucky said, and Steve’s eyes widened, fear flooding his system. Did Bucky know who he was? Was that why he was using a military term? “Just, uh, you were here the other two Wednesdays,” the brunette added.
Steve inwardly chided himself before his chest puffed up - Bucky had noticed his absence!
He smiled at the other man. “Last minute work trip.”
Bucky nodded. “Oh, gotcha. Must be kind of common with your job, military-type stuff, right?”
Steve sighed. “Common enough, I guess. What about you? How’s work?”
Bucky shrugged. “Boring but stable. After this project an exciting one is coming up, but I feel like time is dragging until then.”
Before either could say anything more, Mia appeared with a large plate of cake.
“We wanted to give some of our cream cake to two of our favorite customers,” she announced, waiting patiently as Bucky quickly moved his computer, leaning backwards in his chair as she placed it in front of them, adding two forks before leaving, waving off their statements of gratitude.
The men looked at each other in surprise.
“That was…unexpected,” Steve laughed, and Bucky nodded.
“Definitely,” he said, as he quickly clicked around his computer before closing it and packing it up.
“I hope you’re okay with a forced work break,” Steve commented as he picked up a fork.
“For this? Try and stop me,” Bucky told him, digging in as well. “I love everything here.”
Steve nodded as he ate. “I used to eat here a lot when I lived in the area, before I moved away for a bit.”
“Fun! Where did you move to?”
Steve paused. This was something he had not expected in considering starting to date…how would he answer seemingly mundane questions? He couldn’t be totally honest, that was for sure…
“Uh, New Jersey for a bit,” he began, reflecting on so many years ago. “Then work took me to Europe before I got stuck in a cold climate for a few years.” He nodded at himself, patting himself on the back for his answer.
“Cool, very cool,” Bucky commented. “I’ve been there a bit myself for touristy things, Europe I mean. Not that Jersey’s bad, the Boss is from there, right?!” he laughed.
“The Boss?” Steve asked, puzzled.
“Springsteen?” Bucky replied with a raised eyebrow.
“Oh, yeah, right,” Steve agreed, before he took out his trusty notebook and made a note.
“What are you doing?” Bucky asked, laughing as he ate.
“Oh!” Steve said, pausing and feeling his face heat up. “It’s a habit of mine, to write things down that people tell me about that I want to look more into. I don’t know much about Springsteen. My ma used to listen to a lot of older music, and I guess with moving around for a while with work I just went with what I knew…”
Instead of Steve’s feared reaction, Bucky just nodded. “That’s fair. I do that too, make notes and all. Admittedly, I use my phone, but I like that you’re old-fashioned with that. It’s cute,” he added, before focusing his attention on the cake.
Steve sat there, stunned, as Bucky glanced back up at him.
“I didn’t….” Bucky began to mumble. “I only meant –”
“Thank you,” Steve quickly said. “You’re cute,” he added before he could shut his mouth.
Both men’s eyes widened before Bucky smiled widely.
“So are you,” he told Steve, again dropping his gaze to the cake as he dug out his next bite.
Steve remained silent and still stunned, trying to process what Bucky had told him. Bucky thought he was cute? Him, Steve? Not as Captain America?
He still wasn’t sure, he had to admit…
“Look, Steve,” Bucky began, looking at him, and Steve’s heart dropped. Here it was, he thought to himself. Some excuse, whatever it might be. He silently sighed and tried to brace himself. “I can definitely eat this entire slab of cake by myself, but that wouldn’t be good manners and I might hate myself tomorrow. So you gotta keep eating too, okay?”
Well, that was not what Steve had expected to hear! Realizing he had in fact stopped eating as his brain ran wild, he smiled at Bucky and picked his fork back up.
“No problem,” he said, grinning. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
___
They polished off the cake and decided to go on a walk to digest it after thanking Mia several times again for it.
Walking around Brooklyn for an hour, they talked about random topics until Bucky’s phone went off, an alarm for a meeting he had.
“I should stop scheduling Wednesday meetings,” he said, frowning. “I have to head back. But, could I get your number?”
Steve grinned and accepted Bucky’s phone to put his number in, pausing yet again for what name to use.
He watched the other man for the reaction when he passed the phone back.
“Steven Grant,” Bucky read, as he hit a button. “Nice name. Suits you.”
“Thanks,” Steve laughed, as his phone went off. He pulled it out of his pocket and saw an unknown number pop up. “I’m hoping this is you?” Bucky nodded. “What should I save you as?”
“Ah, well, my sister calls me a pain in the ass, my mom says I’m precious, and my coworkers think I’m their boss,” Bucky mused. “But Bucky Barnes is fine with me, though.”
Steve smiled again. “You know, I thought I heard someone call you James a few weeks ago…”
“Yeah,” Bucky said, scratching his own neck with a hand while he shuffled his work bag on his shoulder. “James is my first name. Bucky is from my middle name, which isn’t even as cool as that. Long story.”
“Maybe you can tell it to me over dinner sometime?” Steve asked, trying to be as smooth as the guys he had often watched in his younger years.
“That would be nice,” Bucky said, returning the smile. “I’ll text you after my meeting.”
“Sure,” Steve replied. “This was nice, thanks Bucky.”
“Thank you, Steve,” he said. “Bye.”
They parted ways and Steve practically floated to the tower, where he hit the gym for a few hours to try to burn off some of his newfound energy…and wait for Bucky’s text.
___
Two days later, and Steve knocked on Pepper’s office door, having checked that she was working in the tower that day.
“Steve!” she greeted him as she gestured to a chair opposite her desk. “To what do I owe the pleasure today?”
Steve sat and fiddled with the bottom of his button-up shirt. “I have a question,” he began. “I mean, I need some advice. I mean, I don’t know what to do?”
Pepper nodded and frowned. “What is Tony trying to get you to do now? I told him –”
“Not Tony,” Steve interrupted. “But save that thought, I should probably get a heads up on whatever’s going in his head. No, it’s something else. Something…personal.”
She nodded again and smiled, settling back in her chair. “The door is closed, it’s just us. What’s on your mind?”
Steve paused and bit his lip as he looked around her office, at nothing in particular but not feeling brave enough to look at her just yet.
“I don’t know who else to ask. I…what’s it like to date Tony?”
“What?”
“I mean, an Avenger. Not what’s it like, but how?”
Pepper laughed. “I’m going to need a little more than that, Steve. Did you meet someone?”
He pursed his lips but nodded, looking at his lap.
“Someone not affiliated with us?” she pressed, and he nodded again. “That’s great!” she gushed, and he looked up, surprised.
“What?”
“Sure, I’m glad you’re branching out and meeting new people,” Pepper said with a smile. “I look forward to more details but I’m sure that’s not what you came here for.”
Steve sighed, puffing his cheeks out as he exhaled. “He’s nothing to do with any of this. He’s just a nice guy I met at one of my old haunts in Brooklyn. I saw him there a few times, we talked a bit, and we exchanged numbers two days ago. We’ve been texting since, and I want to ask him out but I don’t know what to do.” He paused and frowned. “I mean, I technically did ask him out, I suggested dinner which was how I was able to get his number.”
“Good for you! What’s your concern?”
“He doesn’t know me as me,” Steve told her. “I don’t think so, anyway. He hasn’t let on if he does.”
She nodded as she listened intently. “And how do you feel about that?”
“Good,” he quickly said. “I like it. The place we met, they knew me as myself before the serum, so it’s comfortable there, they don’t make a fuss. He, uh, got their approval, so that’s good.”
“Good,” Pepper repeated. “So he likes you as Steve, that’s exciting!”
“But it’s a problem,” Steve commented. “I don’t know what to do as Steve! In the past I wasn’t good at all this, and that was before my face was famous. What am I supposed to do Where do I suggest for dinner, what about future dates? How do I explain that I live here?” he said in a rush.
“Whoa, one thing at a time,” Pepper softly suggested. “Go on a date first, we’ll figure out the other things later.”
“Like I said, though, what do we do for a date? I don’t want people watching us the whole time. And if he’s actually clueless about me, I don’t want to out myself.”
She thought about it for a moment. “It’s nice weather, do something outdoors. A first date can be casual, not always a fine dining experience. Get some food you both like, go on a walk, just talk.”
“And if he finds out who I am?”
“You’re still you, Steve. He should like you for you and not for the shield. Eventually you’ll tell him, or he’ll figure it out, or both, but that’s later, this is now.”
He nodded, trying to talk himself into that. “Thanks, Pepper. I don’t know who else to ask who won’t try to get a background check done on him or follow me. Or tease me, blackmail me…or do that to him, now that I think about it. Or threaten him,” he added, shuddering.
She laughed. “Anytime. Though if he does get on your bad side you let me know. Nat’s nothing compared to me sometimes.”
Steve laughed, finally. “Thanks. I’ll…I’ll keep you posted,” he said, and she nodded as he stood and left her office.
Just outside, he pulled out his phone and checked the weather, one of his favorite apps, before texting Bucky to suggest an outside date for that Sunday…
___
“That was great!” Bucky sighed as they threw away their food wrappers, walking away still holding their drinks.
“It was, but you know where some of the best hotdogs are?” Steve asked, and Bucky nodded.
“Nathan’s!” he said, and Steve laughed.
“Took the word right out of my mouth,” Steve said. “I used to eat so many of them I’d nearly be sick, especially before going on a ride. One time one of my friends convinced me to ride the Cyclone after it and I did get sick, it was awful!”
He paused, embarrassed by what he had just shared but to his relief Buck was laughing at it.
“That’s terrible!” the other man said, shaking his head, and Steve smiled, feeling a weight lift off himself. “But I did the same thing to my sister when we were kids. Then she got me back a year later when I was trying to make a move on this guy I was crushing on, and let’s just say I didn’t eat funnel cake for a while.”
“Okay, that sounds bad but I don’t think I want to know more,” Steve laughed.
They walked around Brooklyn Bridge Park, a place where Steve had always felt comfortable and able to be himself, and one that he figured could help him again.
Bucky told him more about his work and his family, and showed him a few cute pictures of his cat, Alpine. Steve shared some general work stories, more so about his coworkers than himself, and a bit of where he wanted to travel to.
“I don’t have any pets, or I’d show you them,” he said as they sat on a park bench that was a bit off the main path. “Ah, but I can show you my baby!”
“Should I be worried?” Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow, but his eyes widened when Steve showed him a picture of his motorcycle. “Is that yours?” he asked, and Steve nodded, smiling widely. “Really? You ride?” Another nod. Bucky sat back on the bench and shook his head. “That’s too cool! You just went up like ten more points in my book, not that you needed it.”
Steve laughed. “I appreciate that. Alpine boosted you too, for what it’s worth.”
Bucky grinned, and Steve’s heart flipped. “She’s a good girl, but also a menace. Are you allergic to cats?” Steve shook his head, and Bucky smiled again. “Good, you’ll have to meet her someday. I assume she’ll snub me for you, but that’s a cat for you, I guess.”
Steve laughed. “My ma always wanted a cat but my dad was allergic to it, though I think he just made that up so he wouldn’t have cat hair everywhere.”
Bucky laughed again. “The struggle is real, believe me. So if you ever see stray white or grey hairs on me, I’m not cheating on you, it’s just her.”
“Noted,” Steve said, pleased at how well the date seemed to be going - better than he could have ever imagined it! “Do you want to go for a ride one day?”
“Do I? I was hoping you’d ask, ’cause believe me I was this close to begging!” Bucky said, holding his thumb and forefinger barely apart from each other. “I just didn’t want to be rude.”
Steve laughed. “I wouldn’t mind, lots of people ask,” he said, his mind for a moment thinking about all the people who threw themselves at him for this or that. “Whenever you want, I’ll pick you up and we’ll go for a ride.”
“I’m free Wednesday,” Bucky said, looking around casually. “I may have made sure I didn’t schedule any meetings, though I’ve got some work in the morning to do that I could knock out pretty early”
Steve grinned. “We could meet at the bakery for coffee and then head out?”
Bucky nodded. “But that date is on me, since you paid for tonight. And since you’re the one driving…”
“Deal,” Steve agreed, but just then his phone pinged with the one noise alarm that Tony had set that could not be turned off, ever. He sighed and pulled it out, reading the text.
“Everything okay?” Bucky asked, sipping his drink.
“Something’s come up with work,” Steve groaned. He put his phone away and looked at Bucky. “This is part of me, Bucky, I’m sorry. I have to always be on call, or just about always. I get that might not work for you –”
“Hey,” Bucky interrupted him. “You told me something like that before, and I get it. There are times my work interrupts my personal time and I’m sure that it will do that in the future. But really, Steve, it’s fine. You’ve got a big job, and sometimes the world comes ahead of other things.”
“What?” Steve asked, fear taking over his body. Did Bucky know? How?
“I mean, I’m probably exaggerating, but you said it’s a military auxiliary or something, right? Anything that has you on call helping people is a big deal, so even if you’re just called in to direct traffic, I won’t complain.”
Steve blinked at him and smiled, feeling relief yet again. “Thanks, Bucky. I might be going out of town, so I’ll let you know about Wednesday, okay? Though I may not really be able to be on my phone while I’m away…”
“As long as I definitely get that bike ride one day,” Bucky said with a stern look on his face before laughing. “Come on, you can walk me out of the park before you get going, if you have time.”
“Try and stop me,” Steve agreed, and they started to walk again.