Work Text:
Michael Anthony Carter was tapping his foot underneath the dinner table. His mother was working late so it was just his older sister, Sarah, and his dad at the table. The meal was good, very good in fact. Dad’s Shepard’s pie was amazing, he learned how to cook it from their grandmother after he and mom were married. Just the way mom liked it. Despite the delicious meal, Michael could do nothing but push food around his plate as Sarah and Dad spoke about the upcoming exams before holiday break.
Earlier today in history class, while attempting to drown out his teacher’s dull voice, he had thumbed ahead in his book and saw a picture of the Howling Commandos. He wanted to ask, but he was also very nervous. He planned what he was going to say on his walk home from school and was going to ask as soon as he got home but he chickened out.
“Mike!” Sarah’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Stop it with the tapping.”
“Hey bud, you okay?” His dad questioned, his blue eyes curiously looking between Michael’s plate and his face. Clearly he noticed that his twelve year old son, who would normally be on his second serving by now, wasn’t eating.
“Are you Captain America?” Michael blurted out. His sister gasped and her eyes widened in interest as she turned to look at her father.
Their dad looked like someone had tossed a bucket of cold water over him. As Michael looked closer, past the beard and glasses, he could see the resemblance. Their father shook his head a bit before looking at both his kids. Sarah, just like her mother, ready to take on the world. His little boy, who was too eager to grow up and be like his father. He couldn’t lie. Both Peggy and him both planned to tell them once they had gotten a bit older, he just didn’t realize that “a bit older” meant twelve and fourteen.
He sighed. “A long time ago, I was.” He looked at them both, “I’m retired though.”
Sarah grinned and shouted, “I knew it!”
Michael looked incredibly pleased with his detective skills. “So can you really lift a motorcycle?” He smiled at his father.
His dad laughed, “Yeah, one day you just might see it.”