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It’s been a few years since Bucky has been living in the Avengers tower on Steve’s floor, since he regained his memories, and the two out of time are in their reclaimed relationship. Many free days are spent in the tower, where their relationship continues in peace with their many friends around them. When they do travel, it can be difficult to do it as one big group with exactly who they are. Sometimes they do get the chances to visit places, others some would consider a required experience of the 21st century.
Such as going to the most popular warehouse store known as Costco.
The chaos begins when Steve and Clint make it home with their arms loaded full of groceries. Pepper always insists that they get groceries ordered in, but Steve insisted on sticking to the shopping experience, one him and Bucky didn’t get the full experience with how little they ate. Everyone is on the common floor when they walk in, both with more reusable bags than presented at a store around their arms to cover up the whole counter space.
“You know,” Tony starts, walking over to observe the six dozen eggs in one bag on it’s own. “There is a Costco in Manhattan. I know you like supporting small business, but it’ll save a hell of a lot of money over time. Especially with Blondie checking in frequently.” Thor gives him a look, Clint shrugs in agreement.
“Never heard of it.” Steve says, taking a few bags over to the fridge. Bucky meets him there to set a soft kiss to his cheek, watching the pink rise on Steve’s ears in time with his smile. “Is it a grocery store?”
“At some point you won’t be excused for knowing this stuff, Cap.” Tony scoffs, taking the fresh blueberries from another bag.
“It’s a grocery store of sorts basically.” Bruce adds, walking in from over by the elevator. No doubt he was down in the lab, joining in just now. “It’s a warehouse food club, you can buy everything in bulk. It’s like an even bigger Walmart.”
Steve shrugs, looking at the endless bags on the counter after emptying another bag into the large fridge. Some stack high enough that he can’t see Natasha since she isn’t wearing her heels. “They’ve got pretty reliable and fresh stuff,” She says somewhere behind the wall of bags.
“We can go once we need more stuff, then.” Steve says, picking up the next one to empty.
“They don’t bag stuff, fair warning.” Clint says, hopping onto the counter and looking down to where Natasha most likely is. As they leave Wanda trails silently behind, taking hold in being there without adding anything.
“There’s enough people there we could blend in easy enough.” Tony smiles, clapping his hands together. “I’ll call them, let them know we’ll be there in,” He speculates the number of bags. “Two or three days.”
All but Bucky leave Steve with the bags, dispersing to their own corners of the tower. Steve heads for more bags to put away when two arms slide around his waist. “Gonna help or you just plannin’ on slowing me down?” Steve smiles, setting one hand on top of Bucky’s.
“Bit of both, maybe?” Bucky smiles into his back, wiggling his metal fingers between the two flesh hands. “You know, I think I staked out at a Costco before. Name’s familiar.”
“Oh yeah?” They walk to the fridge still connected. “You remember anything about it?”
“It’s on 117th street,” Bucky adds, holding out his left hand to perch the bags Steve was grabbing from on. “Don’t remember the inside, just a lot of stuff coming in and out with people.”
“‘Stuff’?” Steve asks, taking things out of another bag. “I thought it was a grocery store.”
“I think it’s more like Walmart like Bruce said, not just food.” He snatches a grape from Steve’s hand before he puts them away in the drawer. “Bigass boxes, thin boxes, tall boxes, weird stuff. Maybe they’re finally selling giant pizzas. I don’t know.”
Steve laughs, setting the rest of the bags on the counter space next to the fridge. He turns around in Bucky’s arms, carding his fingers in the back of his hair. He’s kept it longer since they found him, and he thought his shorter cut didn’t suit him anymore. Steve liked it, and so did Nat with the many braids she’s learned and the childish barrettes they were collecting to put in his and Thor’s hair. “They sell giant pizzas other places, Buck.”
“Then why haven’t you taken me to get one?” He asks, a near appalled look on his face. “I thought it was romantic to try and see who can stuff their face with more pizza, super bodies or not.”
“It’s better now that I won’t throw up from three slices compared to the bottomless pit you have.” Steve smiles, poking the side of Bucky’s stomach. “Tell you what, they have pizza at Costco and I’ll buy one just for the two of us to try and finish on our own. We’ll be romantic shits and see who pukes it all up before the other.”
“Damn, do you know how to romance a 90 year old assassin or what?” Bucky smiles, kissing him until they both complain about the open fridge door behind them.
•••
“I can’t believe the damn Avengers don’t have a fucking Costco card,” Sam grumbles as he walks with everyone to the front of the store, all in enough clothes to hide from immediate recognition. “I expect to not be able to go running some mornings, sure. Maybe ‘cause we’re on a mission. Or maybe it’s too cold, but the Avengers needing my Costco membership? Hell no.”
“Lighten up, Sam,” Clint says, looking back from where he’s walking with his arm around Natasha. “Maybe there’ll be extra birds hanging out in the rafters for you.”
“I only allow that joke from you, man.” Sam sighs, stepping in front of the group to show the lady at the door his membership card while the rest grab carts to split up. She recognizes them the moment she’s handed the card, looking over to Thor and Bruce almost worryingly. “They should be fine,” He tells her, walking in.
Steve and Bucky walk in, looking down at the long list that was compiled from just a few days since Steve had last gone to the store. Looking up, Steve could tell it wasn’t a store he walked into, but a full on warehouse like Bruce mentioned. Full on palettes of who knows what as far as they could see. The two looked at each other in shock before Steve turned his attention over to seeing the long isle of just large television.
“So who all is going for what?” Steve asks, still looking around with eyes wide behind fake glasses. He hasn’t needed glasses in 70 years, but Bucky smiles whenever he sees that Steve chooses to use them as a disguise piece.
“I would like to see the fresh animals that have been selected to be served here,” Thor says, putting a hand on Sam’s shoulder. “I shall go with my new flying friend to find the primest of cuts.”
“Then lets go, lightning man.” Sam says, the two walking off into what seems to be oblivion.
"Get dry goods, it'll be a bit easier." Natasha says, wrapping her arm around Clint's holding onto their cart. She was the only girl on the trip but still was glad to partner up with Clint since Pepper invited Wanda to spend the day with her. "We'll look at produce and any stupid toys we can get our hands on."
"The system they use at Costco is quite original compared to grocery stores." Bruce mentions, walking up without a cart. "They hold limited options so the consumer isn't overwhelmed with the decision making process as well as still holding stock of staple foods." Tony bumps into his back with a cart, pushing him forward. "They also markup to just 15% compared to the normal-"
"Okay nerd, let's get going. I wanna see what Sony is up to." Tony shoves Bruce with the cart again, heading to the endless TV section, leaving Bucky and Steve on their own.
"Where the hell would specific things be?" Bucky asks, scanning what's in front of them. "There's no system whatsoever."
"I think that might be the point, Buck." Steve puts a hand over Bucky’s metal one that's been gripping onto the handle of their cart a little tight. Even with coming to terms with his arm, he was still self conscious enough to have even just his hand away from the public eye and for Steve to hold instead. "Let me know if it's too much to handle, okay?"
Bucky nods as they head straight, seeing no better option. They're immediately introduced to see the stories worth of foods, clothes, and even stuff that would sit outside in a person's backyard. It was insane to the 90 year olds as they kept walking.
"I don't know if I've eaten as much food as there is in this damn aisle," Bucky comments, watching a couple go by with a full size TV sticking out of their cart at a treacherous angle. "This is like war rations for an entire fucking army in one building, Steve."
"Not just rations I think," Steve gestures to the post selling designer purses and watches at what looks to be full prices. "Or at least a very fashionable army."
"They don't have the stars, so not the most fashionable." Bucky gives him a smug look, winking. Steve just laughs, moving his right hand from the cart to put it around his waist. "I'm serious! With how they treat Independence Day around here I'm shocked they didn't follow through with the Steve Rogers design."
Saying that gets a few head turns that look like their attention was setting in on anyone who mentioned Steve’s name. Bucky ducks his head quickly as they turn into an isle with more than enough cereal. Bucky quickly goes ahead for a box of Kix, one that easily was the size of three normal size boxes. Hopefully it'll be enough to share between Nat and himself. He turns around to find Steve grabbing the Raisin Bran for him and Bruce, already with two boxes of Fruity Pebbles for Tony, Thor, and Clint. Wanda mainly drank tea in the morning while Sam just went along with whatever was out.
Bucky returns to the cart, setting his box on the bottom with the other two before setting his metal hand on the cart as they take off. Just turning the corner to the next aisle was enough to realize how big the store actually is to Steve, knowing Bucky had probably already analyzed the size more in full than he had already. They were both already looking forward to resting when they get home, and they’ve been there only for a few minutes. “What else do we need Stevie?”
“Hell if I know,” Steve shrugs just as Bucky steps closer to let someone pass in the other direction. He takes it as an invite to place his hand around his boyfriend’s waist, smiling. “We could just grab whatever looks good until we find the others.”
“Lead the way, Star-Spangled Man.” Bucky watches Steve’s ears turn pink as they walk further down the aisle.
They manage to make their way through a good number of aisles and picking up just a few things such as a few jumbo jars of pickles, pasta and sauce (Steve knows it’s going to be a simple dinner tonight), the always large Skinny Pop bags, nuts, and granola bars. They work their way into the more open area of the middle, seeing the truly surprising items. Walking up to the wines, they see the price tags with a whole $959.99 making Bucky laugh at how they could have sold that single bottle of wine for so much food when they were younger. He doesn’t make a sound when they pass the jewelry with diamonds priced at $249,999.99. Steve silently joins him in peering at what jewelry they actually do carry, though.
Next after stopping at the jewelry is the clothes, which the two get caught up in. Bucky looks at the jeans (because despite Tony’s offers for the top fashion in them and any other article of clothing, he still likes the simple clothes) while Steve tries to find the location of anyone on the team via text. He takes off his glasses since they’re starting to pinch the sides of his head. Costco, of course, has most of the Avengers team laid out across multiple kids clothes not far from where Steve is standing. He sees a shirt with a cartoon version of him in his old, more colorful suit and Bucky in the ridiculous tights they gave him in the comics (which made Bucky mad, but the rest of the team laugh when it came into light), when he feels something drape across his back. “I think you should get that,”
Steve grabs onto the fabric that was on him before it falls, watching Bucky turn to face him with a sincere smile. He looks at what turns to be a shirt in his hands. It’s a dark blue, short sleeve, button-up with black tropical floral print that screams ‘low-key tourist’ to him, but still loves it since he knows Bucky probably thought the same thing. He turns to see the stack he got it from, seeing a lighter blue one with dark blue tropical pattern next to it.
“If I get one, you get one so we match.” He hands Bucky the lighter colored one, having him groan. If Steve had offered a short sleeve shirt to him a matter of a few years ago they’d full out fight for an hour, but here Bucky was taking the shirt with laugh.
“Only if I can take you out while we’re both wearing them.” Bucky takes the shirts and puts them in the cart on top of the jeans he must have put in there.
“Like hell we are,” Steve smiles as the two get ready to cart off to the next area of the store, hopefully running into others of the team. Steve decides to check his phone again when he hears a small gasp. He looks up to see a small boy sitting in the grocery cart now next to theirs only facing the opposite way. His face lights up when Steve looks at him, aware that he isn’t wearing his glasses. He sees Bucky and starts jumping in his seat. It distracts Steve in a heartwarming way what the boy does when he sees Bucky, but that’s for another time.
“Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom!” The boy starts shouting. Steve gets wary for unwanted attention that may focus it’s way towards him and Bucky. “Mom! Look!”
The mom turns, looking to start scolding her son when she sees where her son’s gaze and outstretched finger are focused on. Her expression turns to one of awe like most do, smiling apologetically. Steve waves awkwardly, one hand on the cart ready to avert the situation quickly if needed.
“Lucas, no need to bother them,” The mom says, putting her hand on her son’s shoulder. “They need to get their shopping done as much as we do,”
“But mom! Cappn’ ‘Merica an’ Bucky like flower stuff!” He points to the shirts sitting in the cart, directing the attention of all three adults. “Just like me!” He then points to his shirt, with a smiling flower on it and pastel colors, which Steve can tell must be marketed as a girl’s shirt.
“Well we definitely do, Lucas.” Steve smiles, looking at the mom to let her know the interaction is okay. A relieved look grows on her face. “Flowers are for everyone, just like everything else.”
The mom pushes the cart slightly, “Tell them bye, Lucas, we need to get some more stuff before we head out, too.” She mouths a silent ‘thank you’ before heading off.
They both wave as Lucas is pushed away, turning to head towards the deli where Sam sent an “SOS” from. “Maybe you should change your name to Captain Feminism, Steve. Go protest and dismantle gender roles from a full-time position.” Bucky suggests, getting hit on his real arm.
•••
They eventually find the deli section where Sam is laying his arms on the cart’s handlebar, and his head on his arms. Thor looks to be in a deep conversation with the man behind the deli counter while many cuts of meat sit in the cart with bulk size bottles of barbeque sauce and spices.
“Looks like you guys have been busy,” Steve starts, getting an intense glare from the worn out Falcon.
“I’ll never eat red meat after this all runs out.” Sam groans, standing up straight to see Thor continue to discuss cuts of meat with the enthralled man behind the counter. “I’ve come up with so many phrases for the meats already Steve. I feel like I haven’t seen a vegetable in ten years.”
“Well we haven’t been conscious in this century for ten years so get over it.” Bucky rolls his eyes, examining the meat up close. “I could think of something totally inappropriate to say about this so you better speak up, Steve.”
Steve huffs a breath, putting a hand on Bucky’s arm.“Hey, Thor, we can come back next week!”
Thor steps back from the deli man, smiling his usually beaming smile. “I certainly plan on it! These selections are prime and are fit for the best of guests. They have well educated workers of whom I am proud to see have picked such a worthy profession.”
“What, is Costco going to the entertainment biz?” Tony asks, walking up with Bruce. They no longer have a cart, probably ditched long ago. Instead in hand Tony has a shirt that looks to have the original six Avengers on it. Tony gasps, “‘Kirkland Kuties’ I’m calling it and possibly buying it.”
“How was your first shopping experience here?” Bruce asks, eyeing the amount of red meat in Sam’s cart.
“There’s more food here than I’ve seen handed out to the Army.” Bucky scoffs, tapping his metal fingers on their cart’s handle. “The size of this place is intense, I can’t wait to get out of here.”
Bruce nods knowingly, who has probably been on edge since they first got there about the danger of turning into the other guy. If anyone else understands the anxiety it’s him. The person who probably has the least amount of anxiety, with all of the open vantage points, rams their cart into both Bucky and the one he’s currently holding with a cart that has a...giant stuffed bear in it.
“Forty bucks, you guys!” Clint yells, gesturing to the bear with a tag that just says ‘53 in’. “We are so keeping it in the common room and putting an eye patch on it and calling it Captain Beary.”
Natasha strides up behind him to grab the bear, lifting it to show the rest of what they found. “We have some pretty big staples for the week I’d say,” In the cart is a 90 egg bulk pack, many bags of frozen fruits, a giant box of strawberry Poptarts to which Thor gives an approving nod to Clint, and a ginormous jar of Nutella.
“Yeah if we want to all become diabetics.” Sam mutters, pushing his cart out of the commotion towards the front of the store. “Come on, let’s see if we can get a Super Senior discount on this stuff.”
“That card works in less places than you’d think it does.” Bucky sighs dejectedly. Steve knows that Bucky’s pulled that card, but it doesn’t work with their history, but Bucky learned the way around with the veteran card and the arm.
“Handsome philanthropist usually works, though.” Tony smirks, walking up to Sam’s cart to pat him on the back. “And a Stark Industry card never hurts.”
When they make it to the front with the registers together, that’s when they most definitely get noticed. Natasha shamelessly has the bear be the first item to be scanned before hiding behind it from the multiple cameras that were going off around them. Steve quickly put his glasses back on before turning his head away.
“Maybe you smarties should make it less difficult for the poor girl and put all your stuff up with me so we can get out of here quicker, too.” Sam says, now finishing to put up the last few cuts of meat from his and Thor’s cart onto the conveyor belt. The rest of the team follows, putting the rest up, ignoring the requests and questions of the people trying to photograph them. Tony goes into his socialite mode to distract and take pictures with the few people in front.
He continues his thing while Bucky hears them asking if they can get pictures with the rest of them, but easily deflecting them with a "Well, how would you like it if you were barraged with selfies at the grocery store?" That Bucky honestly thinks sounds rude but earns a laugh from the crowd. He only smiles when someone shouts his name and covers his left hand with his sleeve.
They quickly come to find that Costco doesn't in fact bag groceries and the sense it makes, but it doesn’t serve to be an issue with a Norse God, a super soldier, a metal armed ex-assassin, and a veteran with a competitive personality willing to carry a large portion of what they buy. Sam takes a few less things on the way up to the tower but no one says anything.
The fridge space for the bulk items has to be split up between the floors and the deep freezer adjacent to Tony’s workshop, mostly for the meat cuts. Captain Beary sits happily in one of the chairs surrounding the tv on the common floor. Bucky and Nat take to liking him instantly.
“I think it was almost a mistake you got this, Nat.” Steve pads in to see her and Bucky on either side of the bear -who now wears an eye patch- on the couch. Bucky is wrapped around the bear’s left arm. “He’s never gonna snuggle with me again.”
“Not true, his fur’d get caught on this side,” Bucky lifts his left arm with a smirk. “This side’s all open for you, pal.”
“Aw, romance isn’t dead afterall.” Nat smiles, watching Steve cram his way between Bucky and the arm of the couch, metal arm resting on his shoulders. “Clint never sweet-talks me like that.”
Somewhere from behind them Clint shouts a distant “What?” One of his hearing aids’ batteries gave out when they got home since he was too stubborn to charge them before they left. Nat only smiles fondly, wrapping clover to the bear.
“So did you oldies like your first Costco visit?” Sam approaches the three with his arms on his sides. “You two had great initial reactions. Like,” Sam makes a mocking face of being dumbfounded mixed with shock.
Bucky huffs a breath, rolling his eyes. “Well what about the other big guy? No way has he gone before us.”
The Asgardian himself walks in with a large bowl of the Skinny Pop they just bought. “I have traveled to Costco a handful of times, Darcy enjoys the large cereal. I never had the delight of finding the deli section, though. It made for a great day with my friend, son of Will.”
Sam throws his arms up, but laughs at the comment. “Yeah, yeah, lightning bolt. It was a fun time. I’m gonna go run in the gym.”
Thor follows Sam out, leaving the three on the couch by themselves. Bucky yawns and pulls Steve in closer to him. “We might have to go back and buy one of these ourselves, Stevie. Or else I’m permanently moving to this couch.”
“Of course,” Steve smiles, relaxing more against Bucky. “You have a name in mind or are we gonna wait to figure one out?”
Nat gasps, sitting up to see the two over the bear blocking her view. “You could make it Captain Abearica!” Steve gives a blank expression while Bucky looks at her with a confused excitement but confused of the idea. “Have you never heard of Captain Abearica? It’s the cutest name ever.”
“I like it. We gotta name it that.” Bucky gasps, but Steve is already disagreeing. “Steve.”
“Buck, no.”
“Steve.”
“I’ll be your Captain Abearica just as long as you don’t name ours that.”
“Bucky Bear.” Nat coughs, disappearing behind the bear. “Polar Soldier.”
“Oh that’s not fair,” Bucky frowns while Steve smiles widely. “The damn bears are brown anyways!”
“Still way better than fuckin’ Captain Abearica,” Steve snorts, dodging Bucky’s swinging hand that was going for his face. “Buck we aren’t naming it that.”
“Then we ain’t naming it Bucky Bear.” Bucky says back, a challenging look in his eyes.
Nat scoffs just as Clint walks over. “Your relationship is being ruined by a bear you haven’t bought yet. Right as I thought true love lived.” Clint lays down in her lap with his head in the bear’s.
“Name it after one of your Commandos,” Clint suggests, grabbing for Nat’s hand.
Steve shrugs, when Bucky straightens up, lips quirking up into a smile, “Commander. Commanbear.”
“Commandbear.” Clint gasps, while Steve gives a solemn grin while Bucky gauges Steve’s reaction to the name.. “That’s a play on words and so awesome at the same time.”
“I like it,” Steve smiles, facing Bucky more.
“Yeah?” Bucky sheepishly smiles. Steve gives him a light peck on the lips.
“Yeah.” He kisses him again. “Sure as hell beats Captain Abearica.”