The First Avenger AU - Apple Pie Life? That's Boring

Teresa could understand that. She took another sip of the martini and set it down in thought. "If your too stubborn to call Steve. You can call me. I'm basically a night owl and I live alone so you have no one to bother with your phone calls." She offered gently. "I'll find a movie that you and I can both watch."

"That's a dangerous proposition," Bucky smirked at her, "I'll think on the calling you late at night, my family might get nosy, at least my sisters. Movies at your place sound so tempting, though. What are your favorites?" He finished his Stinger, and he vaguely wondered why he wasn't even buzzed yet. Too much hard liquor back in the army? He waved Sam down who gave him an odd look, "Hey man, I'm not even phased. Give me that whiskey!"

"I'm giving you a double-shot." Sam said as he shook his head as he started working on it. He handed it to Bucky. "I think the army wore you out on your liquor supply."

Teresa on the other hand was a little surprised, but pursed her mouth together. Steve Rogers was the only one she knew of that had a high tolerance for alcohol. Sam could be right and it was just going to take a bit longer, but at the same time...she couldn't help but to feel suspicious. "I live dangerously sometimes. Movies..." She hummed as she tried to think of what kinds. "Comedies, a few horrors."

"You like horror movies? Didn't you gave enough of the real thing?" He gave her an odd look, swirling the drink around in the glass. He enjoyed it on the rocks because of the contrast. The liquid was chilled but it burned the tongue and throat all the same, "Comedies are nice. I dunno, I'm pretty eclectic with my novies. Kinda gotta be when I have to sit through whatever the lady wants."

Teresa laughed, shaking her head as she finished off her martini and pushed the glass to the side. "So if I were to you ask you to watch a romance...?"

Draining half his glass, Bucky smirked at her, "Then we would sit close together, my arm over the chair or couch behind you, and we would watch a romance or a horror or a comedy together from start to finish, no snoring," he put his hand over his heart, "On my honor, and no commentary unless you start it."

Teresa laughed, a slight pink twinge on her cheeks as she looked away. How hadn't he been picked up by a woman long before now was beyond her. At the same time, she couldn't help but to feel damn lucky that she got him to look twice. "So a movie and a dinner. Since you're letting me pick the movie, I would guess it's fair you choose on what I should cook? Or are you going to tell me to surprise you?"

Bucky's mouth went dry as he thought about another date with Teresa, but he was giddy as well. He took another sip just to wet his palate before speaking again, "Steak and potatoes with vegetables on the side? I've noticed I eat a lot of my Ma's cooking during dinner. I guess I missed her home-cooked meals in comparison to MREs. Just can't get enough of it."

"I'll see what I can do." Teresa smiled. "It sounds like a good meal to make. I'm going to guess you like your steaks medium rare right? That's how I liked them at least."

"A lady after my own heart," Bucky sighed dramatically before laughing and finishing his glass, setting it down. He didn't have enough money for another, laying down what he already spent, but he found it odd that his head wasn't swimming. He wasn't even stumbling, "I think the army ruined me, that would've knocked me on my butt a long time ago."

Teresa frowned deeply, but shook her head from side to side. "Maybe." She said as she also placed her own money down. "How would you say we break out of this joint?" She didn't want to start going off about doing tests and what not, especially if it was just not hard enough.

"I can't believe it's been an hour already...my sister Rebecca threatened me so I need to be home by midnight at the latest, if you want to just...walk?" Bucky offered gently, "The weather's been getting warmer, it was so nice walking here."

"A walk sounds nice." Teresa smiled and she took his arm. "It sounds to me I know which sister not to be on the wrong side of."

"In all fairness? I shouldn't be on the wrong side of either. Woman's wrath and all," Buck laughed and waved to Sam, "Get on Nix's ass! I want to go to the opening of your bar!"

Teresa laughed as Sam called back an affirmative and walked outside. The air was a little chilly but it was nice, and there wasn't a lot of people out and about besides those who were trying to stumble their way home. "Thank you for the night out." She smiled sweetly at him. "Like I said before, I don't get out much and this was nice."

"If you're chilled, just let me know. Even the Howlies loved both Steve and I for being human furnaces," Bucky smirked at Teresa, "I could keep you warm. You're welcome, of course. I needed to get out of the house. I might ask Sam if I can be a bouncer at his new bar, at least until S.H.I.E.L.D. is up and running and that's a stream of income. I can trust Sam to pay well, and no one would want to mess with a bouncer who was a soldier."

"I agree." Teresa laughed softly. "It would be a good idea. I'm supposing you know Nix and Sam well?" She inquired, looking at him with both curiosity and fondness.

"Nix's full name is Phoenix, but everyone just calls him Nix. Sam has two siblings, both younger, so he gets where I'm coming in that department," Bucky hummed as he stuck his hands in his pockets, "Nix...after a slip up when I was sixteen he and I have bonded over something that I never would've expected. Sam bonded with me over that, too, so...we're our own little support group in this world where certain things are taboo. They have a /huge/ group they're a part of, and I know the names of everybody but I haven't associated with them nearly as much."

"I'd like that," Bucky agreed with a slow nod, looking up at the sky. It was just crispy enough with spring weather that he could see some of the stars, "Aren't you getting tired of me rambling off and on about other people?"

"No not really," Teresa said with a smile. "It seems to me you love people. Or at the very least tolerate them which is a lot better than what a lot of solders do when they come home from war. You're observant and it's nice to hear your thoughts."

"I've always been the social butterfly and extrovert to Steve's introvert 'oh god do I have to go out?'," Buck agreed with a soft, amused laugh, "I do love people. I have an adaptable personality. Of course, the one and only type of person I cannot get along with are the bullies, the ones who look down on people. I can sass, I can joke, I can party and drink and I can dance. Steve gets his smartass attitude from me, I think."

"So far I have yet to see an attitude." Teresa poked his arm lightly. "Either you're hiding it from me or that's not something you show a lady on the first date."

"Oh, you have /no/ idea, missy," Buck winked at her, "Just get Steve and I together and we will sass each other into next week. I know I start it half the time but it's a real treat when Steve starts it. The hospital wasn't really the place for it. I know during dinner for our homecoming my mother nearly kicked us under the table because we were using army tongue to be a little more discrete about it but she just /knew/. Mother's intuition, I guess. Dad laughed until his sides hurt, though."

"Shame on you." Teresa laughed, her eyes bright. "That's something to see and hear."

"I look forward to it, myself. I'd love to hear you laugh until you cried because of something we said or did," Bucky hummed happily, his arm snaking out to wrap over her shoulders, "When might you like to have that movie date? Friday? Saturday?"

"Friday sounds nice." Teresa laughed as she leaned against Bucky's hold. He was secure, and warm, just like he said he was. A little too warm, but she wasn't going to ruin the date with her mother-henning and trying to be a doctor. At least not during the first run. "Does...five or six sound good or later?"

"Five, if you don't mind me being there to watch you cook, and maybe help? Two are better than one and I could at least cut things, if you cook them. Not that I can't cook, I would just rather taste /your/ creations," Bucky squeezed her shoulder a bit in emphasis.

"You shouldn't have told me you know how to cook." Teresa smirked as she looked away, a smile fighting at the edges of her lips.

"Oh really? Just why is that?" Buck arched a brow down at her.

"Because next time it's your turn." Teresa flashed an innocent smile at him and wink.

"I can /definitely/ live with that, and it'll be your choice of food that time as well," Bucky promised, and once he led her to the doorstep of her apartment complex, he pulled away and gave her a shy smile, "So, I've never really done the whole 'goodnight kiss' on a first date, if you'll forgive me. I think...this should suffice instead," he did give her a kiss, but not on the lips. Instead he slipped his flesh fingers around her neck and pulled her head down while he leaned in, his mouth brushing her forehead sweetly, "Close enough, right?"

Teresa smiled as she slowly pulled away from him and gently cupped her hand against his cheek and thumbed underneath his eye. "Close enough." She promised. "Thank you again for the nice night Bucky. See you on Friday." She smiled as she gently pulled away and headed up to her apartment, butterflies in her stomach and her heart doing somersaults. Fuck...she was far gone.

~*~

A long sigh heaved out of him as he hung his coat up and started for the stairs to go to his room. Rebecca was asleep on the couch and he shook his head, tugging the blanket from over the back and draping it over her, poking her nose in a playful manner and watched her stir and curl up. Silly girl. A gentle smile crept on his lips and he finally headed up. He stopped halfway down the hall, and looked at the sitting phone on the vase stand. Never wanting to miss a phone call, his mother had installed the second phone so she or /someone/ could reach it before the person hung up. It was what he'd used to talk to Steve on before.

Heart pounding, he recalled the talk at the bar, the three drinks, and two hours later he wasn't even stumbling, the only sign being the smell on his breath.

A flash of the dark ceiling above him, needles being stuck in his body, his screams...delirium and mumbling incoherently to himself on that cold hard slab of a table, and Steve. Steve had been there to save him, to unstrap him and lead him out, jumping over and through a goddamn /fire/ because he'd been too stubborn and loyal to leave him the fuck behind. He would've rather died in that compound than be without Steve.

They had been through so much together. Lived, died, and were reborn different men yet the same. While it was true, Buck refused to call Steve for his nightmares...it was more because he hated the pain in his friend's voice, the regret, the hopelessness. Perhaps, however...he should share his /waking/ nightmares with him. It was only midnight. Steve had become quite the damn insomniac, so Buck moved his feet and picked up the reciever, his finger going through the motions of dialing Steve's number, a number he'd known for years.

Only to feel guilty when a sleepy voice greeted him, "Stevie...I'm so sorry. Did I wake you? Shit."

"It's fine, Buck." Steve said quickly as he sat up. "It's pay back for all the times I must have woken you up. You sound awful. Are you alright? Was it a nightmare?"

"I..." His voice stuck, "Ha...I was just lost in thought. I'll get to that in a moment. How about a happy thought? I just went on a date with Teresa. At the bar. I never go to the bar on a first date."

"Teresa? She actually took you on?" It was a teasing rib, something Steve knew that Bucky needed right about now, if the nightmare was as bad as it seemed. "She must be special if you're saving dancing for another time. You usually can't wait to cut a rug with a dame."

"I /know/, but I agreed to a /second/ date, and that's not even going to be the dance!" he somehow managed to sound excited even as he whispered so not to disturb his household, "Teresa's going to make me dinner. At her place. Friday, five o'clock on the dot and I'm even going to help her prep. Then we're going to watch movies."

"Your gone for her." Steve laughed, happy that his friend finally found someone. "I think your mother is going to be so happy to know that you're no longer taking out half the girls on the block anymore."

"As I told Rebecca, who caught me before I left, a lot of things are 'not like me' anymore. I'm honestly, truly happy...with most of those changes. Such as this," Buck started to trail, and his breath hitched, "Steve...it all makes sense."

"What?" Steve was frowning now. "What's making sense?"

"All of it..." Bucky needed to sit down for this, so he was careful not to jostle too much as he just curled against the vase stand, back to the wall, "I used to be warm, yeah...kept you warm all those winters, after all...but...I never used to be /this/ hot. Don't...you remember how the Howlies would crowd around us while we moved from base to base? The walk back to camp...I kept pace with you while the others had to stop to rest. I'm a damn good shot, sure, but I would adjust to the change so fast, keeping up with /you/..." He was listing off all of the changes and things that had stood out to him since Steve found him, and then his head thunked against the wall a bit, "Steve...Stevie...I drank a Sidecar, a Stinger, and Sam poured me my usual double shot of whiskey..." He bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut. This was the kicker. "I can't get drunk."

Steve was silent through out all of this, quiet so that Bucky could get it all of his chest. When it was over, instead of saying something that would be a dismissal, he questioned. "Do you think it's from when Zola had you guys imprisoned?" It would make sense to him too. "You were able to stand on your own when you got off that table, Zola was staring at you in shock." He remembered that even if he was just focused on Red Skull at the time. "I didn't think much of it...I thought it was just the adrenaline." He let out a loud, sounding breath. They almost had him back too. But he wasn't about to include that in Bucky's nightmares. Fuck that.

"The /experimented/ on me. I was a /lab rat/ for those..." Buck gritted his teeth, trying not to get angry. Taking deep breaths he shuddered, "I'm not...as beefy as you, but I'm sure if I took to the gym I would be within a month or so, if all of this is true. It would normally take half a year to reach your level of stud muffin," he had to make light. He didn't want to have bad dreams after such a lovely night with Teresa, and this was getting very serious. He should've waited for tomorrow, but it /nagged/ at him, "I'm also eating about as much as you were when we had our homecoming meal. I mentioned that to Teresa and I know she gave me a weird look when I wasn't even phased by the alcohol. I kept chalking it up to drinking the hard shit in the army, but...I knew."

"Well, Teresa's not an idiot." Steve reminded him. "She's a doctor, she's trained to seek out the anomalies. Also, it doesn't help that she probably saw my medical records, Buck. She knows the calories I need right down to the medicines that won't affect me." He paused. "Look. Buck. Breathe for a second alright? Listen. All it's going to change is your eating habits and your ability to drink. It won't affect anything else in your day to day life. Your reflexes might be faster and the serum does amplify what's inside. But you're a good man, so I wouldn't worry about that. What I'm trying to say, Buck, is that no one's going to send you out with a stupid code name to dance for the USO for a few months and save a bunch of hooligans and make them into a team. No one in S.H.I.E.L.D will do that to you either. You're still my sniper and my best guy, alright? Nothing has to change. You're still you, Buck. Still you."

Breathe. Buck did that, and listening to Steve words did calm him down significantly. It was just what he needed to hear. He'd gone months, a year with only minor changes that no one had really taken note of. He'd found it weird at the time, but was too focused on Hydra to really think about it. Now he was home he had all the time in the world and really...that was a bad thing. "I'm going to join S.H.I.E.L.D., but until then I /have/ to find a job to keep myself occupied. I'm going to talk to Sam and Nix and see what we can do to get Fiery Wave running, and like I told Teresa, I'm going to ask them if I can be a bouncer in the meantime. Having too much time on my hands is just as bad as not enough time. I also need to make us money for that apartment somehow, right? I...need you, Steve, at night, just like you need me." The daytime wasn't so bad, but as soon as the sun set was when it got too quiet, allowing minds to wander.

"Yeah, Buck," Steve said gently, softly. "That sounds real good. I'm sure Sam will hire you on the spot. You know that he hates the application processes. Remember when he bitched out about having to conduct the interviews when all he wanted to know was whether or not they knew how to mix a drink?"

A snorting laugh, which he had to stifle to keep quiet, "He went on for days, ranting about one bad interview after another. That was the best. You could probably help him with interior design or what have you..." he hummed, and was suddenly feeling quite tired, "Thank you...so much. You're my best guy, too, you know," he smiled tenderly, "Go back to sleep, and in your own bed. You passed out on the couch just like Becca, I know you."

"Becca's just waiting to know if you ditched Teresa." Steve snorted. "I...yeah I'll try to sleep on my bed. I don't know how long it's gonna last though. Sleep good, Buck." He murmured. "You had a good night tonight."

"Damn right I did," Buck grinned, enjoying the mental image of Teresa's smiling face, and he hung up the phone.

()

It was /gorgeous/ outside and it was a perfect day to go to the park. The sun shined off of the leaves and grass, kids wrestled and couples had picnics. Peace. The war was yet to be over, but the peace was evident. No one was worried about what would happen next, just going about their daily lives.

Sitting on one of the many benches strewn about sat Steve Rogers, drawing pencils in a plastic box beside him and a leg propped up so he could rest his drawing pad in his lap, the end of the pencil in his hand tapping the corner of his mouth as he thought about the details. Out in front of him was a small pond, ducks playing in the water and kids feeding the ducks.

He was just about to bring his pencil back to the paper when a surprised voice caught his attention.

"I didn't expect to find /you/ here..." behind him was Kerica, hair pulled back in a ponytail, one thick strip of hair framing the left side of her face, jade eyes blinking at him. She was in a simple teal long skirt that reached her ankles, brushing over dark brown sandals, and her blouse was a coral color.

"Hey." Steve smiled as he looked over at her. "You look pretty." He scooted over on the bench and gestured for her to sit. "I normally come over here when I feel like my apartment is getting to small and Bucky's knocked out cold." He rolled his eyes. "Had a late night with Teresa and a panic attack." He explained though he didn't mention the details. "What about you? Do you come here often?" What the hell, he was acting like Bucky with that terrible pick up line. His cheeks flushed and he was about to try to correct himself, but knew that it was too late to even try.

"How's Bucky doing? That's great he had a date with Teresa! She hasn't had anybody for as long as I can remember," Kerica picked up his pencil box and put it on her lap, sitting down where it had been. Face just as pick as his, she tucked her bangs behind her ear, "I do, actually, when I get bored of reading or if Riichi doesn't have classes at his dojo I can help with. He pays me for it, so I guess it's a job, though I don't think of it as such." She shook her head quickly, "Sorry! I rambled...ah, I like walking. It's calming, and sometimes I bring my camera with me if I want to take photography pictures."

"Photography?" Steve blinked in surprise and smiled. "That's a pretty expensive hobby. Do you develop your own film or do you have someone else that does it? What type of martial art training do you help teach?"

"Someone else does it for me since I can be clumsy. It may be expensive, but my father's a /doctor/ so I'm not hurting for money, really. The side-pay from training kids goes more towards my painting supplies," Kerica hummed, "I help teach Tae-Kwan-Do, it's a kicking-based type of martial art and not as well known as Karate or Jujutsu or anything like that, but I enjoy it all the same. Been training since I was ten, and Riichi became a private tutor so once he didn't have anything else to teach me, helping train others was the only option left."

Steve scratched his cheek with the side of the pencil in thought. "I should probably take some classes." He admitted. "I think I mostly got out of that war because Bucky taught me a few punches and basic taught me a few things. But formal training couldn't hurt. I might take a little more than just one type...keep a catalogue."

"Make your own style from what you learn?" Kerica asked with amusement, "Riichi knows Karate though he doesn't teach it in his classes, so you might be able to ask him. You know, I gave you my number and all, but you never called me. Too busy settling in?"

"Trying to get used to being without war." Steve looked back down at the book. "I...I can't tell Bucky that. He's been through way too much to go back to the war...and honesty even if I did want to help...we're too close to the end. I already heard that D-Day's approaching. I'm a little worried. I keep hearing things about a nuclear bomb...I don't think it should end that way. It shouldn't end that way..." He shook his head. "I don't know what to do without the fight."

"Life's too boring this way, isn't it?" Kerica hummed, watching him with a soft expression, "It's going to seem like another lifetime in the meantime, but Peggy will have S.H.I.E.L.D. up and running before the years end, and you'll be able to command and fight to your heart's content. There will be downtime even in that, though, so now is a good time to find things outside of fighting to stay active. Gym? Take out some punching bags? Running? You seem a lot like a running type of guy. Walking like I do would be /beyond/ boring, I'm sure."

"I run. I think the gyms realized that I would just destroy the punching bags, but I do try to keep my strength held back." Steve laughed. "It amazes me that Pegs is actually going to do that. I can see the slack she's going to get for it. But, she's always been able to handle her own. Jesus. I wouldn't want to go up against her and she taught me how to fight a little."

Kerica nodded vigorously, "I can see that. Peggy was a great inspiration for me. I am glad she got so far." She glanced at his sketch, "What are you drawing in particular, anyway?"

"The ducks and the children playing with them." Steve angled the sketchbook so she could see better.

Kerica marveled at the drawing, how well formed it was just from a few glances she'd see him take as she walked his way on the path, and he was still working on clothing details and the feathers on the ducks, "Jesus, Rogers, that is /wonderful/. Do you have an eidetic memory? I would have to have a still model or picture to do anything roughly that gorgeous."

"Something like that." Steve laughed, as he rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks growing pinker. "I do have a strong memory and I can recall it whenever I need to."

"I'm not complimenting you just to compliment you, by the way. I might be a bit jealous but I really like how you drew that," Kerica promised, fidgeting with the pencil box, "You and Bucky are attached at the hip, aren't you? So do you like to draw him at all?"

"I draw him sometimes when I think it'll annoy him or when I'm..." /Busy remembering that he fell and I need a reminder he's here./ Steve shrugged. "I might draw him again and give the picture to Teresa, just to embarrass him and as a thank you for being the first dame Bucky actually gushed over. I don't know yet."

"Wait, Buck's /gushing/ over Teresa?" Kerica perked, "He must've been a tomcat, then, if you're so happy he found one to stick with. I am going to /have/ to call Teresa when I get home and have her spill the beans. This is fantastic." She clapped her hands together once in excitement. She looked at the pond and sighed a little bit, "I guess...um...I've been bothering you long enough. If you want to get with Riichi for that training or contacts for other trainers just call the number I gave you, he does live with us. I'm not upset you didn't call, honestly. I don't like talking on the phone so he's the one who picks up anyway. I am glad I ran into you."

"I'm glad I ran into you too." Steve took a breath and let it out. "Do you like the movies by chance?"

Kerica looked at him in surprise, "Um...yeah, I do, as long as it's not black and white. They bother me on a level I can't explain. I want to just take each scene and slap paint on it. I have a collection of coloring books as well for that reason. I just don't like black and white or greyscale," she shook her head, "I rambled again! Please, Steve, feel free to stop me if I do that. /Yes/, I like movies. I prefer the action and adventure ones, but what about you? Would those bother you at all?" She didn't want him to be uncomfortable because of the war and flashbacks.

"I think I'll be alright with action adventure." Steve laughed. "So no taking you out to the classics. Got it. When are you free? I can pick you up and we can walk to the theater."

"I'm...free anytime, really. I have a pretty boring life. I'm sure being associated with you and Bucky will change that, though," Kerica smiled shyly, standing and placing the box back on the bench, "If you prefer specifics, I'd rather go on a Monday or any day that's not Friday and Saturday. Crowds. I'm a night-owl, too, so a late-night movie is extra nice."

"Monday then..." Steve smiled. "Extra late. I'll call you when I find the show times for a few of the action adventures and we can pick one that's the latest." Bucky was going to flip and probably adore Kerica for the longest time, for however long this go went. He hoped it was for at least longer than a week.

"Sounds wonderful, Steve. I'll see you then," Kerica blushed and gave him a little wave before heading off along the park pathway again, a bounce in her step and a grin plastered to her face.

~*~

Steve was not sure what to think about the keychains that were in the palm of his hand. They had his shield on them, and then on the back of it, was a bird like symbol that obviously was supposed to be something that had to do with S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew Bucky would get a kick out of it, but seriously? He looked at the letter again.

It was awfully generous of him to do this, and yet for some reason Steve still felt like he was being pranked somehow. The only way to know, was to go down to the Industry and see what it was about. But first, he walked over to the phone and rang up Bucky, hoping that he was there.

To his surprise, someone else answered.

"Hello?"

"Ally?" Steve questioned. It was so weird to hear her voice be so much older than it was when he left.

"Steve!" Allison squealed at the end of the phone. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm holding on." Steve smiled into the phone as he looked at the dangling keymchains in his hand. "How about you? I feel bad. I keep ringing up Bucky, and I feel like I'm neglecting you and Becks."

"Becca doesn't care," Allison huffed dismissively. "She's too busy getting wooed." Uh oh. Bucky was certainly going to have words about that.

"I'll keep the secret." Steve promised.

"As for me, well..." He could hear a thump at the end of the phone and he could guess that Allison was leaning against the wall, if not sliding down to sit on the floor. "You're home. It takes a lot out of anyone."

"We should do something." Steve said after a moment. "You, me and if Becks isn't too busy with her new beau, her too. Just us three."

"You don't have to worry about me," Allison laughed. "I can hold on my own."

"I still miss you."

Aw man. Allison was starting to sniff on the other end of the line. "Jesus Stevie. Why do you gotta make me cry?"

"It's not my fault you're easy to turn on the waterworks." Steve retorted. "It's true anyway."

"I miss you too." Allison whimpered. He could hear her take a steadying breath. "We should do that. I'd like that."

"You tell me what you want to do, and I'll plan a day around it." Steve promised. "In the meantime, I hate to-"

"Bucky's near by." She laughed a little. "Normally I'd have to wrestle the phone outta his grip."

Steve didn't have the hear to tell her that the reason why he was probably being polite is because he didn't want to hurt her with his metal hand. He listened for a bit and smiled a little. "Allison's still easy to make cry as ever sadly. She isn't sobbing though, is she?" He asked when Bucky finally came on the line.

"No...though she just walked away, so it's up in the air now," Buck sighed deeply and he settled against the wall where his sister had been, "What are you callin' for? Anything interesting happen today?"

(he does run long before post arrives and NY is huge so it's not beyond reasoning post would get there later. It doesn't get here for us until 3 for example)

"Um...yeah." Steve looked down at the letter that was in his hand. "Did Stark by chance send you a letter? I mean, I wouldn't doubt it'd come later if you haven't, but...uh...apparently we have an invite to go to the Stark Industry as well as keychains."

(I was also talking about meeting Kerica I should have made that clear gomen)

"No, I didn't get a letter, but maybe he didn't have a lot to say so he just sent it to you. He is a busy man, after all." He paused and looked at the time. "Want to come over and we can head there together? We can take the bus. It should be at the stop in half an hour, unless the routes changed while we were away. I doubt it, they've been the same all our lives."

"If it's something you wanna do. He sounded pretty urgent." Steve looked at the letter again before taking a breath in and out, thumping his head against the wall. "Does it still feel surreal to be home? I saw Kerica just today at the park...and when I got home, I could've sworn I heard mom asking me if I was alright." He laughed a little. "She likes photography."

"Is that so?! Photography, really?" Buck chirped. It would take twenty minutes to meet with Steve and get to the bus stop so he could chat a little longer, "Yeah, I know what you mean, though...I'm sorry that you have to go back to an empty house. That apartment sounds more pleasing by the day, doesn't it?" He hummed, "Did you like, never call her or something? You were giddy about getting a dame's number, after all."

"I...." Steve didn't want to burden Bucky with this. Not with this. "Yeah." The lie was stuck to his throat, but he couldn't tell Bucky that he was pretty sure that he wasn't sure half of the time if he was home or in the war or both. He wasn't sure, sometimes, if any of these phone calls were really happening or if it was just his figment of his imagination. "Something like that. She's amazing...she understood. I felt bad...so I decided to do better." And he would. He was determined to at least make his life a little better, even if it was a dream and he was off somewhere getting bombed or diving a plane into the arctic. "Anyway," he coughed, trying to get back on track. "I was thinking of maybe...we should ask Stark if he knows an apartment building, or his assistant if she knows an apartment building that won't be too far away from Teresa."

"That sounds like a great idea!" Buck agreed, and wondered just how Steve was going to do better. Whatever it was, he deserved to finally have a lady on his arm, "I'll see you in a few minutes, pal, and we can talk more about it!" He turned towards the receiver and at Steve's 'yeah sure' he hung up. "Ali! Gimme a hug! I'll be back before dinner," he promised as he found his little sister, squeezing her just tight enough and kissed her forehead.