OOM: Bucky. Christmas, 1940

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve gets home before Bucky does on Christmas Eve, and has just a few minutes to stash the little shopping bag away where Bucky won't find it. He wants Bucky to have a good Christmas this year, even if they have no tree and no cake--but Steve has beans soaking for a good stew, and there's a few potatoes and a little ham to augment it, and there are treats that Santa will bring.

They've had worse Christmases.

Now the question is, how to get these things arranged so that Bucky will actually be surprised Christmas morning?

Steve has never been too good at stealth, nor at inventing ways to get Bucky out of the house or asleep early.

He's checking on the beans when he hears Bucky's step on the landing.

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve checks his hair nervously -- pretty girls make him so self-conscious -- and smiles at the girls as he follows Bucky up the stairs.

As he thought it would be, the church is standing-room-only by this time. He finds some space away from the door, and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets and his chin into his collar.

[nerves_of_ice]

The girls smile back, and start whispering to each other behind their hands as they watch Bucky and Steve go into the church.

Amused, Bucky gives them one last flirting look over his shoulder, and then moves to take up a spot beside Steve, on his left-hand side.

"Crowded," he observes.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"This is the only night a lot of people come to church," Steve murmurs in reply.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Guess I can't argue with that."

He scans the room, looking for any other space.

"This spot okay with you?"

There's not much of a draft from the door, especially with as many people as are around them, but he'd gotten in the habit of keeping an eye on things like that years ago.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yeah, I think so. May have to move if it gets smokey, though."

[nerves_of_ice]

"You let me know, if it does."

A ripple moves through the crowd, working its way from the front of the church to the back, as people hurry to find the last seats and shush their neighbors.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve stands up a little straighter. Standing for long periods isn't easy for him, given the problems with his spine, but he's willing to do it for special occasions.

[nerves_of_ice]

There's something comfortable about the warmth of the people around them, the murmur of prayers and responses, the Christmas carols that float through the air.

Bucky muses on all of it a bit, glancing around them, and then mentally shrugs and settles in to try to pay attention to the rest of the holiday service.

(All throughout, however, he's careful to keep one eye on Steve... just in case.)

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

After half an hour or so, Steve starts to sway on his feet, and he wraps a hand around Bucky's elbow for support.

[nerves_of_ice]

He shifts immediately to help support Steve, and glances back and to the side, at a spot he's been eyeing for a bit.

It's still there, and relatively unoccupied.

"Come on," he whispers, and begins to edge through the crowd toward the wall. Steve can lean against it, and Bucky can stand between him and the door to block the draft that's the likely reason that the space is available.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve follows him, and leans against the empty space of wall. "Thanks," he murmurs.

[nerves_of_ice]

"No problem," he murmurs back, and makes sure his body is between Steve and the cold air from outside.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve manages to whisper the responses, but he doesn't try to sing.

He whispers to Bucky, "Do you want to have Communion? I'm not tonight."

[nerves_of_ice]

He shakes his head.

"Nah. I'm good."

After all, this is more church than he usually bothers with.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Then let's go when they start lining up."

The simple fact is, he's tired. He's working full time during the break from school, which is more than he's accustomed to, and he's been awake since long before dawn.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Okay."

It's not all that much longer to that point in the service. As the crowd starts pressing forward, Bucky eases back, making a space for Steve to follow him.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve follows, hanging onto the back of Bucky's jacket. It makes him feel a bit like a baby duck, but it gets the job done.

He takes a deep (careful!) breath when they're outside.

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky slants a quick grin at him.

"Yeah, it was a bit stuffy in there, wasn't it?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"A bit," Steve says. "The heat should be helpful, but it just isn't when it's that close."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Got plenty of fresh air now, though."

He steps close and slings his arm around Steve's shoulders with easy camaraderie.

"C'mon. Let's head back before we freeze."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve nods and doesn't pull too far out of Bucky's warmth as they walk back to their apartment.



All of this does not solve the problem of how to get Christmas ready without Bucky noticing.

[nerves_of_ice]

He pulls the key out as they approach the door.

"Been a long day," he observes.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yup," Steve says and buries his hands in his coat pockets as he waits for Bucky to unlock the door. "Gonna head for bed soon?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"Mmm. In a bit," Bucky replies, casually. He opens the door and puts the key away again as he walks in.

"You?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"In a bit."

Slowly, he hangs up his coat and scarf, and puts away his boots and mittens.