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 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.

[nerves_of_ice]

He sheds his own outerwear, then wanders over to his clothes cabinet. Bucky considers it for a second, then considers Steve, an amused expression on his face.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve sits on the edge of his bed, trying not to yawn, when he catches Bucky's look.

"What?"

[nerves_of_ice]

"So which one of us is gonna be more stubborn?"

He's openly grinning now.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Clearly, he does.

[nerves_of_ice]

"Uh-huh." It's obvious Bucky doesn't believe him for an instant. "Ah, well - it's after midnight, anyway.

He opens the cabinet and takes out a small package wrapped in a sheet of newspaper, then walks over to Steve and offers it to him.

"Merry Christmas, you."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Bucky," Steve starts to protest, and then takes the package and says, "I've got yours right here," and hands Bucky a similar slim parcel, wrapped in butcher paper that Steve has decorated with elaborate snowflakes drawn in colored pencil.

"I was gonna put up something festive while you were sleeping."

[nerves_of_ice]

He accepts his gift, admires the artwork on the wrapping, and sits down beside Steve on his bed.

"Impressive," he says. "I got as far as trying to get us a tree - well, a branch, at least - but it fell through."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Ah," says Steve and takes out another item from the drawer where he'd stashed his treasures: it's a strand of cranberries and popcorn. "I thought I'd put it over the stove."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Clever guy. Not that I'm surprised."

He nods at the package Steve's holding.

"Go ahead. You first."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve smiles at him and unwraps the paper...and the gift leaves a look of awe on his face. It's a leather portfolio with a slot for a sketchbook and more to store pencils, and it's beautiful.

"Bucky, how did you--thank you, thank you, it's perfect."

[nerves_of_ice]

He grins in relief and pleasure at Steve's reaction - looks like he's knocked this one for a double, if not out of the park entirely.

"Know a guy who knows a guy," Bucky tells him. "He had some scrap leather and was willing to take a trade for it."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"It's perfect." He spends a moment admiring the stichting and smelling the leather.

"Open yours, open yours."