Happy birthday, old man

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

[ooc: Backdated to July 4th.]

The weird part about having a birthday on a national holiday is that you can never forget that it's happening. No matter where he was in the States, there were parades and fireworks; even in Europe the Howling Commandos always made a big deal of the twin occasions, even if it meant embarrassing Steve.

Especially if it meant embarrassing Steve.

So the weird part about being on the run in Morocco on the Fourth of July is that it's just another day. Steve wakes up in a quiet, mid-grade hotel, gets breakfast at a side-street cafe, and passes some time writing and drawing and watching the city pass by.

(The drawing is Bucky, T'Challa, Shuri, and Sharon -- cartoon versions of them, like T'Challa with panther ears and Sharon as a slinky vixen -- in front of the panther statue in Wakanda's capital.)

When he gets back to his hotel, ready to siesta out of the heat of the day, the door doesn't open to his room.

Milliways. It always makes him smile.

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

“I’m glad. I mean, I’m glad the two of you found each other, and I’m glad it’s going well.”

[nerves_of_ice]

“She was pretty stubborn about it.”

Bucky gives him a careful look. “I know we talked about this in Wakanda, but you know I wouldn’t have - if I thought you, and she—“

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve shakes his head and waves a hand in dismissal. “She and I were never — the time was never right. And it would have been strange, anyway, to date one of Peggy’s relatives. Like I was looking for a replacement instead of liking Sharon for herself.”

[nerves_of_ice]

He nods, and leaves it at that.

“Anyway, Wakanda’s been good for her, I think.”

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

“I’m glad. It’s a good place.”

[nerves_of_ice]

“It is. And what Shuri and T’Challa have done for me…”

He breaks off there and just shakes his head, unable to find the words.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve reaches over and squeezes Bucky’s shoulder.

“I know. I feel the same.”

[nerves_of_ice]

He covers Steve’s hand with his for a second and smiles at him. “Yeah.”

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve smiles back. He squeezes Bucky's fingers before he removes his hand.

"Have some more cupcakes," he says. "We're celebrating things being ... pretty good."

[nerves_of_ice]

"Nice to have something like that to celebrate," he agrees, and reaches for another cupcake.