Lark

Friends

Steve's POV

Laughing at the images he was imagining of Sam's face thinking that she was gonna kill him and of Aria hanging upside down as Buck carried her away. Steve glanced down at her and was surprised to see her actually smiling up at him. His heart stuttered at the pure openness on her face towards him. Steve picked up another taco and bit into it looking across the table at Buck. His best friend had a very self satisfied smirk on his face as if to say I told you so. He raised a brow and went back to eating. Maybe Bucky was right, it was time to try and move past everything and start fresh. He would let Aria take the lead this time though. He didn't want to step the wrong way with her again.

"So how much do you wanna bet Sam ghosts for a few days?" She asks them both, taking a bite of her rice with a smirk. Laughing a little when she remembers the look on his face earlier. Minus him scaring her, she was learning that he was only annoying to those he liked. Meaning that he liked her and so he felt comfortable enough to mess with her. It was a stupid thing to do and could have gotten him hurt or killed, but it made her feel good to know that all of her hard work was starting to pay off. Bucky, who was in the middle of shoving a whole taco in his face, grins over at her in agreement. "Barnes, that's disgusting. Didn't your mother teach you how to properly eat?" She says, making a grossed out face at him.

"She did indeed. I know, I was there." Steve gave his friend a mock disappointed expression while he just rolled his eyes back at him.

"If my mother had ever eaten one of these tacos, she would've allowed it. They are the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my life." Buck punctuates his statement by shoving yet another taco in his mouth. Stacking up his empty plates he chugs the last of his sodas and pats his flat stomach in satisfaction.

Aria just shakes her head at him as she sips on her horchata and takes an over exaggerated dainty bite. "Us civilized people. Those of us who don't feel like choking, eat at a normal pace so we can savor the flavor." She points at herself and places her other hand on Steve's arm.

Unintentionally tensing said forearm that she was touching in excitement, Steve eagerly nods his head in agreement. Laughing, the other man leans forward as he wipes his mouth with a napkin pleased that his friends seemed to be warming up to each other. "Yeah, yeah. I'm an animal, I get it."

Aria and Steve snort at the same time. Looking at each other for a moment before they burst into laughter. She takes her hand back and goes back to eating her food normally. Steve looks over at Bucky who still had a pleased smile on his face. A few minutes later Buck pulls out his cell phone and frowns at it. "Sorry to have to cut this short, but I gotta go. Steve, are you good to take Ari home?"

Glancing over at her to see that she was just as confused and a little panicked as he was, Steve nods. "Uh, sure. Everything okay?" He asks in case he needs him, but Bucky waves him off.

"Oh, yeah, it’s all good. Nothing to write home about. Just needed elsewhere. I'll see you guys later." With that he hops up, taking his trash with him and practically sprints out of the restaurant with a smile over his shoulder.

"Okayy… Is it just me or was Bucket acting weird?" She asks, setting down her plastic fork shifting to look over at him.

Steve nods in confusion, eyes still in the direction Buck had gone when the nickname she called him sinks in. "Bucket?" He chokes back a laugh looking back at her.

She grins, wiggling her eyebrows in a joking manner as she sips on her drink. "Hilarious right? He says he hates it, but he secretly loves it."

Laughing, he stands up to move to the other side of the booth to sit across from her. This way he could see her better and give her some space. Although he notices that she frowns when he does but doesn't say anything. "Definitely. Is that something only you can call him or is it up for everyone?"