As We Grow: Green Series 2 (Pre-Serum Omega!Steve and Alpha!Bucky Domestic AU)

Fourteen

The following week, Steve still felt like he was floating on cloud nine. Of course, there wasn't many reasons for why he wouldn't be. After all, he was engaged to one of the best alphas he had ever met, who was very easy on the eyes. More than that, he knew that his future in-laws accepted him whole-heartedly as one of their own and had accepted him from the first moment they met.

Waking up, Steve was surprised to find he had gotten a full seven hours of sleep. Finding it bittersweet, Steve rolled over in hopes of getting some cuddles. Only, Bucky wasn't in bed. Lifting his head, he looked around the room. Some sunlight was coming in through the crack in the curtains and the bathroom door was open, and Bucky wasn't in there.

Brows furrowed, Steve climbed out of bed and got around for his day. Once his morning routine was done, he pulled on his robe and exited the master bedroom. Making his way down the hallway, he straightened the pictures hanging on the wall before continuing. Only pausing once more, outside the nursery until he realized that Oliver wasn't in there either.

From the living room, Steve could hear a familiar song. Well, a familiar tune with different words not sung by the original singer. Instead of the words that Steve was used to, a man was singing about Hanukkah.

Finding Oliver in his swing with his Squirt blanky. Wide awake and happily chewing on the plush turtle on top while his eyes remained fixed on the side of the room. Curious to what held his undivided attention, Steve took a quiet step further into the room.

Pressing his lips together, Steve attempted to hold back his laughter as he found Bucky dancing around and singing along like the dork he was. But more than that, the alpha was stringing blue lights on the bookcases. Strung across the fireplace mantel were blue and white pom poms. On top of the mantel were decorative silver and blue boxes that were lit up from the inside.

What really got Steve's attention though was the silver T-Rex menorah. Brows furrowing and smile widening, Steve asked, "What's going on here?"

"Hi, doll!" Bucky grinned, pausing his decorating to kiss Steve. When he pulled back, he worried, "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"You didn't," Steve assured. Gesturing towards Bucky's gray, Challah At Yo Boy, t-shirt, Steve asked, "Am I missing something?"

"Oh," Bucky presented the decorations and greeted him again with another kiss, "Happy Hanukkah, honey!"

Eyes widening, Steve's heart momentarily paused, "That's today?"

Nodding his confirmation, Bucky danced his way back to his decorating area while singing along with the song. Chuckling, Steve shook his head and headed for the kitchen. Making sure to make a pit stop at the comfy swing to greet his favorite person, "Hi, handsome! You got your blanky? Yeah?" Glancing away from a grinning Oliver to Bucky, he asked, "Has he eaten yet?"

"He has," Bucky confirmed, continuing to string the lights along each shelf of the built-in bookcase. Then, he turned back to Steve as he quickly explained, "I didn't wanna wake you."

"It's okay," Steve assured. Shrugging, he exaggerated for Oliver, "I'll just pump. No harm, no foul."

"If it makes you feel any better," Bucky started as he finished the with bookcase on the left, "He absolutely detests when I feed him."

"Oh, boo-hoo," Steve lovingly mocked as he grabbed his pumping gear. "You're still his favorite person while I'm just his food supply."

Bucky gave him a pointed look over his shoulder as he started stringing blue lights on the other built-in bookcase, "You know that's not true."

"Yeah, okay," Steve playfully scoffed.

Setting up on the chaise, he made himself comfortable before attaching the pumps to his nipples. Still not liking the way it felt compared to Oliver eating straight from the source, but Steve could admit that it was nice to be able to sleep in. Even if it was only for a half hour.

"So," Bucky prompted.

Steve's brows furrowed, "So...?"

"Did you wanna break out the Christmas stuff?"

That definitely wasn't what Steve had been expecting. Suddenly ashamed, Steve admitted, "I, uh, don't decorate."

Turning around to face Steve fully, Bucky's brows furrowed, "What do you mean?"

"Exactly that," Steve worried his lower lip with his teeth as he repeated, "I don't decorate."

Further confused, Bucky gestured towards the garage and asked, "Then, why do you have two packed tubs of Christmas decorations?"

Averting his gaze to his lap, Steve swallowed down the overwhelming emotion, and confessed, "It's my mom's stuff... Christmas was her favorite holiday."

Leaving the rest of the lights unstrung, Bucky crossed the living room to Steve. Dropping down, so Steve could look at him, Bucky took his hand between both of his. Kissing the back of Steve's hand, he comforted, "I'm not gonna make you do anything you don't want to. But I do want you to know that if you want to decorate, we can."

Giving his hands a tender squeeze, Steve said, "Thank you."

"Of course," Bucky assured, kissing his hand again before stretching up and kissing his mouth. "I love you."

"I love you too," Steve promised, ruffling Bucky's tousled brown hair. Looking over his holiday tee, Steve playfully questioned, "Do I get a snazzy shirt of my own? Ya know, now that I'm a part of the family?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait till you open your Hanukkah present and see," Bucky winked, stretching to his full height.

When the shirt rode up on his torso, revealing his dark happy trail, Steve reached up to stroke his fingers through it since he knew that Bucky was ticklish. Snapping his hand down to stop Steve's touch, Bucky playfully narrowed his eyes at his fiancé. Returning to the bookcase, Bucky turned up the stereo – just slightly – and got back to stringing those blue lights.