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

Sixteen

By the fifth day of Hanukkah, Steve was feeling more festive than he had in years. But when hadn't that been the case in regard to Bucky? The alpha seemed to hand paint Steve's world into brighter shades, making his life vibrant from purely existing in it.

And with that new cheerful disposition, Steve decided to search through Sarah's Christmas tubs. Not wanting to go full-out the way that she had done while alive, but wanting to cherish her favorite piece this holiday season. Only...

"For fuck's sake," Steve grumbled, not finding it under the garlands, lights, and odd knickknack ornaments.

"I was thinking about heating up some soup, what d'ya say?" Bucky called from somewhere inside the house.

Steve continued his search. Too caught up in it. A shard of fear wiggled its way up his spine because what if it wasn't packed? What if it got lost in the move? What if it was thrown out? What if –

"Doll?"

Calling over his shoulder to the open door, Steve answered, "Out here!"

"What're ya doin' out here?" Bucky asked, pausing in the doorway.

"Looking for –" Cutting himself off in triumph, Steve held the small box up above his head.

Closing the tub, Steve carefully carried the little wooden box into the house, past Bucky. Not stopping until he was standing in front of the mantel decked out with Hanukkah decorations. Only then did Steve pause. Not sure if it would be in poor taste to set up the peg doll nativity scene since neither he nor Bucky were religious.

"Stevie?" Bucky asked, entering the living room.

Worrying his lower lip with his teeth, Steve kept his gaze on the box in his hands, "I know that it's still Hanukkah, but..."

"But?" Bucky prompted, approaching Steve.

Still chewing on his lower lip, Steve glanced up at his fiancé and suggested, "Could we put this up? It was my mom's favorite decoration."

"Of course, we can," Bucky assured, tenderly taking the box into his own hands. Opening the top, he pulled out one of the Wise Men, "These are adorable!"

"They were an, 'I'm sorry for breaking your grandma's nativity scene because I was playing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; hope these are a good replacement because I got splinters from painting them.'"

Bucky redirected his gaze back to Steve's face as he asked, "You painted these?"

Shyly, Steve nodded, but didn't say anything. A part of him was ashamed. Embarrassed. Self-loathing. Art had been his one true love for as long as he could remember. Coloring pictures evolved into drawing pictures. Sarah decorated their small apartment with those crayon and water paint masterpieces, and saved up all that she could to get him fancy pens with a leather-bound sketchbook with thick paper that the pens wouldn't bleed through.

Art had been his life.

And once Sarah got sick, Steve picked up the slack. Both of Sarah's parents were long gone by that time, and no boyfriend had ever lasted longer than a few months. So, it fell on Steve's narrow shoulders to take care of her the way she had taken care of him. And when all she wanted from him was a sketch every now and then, well, how could Steve refuse?

However, once Sarah passed, Steve packed up all those fancy supplies. Sure, he helped preserve other's art for a living, but he hadn't felt that creative spark in years. Mourning that part of him the way he mourned his mother.

Picking up the Mary, Bucky complimented, "These are beautiful, Stevie. You're really talented."

Feeling his cheeks heat, Steve busied himself with setting the nativity up on the mantel as he softly said, "Thank you."

"Of course," Bucky smiled, kissing Steve's temple and rubbing his back. With his lips still pressing against Steve's skin, Bucky offered, "You want me to bring the tubs in, so we can deck the halls and all that jazz?"

Although Steve longed to be surrounded by his mother's things, he shook his head. He just wasn't ready. "Not right now."

"Alright, doll," Bucky hugged him close, reminding Steve that he was the kindest alpha there was. Especially when he didn't try to get Steve to talk about it.

Instead, Steve was allowed to ease and both of them set up the nativity scene in silence. Well, not silence since The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Oliver's constant babble could be heard. Once it was in place, Steve took a step back to look at their handiwork. It worked. It definitely worked. Both of their traditions coming together.

Proud of their interwoven lives, Bucky wrapped his arm around Steve's shoulder and kissed his temple. That intoxicating happy-alpha scent billowing around them and causing Oliver's cooing to grow more enthusiastic, just how it always did.

Fixing his glasses, Steve glanced over to the swing where he found Oliver excitedly kicking in his swing while waving his lovey around. Sighing contently, Steve wrapped his arms around Bucky's waist and rested his head on the brunet's chest. Right over his heart, where the steady beat set the rhythm of his life.

For a moment, the pair just stood there holding one another while wearing their Hanukkah sweaters and watching Oliver's favorite show. Eventually, Oliver started growing frustrated with Steve and Bucky not paying attention to him. When he started to whine and cry in his fussiness and lack of attention, the pair finally pulled apart.

Taking his normal seat on the chaise portion, Steve watched Bucky bend over with his hand on his knees to talk to Oliver. "What's the matter, bub? Hmm? You don't like not being the center of attention?"

Since Bucky was talking to him, Oliver was more of his jovial self. Kicking his legs and waving his blanky with renewed vigor. Even talking back as he happily explained his side of the matter. All the while, Bucky nodded and hummed as he encouraged all the little ba-ba-ba's and ga-ga-ga's and the occasional squeal.

Of course, that meant that Greg came out from the guest room where she liked to sunbathe and yowled a guttural, "Meow," at Bucky. Because she had to remind everyone that she was Bucky's first child.

Removing one hand from his knees, he pet Greg's fluffy body and greeted her, "Hello to you too, loudmouth."

Rubbing against his legs, Greg purred before getting bored and hopping onto the couch where she curled into a ball for another nap. After all, her daily duty was done, now she could peacefully sleep.

Lifting Oliver from the swing, Bucky asked the happy baby, "What d'ya think? Time for tummy time? Tummy time before your afternoon nap?"

Considering Oliver was still happily gibbering away, Bucky took that as his assent and placed the infant on his playmat. Meanwhile, Steve looked over at the large windows at the front of the house and idly imagined what it would look like with the artificial tree – safely packed away in the garage – in front of it. More than that, imagining how they could decorate it with Bucky lifting an older Oliver up so he could put Sarah's precious antique star topper on top.

Redirecting his attention to Oliver and Bucky on the floor, facing each other and playing together, Steve wondered if Bucky thought about that stuff too. Wondered if the alpha thought about Oliver becoming a mini-him just because he loved his daddy so much that he wanted to be just like him. Wondered if Bucky imagined a few more pups to add to their pack.

Smiling down at the locket ring on his left finger, Steve figured they were probably on the same page. Perhaps they always had been.