Better Together: Green Series 6 (Pre-Serum Omega!Steve x Alpha!Bucky AU)

Thirty-Four

"Now a word from Ms. Violet Barnes."

Watching the eighteen year old cross the stage to the podium, the Barnes family loudly cheered. Being leaps and bounds louder than the other attendees. Probably embarrassing the quiet girl in the process, but Steve couldn't find a reason to stop. They were proud of her and the hard work that she had done. And really, Steve felt like they could be louder. After all, it wasn't every day that one's niece was valedictorian.

"As you can tell, my family is here," Violet started, earning laughter from the other attendees and even more cheers from the Barneses.

"My fellow students, we arrived here four years ago. Those four years ago feel like a lifetime ago and just yesterday all rolled up in one. I can still see what I wore on that first day and how nervous I was to be roaming the halls as an underclassman. Afraid that I'd be tardy or have a mean teacher.

"And I'm sure I'm not the only one."

Steve couldn't help but agree. Still being able to recall the tight skinny jeans and tight Fall Out Boy band tee. He even had one of those studded belts, and thought that he was so cool because of it. Of course, he still thought that his checkered vans were the shit.

"Memories are a funny thing," Violet continued, "Sometimes a smell or a song or even a shirt can take you back. When I hear the opening chords of Golden, I'm back in Heather's car with the windows down, screaming the lyrics at the top of our lungs. If I pull on my favorite cardigan, I'm wrapped up in home. And when I smell popcorn, I'm reminded of here and the football games. Of the camaraderie we all had."

Sniffling, Steve shifted a sleeping Kit in his arms and thought about how big his little guys were getting. Come September, Oliver was going to be in the first grade and Finn was going to be starting preschool. Already, Kit was almost two months old. It was all happening so quickly. And he'd like to ask just how exactly the hell that happened.

"Over those four years, we've all grown. Learned new things about the world and of ourselves. We've become better people. Better adults.

"And while I don't feel like an adult, I understand that that's kinda how every adult feels. My grandparents, parents, uncles, and aunts. None of them feel like they have a handle on life. There's no handbook to help us get through life. No, 'Adulting 101,' we can sign up for in the fall. All we can do is try our best. Whether that's not flipping someone off when they cut us off, or we figure out how to balance a check book. As long as we try and give it our all, we're adulting."

Steve smiled at that. Knowing that she was right. Steve rarely felt like he knew what he was doing. And he was responsible for three other lives besides his own.

"Four years ago, we entered through those doors as children. We leave them now as adults. Here's to the future and here's to us."

Applauding, Steve wiped at his tears. Sniffling, Steve handed a tissue to Bucky so he could wipe his own tears away. Sitting in between them, Oliver and Finn just looked up at them with furrowed brows. The pair probably wondering why their family members were crying when it was supposed to be a celebration. Bucky tried to appease the toddlers by kissing the top of their heads and marking them.

With Violet returning to her seat, another student took his place at the podium. It was then that Kit started crying. Moving him to his shoulder, Steve tried to soothe him, but he knew that his little guy was hungry. And since he didn't want to get any more dirty looks directed at him and his baby, Steve unbuttoned his shirt and moved aside the supporter. Of course, that only directed even more glares.

"I won't claim that I know each and every one of you," the boy said, "Nor will I say that I want to."

"Oh geez," Steve quietly scoffed.

"Guess he wasn't winning any popularity awards," Dum Dum whispered.

As much as Steve didn't want to laugh at the expense of a child, he couldn't help but giggle at his brother-in-law's joke. But he did find comfort as the rest of their family quietly laughed too. Reassured when he wasn't the only one being given dirty looks.

With the next student at the podium, Oliver and Finn started getting restless. All Steve and Bucky could do was keep the boys preoccupied with snacks and stickers. "The only thing a boy needs," Bucky softly teased.

Steve playfully rolled his eyes but didn't argue. As Kit finished, Steve covered himself back up. Sitting Kit on his lap, he covered his hand with the burp cloth and held his front steady as he started burping him. Alternating between rubbing and patting until Kit had belched his way through the first three rows of students.

Settling the one and half month old in his arms once again, Steve stood with the rest of the family when the principal called out, "Violet Bernadette Barnes."

The eighteen year old shook the principal's hand and took the diploma in the other. Grinning that inherited Barnes grin, she posed for the picture just as every other student did. With leftover pregnancy hormones still controlling his tear-flow, Steve couldn't help but cry. Sniffling and cuddling his baby, he wished that time would slow. If only for a moment. Not ready to see his own children up there on stage anytime soon. But he imagined that none of the parents there today were ready either.

"Papa, when I go?" Finn asked with his little brows furrowed.

"Not for a while," Steve sniffled. "Not for a long, long while."

Finn pouted about it for a moment, but Steve could only smile through his tears. Hoping his little guys wouldn't try to grow up too fast on him.