Leaving The Past Behind ❤️

Getting A Life

Little do you know
All my mistakes are slowly drownin' me
Little do you know
I'm tryin' to make it better piece by piece
Little do you know

-Little Do You Know, Alex & Sierra

Steve stayed mostly in his room when he wasn't out of the house. Poppy looked up from the kitchen counter a few weeks after arriving at his house as Bucky and Sam entered the kitchen. Bucky smiled, "where's Steve?"

Poppy pointed to the backyard as Bucky nodded, following Sam outside.

"Steve." Bucky sat on the chair, facing his friend. "We need to talk to you about something."

Steve shrugged, "go on then."

Bucky sighed, looking from Sam to Steve, "Sam and I have to go. We have a mission, Fury just called."

"Okay." Steve groaned after a minute, "wait, you're leaving me alone with the girl?"

Bucky laughed, "yes. We are. Please be nice to her."

Steve rolled his eyes, "I'm always nice."

Bucky stood up, hitting his friend in the arm, "no you aren't, and you know it. Please Steve."

Steve nodded, "I will. Just go. Don't leave me alone with her for too long."

"Whatever." Bucky sighed as he entered the house, finding Poppy in the study, "hey." He watched her smile as she looked up from her book in the corner of the room.

"Bucky." She grinned as he came and sat next to her.

"Sam and I have a mission and we will be gone for a while."

She shrugged, "how long?"

"I don't really know." He brought his hand up to her cheek, seeing her not flinch away from him, making him smile. He ran his fingers through her hair, "but, we'll be back. Don't be afraid of Steve."

She groaned, "I forgot about him. You can't leave me alone with him."

Bucky nodded as he stood up, "I have to. You're perfectly safe with Steve."

She sighed as she stood up with him, "I know I'm safe with him, but I'm not welcomed."

"Of course you are." Bucky was taken aback as Poppy threw her arms around his torso, hugging him as she buried her face in his chest. He groaned, wrapping his arms around her, "you'll be fine. I promise."

"Okay." She pulled away from him, "don't leave me alone with him for too long."

Bucky laughed, "I think you two being alone will be good for you. Don't let him scare you or walk all over you Poppy. Stand up for yourself."

She nodded as she smiled, "I will. Be safe Bucky."

"I will."

♾♾♾♾

Poppy walked downstairs in the morning, hearing Steve playing the piano softly in the sitting room. She smiled, leaning against the doorframe as she watched him. She waited until he stopped to approach him, "I didn't know you played."

Steve looked up as Poppy approached him, standing a few feet from him, "trying to learn. Part of the getting a life I've been told to do." He sighed, "did I wake you up?"

She shook her head, "no." She motioned to the piano, "may I?"

Steve nodded, moving over on the bench as she sat down next to him. "You play?"

Poppy sighed, looking at the keys as she avoided his gaze, "it was one of the many ways I was to entertain Dreykov when he was bored." She heard Steve sigh beside her as she began to play.

Little do you know
How I'm breakin' while you fall asleep
Little do you know
I'm still haunted by the memories
Little do you know
I'm tryin' to pick myself up piece by piece
Little do you know
I need a little more time
Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside
I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind
I'm ready to forgive you, but forgettin' is a harder fight
Little do you know
I need a little more time

She stopped, leaning back as she looked up to see Steve smiling for the first time, making her smile, "you do smile."

Steve chuckled, blushing as he looked away from her, "what is that song?"

She shrugged as she stood up, "it's called Little Do You Know. It's actually a duet, but I just played the beginning. Thanks for letting me play."

Steve nodded as she started to walk away. He reached out, grabbing her hand as she turned back to him, looking at his hand as he pulled it away, "I'm sorry for Dreykov. What you went through."

She shook her head as she looked at the ground, too embarrassed to look at him, "it's fine. Just trying to move on. I'm sorry about Nat. You weren't the only one that loved her."

Steve sighed, "I know I wasn't. I'm sorry."

She nodded, turning away from him before looking back at him once more, "would you mind if I planted flowers in the front, next to the porch and walkway. And in the back off the patio."

Steve shrugged as he smiled, "flowers are fine Poppy. Whatever you like." He smiled at her grin at his approval. He stood up, "if you want, I can take you to go buy some?"

"Really?!"

Steve chuckled at her excitement, "yeah. Been cooped up in the house for a while. Might be nice to get out for a while?"

Poppy smiled as she nodded, "yes, please. I'll go get dressed. Thank you Steve!"

Steve grunted as she threw her arms around him unexpectedly, making him freeze before reciprocating awkwardly, "sure." He smelled mint and flowers in her hair as he sighed as she pulled away, running upstairs.

♾♾♾♾

"It's a flower." Poppy looked over at Steve as he drove.

"What's a flower?"

"Poppy." She smiled as he nodded, "when Natasha and Yelena took down the Red Room, Nat said we could choose new names and identities if we wanted. Since we were now free. I always loved poppies." She shrugged, "Papov was my family name. And Katerina was my mother's middle name. I didn't want to go by the name Dreykov gave me."

Steve sighed, nodding, "I'm sorry I made fun of it. It's cute." He looked to see her grin as he reached over to squeeze her hand before placing it back on the steering wheel.