GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

7

Bucky and Aurora would talk to each other alone in her room sometimes after that day. At first she was still quiet, still hesitant, but she was slowly opening up. Healing. Growing.

It was February, and apparently Thor's birthday. Aurora had asked him how old he was turning, and he had scrunched up his face and tried counting for a while before giving up. Around 1,500 years old, he shrugged. Her jaw had dropped.

She didn't have any money or means of buying a gift, but she and Olivia sat down and drew him a birthday card together.

Thor arrived on Midgard around noon, and they had already set up the decorations for him by then. He strode onto their floor with Asgardian liquor in hand.

"For Steve and his friend!" He exclaimed, presenting the bottle.

Apparently the beer was too strong for normal mortals, but with Steve and Bucky's enhancements, they would be fine. Thor was definitely a party person. He was loud, sociable, and funny. He was telling Aurora stories about him and his younger brother Loki when she laughed.

It was a full laugh, and one that drew the attention of almost everyone who heard it. She looked happy. Content. Joyful.

"So he actually stabbed you? Like with a dagger?" Aurora asked Thor.

"Yes. On many occasions, actually." He admitted.

"That's crazy! And he can turn himself into a snake?!"

"He is very gifted." Thor said proudly.

"When he's not trying to take over the world and enslave humanity." Clint piped in.

"Yes, than you for that, Clint." Thor sighed.

Aurora smiled from her spot on the couch next to Thor and Olivia. Olivia had discovered that Thor was from space and was asking him now questions about being an alien. Aurora worried for a second she would annoy him, but he, along with the rest of the Avengers, seemed to find her inquiries funny.

"Cake time!" Tony announced.

Olivia squealed in excitement and hurried over to the table. Aurora smiled and followed after her. The cake was chocolate, and to Thor's delight, shaped like a pop tart.

"I love pop tarts!" He had boomed loudly in excitement.

"Thank Wanda for knowing how to bake." Tony said.

They gathered around the table and Tony lit the candle on the cake with an elaborate device.

"Can't just use a regular lighter, always gotta be so extra?" Sam said from next to Aurora.

Her shoulders shook as she try to hold in her laughter. Sam noticed and smiled at her. With the candle lit, they began to sing happy birthday, which Olivia had never heard sung so loudly before and decided yelling the lyrics would be the best way to show her enthusiasm. Thor blew out the candle as he was informed was tradition.

"Yay!" Olivia cheered, clapping her hands.

Thor cut the cake into twelve even pieces before someone noticed.

"Uh, that's not usually how you do it." Bruce said.

"But that way everyone gets enough cake!" Thor protested.

"Thor, those slices are huge." Clint said, "Even for me."

"I like it!" Olivia smiled when presented with a slice of cake almost the size of her face.

Aurora laughed and warned her not to eat too much and get sick. Olivia vowed she would never do such a thing and began devouring her slice.

"You know she's going to be crazy hyper, right?" Wanda asked Aurora with a laugh.