Since the return of those dusted, people have been trying to get back to normal. But it's not as easy as they think.
Between therapy sessions, a group of radicals who feel life was better during the Blip and the mission to return the shield to the...
(I left the time unspecified, but it isn't long before the events of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
Bucky watched as Rori pulled out ingredients for her cupcakes.
She paused and looked at her Black Widow stencil and blinked back tears.
"Rori, you okay?" Bucky asked.
"Huh?" she replied. "Yeah, I'm fine."
"Forgive me, doll, but you don't look fine."
"I'm fine. I promise."
"You wanna make Avengers cupcakes? You still enjoy 'em, right?"
She nodded. "Sure. Just maybe not Cap or Widow."
"Can I ask why?"
"I just... It's a reminder I don't want to have thrown in my face more than it is."
He cupped her face. "That's fair, but I think we should try."
She stared at him with a frown. "I don't want to. You know, when you were dusted, I couldn't make yours. It hurt too much."
He let out a sigh and nodded. "What if I told you there was another Widow just like there's another Cap?"
"Another Widow?"
"Mhmm. We could put some white around the hourglass if you'd like to make it a little different."
"What about the shield?"
"Silver instead of white?"
"But the shield is red, white and blue."
"We can make it a little different."
"You're really insistent on this, aren't you?"
He shrugged and smiled. "Can you blame me? I want to bake and decorate cupcakes with my girl."
Rori considered his offer and nodded. "Yeah, I guess that works. I should be okay doing an Iron Man one."
"If you're not, I can do it if you'd like."
"I'll let you know. The recipe is out. Follow it as goes."
"Yes, ma'am."
The two began preparing the cupcakes, which soon became a mess; Bucky's fault. He sprinkled flour on Rori and she frowned. "What are you doing?"
"Having a little fun." He grabbed a small bit of flour and blew it on her.
"Stop it. You're wasting the flour."
"I forgot how serious you get when you bake."
"Apparently so."
When they finished the batter, they put the mix in a cupcake platter and set it in the oven.
As Bucky looked at the woman he adored, a sudden idea came to mind.
The cupcakes eventually finished and Bucky grabbed one and decorated it with a small spatula and a chef's hat for a baker and poked a small hole inside.
Making sure Rori wasn't looking, he slipped something in the hole he'd made and turned the cupcake so it was hidden.
"Are you going to help or keep fiddling with that one?" Rori asked. "What are you doing anyway?"
Bucky smiled. "Nothing much. I'm ready to help. Which do you need me to do?"
"Cap, Widow and Iron Man. I'll do the others."
He got to work on the cupcakes and Rori looked at the one he'd done. "Why's that one over there?"
"It's a surprise."
"You know how I feel about surprises."
"This is a good one."
"Then ask me."
"What?"
"Ask me."
"I was- I- How?"
She laughed. "I saw the ring when I got a mug for my tea this morning."
"Dammit." He grabbed the cupcake and said, "I guess the secret's out. Rori, we met when I needed someone most. Getting to know you and love you has been the best adventure of my life and I never want it to stop." He let out a nervous breath. "Aurora Matei, would you make me the happiest man alive by bringing dawn to my darkness and marry me?"
She nodded with a smile. "Yes, I will."
He took the ring out and washed crumbs off and slipped it on her right finger. The two had previously had a discussion and had agreed the right hand.
Rori studied the ring with a smile. "Oh, it's beautiful."
"It could never compare to you, doll."
"Who knew you could be such a poet?" She cupped his face and kissed him. "I can't wait for this next step."
"Nor can I."
The two went back to preparing cupcakes and while Bucky was focused on decorating on, he felt something swipe his nose. "Rori?"
She laughed and smiled. "What?"
"What'd you do?" He touched his nose to find frosting on it. "Oh it's on." He put frosting on her nose and the two were soon involved in a frosting battle, both determined to be the winner.
The kitchen was soon a disaster and the cupcakes remained abandoned for the time being. But they knew they'd get back to them later.
Rori looked at the man she adored and said, "Thank you for making this easier."
"That's part of my job, Rori. Just like you make it easier for me, I'll always do so for you."
"Let finish before anything gets stale. I just have Hulk and Hawkeye to finish."
"Why don't you finish those and I'll clean up?"
"Okay." She went back to decorating.
As Bucky cleaned, he found himself watching her. She still parted her lips ever so slightly when she focused on something and she had the twinkle in her eye he always loved to see.
And he wouldn't trade such a simply stunning sight for the world.
Rori's ring:
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