Devotion

C16: Birthday

"Ehhhh... Just flip you stupid...gahhhh...."

Was the first thing I heard when I woke up in the morning. I lifted my head off the couch cushion and turned to look into the kitchen, where Steve was helplessly trying to maneuver a pan above the stove. I shook my self out of my sleep and into reality, where Steve was actually trying to cook.

"Woah woah Stevie what are you doing?" I yawned.

"Well I was making you pancakes... But...."

I got up and stumbled into the kitchen where the sun was shining in through windows by the table.

"You're doing what?"

"Making you breakfast." He smiled back at me.

I slid behind him and grabbed the pan with my hand over his. I blinked my eyes open and grabbed a spatula from the drawer nearby.

"You're gonna burn it Steve."

"Well... I've only watched you cook once."

He tilted his head back and looked up at me from behind him, smiling. I laughed at him and grabbed a plate with my free hand, sliding the pancake off the pan and onto the plate, with his arm moving under mine.

"I tried." He sighed.

"I'm sure you did great." I leaned down to whisper in his ear.

"I wanted to make you birthday breakfast."

I walked over to the table and sat down next to the window.

"Well let's see how you did."

I picked up a fork and stuck a piece in my mouth. It was definitely over cooked to the max.

"Burnt isn't it?"

"Yes. Yes it is." I coughed.

"Oops."

"Don't worry about it." I laughed.

"So when do you want to head downtown?" He asked.

"Well we can go right now if you want."

"Okay! Okay let's go then!"

"What are you so giddy for?"

He looked at me with his squinting eyes.

"Bucky I haven't been out of the house in like three weeks."

I thought about everything that has happened to him... From his mom leaving and getting sick... He's been through a lot.

"I guess you haven't." I whispered.

He was pacing around the room as I put what was left of the pancake on the counter.

"Let me change my shirt first."

"Hurry up Buck."

"Alright, alright. Man you'd think it's your birthday."

He sighed as I grabbed a white shirt from out of a bag I've had here for the last month. I pulled my gray one over my head and slipped it on instead.

"Are you ready now?" He pried from the hallway.

"Yeah yeah come on."