Hello Sergeant (Bucky Barnes)

Coffee

James' POV

A loud noise from the kitchen startled me awake. I sat up quickly, reaching for my gun before I noticed the smell of pancakes, bacon and eggs. The sun was up, but just barely. I could hear someone moving around the kitchen, but it didn't sound like Peggy or Natalia and Jace had went back to Ops already last week.

I got up quietly to see who it was and stopped short. A large blond man was making breakfast, quietly humming a song I knew to himself as he stood in front of the stove. He turned to see who was coming in the room and smiled, moving suddenly and pulling me into a tight hug.

"It's so good to have you back, Bucky," he said in my ear.

"Who are you?" I asked when he let go of me, giving him a confused look. He looked kind of familiar, but I couldn't place him.

"I'm Steve Rogers. Don't you remember me, Bucky?"

I stared at him for a long moment. "I know you."

"Yes, you do." A smile grew on his lips and he put a hand on my shoulder. "You've known me your whole life." His statement resonated with a conviction that made me want to accept that as fact.

"All right, pal. If you say so."

"You really don't remember anything," he said, but it was almost like he was saying it to himself, not me.

I shook my head as I walked past him to the cupboard to get a mug. I really wasn't a morning person, having learned that before at least one cup of coffee I wasn't very civil. This Steve guy must not be a coffee drinker because the pot wasn't even turned on. I kinda knew how to run it, but not really.

I'd watched Peggy make it enough that I thought I could figure it out, so I pulled out the coffee grounds and a filter and put them in the machine like I'd seen her do. I used my mug to fill the water container and flipped the switch.

I got a glass out of the cupboard and opened the fridge, finding the carton of orange juice to poured myself a glass before going to sit at the table. I looked over to to see him - Steve - staring at me, an apologetic expression on his face.

"Sorry, Bucky," said Steve, turning back to the stove. "I forgot about the coffee. I usually don't have any here, just at Shield."

"It's fine. Not sure how it'll turn out since I've never actually made it myself, but I've watched Peggy do it, though, and it didn't look too hard." I attempted a smile, but was pretty sure it didn't quite make it there.

"Her name is Sarah, Buck. So you're still not a morning person?" he asked with a glance at me. I just looked at him. "Nope, guess not," Steve said with a grin, answering his own question. "Some days the smell of coffee was the only way I could get you up and moving for the day when you'd been out chasing skirts the night before."

The coffee was finally brewing and I poured myself a full mug, putting the carafe back to finish filling. I blew on it for a bit before taking a sip. It was pretty strong, but still drinkable. I must have used too much coffee for this size pot. I sat at the table, slowly sipping my coffee until a plate suddenly appeared in front of me, full of pancakes and eggs, a couple strips of bacon on the side.

"Thanks," I said in surprise. I tipped myself back in my chair to grab two forks from the silverware drawer, offering one to Steve. "Do you know where the syrup is?"

"I think Sarah keeps it in the fridge," Steve replied as he set down his own plate, taking the fork.

I went to the fridge and opened the door, reading labels on bottles until I found it. I shut the fridge and brought it back to the table. I doused my pancakes and eggs and sat the bottle on the table. I tucked in, emptying my plate before Steve was half done.