1 | Almost Happy ▷ Sam Wilson | ✓

7 - PLEASANT SURPRISE

IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE NICKY JUMPED ON THE COUCH. A usually excitable man, his most common first impression given to people was him in his generally happy disposition, always smiling, talking fast and often doing things most people his age would raise an eyebrow at, wondering just how childish he really was. He had many habits and little quirks, most of which would disappear when he grew serious, something that had become a staple over the past few months, but they were now back with a vengeance and he couldn't say he was unhappy with their return.

Thus, the bouncing.

"I can't tell if you're happy or not," Peter said, laughing as he flipped in the air, all of them jumping on the couch which Nicky had tricked out to expand into a bed, a feature he had added when Diana began sleeping over more often.

"Oh, I'm terrified," Nicky replied, jumping and moving parallel to the ground, his back hitting the cushions before he was bouncing back up, landing up on his feet, continuing to jump.

"But I can't do anything, so I might as well relax," he groaned, falling back again and staying down, smiling as the others continued to jump, "Rhett, what should be make for dinner?"

"We can get takeout," the man said, pausing just a few inches from the man's head, arms pinwheeling as he tried to balance himself, "That's what we usually do when Steve comes over and we haven't cooked."

The younger man scoffed. "That sounds like a cheap and awful idea, it's fine is it's just Steve, but Sam's coming, c'mon, I think I still have time to cook steak or something."

"Steak?" Diana parroted, perking up, "Can Bugs and I stay over, I wanna have some steak."

Nicky sighed and stood, eyes darting between the two teenagers. "If you help me cook, I'll think about convincing the people in charge to let you stay, okay?"

"Sweet, let's go!" Diana cheered, jumping down from the couch, her socks slipping on the hardwood floor, nearly sending her into the coffee table if not for Peter's arm shooting out and grabbing her shirt, tugging her back.

As the blonde walked towards the kitchen with the man, her socks sliding across the hardwood floor, Nicky reached out and lightly grabbed her arm, whispering softly, "Are you doing okay? I know it sounds bad, but you're a lot more...upbeat than usual."

She just smiled and him before making her way to the fridge, rummaging around for nothing in particular. He sighed and made a mental note to call her later than night to check in, as they hadn't had a proper session since before Christmas.

"You mentioned Sam when you first gave me my wings, I didn't realize you liked him so much," Diana said, pushing herself up onto the counter to watch Nicky get to work, sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with Peter, referencing her short bout with a few weapons that Nicky had reluctantly made for her a few months before that were no longer in any real use.

Nicky hummed, shrugging. "It's...complicated."

"When is not with you?" Diana asked, her smile much more calm, much more genuine, "When Harry first referred me to you, he knew you weren't just a psychologist, but no one really knows what you do."

He snorted, shaking his head. "I don't even know." Because he didn't. That never bothered him before, so it wouldn't bother him now.

º º º

"I like the maroon tie better."

"But it doesn't go with that shirt."

"The tie's too much, try the maroon shirt without the tie."

Nicky groaned and threw down the polka dot shirt in his hands, turning around to give an unimpressed look to the three people sprawled about on his bed, peering into his closet and critiquing all of his life choices.