Fire and Ice, Sugar and Spice

Chapter Eight-Double Date

Chapter Eight

Double Date

We get back to the compound quickly, all our minds distracted by the possibilities our futures might hold. The guards let us in instantly, with scared looks at all of us. I guess we're just a little intimidating. We stop in the hallway just after the door and I release Ria's hand. Then I release James's after.

"Alright. I'm going to find the rest of the team and tell them what's happened." Steve says and Bucky and I nod.

"I'm going to find King T'Challa to tell him our plans." Victoria adds. "I'll find Steve after."

"Okay. Meet back in our room for lunch?" I ask, needing food.

"Definitely." Victoria replies and she and Steve head the opposite direction of James and me. He stares down at the ground as we walk to the cafeteria near our room. I bump his hip with mine playfully to maybe lighten his mood. He looks up at me and I can see his eyes swirling with unspoken thoughts.

"Look, I know you have a lot to think about and I'm with you no matter what you choose, but can I suggest something?" I ask, but don't pause for him to answer. "What if you just forget about it for the rest of the day? We'll talk about it this evening for as long as you want, but today just focus on your friends, okay? You deserve some fun." I tell him gently and finally get him to smile.

"That sounds great, thank you." He says and keeps walking. I walk by his side, glad that I've managed to lift his spirits. We reach the cafeteria in comfortable silence and begin filling up some containers. I get two, one for me and another for Victoria. Bucky, however, makes four, insisting that Steve needs two helpings. Today's lunch is actually breakfast. Eggs and bacon are what we fill our containers with, and for some reason this makes Bucky really happy. He and I unload all the stuff in my room on the floor in a little square, his things beside mine and Steve's beside Victoria's. It's a strangely comforting display of domesticity. Victoria and Steve show up as soon as we sit down next to each other. Steve doesn't even bother going through Bucky's room, he knows we're usually in here.

"Please join us. Steve, Bucky insisted on getting you two helpings. You're welcome." I tell him and he grins at Bucky. They sit down and Steve affectionately pats Bucky's shoulder.

"You've always gotten me two helpings, haven't you Buck?" Steve teases and gets a grin out of James.

"I had to make sure you ate. Besides, you needed double the helpings to keep your thin as a rail legs from falling out from under you." James teases right back while Victoria and I smile at each other, and the boys.

"Tell me more about that. About the forties, I mean. What did you both do for fun?" I ask, more curious the more I think about it. They look at each other and I see a thousand memories pass between them. Steve grins and shakes his head at me.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to ask old men to tell you stories?" Steve says and Bucky laughs while I look at Steve with disdain.

"You're like twenty-seven, Steve." I point out and Victoria laughs, nodding. He shrugs, giving in immediately to Victoria. "Come on, tell me something!" I encourage them both.

"Well, there were the fairs." James starts.

"And dancing." Steve adds, glancing at Victoria who smiles softly. Bucky laughs.

"Right. You would barely ever dance when we went out. You'd either sulk at a table or slip away to lie on another enlistment form!" Bucky scolds Steve, obviously still holding a slight grudge against Steve. Steve just keeps on smiling like a fool. I bet he's happy to have James be on his ass again.