The Roommate

Birthday Dinner

"Am I too dressed up? I feel like I should have gone without the jacket," Steve pulled at his v neck sweater as you all walked towards the front door.

"You can take the jacket off inside. I like it and everyone else will as well," you prepared yourself for the onslaught of indirect flirting that the females were going to make, especially towards Bucky. You knocked on the front door and held Steve's hand. He was sweating everywhere and kept squirming.

"Calm down, all you have to do is keep up conversation. Just ask and answer questions and you'll be fine. If that doesn't work just say you have to fine me or Y/N. Alright?" Bucky comforted his friend by squeezing his shoulder.

"It doesn't help that her family already loves you," Steve commented quickly before the door opened.

It was your mother, first in a sour mood, shouting at people about where everything is but once she saw you (or Bucky) she planted a gleaming smile on her face, "hey!" She kissed everyone's cheek.

"Hi, Happy Birthday," you wished her.

"Happy Birthday!" Steve smiled like a 6 year old taking his school photo-all teeth, no eyes. Your mother politely thanked you two then shooed you off, focusing her attention on Bucky. You didn't blame her, he looked really good in his burgundy polo  and he smelt even better.

"Happy Birthday," his prize winning smile was shoved into your mothers shoulder as she hugged him. She must have been squeezing tightly because Bucky's eyes widened as well as his smile. He couldn't deny that being liked by the family made him feel so warm inside.

"Thank you, love," she smiled, "why don't you help me in the kitchen? I could use your height,"  Steve smiled at the statement, remembering times when you needed him to help out around the apartment. Steve was used to Bucky getting all the attention but he didn't mind, as long as he had you he didn't care.

You took Steve's hand, not worrying about Bucky, and dragged him to the living room where aunties and uncles, "wow, it's like Christmas in here,"

"Christmas is worse I'll tell you that. So many people, so much food. I'll introduce you around," you explained and then proceeded. Everyone was really...impressed. Impressed and surprised would be the general reaction to Steve. You were even impressed and surprise about how calm he was.

"You're huge, man! How much do you lift?" Your younger male cousin punched Steve's arm. Rogers laughed, he was having a good time and really enjoyed being talked to and welcomed.

"I...lost count. And yes I'm saying that to be cool," he joked. You loved your time here, everyone was getting along and laughing. It was great. Steve liked having you close, whether it was resting his hand on your leg while you sat or touching your lower as you stood, he loved it.

"Dinner! Everyone!" The matriarch called out. You all ate outside, gathered around two tables pushed together. To your luck, you sat between Buck and Steve. Bucky was actually a little overwhelmed by how much your mother and some other relatives were talking.

"So how did you two meet?" One of your aunties asked.

"Met through mutual friends, became roommates and then it just...turned into this," you held Steve's hand on the table and hooked your ankle around Bucky's under the table. A gesture he really appreciated.

"And James is it?" She asked, Bucky could feel another foot touch his and panicked. He quickly retracted both feet under his chair so no one touched them.

"Yes," he gave his attention to her while gently squeezing your thigh.

"You're a friend of Y/N's?"