Stucky: New Beginnings (BOOK 1)

July 4th

July 4th

Steve woke up at noon. He walked out of his room with a yawn to get some coffee.

"Happy birthday!" The others shouted.

"What? Fuck it's July 4th." Steve muttered sitting down and placing his head on the table.

If he could get rid of one day and one day alone, today would be the day. Every year the team made a big deal about his birthday. Like he needed another reminder that he outlived everyone he used to know?

He knew birthdays were supposed to be a celebration but they only filled him with greater amounts of survivors guilt.

"Who's birthday is it?" Bucky asked, walking into the apartment and taking the leash of Stark.

"Steves." Clint answered.

"What?" Bucky asked with a laugh. "Today's not your birthday."

Steve shot him a look telling him to shut up.

"Okay then today is your birthday. Sorry." He said walking over to Wanda.

"How you feeling today? I bought some stuff for you to eat that shouldn't make you want to throw up." Bucky whispered handing her some crackers.

"Haven't thrown up in three days. Hoping for the best. Thanks." Wanda answered.

"That's great. And the baby... is he- or she..."

"The baby is just fine as far as I'm concerned." Wanda whispered back with a laugh.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm being annoying." Bucky said.

"Yeah you are. So stop whispering and talk to all of us." Clint said.

"I'm sorry. So what's with this birthday thing?" Bucky asked taking a seat.

Clint explained to him how when they first met Steve and found out his birthday landed on July 4th he made the perfect Captain America so from that day forward they always made a big deal of steves birthday.

Clint finished explaining and Bucky shot Steve a look of, "what the fuck?"

"Hello? Are you listening, Barnes?" Clint asked.

"Huh? Yeah yeah. Birthday, America, Steve, patriotic, flags, revolution... something like that." Bucky said.

"Do you have my jacket? I left it here a few days ago." Clint asked.

"That was yours?" Bucky asked.

"Uh yeah?"

"The room next to the one next to the bathroom." Bucky said pointing a few doors down.

"Um, Honeybun." Steve said and everyone looked over at him like he was crazy.

"Did you just call me honeybun?" Bucky asked.

"Where did you put Natasha's oh so kind gift?"

"In the... empty... room... fuck. Clint!" Bucky shouted but it was too late as Clint opened the door and a giant stuffed bear fell out.

"What the fuck?" Clint asked turning around.

Bucky glanced over at Steve to see him not knowing what to do either.

'Well fuck me.' Bucky thought before getting up and picking up the bear tossing it back into the room closing and locking the door.

"That's mine." Bucky said.

"Yours?" Everyone asked, equally confused.

"Yes. When I have a nightmare and Steve is on a mission I'll hug it pretending it's Steve. Now do you want to talk more about my sad, pathetic, ptsd filled life or ignore it and get back to whatever Tony wants to say now?"