Those Who Fall: Falling Series 3 (Modern Domestic Stucky AU)

Twenty-Seven

"Representing the junior class," the announcer introduced the next boy/girl couple on the homecoming court. A girl with black hair in a purple halter dress with a tulle bottom that complimented her sun-kissed complexion, "Katherine Bishop. Daughter of Derek and Heather Bishop."

As the crowd applauded, the announcer introduced the boy in the snazzy gray suit who's arm was linked with Katherine's. The bright lights glinted off his shiny dark-black bald head, almost looking like it was sprinkled with glitter, "With Elijah Bradley. Son of Sarah Bradley."

Causally, the pair crossed the field and took their place beside the second sophomore couple. Steve enjoyed looking over each of them. The girls in floor-length gowns. Some more poufy with a hoop skirt. Others in more form-fitting ones. The boys also looked handsome in their suits. One of the sophomore boys stood in their marching band uniform, and Steve couldn't help but smile at that.

Approaching the blue and white balloon arch, Cassie stood in her royal blue marching band uniform minus the tall cylindrical hat with the metallic silver tassel plume. Pausing in the archway so the photographer could take a picture of them, Cassie was panting and her alabaster cheeks were flushed. Steve assumed that she was exhausted from the halftime show and having to rush around to meet up with her homecoming court partner.

Cassie fixed a smile on her face and the announcer started again, "Also representing the junior class, Cassandra Lang. Daughter of Scott Lang and Maggie and Jim Paxton."

"Way to go, peanut!" A man loudly cheered, causing Cassie's grin to grow. Causing Steve's grin to grow, too, as he looked towards the middle of the bleachers where the cheer came from.

"With David Alleyne. Son of Christopher and Dorothy Alleyne," the announcer introduced, regaining Steve's attention to the boy with warm medium reddish-brown skin in a mustard yellow suit jacket.

Jonas let out a low whistle as he commented, "Look at his fade. I need to find out who his barber is."

Steve grinned at that and watched as that couple joined the other couples. All the girls -- barring Cassie -- was in elegant dresses. Most of them floor-length. Some of them satin. Some having tulle skirts.

"They're princesses," Sophia said, in awe.

Steve kissed her baby-chubby, round cheek, and agreed, "It's just like the costumes in the make-believe chest, huh?"

Sophia nodded, agreeing. Then, she shook her head, "Those are prettier!"

Steve gave her another kiss and watched as the other boy/girl couples lined up. One of the senior girls in her long sleeve blue and white cheer uniform. With the senior boys, two out of the five couples were in their dirty, grass-stained blue and white football uniform. But the senior that really caught Steve's eye was the boy with the umber, dark yellow-brown black complexion with the bright white mohawk in the blue satin floor-length gown.

It gained Ethan's, too.

From behind Steve, Ethan exclaimed, "He's wearing a dress!"

Steve turned to look back at the six year old while Jonas confirmed, "Yeah, he is! Isn't that cool?"

Bucky moved closer and assured, "See? You can wear all the dresses you want, bub."

"I want that one!" Ethan exclaimed, almost tumbling out of Jonas's arms in his excitement.

"Easy," Bucky warned, ready to catch their son if he actually did squirm his way out of Jonas's grip. Even with Holly still on his hip. Sweetly, Bucky agreed, "We'll try and find one."

"Okay!" Ethan cheered.

Steve glanced back at him again and gave him a wink, which earned him a smile that crinkled all the way up to his eyes and even moved his thick glasses. Playfully, Jonas ruffled Ethan's white-blond hair and kissed his rosy cheek when the six year old complained. When Steve turned back to watch the ceremony, his heart was full.

Even more so when the senior boy in the dress won homecoming king and bypassed the girl who was crowned queen to dip the boy beside her. Giving the football player a passionate kiss that made the Barneses cheer even louder.

"For Christ's sake, this is supposed to be a family event!"

Steve unwrapped his arms from Sophia's body and turned to look at the person behind them. Narrowing his eyes at the woman. After all, Steve had been dealing with these types of comments since before he even came out. And he didn't want his children to experience such prejudices.

Jonas glared at the woman and Bucky opened his mouth to say something, but Katie beat him to it, "And what exactly makes it not, 'family friendly?'"

"It's just not right," the woman stated. Then, this woman in her, Number One Football Mom, sweatshirt gave Steve and Bucky a pointed look, "It indoctrinates the youth and spreads a perverted agenda."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about," Katie said, stepping onto the aluminum bench seat so she was physically towering over the woman. Even though that definitely wasn't unlikely before, but it got her point across.

A point that the woman obviously didn't approve of as she asked Bucky, "You're going to let your daughter use such foul language?"

"It's a part of the indoctrination," Bucky mocked.

"Ya know, teach them to stand up for themselves and others in the face of adversity," Steve added.

Beside the woman, a man, presumably her husband, tried to get her to mind her business. And while Steve would often be angry by anyone trying to stifle someone else, he had no issue with this particular instance. In fact, Steve hoped that Football Mom would listen to him and mind her own business. They were, after all, trying to have a fun night out supporting their children. This was the last thing any of them should be doing.

Crossing her arms, the woman rolled her eyes before averting her gaze back to the field where the game was getting ready to start again. Steve let out a breath of relief and Katie climbed down from the bench seat, but she didn't go back to the spot she had been in. No, Katie stayed in the spot between Jonas and Bucky while remaining behind Steve. Protecting him. Protecting them.