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

Thirty-Two

Steve considered their haul a success. Enough pictures to fill a whole wall of their day's adventure. Enough apples to make crisp, pies, and fried battered apple rings. Enough pumpkins for everyone to carve a pumpkin of their own and a few to spare.

Now all they had to do was carry it all into the house.

"Steven, I swear to god, if you don't get your stubborn ass away from those pumpkins," Bucky threatened, huffing as he just carried his fifth large pumpkin up to the main floor.

Defiant, Steve argued, "I can carry a god damn pumpkin, James."

Struggling, Steve's arms immediately ached as soon as he lifted the pumpkin. In no way was it the biggest pumpkin. If Steve was being honest with himself, he'd admit that it was one of the smaller ones. Which made it all the more pathetic that he was already starting to break a sweat and breathe erratically.

"You are so fucking stubborn," Bucky complained, taking the pumpkin from Steve. Shaking his head, Bucky started carrying the pumpkin upstairs to the main level, "You're trying to kill me. I'm positive. You are trying to send me to an early grave all because you don't care about your own health the way you should."

"Why should I care when you care enough for the both of us?" Steve mocked, following his husband.

At the landing, Bucky turned to look at Steve. Giving him A Look that made Steve's stomach churn uncomfortably. It was the look that confirmed he was completely outraged, but to the point where he was calm. Typically, it usually came out whenever Steve talked poorly about himself or refused to take care of his health. A Look that hid just how hurt and scared Bucky was.

The first time that he had seen that look was back when Steve suggested they break up because he was being stalked and didn't want Bucky mixed up in that.

When Jonas, Vis, and Luke headed for the stairs, Bucky moved out of the way. Steve tried to follow the teens back to the lower level, but Bucky grabbed onto his elbow, pulling him away from the staircase. Entering the living room where they had moved the furniture to the side, Bucky set the pumpkin down on the large blue tarp they placed on the hardwood floor.

"That's Katie's pumpkin!" Ethan joked.

"Is that so?" Katie feigned offense, pulling the six year old in and tickling him. "And why's that?! Huh?!"

"Because the tallest gets the smallest," Sophia giggled, sitting next to Holly who was beating her hands against one of the bigger pumpkins.

Wiping the dirt off his hands, Bucky gave Steve another look. This one, Steve knew better. It was the one that screamed, "we're going to talk whether you want to or not."

Steve hated that look almost as much as the kids did.

Nevertheless, Steve followed Bucky downstairs to their bedroom. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Steve started, "I already know what you're going to say."

"Then, why do you insist on putting your health at risk? It's ridiculous! We're supposed to be a team, and if you don't care about yourself, what do you think our kids are going to do? Huh? Why should they bother caring about themselves when their father doesn't care about himself?"

"Don't," Steve crossed his arms. "You know that I don't talk like that around them."

"It doesn't matter if you don't talk like that around them! You're actions speak loud enough for everyone!"

Steve rolled his eyes, "For fuck's sake, Bucky, you know that I don't act like that around them! I mean, Christ, how many parenting books did we read? I know that how they see themselves is based on the examples that we set. But I should be able to carry a fucking pumpkin! Don't baby me!"