[Is it just me, or are these two just adorable together? I added some hints of shipping to this, but not much, you can do whatever you want with it.]
At Marie's laugh, Steve's shoulder's drooped in relief. He really had been trying to follow all the instructions he'd been given beforehand by the other volunteers; but it had already been hectic with preparations when he'd arrived, and he'd never done any volunteering with the elderly before. He'd just figured this would be less emotionally taxing than going to visit the VA or hospital, seeing the blank stares of soldiers that uncomfortably matched what he saw in the mirror most days, and that wasn't a reminder he needed just a few days before his birthday.
He wasn't sure what he'd been thinking when he'd signed up for a senior citizens' event, though. Apparently it was either be reminded of his past as a soldier, or be reminded of the fact that he was, technically speaking, more suited to being a guest at this type of party than a young volunteer. He thought of the ID card Fury had handed him when he'd moved out of the SHIELD compound, with his height, weight, and coloring all listed correctly, but his birth year listed as 1988, instead of 1918. He'd stared at the card for so long, Fury had made sure they hadn't spelled his name wrong or something. Of course he understood why they'd had to change his date of birth... But it had hurt, in a visceral, aching way that he couldn't explain. Just one more thing taken from him by the ice, no more important than anything else, but it had been a part of him literally his entire life. And now it was just one more thing to lie about and hide.
Making his way over to the sink in the kitchen, Steve poured out the punch and sighed. No use moping over it now; just had to carry on and make the most of it. He thought about Marie giggling at him earlier, and how sweet she'd been, and easy to talk to, and how she hadn't shut him down after his first bumbling attempts at conversation - but then shook his head. He was still learning his way around the world again, a relationship with anyone probably wouldn't work, even if he'd known how to be in one in the first place. Still, she was very nice, and sweet, and he was glad he'd gotten to meet her, and hoped they stayed in touch.
You fall fast and you fall hard, Rogers, always have and always will, an inner voice said, sounding so like Bucky he almost expected to look up and see his best friend standing at his elbow as he poured more punch.
Too bad he couldn't get drunk; some of that sherry added to his own glass sounded really good right about now.
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At Marie's laugh, Steve's shoulder's drooped in relief. He really had been trying to follow all the instructions he'd been given beforehand by the other volunteers; but it had already been hectic with preparations when he'd arrived, and he'd never done any volunteering with the elderly before. He'd just figured this would be less emotionally taxing than going to visit the VA or hospital, seeing the blank stares of soldiers that uncomfortably matched what he saw in the mirror most days, and that wasn't a reminder he needed just a few days before his birthday.
He wasn't sure what he'd been thinking when he'd signed up for a senior citizens' event, though. Apparently it was either be reminded of his past as a soldier, or be reminded of the fact that he was, technically speaking, more suited to being a guest at this type of party than a young volunteer. He thought of the ID card Fury had handed him when he'd moved out of the SHIELD compound, with his height, weight, and coloring all listed correctly, but his birth year listed as 1988, instead of 1918. He'd stared at the card for so long, Fury had made sure they hadn't spelled his name wrong or something. Of course he understood why they'd had to change his date of birth... But it had hurt, in a visceral, aching way that he couldn't explain. Just one more thing taken from him by the ice, no more important than anything else, but it had been a part of him literally his entire life. And now it was just one more thing to lie about and hide.
Making his way over to the sink in the kitchen, Steve poured out the punch and sighed. No use moping over it now; just had to carry on and make the most of it. He thought about Marie giggling at him earlier, and how sweet she'd been, and easy to talk to, and how she hadn't shut him down after his first bumbling attempts at conversation - but then shook his head. He was still learning his way around the world again, a relationship with anyone probably wouldn't work, even if he'd known how to be in one in the first place. Still, she was very nice, and sweet, and he was glad he'd gotten to meet her, and hoped they stayed in touch.
You fall fast and you fall hard, Rogers, always have and always will, an inner voice said, sounding so like Bucky he almost expected to look up and see his best friend standing at his elbow as he poured more punch.
Too bad he couldn't get drunk; some of that sherry added to his own glass sounded really good right about now.