Steve nodded along in agreement as Marie spoke, while Bucky just continued to watch her, face unreadable. It always unnerved Steve a little when he saw Bucky with that look; like all of his other expressions were just masks, hiding his real thoughts beneath the surface, and this was what he always felt like. Steve knew that wasn't true, but it always made him a little uneasy, nonetheless.
Probably sensing at least part of that, Bucky's eyes flicked away from Marie to look at him. It took another second, but finally his face softened, and Bucky leaned back a little to recline in the soft armchair. He made a show of propping his elbow on the arm, and resting his chin in his hand, one leg crossing over the other, the supreme picture of comfort and ease.
"Can't guarantee there won't be a few bumps in the road," Bucky said, chin still resting on his palm, "but that's what makes life interesting, anyway. Friends is definitely doable, and we don't really have anybody else, either. Well," he rolled his eyes, shifting a little. "I got a whole passel of overbearing family, but we'll keep 'em off ya if that's what ya want. Ma's perfectly content to dote Steve to death."
Steve leaned a little closer to Marie to stage-whisper in her ear, "She's Italian. She thinks everything can be fixed with a mountain of food."
His words reminded him of what he wanted to discuss with Bucky... which he hadn't wanted to drag Marie into, despite being his soulmate; the whole thing was so new, he didn't want to burden her with that. He especially didn't want to now, with her being hit twice with something so huge in the span of a few hours - but now, she was Bucky's soulmate as well, and Bucky would end up telling her, he was sure.
Clearing his throat, he slid his hand along Marie's shoulders as he withdrew it, drawing into himself slightly and clasping his hands in his lap. "I gotta go back to the hospital for a bit," he told both of them. "The night nurses wanted to talk to me about somethin'."
Bucky's eyes sharpened at that, and Steve saw the moment Bucky caught on that he was lying. "No," he finally said.
"Buck--"
"I don' care, Steve. Whatever it is yer plannin' on doin', don't. Don't do it tonight."
Steve set his jaw and glared at Bucky, but was mortified when his eyes started tearing up.
no subject
Probably sensing at least part of that, Bucky's eyes flicked away from Marie to look at him. It took another second, but finally his face softened, and Bucky leaned back a little to recline in the soft armchair. He made a show of propping his elbow on the arm, and resting his chin in his hand, one leg crossing over the other, the supreme picture of comfort and ease.
"Can't guarantee there won't be a few bumps in the road," Bucky said, chin still resting on his palm, "but that's what makes life interesting, anyway. Friends is definitely doable, and we don't really have anybody else, either. Well," he rolled his eyes, shifting a little. "I got a whole passel of overbearing family, but we'll keep 'em off ya if that's what ya want. Ma's perfectly content to dote Steve to death."
Steve leaned a little closer to Marie to stage-whisper in her ear, "She's Italian. She thinks everything can be fixed with a mountain of food."
His words reminded him of what he wanted to discuss with Bucky... which he hadn't wanted to drag Marie into, despite being his soulmate; the whole thing was so new, he didn't want to burden her with that. He especially didn't want to now, with her being hit twice with something so huge in the span of a few hours - but now, she was Bucky's soulmate as well, and Bucky would end up telling her, he was sure.
Clearing his throat, he slid his hand along Marie's shoulders as he withdrew it, drawing into himself slightly and clasping his hands in his lap. "I gotta go back to the hospital for a bit," he told both of them. "The night nurses wanted to talk to me about somethin'."
Bucky's eyes sharpened at that, and Steve saw the moment Bucky caught on that he was lying. "No," he finally said.
"Buck--"
"I don' care, Steve. Whatever it is yer plannin' on doin', don't. Don't do it tonight."
Steve set his jaw and glared at Bucky, but was mortified when his eyes started tearing up.