Hey there so I'm going to let you know up front that I'm a little long winded. I hope you enjoy the story!
Chapter 1 – Lunch
Bucky fiddles with the napkin as he waits for Steve. He had said that he'd meet him here at noon. Bucky glances at his watch; 12:15. It wasn't like Steve to be late. He looks out the window. Was this even the right place? Yes, Steve had pointed to it specifically.
He opens the menu and glances over it once again. He'd decided what he wanted ten minutes ago. There really wasn't a whole lot of options. 'Where is he?' Bucky wonders. He pulls out his phone and is about to call him when Steve walks in and plops into the seat across from him.
"Sorry I'm late," Steve says as he opens the menu.
Bucky shrugs and sticks his phone back in his pocket.
Steve looks up at him, "You already know what you want?"
"Yup"
After a few minutes, Steve sets down the menu and pulls a plastic bag from the floor. "I stopped to get these," he says as he pulls out two glass bottles of Coke, "and there was a long line. That's why it took me so long to get here." He hands Bucky one after using the bottle opener on his pocket knife to pop the lid off.
Bucky takes it and looks at Steve questioningly, "You know they sell sodas here, right?"
"Yeah but, they aren't as good"
"It all tastes the same to me"
"That's what everyone else tells me," Steve frowns, "I guess I'm just really attached to the glass bottle"
Bucky takes a sip of his before agreeing, "Well, I suppose it does taste a little better this way."
Steve smiles as he cradled the bottle in his hands, "I'm glad that someone understands."
The waiter comes and takes their order and then returns a few moments later with a bucket of peanuts.
Bucky looks around the room, studying people and how they are dressed. When he looks back, Steve is doodling on one of the napkins.
"So," Bucky says, breaking the silence "do you find it all that different?"
Steve looks up at his friend, "What do you mean?"
"Do you miss what it used to be like?"
Steve nods and looks around as if remembering before he answers, "I do, but it's mostly the little things. Like always having Coke in glass bottles" he laughs "I can't stand the plastic ones, honestly. "
"Yeah? "
"You should've been there when I saw them for the first time!" Steve chuckles.
"Why?" Bucky grins, ready for the story.
"Well," Steve began, "it wasn't long after I became an Avenger. We were having dinner together at Stark Tower when Tony said 'hey, Steve, you want a Coke?'
"I was like 'you still have coca cola? Yeah bring me one!' I'm not sure what your first thought was, Buck, but I was not expecting to be handed a metal can. I don't think that Clint has ever seen me a shocked as when he handed me that can. I couldn't bring myself to drink it. I just set it in front of my plate and stared at it for the rest of the meal. I took that can back to my room with me and I set it on the shelf."
Steve pauses and thinks for a moment "When I think about it, I'm pretty sure it's still sitting there.
"About a week later Bruce asked me 'yo, Steve, wanna bottle of coke?' I perked up at that 'did you say 'bottle'?'Banner looked at me like I was crazy 'uh yeah? I mean, how else would you like it?' I sighed 'a bottle is perfect'.
"And do you know what he brought me?! It was a bottle alright but a PLASTIC one! People know nothing anymore. It's rather sad. I put that one on the shelf too, right next to the can.
" After mentioning offhandedly that I hadn't drank coca cola because I just couldn't bring myself to drink it from a can or plastic bottle, Natasha bought me a coke in a glass bottle from a old fashioned diner. We now go there every so often. She also told me that they sell them in most gas stations. They are more expensive" Steve shrugs "but oh well. It's the little things I truly miss Buck."
Bucky laughs and nods "Yeah. You know, I always wondered why you had Coke sitting on your shelf."
The waiter returns with their food and offers to bring Bucky a glass of water, seeing that he'd finished his soda. Bucky nods to him and mumbles "sure" then turns to his food. They pray and then begin to eat.
"What'd you get?" Steve asks as he bites into his hamburger dripping with barbecue sauce and over-loaded with bacon.
Bucky swallows before answering "pickled anchovies and caviar on strawberry toast." He laughs at the disgusted look on Steve's face before saying, "A hamburger and fries. This IS a burger joint, Steve!"
Steve shakes his head and rolls his eyes "Whats on it, Smarty?"
Bucky shrugs, sets down his hamburger and picks up the top bun. "Uhh, looks like mustard, cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup, and meat. What's on yours?"
Steve swallows his bite then answers "meat, Swiss cheese, bacon, lots of bacon, and barbecue sauce."
They eat in silence for several minutes when Tony burst into the restaurant, banging the door and causing everyone to look up except for Steve and Bucky who sigh and hide their faces.
"He always has to make a big entrance" Steve mutters.
"You knew he was coming?"
"I'd no idea"
Tony crosses to their table and sits down, uninvited. "Steve, we need to have a team meeting pronto. Hi Bucky" he says as he grabs one of Steve's fries.
"Can we finish our lunch?" Bucky asks, upset that Tony had interrupted their meal.
Tony leans back, balancing his chair on two legs "Nope. This is important," he says as he steals two more fries.
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