Steve Rogers was left alone in Avengers Tower on his birthday.
Not that it was any fault of his friends'.
No, Steve was in absolutely zero mood to celebrate his birthday this year.
Not with Bucky out there-somewhere. Possibly still under HYDRA's control.
Steve couldn't think about having a good time when his best friend was alive, but not.
He tapped at the keys of his laptop, trying to find something - anything- in the leaked SHIELD files that might help him find Bucky.
But after a few minutes, Steve realized his search was futile. He and Sam and Natasha had combed through the files in the months post-D.C. They'd found nothing.
The ringing of his cell phone broke Steve's focus away from the files on screen.
He answered the phone without looking at the display, "Rogers."
"Hey, hi, it's me. Um, Kit."
Steve couldn't help but grin as his girlfriend's voice came through the speakers.
"Hi. How are you?" he asked, closing the laptop and giving his full attention to Kit.
She sighed, "Good. I kind of miss my boyfriend though."
Steve blew a laugh through his nose, "He must be a lucky guy, to have a gorgeous dame like you missing him."
Kit hummed, "He's got the shoulder to waist ratio of a Dorito and sometimes he talks a little like my grandpa, but I think he's cute. I guess I can keep him around."
Steve laughed, feeling better than he had all day.
"I miss you too, Kit," he said, leaning back in his chair.
"Good," and Steve could hear the smile in Kit's voice, "That means you'll come out to Connecticut and celebrate the fourth with me."
Steve coughed, "I...uh..."
He trailed off. He didn't really want to be around anyone. But, Kit didn't know it was his birthday, so maybe he'd be okay.
"It's a long car ride. And it'll be worse with traffic," he said, after he realized he'd been quiet for a little bit too long.
Kit laughed, "That's why I called at 9 in the morning. Our barbecue doesn't start until 2:30. You have plenty of time to get here."
Steve sighed, "Okay. I'm coming. Send me the address."
Kit let out a soft squeal, "Good! I want to introduce you to everybody."
"Wait? Everybody?" Steve asked nervously, hearing only a dial tone.
"Shit," he muttered to himself, before standing up to get changed.
Steve nervously rubbed a hand through his hair as he pulled into Kit's parents' driveway, dislodging his perfectly combed part.
"What the hell do you have to be nervous about?" He chastised himself, "Kit loves you. You love her. Just go in and get it over with."
Hands shaking, Steve turned off his car and stepped out onto the driveway.
Kit was out of the house a second later, running down the gravel path to throw her arms around his neck and plant a kiss on his lips.
Steve's hands instinctively tightened on her waist and he kissed her back.
"I missed you," Kit sighed, breathless, resting her forehead against Steve's.
"I saw you on Tuesday," Steve laughed, gently setting Kit down on her feet, but keeping his hands resting on her waist.
"And now it's Friday," Kit laughed, "it's been almost three days!"
She twisted her fingers with his, "Come on. I want to introduce you to everyone."
Steve let himself get dragged into the house, taking in his surroundings. And, if he was honest, he was also surveying the area for potential exits in case anything happened.
He hated leaving his shield in the trunk of the car, but he knew there was no way he could carry it around with him.
"Okay, so it's mostly family friends. And they really, hopefully, won't bother you too much about the whole," she waved her hand in the general area of Steve's chest, "thing. I begged my parents to be cool. But, I honestly can't vouch for them."
Steve laughed lightly, keeping a tight grip on Kit's hand, "Parents love me."
Kit rolled her eyes, "Don't get too cocky, Captain."
Steve was deep in the middle of a conversation about the U.S's current military entanglements with a friend of Kit's from high school that was on leave when Kit appeared at his elbow.
"Hey," Steve wound an arm around her waist, "Where'd you go?"
"My mom needed something," Kit explained, "I knew you two would get along."
Chris snorted, "Well, Steve's the only one around here with a good opinion. No offence, Kate, but some of your friends are airheads."
Kit narrowed her eyes, "Didn't stop you from sleeping with half of them."
Steve let out a loud laugh, and Chris scowled, pinching Kit's arm.
"But really, how does a woman who got her Master's in psychology a year and a half early have such dumb friends?" Chris asked, knocking back another beer.
"They're not all dumb," Kit defended halfheartedly.
Steve surveyed the large backyard. Most of the women that were Kit's age were wearing inappropriate clothes and tottering around, semi-drunk. He was so glad that Kit wasn't like that.
"Anyway, Mom and I need Steve's help. See you later," she gave Chris a two-finger salute and dragged Steve away.
"What do you need help with?" Steve asked, swallowing the last of his coke and dropping the red plastic cup into a garbage bin.
"Weeeeellll..." Kit said, "It's kind of my dad that needs help, but he is SO NOT going to admit it."
Steve furrowed his brow, "So what does he need help with?"
"Oh it's just moving some things around. The food, the sparklers, I think he wants to move the grill to the patio," Kit looked up at Steve, "You don't mind, do you?"
Steve shook his head, "Not at all. I guess it's time I met your dad."
Kit chewed on her lip nervously, "I know. Just...he's a little, well, dad-like about this."
Steve raised his eyebrows, "This?"
"Us. He's worried that I'm, we're, moving too fast. He wants to make sure I'm still focused on getting my Ph.D. and everything," Kit's hands tightened imperceptibly on Steve's arm.
"Hey," Steve ducked his head so he could look Kit in the eye, "You know I'm behind you 100% on your education. If you want to slow down, then we can."
Kit leaned up to kiss his cheek, "You're sweet. But I am very happy being Steve Rogers' girlfriend, and I want to keep it that way."
Steve pulled her into a hug, "Well, I'm pretty happy being Kit O'Donnell's boyfriend."
Kit giggled, "Alright, boyfriend, let's go help my dad."
Liam O'Donnell scowled as he watched his daughter laugh with her boyfriend.
"Don, honey, what is wrong with you?" His wife, Blair, rested a hand in between his shoulder blades.
Liam, nicknamed Don by his friends decades ago, turned quickly, "Don't you think they're moving too fast?"
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder and Blair's eyes followed.
"Honey, she's 24 years old. I think Katie knows exactly what she's doing," Blair laughed lightly.
"She's supposed to be in Manhattan to work and to get her Ph.D.!" Don exclaimed, "Not cavort around with a boyfriend!"
Blair hefted a box of sparklers onto her hip, "Katie can get a Ph.D. and have a boyfriend at the same time."
She headed for the patio, throwing her next sentence over her shoulder as the door shut, "After all, he is Captain America!"
Don sighed, a line forming between his eyebrows, "I know."
"Daddy!" Kit burst through the door, Steve trailing behind her, "We're here to help!"
Don forced a smile onto his face, "Thanks, sweetpea."
Steve stood slightly behind Kit, hands clasped behind his back. He tried not to look imposing, but as Natasha had once told him, he looked imposing while petting puppies.
"Hello, sir," Steve stuck out his hand, "We haven't met yet. I'm Steve Rogers."
Don reluctantly shook Steve's hand, gripping harder than necessary, "Good to meet you, Captain."
Steve's ears picked up on some underlying hostility when Don had said "Captain."
What the hell was that about?
Kit's gaze darted between her father and her boyfriend.
Finally, she broke the tense silence, "Dad, what do you want mine and Steve's help with?"
Don pulled his hand from Steve's grip and nodded to the grill in the corner, "Think you can handle that?"
Steve sized up the older model grill. Tony had the latest model in the Tower and Steve had moved that with ease.
"It shouldn't be a problem, sir."
Steve wrapped his hands around the grill and lifted. The grill moved easily, and Steve felt a smug smile spread on his face.
"Kit, babe, the door?" He asked, winking at her as he passed.
Don frowned, but said, "Looks like the news doesn't exaggerate your ability."
Steve's ears went pink at the edges, "I'd actually prefer if the media didn't report on us at all, sir. Sometimes it makes our job harder."
Don scoffed, "Right, your job. And after everything that you did in D.C three months ago, do you still have one? Will you still be able to take care of my daughter?"
Kit opened her mouth to protest, but Steve held up a hand. There was something in Don's tone that he didn't like, and he went on the defense.
"It's okay, Kit. He just wants to make sure you'll be provided for. And to answer that question, yes, sir. I will be able to take care of Kit, if that's what she wants, of course," Steve said, his temper spiking.
Don arched an eyebrow, "How? SHIELD? The government agency that doesn't exist anymore? They're gonna pay your salary?"
Steve clenched his fists, reminding himself that this was his girlfriend's dad. He was only questioning him because he wanted the best for Kit.
"SHIELD is gone, yes. But so is HYRDA. And with them gone, we can start to build a better agency from the ground up. And I have enough saved up from army benefits to hold me until we can do that. Additionally, I've been working with Tony Stark to fix SHIELD, and I'm getting a salary from that. So yes," Steve finished, "I don't have a traditional job, but I have one that will let me provide for a family that I may have one day."
Don was silent, but Kit's face was blushing a bright pink.
"Do you...we've only..." Kit was speechless.
Steve winced, "Did I go to far? Was that moving too fast?"
Kit shook her head, "No. Yes. Um, I'm not sure."
Steve brushed a hand through his hair again, the nervous habit that he'd picked up from Bucky.
Kit blinked a few times, "Can we forget that kind of happened? At least for now?"
Steve nodded, "Of course. Do you want a drink?"
Don cut in, growing more annoyed as the conversation went on, "Don't you dare think to get her drunk. Not when she's vulnerable!"
Kit whipped her head around so fast the end of her braid smacked her in the cheek, "Dad! First of all, I'm not vulnerable. Second of all, I'll get drunk if I want to and third of all, Steve doesn't even drink."
Don looked at his daughter, "Katie, calm down. I just want to make sure-"
Kit rolled her eyes, "Dad, I'm 24 years old. I can take care of myself. Do you need help moving anything else, or can Steve and I get back to the party?"
Don looked mildly chagrined, and much to Steve's confusion, amused, but he smiled at his daughter and said, "Go ahead. Your old man can take care of this stuff."
Kit grabbed Steve's hand and dragged him back onto the patio.
"I'm sorry," she huffed out the words, "He's never been this weird with any of my other boyfriends. I just don't know what it is."
Steve rubbed a hand over Kit's back, "Don't worry about it. I figured an over protective dad was to be expected when you said you were Irish."
Kit gave a crooked smile, "I just hope it didn't scare you off."
"I've fought aliens alongside Norse gods, nothing scares me anymore," Steve said, trying to keep his tone light.
Kit smiled softly at him, "Steve, I was your therapist for two months and your girlfriend for one, I know there are things that scare you."
Steve kissed the back of her hand, "We don't have to talk about that now though. Not while there's a party going on."
By the time the burgers and hot dogs had been grilled, Steve could almost forget the fact that it was his birthday.
"Steve, honey, don't you want some more food?" Blair O'Donnell asked, holding a platter of hamburgers at her hip.
Steve shook his head, "No thank you, Mrs. O'Donnell. I'm full."
Kit nudged his knee under the table with her own. She knew for a fact that he could probably pack away the entire platter of burgers and still have room for dessert.
Blair shook her head, "You look like you could use a decent meal. Do you cook for yourself?"
Steve smiled warmly, "Thank you for the concern, ma'am. I can cook a few things. It's been a...rough few months for me."
Kit's mother passed the platter to a passing friend and sat down on the bench. Her blonde hair was a shade darker than Kit's, but their blue eyes were the same - warm, curious, a little sad.
"You make sure to take good care of him then, Katie. A lot of people are relying on him."
Steve cringed internally. He knew her mom was trying to be nice, or he hoped. But lately the reminder that people looked up to him, relied on him, was just a reminder of the one person he had failed.
Kit reached for Steve's hand under the table, but spoke to her mother, "Thanks, mom. But don't worry. We look out for each other."
Blair smiled, and rested a hand against her daughter's cheek, "I'm so happy, my baby. You've been happier with Steve this past month than I've seen you in a long time."
Kit's cheeks were red, but Steve wasn't sure if it was from her mom's word or from the sun.
Blair sighed, "It's too bad you two can't come with me and your dad on vacation next month."
Steve leaned forward, "Where are you going?"
"Dad always books a week vacation for him and Mom in August. Some little Greek island. Population: them," Kit laughed, "Trust me, you don't want to go."
Blair swatted Kit's arm, "It's a very nice vacation, Katherine. Your Dad and I always enjoy it."
"It sounds nice," Steve supplied, even though he would rather fight Red Skull a thousand times over than vacation with Kit's father.
"Well, one year we'll take you," Blair patted Steve's arm before getting up to get more food from the kitchen.
"Don't worry," Kit leaned against Steve's chest, "I won't subject you to that kind of torture."
"So, what exactly do you do?" Kit's friend, Lauren asked Steve later that evening.
It was dark and the younger people were circled around a fire pit.
Kit was tucked on Steve's lap, wrapped in a sweatshirt he had left in his trunk.
Unfortunately it had been the sweatshirt Tony had given him upon being hired to work at Stark Industries. There was a big Stark Industries logo on the front and "Capsicle" was emblazoned in red, white and blue thread on the back.
Steve hated it. Kit loved it.
"It's complicated," Steve started, "I'm, in effect, starting a new government agency from the bottom up."
The drunk twenty-somethings oohed and ahhhed. But Steve knew that none of them really cared.
"You're phone's buzzing," Kit mumbled into Steve's chest, shifting her body so she could pull the phone from his front pocket.
"Thanks," Steve looked at the display.
Birthday text messages from...it looked like everyone.
Kit pinched Steve's side.
"Ow!" He yelped, more from shock than any actual pain, "What was that for?"
Kit jabbed her finger at the phone, "It's your birthday?!
"Uh, yeah," Steve muttered under his breath.
"Why didn't you say something?" Kit whispered, "I wouldn't have made you come out here!"
"Kit, my birthday...it's not something I really want to celebrate right now,"
Steve said slowly, gathering his thoughts as he spoke.
"Bucky," Kit said, and it wasn't a guess.
Steve nodded, "Bucky and New York and D.C and SHIELD and the fact that this is my 96th birthday."
Kit moved her hand to rest on Steve's neck. She played with the hair at the nape of his neck, "I'm sorry. I know it's been rough for you."
Steve smiled sadly, "It's fine. I just didn't want a big deal made of my birthday."
"You still could've told me. I wouldn't have made you celebrate," Kit said, "I would never want to hurt you."
Steve kissed her softly, one hand moving to cup the back of her head, "I know. Thank you."
Kit grinned, "But next year, if you're up to it, I'm conspiring with Tony to create a huge blowout!"
Steve laughed, a thrill shooting up his spine when he realized that Kit's words meant she wanted to still be with him a year from now.
"How about we save it for my 30th?" He asked, arms tightening around Kit's back.
"Now that sounds like a plan, Captain Rogers," Kit sighed and curled herself into a ball against his chest.
Kit's weight was warm and reassuringly heavy against his chest as the night wore on.
She joked and laughed with her friends, drawing him into the conversation and away from his dangerous thoughts.
Her fingers played with his hair and the fire reflected in her eyes.
"I love you," Steve breathed into Kit's hair.
She didn't reply, but her fingers stilled, dropping from his hair.
"What?" She asked softly, shifting her body to face him.
"I know it's soon. I know it's moving fast," Steve sighed, "But I love you."
Kit's eyes were wide, but she was smiling, "Screw moving too fast. I love you too."
She looped her hands around his neck and kissed him deeply, cat calls from her friends providing background noise.
Steve broke away, "I think we just gave your friends a show."
"Voyeuristic freaks," Kit laughed.
As the conversation started back up and Kit settled against his chest again and his phone buzzed with more messages from his friends, Steve couldn't help but think that this was a pretty damn good way to spend his birthday.
Actively celebrating or not.
A/N: HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY, my American readers! Happy Friday to everyone else. And Happy Birthday to Steve! This was a surprise story. I knew I wanted to write something for the 4th, but I wasn't sure what. And then, of course, I'm actively writing a series with Captain America in it, what better world to use when writing a 4th of July story. So this one is a sequel of sorts to "Uncle Bucky." We're seeing Steve and Kit's first 4th of July together, a month after they've officially started dating.
"Uncle Bucky" takes place about 7 years after this story. The timeline, I'm aware, is a little wonky. Kit would not necessarily be a practicing therapist at this point in real life. But this is not real life, so she's just getting her Ph. D. as she practices. Bear with me on that one.
As always, I love, love, love your feedback and I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this one! Happy 4th, and stay safe!