Thanks to PrincessNaina for being my wonderful Beta.
"You nervous?" Came a voice behind him and he turned to see Bucky standing in the doorway.
"Yes. I think. Why am I nervous?" Steve hurries out and Bucky smirks and steps closer to his best friend.
"Because right now you don't feel like Captain America, you feel like Steve Rogers, that kid from Brooklyn, who's now going to throw the opening ball." Bucky says his hand now resting on Steve's shoulder.
"It's not the Dodgers." Steve comments and both laugh.
"That's true, but it's still a baseball game in New York, which is good enough." Bucky says with a smile and Steve returns the smile.
"You better make this good. Stark is probably recording the whole thing, just to embarrass you if you mess up." Bucky says, and Steve shakes his head in annoyance.
"Did he come?" Steve asks, and Bucky shook his head.
"No. I don't think you could pay him, to come and watch sports. There's a hell of a group here mind. Clearly a free box, to watch baseball is enough to bring the team out." Bucky comments and Steve smiles at that. It's as close to team bonding as they're probably ever going to get.
"Steve, we're heading out." Comes a voice from the doorway and Steve takes a deep breath and with Bucky by his side follows the young assistant out the corridors and towards the tunnel that leads out to the field.
"I'm going to, wait here for you. Throw a hell of a ball, punk." Bucky says clasping Steve's shoulder, calming him for a moment and then Steve took a deep breath as his name was called and the crowd outside cheered wildly.
He took a few more breaths and walked out, smile plastered across his face. Waving at the crowds. He could see the banner that Clint and his kids had made, dangling from the private box. It had his face on there and a large Dodgers logo next to it. He shook his head at that and continued his walk to the centre mound. He met the catcher and a few of the players introduced themselves and they had a few minutes conversation as the announcer spoke about what was going to happen. Which was he was going to throw two balls, an opening pitch at an open catcher and then one at a batter, who was introducing himself as they spoke.
Then when the game was over he would be pitching to a team full of fans from the crowd. The announcer finished and walk away as Steve was handed the ball and he passed it back and forth in his hands as the catcher position himself and waited. Steve moved around a bit and then threw his arm back and threw it, not using the power he knew he had. It was still hard enough that the catcher rocked on his feet and there was a wild cheer from the crowd. He couldn't help but grin madly at that. He felt like a kid again.
The ball was thrown back to him and the batter walked up the plate and did his little routine and then him and Steve eyed each other, a smirk on his face. Steve wound out and the ball launched from his hand and at lightning speed, the ball also came straight back at him at lightning speed and his reactions, had him sticking his hand out and catching it, to the left of him. There was cheering and him and the batter walked to each other and laughed. That was an insane catch and there laughter about it.
He promised to sign the ball later, to auction for charity and then he waved once more to the crowd and then walked off, laughing with the batter, who was still amazed by that ridiculous catch. Bucky slung his arm around Steve as they headed back into the tunnel and towards the stairs, that would take them up to their private box. "Nice throw kid." Bucky says and Steve elbows him in the ribs for that comment, which only caused more laughter. "Good catch too." He says as he steps in front of Steve to head up the stairs.
There's some wild cheering when he enters the box and the team gathered there are all standing and clapping for him. He shakes his head as he heads in and let them all pat him on the back. Clint shoves a Mets hat on his head to match the shirt and then takes a corner seat.
"Next time think you could get invited to a basketball game?" Rhodey asks as he takes his own seat and the group all take their seat in the outdoor box as the game begins. The Mets beats the National 4-3 and as promised Steve takes to the field once again, to play a game with kids from the crowd. He somehow even convinces the others to take up field positions, which they do enthusiastically, even stopping to take photos and sign things for the kids.
All in all, it's been a good and really positive day out. Tony is waiting for them when they get back and finds something to rib them all about but generally he's proud of them. But puts his foot down, at joining in anything like that in the future.
Steve spends the rest of the night, re-watching all the footage that was captured from the day. It made him smile. Knowing that he wasn't being Captain America, there. He was being Steve Rogers that baseball fan and he enjoyed more as himself. He did take in Rhodey's idea and their next outing was to a basketball game, where he and Rhodey was the halftime show. All in all, these team building sessions, were better than anything that the agency could sanction.
Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed. Comments much appreciated.