I know I said that I wasn't going to continue this story line but this has been bouncing around my head for weeks and I decided to get it out.
Ya'll know the drill, I own nothing but the plot line.
Bucky's Acceptance
Peter wasn't sure exactly why he had agreed to this. Several months ago, his parents had split up and his dad, Steve, moved to Brooklyn and was living with his new lover, James Buchanan Barnes. He had met the new flame in his dad's life a couple times in neutral locations like the park or the pier, Peter had a chance to get to know "Bucky" a little better than the guy who ruined his family. But this? He looked up at the mangy building in front of him and he couldn't help but compare it to the tower, his dad left his papa to live with a new guy in a building that looked as if it should be tore down. The window boxes were half hanging the window sills and the paint was chipped off of the trim. The brick was dark and dirty and was in a dire need of a sand blasting. There were over grown bushes on either side of the concrete steps that lead to an old oak door that Peter was positive would creak when pushed open. This looked like a place for bad horror movies.
With a sigh, Peter walked up the cracked pathway and sure enough the front door groaned as he pushed it open. Inside the building, at least, wasn't too bad. The once white tiles were yellowed but clean, the overhead florescent lights gleamed off of the polyurethane on the darkly stained wood banister. He climbed the stairs, as there was no elevator, his frown deepening as he ascended each floor. Peter wished several times that he was in the tower, it was comfortable and clean and homey. Plus, there was the elevator and his papa's lab and his projects. Here, he couldn't let his hand run along the stair railing without fear of getting a splinter! Who knew what kinds of things lurked in the walls? Once he reached his dad's floor he hurried down the hall before he skidded to a stop on the puke green carpet in front of apartment 4F. He sucked in a deep breath, trying not to think about what other things may have joined the needed oxygen, and knocked on the door.
"Coming!" Bucky called out from the other side. A half minute later the door was yanked open and there stood Bucky with a wide grin and his long hair pulled back in a man bun.
Pops is gonna love that when I tell him. Peter thought with a small smile.
"Peter! You're early!" Bucky reached out and latched onto Peter's arm and pulled him inside the apartment, closing the door with a loud thud. "We weren't expecting you for another hour! Sit, sit, sit, sit, I just started working on dinner and your dad went down to the store to grab a few things. He should be back here shortly."
Peter watched as Bucky returned to the kitchen and began to chop vegetables. The apartment itself was completely different and infinitely better than the rest of the building. It had soft grey carpeting that looked brand new in the living room and hallway. The floor of the kitchen was hardwood and probably would make his papa swoon with its dark rich color. The appliances were stainless and high end. A frown etched its way on Peter's face. There is no way that his dad could afford this stuff, since he no longer assisted the Avengers, his dad and Sam worked at the local VA and volunteered at numerous support groups. And unless Bucky had some family fortune, which Peter knew he did not have, he wasn't pulling in enough to purchase brand new appliances.
"So, Peter, how was your week?" Bucky asked breaking Peter out of his thoughts. "How was school?"
"It's school. Not much has changed." Peter responded quietly.
"Your dad mentioned some new girl you had taken a liking to, Gwen? I think her name was?" Bucky smiled at Peter briefly before moving on to washing his hands.
"Yeah, she's cool." Peter sunk down into a chair at the kitchen table and traced the intricate patterns on the table runner.
Bucky leaned back against the end of the counter and watched Peter. "Are you gonna ask her out?" Peter shrugged. He heaved a sigh and returned to the kitchen and pulled ingredients from the fridge and the pantry. He seemed to have given up on small talk and Peter knew Bucky was waiting for Peter to talk to him, to fill in the silence. It's happened before during their first few meetings but tonight Peter was too concerned about where some of the stuff that filled the apartment had come from.
A half hour later, the front door opened and Steve walked in with a couple of bags. Peter's eyes narrowed on the more fancier clothing his dad was wearing as opposed to the well-worn ones he had a week ago. Peter's suspicions skyrocketed when his eyes landed on the ring on Steve's left hand, a shiny new gold band instead of the flat black band from his parents' wedding. His head whipped around to the kitchen and saw a matching ring on his left hand. His temper raged as he watched his dad walk into the kitchen and drop the bags on the counter, wrapped his arms around Bucky and placed a kiss to his cheek.
"What the hell?" Peter exclaimed. Steve and Bucky looked at him with confusion all over their greedy little faces. "What the hell is going on here?"
"Pete?" Steve stepped away from Bucky. "What's up?"
"Are you serious?" Peter blatantly looked around the apartment. "You live in a shitty ass apartment building with what I was pretty sure Jerry the dead rat on the front stoop and yet you have new furniture, appliances, carpeting, and even new freaking paint! Tell me that doesn't add up to you guys?"
"Peter," said Bucky as he moved to sit in the chair opposite him at the table. "I know this has been rough on you the last couple of years. Your dad wanted to tell you over dinner but I knew you'd catch on too fast for that, but your father and I are getting married."
Peter's stomach dropped through the floor and ran off to find the dead rat.
"You… you're serious?" Peter's eyes flickered over to Steve, who nodded. Peter's hands trembled and his vision blurred. "Does pops know?"
Steve sighed and pulled out the chair next to Peter and slumped in it. "Yeah, he does. We discussed it after your science fair a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to wait to tell you and I can see that I was wrong to wait so long, but you were just getting used to everything and I didn't want to rock the boat after it just settled."
"And… what about, you know, the stuff?" Peter asked.
"An early wedding gift from your pops." Bucky gave a small smile. "He insisted and we couldn't talk him out of it. He said that if his son was going to be hanging around it shouldn't have to be a dump."
Peter chuckled wetly. "That sounds like pops."
Steve draped and arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him in a hug.
"I know things are changing and maybe a little too fast. But the biggest thing that will never change is that I love you, Pete. If something is bothering you or if you're upset or even if you just want to talk, don't hesitate to call me. I'll always be there for you. Same with your pops. He knows that if he needs something that I'll do what I can to help. You two are still my family even if things aren't like they used to be, and Bucky is going to be a part of that now. There will always be room in my heart for you."
"I love you, dad." Peter said into Steve's shoulder.
"I love you too, son." The reply was breathed into Peter's hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes while Peter's breathing evened out and the tears dried from his cheeks. He pulled away from his dad with a half of a smile on his face and he turned to Bucky.
"Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?" Peter asked.
Bucky's smile brightened and he stood. "Of course! Come on, if you ask nicely I might even let you play with matches to light the stove." Bucky stage whispered throwing a playful grin at Steve, who just rolled his eyes.
Peter laughed and together, the three of them blended into the beginnings of the makings of a family. Peter knew that not everything was fixed, he still worried about his pops and he still yearned for the family he had before the Civil War, but he knew that sometimes things were out of your control. Besides, his pops is getting better. He's smiling more and Peter knows that he and Pepper are together again despite their best efforts at trying to keep it a secret.
It may not be what it was a few years ago, but this is still his family.
And there we have it. I'm not a big fan of this one, but that's just me. Anyway I have no such beast as a beta reader so mistakes are mine own.
Oh! Before I forget, I was watching The Notebook last night and it suddenly hit me. Why isn't there a Stony AU about this? Or is there and I just can't seem to find it? If I was more ambitious I would totally write it but alas, I'm a lazy one. So I challenge you, reader, to take on this difficult task and make it great!
You don't have to if you don't want to, I just think it'd be kind of awesome!
Anyway, reviews are welcomed but not mandatory!