Bucky still wasn't quite used to the whole "going out on Friday nights" thing, but he figured it was a good way for him to work on the whole "being a normal civilian" thing. He pulled on a different pair of jeans and a fresh shirt, sticking his gloves in his back pocket for later. The clock on the wall said he still had some time, but he figured Mika would be somewhat ready.

It still felt odd to him, to walk to her door instead of just going straight down the stairs. Years of his training still fought him every time he did something relatively normal, but it was slowly getting easier to fight it. He knocked on her door, taking a respectful step back and waiting for her to answer.

"You're just in time." she said by way of greeting, opening the door and letting it hang open for him to follow her. She had her hair curled and make up on, her skirt flowing as she turned and went back to the kitchen. Her bare feet were nearly silent on the laminate flooring.

"Time for what?" he asked, taking a seat at her dining room table. She had an apron on, protecting her outfit.

"I made pumpkin cookies! Want to try one?" she asked, holding out a plate piled with cookies. He gave her a look.

"I don't-" he started.

"Yea, yea, you don't really like sweets." she said, rolling her eyes. She picked up her cup of tea, taking a sip before bringing the plate over to him. "I still say we just haven't found the right one for you."

He stared at them for a while, trying to decide. For once, the smell of sugar wasn't overpowering him. The little specks of spice seemed promising. He looked at her again, and she perked an eyebrow expectantly. Slowly, he reached up and took one; it was still warm. She watched him closely, and he stared back at her as he took a bite of it.

It was warm, and soft, and the spices and semi-sweet flavor sparked something in his memory. He finally broke eye contact, looking down at the cookie. Something about it tasted so familiar. He took another bite, trying to make the memory surface.

"Ha! You like it!" she said, dancing back to the kitchen to put the plate down. She picked up her cup, bringing it to him. "Here, it's even better with tea."

He finished the cookie, but the memory eluded him. He considered going to grab another one. He took her cup from her, taking a sip. He grimaced.

"What's that face for?" she asked, picking up her phone from the counter. It was going off with an influx of messages; Bucky could feel his phone vibrating from his pocket.

"Too sweet." he said, holding her cup back out for her. She made a face at him, taking the cup back and taking a long sip, just to prove a point. She glanced over her messages.

"Looks like everyone is bailing on us for tonight." she said. She didn't sound disappointed, and if he was honest, he wasn't either. "Well, now we can stay in. Want to watch a movie?"

He paused. It was still weird to him, having a friend. "Sure." he said after a moment. She grinned, going to her room to change into more comfortable clothing. "But I'm making my own tea." he called after her.

"Whatever." she called back. He nodded, even though she couldn't see him, and went to go put the kettle on the stove. He paused by the counter, looking at the plate before looking down the hall towards her bedroom. Before she could come back, he took another cookie, eating it in one bite before continuing to make his tea.