Chapter 10: Yankee Doodle Dandy

Bucky awoke to find that Steve had already gotten up. He expected nothing less. His perfectionism manifested most strongly in two avenues: his artwork, and his party planning. Bucky tried to take as much responsibility off Steve's shoulders as possible—it was his birthday, after all—but the other man outright refused to take a backseat when there was work to be done.

Bucky got dressed and headed into the kitchen. Steve was dressed for a run and, based on the half-empty bottle of Gatorade on the counter and the sharp salty taste of his skin when Bucky kissed him good morning, he'd already finished running. "Happy birthday," Bucky said.

"Thanks," he replied without looking up from the checklist in his hand.

Knowing he wouldn't enjoy himself until their to-do list didn't loom quite so long, Bucky said, "Alright. Put me to work."

"Can you get the tables from Mr. Hodge? I asked him last week if he had any we could borrow, and he's got two. I figured we could use one for drinks and one for sides."

"Sounds good. I'll be right back." Bucky slid into his shoes and walked to Mr. Hodge's two doors down. He'd left the two folding tables on his porch with a sticky note that read, "Just take them. Happy birthday, by the way." With a smile, Bucky plucked off the note and hefted the first table against his side. He carried it home and dropped it in the backyard, then went back for the second table. Two trips were almost always necessary with one arm. When he re-entered the house, he found Steve inventorying the cups, plates, and utensils. The Gatorade bottle was down to its last dregs.

"What now?" Bucky asked.

"Can you wash and separate serving utensils for Monica? I would do it, but—"

"I know. CF cooties. Do you also want me to sanitize the bathroom?"

"Please." Steve finished off the Gatorade and tossed the bottle in the recycling bin before announcing he was off to shower.

"Do me a favor," Bucky said. "Don't get dressed until I have a chance to show you your present." He grinned, and Steve's eyebrows shot to his hairline.

"Bucky, I don't have time for that. Maybe after the party."

Bucky shook his head, laughing. "It's not that. You'll see."

Adorably confused, Steve turned and headed into their bedroom. Bucky could not wait to see his reaction, and as he thoroughly scrubbed several large spoons and a pair of tongs he imagined the look on Steve's face. He'd picked out this gift several weeks ago, and keeping it a secret had been one of the most difficult endeavors of his life. He dried the utensils and sealed them away in a plastic bag with Monica's name on it. By the time he heard the shower turn off, he'd finished half the bathroom. Bucky gave Steve a few minutes to dry off before he snagged the gift from where he'd hidden it (a never-used pocket of his soccer bag) and entered the room. Steve sat on the side of the bed with a towel around his waist and craned his neck to try and see what Bucky held behind his back.

"Are you ready?" Bucky asked coyly.

"Yeah. What is it?"

Bucky turned around and hung the gift on the hanger he'd placed earlier on the knob of the closet door. He stepped out of the way to reveal it and watched Steve lose his shit in real time. His laugh erupted like joyous thunder and he clutched the left side of his chest, a reflex he'd never been able to shake from his years of chronic lung disease, during which Bucky knew his left lung always hurt worse than his right. Bucky waited until Steve's laughter died down enough that he could sit up straight before saying, "I need you to wear this at the party today."

"No way," Steve said, still laughing.

"Why not? It's perfect." Bucky gestured to it like a car salesman showing off a Mercedes. Except this was way better than a Mercedes; it was a blue tee shirt with a big, "Hello, my name is," tag in the middle that read, "Yankee Doodle Dandy," with a sketch of an Uncle Sam-style top hat.

"I'll look ridiculous."

"Well, what were you planning to wear?" Bucky asked.

"Probably just a regular tee shirt."

"Why wear a regular tee when you can wear an awesome one?" In one fluid motion, Bucky snatched the shirt off the hanger and lunged at Steve, tackling him to the bed. Steve struggled, but he was laughing too hard to really put his strength into it.

"Fine. I yield, I yield," he said breathlessly. Bucky rolled off him and stood back up. He flung the shirt at Steve and left to finish the bathroom. Making sure to give extra care to the most-touched surfaces, he cleaned and sanitized the half he hadn't completed earlier.

When he emerged, Steve was collecting ingredients to turn the massive pile of ground beef in their fridge into hamburger patties. He wasn't wearing the shirt, but when Bucky asked he explained that he'd change into it after he finished handling raw meat. "Where do you need me?" Bucky asked.

"It's a little early to start setting things up in the yard, so why don't you put together the playlist. Steve and Maria each sent me a list of Carol's favorites. It shouldn't be too far back in our text history."

"Got it." Bucky picked up Steve's phone from the table, opened his messages with Steve Danvers, and scrolled until he found a list of songs. He pulled up the playlist he'd started for this occasion last week and added them in, then did the same with Maria's list. There were several repeats, and it was all borderline cringey nineties music. Other than these, Steve had requested a bunch of big band jazz pieces from the thirties and forties. Jim and Timmy had always flaunted that as their favorite genre, and in recent years they'd convinced Steve of its grandeur. Bucky teased him about it relentlessly, but secretly he really enjoyed it too. On top of that, there were a few Marvin Gaye ones Steve said he overheard in Dr. Wilson's office and really liked. He threw in a couple of his own favorites, right as Steve shouted at him, "Don't you dare add Yankee Doodle or anything like it."

Bucky scowled and removed "You're a Grand Old Flag" which he'd just added seconds before. "Do you want me to help you with the meat?" he asked, now that this task was complete.

"No," Steve insisted. By now, he'd finished mixing ingredients and was preparing to shape the patties. Bucky got out the wax paper and started ripping sheets to layer between them. Before they shopped for this party, Bucky asked if Steve would rather get pre-made so they wouldn't have to spend so much time handling raw meat, but Steve insisted on making them by hand. Bucky knew better than to argue.

With such a large crowd attending, it took Steve almost two hours to shape each one to his satisfaction, and then another fifteen minutes to decontaminate both himself and his workspace. While he washed up and changed clothes, he let Bucky mix up the marinade for the portobello mushrooms they'd be grilling as an alternative option to meat. Around the time Bucky finished, Steve, now donning his new tee shirt, dug the cornhole set out of the shed and dragged it into position. Bucky took this as his cue to start setting things up outside. Their backyard wasn't huge, but it was freshly-mown thanks to Steve. This was the first time they'd used it to host so many people, and Bucky hoped it would prove big enough. Just in case, he swept the front porch to make it a neater space to house potential overflow.

Around twelve thirty, they took a break for a light lunch, then kicked into full party-prep mode. Bucky set up Mr. Hodge's tables, plus the one they owned and kept in the basement, and wiped them all down. Beneath one he placed the coolers to be filled with ice and drinks later on. Atop it, he stacked plastic cups and left a few Sharpies for labeling them and a bottle opener for beers. Back inside, he filled a big pitcher with water and, as he moved to carry it to the fridge, realized it was probably a bad idea to attempt to stand on one foot to open the door while holding a full pitcher heavy enough that he was straining to even lift it. He put the pitcher down, opened the fridge, then placed it inside.

Steve stood at the sink washing fresh tomatoes and a head of lettuce. Bucky grabbed a clean cutting board from the cabinet and a knife and left them out for Steve to use when he was ready. "Thanks," Steve said.

"You're welcome. Did you also want a separate utensil set?"

"It's probably best that I do. But you don't have to wash mine again, just separate them."

"Gotcha. By the way, I got text confirmation that our city-dwelling friends are en route as of a few minutes ago."

"Great. Tony's bringing the projector, right?"

"Yep. And the screen it goes with. He sent me pictures of both packed and ready to go."

"Great. Should we set it up as soon as he gets here or wait until movie time?"

"I think we should wait. But not too long, we don't want to be stuck trying to do it in the dark. Out exterior lighting back there isn't great."

"Gotcha." He finished toweling off the tomatoes and carried them over to the cutting board. "Could you grab the tray for these?"

"Sure thing." Bucky set it beside the cutting board and paused to watch as Steve expertly cut the first tomato into beautiful, even slices.

"Don't just stare; be productive," Steve prompted.

"You're bossy on your birthday."

Steve flicked a tomato-goop coated seed at him, and Bucky barely managed to dodge it. He put himself to work tearing off lettuce leaves and arranging them on the tray beside the tomatoes. It gave him an excuse to stand close enough to Steve that their hips occasionally bumped, so it was better than any other job he could've done at the moment. When they finished, Steve covered the tray and stuck it in the fridge now brimming with a full pitcher, stacks of hamburger patties, and brand-new bottles of every condiment known to man.

"Are we going to cook the green beans now or wait?" Bucky asked.

"Let's wait. I'll put them on closer to chow time so they'll be fresh."

"Who's going to stay inside and watch the pot?"

"Nobody. I'll set a timer on my phone and come check on them every so often."

"Okay. Bucky checked the time on the antique analog clock in the living room. Two hours until go time. Less than that, actually, because it was practically guaranteed that some people would arrive early. Bruce was notorious for that, and Nick often did the same to get acquainted with a new space before it filled with people. But he and Matt were hitching a ride with Tony, so it was likely they'd be closer to on time. Then again, Tony did mention wanting to come early to check out the grill. And by check out, Bucky surmised he meant make last-minute modifications to, even though he'd been the one to buy it for them in the first place. Regardless, he and Steve were well on track.

They spent those two hours finishing setting up the backyard, including placing a trash and recycling bin, cleaning the grill, and digging out all of their outdoor folding chairs. Steve spent thirty minutes arranging them in different formations before he was satisfied with one that maximized both maneuverability around them and proximity for ease of conversation. Bucky wanted to remind him that several people were bringing more chairs and would inevitably place them somewhere that might not comply with his formula, but ultimately decided not to. It was his birthday, he was allowed to be naïve.

Though he didn't turn the stove on, Steve brought out the huge pot and stacked the five cans of low-sodium green beans beside it so they'd be ready to go. During the last hour before their guests were due to arrive, they straightened up the interior of the house. Together, Steve and Bucky neatly folded up the American flag blanket and draped it across the back of the couch. Natasha's, they stuck in their bedroom. Steve cleared off the table and counters in the kitchen while Bucky vacuumed, and they completed their respective tasks just in time for the first knock at the door. As predicted, Bruce and Betty arrived before anyone else. Bucky was actually surprised they were only ten minutes early.

"Happy birthday, Steve," Bruce greeted.

"Thanks, man."

Steve showed Bruce out the back door so he could drop off his bags of chips on the sides table, leaving Bucky with Betty. She smiled at him sheepishly. "This is a lovely house," she said. "So quaint."

"Thank you."

"How old is that clock?" she pointed to the one in the living room and walked over to it, clearly fascinated.

"It's from the nineteen forties. It was a housewarming gift from Steve's dad."

"It's beautiful."

Steve and Bruce popped back inside. Betty beckoned him over to admire the clock, and Bucky rolled his eyes at the stupid grin that appeared on Steve's face. "I knew that would be a conversation piece," Steve said eagerly.

"It's a cool clock," Bucky conceded.

"I just remembered that I haven't sunscreened yet. I'll be back soon."

"Okay. Your hat is hanging by the front door."

"I know," he called as he disappeared into their room. Bucky turned back to Bruce and Betty to make small talk. They didn't get very far before Bucky saw through the glass panel in the front door more people approaching.

"Seven steps up to the porch," Tony said to Nick and Matt behind him. Bucky headed over to open the door for them, since Tony had his hands full with the outdoor projector.

"Hey guys! Welcome," he said, stepping back to allow them to pass through the front door.

"Can you put this in the freezer before I lose a finger to frostbite?" Nick asked, holding out a large bag of ice in Bucky's general direction.

"Sure. Thanks for bringing it."

"No problem."

"Where's the birthday boy?" Tony asked.

"He's getting ready," Bucky informed him. "Should be out soon."

"Could you show us to the yard?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, just let me put this ice away and I'll be right in."

"I've got it," Tony offered. He started talking about the specs of his projector, a model he'd clearly designed himself, as he walked through the house towards the back door. Nick and Matt followed him, white canes tapping. Bucky and Steve had made sure there were no tripping hazards anywhere, and they made it outside no problem and began exploring. As he put the ice in the freezer, he saw Tony make straight for the grill and start fiddling with it. He'd left the projector on the kitchen table.

Steve emerged right as Bucky closed the freezer. "Tony, Nick, and Matt are here," Bucky informed him.

"I see," Steve said. He glanced out the window at the backyard. Tony looked up and grinned when he saw Steve.

"Hey Steve," he said as he re-entered the house. Then his gaze fell on the shirt. Bucky struggled to contain a giggle as Tony took it in. "Did Bucky put you up to this?" Tony asked.

"Yes," Steve said grumpily.

"I'm here for it. Happy birthday, Yankee Doodle."

"Thanks."

"Is there somewhere I could put these?" Tony asked, pulling two spare batteries out of two separate pockets of his cargo pants. Bucky noticed that two other pockets had wires running from them, leading to the controller clipped to his belt. He must've stowed them there instead of in his usual backpack. "They're heavier than they look."

"Sure." Steve put them on the mantel above the fireplace. "So is this arrangement better than the backpack?" he asked.

Tony shrugged. "The weight distribution is kind of awkward, but it's less intrusive than wearing a backpack constantly."

"Okay."

For the next fifteen minutes, Steve worked door duty and put Bucky in charge of showing people where to put things. He listened eagerly to the greetings and smiled every time someone complimented (or made fun of) Steve's shirt. Timmy, Jim, and Gabe arrived together, surprisingly early for them. Bucky retrieved the ice from the freezer and poured it into the coolers so they could start stocking them as people brought drinks. Gabe brought Sam Adams because, "Isn't that the name of some American Revolution dude?"

"Yes. It's also unironically Steve's favorite beer," Bucky said.

"Are you serious?"

"Yep."

"Alright. Well, we also brought this," Jim said. He held out a frisbee. It was obviously from a dollar store or the novelty aisle of a grocery store, and looked like it would probably break if thrown against a fence too hard. Bucky took it and knocked it against the counter to test its strength, and it felt surprisingly durable. The design was an uncomplex circular adaptation of the American flag: a white star surrounded by concentric circles of blue, red, white, and another red.

"The first person to hit Steve with this can go home with the leftovers," Bucky said with a smirk.

Timmy snatched the frisbee from him and dashed outside, the other boys in hot pursuit. Bucky watched them go, and observed Steve watching them suspiciously from the front door as he let Josiah and then Natasha and Kate inside.

"What?" Bucky said, feigning innocence. He had no idea if Steve had heard his proposition.

"What's up, Bucky?" Josiah greeted as he came into the kitchen. They high-fived.

"Not much. Been prepping for this all day."

"It looks like it's gonna be a great party. Certainly better than pizza night with the team."

"I don't know who dared Hector and Jerome to do garlic sauce shots, but it is not something I will ever forgive them for."

"It was definitely Walker. There's no way it was anybody but Walker."

"You're right, that sounds like something he would do. I promise there will be no garlic sauce shots today. But Thor's coming, so there are other equally crazy things that could happen."

"Sounds like a good time."

Bucky showed Josiah where the coolers were, and helped him stick Bud Lights in the empty spots. Steve showed Natasha and Kate to the freezer and then sent them outside to join the party. They made straight for Nick and started up a conversation. Bucky heard Nick exclaim, "The engine of Tony's car sounds more beautiful than any song I've ever heard," to which Natasha replied, "Clearly you've never heard a Corvette."

Bucky knew next to nothing about cars, so he left them to it. The next wave of guests to arrive were directed straight to the backyard instead of coming through the house: Steve Danvers, Monica and Maria Rambeau, and Thor, with Valkyrie of course. There had been much debate over whether having him over was even possible, but they decided to use the same safety protocols that they did for Monica and Steve: six feet apart. Bucky had still been hesitant, but Steve pointed out that his immune system was severely repressed and, in all likelihood, he wouldn't have an allergic asthmatic reaction of the same caliber he used to before transplant. He'd asked his team about this, and they agreed it was probably the case. It was a risk they were willing to take to include Thor.

Bucky met them in the yard. Maria greeted him and handed him a container full of little doughy squares with powdered sugar. "What's this?" he asked. The Rambeaus hadn't said they were bringing anything.

"They're beignets," she explained. "A Louisiana staple."

"They were Carol's favorite," Monica added.

"That's great," Bucky said. "I'm going to take these inside and we'll bring them out later." Before he turned to head back inside, he added, "Oh, and Monica, we have a set of separate serving utensils just for you so you don't have to worry about touching the same surfaces as everyone else."

"Thank you. That's so thoughtful."

Bucky shrugged. "Steve's idea."

He placed the beignets in the kitchen and waved to Wanda and Victor as they headed towards the back door. Steve entered the kitchen not long after, with a huge container of coleslaw which he placed in the fridge. "What are those?" he asked.

"Beignets. The Rambeaus said they were Carol's favorite."

His face lit up. "That's awesome. Did Steve bring the watermelon?"

"Yes he did," Steve himself announced as he popped his head into the kitchen. He dropped off three huge containers, two of diced watermelon and one of just seeds. "Are we spitting these?" he asked.

"You bet. Thanks for taking the time to pick them all out."

"You're welcome."

The backyard positively bustled with people, and cars lined the street in front of their house. Only Parker hadn't shown up yet, which was unusual for him. Just as the thought crossed Bucky's mind, Steve remarked, "Parker's not here yet."

"Probably just traffic," Bucky said.

Right on time, a knock at the door sounded. Steve moved to answer it. "I come bearing cupcakes," Parker announced. He and MJ each carried a covered platter. The lids were opaque, so Bucky couldn't see, but Parker had told him how he planned to design them.

"Sorry we're late," MJ said. "Somebody insisted on placing sprinkles one by one with tweezers."

"It looks better when it's intentional," he defended.

"I'm sure they look amazing," Steve said. Now that everyone was here, Steve locked the front door and headed for the back yard. Bucky noticed his hat still hung on its hook, so he grabbed it and followed them to the kitchen. Parker and MJ put the cupcakes down beside the beignets and then joined the party outside.

"Parker!" Bucky recognized Tony's voice greeting his friend. Before he could head out, Bucky stopped Steve and handed off the hat.

"Thanks." Steve put it on and flashed a grin. The shade of the brim helped protect his sensitive skin from the sun, and as a bonus he liked the way he looked in them. Steve owned several, but this was his favorite. It was a black cap with an embroidered rose and an "LXV" in large white lettering. LXV, of course, being the Roman numerals for sixty-five. He mimed holding a door and gestured for Bucky to proceed outside. "Shall we?"

Bucky kissed him on the cheek. "We shall."

Yes, I do seriously have an entire two chapters that take place over the course of a single day. So...let's make it a double!