A/N: Chapter 2 is here, enjoy!

2. The Family

Despite only visiting them a few times a year for birthdays and Christmas, Bucky's family lived relatively close in the Bronx. But Bucky didn't have a car, and wasn't particularly fond of the 1.5 hour subway ride, nor did Steve have a car he could borrow. At least Rebecca, who did have a car, offered to come down to Brooklyn and pick them both up, turning a long subway ride into a slightly shorter one hour drive.

She still lived at home, having decided that she would rather buy a car and spend 30 minutes driving to college every day, rather than live on campus or in a share house. Bucky had offered for her to live with him and Steve, but she'd given him a firm, "Thanks, but no thanks." He was secretly glad, to be perfectly honest, as he didn't particularly want to live with his little sister after he'd already gotten a taste of freedom away from his family. He loved her and all, but she could also be incredibly annoying.

"You guys ready to go soon?" Rebecca asked once she'd gotten there, making herself at home by sprawling out on the couch and reading one of Steve's many coffee table books. All about art and design, of course. "Ma wants us there in time for lunch. She's making pulled pork sandwiches."

"Slow cooked?"

"Since last night," Rebecca grinned.

Bucky was suddenly very, very hungry. "Okay, yeah, I just gotta make sure I've got everything, then I'm good to go."

He disappeared into his bedroom, leaving Steve alone with Rebecca.

"Mom and dad are super excited to meet you, just so you know." She told him. "Don't worry, I haven't spoiled the surprise. They have no idea who you are, but they're gonna be real happy with it when they find out, though, I can tell you that."

"Bucky said the same," Steve laughed, shaking his head. He nudged his foot against the bag at his feet. "I'm ready when he is, by the way. If anyone's gonna hold us up, it's him."

"Always is."

"I can hear you two," Bucky huffed, lugging a large overnight bag over his shoulder. He'd wanted to take a suitcase, but Steve reassured him that it was only a week, and his parents had a washing machine if he got desperate. He grabbed Steve's hand as he went passed, tugging him towards the door. "C'mon sis, we don't wanna be late."

Steve and Bucky loaded their minimal luggage into the trunk, then both hopped into the backseat. They'd decided this beforehand, as it gave them a better chance to turn on the PDA in front of Rebecca. There were about to spend an hour in the car with her, so what better chance did they have?

"What am I, your chauffeur?" Rebecca pulled a face at them, but started driving anyway.

Bucky leaned over to rest his head against Steve's shoulder. "I'm in better company back here. Sorry sis."

"Whatever."

Steve leaned down to drop a kiss to Bucky's forehead, and when he saw Rebecca roll her eyes in the rear-view mirror, he sent Bucky a triumphant grin. They got comfortable, relaxing into each other when Becca turned on the radio to some station playing classic rock. Both were secretly glad that she didn't seem to be asking any questions about their relationship, preferring to get it out of the way when Bucky's parents were present, but at the same time they couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't discussing it. Rebecca was curious by nature, and would often stick her nose into other people's business.

"She's too quiet," Bucky whispered in Steve's ear, nuzzling into his neck as the radio muffled his words. "Kiss me. Let's see if we can get a rise out of her."

Steve didn't bother replying, instead bringing his hand up to cup Bucky's jaw as he turned his face and kissed him slowly. Bucky hummed against Steve's lips, shifting as close as his seat belt would allow so he could deepen it, his hand sliding up Steve's side and over his shoulder to settle around his neck. It was only their second kiss, but they enjoyed it just the same. It wasn't heated at all, but slow and languid, sending the message that they were content just as they were. Which was true. Bucky was glad Steve had not only thought of the whole pretend dating idea, but also that he was okay with it, because Bucky was definitely looking forward to more kisses like this over the next week.

"Ew, can you two not swap spit in my car?" Rebecca whined, pulling a face at them in the mirror.

With one last kiss, Bucky broke away from Steve with a grin. He snuggled back into his side again, feeling just as content as the kiss had been. Honestly, this was the easiest act. It required almost no effort from him whatsoever.

"I'm lookin' forward to getting my $200," Bucky said casually, holding back from laughing when Rebecca's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "And to seeing you blonde again. You got the bleach?"

"I do, but I was hoping I'd get to use it on you." She admitted.

Steve didn't bother holding in his laughter. "Sorry, but there won't be a blonde Bucky this Christmas. Or ever."

"You really don't think I'd suit being blonde, do you?"

"I may or may not have photoshopped a picture of you to see what it'd look like."

"And...?"

"Not too bad." He gave Bucky a wry smile. "But trust me, you're better off staying brunette."

"Good to know."

In an attempt to make sure they didn't start making out again, Rebecca made idle chit chat about college, her friends, and got into a lengthy discussion about which bars or clubs she loved and which she hated ever since she turned 21 in May. Then Bucky teased her about how drunk she got at her party, even though it was definitely not her first time drinking, and reminded her that she threw up in a pot plant.

In retaliation, she told Steve about the time when he was sixteen and Natasha had brought over a bottle of Russian vodka she'd stolen from her parents, and then proceeded to get twelve-year-old Rebecca tipsy. In Bucky's defence, he said he only gave her one cup mixed with lemonade, and that he put her straight to bed once he realized that a single cup was too much. And then once she was asleep, Clint came over with some weed and they both greened out while Natasha made fun of them.

The stories made Steve wish he'd met Bucky when they were kids or teenagers, so he could've experienced all of this with him. They'd both grown up in Brooklyn, but in different neighborhoods that were far enough away that they'd never actually crossed paths until college. But hey, he was just glad he got to spend the last seven years of his life with Bucky as his best friend.

Because of bad traffic, it took them just a little over an hour to finally each the Barnes home in North Riverdale. Bucky was forever struck by how different this part of NYC was from the rest of it. He often forgot he was still in the city. His family had moved there from Brooklyn before Rebecca had finished high school, but she stayed once she did because she loved it so much. Steve had only been there a few times in the years he'd known Bucky, but he loved the place just the same.

It was a two-story, four bedroom brick home, on the small side but definitely bigger than anything you'd find inner city, and it actually had a yard. There were fairy lights decorating the house and the bare branches on a few of the trees in the yard, which Bucky had no doubt that they would look amazing when lit up. His parents weren't big on novelty decorations, but they didn't skimp out on the lights.

Rebecca parked on the street out the front, popping the trunk so Steve and Bucky could grab their bags. Now that they were there, both started to feel a little nervous. How would Winifred and George react? They loved Steve, of course, and they weren't conservative parents by any means... But still, would they approve of the fact that Steve and Bucky already lived together? Moving in was usually a big deal for couples, but as far as they knew, Steve and Bucky completely skipped that step.

Only one way to find out.

Rebecca pushed open the front door, which was decorated with a festive wreath, and held it open for Steve and Bucky.

"Mom! Dad!" She called out. "We're here!"

"Coming!" Winifred called back, appearing around a corner from where the kitchen was, George right behind her.

"Hey ma," Bucky said, bringing her in for a giant hug. He pecked her cheek when he broke the embrace. "I heard you were making pulled pork sandwiches?"

"I am, but that can wait." She turned to Steve, who'd just been shaking George's hand. "Steve! I didn't know you were coming, but it's so good to see you. How've you been?"

He accepted her hug with a large smile. "I've been good. What about you, Winnie?" He'd taken to calling her that after she'd gotten offended when he first called her Mrs Barnes.

"I've been wonderful," she beamed up at him, before rounding on Bucky again. "But where's this boy of yours? Becks said you had a boyfriend you'd be bringing to meet us."

Bucky couldn't keep the grin off his face. "You just hugged him, ma."

George just raised an eyebrow, while Winifred turned back to Steve with wide eyes and examined him from head to toe, making him blush, before a pleased smile appeared on her face. "Well, it's about damn time. Now come in and drop your bags by the stairs. We'll have lunch first, then you can both get settled in."

"Sounds good to us."

They did as she said before heading to the dining room, where lunch was already set out and waiting, and immediately dug in. Winifred definitely seemed to approve of their relationship, if the way she kept glancing at them with a happy sparkle in her eyes was anything to go by.

"So, Steve," George started, taking a sip of his drink. "Last time James was here he was telling us that you'd started working for Tony Stark. How's that going for you?"

Steve smiled politely. "Really good, actually. It's fun and it pays well."

"What exactly is it you do?" Winifred asked.

"I'm a graphic designer, mostly working with an advertising team, but sometimes working with Tony himself on designs."

"Oh, that's fantastic!"

Tony Stark owned a tech company that rivaled that of Apple and Microsoft. It was known for its phones and computers, but had started branching out into medical technology and robotics as well. His products weren't cheap, but they were top of the line and well sought after. Steve couldn't believe his luck when he applied for a job there. Natasha had convinced him to, though he hadn't believed they'd even give his application a second glance. But now he'd been there for almost a year, and was at the stage where he could call Tony his acquaintance, not just his boss.

When lunch was over, Steve and Bucky grabbed their bags and headed up to one of the two spare rooms. It was basically Bucky's bedroom, seeing as it was the same one he'd been staying in when he visited for the last however many years since they moved there. His personal touches were everywhere, from the bedspread identical to his one at home, to the framed photos of him, Natasha, and Clint as teens, and the few books he kept on his bedside table for his longer stays.

While Steve had been to the house before, he'd never stayed the night, and had never actually been in Bucky's unofficial room before. So as soon as he dropped his bag beside the bed, he went and looked at all the photos on the wall.

"Did Nat ever go through an awkward phase?" He questioned, eyes narrowed at a photo where her hair was smooth and her skin was clear. "Or was she just born perfect?"

Bucky laughed, going to see which picture he was looking at. "Born perfect. I've known her since preschool and can honestly say she never even had a runny nose."

Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Of course she didn't." He went and sat on the bed, hoisting his bag up beside him and unpacking the Christmas presents from it.

"Hey," Bucky said, going and sitting beside him. "Thank you so much for doing this. Really."

"Like I said, it's no problem."

"Can I repay you somehow anyway?"

"You don't need to," Steve told him, glancing over to look him in the eye. "Not only did you save me from some party that Tony's throwing tomorrow night, but you've also given me the chance to have Christmas with a family. Not my family, but yours is the next best thing."

"You also get to kiss me all week." Bucky pointed out with a smirk.

Steve laughed. "Yeah, that too. Definitely a bonus."

"But seriously, I wanna say thank you." Bucky absently licked his lips as he thought of a way to repay Steve. "How about we split the bet money? $100 each."

"What'll you do if I say no?"

"Keep pestering you until you give in."

"Then I'll think about."

"Good enough," Bucky shrugged. He went and got the presents out of his bag as well. "Come on, let's go put these under the tree."

They headed back downstairs, each with an armful of presents, and headed for the Christmas tree in the sitting room. It was huge - taller than Steve's 6'2 frame - with an assortment of red, green, white and gold ornaments, not to mention the strings of rainbow fairy lights and candy canes dangling from every other branch. A few of the baubles lit up, as well as the large gold star on top of the tree. No tinsel, but that's because Winifred and George had used it elsewhere. Red and green tinsel was wound around the banister on the staircase, outlined all the windows, and decorated the fireplace mantel.

There were already several presents under the tree in varying shapes and sizes, but Steve and Bucky managed to squeeze their own gifts in any gap they could find. Then Bucky snagged one of the candy canes from the tree, unwrapping it and popping the end in his mouth.

"Save those for later!" Winifred chastised him with a shake of her head.

"Sorry ma," he apologized, not sounding like he meant it at all.

"No you're not. But I came to tell you that Polar Express is on TV. It just started, so Becks got some eggnog and asked me to get you both."

"I hate that movie." Bucky pulled a face.

Winifred narrowed her eyes. "It's Christmas, James! Spend some time with your sister, please."

"Fine," Bucky grumbled, taking Steve's hand and dragging him to the lounge room. "But I'm doing it for the eggnog."

"Whatever it takes."

They found their drinks waiting on the coffee table, and after thanking Rebecca, they got comfortable on the loveseat with Steve's arm resting around Bucky's shoulders, and Bucky snuggling into Steve's side. Every time he wanted to make a sarcastic remark about the film, Bucky would silence himself and drink his eggnog instead. But by the time they were only halfway through the movie, he'd finished both his and Steve's drinks off.

"I'm not a big fan of this movie either," Steve said, voice low as he grabbed a throw blanket off the back of the loveseat and wrapped it around the both of them.

Bucky grinned, turning to face his pretend boyfriend. "Let's do something fun then."

He shifted so he was half-sitting in Steve's lap, then began planting light kisses up his neck and jaw. Steve made a low noise in the back of his throat, tilting his face so he could catch Bucky's lips with his own. The kiss started out much like the one in the car, but the second Steve grazed his teeth against Bucky's lower lip then soothed it with his tongue, the mood shifted. Now Steve's tongue was in his mouth, brushing against his own rhythmically, and Bucky couldn't get enough. He shifted his body again, fully in Steve's lap, clutching at hist shirt with tight fists. Steve had one hand tangled in Bucky's hair, pulling on it lightly to get his mouth in a better position, while his other arm was wrapped around his waist.

"Holy shit, is that really necessary?" Rebecca complained from one of the armchairs, but they ignored her. She got up and left the room moments later.

This only spurred Steve and Bucky on, the kiss growing more and more heated with every second. They didn't have any plans to stop anytime soon, not until they heard someone clear their throat. Bucky was instantly on the couch beside Steve, dragging most of the blanket with him, and stared to where his dad stood in the doorway, wiping his wet mouth with the sleeve of his sweater.

"If you boys are done, dinner will be ready soon and your mother would like you to wash up."

"Sure, dad." Bucky nodded, trying to will back his embarrassment. At least George wasn't angry, and instead looked vaguely amused by the whole thing.

Steve's cheeks were red when Bucky turned back to him, so he grinned cheekily and kissed the tip of Steve's nose, then hauled him to his feet. They washed up in the bathroom downstairs, then headed to the dining room to help set up the dining table. Winifred had cooked the leftover pulled pork into a pie, and Bucky was definitely looking forward to it. Really, he looked forward to anything his mom made, especially if it involved the slow cooker.

They were bombarded with questions about their relationship during dinner, which meant they finally got to tell the story they'd made up, and thankfully the Barnes family seemed to eat it right up. Winifred and Becca left after that, grabbing a bottle of wine and heading to the lounge room to watch the new season of Gilmore Girls. Steve and Bucky had a few beers with George in the sitting room for the remainder of the evening. He was curious about Tony Stark, so Steve filled him in on enough gossip to tide the man over.

"Alright, I think it's time I hit the hay," George said when it was nearing ten, throwing a halfhearted wave over his shoulder as he left. "Night boys."

Bucky stood up and stretched, glancing down at Steve. "How the fuck am I so tired when I've been so lazy all day?"

"No idea, but I'm feelin' it too." Steve yawned, getting up as well and throwing an arm around Bucky's shoulder.

They headed to their temporary room and quickly got changed into their pajamas, then fell into bed. The two of them had gotten changed in front of each other enough times that they didn't care about modesty, which really made the whole ruse just that much easier. They'd shared a bed many times as well, usually after getting drunk at house parties. Why sleep on the floor, or even the couch, when there was a perfectly good bed that could fit more than one person? Bucky's bed here was quite large as well, and would easily be able to fit a couple of grown men.

"Just lettin' you know that I'm a cuddler," Bucky mumbled, body resting on the side.

"I know already," Steve chuckled, then wrapped his arm around Bucky's waist and pulled his back against his chest. "I am too."

Bucky smiled at the warmth of the embrace. "Mm, good." He definitely liked being the little spoon as well.

"G'Night Buck."

"Night Stevie."

A/N: I chose for Bucky's family to live in the Bronx at random, and when looking at neighborhoods, North Riverdale stood out to me. Never been there, so I've used pictures found online as a guide. I also basically bullshitted Steve's job, so if it doesn't sound right, that's why.