Thanks for being so patient guys! This chapter was fun to write and is generally silly, but I don't care bc it's my dumb fic. I do what I want.
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"I can't- No way!"
Sutton stood from the table and paced anxiously around her small kitchen. Both Steve and Bucky continued to watch her warily.
"This is- This is incredible! You're not crazy after all. You-" Her eyes darted to Steve and widened. "You're a king! Of a kingdom!"
"Prince," Steve insisted. A smile was beginning to grow on his face. Sutton looked to Bucky.
"And you're a knight!"
Sprinkles barked in excitement and hopped around, feeding off of Sutton's new energy. Bucky nodded with a grin and Sutton ran her hands through her hair.
"Holy cow. You're both from another world. A different dimension."
"I believe we may have pointed that out earlier," said Steve.
Sutton shot him a flabbergasted look and gestured helplessly.
"Well how was I supposed to believe you? People say all sorts of crazy, impossible things." Steve turned to Bucky.
"Perhaps we should have started with your arm."
Her mind was still reeling and buzzing. It was difficult to suddenly process that they'd been being open and honest the entire time she'd housed them. She was entertaining a king- prince- and a knight. In her crappy apartment. Feeding them frozen lasagna. Maybe she was half mad herself. But she couldn't exactly deny or explain what she'd been shown.
Chainmail didn't just inflate and move on its own. There was plainly no mechanics to it.
Sprinkles nipped at Sutton's hands as she continued to get hyped up and Sutton bopped either side of her face as she attempted to catch Sutton's hands in a playful bite.
"You honestly believe us now? You're not just playing along?" There was an unspoken again at the end of that sentence. Sutton shook her head.
"How could I not believe you? You have real magic! Does it have limitations? How did he enchant the arm in the first place? Does it only do that for you, Bucky? Oh, you mentioned dragons, didn't you? Are there nice ones? What about gryphons? Wait! You said there was an evil sorcerer trying to take over your land! We've got to get you home!"
Steve laughed and waved a hand.
"Whoa, how about we slow down a second. There's a lot there to cover."
Sutton swallowed back the rest of her questions and reddened. She pushed down on Sprinkles' nose to get her to stop snapping at her and moved back towards the table to sit again.
"Sorry," she said. "It's just… real magic. Fairy tales. I never thought…."
Steve only smiled wider.
"What would you like to know first?"
They talked late into the night. Later than Sutton intended with work the next day. But it was easy to lose track of time when discussing a real, actual fairy tale world. All their behaviors and naivety made sense now. The fact that they could corroborate on stories. For all she'd been through or thought, Sutton hadn't been lying when she'd said she'd be the first to believe in magic given proof. Even as she stumbled off to bed, already mildly regretting staying up, she felt like a spark of life had been relit inside her.
Sprinkles had already gone to bed on her own by the time Sutton crawled up onto the mattress next to her. Flopping down on her sheets, Sutton let out a sigh and pat Sprinkles on her side. Sprinkles groaned in response.
"They're not crazy," Sutton mumbled, her speech slurring. "How am I supposed to kick them out now?"
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She felt like leftovers warmed up at work the next day. And she managed to do even less work than the first day they'd arrived. Her computer screen was blurry and conversations around her were muffled and distant. Her own thoughts were preoccupied and elsewhere.
Kings and knights and castles and magic.
Steve and Bucky weren't insane, delusional larpers. They were honest and, so far, good people. She hadn't interacted with people like that for an extended period in awhile.
"Oof," Alexandra said as she passed. She leaned against Sutton's cubicle wall and grimaced. "Late night last night?" Sutton blinked slowly and let out a quiet groan.
"Do I look that bad?" Alexandra winced.
"Well, your hair is half falling out of your bun and you're wearing two different colored socks."
"I'm wearing socks?"
Sutton glanced down. At some point that morning she'd put on gray and white socks then slipped into a pair of heels.
"Oh my gosh. Ok, yes. I didn't get much sleep."
She bent over in her chair and slipped her feet out of the socks, balling them up and shoving them in her purse as Alexandra snickered.
"More neighbor problems?"
"Um, not so much this time." Sutton fidgeted and brushed some hair behind her ear. "More like I got to talking with some… friends and lost track of time."
Alexandra grinned wider as her eyes sparkled.
"Oh, so worth the exhaustion then. Well, good for you. I don't think I've heard you talk about your friends much." Sutton smiled thinly.
"These ones are a bit new."
Alexandra let out a little sigh, one side of her lips ticking up as she straightened.
"Well, remember what I said about baked goods. It's my go-to for winning people over." Sutton laughed.
"I'm starting to think you just want me to bring something in."
Alexandra gasped, aghast, and put her hand to her chest.
"What? I'd never." She winked as she began to saunter away and gestured widely. "But, I mean, if you happen to have some extra…."
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Sutton guessed that she probably was almost hit by a taxi at least twice on her way home. Her mind was still lagging and she forgot to look both ways before jaywalking across the crosswalk a couple times. She just wasn't going to mention that part of her day to anyone at home. An excited thrill ran through her at that thought.
There were people waiting for her at home.
She knew that she shouldn't let herself get as eager about it as she was, after all they for sure had to find a way back to their world, but she still let herself indulge in the feeling. For just a moment she pretended that this was her normal life. It might've been foolish, but she'd been through worse. Afterwards, when it was all over, she'd force herself to pick up the pieces and acknowledge how far she'd let herself go. But that was later.
Before going back to her apartment, she stopped by the market and counted out the bills in her wallet as she picked out some fresh food options.
A prince and a knight!
They were probably used to eating better than she typically did. And maybe they hadn't complained, but that didn't curb the rush of embarrassment at how scant and pre-prepared her groceries had been that first night.
She scooped up some raw vegetables and fruits and deliberated over a chunk of locally made cheese before deciding that was a bit too out of her league, even with royalty in her home. With her purchases in hand, she trotted back down to her crumbling apartment building.
Sutton unlocked her door and kicked it open, brandishing her prized grocery bags and grinning.
"Lucy! I'm home!"
There was a jingle of dog tags and Sutton made sure to hold the bags out of reach as Sprinkles trotted over. She sniffed at Sutton as her nub of a tail waggled back and forth before she jabbed her cold nose under Sutton's shirt.
"Hey!"
Sutton let out a surprised laugh and dropped her hands to protect her stomach. Sprinkles huffed and then moved her nose to sniff at the bags. Sutton shook her head in a shocked insult.
"Oh, you sneak!"
Bucky was standing in the middle of the living room and he seemed to take up most of the space. He had his sword in hand and looked like he'd been caught practicing some defensive moves. His face was slightly red and she could tell he was breathing heavier than normal. They made eye contact and he dropped the sword down.
"I apologize," he said quickly. "I shouldn't have been wielding this in your home, I just-"
Sutton laughed and shrugged, which seemed to throw Bucky off.
"I don't care. You think you can wreck anything in here? You might be doing them a favor if you scrape off some of this terrible wallpaper. And if you wanted to kill me, you could've done that a couple days ago. I trust you aren't going to lob off anyone's head."
Bucky adjusted his grip on the hilt of the sword and eyed her curiously. Sutton could hear the shower running as she moved to the kitchen to put the groceries away. Steve and Bucky must have had an impromptu sparring session in her living room while she was gone. While she didn't blame them for being restless, she did hope they hadn't been too loud. The walls were only so thick.
"Thank you, my lady, er, I mean, Sutton."
However, Bucky put the sword back in its scabbard on her coat rack and stretched his arms.
"Oh," she crooned from the fridge. "Do I get a fairy tale name now too? I only just found out last night and I already get a title?"
He sat at the dining table; she noted the way he was breathing and absentmindedly rubbing around his shoulder where it met the chainmail. She poured him a glass of water and sat it in front of him as he blinked.
"You only started believing us last night and you already give me permission to use a weapon in your home."
"Touché."
He smiled, smugly, and Sutton let out an irritated snort as she leaned against the counter. Sprinkles, bored of the conversation, walked back down the hall and Sutton heard as her body dropped to the ground with a grunt. Probably waiting outside the bathroom door.
"You know, you're pretty quick for a knight," Sutton complained.
"Do you believe knights dull?"
She coughed into her fist and shrugged.
"Not exactly. But they're usually not so snarky." Bucky shook his head as he took another drink from his glass.
"What are we like, then," he asked. "Enlighten me."
Sutton shrugged again and waved her hands, checking to make sure that the shower was still in use before answering.
"Well, you know." She shifted her stance, putting her right foot forward and holding up her hand as if she had her own sword.
"Good morn' fair maiden! 'Tis I! Sir Barnes. Here to save you from the fiery maw of the mighty dragon! Fear not, for I have slain many with not but mere scratches to my person! Ha! For Andolasia!"
Bucky was silent and frozen, his hand still curled around his glass, and for all the world looking as though he were trying to keep something choked back. The first laugh escaped his lips despite his efforts, and then he was practically falling from his chair and wheezing as he held his stomach. Sutton felt her face warm though she laughed along with him. A tingle of pride ran through her that she couldn't help. Not many people laughed so hard at her jokes.
"Is that truly," Bucky said between gasps, "is that truly what your world believes?" He pulled himself back up into a sitting position as he wiped at his eyes. "No wonder," he rasped. "No wonder you did not believe us."
"But you do talk like that," Sutton insisted between laughs of her own. "You do!"
"I'm afraid I've missed something."
Steve stood just out of the room, materializing from the shower, it seemed, with a damp shirt and wrinkled pants. He gave them both curious, slightly put out looks.
"Not really," said Sutton. Bucky pointed at Steve and grinned up at her.
"Do him," he said. "What about princes? How are they portrayed?"
Steve cocked an eyebrow as Sprinkles appeared behind him. Sutton chewed on her bottom lip a moment before she sniffed and relented.
"Gentlemanly, of course," she prefaced. She straightened her spine, holding one arm bent in front of her while the other she bent behind her back. Bowing low, she then moved to grab Sprinkles by the front paws; lifting her up onto her hind legs she gave her dog a dazzling smile.
"My lady. You truly are the most beautiful maiden mine eyes have ever beheld! If I might dance with you alone all night, it would still not be enough." She let go of Sprinkles and turned, throwing her arm up on her fridge and resting her forehead on it dramatically. "But alas! My duty and my station forbade me from wooing you. Oh agony beyond power of speech! Still, speak thus. Merely ask me, and my kingdom is yours! I shall revoke my birthright for but a day of your love!"
She turned with another dramatic flair and slid down the fridge until she was sitting on the floor. Sutton opened her eyes in time to see Sprinkles descending on her to cover her in slobbery kisses, and note Steve's red face.
Bucky broke out into another fit of dying laughter.
Sutton pushed away Sprinkles and got to her feet while grinning widely up at Steve whose face twisted in an amused scowl.
"Was that supposed to be me?"
"It's a prince stereotype, but if you see some similarities that's on you."
Giving him a smarmy wink, Sutton attempted to spin off in a dramatic departure, but Steve caught her hand as she passed and spun her back around. Sutton let out a little gasp of surprise, but tilted her head at Steve's sudden challenging look.
"By your definition, we sure do have a lot of time for romancing." Sutton smirked.
"C'mon. It's the hallmark of a prince. Besides riding into battle or breaking curses." She paused. "Except I think that last one can still count as romancing."
"There's more to it than that," he insisted. Sutton found humor in the fact that he was so insistent on defending his position. Typical prince. "A prince has to be a diplomat," he continued. "A politician and ambassador-"
"I think those overlap-"
"A good prince listens to the people and works to implement change based on what's needed."
"They are supposed to be a leader."
Steve's eyes flashed as he grinned down at her. His face seemed closer than it had when he first started speaking.
"And a great prince does not have to give up his station for the one he loves. He can persuade the king's ear to listen and speak sense into his council."
Sutton swallowed nervously, her eyes wide as she noticed how incredibly close he'd drawn her without her realizing it. Their faces were a hand-length apart and she could see the variations of blue in his irises. See each dirty blond lash that framed his eye. Her face was suddenly too hot and she pulled back, Steve letting her go without a fight.
"How educating," she managed to squeak out. Sutton cleared her throat and shook out her shoulders. "Maybe I shouldn't take all my cues from Disney and the Hallmark Channel."
Her knees suddenly buckled as they were hit from behind and she almost went sprawling over Steve in her attempt to catch herself before she bit it on the linoleum floor. Steve caught her around her forearms and kept her steady as she shot a nasty glare behind her.
"Sprinkles!"
Sprinkles dropped into a sit and scratched at her ear with a back leg, the little brown spots above her eyes ticking as if she were casually looking away.
"Anyway," drawled Bucky. Sutton had almost forgotten he was there. She pushed away from Steve again with a nod of thanks and shifted towards the short hall.
"Er, I'm just going to change out of my work clothes. Then, uh, I can take Sprinkles out."
She could feel eyes on her as she walked away, and she prayed she didn't have that weird zombie shuffle people did when they knew they were being watched and felt self conscious about it.
"Apparently princes have some time for romancing," she heard Bucky taunt from the kitchen.
"Shut up, Buck."
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Sutton felt absolutely indulgent chopping up the fresh vegetables for stir fry while being aided by Steve in the kitchen. Bucky shuffled around them, actually setting the table and Sprinkles gnawed on a bone in the living room. Every once in awhile she'd look up to see if any food had been dropped on the floor before settling back down.
It was comfortable and comforting. Sutton enjoyed the quiet conversation and the fact that she had people to join her in completing even simple tasks.
After diner she lingered in the kitchen a moment, digging through her fridge and pantry. She didn't have any chocolate chips on hand, or any candy for that matter. She drummed her fingers along her thigh as she thought.
"Steve doesn't like too sweet anyway," she mumbled to herself. Butter, she thought. There was actually butter in her fridge. Sutton grinned and rolled up her sleeves before tying her hair up in a knot on the top of her head.
"Hey," she called out to the living room, "please tell me you guys at least have shortbread."
Both men were struggling to figure out how to set up a game of Monopoly without her guidance. They looked up at the same time with unimpressed expressions.
"We may be from another world, but we don't live under a rock."
Sutton twisted her lips in a smirk and saw her opening to sass him back.
"What's your castle made out of then? Straw?"
Bucky opened his mouth, closed it, and then tilted his head to the side.
"Touché." Steve snickered.
"We have shortbread," he confirmed. "Generally with tea, though."
Tea. She had some tea. Probably green or chamomile, but she'd make it work.
"Alright," she said. "Well we can have some tea and cookies with our nice, quiet game."
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She'd thought that since they'd never played before, they wouldn't know. How could they? How could they ever anticipate the family destroying, friendship crushing experience that was Monopoly? They couldn't have. Sutton had expected to wipe them off the board and win for once in her life.
She should have known better.
There was a prince and a knight playing against her and they apparently picked up the idea of the game quickly. Steve had a knack for rapidly gaining property and then turning around and slamming down houses for rent. Bucky bought up the transportation squares faster than Sutton could get around the board, it seemed. The two almost broke into an actual wrestling match over Boardwalk and she was left pouting as banker with the Baltic and Vermont Avenue cards meekly peeking through the small pile of cash she had left.
Eventually she got fed up with the game that she might as well have not been part of anymore and tossed a piece of shortbread onto the board with a click of her tongue. Steve and Bucky halted their argument to give her a weird look and Sutton just sniffed haughtily as Sprinkles came barreling between all of them and skid across the board in her quest for the morsel.
Cards went flying, pieces scattered, and half the board was folded in on itself as Sprinkles licked up the crumbs and both men let out cries of insult.
"Oh no," Sutton said in a monotone. "Looks like the game is over."
"You cheated," accused Bucky. Steve eyed her crossed arms and dull expression, his own face blooming in a sort of amused understanding.
"You're a sore loser," he said. Sutton arched her brow and tilted her head down again.
"Are you kidding? This is probably one of the nicest ways this game has ever ended. I just saved you from at least two more hours of agony and a severed friendship."
She stood with a stretch and twisted her hair up on her head.
"I'm going to shower before bed. Do not try to start this game again, ok? I don't want to come back out and find a body in my living room."
They gave her uneasy agreements, which she didn't trust, so she shoved most of the game back in its box and flipped on the TV to try and distract them. As an additional measure, she dug through Sprinkles' small basket of toys and tossed her the squeakest one she could find. It was hard to focus on taking a game seriously when there was a large dog avidly chewing an obnoxiously loud hedgehog at your feet.
Seeing them resign themselves to the couch, Sutton smirked and nodded her head in approval.
"Good," she said.
Getting her change of clothes and heading to the bathroom, she caught the tail end of their conversation.
"It wouldn't have ruined our friendship," said Steve. Bucky grunted in reply.
"Hmm."
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Sutton found herself even humming in the shower. It was stupid and it was foolish, but she felt… content. She lathered up a loofa and her singing grew as she was reassured no one would hear her over the volume of the television.
"Mm.. No chance, no way, I won't say it… no, no. It's too cliché, I won't say I'm in… Love..."
She crooned a few more lines, grinning under the hot water, before she froze. Her eyes widened and her fingers curled into the course, sudsy skin of the sponge.
Oh no.
No, no that was nothing. It was a Disney song. She always sang Disney songs.
But why that one? She hadn't watched Hercules in forever.
No. She knew why.
Crap.
Living alone was just making her attach herself too quickly. There was nothing substantial to any of this. She'd only known Steve, known either of them, for a few days now. That was hardly long enough to know someone. Let alone-let alone like them with any depth.
That was it. Maybe she couldn't kick them out, but she couldn't keep playing this game. She couldn't handle feeling good again only to have them leave. And they had to leave.
Sutton took her time finishing her shower. Used the time to try and build up some defenses again. The magic had thrown her off, caught her by surprise. She'd gotten swept up in a story instead of remembering this was real life.
When she finally stepped out of the bath she was pink all over and felt like she'd managed to shove all the unneeded emotions into a little ball in her chest.
Sprinkles. She still had Sprinkles. And her dog wasn't going anywhere.
Steam billowed out into the hall when she left the bathroom. Steve and Bucky were still on the couch, avidly watching some terrible sitcom, but Steve was fidgeting and a little flushed. Sutton pursed her lips but didn't comment. Asking would be caring, and she wasn't going to ask about issues that weren't her business.
"Sprinkles," she called, her voice stiff. Both men looked at her, Bucky smirking and Steve openly smiling. She gave them a thin smile in return and their expressions flickered.
"I'm just heading to bed," she told them. "Night."
Sprinkles stretched languidly and shook before trotting over. When she got to Sutton's side she looked up and shifted, letting out a small whine as she bumped against Sutton's legs. Sutton pat her on the head and gave one last parting glance before retreating to her room.
Sprinkles climbed up onto the bed after her and settled on top of Sutton instead of beside her. Sutton let out an oof as her dog situated herself, shoving a leg into her gut and draping her front paws over her shoulders as she shoved her muzzle down behind Sutton's ear. For a moment, Sutton just laid there. Then she brought up a hand and rubbed circles around Sprinkles' neck and floppy ear.
"I can't do it again," she whispered. "You weren't here before, so you don't know. But-" She paused, then reached up and pulled Sprinkles' head close to press a kiss to her forehead.
"I only need you anyway. You're such a good girl, you know that?"
Sutton rubbed her hand along Sprinkles' smooth, glossy fur and let the warmth her heater of a dog provided ease her into sleep
"Who needs people when there are dogs, right?"
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I'm thinking there might be a chat next chapter! Wouldn't that be exciting? :)