Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing
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The next day Skye and Steve both got ready to go out to the movies. When they were ready, they headed out. When they got to the theater, Steve got their tickets while Skye looked around the theater at everyone who was there.
Once he got the tickets Steve looked at Skye. "Would you like some popcorn?"
"Yes, please," she said with a smile.
They went over to the concession stand and got some popcorn and soda before going into the theater and sitting down.
They watched the movie, and when it was done they left the theater and headed to a diner.
"I've been thinking," Steve said when they sat down.
"Yes?" Skye said as she looked at the menu
"You've mentioned that you want to keep your life as normal as possible. A lot of teenagers get involved in a sport or club," Steve said.
Skye nodded slightly. "But I've never really found a thing I'm passionate about. I have no athletic skills. I'm not artistically talented. I'm only in music because I have to be in something."
Steve nodded. "There are also academic clubs."
Skye chuckled. "I'm not all that book smart."
"You're smarter than you give yourself credit for," Steve said.
"My grades are not awful, but I'm not an A+ student," Skye said.
"I don't want to be one of those parents, but your grades have been better when you apply yourself," Steve said.
Skye sighed. "You don't want to be one of those parents, but that is exactly what you are doing."
"Okay, we can drop it," Steve said. "But there are lots of clubs that you probably would enjoy."
"I'll think about it," Skye said.
The waitress came over and took their orders. Once the waitress was gone, Skye looked at her dad.
"Did you get good grades?" Skye asked.
"I wasn't an A+ student either, but I did try my best," Steve said.
Skye nodded.
"Your mother was very intelligent," Steve said.
Skye smiled and nodded. "Were you part of any clubs or anything?"
"Outside of sports, there weren't any clubs or such. And I was a scrawny kid with a list of health issues. It wasn't really an option," Steve said. "But I did go to art school after high school."
Skye nodded. "Drawing? Painting?"
"I did all of it, but drawing was my favorite," Steve said.
"I don't think I have ever seen you drawing," Skye said.
"My life is very busy. I don't have the time I once did," Steve said.
"Maybe you should make the time, if it's important to you," Skye said.
"When did the tables get turned?" Steve asked with a smile.
Skye chuckled and shrugged. "You want me to pursue some sort of passion that I don't know I have, but you clearly had one when you were younger and don't do anything with it now. Kind of sounds like a double standard."
Steve chuckled and nodded. "Fair enough. Have you talked to Tucker recently?"
"I talked to him a few days ago, after everything happened," Skye said.
"He is good?" Steve asked.
"Someone sent an anonymous email to his boss claiming he was using drugs. His probation officer was called, and he was drug tested. He came up negative, obviously. I had forgotten to tell him about what his aunt and uncle told you. But I did when he told me that. He thinks maybe his cousin sent the email because he has officially gone noncontact with all of them," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "He's not in trouble?"
"His probation officer assumed that whoever sent the email was someone he shouldn't be hanging around and was annoyed. But he still has the job and his freedom. And apparently, I'm a good influence now," Skye said.
"Oh?" Steve asked.
"Tucker is not supposed to spend any time with people he got in trouble with. I'm the exception because I've turned my life around and am around good influences, therefore making me a good influence," Skye said.
Steve smiled. "Well, you haven't been in any legal trouble in over a year and have changed considerably, so I'd say that is a fair assessment."
Skye shrugged.
"Is that a bad thing to be considered a good influence?" Steve asked.
Skye chuckled. "If you had asked me that a year ago, I would have said yes. But no, it's a good thing."
"Why was being a bad influence a good thing to you?" Steve asked.
Skye shrugged. "So people would leave me alone. So my friends would like me."
Steve nodded.
"But they weren't really my friends, and I wasn't really theirs," Skye said. "Except Tucker."
"You don't think you were really their friend?" Steve asked.
"I sold them out to avoid more trouble myself. They would have done the same," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "You weren't going to give them up."
"Yeah, and you were pissed. It was enough to make me do so," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "Did I scare you?"
"Yes," Skye said.
"Do I still?" Steve asked.
"No," Skye said.
"But you still listen to me," Steve said.
"You've earned my respect. So I respect you, and I don't want to disappoint you," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "Good. To the fact that you respect me."
Skye smiled.
Their food was brought, and they started to eat. Skye looked around at the other people in the diner: some couples, some families, a group of teenagers. She smiled at another girl there with someone who Skye assumed was her father.
"What are you looking at?" Steve asked.
Skye looked back up at him. "People watching."
"You do that a lot," he said.
"Yeah, well, when you don't have much else to do to occupy your time, you find things," Skye said.
Steve nodded.
"Hey, I obviously know you got my foster care record, but did you ever get copies of my police record?" Skye asked.
"I did," Steve said. "But I already had seen it. That night Bucky and I saw you in the alley. We had a video of you, and we wanted to know who you were. We ran your face through the database that Tony has and found your police record." Steve said quietly.
Skye's eye went big.
"You do not share that we have access to that," Steve said.
Skye smirked. "So you didn't get it from legal sources?" she said quietly.
"I mean it, Skyler," Steve said sternly
"No, I won't. I promise. It's just amusing," Skye said.
Steve shook his head.
"Well, it is," Skye said. "How do you have access?"
"Honestly, I'm not sure. Tony had it. I don't ask questions I don't want to know the answer too," Steve said.
"Plausible deniability," Skye said.
"Big words for someone who doesn't think they are very smart," Steve said.
"Not book smart, street smarts I think I have," Skye said.
"I believe you are both," Steve told her.
Skye shrugged.
They finished their food and Steve paid before they left and started for home.
"What do you want for Christmas?" Steve asked as they were driving.
"Nothing," Skye said with a smile.
"You either tell me what you want and you might get it, or you don't and I get you something you might not like," Steve said smiling.
"I don't know what I want," Skye said.
"You've been reading more, any books?" Steve asked.
"None that I know of," Skye said.
"You like music, any records you want?" Steve asked.
"Yes, any of Taylor Swift's albums," Skye said.
Steve smiled. "There is a nickname for Taylor Swift fans. What is it?"
"Swifties," Skye said with a chuckle.
"Are you one of them?" Steve asked.
"Absolutely," Skye said.
"What other music do you like?" Steve asked.
"I've been getting into alternative rock," Skye said. "But I like just about everything music-wise."
"Anything you don't like?" Steve asked.
"Hardcore stuff that just sounds like screaming," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "fair enough."
"What do you want?" Skye asked him.
"Not sure, I will let you know when I figure it out," Steve said.
"Don't think not telling me will keep me from getting you something," Skye said.
Steve chuckled. "You really do not need to get me anything. And, may I ask how you plan to pay for any gift?"
"You remember the allowance you give me every month? And from when I babysat Morgan? Despite the fact that I told Tony he didn't need to pay me," she asked with a smirk.
"Yes, but I didn't know you had been saving any," Steve said.
"It's not often that I need money," Skye said.
Steve nodded. "How much do you have saved?"
"Couple hundred," she said.
"Really don't spend much do you?" Steve asked.
Skye shrugged.
"Okay, but do not spend all your savings on a gift for me," Steve said.
"I won't. I'm buying for a few people," Skye said.
"Okay, and you know, if you want to buy for anyone else, I can help you with that," Steve said.
"I appreciate that, but then it wouldn't really be from me," Skye said. "At least the allowance you give me and babysitting money is somewhat earned."
"It is more than somewhat earned, you do a lot to help around the compound," Steve said.
Skye shrugged. "And I live there. I should help out. And Morgan is as close to a sister as I have. I don't think I should be paid for keeping an eye on her for a couple of hours occasionally. Do you pay Pepper for watching me for days at a time?"
"No, I just want to make sure you have some spending money. I'm sure Tony and Pepper think the same," Steve said.
Skye nodded as Steve said as he pulled in at home.
"Thank you for today," Skye said.
"We will do days like this more often," Steve said.
"Okay," Skye said with a smile.
They both went inside.
"How was the movie?" Bucky asked, looking up from the couch.
"It was good," Skye said. "I'm going to need your help to figure out what to get him for Christmas."
Bucky chuckled, "I can do that."
Steve smiled and shook his head.
"Thank you," Skye said before she went off to her room.
"Conspiring with my daughter?" Steve asked as he sat next to him.
"Yes," Bucky said smirking. "It was a good day?"
"It was. But made me realize I know a lot about the hell she has gone through and some about her abilities, but not much about her likes and dislikes," Steve said.
"You still have time," Bucky said.
Steve nodded.
"You're a great dad, Steve. You just got thrown into this dad thing without much warning and are trying to make up for years that she wasn't here, at no fault of your own. It's going to take time. But you have the rest of your life for that," Bucky said.
Steve nodded again. "I know you're right."
"And I will do what I can to help," Bucky said.
"I appreciate that," Steve said as he put an arm around his shoulders.
Bucky smiled. "So, you don't care anymore if people see us being affectionate?"
Steve shrugged. "I think most already know anyway."
Bucky nodded and just enjoyed the closeness with Steve.