Call It What You Want: Home Series 1 (Trans!Steve and Pan!Bucky Summer AU)

Thirty-One

As a string of knocks came from the guestroom door, Steve's reading was interrupted. Putting his bookmark in the novel, Steve watched as Natasha rolled off the bed and went to get the door. More knocks came and annoyed, Natasha said, "I'm coming. Chill out, will ya?"

Crossing his legs on the bed, Steve watched as Natasha opened the door to reveal Sam. Cheerfully, Sam slapped his hands rhythmically along the doorframe as he proposed, "We're gonna go swimming, ya wanna join?"

Just like always, Natasha glanced over her shoulder at Steve. Silently proposing the idea to him with a quirk of her perfectly shaped brow. And, just like always, Natasha figured that she knew Steve's answer. She knew Steve and she knew that Steve hated going swimming. So, she turned back to face Sam and answered indifferently, "Maybe next time."

But Natasha wasn't the only one who knew their best friend. Steve knew Natasha. He knew that even though she hated going swimming just as much as he did, but for completely different reasons. Namely, Natasha was terrified of contracting a flesh eating virus from the water. Or the bacteria that turned one's brain to mush.

Steve could tell that despite Natasha being fearful of unknown water, he knew that she wanted to go. It was summer. It was Arkansas. It was hot. And Natasha wanted to go. So, Steve decided to accept his offer.

"Actually," Steve started, causing Sam to pause from heading back down the hallway. Natasha turned to Steve with her brows arched high on her forehead, hidden by her gray bangs while Steve told them, "Just... gimme a minute."

"Okay, cool," Sam eagerly agreed. With a large grin splitting across his face, he slapped the doorframe and stepped back, "Meet ya outside!"

Nodding, Steve stood from the bed and headed over to the dresser. Natasha closed the door and stood there, crossing her arms, watching Steve. Steve purposely tried not to look at her. Instead, he focused on keeping his hands from shaking as he removed the breathable half-tank binder. He also tried not to think about how when he bought it, it was mistaken for a sports bra.

Grasping the light gray material in his hand, he grabbed a pair of swim trunks and a plain tee before closing the drawer. Natasha stepped in his path on his way to the bathroom, causing Steve to finally have to look up at her.

"You sure you want to do this?" Natasha asked, her cautious gaze trained solely on Steve.

Steve took in a deep breath and held his shoulders as confidently as he could muster as he confirmed, "Yup."

Facing off with Natasha, Steve still attempted to see past her poker face. Even after all their years of being friends, Natasha still had the best poker face that Steve had ever witnessed. And although he knew his best friend like the back of his hand, that damn expression could beat even the best card player.

"You, uh," Steve started, gesturing towards the bathroom, "Gonna get changed."

Natasha turned towards the dresser and started digging through the drawers designated for her clothing, and Steve happily headed around her towards the bathroom. As Steve went to close the door, Natasha teasingly warned, "I didn't pack any family friendly swim wear."

"Darling, you've never been family friendly in any aspect of your life," Steve chuckled, closing the door behind himself.

Quickly, changing, Steve swapped his regular binder for the approved swim one and made sure that he could move comfortably around in it. Then, he pulled on the plain, gray t-shirt that matched the gray stripes on his swim baby blue swim trunks. Trying his damndest to ignore his dysphoria for not having the sex organ that most associated with being male. Taking a moment to just deeply breathe before stepping out, where he found Natasha slipping a black short chiffon kaftan over her faux leather triangle bralette and matching briefs.

"I don't know, Nat," Steve teased, "Seems pretty family friendly to me."

Natasha rolled her eyes, threw some items into a drawstring bag and left the room. Booping Steve's nose on the way. Of course, that only caused Steve to roll his own eyes as he followed her down the hallway towards the foyer as they both slipped on their shoes.

With her hand on the doorknob, Natasha glanced over shoulder at Steve and worried her lower lip with her teeth, "What about the bacteria?"

"Well," Steve blew out a puff of air and shrugged, "Hopefully, we'll have a good story to tell while we're quarantined."

Natasha narrowed her eyes and menacingly pushed her sunglasses onto her face, still being cautious of her piercing that almost looked professionally done. Then, she threw open the door in her dramatic fashion, causing everyone to pause and immediately look over at them.

All eyes on him, his cheeks flushed and Steve dropped his gaze to his feet as he started walking across the porch. About to take a step down the steps, Natasha harshly grabbed his arm and tugged him back. With furrowed brows, he glanced up at Natasha, silently questioning her.

"Stevie, am I having a heat stroke, or do you see her too?" Natasha whispered, keeping her mouth mainly still. A talent that had always creeped Steve out.

Steve glanced over at where all the cousins were loading up Brock's green Bronco, and Steve's gaze instantly landed on Bucky's lanky frame. Almost as though he was magnetically drawn to Bucky without even having to search for him. Which was both terrifying and comforting.

But Steve was supposed to be looking at someone else...

Shifting his gaze, Steve looked over the familiar faces until it landed on someone new. A blonde with a dazzling smile was laughing at something that Sam said, her head thrown back as she did so. Steve couldn't help the smile that tugged at his own lips, and he didn't try to fight it.

"God, she's --" Natasha wistfully sighed "-- an angel."

A startled gasp of a chuckle escaped Steve and he turned to look at Natasha again. Tilting his sunglasses down the slope of his nose, he studied Natasha and asked, "You alright, there?"

Natasha kept her gaze locked on the new girl and she smiled, genuinely, as she teased herself, "Satan, help me. I think I might be in love."

"Might want to learn her name first," Steve chuckled, fixing his sunglasses back on his face.

Taking a step down, Natasha kept her grasp on Steve's slender bicep and softly questioned, "What? Ya never heard of love at first sight?"

Bashfully, Steve glanced over at Bucky and admitted, "Of course, I have."