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

Thirty-Two

"Well, well, well," Brock stated, crossing his muscular arms and standing intimidatingly in front of his Bronco.  Arrogantly, he teased Natasha, "Sweetie, I was sure that you'd burst in the sunlight."

"I use a high SPF, sweetie," Natasha snidely replied, keeping a smug smirk on her face.

Steve could feel the tension building in the air, so he quickly cut in, "Is there anything I can help with?"

"Nah," Brock declined Steve's offer.  And if he had left it there, it would've been fine.  But, of course, he didn't.

"Just stand there lookin' pretty," Brock directed to Steve, winking at him.

A bitterness seeped into Steve's mood and it was so sour that it could've been mistaken for bile.  Instead of responding -- or vomiting -- Steve simply spotted Becca loading a large cooler into the back of the Bronco and promptly offered his assistance.  Fairly certain that Becca could handle it herself, but using it as an excuse to get away from Brock.

"Thanks, but I got it," Becca grinned and pushed the cooler the rest of the way.  She glanced over Steve and suggested, "Might want to put on some sunblock though."

Nodding, Steve still kept an eye and an ear on Natasha and Brock, an unfamiliar voice declared, "Brock, honey, don't be weird."

Intrigued, Steve looked over to find Natasha's imagined love interest leaning in to kiss Brock's cheek.  Shocked, Steve immediately dropped his gaze from the affectionate way that the blonde was staring up at the cocky brunet.  Steve couldn't imagine what was going through Natasha's head.  Luckily for Steve though, he didn't have to imagine it.

"That pompous jackass has the nerve to make disgusting and vaguely threatening comments to us while dating that angel?!"  Natasha sneered under her breath as she leaned in close to Steve.

Never being very good with comforting people in general, Steve lifted his arm and awkwardly patted Natasha's back.  The best he could do was give her an apologetic look, so that was exactly what he did.  And although Steve wasn't very good at being the nurturing soul that he had grown up trying to be, Natasha's shoulders did relax from the tight, tense way that she had been holding them.

"It's just not fair," Natasha pouted, dramatically pushing her plump lower lip out.

Steve looked around her to Brock and the blonde and offered, "Maybe they're just friends."

"Who's that close with their friend?"  Natasha defeatedly questioned.

Shrugging, Steve honestly answered, "Us."

Natasha pulled her dark shades down her nose to narrow her eyes at Steve, but Steve kept up his neutral expression.  He meant it.  She knew it.  The corner of her lips quirked up and she pushed the sunglasses back up her nose to their rightful place.  Playfully elbowing Steve, Natasha teasingly prayed, "Let's hope that they're like us in more ways than one.  Namely, that she's into chicks."

"Speak it into existence, so shall it be," Steve answered exactly the way that Sarah would've if she was there.  Which reminded Steve: gotta call mom.

Natasha took in a grounding breath, nodding and took Steve's hand in hers as she repeated, "Speak it into existence, so shall it be."

Quickly, Natasha leaned in and pressed a dramatic kiss to Steve's cheek.  Mockingly, Steve feigned disgust and theatrically wiped at his cheek with the heel of his hand.  Natasha cackled at his antics and Bucky chose that moment to walk around to the back of the Bronco with a tube of sunblock in his hand and a quirked brow.

Noticing that Steve was wiping at his face, Bucky's brows furrowed and he asked, "Did you already get sunblock from Sharon?"

"No," Natasha stated as her giggles were renewed by the blush that was starting across Steve's face while Steve asked, "Sharon?"

"Brock's girlfriend," Bucky answered.

"Fuck," Natasha muttered as she took a seat on the dropped tailgate.

Bucky's brows arched high on his forehead, "What?"

"Nothing," Natasha grumbled, kicking her feet and taking out a cigarette.  Balancing it between her lips and instantly lighting it, "Just my luck."

"Are you -- Am I," Bucky glanced between the pair, "Missing... something?"

"It's nothing," Steve immediately stated, covering for Natasha being practically programmed into his DNA by now.

And while Natasha silently nodded her confirmation while blowing a huff of smoke out the corner of her lips, Bucky didn't seem all that convinced.  For a moment, Bucky just stood there looking at Steve.  Under his suspicious gaze, Steve averted his glance and crossed his arms along his chest.  Trying his best to seem nonchalant, but realizing that Bucky would be able to see right through him.

Out of his periphery, Steve watched as Bucky shook his head.  Sure that Bucky was going to press the issue.  Instead, Bucky simply held out the tube of sunblock, "Here."

"Thanks," Steve accepted, trying not to thrill at the fact that Bucky's fingers innocently blushed along his as the tube was transferred to his own grasp.

"'Course," Bucky easily grinned.  Almost as though he was just remembering Natasha, Bucky ducked his head and bashfully grinned at Steve again before shoving his hands in his pockets and heading over to Tibby.