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

Forty-Two

"You're with me," Natasha announced, tugging Steve to one side of the net while he stumbled.

"Hey!" Brock loudly complained from the other side, "We don't even know if Steve can play."

"What's your point?" Natasha asked, her tone laced with annoyance.

Brock studied Natasha for a moment, then, he accused, "You know that he can play!"

Natasha smirked over at Steve, and Steve smirked down at the ground. Brock continued, "You can't take all the good players and leave me with --" he gestured over to Bucky "-- him."

"I'm standing right here!" Bucky scoffed, possibly actually offended.

Brock rolled his eyes and Steve couldn't help but narrow his eyes at him. Who did he think he was? As Brock and Natasha argued from opposite sides of the net, Steve glanced over at Bucky. Bucky gave Natasha and Brock a pointed look and theatrically rolled his eyes, causing Steve to smirk.

Taking a step forward, Steve offered, "I might have a solution."

As though Steve hadn't spoken at all, a short boy with reddening peach skin and orangey-red hair from Brock's side of the net complained, "You always do this!"

"I don't see why I always get stuck with the rejects, Evan!" Brock retorted, shooting the boy a glare. From behind him, Steve noticed how Clint hid his face with his hand as he winced at Brock's words. Clearly knowing how Sharon would react.

"Rejects?!" Sharon exclaimed, swatting Brock as she defended herself, "I'm on the varsity volleyball team!"

"I didn't mean you," Brock quickly backtracked, trying to appease his girlfriend. An athletic, lighter-skinned black girl who's shoulder muscles were bulging, harshly nudged Brock with her elbow as she tightened her ponytail that was keeping her black braids from her face. Brock looked over his shoulder and rolled his eyes, "You either, Hil."

"See," Mandy started from Natasha's side of the net, "You're not with rejects!"

For a moment, Steve just stood there silently while more people joined in on the argument. It wasn't particularly unusual for Steve. He was often overlooked. And typically, he didn't mind much. Sure, Steve wanted to be heard in that moment, but it wasn't unheard of for him to go unnoticed. Glancing over, Steve found that Bucky was paying attention to him. His arms were crossed and his brows were furrowed as he looked... concerned?

Raising to talk over the different voices, Steve declared, "I might have a solution!"

That got everyone's attention and Steve pressed his lips together, wondering why he opened his mouth at all. Brock crossed his arms along his bare chest and said, "Alright, let's hear it."

Nonchalantly, Steve shrugged and offered, "You and I switch."

Brock perked at the suggestion. Positively lighting up at the simple idea and he enthusiastically agreed, "Okay!"

It didn't take long for Brock to bend and move underneath the net. Moving quickly to a position near the back next to Becca. It also didn't take long for Steve to move underneath the net to a position between Sharon and Bucky.

"There," the ginger boy, Evan, rolled his eyes.

The black girl, Hil, condescendingly mocked, "Are you happy now?"

"Very happy," Brock confirmed with a shit-eating grin. Hil started heading towards the back left corner and held her middle finger in the air at Brock. Brock feigned offense and theatrically gasped, "Is that any way to act around children?"

"You're worse than Hildy on a regular basis," Sam defended while a blonde girl with envious abs nonchalantly exclaimed, "Pot, meet Kettle."

Steve chuckled at that and earned a smile from Hildy. Her large brown eyes evaluated Steve as she crossed over to him and held out her hand and introduced herself, "Hildy."

Eagerly taking her hand, he introduced himself, "Steve."

"Figured," Hildy smirked knowingly and quirked her brow at Bucky, who was going red in the face. As her arrogant smirk grew, she winked at Steve and walked back over to the corner that she had claimed.

Steve's brows furrowed, but his smile stayed on his face. Had Bucky talked about him? Steve chewed on his lower lip and glanced at Bucky. A scarlet blush was on Bucky's normally pale cheeks and Steve noted how he was seemingly purposely avoiding looking at Steve. Even though Steve felt bad about Bucky being embarrassed, he couldn't help his grin growing on his face.

"Are we playing or not?" Sharon loudly asked from Steve's other side, causing Steve to drop his gaze from Bucky and shook Steve from his daydreams.

Facing the front, Steve noticed the cocky quirk of Natasha's lips. Smugly, knowingly, Natasha effortlessly passed the ball over the net. Sharon caught it and quickly moved back to stand in the back right corner, getting ready to serve. Steve moved over to the spot where she had previously been standing while Bucky moved to the center and Clint took the spot on his other side. Steve looked up and found himself face-to-face with Brock. Well, face-to-chest.

"Ya ready, Stevie?" Brock smirked, bending at the knee, ready for the game.

Steve narrowed his eyes and braced himself as well. Sharon served and the game began. Although Steve might not have seemed like much, he had a secret hidden up his sleeve. Sharon wasn't the only one who had been on a Varsity Team. Steve had been the only underclassman who had been on the team back home.

And Steve was beyond ready to kick Brock's ass.