Even just acknowledging that it was his birthday was often more than Steve wanted. There were more important things going on that day than him. He loved his country, probably more than anyone just in a quiet way and in spite of a lot of things. It was always going to be more important than he was, and despite his history of being on display, Steve didn't actually enjoy the attention.
It was a little different when it was Bucky, though. Steve accepted a lot of things from his oldest friend that he didn't from anyone else. The same way he forgave a lot of things that he probably should have held more of a grudge about.
But it was the small things, the stupid things, the ones that were actually good memories that Steve still mockingly complained about all these years later. Days they'd gone down to the boardwalk or had gotten themselves into some kind of trouble that didn't involve Steve bleeding in an alley and ending up with a black eye.
"Doesn't even have to be a good meal," Steve protested, though honestly that was the best plan for the weekend he could ask for. No excitement pointed his way, no need to play nice with anyone he didn't want to. He'd never cared much about maintaining a public image but he knew he had one all the same, wasn't aiming to do anything that would complicate it. "But yeah. Same as we've ever done."
It was more than he'd ever done in the years he hadn't had Bucky around.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-07-02 08:28 pm (UTC)It was a little different when it was Bucky, though. Steve accepted a lot of things from his oldest friend that he didn't from anyone else. The same way he forgave a lot of things that he probably should have held more of a grudge about.
But it was the small things, the stupid things, the ones that were actually good memories that Steve still mockingly complained about all these years later. Days they'd gone down to the boardwalk or had gotten themselves into some kind of trouble that didn't involve Steve bleeding in an alley and ending up with a black eye.
"Doesn't even have to be a good meal," Steve protested, though honestly that was the best plan for the weekend he could ask for. No excitement pointed his way, no need to play nice with anyone he didn't want to. He'd never cared much about maintaining a public image but he knew he had one all the same, wasn't aiming to do anything that would complicate it. "But yeah. Same as we've ever done."
It was more than he'd ever done in the years he hadn't had Bucky around.