Dreamboy

Homecoming

Steve manages to get cleaned and dressed without further problems, although his friend seems giddy at getting him back home. During the quick breakfast Coulson insisted they'd have, he keeps dropping little remarks Cap can't quiet place, fearing it might have to do with more intimacy he'd like to avoid. When his friend leads him to a parked motorcycle in Shield's garage, he has to elegantly coax Bucky into driving, as he wouldn't know where to go. His buddy seems very surprised, but gives him another happy beam that makes him feel guilty, still not sure, how he can sit him down to tell him that none of this is real. Least of all, their relationship.

He's a bit surprised that Bucks gives him a helmet to wear, one with an American flag and an eagle on it. For some reason the eagle has a pink sticker of a flower on its head, like an ornament. Bucky likewise puts on a helmet, one that is black with a red star, and the face of a white wolf on the side. But it's also been upgraded with stickers, three little ghosts that seem to dance around the wolves ear. It makes him wonder: 'Did we babysit for Hawkeye's kids some time? Why would we put stickers on our helmets?' The ghosts even look like they would glow in the dark.

Just as he's getting used to the situation, adjusting to hold on to Bucky during the ride, he hears him speak, quiet clearly: "Well, ready tiger? Hold on tight, you know I like to race!" And with that, he starts the engine, and jumping forward with a roar, drives out of the building, and onto the road leading to the highway. "Yahoo!", he cries excited, while Steve is left gasping: "Just, watch the road, okay?" Their helmets must be connected somehow. He wonders if it's Stark tech, or something standard he just didn't know of. But he can hardly form a clear thought, as Bucky maneuvers through traffic at high speed, cutting corners, and sending them flying over bumps, so that Steve holds him tighter than he had planned to.

It's a shame he can't enjoy it, still worrying over how to speak to his friend. Maybe the White Wolf noticed, because he suddenly asks: "Say, everything alright? You're awfully quiet back there!" Steve huffs back evasive: "And you're driving awfully fast!" "Well, I just can't wait to get home!", Bucks responds, also breathing a bit louder. Steve gulps, but tries to joke: "Just because you can't wait to get home, doesn't mean you need to push our luck of getting there at all!" He hears him chuckle, and then return: "Okay, I'll slow down for you. We're almost there anyways!"

Just then, he turns to exit the highway, and slowing down continuously, navigates the bike to a street lined with nice homes, a bit more upper class, with small front gardens. Steve actually recognizes them. His apartment back before Fury had to leave Shield was a bit further down, although he didn't drive home this way a lot. But the buildings still look familiar, making him wonder again: 'Is it Bucky's mind, that's dreaming this up? Or is it mine? It's so detailed...'

🌟

They're almost at the end of the road, when Bucky slows down to a halt, in front of one of the bigger homes, only connecting to another house on one side. It looks quiet expensive and actually too big for roommates to share. Then again, it does seem very homely, and perhaps this is something Bucky longed for, Steve thinks. They get off the motorcycle, and Cap takes down his helmet to gaze at the building, and the surrounding neighborhood, while the White Wolf opens the front gate. And then pushes the bike through, to place on a little paved area, where a second motorcycle, a small shed, and some trashcans are standing.

Then he takes his helmet off, and grinning comes back to grab Steve's hand, pulling him towards the entrance, not even closing the gate or grabbing their luggage, saying: "Come on, I thought you couldn't wait to get home either!" "Uhm, sure.", Steve stutters, "Just trying to get used to being home again..." "You'll get used quick enough!", Bucks promises, unlocking the door, and Steve suddenly gets scared, fearing he might mean something less domestic and more adult by this. Then he flinches again, when pulling him inside, Bucks lifts his other hand to his mouth to give out a sharp whistle with two fingers.