You skipped through the fallen leaves twirling, your loose curls bouncing around the deep mahogany scarf that was wrapped around your neck. The start of the sun setting casting its firy glow down the street sending the changing leaves on fire. You loved fall, everything about it, from the cool evening and warm days. The ever changing colors of the leaves as the trees prepared themselves for winter. Hot apple cider, and cozy warm clothing.
Autumn, it was your season. And with it came the decorating for Halloween the one holiday you adored, yeah Thanksgiving was cool and Christmas was amazing but you lived for Halloween. As you hit the bend on the corner of your street, shoving your hands deep into the pockets of one of your boyfriends hoodies you smile. Your grocery bags hung from your elbow, swing slightly as you went. The house you shared with the two of them was expertly decorated and only a week before October this year.
You may have cohersed Steve into helping you since the over dramatic James Barnes refused to lift a finger till the first of October. It made you giddy seeing the gravestones and skeletons adorning the yard as you pushed the gate open, heading up the steps to the two story Victorian style house. You looked at the haul of pumpkin sitting off to the side on your wrap around porch, your eyebrow raised, bales of hay propped up behind them.
You fished out the key to your home from your pant pocket, noticing both boy's modes of transportation were missing from the drive way. After stepping over the threshold, you pulled your scarf off hanging it on the coat rack next to the door. You pulled off Bucky's hoodie next and hung it nicely next to your deep gray pea coat.
Making your way to the kitchen, the heels of your boots clicking lightly as you crossed the cherry hard wood floor. You set the bags on the island center of the enormous kitchen, almost giggling with delight when you saw the large bowl of fresh apples on the granite counter. You skipped over pulling one out and took a deep refreshing inhale, the tart scent hitting your senses perfectly. A note stuck out the under side of the bowl, neatly folded and written in beautiful scrawling penmanship, no doubt from your brooding boy.
Doll,
As I'm sure you noticed out front are about ten pumpkins and six bales of hay. Seeing you and Steve decorate 'may' have gotten me in the festive mood. Do what you will with them, still not helping till Oct 1st. And I got you some fresh apples, hoping for pie or Carmel apples when I get home.
JBB
You smiled as you read the note, you'll get him some day. You set about pealing the apples, and getting everything ready to make fresh apple pie, using your grandmas recipe. A year and a half, that's how long the three of you had been together, sharing your joys and sadness together. It wasn't easy, then again who said relationships were easy.
As you pushed the pie in the oven, the heat of the stove spilling out over your face you could hear the unmistakable sound of a rumbling motor. It was Steve's truck, his made a slight tin sound in the rumble where as Bucky's truck didn't. You closed the oven door, pulling the owl oven mits off and placing them on the counter.
"Babe? You home yet?" Steve called out as you heard the front door close.
"Yeah, I'm in the kitchen." You called back, taking a second set of apples to the sink to scrub down.
"How was the store?" He asked as he entered, the sleeves on the red plaid shirt rolled up.
You looked over your should at him, looking more like a farm hand then Captain America these days. Between his beard, longer hair and the beat up jeans he wore these days you wondered if he ever wanted to clean up. Not that you minded, you loved this version of him just as much as the clean cut icon everyone had come know.
"Remarkably unbusy this time, it was nice." You replied, looking back to the apples, setting the clean ones a side. You heard him come closer, and slowly his arms wrapped around your midsection, melting his body around yours.
"Mmm, what'chya makin'?" He smiled into the crook of your neck, placing a soft kiss on the soft skin.
"Well, Bucky requested an apple pie, which is in the oven and I was going to make some cider, or try at least." You giggled, trying to shrug him off of you. "And you sir, are impeding on that."
"Hmmm, can't have that." He sighed, releasing you and stepped next to you.
Steve leaned his hip against the counter, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
"Did you go help the Sanderson's at the end of the block?" You asked, looking up recipes on your phone.
"Yeah, those crazy ladies, you wouldn't believe the things they talk about. Plus that black cat of their was on the roof making it hard to clean the gutters." He replied, pushing himself from the counter. "Noticed all the pumpkins and hay bales on the porch, Guessing it was Bucky, since you were on foot. Thought he wasn't going to help."
"He's not." You replied grabbing everything you needed to make the cider. "His note said he refuses to help but he's the spirit of it."
"Still think he'll break and help out before the first?" Steve asked, you could hear him settle down in one of the bar chairs behind you as you went about your business.
"Yep, he's almost there, doesn't want to give me the satisfaction of winning this year." You grinned to yourself. "Give him two more days, he'll be decorating."
Two hours later, cider done, pie resting on the stove, the house smelling of freshly baked goods, you were on the porch. The porch lights were on as darkness had taken its hold. You had arranged the bales in two groups of three at either corner of the wrap around. Pumpkins placed perfectly, you had stepped back to look at your handy work when you heard the rumbling of Bucky's truck coming down the street.
You pivoted to face the vehicle as it pulled in the drive way next to Steve's. Bucky hopped out the driver seat floodlights from the garage turning on illuminating him. His chocolate locks pulled back, loose strands falling in front of his eyes. His deep blue Henley had the sleeves push back, and crisp dark denim. He grinned when he saw you, pushing the gate open. You greeted him at the steps, wrapping your arms around his neck as he climbed up them to you.
"Thank you for the pumpkins." You stated, giving him a quick kiss. "Though I'm not sure if I like the placement."
"Why's that doll?" He asked, grabbing your hand as you let him go.
"Cause I can't tell if I like that small pumpkin at the base or switch it with the larger one at the top." You explained. "What do you think?"
"I think, you're trying to trick me into helping." He smirked, but released your hand and swapped the two anyway. "Small on the top, big on the bottom."
"If you knew I was trying to trick you, why'd you do it?" You asked him curiously as he opened the front door.
"Cause I got about thirty corn stalks coming into tomorrow, and it's your fault." He sighed after taking a deep breath.
"Yay!" You exclaimed clasping your hands together with excitement, bouncing slightly.
"Apple pie?" He asked, excitedly turning to you.
"And cider." Steve stated, coming out the kitchen with two mugs.
