Title: When Day is Done
Fandom: MCU
Rating: General
Length: 609 words
Content notes: Retirement can be tough.
Author notes: Steve and Bucky might be a couple
Summary: Steve realizes his duties are done.



Steve wasn’t very good at following orders. He simply ignored them if he disagreed with them strongly enough. Anyone who’d ever served with him could tell you that. Hell, anyone who’d ever known him could tell you that.

Duty was another thing all together, though.

His sense of duty went all the way back to taking care of Ma when she was too sick to get out of the bed. She hadn’t asked or demanded. He’d cared for her because it was what was supposed to do, because he loved her. He was a dutiful son.

He’d wanted to join the Army for the same reason. It was his job to fight the fascists. He’d fought hard and long then fought another type of evil when he’d awakened. He did it because it was his duty to do so. First for his country and then for his world.

Since the war was done and everyone was home, he was in a position he’d never been in since he was a small boy. His duty was done. Tony was gone, as was Nat. Sam had the Captain America thing down. The others had gone off to their own lives.

All he had left was to return the stones and he was free.

What the hell was he going to do then?

Bucky was staying with him in his apartment in Brooklyn. Maybe he’d talk to Buck when he got home. Bucky was going to therapy a lot, as well as physical work with the newest arm the Wakandans had made for him. He was doing a great job of putting a new life together.

Steve put on a pot of coffee and waited for Buck.

When got home, Bucky had a takeout bag filled with Chinese food. He ate like he was starving, even after having plenty for quite a while so it was a big bag. .

“I got fried rice, wonton soup, potstickers, General chicken, Hunan beef. Some other stuff, too. Hope you’re hungry.”

Steve helped him set all the food out and they both ate heartily. There was very little left to stick in the fridge at the end of dinner Aftyer dinner, Steve poured them both a coffee, strong and black. Neither could ever get used to what Steve called Frou-frou coffee.

“What’s up? You never wait with coffee unless you need to talk.” Bucky still knew him better than anyone else did.

“What am I going to do?” Steve asked.

Bucky looked puzzled. “About what?”

“My life. I’ve done my duty and Sam is now Captain America so what do I do now?”

Bucky took a drink of his coffee, never taking his eyes from Steve’s. “Is there something you want to do?”

“I’d like to see the world, visit art museums, drink coffee at street cafes in Spain, see the Eiffel Tower, maybe the Great Wall. Most of the world I’ve seen was as a soldier.”

“Then go and do those things.”

Steve thought a moment. “I guess I could. Tony told me I needed to get a life.”

“Need a sidekick in this new life?” Bucky asked, way too casually.

“I suppose I do. Know anyone? Maybe Banner?” Steve asked with a grin.

“Yeah, Banner in an art museum…”

“Then who? Barton? I heard he’s been training a young woman to be the next Hawkeye. He might not have time. Thor’s sort of left the planet.”

“I’ll go. I don’t have a lot on my calendar. I’ll make the sacrifice.”

“I’d appreciate that. It’s great of you to offer. I was thinking of going to Paris first.”

Bucky sighed. “Paris in the spring.”