Sam wakes up way too late. The room is already warming up from the sun that's shining directly into the room. He groans, pulls the blanket, which is surprisingly covering him completely for once, over his head and rolls onto his side. Sam lets his hand creep out from under the blanket to find his partner, but finds the other side of the bed empty. He lifts the blanket up. The other side of the bed really is empty, which explains why he's got the whole blanket to himself. Sam turns again to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling. It's quiet, except for some birds outside. The window is open, letting in the sunlight and the warm breeze. He doesn't really want to get up, enjoying the silence for another minute, but being alone in bed does get boring. So Sam decides to get up in the end. He picks up a shirt from the chair in the corner of the room before he opens the door and walks into the hallway. It's still quiet. He decides to see if anything is happening downstairs. Standing on the last step of the stairs, he looks around and decides to go into the living room first. It's empty. Sam begins to think that he really is alone today. The doors to the garden are open, so Sam decides to go outside. He stands there for a moment, looking at the trees, cushioned by big polsters to keep them from breaking when the shield hits them with full force. Sam's been training a lot out here recently. The weight of the shield sits heavy on his shoulders all the time now, not really ready to be taken care of. He's just glad that it's in his hands again. He walks further out into the garden, bare feet on the grass. Sam feels at peace here. He's been through a lot recently, the world not slowing down for him. But when does it ever. Sam sighs. He should probably go back inside, figure out where the other's went. So he turns around, ready to walk back inside, when he sees Rhodey rounding the corner, Scott directly behind him.
„If it isn't Captain America himself“ Rhodey says, opening his arms with a smile.
Sam smiles back at him, doesn't say anything. With Rhodey, he doesn't have to.
„Happy birthday, Sam“ Rhodey says, voice cheerful.
„Yeah, happy birthday, man! So glad you got your hands on the shield, it really suits you better than. You know. Anyway, I hope you don't mind me tagging along but it's your birthday after all and I don't think Rhodes really minded-“
„He just. Jumped into the car. Couldn't really stop him.“ Rhodey tells Sam.
Sam is shaking with laughter. He steps out of Rhodey's arms to step right into Scott's.
„I missed you“ he tells him.
Scott sighs.
„I missed you too, Sam. I really did. You have no idea.“
Sam shakes his head. He looks at the two men, standing there, in the garden.
„Wanna come in?“ he asks. „I don't really know where the rest of this household went, but-“
He moves his head to signal them to follow him inside. They walk in beside him.
„Checked the kitchen yet?“ Rhodey asks.
„No“ Sam says, „maybe I should.“
He goes to open the door to the kitchen when Sarah opens the door from the other side and steps out of the room and into the hallway.
„Sam!“ she says, as if she'd just realised that he lives here too. She looks behind him, where Rhodey and Scott are standing and waves at them, the she turns to him again.
„I didn't hear you at all this morning. Happy birthday!“ she tells him.
He takes a moment to look at her. Her eyes are bright, she looks...happy. It's not a bad look.
„Yeah well, I woke up alone. Didn't really make sense to stay in bed“ Sam grins at her, but turns at the loud gasp behind him.
Scott is staring at him, Rhodey jabbing him into the side with his elbow.
Sam raises an eyebrow at him.
„I...didn't know you were dating again.“ Scott says, glowing at Rhodey, who just grins.
„It's...fairly new“ Sam says, smiling.
„Congrats, Sam! Do we know the lucky winner?“ Scott asks and Rhodey can't hold it back anymore, he starts laughing.
„Lang.“ he says, after he's done laughing „you can't be serious.“
„Well, it's not me, which is upsetting, but-“
„Aren't you the one with a girlfriend?“ Rhodey asks.
„Yeah, but we're talking about Sam Wilson himself here, don't tell me you wouldn't put everything down for this man.“ Scott shoots back.
Sarah grins at Sam. Sam opens his mouth to say something, when the door behind him opens again.
„I sure would“ a voice behind them says. Sam smiles.
„Shut it, Barnes“ he says, but there's no real heat behind it.
Bucky takes two steps before he comes to a halt behind Sam and wraps his arms around his waist, resting his head on Sam's shoulder, looking at the visitors who are still standing in the middle of the hallway.
„Happy birthday, sweetheart“ Bucky whispers into his ear. Sam shivers.
„Well...not who I expected but honestly. It makes a lot of sense, now that I think about it“ Scott says.
Bucky looks up to look at him.
„Lang“ he says. Sam laughs.
„Barnes.“ Scott says, holding the stare Bucky is sending his way.
„Okay enough of this, one man with a staring problem is more than enough“ Sam says, turning in Bucky's arms to press a kiss to his nose „I'm hungry.“
„You sure are in luck“ Sarah tells him and opens the door to the kitchen to reveal a breakfast table and a huge birthday cake.
Sam nods at Rhodey and Scott to follow Sarah into the kitchen before he looks at Bucky.
„You good?“ he asks.
„Always“ Bucky answers. Sam looks at him. His boyfriend looks happy. Free.
„Nice shirt, by the way“ Bucky says, grinning at Sam.
Sam looks down. The green shirt is slightly too big on him, well worn and, now that he's looking at it, not his.
„...my bad, I'm sorry“ Sam says, not really sorry about stealing Bucky's shirt.
„No you're not“ Bucky says before he kisses Sam's forehead and takes one of Sam's hands in his.
„When did Sarah find the time to bake?“ Sam asks him. Sarah has been busy lately, looking after her boys, the boat, the house, the business.
A blush creeps it's way up from Bucky's cheeks to Bucky's ears.
„She...didn't“ he says, voice low.
„What do you mean, she didn't? It's a Wilson family thing, we never just buy a cake for a birthday“ Sam says.
„I know“ Bucky answers.
Sam looks at him for a long moment before it clicks.
„...Buck.“ he says „did you bake a cake?“
„Did you know that people stress bake? When we first came back and I had a whole apartment to myself and couldn't escape the nightmares, I had to keep myself busy. And my therapist asked me if I'd ever baked before and I kinda thought she was going crazy, but. It helps. Keeps my hands busy and I get something out of it. So I just. Kept doing it? And Sarah was so stressed about this cake. She would've made it herself, we both know that. But I told her she didn't have to. I know I'm not exactly a Wilson, but maybe it still counts.“
Bucky is rambeling, Sam realises.
„You are family, Buck.“ he says, looking at his boyfriend, who's staring back at him with wide eyes „you are family and I love you.“
„I love you too“ Bucky says without hesitation. They stare at each other for a moment, before the laughing from the kitchen reaches them.
„We should probably go in there before Scott eats all of the cake“ Sam says.
„Yeah, we should“ Bucky is already opening the door. The other's are seated around the table, a single party hat sitting next to the cake.
„The boys made it for you“ Sarah says when she catches Sam looking at it.
„I love it“ she tells her before Bucky picks it up and puts it on Sam's head.
The candles on the cake are already burning, so Sam sits down in front of the cake. Sarah comes to stand next to him, motioning Bucky to take his place on Sam's other side. Bucky looks unsure for a second.
„Family“ Sam mouths at Bucky. Bucky nods, stepping up to stand next to Sam too.
Before Sam can blow out the candles, Rhodey pulls out his phone.
„Let me capture this“ he tells them, holding his phone up to take a picture.
„Make a wish, Sam!“ Sarah tells him, leaning over his shoulder, while Bucky has his hand on Sam's arm and smiles at him.
And Sam does.