Happy Pride!
"Is everyone ready?!"
The powerful voice of Sarah Wilson echoed throughout the - yet - huge house. Bucky, who was standing next to her, briefly thought about covering his ears (or just going deaf). Not to help with the matter, he struggled to figure out why she was even here, in their house, not hers.
"Geez, woman, I said I'm nearly ready!" shouted Sam back, with an equally booming voice - clearly, a family trait.
Bucky bit his lips and looked down at his feet - because if he didn't look at all, maybe those people would stop shouting altogether. Although he was wearing shorts, he had put on his black combat boots. Sam had told him he needed "good walking shoes." Joaquin, that he needed "comfortable shoes." Bucky didn't know if "emotional support shoes" was what he meant by that but at least he had the "could walk for days in those boots" part.
"Samuel, you are a disgrace to our name!"
Finally, Sam had appeared. And Bucky couldn't help but peeked at the man. He was in full Captain America suit and that suit... really complimented him. Even the headpiece looked good on him. (Maybe it ought to be the opposite: nothing could look bad on Sam Wilson?) The shield hanged in his left hand. Sarah walked to her brother and started fixing his collar while Sam protested.
"Shut up," Sarah told him, "you have to look perfect."
"It's just a parade, Sarah. And not even the New York one!"
"What if the neighbors see you?"
Either the threat worked or Sam didn't see how to tell his otherwise smart sister that the neighbours were about to see him since it was obvious they were going and even more obvious he was about to put up a show. That was actually the whole deal.
"Good evening everyone, I hope you didn't have to wait for me for too long!"
And there came Torres' voice and Bucky's full attention.
"Wow, you're..."
"Splendid? Fabulous? Abso-fucking-lutly beautiful?"
The young man laughed. Bucky kept staring. Men in dresses, he had already seen, back in his days. But Joaquin was wearing a very tight yellow dress that split above his knees. His shoulders were bare but he had put around his neck a fluffy emerald scarf, that kind of scarf that was for no use at all, not even during fall season but damn made Joaquin looked even better. He was also wearing high heels (what happened to the comfy shoes?) and, like every self-respecting drag queen, a blonde, over-complicated towering wig. His face was perfectly shaven, he had put the reddest lipstick on and his eyes were two flashing black orbs in the middle of a vibrant purple and gold sea. Needless to say, he breathed glitters.
"Alright, I'm definitely off, now!" announced Sam suddenly.
He had finally gotten himself rid of Sarah. He turned to Joaquin to take one long look at him, from head to toes.
"Looking sparkly, man!"
"Aw thanks, sweetheart!" Joaquin giggled - and for some reason, Bucky felt jealous.
"I'm sorry I can't be with you," Sam started before Bucky cut him off.
"You're Captain America and you're going to be in a Pride parade. That's like- Do you know how many homophobes you will piss off in just three hours? I dream to have this kind of power!"
Sam laughed. Then he hugged Sarah, Bucky and put a chaste kiss on Joaquin's cheek. After that, he left the house and they heard him taking off. Joaquin looked at his wrist - and didn't bother to look surprised by his lack of a watch there.
"I'm loving it in here but we'll have to hurry if we don't want to miss the début."
They left the house too - Bucky locked the door - and took the direction of Sarah's home where her sons were waiting for them, finishing to eat an early dinner. Joaquin had never walked as swingyly as that day. Similarly, he had never looked so... Noticeable. People stared in the streets. Bucky felt second-hand embarrassment even thought his boyfriend seemed to feel none at all.
They arrived at Sarah's house. The kids were ready to go so they directly jumped in the car - Sarah and Bucky at the front, the three other at the rear. They left Delacroix behind and headed for New Orleans.
"I'm sorry you're stuck with me and the kids," Sarah said to Bucky.
Bucky chuckled.
"Sorry for what, exactly? Sarah, I'm happy to spend time with you or your sons. 'Sides, you know how squeamish I get around crowd. If anything, I'm using you as an excuse to be in the quiet part of the parade!"
They smiled at each other. Bucky looked over his shoulders. Joaquin and the boys were having much fun already.
"Are we going to see uncle Sam?" asked AJ as they parked not far from where the parade ought to begin. The sun was now really low.
"I don't know," Sarah replied, "there will be a lot of people."
"Yeah but he's the guest star of the parade," objected Torres. He closed his hands to make his long nails click. "However, he's at the head of it, so-we-bet-ter-hu-rry. Please."
Bucky found his drag persona exquisite - but didn't dare state it out loud.
They started walking and soon, they were surrounded by dozen of other people. It was an explosion of sounds, smells, colors. Some had flags - most of them rainbow flags, but Bucky also noticed other flags he didn't know, like that black, white, green one, and that he memorized so he could search them up later. Some had their hair dyed purple, pink, blue or green, some had wigs and high heels like Joaquin. Most wore light, vibrant revealing - if not leather - outfits despite the coolness of the evening setting down. Music seemed to come from the city's walls itself.
"Come on! Come on!" Joaquin pressed them, eager to not miss the beginning's speech and the start of the march itself.
"Did you know," said Cass to Bucky while holding his hand, "that the New Orleans Pride Parade is among the oldest Pride Parade in the world?"
"Our teacher told us that," added AJ while pushing his glasses up his nose.
"And it's huge too!" said Joaquin enthusiastically, turning on his heels to face them. "I heard it went up to 70,000 participants one year! Now, with the Blip, it was obviously less these past years, but now that's everyone back..."
He grinned. His smile was so pure and perfect Bucky had to resist the urge to kiss him right there and right now - actually, he got tempted more that once that night, seeing all these young or older persons of certain or uncertain gender kiss each other all around them.
They did see Sam. As the night fully settled, the party started. Joaquin found other Latino drag queens and walked alongside them for some time. Bucky held Sarah's hand for most of the time for fear of loosing sight of her. Her sons ran around them both. He heard amazing speeches and saw many diverse queers, more than he ever believed he would meet in his life. There were dancing and chanting and throwing beans at your crush(es) and more music and laugh and life and love.
It was well past three in the morning when they hit the road back to their home. It wasn't a long trip but Bucky spend it turned backwards, staring at his lover and the two boys sleeping on each other. Joaquin's wig had been too tormented and some strands of his actual hair were peeking out of it. Bucky looked at him and he realized his second-hand embarrassment was long gone. He was proud of his boyfriend. He didn't know if he'd like drag for himself but Joaquin was beautiful in every way, in every outfit he wore. His existence itself was beautiful.