#also found that halloween chop plush that i wanted! was surprised they still had it for sale

[oktobearfest]

a proud mother letting everyone know how much she loves her son

[loveforpreserumsteve]

Those Who Fall: “APTF” Story (Modern Domestic Stucky AU)

Nineteen:

"You cannot tell me that Return to Halloweentown is better than Kalabar's Revenge!" Jonas's voice heatedly exclaimed from the back door.

Smiling, Steve stood from his seat on the couch. Wanda turned her head to look towards the kitchen just as Katie loudly confirmed, "I said what I said. Kalabar's Revenge has that weird ass filter and Halloweentown doesn't even look like Halloweentown! It looks like it could've been filmed in our driveway!"

"We're not talking about which one looks more like Halloweentown," Jonas argued, "We're talking about which movie is better acted and has a better story."

This wasn't exactly the impression Steve wanted Wanda to have of Jonas and Katie. Not that it wasn't how they normally were. Just… he hoped that they would've bonded more before the loud, opinionated movie discussions started.

Glancing over at Wanda, he found her staring into the kitchen with her mouth open and her brows arched high on her forehead. Sheepishly, Steve shrugged as he clarified, "Our family's really passionate about Halloween. Especially the movies."

"I can see that," Wanda weakly giggled.

Steve nodded and headed for the kitchen. At the table, Katie tightened the orangey-red messy bun on the top of her head, "I don't care. Sara Paxton is a goddess, my guy."

Jonas shook his head as he grabbed a cookie from the seasonal witch ceramic jar that Bucky made. It was lopsided and the cookies hardly stayed fresh for long, but Steve refused to put any other cookie jar out for Halloween. Steve had even joked that he'd want to use it as an urn when he went. Bucky never found that funny.

"Kimberly J. Brown gave us hit --" Jonas chopped the side of his hand into his palm to accentuate his point "-- after hit, and you're just going to disrespect her like that?!"

Stuffing an entire purple sugar cookie into his mouth, Jonas went to continue talking, but Steve immediately reprimanded him. "Jonas Howard, take smaller bites. You know better than that. You're going to choke."

"I don't know, pops," Katie deadpanned, "I heard he's into that sort of thing."

Coughing and hitting his chest, Jonas was very obviously choking on the cookie, which made Katie laugh. Steve grabbed the oldest teen a glass of water to help soothe his throat and tried not to think about his child's sex life because that was definitely too much for him, as their father, to know. Instead, he decided to change the subject. Setting his hands on his hips, he looked over his kids. Jonas standing beside him, next to the cookie jar and Katie sitting at the table on her phone.

Feigning offense, Steve accused, "So, you go away to school and suddenly you can't give me a hug?"

Katie rolled her eyes, but a smirk was fighting to tug her lips upward. She stood from her seat and walked around the kitchen table to Steve. Being taller than Steve, the 5'11" girl bent her knees to hug his 5'4" frame more comfortably. With his arms around her, Katie let out a breath of relief and her body started to ease. Knowing that she had been homesick and anxious being away at college for the first time, he rubbed her back and held her just a little longer.

"I missed you," Steve reminded her, just as he always did during the occasional phone calls and the group facetimes and, more often, text messages. Because he did. He missed her. He missed tripping over her shoes that she left abandoned in the foyer. He missed finding her awake at six in the morning on a Saturday with a half drunk mug of cookies and cream coffee and thick glasses on as she started a Lifetime movie marathon. Missed her baking with Bucky on a Sunday afternoon. Missed her and her friends being too loud on a Friday night and having to remind them that the little kids were sleeping.

Katie held Steve a little tighter, "I missed you, too."

"I missed you, most!" Jonas playfully stated, wrapping his wiry arms around them both.

"I don't think so, mister," Steve argued. Because even though this was Jonas's second year at the university, Steve still missed him. Missed him sitting on the couch on a Tuesday night, teaching Bucky a new crochet stitch. Missed him helping Luke with his homework after school. Missed him asking how he looked before going on a date. Missed the Sunday Sunrise yoga that the pair would do almost religiously because it helped alleviate Steve's arthritis pain while stretching his scoliosis riddled spine, and Jonas didn't like his pops being in pain. And Steve missed him. Just missed him. No matter how many years he had a chance to get used to it, he never truly would.

Steve was positive that he'd miss his kids no matter how many years passed. Or how often they talk on the phone. Or how many holidays they visit for. He'd still miss having them home all the time. It made his heart hurt to think about what'll be like once they move out officially and they stop coming home for summer vacation.

And Steve knew that although she hadn't been in their lives long, he'd miss Wanda once she left, too.

Speaking of Wanda, Steve whispered, "Wanda is in the living room. And I need you to be on your best behavior. Or at least not yell every five minutes."

"Sounds like you're askin' for a lot," Katie joked, not seeming convinced that she could remember her inside voice.

Smiling, Steve half-joked, "Please, don't scare her off."

"Are you kidding? She's going to love us," Jonas confidently assured.

Steve playfully rolled his eyes and accused, "You've been talking to Uncle Sammy too much."

Glancing over at the living room, Steve watched Wanda snap her attention back to the TV. Almost as though she didn't want them to know that she was eavesdropping. Not that any of them would've cared.

Giving them both a squeeze, he removed himself and started through the dining room. Reaching the living room, Steve grabbed some knick knacks from the tub. As he crossed over to the book shelves on either side of the fireplace, Katie took a seat on the opposite end of the gray sofa from Wanda and Jonas plopped down in the purple velvet armchair.

"Wanda," Steve started as he introduced the three, "This is Katie and Jonas."

"Hi," Wanda shyly greeted, still holding that metallic silver pillow to her torso. Almost as though she was trying to hide her abdomen. Which Steve found to be odd, but didn't vocally question. If Wanda didn't want to draw attention to it, then he wouldn't.

Bringing his leg up to rest his ankle on his knee, Jonas leaned against the black and white striped pillow and asked, "Got roped into helping decorating?"

"Volunteered," Wanda corrected, giving him a small smile.

"Would you like to help us bake cookies instead?" Katie offered, "Might be more fun than decorating, at least. Even if it is with this bum."

Theatrically, Jonas gasped and touched his chest like a damsel in an old Victorian novel, "The audacity."

"What kind of cookies are you making?" Wanda asked, subtly sniffling.

"The Pillsbury classics," Jonas answered while Katie clarified, "Ghosts and pumpkins."

With his back to the kids, Steve froze. Facing the bookshelf as he set up the more breakable items out of reach of the younger kids, Steve's eyes widened. He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about picking up breakaway Pillsbury sugar cookies. Of course, things had been hectic, so he didn't think the kids would be too upset at him, but he still worried about upsetting them.

"Pops?" Katie prompted.

Sheepishly, Steve turned and explained, "I forgot to pick up the cookies."

"Well," Jonas ran his hand through his two-strand twist locs. The vibrant midnight blue reminded Steve of an ocean at nighttime while also noticing how it complimented Jonas's dark olive-brown complexion. Standing, he pulled his keys from his pocket, "Who wants to go buy cookies?"

"Ooh!" Katie nodded, setting down the ghost plush and turning towards Wanda. She offered, "You wanna join?"

Sincerely shocked, Wanda asked, "Really?"

"Yeah," Katie confirmed as she stood up fixing her green sweatshirt with a picture of a beetle, a plus sign, and a picture of a glass of orange juice.

"If you want to," Jonas added.

Wanda looked up at Steve, almost as though she was asking for permission, Steve picked up a ceramic ghost and smiled, "I don't mind. I can finish up."

"You're sure?" Wanda placed the pillow beside her and pushed herself up from the sofa. The bump starting to throw of her balance, Katie subtly took a step forward, ready to catch her if she needed to.

"I'm positive," Steve waved them off, "Go, have fun!"

"Do we need anything else?" Jonas asked, twirling his keys around his index finger.

Biting his lip, Steve admitted, "Pizza crust."

"Pops," Katie dramatically groaned, as she threw her head back in her playful annoyance. Tightening her bun, she looked over at Steve and said, "We'll be back soon."

"I'll be here," Steve set the cheerful, cute ceramic figure on the shelf and called, "My wallet is next to the coffee maker!"

Discreetly, Steve watched as the trio headed for the door. Smiling when Katie complimented Wanda's velvet black sweater, and chuckling under his breath when Jonas wondered if he could borrow it sometimes. Not necessarily amused that he asked to borrow a maternity top, but that he had asked, so soon after meeting her, to borrow it.

Steve felt light though. Knowing that his children were accepting a new sibling so easily, warmed him to his very core. He only hoped that once Wanda turned eighteen, she'd stick around. If only because Steve didn't want her alone. He didn't want her to struggle, especially not with the baby. It probably should've surprised Steve how much he cared for the girl after such a short time, but after fostering many children over the years, it didn't anymore. He loved all the kids that lived with them. Whether it was permanent or temporary, Steve loved them all.