Chapter Text
Steve would be the first to admit, he was acting like a coward.
He'd been avoiding Bucky for the last two weeks, ignoring texts and phone calls, and staying in the tower whenever Bucky's truck was parked outside. It was the easy way out, choosing to simply not engage. Fuck, his Ma would be so disappointed in him.
Steve was currently unwrapping his hands after he spent more time than anyone should spend on the punching bag. Although Tony would be glad to know that Steve didn't break it this time.
"Alright," Sam's voice interrupted Steve's inner lamenting. "You, talk. You've been moping like a sad puppy for the last two weeks. And you haven't tried to drag me to your boy's truck for a burger. So. Talk."
Steve sighed. Honestly, he should have seen this whole thing coming. "It's complicated," he said, hoping against hope that Sam would leave it at that.
"So uncomplicate it," Sam, predictably, demanded. He crossed his arms, looking completely unamused.
"I kissed him," Steve admitted, rubbing his face with his towel. He ran the material over his hair, patting the sweat-damp tresses dry. "I kissed Bucky, really kissed him. And they were the best damn kisses of my life."
"And the problem is?" Sam prompted, taking a seat on the bench next to Steve. "You like this guy, he likes you. So why are you avoiding him?"
Steve sighed, hanging his head sadly. "A couple of reasons," he said, wishing this conversation could be over already. "One, Bucky doesn't know I'm Captain America. He probably won't like me once he finds that out. Two, and this is the big one, Bucky has a girlfriend."
Sam winced in sympathy. "Sorry man," he murmured, patting Steve's shoulder gently. "For what it's worth, I was under the impression that he was interested in you, and, you know, at least mostly gay. He was not subtle when he told us about his 'type', after all."
"You never met her," Steve continued, feeling lighter now that he was speaking. "Beautiful woman, petite, dark hair with sky blue eyes. Her name's Becca. She seemed nice. I think she knew that Bucky and I, um, made out. She called, while we were, and Bucky was very candid in their conversation."
"So if she knew, and didn't tell Bucky to stop, maybe they have an open relationship?" Sam asked, clearly trying to help.
"That's what I've come up with, after reading about those," Steve agreed. "That's not what I want, though. I don't want to share him, Sam. And I don't want to be his second choice."
Sam gave Steve's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "So, you just have to try to move on," his friend said, getting up and offering his hand to help Steve to his feet. "And maybe try just being friends with him. I liked the kid. He's got a moxie that I respect."
"I don't think I can do that," Steve countered, taking the offered hand and getting to his feet. "I'll always want more from him, and that's not fair to him. I'm just going to keep my distance until it doesn't hurt as much."
"If you're sure, man," Sam sighed. "I think it's a mistake, but you get to make those yourself, I suppose."
Steve nodded, wrapping the towel around his neck. "I'm going to my floor," he said, knowing that Sam was right. He wasn't about to listen to advice, though. "I've got packing to do."
Steve didn't wait for Sam to reply, just headed for the elevator. He really was packing. Over the last two weeks, Steve had decided he wanted his own place. Pepper helped him purchase the beautiful brownstone in Park Slope after making sure that it met SHIELD's security requirements. It wasn't Prospect Heights, and it was probably way more space then he needed, but Steve was happy to be moving.
He'd never felt quite at home in the tower before.
Steve didn't have much packing left, just a few clothes, his shield and suit, and his art supplies. He'd only been waiting for Tony to finish security on the house, and putting Jarvis into the house as well. With the help of Pepper, they'd mostly furnished and decorated the whole house.
The brownstone had four floors, way more than Steve ever imagined having for himself. The first floor was connected to a lovely garden, and had what Tony was calling a "modern media haven for the old soul" and a "boring, old school napping room".
The second floor housed the living room and formal dining room, as well as a state-of-the-art kitchen that Steve would never admit to imagining the way Bucky would look cooking in it.
The last two floors had initially been five bedrooms between them. And Steve kept three of them. One for himself, two for any potential guests he might have. The smallest bedroom, Steve has converted into a home gym, so he didn't have to come to the tower every day for his daily workout. One of the bedrooms on the fourth floor had been turned into a studio. It had incredible natural lighting, and Steve couldn't wait to paint in it.
He was officially moving in tomorrow, but Steve figured he might as well sleep there tonight. After spending two weeks buying a house, decorating and furnishing it, and hiding from Bucky, Steve was feeling a bit trapped here in the tower.
He packed up his things, filling two duffle bags with the remaining clothes, art supplies, and his suit. He stacked them near the door and set his shield next to them.
A soft, almost tentative knock echoed through the room. Steve sighed. That was probably Pepper with more things for him to sign. He went to the door and opened it. "Is there something–" Steve stopped cold, his entire body freezing.
Bucky was standing in his doorway, holding a small box. He looked beautiful, as he always did. Bucky's hair was loose, curling around his face in an artful wave. He was wearing a tight, black T-shirt with a beige leather jacket covering his arms. But Bucky looked tired too, dark circles beneath his eyes and the flat line of his mouth masked any emotion he might be feeling.
"So," Bucky began, looking at Steve blankly. "You are alive. See, I was worried something bad happened to you since you disappeared on me."
Steve opened his mouth, unsure of what he was going to say, but knowing he had to say something. "No, you're gonna let me finish," Bucky interrupted, steeling himself with a visible intake of breath. "I was fucking worried, so, I came here, marched right into Tony Stark's office and demanded to know what happened to Steve Rogers, and if he was okay. Only to be told, that Steve Rogers doesn't, in fact, work for Stark Industries.
"Steve Rogers is Captain fucking America," Bucky continued, pushing Steve into the room with a surprising amount of force and stalking in after him. "So now, I'm here. Telling you that I get it. Captain America can't be gay or whatever. You're not the first guy I've liked that's been in the closet, and you probably won't be the last."
Bucky paused, his face finally breaking into the saddest expression Steve had ever seen. "I just thought you liked me," he finished on a whisper. Bucky took a step away from Steve, staring at him like Steve broke his heart.
"I do like you," Steve told him, unable to keep from telling Bucky the truth. He wanted Bucky to know the truth, even if he never wanted to talk to Steve again.
"Then don't you think I deserved to know the truth?" Bucky demanded with a sigh. "Here. I made this for you. I call it the Here Today, Tarragon Tomorrow Burger. Because that's what you've got. One chance, right now. Tomorrow, I'm gone."
Steve took the box, cracking it open to see one of Bucky's burgers, still hot. It had a sharp scent to it, like something tangy and utterly delicious. He set the box aside and crossed his arms. He knew the pose was intimidating, as he had been told several times before. Bucky did seem to recoil a bit.
"That's awfully rich, coming from you," Steve sniped, feeling bitter. Bucky had come here, given Steve an ultimatum burger, like this was all Steve's fault. "What does your girlfriend think of all this, hmm? She supports you coming here to give me this ultimatum?"
"Girlfriend? I don't–"
"Don't insult my intelligence," Steve interrupted, moving closer. He would feel guilty about this later, about using his size to intimidate someone he genuinely cared about. "I'm not interested in being a part of whatever open relationship you have, and I'm not interested in being anyone's second choice."
"I don't have a girlfriend," Bucky said, voice holding a slight tremor. "I don't even know where you got that idea from. I don't have a girlfriend because I'm gay, Steve. So whatever girlfriend that you think I have, you're wrong."
"Don't try to tell me Becca is just a friend," Steve retorted, unwilling to accept Bucky's words at face value. They interacted together like people closer than friends. He wasn't a fool. "I know what 'just friends' looks like, and that's not it."
Bucky's lush mouth fell open in apparent surprise. "Becca," he echoed. Steve couldn't help the ugly smirk. He'd caught Bucky in the lie. The brunette could try to talk himself out of this, but that face there told Steve all he needed to know. "You think Becca is my girlfriend? Stevie, you big, beautiful idiot. Becca is my twin sister."
That… was a possibility Steve has not considered. Twin sister. God, that actually made complete and total sense. They had the same hair colour, the exact same hair colour. They had similar eye colours, although Bucky's were a lighter shade of blue. They had the same chin – dimple right in the centre – even if Bucky's was more prominent.
"Oh my god," Steve groaned, dropping his arms and stepping back. "I'm an idiot… I saw the way you two were so in sync at the truck, and I just, I assumed you were together. Do you, you know, hate me?"
Bucky shook his head. "No, far from it," he assured Steve, moving into Steve's space. Steve welcomed him this time, arms winding around Bucky's waist as Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve's shoulders. "Actually, I think I'm still kinda falling for you."
Steve let out a soft, happy laugh, before he swayed into Bucky, his lips finding Bucky's quickly in the sweetest of kisses. "I've kinda been falling for you since I saw you move a box into your truck about a month before I let Sam convince me to try your burgers," Steve confessed, kissing Bucky again. He could now, no lingering guilt. It felt even better this way. "I, um, I'm moving back to Brooklyn. Tonight, probably. No bells and whistles until tomorrow. Would you like to see my place?"
Bucky's answering grin was the most beautiful sight Steve had ever seen. "That depends," Bucky began, his smile turning cheeky. "How's the kitchen?"
"I've been assured it's professional-grade, state-of-the-art," Steve said, pressing his lips against Bucky's forehead softly. "I thought of you when I saw it, and when I had the appliances replaced. It's a chef's kitchen, I was told."
Bucky melted into Steve, fingers tangling into Steve's hair. "You tease," Bucky murmured, pulling Steve in for a slow kiss. "I'd love to see your new place."
Steve smiled, pulled away after kissing Bucky again. "I have a few things to take, just a couple of duffles, and a shield," he said, slinging the bags over his shoulders. "Next time we go somewhere, we take my motorcycle."
"God, yes," Bucky replied, his smile gracing his lips. Steve grabbed his shield and held it out to Bucky. "Wait, you want me to carry it? Isn't this like a national icon?"
"So am I, according to the Smithsonian," Steve retorted, gesturing with the shield again. "Didn't see you hesitate to touch me."
Bucky laughed, took the shield carefully with his metal hand. "It's light," he marvelled, turning the shield over with a curious expression. "Lighter than I was expecting."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," Steve said with a chuckle. "Come on, we'll get a car."
"Ooh, yes, take me home, Stevie," Bucky murmured, linking his right arm with Steve's left. "Lead the way, Captain."
"I have a question," Steve asked, leaning in to brush his lips against Bucky's temple. "What does the Plain James Burger mean?"
Bucky laughed, winter-blue eyes shining. "Well, it's not the third date," he began, resting his head against Steve's shoulder for a moment. "But since you are Captain America, I'll make an exception. My full name is James Buchanan Barnes, and I thought it would be a neat play on the phrase 'Plain Jane' by using my given name. But seriously. You should just keep calling me Bucky."
Steve nodded, leading Bucky out of his suite. He didn't know what the future would hold, but maybe he didn't need all the answers. Steve just knew that he was starting something new with Bucky, and it was something that made him really happy.
Steve hadn't been lying when he said he was falling for Bucky Barnes. And if Steve had his way, he'd get to feel like this for a long time.