Chapter Text
Steve and Bucky eventually found their way home somewhere in the small hours of the morning. Somewhere between being chased off the street by club bouncers and climbing the steps of their building Bucky had kept watch over Steve as he caught his breath in a back alley before they laughed about it like it was an old story as they wandered home
In the apartment hall they laughed in poorly hushed whispers before bursting into laughter behind the weighty door of their apartment. The neighbours would no doubt hold contempt, but that was a problem for the morning.
“…An’ his face!” Steve exclaimed in half understood words,
Bucky made a face halfway between surprised and lost before dissolving into laughter. Steve joined in until his ribs hurt.
When the laughter died down Steve let out a sigh.
“I gotta say,” he started, “you were right. I needed a night out.”
“Wha?” Bucky said from where he was crouched at the entrance against the wall,
“’M not saying it again,” Steve said as he shrugged off his jacket,
“C’mon, Stevie,” Bucky said, “I didn’ quite hear you there.”
Steve only shook his head before placing his jacket back on the chair where it was earlier in the evening.
“It almost sounded like you said I was right,” Bucky said with a cocky grin, just the way he knew Steve couldn’t resist.
“Almost, Buck.” He said.
“If you try it again you might actually say it!” Bucky insisted as he struggled to shrug off his jacket, “C’mon, y’never know.”
“’M too tired to try again,” Steve retorted,
“You an’ me both, pal,” Bucky agreed,
Steve stared at him and felt the atmosphere change.
“C’mere,” he said as Bucky stepped closer.
Steve closed the rest of the distance himself before he could second guess himself. He could feel the hitch in Bucky’s breath in the cool huff of air between them.
And then he brought his lips to Bucky’s.
It was soft and chaste, but it meant world to him.
When he parted he stepped out of Bucky’s space and turned toward the bathroom, leaving a dumbfounded Bucky in the middle of the room between their shabby sofa and beat up dining table. He could feel his cheeks burning and avoided even looking at himself in the bathroom mirror for fear of discovering a new shade of red.
When he finally opened the bathroom door Bucky stood outside in his undershirt, obviously uncomfortable with where or how to stand as he waited for Steve to come out.
“Hi,” Steve said,
“So,” Bucky said as he was visibly wracking his brain to find something to say, “I, uh, don’t think we did that right.”
“No?” Steve felt his face go warm again.
It was just like him to mess up.
“Nah,” Bucky said, “we’re gonna hav’ta redo it.”
Steve dropped his worry and let out a smirk.
“Yeah?” He looked up at Bucky,
“Yeah,” Bucky said as he leaned down for him.
Steve leaned closer and let Bucky kiss him this time.
“Nah,” Bucky said as he broke from the kiss, “That wasn’t righ’ either. We gotta get this right.”
Steve smiled big before stepping out of the bathroom, “Not tonight.”
“Tomorrow then?” Bucky asked as he followed Steve to the bedroom,
“Maybe,” Steve shrugged,
“You’re my best guy, Stevie,” Bucky explained, “I gotta make sure we do this right.”
Steve smiled and climbed into bed.
“Good night, Buck,” He said as he huddled himself up in the blankets.
Buck took the hint and padded over to the bathroom. Steve listened to the sounds of Bucky getting ready for bed; the sound of him turning the bathroom tap on and off, brushing his teeth, and washing up before he returned to their bed and climbed in.
“G’night, Steve,” Bucky responded,
Steve turned over and place one last kiss on Bucky’s lips and felt him smile through the contact.
“That one felt close,” Bucky said, “But not quite.”
“Good night, Buck,” Steve said slightly more forcefully.
“Good night, Steve.” Bucky returned.
Steve placed an arm around Bucky before drifting off to sleep. He deserved happiness, and how could it get any closer to happiness than this?