Chapter Text
Bucky frowned down at the list in his hands as he went over it a third time. He was beginning to have second thoughts. Was this even going to work? Were any of them going to work? He had half the mind to back out but he knew that Steve and Natasha would give him hell for it. They had finally gotten tired of his pining and told him to do something about it before they did. He guessed it was fair. It didn’t seem like fun to have to hang out with someone who spent his time ogling another person.
It wasn’t as though he could help it. It wasn’t his fault that Sam was so…so pure. He was like a ray of sunshine in the murky darkness that had become Bucky’s life. He was everything that Bucky had ever dreamed of having and yet still seemed so untouchable. But that was what the list was for. To help him woo Sam. His eyes roved over it one last time before releasing a sigh. Might as well get started.
Attempt No. 1
Method: Flowers
The plan seemed simple enough. Get the nicest looking bouquet he could afford and give it to Sam. Then, when the time was right, reveal that it was his idea. That was all. Simple was the best way to go, he’d learnt, and he figured that it would make sense to try it. Oh, how wrong he was.
The first part of the plan went well. He’d went to the nearest flower shop and spent almost an hour painstakingly picking out a bouquet that he thought was deserving of Sam’s attention. When he’d finally found one that fit his criteria, he paid for it and made his way back to the tower, his nerves nearly getting the best of him. The flowers were left at Sam’s door and Bucky patiently waited for him to arrive. He knew that the other man would have been returning from his trip to the gym any moment.
‘Right on cue,’ he thought, watching as Sam turned the corner at the other end of the corridor. He seemed to pause upon noticing the flowers before leaning down to pick them up. Bucky waited for a few minutes after Sam had disappeared into his suite before going to knock on the door.
“Come in!”
Bucky opened the door and stepped inside to see the object of his affections inspecting the flowers. His face looked curious, free of negative emotions and Bucky smiled at the sight. That meant Sam didn’t hate them. At least, not yet.
“Nice flowers,” he said in lieu of a greeting. Sam looked up and gave him a smile. One of those bright, beautiful ones that made the words get stuck in Bucky’s throat. He swallowed nervously, hoping that the other man wouldn’t notice.
“Oh, hey Buck. Yeah, they’re pretty nice. I wonder who they’re from.”
‘Me,’ Bucky thought and immediately pushed it back before he could say anything. He moved to sit on the couch as Sam carefully trifled through the bouquet, a soft ‘Aha’ escaping his lips when he finally lifted up a card.
“‘To: Sam’,” he read aloud, “‘I saw these and immediately thought of you. I just wanted to get you something that would brighten up your day like how you usually brighten mine. From, your secret admirer.’ Aw, that’s sweet. No one’s ever done something like this for me before.”
“Why not?” Bucky asked before he could stop himself. Sam glanced up at him with a questioning look.
“I don’t know,” he said slowly. “Why do you sound so offended?”
“Nothing, just…You’re so nice,” Bucky replied lamely. He internally winced at the bland remark, wondering why all of his old-school charm just flew out the window when he was in Sam’s presence. The said man seemed amused more than anything else, however.
“So, I should get flowers because I’m nice,” he said, chuckling. “Okay, Barnes. I like the way you think. If only you did it more often.”
Bucky smiled but didn’t reply to the mocking retort. His eyes followed Sam’s movements as he twisted and turned the card in his hands, looking for any sign of his ‘secret admirer’. He eventually gave up and plopped down on the couch beside Bucky who had to shift in order not to smell the other’s scent. It was overpowering in the best way. Tones of cinnamon and sage with a hint of wild orange drifted up to tickle his nose and it took all he could not to sniff Sam like some sort of hungry animal. How did he manage to smell so good even when he just worked out? Now, that just wasn’t fair.
“A secret admirer,” Sam hummed contemplatively, “I didn’t even know that I had one.”
“Well, they’re called a secret for a reason,” Bucky quipped. Sam gave him a wry look in return.
“Gee, I never knew. Besides, I don’t even think I know of anyone who would give me flowers as a gift.”
“It could be someone you’ve never met before.”
“True.”
Sam absentmindedly scratched his arm, tilting his head back so that it was resting on Bucky’s arm where he had laid it across the back of the couch. His skin tingled where it made contact with the short, prickly hairs on the nape of Sam’s neck.
‘Stop it,’ he told himself. It didn’t work.
“Maybe someone you’ve passed every day without noticing,” he suggested, hoping that talking would get his mind off of his ridiculous feelings.
“I guess. They would have to be in the tower though. How else would they know where to find my room?” Sam asked rhetorically. He frowned, scratching at his arm again.
“Yeah. Makes sense.”
It was quiet for a moment as Bucky debated on whether or not he should say that he was the secret admirer that they had been talking about. Was it a good time to do it? It seemed so. However, before he could reveal the results of his internal turmoil, a scratching sound perforated the silence. Sam sat up suddenly, the card fluttering to the ground as his nails clawed desperately at his skin.
“What the-?” he cut himself off abruptly, his head snapping up to look at the bouquet sitting innocently on the coffee table before them. “I can’t believe this.”
“What is it?” Bucky asked concernedly, his eyes focused on Sam’s arms where the skin was beginning to look irritated. He watched as his crush practically raced towards his bedroom, still rubbing at his itching skin.
“It’s those flowers, man,” Sam said, his voice fading when he left the room but growing louder only a few moments later when he came back. “I’m only allergic to two things and tree fern is one of them. It must be in there somewhere.”
He pointed an accusing finger at the bouquet before sitting down, the movement finally revealing what he had clutched in his hand. A tube of ointment for situations like then. Bucky moved the bouquet to the counter that served as a breakfast bar as Sam rubbed some on his skin. He returned to the other man’s side, biting his lip.
“I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
Sam looked up at him, “What are you apologizing for? It’s not your fault I’m allergic to them. The person who sent them probably didn’t know either.”
Bucky opened his mouth to protest, to say that while no, he had had no idea of Sam’s allergy, he was still the one who sent the bouquet to him. He felt guilty and he wanted to apologize. He couldn’t even get a word when Sam started speaking again.
“So, want to watch a movie or something?”
Bucky felt his lips twitch. Sam was changing the subject and he decided that he would just go along with it. But as they sat there flicking through the options on Netflix, he saw the bouquet out of the corner of his eye like a mocking reminder of his failure.
Result: Failed
Notes: Sam is allergic to tree fern. No further use.