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"We don't have to," Steve says as soon as they're alone. The bedroom is elaborate, designed just for a few weeks of use at a time. Bucky wouldn't be surprised if it's the biggest room on the ship. A floating building designed just for the honeymoons of political arrangements.
"What?"
Steve tugs at his uniform collar, fancy dress blues that don't look like they're worn often. "We don't know each other, in two weeks I need to return to my post. We can carry on with our own business."
"I- what?"
Steve smiles at him and Bucky thinks it might be the first time Bucky's seen him smile, though it’s not a happy look. Polite and firm. "Arranged marriages are for political gain. We can find physical pleasure or love elsewhere if you'd prefer."
Bucky frowns. "Just like that?" He hadn't even considered it, he had been raised with the knowledge his marriage was arranged and he would follow his instructions. For the family name.
Steve shrugs and sits down at the small couch. "If you want."
"What about what you want?" Bucky finds himself looking down at Steve but he still doesn't look small. He holds himself like a soldier, broad and strong.
"Me?" He looks genuinely surprised by the question. "You're the senator's son. If you're not happy I'm pretty sure he can get you out of this."
Bucky touches Steve's cheek, his skin is smooth and Bucky lets himself explore. His fingers dip over the curve if his jaw and down to his neck as far as his stiff collar will allow. Steve remains still. "You have to let me get to know you first." He moves his fingers up to touch Steve's lips. "I heard you were smaller."
"Genetic treatments." He smiles up at Bucky and it's deceptively innocent. Bucky can feel his lips pulling into a smirk. "Bed?"
He takes a step back and holds out his hand for Steve. "Come on."
-
Bucky wakes up with the sense of being alone though he knows he fell asleep beside Steve. Confused and still half asleep, he stumbles out to the small living room only thinking thinking at thinking at the last minute to grab something to throw on. The wall screen has been turned to what looks like an outside view, lighting the room with starlight.
Steve is curled up in an armchair bent over something. He doesn't notice Bucky at first so Bucky gets the chance to just look. The cool light turns Steve's hair almost silver and creates deep shadows over his face.
"Why are you awake?" Bucky finally asks, not asking if it has something to do with him.
"Sorry," Steve looks up and smiles at him. "Body clock still on Delta cycle."
Bucky sits carefully on the edge of the chair. He realizes he's wearing Steve's jacket and Steve looks to only have a blanket around his hips. "No one told me much about you," Bucky says. "Major Steven Grant Rogers of the 107th Star Corp Squadron. Prodigy from the Academy's Gene Program. Decorated officer. Good for the family." He nudges Steve's thigh with a toe.
"What do you want you know?" Steve catches his foot.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Drawing." Steve smiles almost shyly as if embarrassed about it. "Most of my unit thinks it's silly except when I draw our charts from memory." He tugs lightly on Bucky's ankle. "Come here?"
Bucky slips down into his lap and Steve's arm immediately circle him, his chin coming to rest on Bucky's shoulder. He can see the tablet Steve was working on. "Me?"
"You are kind of on my mind right now."
Bucky laughs and leans back into Steve. "You're not what I was expecting."
"Neither are you," Steve whispers.
-
It’s sometime in the afternoon and they never quite made it out of bed. Steve doesn’t know if he’s ever been allowed so much time with nothing to do. It seems wasteful. He should be out with his unit, running drills, prepping for their next mission. Something.
But he was given two weeks off for this and firm orders that trying to come back early would get him detained.
The military can’t risk upsetting the Senate and a high profile tie between the two sides had to go through. Steve was being groomed for an Admiralty and Bucky would likely take a position in government.
They’re tangled in bed together, Bucky half asleep, and he looks so young. Too young for all the plans that must already be in place for him. He's still taken by surprise when Bucky turns over to look at him.
"I didn't think think a soldier would think so much," he mumbles.
"Officer," Steve corrects automatically. "Gotta lead men."
"You good at it?"
"Must be, gave me the Howling Commandos." The brass have given him a lot but he's not sure how to explain that half his genetic code has been rewritten, that he’s been created to be a soldier. There are high hopes for him.
Bucky hums softly and closes his eyes again. Steve gently touches his cheek. It's a mirror of how Bucky touched him that first night.
"What's your favorite color?"
Bucky's eyes cracked open to give him a confused look. "Huh?"
"Color," Steve repeats.
"Blue?"
Steve leans forward to kiss him, soft and slow. Steve's never had someone to kiss slowly before. It's exciting to have someone like that now.
-
Bucky stands stiffly in the loading bay. He's flanked by his sister and the commander of their planetside forces, General Phillips, in the midst of representatives from thirty different Allied planets. The 107th is to be honored for their actions in a recent strike.
Bucky can only think three months. They had barely two weeks and since then only brief vidchats. It's been three months.
Steve is the first out of his fighter. He looks different from before, not in any dramatic way but his lips are pursed as he waits for his men to get out of their own fighters. One comes up beside Steve, a captain according to the bars on his sleeve, and nudges him gently.
Steve's eyes stay focused elsewhere, his men, the crowd, and Bucky wants to scream for him to look at him.
But even as the ceremony begins and drags on, Steve stays focused stiffly ahead. He's not in his dress blues, asking them to fly in them would be too much, but he looks uncomfortable.
"Your partner must hate these," Becca whispers.
"Means he must be sane," Bucky whispers back. She bites her lip and keeps her expression neutral except for the way her eyes dance. That's probably why she's seen as more likely to follow their father into the Senate instead instead of Bucky despite being younger.
When the ceremony finally ends, Bucky carefully slips through the crowd towards Steve. There's a mess of representatives, senators and minor politicians who all want want their chance to be seen shaking Steve's hand. So everyone knows how much they support the Alliance military no matter what.
Steve's eyes finally find him in the mess and he leans over to one of his men to murmur something. Bucky doesn't really notice until someone appears at his side and grabs his elbow. He's led forcefully around and through people until he's in front of Steve.
There's protocol for unions like theirs, rules for how to reunite after time apart, how to act in front of such an esteemed crowd. Bucky has been schooled on it rigorously, practicing with his sister to ensure he has it right.
Steve just smiles and kisses his cheek. "We have been invited to the rooms of Prince Namor, will you join us?"
Steve's men are watching and Bucky can hear the whispers among the people gathered around. "I would be honored." He has to make his tongue work, still blindsided by Steve's behavior.
"Good. Excuse us." He makes no other comments to the crowd, and Bucky is swept away in the company of the pilots.
As soon as they're outside one of Steve's men turns on him. "So this is he?" He has a strong Terran accent that Bucky couldn't quite figure out.
"Yes, be nice Jacques."
Jacques makes a face as if to say who me. "You and he, arranged?"
"Before I was born," Bucky answers. Beside them another man makes a tsking noise.
"Gabe grew up in outer Sol, he thinks arrangements are archaic," Steve says, slipping his his arm around Bucky's waist as they walk. It's possessive and Bucky leans into it.
"Ridiculous system to trap power among the elites," someone else says as if quoting Gabe. "I'm Dugan. Second in command of these losers." He pulls Bucky away from Steve. "I get this is all outta your control but you do this right."
"Dum Dum," Steve groans.
"I know my role," Bucky answers and moves back to Steve's side. To his surprise, Steve feels tense beside him but here isn't the right place.
-
Steve is stuck planetside for three days until the event ends. Technically the unit doesn't need to be there any longer but propriety keeps them from leaving.
Bucky has rooms though and Steve is determined to lock himself away there until he can go. Dugan rank is high enough he can go to formal events in Steve's place and Steve will pay him back later.
Bucky has his own duties though so the first morning Steve is on his own. Their rooms the first weeks were not personal, simply rented to high ranking arrangements for the two to get to know each other in a neutral setting.
These have touches touches of Bucky, a holo of him and his sister, books left to pile up on a side table. The windows look towards the main square, letting in in a lot of light. Steve feels almost blinded and sets the windows to a dimmer setting.
He thinks of going outside Bucky's apartment and exploring the rest of the Barnes house but is more comfortable on his own for awhile.
He ends up on the couch to sketch when Bucky comes back. He's arguing into a mobile and doesn't notice Steve.
Steve's thought about this a lot, actually living with this man he barely knows. His mother used to tell him how they met when Steve was almost four and Bucky was a newborn. All Steve had to say was Bucky looked squishy. He doesn't know if it's true or not but it was a cute story.
Finally the mobile is put away and Bucky turns to him.
"Hi."
Steve folds his legs up to make room on the couch. Bucky thinks about it a second before joining him, neither quite touching. "I've never had a long term anything before," Bucky says. "And we have no choice now."
"If it is that bad, annulment is an option," Steve points out. They had danced danced around this before but now Bucky's thrown it out there. No hiding.
"No!" His cheeks tinge pink. "I like you but I don't want to fuck up."
"Then don't worry about it."
"Is that what you do?"
Steve smiles, somehow this all seems easier than he was expecting. No different than helping along a cadet, except the end game is different. "I got berated a lot for being reckless. Dugan keeps me from being too stupid but-"
"Oh so now I gotta worry about you getting yourself killed?"
Steve stares, not even sure why it matters that much and Bucky begins begins to fidget. "Sorry you're usually so precise. When talking." He smiles and hopes it eases the frightened animal look in Bucky's eyes. "It's nice, makes you sound human."
“I sound human," Bucky huffs. "Something's wrong."
Steve frowns and leans back. Things had been going well he doesn't know where this is going. "Wrong?"
"You uh got all tense. Going to the prince's party." Bucky draws himself up so his back is rigid. "Since we are joined together is best to at least speak our minds instead of making this uncomfortable for however long we might live."
Steve frowns, the small moment of Bucky relaxing seems to have passed. Maybe those first weeks were deceptive, they could hide behind sex. "If you see this simply as a duty or a role to play than this will be uncomfortable," Steve says, feeling himself slip into his role of commander. He forces his shoulders to relax, Bucky isn't one of his childhood bullies.
"Whatever we are too each other, there are roles and- and ways we have to act." His chin juts out, all childish stubbornness.
Steve laughs and reaches across to touch his fingers to Bucky's lips. "You have to learn rules are never so simple. Sometimes following them isn't right."
Bucky's lips part and be can feel each hot breath. "Can't be that easy."
"Watch me."
-
Steve insists he come with him to an event at a friends that evening. No uniforms, no formal clothes. Bucky is nervous but refuses to be scared off. The house they go to is in a nice area of town, away from the lumbering buildings the senators and their families use while on the capital.
Bucky has never had much cause to be over here. The house they go to is almost small compared to its neighbors despite being two stories with a yard. The security systems recognize Steve and the doors click open.
The inside has moving walls and they've opened the space up completely.
A brunette rises to greet them first. "So now we meet him."
"Peggy," Steve kisses her on the cheek and gives Bucky a quick introduction to everyone. Some of his unit is there and Bucky is grateful for the familiar faces. A blond woman, Sharon, stares at him. Her expression is neutral but Bucky feels himself being judged. He stands up a little straighter.
"So you're the arrangement," Sharon says as they take a seat, Steve's arm is heavy and solid over his shoulders and he doesn't pull away.
"I prefer Bucky."
"Play nice," Peggy murmurs into her glass but her lips quirk up into an amused smile.
"A senator's son. How politic."
"It was my mother's idea," Steve says. "And we get along." He leans into kiss Bucky's cheek but Bucky preempts him and catches his lips.
Peggy laughs warmly. “Yes it would seem so. Congrats to you both.” Bucky lets himself relax and enjoy the evening, not thinking about Steve leaving again so soon. That nothing they have will truly be permanent.
-
The ceiling of the cell is a single gray slab, not even cracks to count. Bucky stares resolutely up at it, he knows he's being watched and refuses to give anyone the satisfaction of seeing him break.
Everything happened so fast. There were always rumblings of dissent and revolt against the Alliance. Bucky never thought much of them until police swept into the Barnes home.
He presses his tongue against the roof of his mouth, he will not break, he will not cry. His father is probably dead, midnight raids don't lead to justice in court. He just hopes his sister is still alive, somewhere.
He doesn't know what they're being accused of exactly. No one has spoken two words to him since he was yanked out of bed. Maybe he'll be forgotten in here, never to see anything but a blank gray ceiling until he starves to death. It doesn't feel right though, even if the Barnes family was never the most powerful senator's families never simply disappear.
But they haven't touched him, no abuse or torture. No one has even asked him anything. If they think he truly is connected to any rebel movements, they don't show it.
Time distorts in his cell, he doesn't know how long it's been when the door suddenly opens.
The guard looks upset so Bucky is careful to move slowly so he doesn't find a reason to use his weapon.
Steve is just outside the cell, in his stiff dress blues. It's been three months since Bucky last saw him in person and only brief vidchats since then when Steve has a moment.
And now he's outside Bucky's cell.
He can't help but wonder if this is the plan. Tie the Barnes family to the military, use his face to call for changes in the Senate. His hands clench, he doesn't want to think this of Steve but it feels so convenient. His father will disappear, maybe his sister will be held to ensure his cooperation.
"Come on," the guard finally snaps.
Bucky moves reluctantly, starving to death sounds better than being used as a puppet by a man he cared about. He had no choice though, once he's up Steve gets a grip on his arm and guides him through the halls.
The guard tails them until they come or on a landing pad. A small shuttle sits there with its engines running, waiting for them. Another guard stands at the ramp blocking their way.
Steve pulls out a small floppy which the guard slips into his handheld. "James Barnes is being remanded into my custody based on civil union requirements," Steve says, biting or each word. The guard reads his handheld before nodding. Bucky bites his tongue, still not sure what's going on, if going with Steve is better or worse.
Steve pulls gently to get him to walk up and in and the ramp closes behind them. The thunk of it sealing shut feels final.
"I know you have no real reason to trust me," Steve says as the engines start to push them upwards out of the atmosphere. He lets go of Bucky and immediately starts unbuttoning his jacket. "But you're safe."
"Safe?"
Steve gently pushes him into one of the shuttle’s seats. “Sharon’s looking into who accused your family-”
“Sharon?” He asks in disbelief, he only met the woman once and she didn’t seem to like him much. It all seems surreal, like a bad dream and maybe he needs to close his eyes. He’ll close them and when he opens again he’ll be back in his own bed. Just a bad-
“She has the connections on both sides,” Steve continues to talk, keeping him focused on reality. He kneels in front of Bucky and loosely takes his hands, running his thumbs over Bucky’s knuckles. “She’s going to look for your family, I only heard about you because-”
“I thought you were going to make me into some puppet senator.” Bucky slumps, the tension finally starting to leave him. He can feel the change in the inertial dampners as they break from atmosphere and into vacuum. Steve’s eyes get wide and he looks a little bit lost like he didn’t anticipate that reaction.
“We’re going to meet up with the rest of my unit. They’re family.”
Bucky wants to say they’re not his, but he doesn’t have that luxury anymore. “All my stuff-”
“We can’t go back.” Steve’s eyes focus on their hands. “What I did was barely regulation. They hadn’t charged you with treason yet, as a favor to me. I need you to trust me.”
“I do.” He squeezes Steve’s hands. “You’re connected aren’t you. To the rebellions.” Steve flinches but he doesn’t deny it. “They’ve probably killed my dad and maybe my sister so I’m with you. Either way.”
-
The Howling Commandos are stationed on a small ship, the majority of the ship taken up by docking bays for their fighters. Steve stands on the catwalk looking out at the neatly lined up ships. They’re in orbit around an outer planet, he can see the curve through the force field keeping the breathable air in.
He can hear the footsteps approaching him, an echoing thud as each footfall hits metal. “So what now?” Dugan asks as he comes up next to Steve. Above them, Bucky is asleep in Steve’s bed and right next door to him Sharon is looking into what triggered the raid and all the Commandos and the rest of the ship’s crew wait.
“We leave we weaken any war against the Hydra and their snakes. We stay we condone what’s being done,” Steve sighs, his shoulders feel heavy. The Commandos have skirted this issue for awhile, their posts in the outer planets have thrown them into proximity with the rebellions, making it easy to see the rightness of their causes.
This feels like manipulation though.
“Vigilante’s always an option.”
“Yea and get everyone gunning for us,” Steve says.
Dugan bites at the end of a cigar but doesn’t light it. Together they watch as the planet passes far below them. “Think they really did implant some shut off code in your DNA?”
Steve purses his lips which he knows will be answer enough for Dugan, they’ve known each other too long. “Call for a vote, give everyone ten hours to think it over.”
Dugan nods and goes to spread the order without pushing the issue. Steve stays a moment longer before heading up to his room. Small and sterile. It’s the captain’s quarters but the ship wasn’t designed to give anyone comfort. Bucky is awake when he gets there, reading a tablet screen. Compared to the soldiers Steve is used to being surrounded by, Bucky looks softer, fragile.
“I never said thank you,” he says, setting aside the tablet to look at Steve. “For getting me out.” He pats the bed beside him and Steve gratefully sinks down and lets Bucky pull him against him. “I’m sure your guys didn’t-”
“It was Montie’s idea. Gabe got me the right papers. Jacques flew the shuttle.” He kisses Bucky’s cheek. A self-conscious blush spreads over Bucky’s skin. “Told you. Safe.” Bucky’s fingers stroke his cheek and gently nudge him up for a kiss. Bucky falls onto his back and Steve follows him down, fitting himself against the stretch of Bucky’s body.
“Sharon said whatever you do next will be up to a vote.”
“Yea. It will.” He props up his chin on one arm. He doesn’t tell Bucky his own fears, he won’t influence his choice like that. Steve doesn’t know what will happen but he has already made up his own mind. “No one will demand you decide.”
“Too bad. I have. Now come on, I wanna thank you.” His hands are almost gentle on Steve’s skin so Steve kisses him hard. They both need to be overwhelmed.
-
Space is big, and looking out into it is nothing like the projections used on ship walls in place of windows. There is a strange sense of falling even though Bucky knows theres a solid piece of thermocore plastics between him and the vacuum.
The ship has started to feel like home but sometimes it sinks in how far away this all began. Almost two years ago since familial and political obligations required him to stand beside Steve Rogers and call him partner and husband. His sister is still alive, Sharon found that out and Steve has promised to get her. Bucky trusts him.
“You ever regret it?” Steve asks softly as he comes up beside Bucky in the small CIC, looking out into the stars.
“Hm?”
“Coming with. Choosing to go against the Alliance.”
“You mean do I regret siding with you,” Bucky says. Steve shrugs and Bucky knows now that means he’s translated Steve correctly but Steve doesn’t want to admit it. He doesn’t want to look selfish. “No. Never have.”
“Liar.”
Bucky shrugs. “Ok maybe a little. You?”
Steve smiles and kisses him. “I think we’re supposed to be teaching you to fly today.”