Work Text:
If you were to tell Bucky when he was in high school that he would have ended up in a college on the West Coast, with a robot arm and driving to Tony Stark's beach house for Mid-Winter break? He would have laughed so hard he might have blown a blood vessel in his face.
He glanced down at his prosthetic, the metal fingers glistening in the setting sun in Malibu, California, then back outside the window of Stevie's car. The ocean breeze was blowing through the open windows making some hair come loose from his bun and he let himself have a small smile.
He missed Brooklyn, but damn did he love the sunshine.
“Tony, how many people did you invite?” he heard Stevie attempt in a whisper but his big lug of a best friend didn't have a volume lower than 8.
“Babe, it's fine, just our closest friends! We get tonight to get ready and everyone will be here tomorrow. I swear it won't be packed, I promise just people we know and like!” Tony babbled, not looking up once from his phone and Bucky made eye contact with Steve in the rear view mirror, his blue eyes filled with worry.
“It's alright Steve, if it gets overwhelming, I'll go to the opposite wing and you won't be able to find me for days,” he teased and Tony grinned over the passenger seat at him.
“Not helpin',” Steve grumbled, slowing down at Tony's instruction and making a turn down what was obviously a private road.
“Can I get sand in this thing?” Bucky asked, holding up his arm.
“Sure! And if there's a problem, your mechanic is on call,” Tony quipped as his Malibu house appeared. Bucky's jaw dropped as he looked over the very modern house, all curves and windows, the sun reflecting off of every smooth surface.
“Shit Stark, if you weren't already bangin' my best friend I'd date you just for this,” Bucky grinned and Tony snorted, while Steve turned a very hilarious shade of pink.
“I'll remember that Buckaroo,” Tony winked before swanning out of the vehicle and towards the front door. Bucky gagged at Steve's heart eyes following his every move and opened up his door.
“You're disgusting,” he huffed and Steve just rolled his eyes and looked back at Bucky.
“Barton will be here tomorrow,” he said simply and Bucky fuckin' knew he had the heart eyes he was just calling Steve out for and Steve started to cackle.
“Fuck you!” he yelled before getting out of the car. “Use your big muscles and grab all of our bags, you evil bastard.”
No one could blame Bucky for getting heart eyes whenever Clint Barton walked into a room. He was fuck off tall, had the bluest eyes and archer's biceps that Bucky wanted to lick. It was even harder to keep his eyes off of him when he stumbled in with Natasha and Sam the next morning, his to-go coffee cup permanently glued to his face and hair a complete mess. He was leaning into Sam and Sam rolled his eyes affectionately.
“Is Barton even awake?” Tony asked, shamelessly in Steve's lap and peering at the champion archer.
“Not until he has a whole cup of coffee,” Natasha said, taking the empty bar stool next to Steve.
“Sam, you and Nat are up stairs, the last one on the left. Barton, you're the one next to them,” Tony said and Sam tried to shrug Clint off.
“Barton, I will take your bag upstairs if you get off of me,” Sam offered and Clint blinked and looked around the kitchen before shuffling towards the stove top where Bucky was trying not to make it obvious he was staring while attempting to make some eggs.
“Hey Buck,” he grumbled before leaning against his back. Bucky froze and took a slow breath through his nose to calm his nerves.
He was just doing this to Sam, don't be an idiot. It doesn't mean anything.
“Hey Clint, late night?” he asked, hoping he didn't sound as shaky as he felt.
“Yeah I got some extra practice in since I wouldn't be near the range his week,” he managed before a jaw cracking yawn ripped its way out. Bucky just nodded and continued to fry the eggs, trying to ignore every part of his body that was touching Clint. It was very hard to ignore, his brain was very happy.
“Don't fall asleep on me Barton, go get a chair and I'll bring you some eggs,” he said shrugging his shoulder a bit. Clint's breath was getting too even and he did not have the strength to hold up the dead weight of all of those muscles.
“Don't like it when you call me Barton,” he mumbled into Bucky's shoulder and Bucky just raised an eyebrow. “Eggs are good, thanks Buck,” he said louder before pushing himself off and walking towards the pot of coffee to re-fill his cup.
“You're welcome Cint.”
Bucky couldn't help but notice the little pleased smile on his face.
“Clint CANNOT play beer pong because his aim is impeccable. He's a God Damn United States Champion Archer. The fucker is training to be in the OLYMPICS!” Sam yelled, throwing his hands up and making Bucky snort into his cup full of....whatever trash can mixture Tony threw together.
“Well that's why we are putting him with the Buckster so we can even the playing field with his cyborg arm,” Tony said standing next to Sam on the opposite side of Clint and Bucky at the table they had set up with red solo cups.
“Tony, that doesn't even-ITS A CYBORG ARM,” Sam continued to yell and it was Clint's turn to laugh.
“It's alright Sam, we get it, you just don't want to lose. We could always play a card game?” Clint offered. Sam spluttered again, making Natasha swoop in to gently scratch her nails through his short hair to calm him.
“And have to endure Tony cheating by counting cards and getting Steve naked in strip poker? No thank you,” Natasha smirked. Steve blushed and covered his face with a hand.
“That would be giving you all a gift. The most perfectly sculpted gift,” Tony sniffed before taking a drink.
“C'mon it's all just fun Sam, the endgame is to get drunk, Clint will just be expediting the process for you,” Bucky shrugged before finishing off his cup with a grimace. “Jesus Stark, aren't you rich? The hell kind of poison is in here?”
“Shut up and drink the liquor you didn't pay for. C'mon we're playing a game! Sam suck it up, then we will go outside and play some beach volleyball.”
After Clint deliberately dragged the game out by missing some obvious shots then sniping the final two, more of their friends from school showed up. Bruce, Scott, Thor and his girlfriend Jane piled in just in time for a game of volleyball out on the private beach. They quickly changed into their bathing suits and Bucky stood on the deck while Clint helped set up the net. With one flex of Clint's arms holding the pole in place, in his board shorts with the sun shining on his bare skin, Bucky quickly downed the rest of his cup to try and drown the heat pooling in his belly. All thoughts emptied out of his mind as he watched Clint let go and bend down to grab the ball, that ass though.
“Here let me get your jaw out of the sand there Buck,” Steve said appearing at his side and smirking.
“Shut up, punk,” Bucky said peering into his now empty cup. He threw it in the trash bag on the back porch before marching his way into the sand and on the opposite side of Clint.
Pay attention, idiot. Don't get hit in the face because you're so god damn thirsty.
“Alright, you serve Tasha,” Tony called from next to Bucky. “Losers skinny dip in the ocean!”
Bucky looked over at Clint's team; Natasha, Bruce and Thor against his team of Steve, Tony and Jane. Sam and Scott were lounging on the deck, their job was to talk shit about every single one of them.
“I don't want to jump into the ocean naked so I'm going to need you boys to step it up,” Jane said adjusting her ponytail and stretching her arms behind her back.
“I don't wanna see any of those white boy asses,” Sam said snapping his sunglasses down onto his nose.
Everyone chuckled and Bucky made the mistake of looking over at Clint. His abs were perfectly glistening in the sun and his sunglasses were on top of his already beach ruined hair and.....did he just wink at him?
“Fuck me,” he whispered and Tony choked on a laugh. He just glared at the genius before looking at Natasha who was gently lobbing the ball between her two hands. “Serve it up, Natasha! You're going down.”
After a quick dip in his birthday suit and avoiding eye contact with Clint the entire time, Bucky was dried off and lounging on the back porch keeping an eye on the grill while everyone was inside getting set up for the next round of whatever bizarre party game Tony was trying to put together. He was slowly sipping on his drink now, not wanting to get completely shit faced. He found it wasn’t great for his anxiety anymore.
He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes as the ocean breeze brushed over his face, the sun starting it’s slow descent towards the horizon. The sky was clear; it was gearing up to be a beautiful sunset.
He looked over his shoulder as the back door slid open and was surprised to see Clint walking out, his hands empty and looking freshly showered.
“Hey Buck,” he said with a small smile and Bucky gave him one back, sitting up from his slouch on the couch to make room for him. “Smells good, I’m starving.”
“Just put everything on, gonna be a few minutes,” he answered watching as Clint made his way to the couch facing the water and sitting next to him. “Not up for more drinking?” he asked, pointing to Clint’s empty hands.
“Nah, I don’t like to get completely wasted. Bad memories with an alcoholic dad,” Clint offered up freely and Bucky just blinked over at him.
“Fair enough, I don’t either. It doesn’t mix well with my anxiety after…” he trailed off, just holding up his shiny arm to explain. Clint gave him a small smile before turning his attention back to the ocean, the sky slowly turning orange.
“We can be the mostly sober ones together then.”
He said it so quietly, Bucky barely heard it but he smiled to himself and put his unfinished drink down.
“I like the sound of that,” he said before heaving himself up off of the couch and heading to the grill. He quickly flipped the burgers and turned the sausages before closing the lid and turning back to Clint, surprised to find his very blue eyes pinned on him. Clint blushed at being caught, but didn’t look away. “Do I….do I have something on me?” Bucky asked looking over his shoulder to look at the back of his shirt like a complete fucking idiot.
“Uh no, no,” Clint replied, clearing his throat and standing up. He wiped his palms on his shorts, he looked almost nervous.
Bucky wasn’t sure what to say, so he just stood there, a million thoughts of what could happen flying through his brain as Clint made his way closer. He looked over his shoulder at the sunset and then back at Bucky.
“It’s just, um, well I,” Clint paused and let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t want to sound like a creep but god damn Buck I saw you naked earlier and I honestly cannot stop thinking about it.”
Bucky’s jaw dropped and he stared as Clint went even more red and stood there looking horrified.
“What?” was all he managed before words just spilled out of Clint’s mouth.
“Not that it’s the only thing that matters! Cause it’s not, it’s just I was not expecting to get that eyeful today and on top of you being absolutely gorgeous and smart and funny it just really threw me I just can’t help but look at you when you’re around-” he stopped immediately and Bucky actually couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Clint-” he tried but was interrupted by Clint starting up again.
“God I am a creep, I am so sorry this is not how I planned on telling you I have had a crush on you since the beginning of the year. Fuckin’ disaster,” he mumbled that last part to himself and turned to walk away.
“CLINT!” he yelled to get his attention and he froze, his shoulders hunched up to his ears and not turning around to look at him. Bucky sighed and looked over at the ocean again to gather his thoughts; the sunset was now full of oranges, pinks and purples. It was absolutely stunning. “Clint, turn around.”
Clint slowly turned around and looked everywhere but Bucky’s face, eventually landing on the sunset on the horizon.
“Wow, that’s gorgeous. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said in a hushed tone. In a completely embarrassing RomCom cliché, Bucky stared at the side of Clint’s face and agreed.
“Yeah, it’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen.”
Clint nodded and finally looked over at Bucky, shock clear on his face when he realized Bucky was looking at him instead of the sunset.
“What? Me?” he managed and Bucky nodded.
“Yeah, I wasn’t even planning on telling you about my crush on you since I never thought…….you know,” he shrugged, not willing to finish that thought out loud.
Clint actually started to chuckle and Bucky must have looked very confused because Clint quickly grabbed his metal wrist and shook his head.
“Sorry I’m just….I would waste all of this time thinking you wouldn’t want someone like me,” he shrugged and Bucky sighed.
“We will talk about that later, but for right now,” he began, twisting around to shut off the grill. “We are done wasting time.”
“Okay that sounds good,” Clint whispered, closer than Bucky remembered and staring at his mouth. Bucky took advantage and licked his bottom lip, watching as Clint’s eyes traced the movement.
Clint was moving slow, trying to give Bucky an out but he wasn’t going to take it. He swooped in to close the gap and relished in the hitched breath Clint took. He grabbed Clint’s shirt and pulled him closer, turning his head to make their lips slot into the perfect position.
It was soft and sweet, slow and searching. Bucky’s eyes closed as he just went for the ride that was their first kiss. Clint’s muscular arms wrapped around his waist and Bucky shamelessly ran his hands up and over his biceps before tangling his fingers in that messy blonde hair.
When Clint pulled back to breathe, Bucky’s eyes popped open and he stared at his pink lips, immediately wanting another taste. He closed his eyes again to gather himself and smiled when Clint rested his forehead against his.
“Buck! Is the food done, ya jerk!?” Steve yelled as he slid open the door and Bucky snapped his head towards the sound. “Oh shit, oh shit, sorry! Sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt, oh God,” Steve yelled, holding his hands out and starting to back his way into the house again.
“Steve, calm down, we already did the fun part,” Clint grinned and Steve made a face.
“Oh just you wait Stevie, there’s plenty of payback coming after I’ve had to watch you and Stark make out all over campus,” Bucky grinned and Steve sighed dramatically, but his smile gave away how he really felt.
“Get the food and bring it in, we’re starting a game of Cards Against Humanity. Tony filled in all of the blank cards with horrible things,” Steve said before throwing Bucky a happy grin and heading inside.
“Come on, let’s go feed them and play a round. Once they’re drunk enough we will sneak back out here and look at the stars,” Clint said before giving him a quick peck on the lips.
“Sounds perfect.”