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Bucky lets out a low whistle as he takes another swig of his beer, cheeks pleasantly flushed as he runs a hand through his hair and grins across the table at Natasha and Clint. Today has been a good day. Natasha had gotten the news she’s been waiting for, being accepted into some prestigious ballet school that he can’t remember the name of earlier in the week. Clint had gone the whole day without spilling something, which hey, knowing Clint? That’s an impressive feat.
As for Bucky? He’d gotten hired by Stark Industries as a research and development engineer, something he couldn’t have possibly dreamed of but when he’d asked Natasha and Clint to pinch him, which ow, Clint had, well he wasn’t dreaming. It was real.
So yeah, going out and celebrating with his two best friends after the end of a long and difficult week had Bucky loosening up, had him drinking a bit more than he probably would and feeling a buzz and happy while he sat at their booth in the bar they frequented.
The Howling Commandos, a bar they’d found in college and still continue to visit now, a little hole in the wall place that had different events planned on the weekends every month. Tonight’s entertainment: karaoke.
Typically Bucky doesn’t find himself much of a singer, but after the week he’s had, the news he’s received, hell he may just sing his little heart out tonight if he works up his nerve.
When he tells Natasha and Clint this, he earns threats of recording and snorts. Whatever, it’s not like he was going to sing, just that if he felt like it he might have the nerve to do so.
They’ve been here for over an hour now, and those who have gotten up to sing haven’t been bad, even a couple did a duet at one point and sue Bucky if he thought it was cute.
However, he couldn’t have prepared himself for later in the evening, when Natasha and Clint were talking about heading out soon and asking if Bucky wanted another beer. After waving them off and asking for a water instead, Clint clapping him on the shoulder before going to get them their drinks, Bucky lets out a soft sigh that turns into a soft laugh as he scrubs at his face. A little tired, but still happy, hell even giddy, at the news.
“Bucky, it shouldn’t be so surprising, your intelligent, competent, Stark Industries is lucky to have you.” Natasha murmurs as Bucky had mumbled that he couldn’t believe it and that it was probably a mistake for the umpteenth time.
After all the ribbing at him earlier, her voice sounds softer and as he looks up at her only sincerity and pride are left across her features. Suppressing a grin, sure he’s not succeeding but not really caring, he glances down as a blush spreads across his face. “Thanks, Nat.” He murmurs and a moment later her hand is taking his, giving it an affectionate squeeze.
By the time Clint has returned, not having spilled the drinks, Natasha is back to smirking and tossing a napkin his way and Clint is scoffing as over dramatically leans in his chair before they settle into easy conversation once more.
___
Sam’s week has been rougher than he’d needed, the last month just a kick to his ass and honestly he probably shouldn’t even be out drinking, an early morning waiting to kick his ass even more ahead of him.
The VA has been struggling, not enough at the moment to be concerned, but still he worries nonetheless. He hasn’t been sleeping well, memories welling up this time of year, memories and nightmares of Riley and losing him. The weather hasn’t been all that great so on the days he does get a run in, they leave him drenched or soaked depending on how much it rains.
Even Steve had brought, not bad news, but still news that wasn't desirable. Steve was heading out on a road trip, one to help clear his head and sort things out for himself. Sam wasn’t upset in the slightest, if anyone deserved some peace, Steve was it. He would just miss his best friend, that’s all.
So now he’s sitting here alone, at The Howling Commandos and finishing off a beer, Steve having headed out with a hug and a promise to call once he sets off later the following day. Downing the rest of his beer, contemplating getting another, he sighs and rubs at his face before glancing towards the karaoke setup towards the far wall of the bar.
Typically, Sam wouldn’t find himself much of a singer, his sister having made fun of him once or twice in the past when he would sing over her when she wouldn’t stop after he’d asked nicely. He’d said please, after all. Even if it was all in good fun, he wasn’t the most in tune singer.
However, after the week he’s had, the month leading up to it, he doesn’t know what compels him to get up and head towards the set up. Selecting a song and shaking out his arms in an attempt to loosen up the tension that runs through him, it isn’t until the song starts that he forgot the song he’d chosen was a duet. And hell if he wasn’t going to nail it by himself if that’s what it came to.
It’s as he’s starting Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, and knowing that it could be sung as a solo song, but it isn’t until a moment later that he notices a guy from a table towards the back getting up. Really it doesn’t register to Sam that the guy has even moved until he’s making his way up onto the small stage beside him and has grabbed the second microphone and starts in on “You don't have to worry.”
Taken a little aback by the guy’s initiative to jump in and start singing with him, it doesn’t stop Sam from continuing on and singing the chorus with him and letting him take over his half of the duet. To be fair, Sam hadn’t really planned to get up here and sing, let alone get into it, but with the smile across the guy’s face as he looks over at him, he finds himself getting more into the song.
By the time they’re finishing up the song, both of them now turned towards each other and belting out the last lines of , “Ain't no mountain high enough, Ain't no valley low enough…” Sam is more grateful for this stranger in this moment for the amount of joy he’s brought him in the last few minutes, than he’s been to anyone in the past few weeks.
It isn’t until the sounds of clapping and whistling at their performance sound in his ears that the eye contact they shared is broken as the guy turns his attention to the crowd, presumably towards his friends. He rolls his eyes before he’s grinning back at Sam, a red tint to his cheeks before he’s holding out a hand to him. Unable to keep the grin from splitting across his own face, Sam takes the offered hand before the guy is turning them to face the sparsely crowded bar, more people having begun to clap for them before they both take an over dramatic bow.
Yeah, the past few minutes have made up for the last few weeks Sam has had.
___
Bucky couldn’t tell you what compelled him to get up on that stage and take over the second half of the duet to Ain’t No Mountain High Enough. To be fair, he wasn’t even sure the guy wanted the song to be a duet, but sitting there before hearing the guy’s voice? Turning to see the most gorgeous guy Bucky’s ever seen? Well, he’s never believed in angels or fate, but he couldn’t just sit there without taking his shot could he?
After the song has ended, a knot of excited energy sits in his chest, he smiles over at the guy, he thinks about saying something, anything, before whistling and cheering sound from Natasha and Clint and he can’t help but laugh as he looks back towards their table. Rolling his eyes affectionately, he looks back at the guy beside him, watching as an endearing gap-toothed grin is being shown his way. Offering out a hand, he watches the guy take it before he’s turning back out to the occupants of the bar, who have now started cheering with Natasha and Clint, and god if he weren’t in such a good mood he could possibly kill them.
However, it’s as they take a bow together, putting away the karaoke equipment and stepping off the makeshift stage together that Bucky runs a hand through his hair nervously, a chuckle bubbling out of him as he bites his lip and glances towards his duet partner. “Hey, sorry. I probably shouldn’t have cut in like that."
Watching as the guy thinks about it as he crosses his arms, he feels his smile fall as he begins to frown, and it’s not after he says, “yeah, can’t believe you showed me up like that,” that Bucky realizes he’s joking.
Grin returning as he reaches out and shoves at him lightly Bucky laughs more as he gives a fake frown of his own as they take a seat at the guy’s empty table. “Fuck off. You’re lucky I saved your ass from embarrassment.”
And maybe if Bucky hadn’t drank too much, maybe if he wasn’t in such a good mood, he wouldn’t be openly teasing and affectionate towards the guy, it's not like they’re friends, he doesn’t even know his name for god’s sake.
However, he thinks the guy doesn’t mind, not if the way he gives a laugh of his own, tipping his head back before reaching out and clapping a hand on his shoulder has to say anything.
Bucky’s sure that’s what makes him work up the courage to blurt out, “What’s your name? Need something to call you besides angel voice or pretty eyes.”
Watching as the guy barks another laugh, music to his ears if he thinks about it, he offers another smaller, softer smile before he answers, “Sam. How about you?”
Feeling him exhale softly, whispering out, “Sam,” just to have his name in his mouth leads to his face flushing more as Sam is giving him more of a shit-eating grin now. “Sam? Wow, what are the odds of that.”
Groaning as he rubs at his face, unable to keep his smile off his own face, Bucky shakes his head before gazing softly back at Sam, “I’m James, but my friends call me Bucky.”
“Is that what we are?"
“I hope so.” Bucky murmurs, swallowing down the lump that forms in his throat.
Same just smiles at him, reaching out to brush the hair out of his face, “well alright then, nice to meet you Bucky.”
Bucky isn’t sure how much longer he sits there talking to Sam, but he’s sure his day couldn’t have ended on a better note if he’d tried. By the time Sam is excusing himself, genuine regret across his face, Bucky is waving it off kindly and thanking him for the evening they had. Watching as he leaves and turning to find that Natasha and Clint have also left, which doesn’t surprise him as he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket several times since they sat down, most likely messages from them.
Letting out a soft sigh as he’s gathering himself up and heading out, waving and wishing a good night to Tim Dugan at the bar, he heads out into the night air feeling lighter than he’d gone in. And he didn’t think that was possible.
Heading home to his apartment and falling into bed after thanking Natasha and Clint for a night out and reassuring them that he got home safe, resolutely ignoring their messages asking about Sam, he finds himself drifting off to sleep in no time.
If he happened to dream of soft brown eyes and a gap-toothed smile, no one had to know.
If the next morning when he checked his jacket pockets for his misplaced wallet and found a piece of paper and a scribble of numbers and a message of call me - Sam written upon it?
Well, no one had to know just how bright his smile was.