Chapter Text
If anybody would bother to ask Bucky’s opinion, it had been had a double date: Steve and Bucky, Sam and a beautiful young woman from his hometown named Lauren. Lauren recently moved to New York, and she and Sam had reconnected and started dating. Sam had wanted to introduce her to his best pals, so they all dressed up and went out to a fancy restaurant. Sam had kept his arm over the back of Lauren’s chair until the food arrived. Steve had his own behind Bucky the whole night.
Crab legs and a few glasses of wine later, Bucky had found himself warm from the inside out, a broad smile hanging easily from his lips. A few teasing winks were sent his way from Sam, who had a matching smile.
He was still warm as he and Steve walked back to their apartment. Bucky had his leather jacket folded over his metal arm, summer heat too thick to wear it. The weight of Steve’s arm over his shoulder too heavy to add anything more.
There was a time, long, long ago, when Bucky would have given anything to have his arm around Steve’s shoulders without onlookers taking a second glance. Well, some still might if they were to notice that the couple walking passed was Captain America and the infamous Winter Soldier. That was beside the point.
Fire sirens wailed from a few blocks away. Steve pulled Bucky a little closer. The closest they would get. Closest they’d gotten since the forties.
Steve was always stubborn. Genetic Rogers’ character trait. Got it from his mom. For some reason, he’d gotten it in his head that Bucky was fragile. If he pushed too far, Bucky would leave again. Not that the worry was really Steve’s fault—Bucky didn’t have a great track record of sticking around. Bucky wanted to change that reputation. To prove to Steve that he was ready to stay. But last month when Bucky had bought him a rose and set it on Steve’s pillow, he’d put it in an already occupied vase on the kitchen table. With the bouquet he'd received from the lady at the local coffee shop who had a major crush on him. Ouch.
Bucky leaned his weight against Steve’s side and glanced up. Steve kept watching the sidewalk ahead.
Really, he should give up. Take the hint Steve wasn’t interested anymore, that all Bucky was chasing was nostalgia. Remnants of their past selves. Which could get him sent back to therapy if he wasn’t careful.