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“So,” Natasha begins as they are walking home from the gym. “I know this guy…”
“Really, Nat?” Steve asks. He isn’t surprised, not really, not since his break up with Peggy months ago. Which still stings like hell by the way, but she’s happy. That’s what counts, right?
“Just hear me out,” she begs him. “He’s a good guy, I’ve known him a long time. You two would be perfect together.” The redhead tried aimlessly to set him up time and again, but it always turned out to be a major bust.
“I’ll think about it,” he hedges. She gives him a knowing look, but says nothing else.
*
Bucky sighs out loud, head pounding. Sam is sitting across the room, a hopeful look on his face. He knows that look. It isn’t good. He’s screwed. Riley walks in then, a grin in place, shit! Not him too.
“So, there’s this guy,” Riley says as he sits in Sam’s lap. “He’d be perfect for you.”
“Sure,” Bucky drawls out.
“Here us out, okay?” Sam pleads. “Nat knows him too.” Bucky’s ears perk up at that, so his ex is in this too? Uh oh, this doesn’t bode well for him, does it?
“Carry on,” he grits out, shielding his eyes from the sun. Riley gets up and closes the curtain and blinds. “Thanks.”
“We sometimes work out together. And from what I can tell, he’s a great guy.” Sam looks up at Riley, who grins.
“Polite as hell, but there’s fire underneath it all. At least think about it, for us? We hate doing this, but it’s just that we worry about you,” Riley confesses.
“We love you man,” Sam adds.
Bucky really wants to say no right now, to say fuck it and for them to mind their own business. But he can’t. They’ve been his rock, and let’s face it, he hasn’t made any new friends since Clint Barton ages ago.
“Fine, you two and Nat do your magic,” he mutters.
“You won’t regret this,” Sam hums happily.
Whatever you say.”
*
Steve is sitting there at a table on the outside of some low key cafe. He feels stupid and out of place, even though he’s been here many times before. Of course it’s just been him, or Sam joins him, other times Nat. And he has also drawn the landscape around him. But this is different, he’s meeting someone new. Natasha would kill him if she seen what he changed into after she had left.
She had chosen a button up shirt and khakis. He changed into a tight fitting t-shirt and dark jeans, topping it off with a ball cap and black framed glasses. The waitress brings him his tea with a soft smile, adding that his soup would be ready soon. He nods and gives her thanks, before glancing up to spy at stocky brunet coming his way.
He’s wearing a plain black hat, a loose fitting maroon henley and a pair of faded jeans. The sleeves are rolled up, and there’s a gleam from the left arm, metal. It reminds him of Riley’s leg, where it’s infused to his flesh, connecting to his upper thigh. They must have been in combat together.
The man comes closer, and Steve can tell he’s attractive. Day old stubble covering his jaw and cleft chin, a button nose covered with freckles. Cold gray blue eyes, and nice full lips. Something stirs in the blond’s lower belly, something he hasn’t felt in long time…
*
Thankfully the medication that Dr. Bruce Banner had given him seems to be working, and with low side effects. While warm outside, there is a pleasant breeze that is coming from the east, it brushes strands of hair across his face. He tries to control it, thinking his cap would help out with that.
He is coming up on a small cafe that Sam told him about, telling him that his ‘date’ would be waiting for him. He was given a fairly vague description of the man, and he thinks he spies him. A man with broad shoulders and glasses is sitting at a table. He looks unsure of himself, scanning the crowd before looking down. Bucky notices that the man has blond hair upon further inspection, and reddened lips.
There is a small leather book by him, along with pencils. Nat told him that the guy is an artist, and that stood out for Bucky. We walks closer, chest tightening slightly with nerves, and he forces himself to take a deep breath before introducing himself.
*
Steve now face to face with the other man, who looks him directly in the eyes before offering his hand. He goes to get up, but the other man shakes him off. So he offers his own hand, and shivers at the contact. The grasp is firm, warm. He nods to the chair opposite of him and the other man takes it.
They sit in silence for a little while, sizing each other up. “So, looks like our friends think we would make a cute couple,” the other man says, though not unkindly.
“Sorry about that,” Steve says softly. The other man just shrugs. “They have been trying to set me up for a while, but it’s mostly failed.”
“They pretty much given up on me,” the brunet replies. “Forgot my manners. The name is James Barnes, but most people call me Bucky.”
“Steve Rogers.”
“So you’re the famous Steven Grant Rogers I hear so much about.” The blond blushes at that, it causes a playful smile to pull at the other man’s lips. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. Just that Nat, along with Sam and Riley talk so much about you. Clint too sometimes.”
“You know them too?” He knows that Nat has a past with him.
“Yeah. Served with both Riley and Sam. Nat is actually my ex, and Clint is her boyfriend.”
“Small world,” Steve says, a little bit shocked.
“Looks like,” Bucky admits. They say nothing for a bit. “So, you draw? Anything in particular?”
“Um, no. Just whatever catches my eye, mostly. I was pretty sickly growing up, but art helped me cope.”
“Sorry to hear about that. Still get sick alot now?”
“Not as bad as I used to,” Steve shrugs while answering. “But it still gets the best of me.”
“My sister got sick a lot when we were kids. Tough thing to watch, can’t imagine how it must have felt.”
“Well, it was hell. Thankfully my mom is a nurse, so she knew what to do.” Steve fiddles with his cup.
“How long have you known Sam?”
“Since school, actually. He helped me put the weight on.” Bucky hums at that. “Listen, sorry again for them meddling,” he starts to say.
“It’s alright. I think they were on to something this time. Too early to tell, but we will at least turn out to be friends.” Bucky leans forward and Steve is taken back by how gorgeous the man before him is. “Just don’t let on, make them sweat it out.” That gets the brunet a shy smile.
“Yeah, I like the sound of that.”
*
They meet up once a week, usually at the same cafe, other times they bump into each other, like the shop where Steve took his bike. Turns out Bucky works there when they are slammed. “Took good care of her, Stevie,” Bucky tells him. “She purrs like a kitten.”
“Thanks,” he stutters. The nickname making his heart flutter inside his chest, and it gets him a feral grin.
“No problem.”
Other times they see each other at the gym, and nod at each other, while their friends look at the two of them. Bucky grins when no one pays attention, and Steve just shakes his head.
A few months into their meetings and Bucky is asking Steve out for a ‘test date’ at the movies, and the blond agrees. They end up watching some action flick, and he finds himself having a great time. “We should do something like this again sometime,” Steve tells him after.
“Yeah, looking forward to it,” Bucky says over his shoulder while walking over to his truck.
“Can I get your number?” Steve asks shyly.
“Haven’t even thought about that. Shit, yeah.” He hands his cell over to Steve who then types in his number. “Call me sometime.”
“Yeah,” Steve blushes at him.
“Good night, Stevie.” Bucky pecks a kiss onto his cheek, and Steve can feel his body flood with heat.
*
“So, you and Steve?” Sam asks while they are in the kitchen.
“You were right. He is a good guy,” Bucky tells him.
“And?”
“And we are seeing where it takes us,” the brunet tells him.
“At least you made another friend,” Riley tells him as he walks into the room.
“Yep,” Bucky can’t play coy with him, never could. He learned the hard way when playing poker one night. Never made the same mistake again.
“We just want you to be happy,” Sam adds.
“I am.”
*
“So, you and James,” Nat begins to prod.
“Great guy.” Steve doesn’t make eye contact.
“Uh huh. You bone him yet?” Clint guffaws at her choice of words.
“No!” Steve hisses out, face red.
“You want to though. Not gonna lie, the sex was the best part of our relationship. The rest of it was shit.”
“Hey,” Clint begins, but Nat only rolls her eyes.
“Sex has always been good with you, but it’s different. Better because we fit together better outside the bedroom. We communicate.” She kisses her lover on the lips. “James and I were only sex, and eventually that wasn’t working either. So we ended up friends. But he’s a good guy, Steve. You deserve to be happy. I just though getting you out there again would help out. Sorry if I over stepped.”
“Nat, I know you were just worried about me. At times it got to me, but just this once?” He asks, and she nods. “I’m glad I listened.” He expects her to gloat, but instead her eyes shine. They hug it out, and listen to Clint grumble, they both break out laughing.
“Whatever,” she teases.
*
“So,” Bucky begins.
“Yeah, so…” Their lips meet in a brief kiss, and Steve feels like he’s free falling and floating at the same time. Bucky just feels like he’s found home.
“More than friends.”
“Yeah.”