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“So are you just going to flirt with him, or are you going to ask him out?” Natalia asked him.
Steve and Natalia had stopped in Mimi’s Café to get a cup of hot chocolate. They were college roommates, on a break from studying the past five hours.
Steve looked over at Natalia. His cheeks were two shades darker.
“Is it that obvious?” Steve asked as he took a sip of his hot chocolate.
The seasons were nice, but the winter this year was the coldest it had been in Blaire Michigan. Steve’s hands were frozen just from the short walk from their apartment to Mimi’s Café.
“To others no, for me yes. I've known you since preschool.” Natalia replied.
Steve nodded his head in agreement.
“I’m not sure I can.”
“Steve, if you don’t go over there and ask him, then I will go over there and ask him for you.”
“No!” Steve squeaked out.
Natalia let out a laugh. She enjoyed seeing Steve squirm. Of course, if the roles were reversed he would enjoy this as much as she did. “Either you go over there right now and ask or I will.”
“Okay, okay,” Steve said as he held his hand up in surrender.
Steve let out a sigh before he stood up and headed to the counter to talk to Bucky who was taking another customer’s orders.
There was one other person who was in line for a drink whose order was getting taken when Steve walked up, as soon as the order was taken it was Steve’s turn.
Steve had to admit Bucky looked hot in the uniform he wore. The green apron he wore just made him seem hottie in Steve’s mind.
“Do you need a refill?” Bucky asked.
“Umm..no. I just wanted to ask you a question.”
“What is the question you want to ask?”
Steve wiped his hands on his jeans.
“Wouldliketogooutonadatewithme?” Steve blurted out and waited for his answered.
Bucky looked at him for a few moments before he smiles at him.
“Yes.”
Steve smile back at him.
“I wasn’t sure whether or not you batted for the other team or for the same team,” Steve admitted.
“Both actually.”
“Good to know.
Bucky wrote on something on a notepad then he tore the paper off and handed it to Steve.
"Here's my number," Bucky said with a smile on his face. "I get off at eight o'clock today."
"Thanks,"
Steve glance to make sure there was a phone number, there was. Steve took out his wallet and put the paper with Bucky's number in there.
Steve notice there was someone behind him who wanted to order.
"I'll let you get back to work. I will call you later."
"Okay. Talk to you soon."
Steve walked over back to where Natalia sat. He sat back down.
"So...."
"He said yes. I’m calling him after he gets off work tonight."
"Good. You deserve to be happy Steve."
"I know, but what would my mother think if she was still living?" Steve asked with a hint of sadness in his voice.
Natalia looked at him.
"She would want you to be happy. I'm sure she would approve of Bucky. He makes you happy."
Steve rubbed the back of his neck.
“I know.”
Steve sat back down and took another drink of his hot chocolate which had a third left in the cup now.
“Nat, did you drink my hot chocolate?”
“What can I say, you know I like hot chocolate.”
“If you want more you know I will buy you another cup."
“Yeah, but you were busy, plus I know we’re leaving in the next five to ten minutes, so I was helping you out.”
Steve thought about it for a moment. She was right.
“Next time I am taking my cup with me,” Steve said.
Natalia let out a laugh. They left five minutes later. Of course, Steve took one look last at Bucky before they left.
It was a little after eight o'clock. Steve dialed Bucky’s number. It rang twice before he heard Bucky’s voice.
“Hello!”
“Hello Bucky, this is Steve. I hope I am not catching you at a bad time.”
“No, you aren't. I just got home. I am glad you called.”
Steve’s cheek felt a bit warmer after a few seconds.
“I’m glad I called as well.”
“So can I ask where we are going for our first date?” Bucky curiously asked.
“I am going to make you a home cooked meal, how does that sound for a first date?”
“It sounds great. What’s your schedule like this week?”
“It going to be busy. I was thinking Friday night at nine for our date,does that work for you?”
There was a pause on the other line.
“Yes, that will work for me.”
“Good.”
They talked for a couple of more hours before saying their goodbyes.
Steve had Natalia help with getting the ingredients for the dinner he was going to cook. It was spaghetti and meatballs. He was making it from scratch like his mother had shown him.
The week went by quickly. Steve was nervous about his date with Bucky. The meal he started to cook early afternoon. When it was a few hours before the date Steve was in his room trying to decide what to wear.
There were six pairs of t-shirt and sweaters on the bed. He had four pairs of jeans and three dress pants sprawled across the bed. Natalia sat at one corner of the bed. Steve looked in the mirror at his outfit.
“No, this is no good. I’ll change again.”
Natalia giggled. Steve looked at her.
“What’s so funny?”
“To see you like this, you’re worse than I am when I am about to go on a date. You have changed outfits six times already. Put these on.” Natalia said as he handed him a blue t-shirt and black jeans. “Blue bring out the color of your eyes,”
Steve took what Natalia handed him and changed he looked in the mirror and nodded his head. He headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair. It didn’t take long to do those two things.
“I am going to be at Clint’s if you need me,” Natalia said. She had a backpack on her back.
“Okay, I’ll see you later.”
“Have fun on your date.”
“Thanks and I will,” Steve replied and then Natalia left.
Steve made sure everything was ready for the date.
Nine o’clock on the dot the doorbell rang. Steve opened the door to see Bucky there. In the background, classical music was playing softly.
“Come in,” Steve said, as he moved aside to let Bucky step in. Steve closed the door after he was in.
“It smells delicious,” Bucky said as he looked around the apartment.
“Thank you. It’s spaghetti and meatballs with salad. For dessert is chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk.” Steve replied.
“Sounds delicious.”
It didn’t take long for them to get past the small talk and get to dinner. It was quiet as they ate. Steve wasn’t sure what to say to Bucky, but as he watched Bucky eat the spaghetti he could tell Bucky was enjoying the meal.
“This spaghetti is great. Where did you get it from?” Bucky asked.
“I made it,” Steve replied as color rose to his cheeks.
Bucky eyes widen a bit.
“Wow. You’re a great cook. I could definitely get used to this.”
“Thanks. I hope I can continue to cook for you.”
“How about we have dessert in the living room on the couch,” Bucky suggested.
Steve smiled at him and gave him a nod. Steve with Bucky help cleaned up their dinner. Then they settled down with dessert on the coffee table in front of them.
Bucky looked at him.
“I am wondering if I can do something I have waiting to do since you start to flirt with me.”
Steve gave him a questionable look.
“Sure,” Steve said not really knowing what to expect.
Bucky leaned forward until their lips meet, in that moment dessert was forgotten.