Chapter Text
“ Paintball ?” he asked, horrified. “That’s your big surprise?”
“It’ll be fun,” Steve said, braking to avoid running over an unobservant pedestrian blabbering away on her phone. “There will be four of us on each team so it won’t be too out of control.”
“Shit.” Did his boyfriend not know that Bucky wasn’t the most athletic guy in the world? Like, as far as concerning a scale from 1-10, he was a solid three. And that was on a good day. It’s not like Call of Duty counted. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be on your team, right?”
Steve grinned, his teeth shining brighter than usual. “Of course, baby.”
“Shit,” he repeated as he slid down in his seat and tried to suppress the anxiety bubbling in his gut.
Steve looked over at him and frowned, before reaching across the console and rubbing at the back of Bucky’s neck. “Are you mad?”
He shook his head. “Oh, no, no. I’m not mad.” Terrified would be more accurate. Scared shitless wasn’t too far behind. Would the fact that he rode his bike twice a month make any difference in his stamina? Maybe he wouldn’t completely embarrass himself by being that out of shape. Then again, compared to Steve and his macho cop buddies, the size of his muscles would be like a goddamn child’s.
Steve squeezed the back of Bucky’s neck affectionately. “I just thought it might be a less stressful way to meet my work friends,” Steve explained.
Less stressful for who? Them ? God, he was going to get slaughtered.
He let out a choked off sound. “I may have preferred large amounts of booze to be involved when I was first introduced to them.”
“Oh, there will be after we kick the other team’s ass,” Steve smirked. “I just wanted to have a nice, informal way to break the ice.”
He chewed on the inside of his cheeks, thinking it over. He definitely wouldn’t be doing any ass-kicking. In fact, they’d probably beat his ass and then do it a second time just because it would be that easy.
He just couldn’t do it. He wasn’t built for strenuous activity other than getting railed by a certain someone or riding said someone's dick. He’d never even held a gun, let alone a fake one that shot paint. Fuck .
“It’s just…” he let his voice trail, “my favorite little book store is having a sale today. I was hoping to pick up a first edition of Lord of the Flies that I’ve had my eye on.” He nibbled at his cuticle, fighting the urge to let his eyes flutter as Steve’s thumb started rubbing back and forth against the vulnerable skin behind his ear. He couldn’t risk glancing at Steve because he knew he’d find those puppy dog eyes that he’s never been able to say no to.
“Oh, come on, Buck. You have to meet my friends sometime.”
He stared glumly out the window at the shops and coffee houses they passed. Couples sat at tables with colorful umbrellas, and others walked hand in hand, enjoying their lazy Saturday together. He’d give anything to go inhale a fresh butter croissant and huge iced coffee instead of playing paintball. Having Steve there would be an enormous plus, but he had a strong hunch Steve wouldn't be opting out of this so-called fun activity he had planned out. He’s been with Steve for four months now and everything was going perfectly, especially considering how lame Bucky was at relationships and, not to mention, the disastrous first time they fucked. They had a chemistry that could set sheets on fire, and don’t even get him started on how much he adored Joey, too. But somehow, he’d stalled every time Steve tried to get him together with his friends from work. It may have had a tiny bit to do with how much he had despised cops once upon a time, but Steve was slowly and steadily working that mindset out of him. Steve must have decided that he’d put it off for long enough so he’d engineered this ‘surprise’ for him.
Yay.
“I just wished you’d warned me.” He glanced down at his skinny jeans and high top sneakers. The shoes happened to be one of his favorite pairs.
“But then you might have come up with an excuse again.” Steve gave him a pointed look. He didn’t argue because Steve was right. He’d definitely have pulled a work meeting or maybe a great aunt’s funeral out of thin air just to avoid this moment.
He gestured toward his obviously inappropriate footwear. “I don’t have the right shoes,” he said.
“Nice try,” Steve laughed and reached carefully behind Bucky’s seat, while still keeping his focus on the road. “I bought you a pair of boots.”
Good ol' Steve, always thinking about everything.
“What? You bought me shoes?”
“Yep.”
“How do you know they’ll fit me?” he grumbled, taking the box from Steve and lifting the lid.
Cocking one smooth brow Steve said, “I’m a cop. I have amazing investigative skills.”
“What did you do? Hire a private investigator to figure out my shoe size?” he smirked.
“I did one better. I looked in your closet while you were in the shower,” Steve said, looking highly pleased with himself.
He pulled out one boot and studied the brown leather. He didn't recognize the brand but that wasn't much of a shock considering his knowledge of outdoor brands started and ended at Columbia. Still, he knew what looked right.
“These look expensive.”
“Not really. Besides, I didn’t want you running around in cheap boots that hurt your feet.”
Steve sounded sincere and he couldn’t help but smile. “Always so considerate.” His chest warmed at his boyfriend’s kindness. “I have no clue how you’re with me.” That kinda popped out. He hadn’t actually meant to say that out loud. Sometimes he did wonder, but it wasn’t his style to just spill his guts.
Steve shook his head before letting his hand drop into Bucky’s lap to grab ahold of his hand. He picked it up to press a kiss against Bucky’s knuckles, keeping him close. “You always say stuff like that and I don’t get it, sweetheart. You’re the catch here, not me.”
His cheeks warmed, humming as he became flustered at the smoldering look Steve sent him. “Takes one to know one, then,” he said instead of climbing into Steve’s lap, traffic hazard be damned. But as much as he was able to persuade Steve into participating in risqué activities from time to time, he didn’t think now was the time or place and he really didn’t want to have a hard on when he arrived to meet Steve’s friends, so he switched topics. “So is Brock going to be there?”
Brock Rumlow was Steve’s partner and from the way Steve brought him up, the two of them seemed pretty type. It just didn’t make matters better that he’d technically met the guy a few times when Steve and Brock rode patrol together and Steve would drop by his house to pick up lunch or whatever and when he’d stand out on the porch waving goodbye, he’d saw Brock glaring back at him every time. So yeah, he had that to look forward to.
“Of course.”
“Why ‘of course?” he asked, fiddling with his fingers intertwined between Bucky’s.
Steve was silent for a moment as he concentrated on getting on the freeway. “Because he’s my partner and you’re my boyfriend. Not counting Joey or Sharon, you two are the closest people to me.”
There Steve went again just sharing his feelings as if that was the most normal thing. Well, it was for everyone but him, he supposed.
“Let’s say Brock doesn’t like me?” he asked, turning to watch Steve’s reaction. “What would happen then?” He didn’t share with Steve his suspicion that his boyfriend would probably pick Brock over him. Afterall, Steve had known Brock longer. They shared a bond that Bucky and Steve’s relationship hadn’t had enough time to create.
Steve’s jaw tensed. “I’m not worried.”
Well, that made one of them.
“Or, what if he bugs me for some reason and I decide I can’t stand him?” he tried instead, because sometimes the way people said ‘library’ annoyed the crap out of him.
“My guess is you’ll love each other.” Steve didn’t really sound that convinced though.
“I guess we’ll see.”
“Yep,” Steve sighed.
“Does it hurt when the balls hit you?” he asked. He tried to suppress the unease that Steve hadn’t given him any warning about this surprise. He’d have much preferred being able to research the sport of paintball on his trusty laptop, rather than being thrown into it without any knowledge. Looking into things made him more comfortable and it would have stretched his knowledge further that those Jackass scenes. God, he definitely felt rattled that he was being pushed into something so far from his usual interests.
“Generally the paint pellets break open on impact. It might sting a little but the pain goes away quickly.”
“Pain on a scale of....?”
“Like a pinch. Some harder than others, depending on where you get hit.”
“Great.” He nodded like he understood but on the inside he was sobbing. In other words, it was probably going to hurt like a son of a bitch. Steve’s pain tolerance outshot his by a mile, maybe two.
Steve pulled into the parking lot of what Bucky could only assume was the paintball place. Once they stopped he opened his door and toed off his sneakers before grabbing one of the boots Steve had bought for him. Steve came around to his side of the car and leaned against the vehicle. “Do they fit?” he asked.
“I think they do.” The boots felt really nice and cushiony on his feet. He was used to picking shoes out based on trendiness rather than comfort. These boots weren’t something he would have bought for himself but he supposed they’d get the job done.
“Excellent.” He stood and walked around in a circle. Okay, maybe they weren’t that bad. “Hmm, I guess these aren’t terrible. Feels good.”
Steve beamed. “Good.”
He met Steve’s cheerful gaze before the realization dawned on him. “But wait, what if I get paint on them?”
Steve grinned. “They will. I guarantee it.”
“But it’ll ruin them.” Even to his own ears he sounded worried.
Steve put his arms around him and pulled him into Steve’s wide torso. His boyfriend kissed the side of his temple. “They’re your paintball shoes. They aren’t dress boots.”
He grimaced. “God, you mean you expect me to do this more than once?” He glanced toward the building warily. Why couldn’t Steve just like shooting people on video games like a normal person?
Steve nodded against him, his arms still locked around Bucky’s body. “Of course. This is something I love doing and I’m hoping you will too.” When Steve pulled back enough to look down at him, he squinted. “I went to that E3 convention with a good attitude.”
His boyfriend was referring to the fact that he’d dragged Steve to the L.A. Convention center for the world’s premier trade show of computer and video games a month ago.
“Because it was fucking awesome.”
“It was… new, yes. I’m just saying I went because it was important to you and I was being supportive.”
He didn’t really respond to Steve’s point because he was wrestling with the fact that his boyfriend didn’t seem to realize how fortunate he’d been to get a sneak peek at the new technology on the horizon. “Steve, you saw what PlayStation has in store for us in the future.”
Steve laughed as if he thought Bucky was kidding, but when he saw Bucky wasn’t, he backpedaled. “I mean, that was a great opportunity, yes, but I just usually wait for the new stuff to come out.”
“Wait. What?”
Steve’s cheeks seemed pinker. “If something looks interesting to me, I just buy it when I come across it at the big stores.”
He recoiled as if Steve had suggested the Earth was flat. “Wait, until it comes out for the masses? Are you serious right now?”
“Yes?” Steve dropped his arms as he laughed. “Did I say the wrong thing?”
He furrowed his brow, trying not to overreact. “By the time these things hit the stores the newer prototype is already in the works.”
Steve frowned. “And that is meaningful because?”
“Early adopters are what streamline the products for regular people. We work out the kinks.” He waved his hands. “Like a cellphone, for example. If no one had taken a risk before the thing was perfected there wouldn’t have been anyone to call. It would have failed before it had the chance to succeed.” Steve bit his lip as if he was hesitant to speak, and Bucky sucked in a big breath and laughed. “Sorry. I… uh… I get a little carried away sometimes.”
“Oh really?” Steve lips quirked up. “I hadn’t noticed.”
He smiled, shrugging as he spun in a slow circle. The boots were really fucking comfortable. “I just can’t help it if fancy tech gets me going.”
Steve was quick to reach out and pull him back in, peppering kisses up and down the side of his face. “Oh, is that all that gets you going?”
He had to tiptoe so that his arms could wrap around Steve’s neck. “I mean, there’s also this guy that I’ve been seeing, too…” Steve kissed him hard on the mouth; they both smiled into it. They gave into a short minute of liplocking in the parking lot until they were pulling up for air.
“Look,” Steve breathed against him. “I just wanted to share this with you because I really like it. My job is mentally stressful and doing things that are fast-paced like this is a way for me to burn off anxious energy while also having fun.” That made sense. A lot of sense. Maybe Bucky’s dad would have benefitted from some physical activity other than trying to beat him when he had looked at the man wrong.
He took a deep breath, nodding. “I’ll try and have a better attitude. But I swear to god, if I die while doing this, I’m haunting you for the rest of your life.”
A breathtaking grin stretched across Steve’s face. God, his man was beautiful. Steve’s gaze softened and he pushed the hair back that had fallen into Bucky’s eyes. “I wouldn’t expect anything less,” he murmured against Bucky’s lips before pressing in again and claiming Bucky’s mouth entirely, their tongues sweeping across each other. It was the kind of kiss that wanted to get more heated and it would have if it wasn’t for Steve’s phone chiming off.
Steve huffed a laugh against him. “That’s probably the guys wondering where we are,” he mused. “We should probably go in.” They stepped back to throw Bucky’s sneakers in the trunk and when Steve was closing it shut, he reached out to grab Bucky’s hand. “I’m really happy you’re here with me, sweetheart.”
“Me too.” Fake it till you make it, right?
“We’ll have fun today, I promise.” Steve’s voice was husky and sincere as he started to lead them toward the entrance. Bucky’s insides quivered. “I’ll take care of you.”
He smirked, squeezing Steve’s hand. “You better. Now let’s go shoot some people.”
Steve scoffed. “As a police officer that statement makes me slightly uncomfortable, but I appreciate the enthusiasm.” His boyfriend held the glass door open for him and the moment they entered the lobby, they were greeted by Steve’s friends. He felt a little out of place at first, but once the backslapping and fist bumping died down, Steve introduced him one by one to his buddies.
He recognized Brock the second he saw him. He wasn’t Bucky’s type but he supposed some would consider Brock good-looking. His eyes just looked too dark as they settled on Bucky, as if the man was peering into his soul.
“Hey, there.” Brock held out his hand and his grip was like a vice. He barely managed not to wince at the pressure. “Seems like I finally get to meet you.”
“Seems like it.” He felt small and scrawny next to Brock. Like Steve, the man radiated masculinity and power. Him, on the other hand, probably gave off a sensitive vibe and more than likely looked like he’d gotten lost looking for the library.
“Yeah, it’s because of you that we don’t get to see as much of this guy as we used to.” Brock’s voice was sulky as he gestured toward Steve. “You must be hogging him all to yourself.”
Unbelievably, he was pushing down the strange impulse to apologize for keeping them apart and instead shrugged. “Steve’s a busy guy.”
Brock winked at him. Full on winked . “Well hopefully he’ll get bored of you soon and we can have him back.”
A couple of the guys laughed and he attempted to look like he thought Brock was hysterical, but he couldn’t help feeling like Brock wasn’t kidding at all. Plus, the man definitely hit a nerve. He didn’t always understand what Steve saw in him, and had no doubt that his boyfriend would get tired soon.
Steve may have sensed his insecurities because Steve wrapped his arm around him. “Never gonna get bored of you,” he whispered, his warm breath fluttering against Bucky’s ear. He smiled at his boyfriend and noticed out of the corner of his eye that Brock shifted impatiently.
That’s right, asshole . Steve’s with him.
Steve did the rest of the introductions and for the most part, the guys seemed friendly. One man named Jack didn’t seem to like him very much. Or at least he was more offhand than the other men. Jack gave a quick hello and then turned his wide back on him to talk to the others.
There was one guy, Sam, who was the friendliest of the group and another one of Steve’s closest friends that he’s heard plenty about. Sam just had a better aura about him compared to Brock, and he appreciated it very much when Sam volunteered to show him how to load the bullets into the gun since Steve seemed distracted by Brock who kept pulling him aside telling inside jokes. It was annoying but whatever. Bucky was a big boy.
Sam pulled his goggles down and tapped them in place. “Things might get a bit crazy, but you can do it. Don’t let those other guys intimidate you. You see something move, you shoot. But not if they’re your teammate. Simple enough, right?”
He swallowed loudly. “I’ve never done anything like this before. I play video games but this is so out of my comfort zone.”
“What do you do for a living then?” One of the guys named Clint asked.
“I’m a software engineer.”
They’re expressions made him feel like he’d just announced he was a virgin.
“Huh,” Jack responded, cracking his knuckles.
Sam offered him a little support, clasping his shoulder affectionately. “You can make some good money with that, right?”
Were some of these guys the money type? They must have been if Sam was using it as a mediator. Even though he never liked bringing up that sort of thing.
The truth, though? He was making a comfortable living despite only having two years with the company he’s with. He made enough that he wasn’t living paycheck to paycheck and he could afford a good car and a nice place and was able to splurge wherever he wanted to, like buying both the PS5 and Xbox X in one go.
Was he insanely rich? No. Did he make more than Steve and the rest of these cops? Yes.
But did he care and should they? Hell no.
“I’ve only been in my position for a few months now so I’m not top tier pay yet,” he admitted. In fact, it was only after dating Steve for a few weeks that he’d been given a promotion and before that, he’d been scrambling financially as most adults do.
“So then what do you engineer exactly?” Brock asked, looking puzzled.
“Basically I work with a team, and we use Xamarin and develop native Mac OS X, iOS using Frameworks and Cocoa APIs. I know it’s a bit confusing since we do both systems but it’s fairly straightforward once you get it all up and going.”
A heavy silence followed his statement. It was so dead quiet that he expected crickets to start chirping.
“What’s a Framework?” Brock asked, scratching at his chin and sending an amused look around them. Bucky laughed thinking the man was kidding but… he wasn’t.
“Yeah, but like I was saying you can earn some serious bills as a software engineer.” Sam slapped him on the back awkwardly. “Right, pal?”
“Oh, well…yeah.” Maybe Sam was right to stick with the money part of it. Everyone understood money. Thank God Steve chimed in.
“Well, it’s a good thing he didn’t make the big, big money just yet or we’d never have gotten together. He’d have just taken a cab home instead of letting me give him a ride.” He was grateful Steve had distracted them from staring at him wondering what the hell he was talking about.
“That’s true. A cab ride would have practically cleaned out my bank account at the time,” he said.
“But I was your hero.” Steve smirked, looking pleased as he held up his closed fist. “Super Cop to the rescue.”
“I guess it was just meant to be.” Brock’s voice was dripping in sarcasm.
“Hey are we gonna play some paintball, or stand around talking about Steve’s love life all day?” Jack asked, zipping up his jacket. Steve frowned toward the man but he held his tongue.
The teams were formed with him, Steve, Sam and Clint on one and Brock, Jack, and two other guys on the opposing team. He was just relieved Brock and Jack weren’t on his team, because he had no illusions he was going to rock at this game. He didn’t need the added pressure of the guys on his team disliking him before they even started playing.
“Okay, the object is to get the opposite teams flag.” Clint addressed him since the others knew how to play. “If you get shot you have to sit out until the next game starts.”
“Alright.” It went through his head to shoot himself just so he could take the bench, but ultimately he decided against it. He figured he would do his best and at least Steve would see that he was trying to have a good attitude.
Steve adjusted Bucky’s radio headset. “Mostly just listen,” he instructed. “Those guys are cutthroat and we only want to talk when we absolutely have to, in case they’re spying on us.”
Jesus. What was he doing here?
“Okay,” he said, instead of blurting out his true feelings. Steve tapped him against his helmet, nodded one final time, and then a horn was blaring and the game began.
***
His heart was pounding in his chest as he took shelter behind a big block of… something. Steve gave him the thumbs up from a few feet away.
The other team was aggressive, firing off rounds the minute the game started. His team was a little more tactical, inching their way toward the other player’s flag, and saving their ammo for when they had a clear shot. But any way you looked at it, both of these groups of men were dead serious about capturing the other team’s flag.
It was safe to say he was beyond fucking terrified.
Steve stayed near him. He didn’t babysit Bucky, but he was always close by, which he appreciated. He crept forward to another board and rested there for a moment. Neon orange paint balls slammed into the wood above his head and he dropped lower, swallowing against the heart beat pounding in his throat.
When he peeked around the corner, he could see some of the other team had their weapons trained on his spot. That kind of surprised him, considering he was the least threatening of anyone in his group.
He took a deep breath and fired at one of the players from the other team when he came out in the open. He missed, which wasn’t exactly a surprise, and smiled when Steve took the guy out instead. When Steve told him, he crawled like a manic crab toward another shelter piece, then watched wide-eyed as Steve took off in another direction, leaving him entirely alone for the first time during the game.
The wind was whipping up thick clouds of dust, and even though it was stuffy inside the helmet and face covering, he was glad he had a mask on. He crouched where he was as Steve and the others engaged in battle, firing rapidly and running toward the enemy with confidence. When he checked to see where everyone was, he noticed they had each other pinned. By this point most of the other team seemed to have forgotten he existed, and using that to his advantage, he shifted closer to their base.
Keeping his gaze on the fluttering blue flag, he worked his way in that direction. He heard Clint curse over the radio and then he walked by him with a couple of bright yellow splotches on his helmet.
“Barton’s down,” one of the guys said over the radio.
There was a small skirmish to the left of him so he made a break for it, leaping behind a barrel painted with a camouflage pattern. Ragged netting hung above the container with burlap sacks attached, and he hid behind that for a few minutes as everybody fired at anything that moved.
“Shit,” he heard Sam’s voice in his headset. “I’m hit.”
“And that’s how you do it, boys.” Someone on the other team yelled, and the statement was followed by laughter.
The panic he felt as he realized it was just him and Steve left on their team was a little overwhelming. So far the other team hadn’t lost anybody and they were down two men. He scanned the area hoping he could see where Steve had gone, but he was nowhere in sight. Paintball might not be his type of sport, but he was no quitter.
So he took a big breath and made a break father into the enemy’s territory. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he sprinted into the adversarial space, crouching behind a splintered board. There was a movement to his right and he swung his weapon. It wasn’t Steve so he fired and he almost fell over in shock when he realized he’d hit his target.
Jack swiped at the big red spot on his shirt. He turned to face Bucky, pulling his mask off, his mouth hanging open in surprise.
“Beautiful shot,” Steve said over the radio, and he grinned.
“Thank you.”
“You’re fuckin dead, boy,” one of the other team members screamed from their hiding place.
“Hey, keep it friendly,” Steve chided over the headset while Bucky let the comment roll off his shoulder. It’s not like he hadn’t heard worse.
He ducked behind his shelter, his heart banging in his chest. Fuck . Now they were going to be after him for sure.
He swallowed, his throat dry and dusty, and tried to calm himself. It’s just a game. It’s just a game. No need to freak out. They weren’t actually going to kill him.
Another array of bullets hit the wood above him and he took off for a better hiding spot. By now he was really close to the enemy flag. He had no idea how it had happened, but he could see the ratty blue cloth lashing in the wind about ten feet from him.
He glanced over his shoulder wishing he could see where Steve was. He was sure if Steve had been hit Steve would have told him, so he had to assume they were both still safe.
There was a flurry of shots and two of the other guys from the enemy team went walking by with red spots on their chests. That had to mean it was him and Steve against Brock? Oh, shit .
His hands trembled as he scurried behind a low wall, his gaze trained on the flag. The sound of gunfire behind him a little ways away sparked something in him. If it was only Brock left on their team, that meant Steve and him must be shooting at each other over there.
Without another thought, he crawled as fast as he could and snagged the blue flag out of its metal holder. Then, he hightailed it back to his hiding spot, trembling so badly that his knees buckled every few steps. He had no idea whether or not Brock knew he had the flag. If Brock was distracted by battling with Steve it was highly possible that he hadn’t even noticed yet. He didn’t hang around worrying about it. He ran.
With the gallons of adrenaline pumping through him, he moved so fast he was surprised he didn’t fall and eat dirt. He sprinted as if he was being chased by zombies, ducking behind walls and zig-zagging his way back to home camp. He didn’t bother to tell Steve he had the flag, because he was afraid Brock might somehow hear him and shoot him dead.
As he neared the starting point of the game, he suddenly became aware of the cheering. When he crossed the line he was surrounded by Sam and Clint, who slapped him on the back and grinned.
“You son of a bitch, you did it. You got their flag,” Clint shouted, hugging him and dancing around like a crazy person. “We won!”
“I can’t believe it.” Sam looked ecstatic.
Even Jack was smiling for some reason. Maybe he found it amusing because Bucky looked so in shock that he had actually helped secure the win. “Nice job,” Jack told him gruffly.
Steve and Brock came walking up not long after. He noticed that Brock had a big red spot on his chest and he looked incredibly pissed. Steve’s gaze was pinned on Bucky and his face was split in a blinding white grin. He grabbed Bucky in a bear hug and laughed loudly. “You fucking rock, sweetheart,” he said breathlessly, kissing Bucky on the temple. Steve looked so happy and proud of him that it all seemed worth it now.
Yes, he’d been scared and uptight the entire battle, but he’d pulled it off regardless.
“Thanks. I mostly just focused on playing support as my defining trait.”
Clint scoffed. “Yeah, sure. Little did we all know you’re the most ruthless of us all.”
The euphoria he felt was quickly dampened by the expression on Brock’s face. When he’d first met Jack, he’d suspected the man wasn’t overly fond of him, but he had tried to talk himself out of that because he knew he could sometimes be paranoid and insecure when it came to strangers. However, Brock didn’t even try to fake that he was happy for him now.
With his lips pulled tight, Brock waltzed up to him, brought up his gun, and shot Bucky three times point blank in the chest.
***
They played three more rounds of paintball.
Well, he should clarify they played them only after he got Steve to calm down and assured his boyfriend that everything was fine. Okay, not fine , because it had hurt like a bitch and Steve had been a second away from punching his friend and would have if Brock hadn’t apologized.
Even though Bucky accepted Brock’s weak attempt at an apology, it definitely made him doubtful Brock and him would ever be friends.
Afterwards they all went to have pizza and drinks at this really manly ‘dude-cave’ restaurant with dark walnut tables and peanut shells on the floor. It was the kind of place where he’d get looks if he ordered anything other than a beer given that he was surrounded by big, burly cops. He sat next to Steve, his hard leg pressed to Bucky’s, and as the sips of beer hit his empty stomach, he began to relax for the first time that day.
There was a sense of pride in that he’d survived and even managed to have fun, but mostly he was just glad it was over. He looked forward to the part of the evening where he could steal Steve away from his friends and take him back to his house.
Jack held up his glass and they all followed suit. “A toast to Bucky.”
They all clinked their glasses together, all muttering their phrases.
He was pleasantly surprised when Jack made his toast, but it really wasn’t a shock that Bucky’s radiant personality had slowly won the man over. “Thanks,” he said, shifting his gaze uncomfortably after the toast. Cops always made him nervous. Big, overly straight men made him even more so.
Brock’s raspy voice interrupted his thoughts. “Of course it didn’t hurt any that Steve was babysitting your ass most of the day.” Brock added a little smile at the end of his statement, as if that would make it less insulting.
“That’s not true,” Steve spoke up, sounding irritated. “Bucky played his own game. I didn’t watch over him any more than I did anyone on my team.”
“If you say so.”
He had no desire to get into a pissing contest with Brock so he helped himself to a piece of pizza before answering. “You know, I play a lot of video games, so I have good eye hand coordination. That might have helped.”
Brock tilted his head, his lips twisted. “Well I play a lot of paintball. There’s no way a newb like yourself would last ten minutes against me if you didn’t have Steve hovering like your mother.”
Steve’s hand reached beneath the table and squeezed his thigh. He took a deep breath. This was just the kind of macho bullshit he hated. “I’m not arguing that it was a team effort.”
Brock grinned. “Yeah, and your team won in spite of your effort.” He slapped his hand on the table as if what he’d said was hysterical.
“Ha, ha ,” Steve sounded angry. “Can you lay off? You’re being a dick.”
Sam shook his head and sent Bucky a sympathetic glance. “Just ignore him.”
He didn’t take Sam’s advice. Instead, he gave Brock a pointed stare. “I personally captured your flag three out of four games.”
“Yeah. Because like I said earlier, that’s because Steve was shadowing you.” Brock frowned and refilled his glass from the beer pitcher. “Do you seriously think you would have thrived if Steve wasn’t in the game with you?”
“I think I held my own.” He tried to keep the defensive tone out of his voice. “Steve was just looking out for everyone on his team.”
“Yeah, right, but I’m sure Steve wasn’t watching Sam or Clint’s ass like he was watching yours.” Brock took a big gulp of his beer, looking smug.
Steve shifted uncomfortably next to him. “Maybe you ought to slow down on the booze, Brock. It’s starting to affect your manners.”
“ Pfft . What? We have to treat your boyfriend with kid gloves?”
He straightened his spine and glanced at Steve. “It’s fine, Steve, you don’t have to protect me. Nothing he’s said is bothering me.” He didn’t need Steve making him look weak in their eyes. Apart from Steve, none of them knew he’d heard so much crap from his dad his whole life there wasn’t anything Brock could come up with that would hurt more.
“See, he’s fine with us being honest with each other,” Brock said. “Isn’t that right, Bucky?”
He forced himself to take a long pull of his beer, hiding the urge to wince at the taste. “Sure,” he responded in a clipped tone.
“Brock.” Steve’s voice was velvety, like he was coaxing an unruly stallion to behave. “Come on. Be nice.”
He hated that Steve used that voice on Brock. In his opinion, the guy didn’t deserve that warm, affectionate tone. But it seemed to get through to Brock because he smiled and held Steve’s gaze for a moment. The shared look between them made his stomach ache but he didn’t show it. He hoped.
“You’re right, Steve.” Brock turned to address Bucky. “I’m a horrible loser. Forgive me if I’m coming across a little strong.”
A little strong? More like a huge asshole.
"It’s fine,” he said, hoping he sounded sincere because he didn’t actually think it was fine. But he wanted to leave and just be with Steve. If he made this into a big drama of hurt feelings, they might never get out of there. The idea of sitting there for the rest of the evening trying to pretend that he didn’t like Brock seemed impossible.
“So you don’t mind that Steve has a kid?” Clint asked out of the blue. He was probably just trying to change the subject so he could enjoy his evening too. Still, Bucky was surprised by the question.
“No.” He didn’t bother to enlighten them to the fact that he almost hadn’t dated Steve because not only did he have a kid, but he was a cop, too. They didn’t need to know that. Brock especially didn’t need to know that.
“Not even a little?” Clint looked skeptical, his lips twisted. “I dated a chick with a five year old once and it was a nightmare. The kid was always sick.”
“Right?” Jack piped up. “They spread their diseases to each other at pre-school or something.”
Clint nodded. “Trying to have sex with a chick with a kid is like planning the invasion to Normandy. No spontaneity allowed.”
“Insensitive much?” Sam asked, shaking his head. “I pity the girls who get involved with you two morons.”
Steve looked worried and turned to Bucky. “God, is that what it’s like dating me?”
He laughed and ran his hand up and down Steve’s tense thigh. “No.”
“You sure?” A wrinkle appeared between his brows.
He leaned into his boyfriend, dropping his voice so that only Steve would hear him. He let his hand curve inward on Steve’s leg. “Honey, you know I have no issues with Joey. He’s literally the only reason why I’m with you now,” he teased, smiling and leaning into Steve further so that their noses brushed together.
Steve beamed and Bucky felt his muscles relax. “He’s the best, right?” Bucky nodded.
“Everybody thinks their brat is amazing.” Jack decided to weigh in again.
“Hey, I’ve met Joey many times and he really is adorable,” Brock said, joining forces with them. Well, it seemed him and Brock had two things in common; they both adored Steve and Joey.
“He’s like having a tiny adult wandering around,” he mused. “I half expect him to greet me wearing a smoking jacket and puffing on a pipe when I walk through the front door.” He smiled. “Definitely keeps me on my toes. He even wants me to get a dog just so he can pet it.”
Steve chuckled. “Yeah, he keeps bringing it up every week. He thinks he’s so clever.”
He rubbed at the condensation on his glass, smiling. “He is, though. It won’t be long until he comes over and I’ll have a dog.” When he glanced up, he noticed Steve was staring at him. “What?”
“You’d do that? You’d get a dog just to make Joey happy?” There was something in Steve’s eyes that was so intense that Bucky felt his heart speeding up.
Without looking away, he shrugged. “The thought pops up every few days, yeah. It just wasn’t until Joey said anything. I wouldn’t necessarily get a dog just for Joey. I want one too.” Steve’s gaze warmed, softening as his eyes roamed over Bucky’s face.
He didn’t think Brock appreciated the moment him and Steve were sharing, because he was coming back full force. “Think it through, Bucky. If things don’t work out between you and Steve you’ll be stuck with a lousy dog to take care of.”
There was an awkward silence at the table and what had been a nice moment between him and Steve suddenly felt uncomfortable.
“Jesus, Brock,” Steve growled.
“What?” Brock frowned. “I’m just saying you don’t know the future.”
“Oh, is that all you’re saying?” Steve’s face was flushed in anger, and he pushed his glass away.
Brock sat back in his chair, flopping his arms on the table. “Aw, don’t get mad.”
“Too fucking late,” Steve snapped. “You’ve been an ass to Bucky all day.” Steve turned to him. “Ready to go?”
Taken aback at Steve’s anger, he nodded. Steve stood up from the table before reaching for him and helping him do the same. Across from them, Clint groaned. “Guys, don’t leave. Stay and have another drink.”
Steve shook his head, and the tension in his body was obvious in the way he held himself stiffly. “No, thanks. He glanced toward his partner. “You know, I couldn’t wait to introduce him to you, but you’ve acted like an asshole the entire time.” Brock hung his head and didn’t argue as Steve tugged on Bucky’s arm and they made their way out of the restaurant.
The silence was heavy as they walked to the car. Steve knew he was upset, but he didn’t know what to say. He was half-afraid Steve would snap at him if he said anything, so he held his tongue.
But once inside the car, Steve turned to him with a sigh. “Baby… I’m so sorry.”
“No. It’s fine. I had fun.”
Steve gave a hard laugh. “Right. Brock was at you all fucking day.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know what was wrong with him.”
He grimaced. “Seriously? You don’t know what was wrong with him?” His tone said he didn’t believe Steve.
Steve scowled, the yellow parking lot lights illuminating half his face. “What are you talking about?”
“He’s jealous of you. Or me, in hindsight.”
“What?” Steve didn’t look convinced. “He’s my partner.”
He shrugged. “Tony was your partner before and that didn’t stop you.”
“Yeah, and I learned my lesson. Don’t mix work with your personal life.”
“But who says Brock has the same reservations? He’s probably hoping you’ll break your rule just for him. After all, we don’t always follow our own stipulations, do we?” he hummed toward Steve. “Look at me; I’m dating a cop with a kid, and have been for months now.”
Steve studied him carefully. “Do you regret getting involved with me?”
“Why would you think that?”
Steve hung his head. “Because my guess is Brock’s behavior didn’t deepen your love of cops any.”
He hesitated, and then took Steve’s hand in his, twining their fingers together. Showing affection was a struggle for him sometimes, but it was obvious that Steve needed a gesture of some type from him. “You’re not like him-- or any other police officer I’ve ever known.”
Steve looked at him from under his furrowed brow. “Yeah?”
He nodded. “Brock’s just being territorial. That’s probably just how he handles stuff.”
“I’ve never seen him quite as bad as he was tonight. He’s a strong personality, that’s for sure, but his behavior today was just… I don’t even know.”
“My guess is he’ll get over it.”
“He won’t have a choice.”
He grinned, picking up Steve’s hand and kissing his knuckles. “Damn right. Now can we please stop talking about your jerk of a partner and go to my place?” he asked softly.
“Hell yes.” He started the car, pulling out of the parking lot, and heading in the direction of Bucky’s house. Just as he was relaxing into his seat, Steve was speaking again. “We should have gone to the beach or something, instead of playing paintball. We could have started celebrating your birthday next week.”
That piqued his interests. His twenty-fifth birthday was coming up in a handful of days and he could certainly envision numerous ways he’d like to start celebrating early. Paintball hadn’t been on the list, but it had been scribbled on and it had certainly happened. “Why not paintball?” he asked.
“Because Brock was a jerk.”
He sighed. So much for not talking about Brock. He licked at his lips. “Do you think I can’t handle him picking on me or something?” he asked.
“No.”
“You sure about that?” he pressed. While it was nice Steve was concerned for him, he didn’t want Steve seeing him as some helpless wuss.
“Sweetheart, I know you can handle it. I mean, the first time I met you was because you punched a thug in the face, remember?” He laughed. “But why should you have to?”
“Because if I don’t then I’ll never get to know your friends,” he responded matter of fact.
“Maybe that’s no big loss.”
“I’m not a fragile person,” he said, bristling. “You know that, right?”
Steve exhaled roughly. “Fine. Maybe it’s me who can’t handle watching you go through that shit with Brock. I spent the majority of my day wanting to punch him.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “I think once he gets used to the idea that I’m not going anywhere, he’ll accept me. What choice will he have if he wants you in his life?”
“That’s promising,” Steve grinned. “It sounds like you’re not planning on running away.”
“Of course not. That’s why I’m willing to put up with your friend.”
Steve nodded to himself for a few seconds like he was thinking everything through, like he’d been reassured in some way. “Okay,” he breathed. “I feel better now.”
It didn’t take long until they were parking the car under the big oak tree in front of his house. They walked the short path in silence, hand in hand, but that all changed the second he was closing and locking the door behind him.
Steve grabbed him by his waist right away, burning his face in Bucky’s neck. “It’s nice to finally be alone,” he growled.
“I agree.” He couldn’t seem to pull his gaze from Steve’s lips.
“Now I can have my way with you.”
A slow, sensual smile made an appearance. “Oh, my,” he said breathlessly. “I’ve kind of been thinking about this all day.”
Pushing him against the wall, Steve leaned his weight on him and kissed him, long and hard. Desire rolled through him as he clung to Steve, wrapping his arms around Steve’s neck and slipping his tongue past Steve’s lips. A strong, hot hand slid down his waist, to his hip, before tugging him closer to where they were flush together and he could feel Steve’s erection pressing against his thigh. God , he loved that cock.
“I want to fuck you, baby,” Steve said forcefully as he pulled back, breaking the kiss.
“Yeah?” he laughed. “I couldn’t tell.”
Steve growled. Literally growled. The sound made Bucky’s toes curl. “Here or in your bedroom?” The Alpha male act was kind of turning him on even more. Thick, tight muscles bunched under his hand, and Steve’s hard chest pressed to his was crazy sexy.
He slowly pushed Steve off of him, and unzipped his pants, dropping them and his underwear to the floor. Then, he moved to the back of the couch and belt over, striking an exaggerated pose. “How about here?”
Giving Bucky a look that was almost predatory, Steve undid his belt and slowly made his way over to him. The fast zip of Steve’s belt being yanked expertly past the loops had him widening his legs further. His fingers clenched into the material of his couch as the noise of the zipper getting undone hit his ears.
Steve reached into the side table drawer and pulled out one of their numerous bottles of lubes that were stashed in the house, while his other hand ran up and down Bucky’s hips and thighs.
“God, the sight of you like this is almost too much.” Steve’s voice shook as he stroked a slick finger between Bucky’s cheeks. Something about his touch was amazing; gentle but insistent. They’d both fucked plenty, so it wasn’t like this was anything new technically, but it always felt fresh with Steve. It never failed that his man could get him going just with a simple touch.
He pushed back into Steve and arched his spine the way he knew drove his beefcake boyfriend crazy. Steve pressed up close enough that his thighs were against Bucky’s and he could feel the coarse hair prickling against his hypersensitive flesh.
Steve kneed Bucky’s legs further apart and the wide tip of his boyfriend’s cock bumped him. He whimpered as Steve gave his ass a needy grab. But when Steve slipped one finger slowly into his ass, he stiffened against the slick burn, letting a groan slide from his throat.
“You like that?” Steve whispered, opening Bucky up with his touch.
He didn’t have the strength to use his words. Instead, he nodded, his head hanging low as the powerful sensations of arousal ate at him. His hands gripped at the couch even harder to steady himself. “God that feels good.”
He was lost in a world of his own as Steve worked him open. And it wasn’t long until he was begging for Steve and that glorious dick.
Steve pressed his hand into the small of Bucky’s back and then finally, he was pushing his cock into Bucky. Every few inches Steve stopped to give him time to take a few shallow breaths, but it took no time at all until Steve was sliding into him all the way with a small grunt. The searing glide of Steve’s cock entering him had Bucky panting as he struggled to absorb the above average width. A couple of insistent nudges and Steve was fully seated.
“You okay?” Steve whispered as he wrapped his arms tight around Bucky’s waist and brought them together. He’d never had a lover who was so sweet, and careful with him. Even in the midst of full on fucking Steve was always watching for a grimace of discomfort or pain.
“God, yes.” He reached back and tugged at Steve’s thigh, encouraging the man to start moving. Steve took that as a green light and flexed his hips, beginning to thrust slowly. He was filled and stretched, reveling in the intense friction. Sweat trickled down his cheek and he half expected to hear a sizzling sound.
He attempted to hold himself steady as Steve plowed into him, every nerve in his body buzzing. “Oh, fuck yeah,” he breathed out, feeling the sparks beginning to come to life in his groin. He thought about how tough and masculine Steve had been earlier; running around, picking off the other team one by one, sweating. It made him clench even harder.
Steve ground his hips, picking up the pace. One of his thrusts paused as Steve sucked in a quick breath. “Shit, baby, I’m too close.” He slid his hand down Bucky’s spine and kissed his shoulder, nipping lightly at Bucky’s flesh.
He didn’t want to wait. He didn’t care if Steve came too soon or not. Hell, the sooner the better.
“Fuck me,” he whimpered. The glide of Steve’s cock was making him light headed. “I’m y-yours. Own me, baby.”
“That what you want?” Steve asked, pumping into him hard.
“Feels so good.” His fingers hurt from gripping the couch.
“I’m gonna fill your tight little ass,” Steve panted roughly and true to his word, Steve shoved in hard a couple of times, and with a stifled cry, he came. The jerk of Steve’s cock deep inside him, and the rubbing of his dick against the couch pushed him over the edge.
He came without even touching himself. Streams of his release fell to the wooden floor and-- he winced-- as some landed on the couch. Oh well. He leaned heavily on the couch, thankful that Steve was holding him up because otherwise he’d be tumbling to the floor.
Steve’s full weight rested on his back as he shuddered, still thrusting weakly until he was finished. Then, Steve lifted slightly and pulled out, exhaling a huge sigh of contentment.
He stayed where he was for a second, breathless and enjoying the warm euphoria that engulfed him. But eventually he straightened slowly, and watched as Steve walked off, only to return seconds later with a towel. He grinned blissfully as Steve began to clean them up.
“This day is turning out alright after all,” he said with a snicker. Steve nodded, still smiling as he zipped himself back up. He didn’t bother putting on the clothes from earlier. Instead he made his way to the laundry room and pulled out clean shorts and t-shirt from the dryer, pulling both on. He took a second to stare quizzically at his old clothes, not sure if he was supposed to trash them because of the dried paint.
But whatever, that was a problem for later. Now he was debating whether or not he should be asking Steve to stay the night. Having Joey made things a bit complicated for Steve, and he has never wanted to put Steve in the situation to feel as if he has to choose one over the other. Plus, there was always the fear of rejection in Bucky’s mind. He always knew he was overthinking it, but welcome to his life.
When he walked back in the room, he pressed a quick kiss to Steve’s cheek before getting them drinks. “Is Sharon watching Joey tonight?” he asked casually, running his fingers through his messy hair.
Steve straightened his rumpled shirt. “Yeah.” When he looked toward Bucky, there was hesitation on his face. “I, uh, I don’t have to go home tonight. Sharon’s keeping Joey at her place till morning.”
“Oh.” That was promising. “Feel like staying over?” He avoided eye contact by getting the glasses out from the cabinet. He was a grown man, so why was it always so hard to put himself out there? Steve did it all the time like it was nothing.
“If you’re offering, yeah,” Steve answered. “But only if you really want me to. I know you like your space.”
Not from you. It was on the tip of his tongue. But instead he crushed it down, swallowing the sentimental words. Four months together still felt so new. He didn’t want to show Steve just how absolutely gone he was on the man.
“Steve you know you’re the only person I’ve ever asked to spend the night with me. I want you to stay over.” It wasn’t the exact words he wished he had the strength to say, but he was lucky he got that much out.
Steve’s smile made it all worth it in the end.
He grabbed the glass Bucky offered him before pulling him in and kissing him on the head. “Then honey, I’m glad to stay.”
***
Waking up with Steve next to him was something he had yet to get used to. It was weird, but a good weird.
He had never really done relationships in the past, and he definitely hadn’t been looking for one when he ran into Steve, but his man had caught him and sunk his hooks in deep. Now it wasn’t as frightening that whenever he looked to the future, he didn’t just see himself, but Steve and little Joey, too. It was just something about Steve that made him want all of the domestic stuff that would have sent him running just half a year ago.
He studied Steve’s face as they laid together, facing one another. Perfect thick lashes, full lips and angular cheekbones made him look like he was posing for a high-end bedding commercial. His fingers ached to reach out and touch, but he didn’t want to wake Steve just yet. He was enjoying watching him too much.
Steve hadn’t been in a serious thing with anyone since Tony, and that was two years ago. It always made Bucky wonder why. Steve didn’t suffer from the fear that Bucky did of sharing himself with other humans. If anything, Steve seemed to crave that intimacy.
He held his breath as Steve’s eyes flicked open and he smiled. “Mornin’, sweetheart.” Steve’s voice was husky from sleep. That familiar fluttering in his gut at the sight of Steve’s pretty smile started up right on cue and there was no resisting the need to reach out now. His hand curved along Steve’s bearded jaw, holding him.
“Morning,” he breathed. Not for the first time, his mind started to picture this as his forever. Staring into Steve’s eyes, it was hard not to tell him that lately his home had started to feel isolated. That in the mornings when he made himself coffee, he stared out the windows and let the eerie silence in his house ring loud in his ears. That when he ate his meals at his table or on the couch, it was always with empty spaces all around. That when he went to bed and woke up, it was always him surrounded by cold sheets. That everytime his phone rang or chirped, he felt so good to see Steve’s name on the screen.
“Good dreams?” Steve asked.
He snorted. “I think there was a brief moment when Brock was chasing after me with a pickaxe but other than that, I slept like a baby.”
“As if I’d let him lay a hand on you,” Steve retorted, before grabbing for Bucky’s and linking their fingers together. “But let’s see; I tortured you with paintball and you forced me to go to your nerd convention--”
“Ha. Ha ,” he interrupted, grinning.
“-- so how else shall we torment each other?”
“Well, there’s ConDor in San Diego this year. It’s a science fiction and fantasy convention.” He hadn’t really planned on going or anything but he found it funny to make Steve think he’d drag him there.
Steve’s horrified expression made the joke all worth it. “Oh, God. Are you one of those hardcore cosplay people?” he gasped.
“Sure. It’s a lot of fun.” He turned his face away for a second so Steve couldn’t see he was trying not to smile. “You should see my Robin costume. And, I’ll have you know, I make a killer Edward Scissorhands.”
Steve’s eyes went wide. “I worked security for one of those conventions last year. Let’s just say some of those people were very passionate about their dress up.”
His lips quirked upwards. “I have this super cool dragon costume you could borrow,” he offered. He was finding it very difficult to keep a straight face.
“Uh…” Steve frowned. “Would you be inside there with me?”
“No, I’d be in my Mario costume of course.” He bit his tongue just to keep from laughing at Steve’s worried expression.
Steve grimaced. “God, I had no idea you were into that stuff.” He raked a hand through his silky blond hair.
“It’s a ton of fun.”
“Well, I guess I can go if you really want to.” Steve nodded as if he was being agreeable, but he looked like he’d just accepted an invitation to Christmas from Satan himself.
Not able to control himself any longer, he erupted into cackles. “Jesus, Steve. You are literally the nicest damn guy in the world if you’re agreeing to go to ConDor with me.”
Pulling his brows together, Steve looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“I’m just kidding. I don’t want to go.” He stopped laughing then, and held Steve’s gaze. “You would have gone though?”
Steve flushed. “I would have insisted on a strict no photos policy, but yet, if it was important to you then I would force myself.”
When Steve said that, Bucky didn’t know what to feel. He was flattered and suspicious all at the same time. How could someone he met be so amazing? There had to be something wrong with Steve. No one that wonderful would want to be with Bucky. “You’re too good to be true,” he muttered, eyeing Steve warily.
Steve shook his head. “Nope.”
“Well I’ve certainly never met anyone as nice as you who didn’t want something from me.”
Steve made a noise in the back of his throat before he was reaching out and gathering Bucky in his arms, pulling him into an embrace. “Stop,” he chidded, and then started pecking kisses all over Bucky’s face.
“I’m just saying.”
“Yes. I know exactly what you’re saying, which is why I’m saying stop.”
He held his tongue, but let himself be held by Steve. He was enjoying the security, the warmth, and if he was to die right then and there, he’d die the happiest man on the planet.
“I, uh, I wanted to ask you a question,” Steve said suddenly, breaking the silence.
“Hm?”
Steve pressed a kiss to his forehead. “I took off all of next week. Your birthday is on Sunday and I was wanting to do something with you for a few days before that.”
“Something like…?”
“Spending four days camping in the Adirondack Mountains.” Steve watched him warily as if he was expecting Bucky to bolt from the room at his suggestion. Which he wasn’t going to do, but damn . Camping was tough guy stuff. And he’d thought paintball was tough. Camping would be that times ten because he knew Steve wasn’t talking about the cabin type of camping. No, Steve would be the no electricity, no secure walls, no indoor heat or a.c type of guy.
He stared at Steve wordlessly for a moment before responding slowly. “You decided to get vacation time to take me camping for my birthday, instead of sitting on a beach in Hawaii with a mai tai in your hand? You willingly want to go somewhere where you have to pee outside with the bears?”
“Yes, yes, and yes,” Steve nodded. “It’ll be fun.” His boyfriend actually looked like he believed himself.
He gave a short laugh. “Okaayyy.” He wasn’t quite sure their definition of fun was the same.
“Think of it. What better way of turning twenty-five than to challenge yourself? Strip away all of the modern conveniences. Just me and you. Under the stars. Enjoying mother earth.”
He worried at his bottom lip. Steve had a point but… “But I like those things. A lot.”
He didn’t need to run with the bulls in Spain, or climb Mount Everest to know he enjoyed modern conveniences.
Steve met his gaze, a deep line between his brows. “Is it a bad idea? We don’t have to, I was just--” Steve’s voice trailed off, unsure.
The thing was, he’d never had any interest in camping. His dad had taken him one time on an overnight trip with some of his cop friends but he’d only been brought along because his dad didn’t want to cough up the money for a sitter. He’d been seven. He’d been miserable. And he’d frozen his ass off.
But this was Steve . His Steve. While he wouldn’t necessarily have put camping on his to-do list, it was on there now and he wasn’t going to miss it. Especially not after Steve was willing to dress up in cosplay for him. If camping was Steve’s gift, then he was going to bust his ass to Academy and get the most fashionable, bomb-ass camping gear there was possible.
“I want to go,” he rushed out, squeezing Steve’s fingers. “I do. I’ve only camped once and it wasn’t a great experience, but that doesn’t mean it will be the same, right?” Right ??
Steve pinned him with his blue eyes. “When did you go camping? Who’d you go with?”
“My dad. So you can imagine how much fun it was.”
“Oh.”
“But we’re gonna go. Together. So it’ll be different,” he said, hurrying to fix that crestfallen look that had washed across Steve’s face.
And it worked.
Steve perked up. “Yes. It will be,” he agreed, hugging Bucky again and kissing him passionately. He was surprised how much this had all actually meant to Steve. When they broke apart, Steve was breathless. “It’ll be so good. Just me and you, sweetheart. No bullshit my friends bring into the mix. I really thought you were gonna say no.”
He studied the sheer happiness on Steve’s face. How could he say no to that face? Besides, what could it hurt? He’d be with Steve and that was one of the few things in life that really made him happy these days.
“Let’s just hope I don’t get poison oak,” he teased.
Steve smirked. “Oh, baby, but you know how much I like seeing your skin all red and raw.”
When he flicked his boyfriend off, he was fully expecting the attack that came afterward. Steve’s fingers dug into his side, tickling him, and it was so on.