Chapter 4
Steve and Bucky became a couple and almost all of their friends had called it from a mile away.
As school went on Bucky would have to leave for some days every month to head to the military base and perform duties that sergeants are needed to. He would talk to Steve about his soldiers and how their training went along. With the status of being a sergeant Bucky was in charge of training and discipline of his platoon.
One day in early spring, Steve was in the student union building with Wanda as they worked on their art projects.
Steve was designing a comic strip and some billboard thumbnails, while Wanda was cutting out images for a collage.
Behind Steve foot steps walked up and then he felt a hand rustle his hair, "Hey!"
He whipped his head to see Bucky grinning.
"Oh! You're back early from the base," Steve said gestured for the soldier to sit, but he remained standing.
"Yeah... I need to talk to you about something," Bucky said then nodded his head showing Steve he wanted to talk in private.
"Oh. Okay, I'll be back Wanda," Steve got up putting his sketch book down to follow Bucky over to the corner.
"What is it Buck?" Steve asked grabbing Buckys hand.
Bucky swallowed then cleared his throat, "There sending me back overseas,"
"What?" Steve exclaimed.
"It won't be for too long, it's only for a short mission, at max I'd be gone for 6 weeks," Bucky replied.
Steve stared up at Buckys eyes nervously.
Bucky laughed and pulled Steve in for a hug, "Don't worry pal, I'll be alright,"
"When do you leave?" Steve shoved his hands into his jacket.
"In four hours,"
-
Bucky stood in the doorway of Steve's dorm, his green uniform and his dog tags around his neck.
"Write to me if you can," Steve said kissing Bucky in the cheek.
Bucky grabbed the back of Steve's neck pulling him in for a kiss.
Behind them Tony whistled a catcall.
"Oh shut up Stark," Bruce sighed.
Steve and Bucky laughed before turning back to each other. Steve clenched his jaw, working it with a nervous tick.
"Don't do anything stupid until I get back," Bucky said.
"How can I, your taking all the stupid with you," Steve replied sarcastically.
Bucky sighed then playfully pushed Steve, "You're a punk,"
"Jerk," Steve smiled sadly.
-
The weeks had gone by and Steve attended his classes, worked on projects, presentations, and hung out with his classmates.
Every night he would check the mail, searching for an envelope addressed for him. But it never came, only Tony's playboys, Bruce's mail from home, and Thor's occasional food delivery came.
He didn't even know when to expect Bucky back. All he was given was an estimate of 6 weeks or more.
On the sixth week since Bucky left, Steve was invited out to the city with some of his friends to a bar. He had agreed hoping it would take his mind off of waiting.
They all taxied into town to a local pub. When inside Tony bought everyone a drink.
Steve sat at a high topped table with Natasha and Sam. They all had cold draft beers and talked about their lives.
A few hours went by and almost everyone was drinking out of their minds, except for Steve. He didn't hate alcohol, but disliked being drunk.
He now sat at the bar surrounded by his shitfaced friends as he watched them stumble about. But he also watched everyone else in the pub. One thing he liked to do when he was younger was to people watch since neither Bucky or him had enough money for television.
At the end of the bar a man stood next to a girl and was talking a little too close to her face.
"Stop it!" The girl hollered as she inched back uncomfortably, but the man kept talking to her and getting too close.
Steve quickly got up to walk over to them, "Leave her alone!"
The man turned around and spat at Steve, "And what are you gonna do?"
Steve clenched his fists and knitted his eyebrows.
"Oh! You wanna fight let's fight," he replied and grabbed Steve's jacket by the collar.
Yanking Steve out to side alley that was lined with trash cans. The man released Steve causing him to stumble. But he regained his footing and raised his fists.
The man swung quickly slamming his fist into Steve's face and Steve fell to the floor but got up quickly but was slammed once again by another punch.
He stumbled back reaching out for anything to use as a shield but the man yanked him away and pulled his fist back before giving a right hook into Steve's body.
"You just don't know when to give up do you?" The man jeered.
Panting Steve rolled his shoulders and clenched his fists, "I can do this all day,"
Steve came at his raising his arm to punch but the man blocked it and threw Steve back down to the floor.
Before the man could reach Steve again he heard a voice, "Hey!"
Someone grabbed the man throwing him away from Steve and the man tried to attack this new man but he quickly blocked the punch and punched the attacker in the jaw.
"Pick on someone your own size!" He yelled before the man ran away.
Steve knew that voice, it belonged to him.
"Buck,"
"Sometimes I think you like getting beat. When was the last time? In that alley behind the diner after our high school graduation?" Bucky helped Steve up.
"Ha, Ha," Steve fake laughed as he wiped his hand across his face smearing new blood that trickled down his lip and brow.
"Your back though," Steve pointed out, even though his face stung his heart fluttered with relief.
"Told ya I'd be back," Bucky smiled as his arm rested around Steve's shoulders.
"How'd you know where to find me?" Steve asked as they walked out onto the street.
"After I got back I went to the school and Wanda told me where you were," Bucky explained.
"Ah, makes sense,"
They both re entered the pub and Bucky got some water and napkins to clean Steve's bloodied face.
"I can't leave you alone for one second without you hurting yourself, can I?" Bucky pursed his lips as he dabbed the napkin on Steve's bloodied knuckles.
"I'm fine, so it's okay..."
"No, it's not okay. Not when I'm feeling like I'm going fucking crazy seeing you hurt," Bucky snapped causing Steve to shut up. The he sighed, "You gotta promise me you won't get into anymore fights," Bucky said while running the damp napkin over Steve's split lip.
"I can't make promises," Steve smiled.
Bucky laughed softly, "You're such a punk,"