Iris

“It was as if she saw him in a whole new way as if he had magically been transformed into a new person. Perhaps what she could really see, or wanted so very much to see, was how much he cared for her. Not that he wanted something from her, but that he wanted to see to it that she was happy, that she was taken care of, that that was what he truly wanted. And in that instant, it made her love him.” —Pamela Anderson

When Steve got home, the first thing he did was kick off his heels.

His phone was ringing which was weird because it was five in the morning. 

When he'd first moved to the states, his ma used to get the time difference mixed up.

But they had figured it out eventually. 

His friends were likely sleeping off their crazy night.

The answering machine played the message, "Bucky Barnes and Cancun. Bucky Barnes and Cancun. Bucky Barnes is coming to Cancun!"

Bucky's deep voice filled Steve's house like music. 

Steve hadn't actually expected Bucky to call. 

The Alpha was way out of his league.

Nonetheless, he fell asleep clutching a teddy bear and dreaming about the Alpha with whiskey-glass eyes. He woke up with a slight headache, but no thoughts of a certain bad boy. He nursed a warm mug of tea before mustering up the energy to pack. He was debating between sparkles and hot pink when the phone rang again.

Bucky's voice played over the messaging machine, "Hola, mi amor."

Steve rolled his eyes and kept packing. 

That Alpha sure was persistent. 

But Steve shoved him from his mind and focused on getting ready. He was packed and ready to go when the phone rang again. 

Bucky sang loudly, "Cancun!!! Bucky is coming to Cancun!!!"

Steve marched over to the phone and picked it up while Bucky was still singing about Cancun. "Do not come! Don't!" 

"Steve!" Bucky said excitedly like a puppy. "I am so stoked!"

"Bucky, Bucky," Steve hated how good Bucky's name tasted in his mouth.  

"We're gonna have a blast," Bucky continued.

"Do not come," Steve said seriously. 

"I'm coming." 

Steve could almost picture that cheeky grin over the phone. 

"Goodbye, Bucky." Steve hung up.

Steve half-expected to find Bucky on the plane. He was just a little disappointed that he wasn't...

It looked like Bucky finally respected his wishes. 

"You, ok?" Sam asked picking up on the slight scent of Omega melancholy.

"Yeah, fine." Steve smiled half-heartedly.

Sam frowned, but he didn't push the issue.

Something Steve was grateful for. 

Instead, Sam allowed Steve to fall asleep on his shoulder.  

Steve was excited to get away for a few days, even if it was just a work trip. 

Cancun was lovely.

Hopefully, they would have time to go to the beach. 

The hotel was expensive.

Only the best for America's Omega.

Steve wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to that.

Checking in, the concierge greeted them warmly. "We are so pleased to have you, Mr. Rogers!"

"It's always a pleasure," Steve said. 

"Here are your keys." The concierge handed out their keys. "This is yours as well."

Steve's gaze widened at the towering bouquet of red roses with a letter addressed to Steve Rogers.

"Oh my gosh!" Clint tittered. "Those are gorgeous!"

"Who is this beau?" Sam asked jokingly. 

"Open the letter!" Thor demanded. 

Steve grabbed the letter. "It's probably just from a fan or the studio."

Messy handwriting greeted him, Can't wait to see you again, yours.

"Well, who are they from?" Thor asked. 

Steve knew that he was blushing vividly as a sunset, but he tried lying anyway. "The uh studio."

Steve had perfected the sweet and simple Omega look. 

His flowery outfit was just modest enough to drive the Alphas nuts. 

He plastered a fake smile on his face and batted his eyelashes as he waved at the crowd of Alphas who clapped at cheered at him. 

Steve forced himself to keep his voice sweet and gracious. He forced himself to ignore their leering.

"Is your job like the best job?" One of the Alphas asked. 

"I love it!" Steve smiled coyly. "I get to go to the beach every day."

They laughed at him. 

"And you're from Ireland?" One asked. 

"Yes," Steve replied. He was almost grateful when the conversation turned.

After all, the Alphas didn't really care about Steve beyond how he looked.  

"Excuse me," a concierge interrupted them. "Mr. Rogers, there's a phone call for you. He says it's urgent."

"Who is it?" Steve asked. 

"A Mr. B. Bear," the concierge replied. 

Steve almost laughed. He forced his face to remain blank as he excused himself. 

"Are you crazy?" Steve asked Bucky.

"Kinda, yeah." Bucky grinned over the phone. 

"How did you find me?" Steve asked. 

"Easy! Just called every hotel in the Cancun area," Bucky sounded very proud of himself. 

"Oh, my god!" Steve groaned. 

"Ninth time's the charm," Bucky said cheekily. 

"Well, you get points for effort, but you are still not coming down," Steve said. 

"You're right," Bucky said. "'Cause I'm already here."

"No, you're not!" Steve looked around the room. He didn't spot the drop-dead-gorgeous Alpha anywhere. 

"I'm here! You don't believe me?" Bucky asked incredulously. "Hear that?"

Steve could just barely make out classical guitar music and maracas. 

"That's Mexico!" Bucky cheered. "Where we all hanging tonight?"

Steve couldn't believe it. 

Bucky was actually crazy. 

"We all?" Steve asked. 

"Yeah, I brought the band. Figured we could hang with your friends," Bucky explained. "I wasn't gonna come solo; I didn't want you to think I was some crazy stalker."

Steve bit his lip. "Huh, wouldn't want that."

"So, where we going?" Bucky asked. 

"Bucky, I'm here for work!" Steve tried. 

"C'mon, I gotta see you!" 

Steve could imagine Bucky batting his pretty eyelashes. "No, I'm at a thing."

"And you're bored out of your skull," Bucky said. 

"N-No, I'm not!" Steve's heart skipped a beat. 

It was as if Bucky could pour himself into Steve's very soul. 

"So are," Bucky quipped. 

"How do you know?" Steve asked. 

Bucky's voice softened. "Kept you on the phone this long, haven't I?"

Steve paused. If he were honest with himself, he'd admit that this ridiculous phone call was the most fun he'd had all night. He hated how Alphas always leered at him and talked down to him. 

But Bucky hadn't done any of that. He genuinely just wanted to be with him. 

"Stevie?" Bucky asked. He sounded insecure like he was worried he'd gone too far. 

"Ok," Steve said. 

"Ok?" Bucky asked. 

"Let's meet on the beach." Steve couldn't believe he was doing this.

"Really?" Bucky's voice filled with awe.

Steve smiled. "Yeah."

"This man's a stalker!" Sam exclaimed. 

"He's not a stalker," Steve said digging through his suitcase.

"He followed you to Mexico against your wishes! That's like the literal definition of a stalker," Sam pointed out. 

"It's not like I'm going to meet him alone," Steve defended. "You guys will be there."

"Steve, why can't we just do an om night?" Sam asked. 

"If we go out, there's gonna be Alphas so it might as well be them," Steve said. 

"Them?" Sam asked. 

Steve shimmied out of his clothes. 

"I know how these things start with you," Sam said. 

"It's not like I even take him seriously." Steve held up a shirt. 

"That's exactly how these things start!" Sam said. "You say you don't take them seriously, then you end up dating for three years!"

"That's not true!" Steve yelled. 

"Peggy Carter. Brock Rumlow. Alexander Pierce," Sam started listing off Steve's exes. "I thought you weren't going to date him."

"I'm not," Steve said. 

Sam watched as Steve pulled on a swimsuit and a flowy blouse. "Then why are we doing this?" Sam asked. 

Steve shrugged. "I'm bored."

"So, this part of the job is boring," Sam replied. "You always put up with it though."

"Well, I don't want to right now!" Steve exclaimed. "I want to go to the beach!"

"With him?" Sam asked. 

"Yeah, he's fun," Steve said. 

"He's a bad boy!" Sam 

"Maybe he's not so bad," Steve said softly. 

"Steve!" Sam gripped his shoulders. 

Steve sighed. "Please?" 

"Fine, just promise me you'll be careful, alright?" Sam hugged him. 

Steve knew that Sam was overprotective for a reason, and he was really grateful to have a friend who cared so much about him.  

Steve loved the feeling of sand between his toes. 

"Who are you? And what have you done with Steve Rogers?" Clint asked. 

Thor chuckled. "This is strange for you, my friend."

"C'mon, guys!" Steve whined. "I'm fun! I come up with fun ideas all the time!"

Sam patted his back. "You really don't."

Steve was about to say something smart when he spotted him. 

Bucky was shirtless in nothing but a pair of black swim shorts. God, why did he have to look like that? 

It wasn't fair. 

"Stevie!" Bucky's excitement was so genuine. 

Not gonna date him. Not gonna date him . Steve reminded himself. 

But Bucky was like a wave that swept him away. 

Steve was usually uncomfortable around Alphas he didn't know. 

But Bucky actually introduced him to his friends. "That's Nat. Her voice is gravelly and bluesy. That's Loki. He used to play classical, but he's a crazy composer. That's Wanda. She plays acoustic and electric. And that's Pietro. He really just gets the crowds hyped up."

Sam had intended to babysit Steve. He knew Steve's track record, and he didn't trust the stalker at all. 

But then Clint had to be an idiot. 

One idiot was bad enough. 

But two idiots?

Sam knew he couldn't leave Clint and Thor unsupervised. 

At least, Steve usually thought things through before he was stupid...

Steve and Bucky walked into the ocean. 

The warm water danced around their feet. 

"So, was your work thing really that bad?" Bucky asked. 

Steve sighed. "Pretty much."

"That sucks," Buck said. 

"I'm just sick of being a stupid concept," Steve growled. "I wear these ridiculous clothes, and I have to act like I'm some stupid blond! And you know what, most of the Alphas who watch the show don't even know what it's about!"

"Then why do you do it?" Bucky asked. 

Steve blinked. "What?"

"Why don't you do something you love?" Bucky made it sound so simple, and it was if you were an Alpha. 

"I do like acting," Steve said. "I just hate that I'm nothing more than an Omega."

"You are more than that," Bucky said.

Steve chuckled. "You don't even know me."

"Sure, I do. You're a good friend. You love to dance, and you love the beach," Bucky said. "And you deserve more."

Steve blushed. "And you? You like music?"

"I love it!" Bucky gushed. "Ma tells me she'd listen to music when she was pregnant with me, and I'd dance to it."

Steve wished he'd listened to some of Bucky's music now. "What's your band's name again?"

"Skogarmaors. It's Norse for outcast," Bucky explained. 

"Why'd you choose that?" Steve asked.

"Well, we were all kinda outcasts when we met," Bucky said. "We're still outcasts, but at least, we have each other."

Steve smiled. 

It sounded a lot like his pack of friends. 

"I always loved art," Steve admitted. 

"What kind?" Bucky asked. 

"Watercolors," Steve whispered. He hadn't painted in years. 

Bucky grinned. "You'll have to paint me something then."

That's how the night went. 

Quiet conversations. 

Feet in the water. 

And a sunset. 

The days were too short. 

Before Steve knew it, four days had passed.

He had spent almost every second of those days with Bucky. 

They spent hours talking about everything.  

Bucky actually listened to what Steve had to say. He never seemed bored, and he never interrupted him. 

Steve fell in love with the sound of Bucky's voice first. 

They walked along the shore, lazily holding hands. 

Bucky danced with him amid the stars. 

And then, they kissed. 

And Steve drowned. 

Four days.  

Only four days. 

Somehow four days was enough time to fall in love. 

God, did Steve love Bucky.  

Bucky knew he was staring, but Steve looked incredible in maroon.

"I've never seen you like this," Nat commented. 

"He's the one," Bucky said. 

Nat snorted. "You barely know him!"

But Bucky felt as if he'd always known Steve. 

They would know each other in every universe, in every timeline, in every reality. 

Somehow, he had always loved Steve. 

"To everlasting love!" Bucky knew he was a sap, but he was in love. 

Nat rolled her eyes, but she'd always been a cynic. 

A crazy thought entered his mind.

Pulling off one of Nat's rings, he ran over to Steve. "Stevie!"

Steve looked up at the Alpha with a question on his face. 

"I know it's only been four days, but every day, I just fall in love with you more. You're amazing. You're so funny. And you're everything. I can think of nothing that I'd rather do than spend the rest of my life loving you."

Steve's mouth dropped open in shock. 

Bucky knelt before him and held up the ring he'd stolen from Nat. "Marry me?"

"Yes!" Steve was just as crazy as Bucky. 

They ran around Cancun, laughing and giggling, as they attempted to communicate with the locals that they were looking for a priest. 

Finally, someone pointed them towards a church. 

Bucky scooped Steve into his arms and carried him into the church. "Priesto?" 

The priest looked at them strangely but nodded. 

"Thank god!" Bucky grinned. 

Steve knew that it was crazy. 

He'd heard it enough times from Sam. 

And he didn't know how to explain it other than he just knew. He'd never imagined that he would be wearing a white t-shirt and swim shorts on his wedding day. But then again, he'd never imagined Bucky. 

"You're sure about this?" Bucky whispered. 

Steve squeezed his hand. He'd never been so sure of anything his entire life. 

Their vows were simple. 

"My folks actually fell in love in four days," Bucky said. "I've heard that story my whole life, and I always thought it was nuts. But here I am. It's only been four days, and I'm completely in love with you."

"I don't know how to explain it, but I think I'd always love you," Steve said. 

"You may kiss," the priest said. 

Bucky pulled him into his arms and kissed him hungrily. 

Steve was washed away like a ship in a storm. 

Artwork by Maovovich

Their friends hooted and cheered, but it was all background noise. 

Nothing existed outside of the ocean that was them. 

Steve gasped for breath.

Bucky kissed him softly. 

When they finally came up for air, Steve grinned at his husband. 

They ran into the ocean as if their love might reach its depth. 

***

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