1. Steve Rogers
Look he wasn’t a creep or a pervert, or at least he didn’t think he was. His brain felt like scrambled egg at the minute, like the slightly runny kind that Steve made whenever he attempted them. Huh. That was a new memory. Well, not new new but new to him now. He should write that down.
Bucky squeezed his eyes together hard, pulling himself back into the present moment. He looked back down at the little screen in his hand. There Captain America was, Steve his brain helpfully supplied. He was laying in a hospital bed, he didn’t look as god awful as he did when he’d hacked into the government system yesterday. He wasn’t sure how he knew how to do that but apparently it was like riding a bike. He didn’t want to delve into the can of worms that was his apparent computer skills. He barely understood just what the device in hands was. A smartphone. What makes it so smart? Bucky wasn’t sure.
Anyway.
Steve was in a hospital bed looking at the man beside him with a pair of the biggest heart eyes Bucky had ever seen. Which might not be a lot honestly. Who knows? He certainly didn’t. Steve’s eyes followed the man around as he got up to grab something from a nearby table, a smile on his face that turned into a laugh when the man said something that Bucky couldn’t hear. He looked like a lovesick fool. A memory of a woman in a red dress and Steve’s mouth hanging open flicked across Bucky’s mind but it was gone before he could grab hold of it and inspect it.
The man’s name was Sam. Bucky remembered hearing it during the fight. Sam what? Although did it matter? Bucky squinted at the screen as he took a closer look at him as Sam turned back towards the bed.
He was an objectively handsome man, Bucky couldn’t deny that. He had warm brown eyes, that had been hidden behind those ridiculous goggles before but if Bucky zoomed in he could tell they were brown. He wasn’t sure if the warmth in them was to do with the colour, which reminded Bucky of a soft blanket he’d had when he was younger that he’d curled up under on cold nights with Steve (he should write that down) or if the warmth simply radiated from Sam himself. On screen he laughed then and Bucky’s eyes flicked back to Steve. God he was embarrassed for him, his big ass crush was so obvious even Bucky with his runny, scrambled egg brain could see it.
He looked back at Sam and continued his inspection. His dark skin looked soft, only marred by some bruises and cuts that Bucky assumed he’d acquired in the last few days. On the screen Sam crossed his arms, unknowingly showing off the corded muscles in them, very nice Bucky thought. Then he blushed realising what he’d just done. Dragging his eyes away from Sam’s arms he went back to his face. He was smiling, which revealed the little gap between his teeth. Bucky would give Steve that, it made Sam look very endearing and sweet. Bucky liked his facial hair too and the short haircut was practical.
With his scrutiny of Sam over and the blush on his cheeks fading he looked back at Steve. He watched him take something Sam handed over and their fingers brush, he saw Steve’s intake of breath so Bucky was pretty sure Sam must have heard it too. He rolled his eyes, had Steve always been that awkward? He had a feeling that he had been, he didn’t need a memory for that information. Steve looked away, faking a cough and balling his hand into a fist. Feeling uneasy Bucky went to exit the feed, he couldn’t remember why he’d hacked into it now anyway, but saw Sam looking slightly perturbed before he closed his phone.
2. Scott Lang
Bucky hadn’t been listening when Sam (Wilson, he’d found that out since Washington) had been telling Steve about this man but now he wish he’d paid more attention. Lang kind of reminded him of a puppy. He’d tripped over himself talking to Steve and even let out a cry of recognition when he’d spotted Bucky lurking by the car. That had made Bucky uncomfortable, he often forgot people knew who James Buchanan Barnes was, and he’d stayed away from Lang since.
Not that Scott had noticed. He’d been fawning over Sam since they’d all piled into the van.
‘Oh you don’t have a girlfriend? Boyfriend then, a guy like you just can’t be single, right?’
Bucky really did try to fight the urge to roll his eyes, he clamped it down and turned to look out the window. He wasn’t sure why he was annoyed that Sam was letting Lang gush over him like he was.
Bucky could be nice you know, he’d have moved his seat up if Sam had asked. What did Steve and Lang see in Sam anyway? Besides the striking good looks and his clearly stellar personality, which he let shine as long as you weren’t Bucky Barnes. Letting out a small huff he learned closer to the window.
‘What, you’re really single? No way! Well if I wasn’t with Hope, who I love very much by the way, you bet I’d be first in line. Just look at those eyes, make you feel all gooey inside!’
That man really had no filter and Sam was laughing at him (Bucky hoped it was at him and not with him anyway even if that was a little uncalled for). But Bucky knew Scott meant it, he wasn’t sure how but he did.
Bucky could’ve complimented Sam’s eyes if he wanted to, maybe he should have, Sam might like him more. For a fleeting moment Bucky was a little jealous that Scott Lang could so easily express a little crush or attraction to someone without worrying that it might gross someone out. Who would want The Winter Soldier to have a crush on them, anyway? Sighing he chanced a glance back towards Sam, who was already looking at him. Sam jerked his head towards Scott, who had now turned around in his seat to talk to Wanda, and rolled his eyes but he was grinning and wiggling his eyebrows at him. Bucky couldn’t hold back the snort he let out.
If Bucky was pleased that Sam made his way over to join him before the fight at the airport and not Scott Lang, well nobody needed to know.
3. Joaquin Torres
Bucky had eyes and a brain that, mostly, functioned. Add in that Torres wasn’t exactly subtle meant that yeah of course Bucky noticed Joaquin’s crush on Sam. He was pretty sure half the Air Force had noticed it by now. But Sam, poor, sweet Sam seemed to have no idea. That or he was playing that he was oblivious to save himself and Joaquin the awkwardness of it all.
Bucky sure hoped so anyway.
4. Bucky Barnes
Bucky realised that this was a very bad time to have an epiphany about a crush. He knew he needed to focus but Sam was right there, looking like that. He’d swooped in and caught that truck load of people and was pushing it back to safety. He looked like an angel with those white wings. Bucky knew, he knew he sounded like the lovesick fool he’d once accused Steve of being but he couldn’t help it.
‘Sam.’ He murmured, still watching from the ground as Sam saved the truck from plummeting.
Now it made sense why he’d been annoyed by Scott Lang’s overt drooling over Sam, Bucky had been jealous that he could not do the same. He had been irked by Torres’ puppy dog demeanour and adoration for Sam because he felt like he couldn’t give Sam the same attention and affection. He’d unfairly taken it out on both of them when he shouldn’t have. He should apologise next time he saw them, Sam would like that. Dr Raynor would probably say it was the right thing to do as well, screw her though. But right now he was too busy drinking in the sight of Sam.
Bucky knew that later he’d deal with the difficult side of realising he had a crush, like awkwardness in the workplace or something but right now he revelled in the feeling. He hadn’t had a crush since 1942 and Sam easily eclipsed any of them from before. If he was being honestly it was probably a little more than a harmless crush but he’d figure that out later. He gazed up at the other man and remembered the warm feeling he’d had the entire time he’d spent down in Louisiana and it had nothing to do with the weather. All the little touches and words they’d shared on the boat, the laughs and smiles as they sat at the dining table in the Wilson’s house. Bucky felt a warmth blooming deep in his chest.
He had a crush.
On Sam Wilson.
Although who didn’t? It seemed like most people who met Sam had a crush on him and Bucky couldn’t blame them.
A spear to the head stopped any further epiphanies.
5. Kate Bishop
Kate was still fairly new to the team. The team itself was still fairly new. Sam had been hesitant to bring the Avengers back together but after talking it out with Bucky over several late night hot chocolates in their shared apartment in Delacroix, he’d decided he may as well try.
Clint had brought Kate around a month or two after word had got out about what Sam was trying to do. She was young but still older than the Parker kid and she was determined to prove herself a worthy member of the team. Bucky wasn’t sure if she realised that an endorsement from a former member of the Avengers pretty much did that for her anyway.
Kate was eager to hang around after meetings to get to know the other people on the small team they’d assembled, mostly though Bucky thought she was there to chat to Sam as often as she could. She didn’t seem to mind that Bucky was a constant shadow next to Sam but she understood that he usually wasn’t overly interested in making polite conversation, he was just there to support Sam whenever he needed him. And to maybe ward off other people crushing on Sam but he wasn’t ready to delve into those issues.
Right now Kate was blushing as Sam complimented her on her quick thinking in the field today, she mumbled something in reply and Scott reached over to pat her on the shoulder, whispering ‘we’ve all been there kid’. Bucky was pretty sure he wasn’t supposed to hear that but super soldier hearing and all that. Sam had turned back to Bucky and was giving him a sunny smile as he launched into a story that AJ had been telling him right before they’d headed out on their mission. Over his shoulder Kate was leaning her head on her hand as she followed Sam’s movements as he walked towards Bucky, her eyes drifting down, blushing, then they flicked back up to catch Bucky’s. She gave him a sheepish grin and a shrug then turned to talk to Scott.
‘Why do you look constipated?’ Sam was frowning at him, Bucky apparently hadn’t held back his grimace like he thought he had.
‘Oh you know, worried that Alpine and Fig won’t forgive us for leaving them this time.’ Sam hummed in agreement as they fell into step together, shoulders brushing and any thought of Kate’s little crush slipping from Bucky’s mind.
+1
Again Bucky realised this was probably a bad time to have another epiphany. Here he was laid up in a hospital bed with Sam looking worn down and just sad in the chair next to him. That had been a close call, a really close one but Bucky would do it again if it meant keeping Sam safe. He thought he’d be best keeping that piece of information to himself though lest Sam actually murder him this time.
Their fingers were intertwined and were resting on the bed next to Bucky, Sam’s arm reaching across from his seat. Bucky stared at them and swallowed, looking back up at Sam who kept drifting into sleep then forcing his eyes open to look around the room. Anywhere but at Bucky. They had argued about 15 minutes ago, Sam angry with Bucky for taking such a risk, Bucky adamant that it was necessary because it meant Sam was okay. Sam had fumed at him then sat stewing in his anger for a little more when he realised he wasn’t getting anywhere with Bucky. Then all the fight seemed to have left him and he’d slumped down further into his chair.
Around 10 minutes ago, right as the heated arguing had ended Bucky had suddenly understood that Sam had been worried about him, more worried than just a friend might be, which had prompted him to reach up and grab at Sam’s hand, which he was still looking at now. Well nothing quite set you into action like a near death experience, maybe now was the time to tell Sam about his not so little crush on him. Plus if it went badly Bucky could tell Sam he was hallucinating or something. Now or never. He tugged Sam’s hand to get his attention, once Sam was looking at him he started.
‘Hey, look I think we need to talk. I have something important I need to tell you.’ Bucky paused, swallowing down the lump in his throat, ‘I, erm, I-‘ Just spit it out Barnes, come on, ‘I like you, you know, like your face and erm, what’s on it and stuff, god,’ Bucky groaned, this was not going how he thought it would, he should’ve planned a speech before he started, ‘and if you like me too, which no pressure if you don’t, like no hard feelings or whatever, it happens,’ Bucky was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck now, ‘but if you do I think I can see a future for us and I haven’t seen that for a long time, so yeah a future but you know, only if you want to.’
Bucky could feel the heat radiating from his face. Jesus.
Sam was blinking at him, mouth half open as he processed what Bucky was saying to him. Then he stood up and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
‘You, like my face?’ A grin was working its way across Sam’s face, his fingers gripping Bucky’s hand tighter.
‘Er, yeah. I do. A lot actually.’ Sam wasn’t yelling so this was good, right?
‘You too.’
‘Huh?’
‘God you’re stupid. I like your face too. A lot.’ Bucky managed to push himself to sit a little straighter, managing to get into Sam’s space.
‘You got a crush on me?’
‘Oh my god.’
‘You do!’
‘Not for much longer if you carry-‘ Sam was cut off by Bucky tugging him down, wrapping his arms around him and tucking Sam into his chest. Resting his chin on top of Sam’s head Bucky let out a contented sigh. Sam seemed to realise he wasn’t getting away from the embrace anytime soon and brought his legs up so he was curled around Bucky. They stayed wound together for a while until Bucky broke the silence.
‘I’m glad I said something. About my, er, crush, before it was too late.’ Sam snorted but clung a tiny bit tighter to Bucky.
‘I’m glad you said something too. Does this mean we can turn your room into an office now?’
‘Wait, why is my room being sacrificed?’
‘Oh come on my room is much nicer.’
They bickered back and fourth until Sam dropped off to sleep mid sentence, head pressed into the crook of Bucky’s neck, Bucky’s cheek resting on top of it.
Yeah Bucky might always notice when someone had a crush on Sam but his was the only one that counted.