Chapter 3
Sam completely froze up feeling Bucky's lips against his. Soft and slightly cool to the touch. He didn't want to leave the wrong impression- he loved this, so he reciprocated the kiss and let his eyes slip shut.
Bucky melted when Sam started kissing back, flesh hand coming up to hold the other's jaw. His heart soared, face flushed and lips wet against Sams.
Sam tilted his head ever so slightly into Bucky's touch. His lungs were empty and tightened, begging for air, but Sam couldn't ruin this moment. Not yet. He was stuck believing this was a dream, so he was desperate for it to never end.
Bucky savored the kiss as long as he could, the electric feeling of their soft lips uniting feeling like heaven, like home. Eventually, even with his super soldier lungs, he had to pull away. His lips hovered over Sams for a second before he pulled away, opening his eyes. He sighed, smiling as he looked over Sam's flushed face. "Wow..." He whispered.
A small gasp for air could be heard when their lips separated and for a moment Sam leaned in further, hoping for a second. He pulled away realizing his mistake and blushed even darker. "..Sorry."
Bucky hummed and ignored his sorry, leaning back in for another shorter kiss. "I'd kiss you all day if you'd let me." He reassured. He had no idea where this sweet talk was coming from, possibly a small bit of the Bucky Barnes that was left before the war, before the winter soldier, before everything.
Something deep in Sam's chest fluttered hearing such unbridled flirtation- he'd never heard something like that coming from Bucky of all people. It brought back emotions he forgot he could feel. He brought a hand up and scratched the back of his neck out of awkwardness and not knowing exactly what to say as a comeback. "Is Bucky in there?" He joked to ease how damned flustered he was.
Bucky flushed and chuckled. "Too much?" He asked, but held a bright smile on his face. "I.. uh... You do- you wanted that, right?" He asked, getting self conscious.
"No.. it was pperfec-" Sam replied halfway under his breath, simply because he didn't know if it was the right thing to say. He nodded surely in response to Bucky's question. "Well I mean- I didn't not want it." He said instead.
Bucky giggled. The grumpy 106 year old man. Giggled. He looked into Sam's eyes. "So.. If I were to ask you out, ask you to be my.. Boyfriend, would you say yes or am i in over my head?"
"...Oh. Uh... thing is I didn't really want you to ask me." Sam stated dryly. Vague. He adjusted how he sat so he was completely facing Bucky, and for a moment gazed into the man's eyes. They felt like home. "..I wanted to ask you first."
Bucky's face fell for a second at his first statement, looking like a kicked puppy. His heart stopped for a good three seconds till he heard Sam's next words. He blushed and let out a shy smile. He seemed all dominating and such but in reality he was a huge softy. No one ever got close enough to see that though, maybe Sam would be that person. "You do-?" He asked, looking into Sam's reddish brown orbs.
Sam weighed his options, as if this was some life changing statement he was about to make. "...I didn't think I'd ever get the chance.. With how I thought you and Sarah were-" Sam didn't finish his sentence, mentally noting how absurd it was given the fact Bucky was gay.(edited)
Bucky snorted before throwing his head back with a hard laugh. "Did you think i was into Sarah?" He teased. "Hell no. Dick all the way. Im gayer than a fuckin rainbow Sammy."
Sammy. That stirred something in the man's chest; something familiar yet indescribable. It had been so long since somebody used that nickname for him. A smile spread across his face as a small chuckle escaped his lips. "I guess I'm gay-blind then." He tried to joke back, although he was inwardly embarrassed that he never noticed sooner.
"You need to get your gaydar checked." He joked back. He smiled though, a deep breath as he met Sam's eyes again. "You gonna ask me?" He asked softly, fingers brushing over Sams. He didn't even know where all this confidence was coming from, it felt as natural as it did back in 1943.
Sam couldn't stifle the giggle that bubbled up in his chest, but it changed into an awkward cough as he cleared his throat in preparation for what he was about to say. "Yeah uh- well.. will you be my b.. Boyfriend?"
Bucky smiled and pulled Sam into a kiss again. "God yes. Yes." He mumbled. His heart raced. This was actually happening, after months of pretending this wasn't going to happen and months of denying the fact that he was even attracted to men, much less his business partner, he was living on cloud 9.
"Can I- can I hug you?" Sam didn't ask often as whenever they'd touch it was usually just awkward side hugs or quick oats on the shoulder. But now he asked, because he had a different intent behind wanting to hold Bucky in his arms. He had months worth of unbridled affection built up, he was ready to finally let it out if Bucky would let him.
It seemed hypocritical, Bucky having just held Sam's lips in a passionate kiss, but hugs felt like a far different thing. Any embrace he had was a choke hold, a tackle, ect. Last time he was hugged was Steve, in Wakanda. He tensed for a second but reminded himself that this was Sam. Sammy. His boyfriend. "Yeah" He whispered, leaning forward.
Sam leaned forward as well, gently wrapping his arms around Bucky's torso and pulling him close. Not in a way where it was inescapable, but a loose, loving embrace. It felt odd, doing this with someone else, but it felt right with Bucky; so there Sam stayed.
Bucky was tense for a second, muscles tight in defense, but he quickly melted into the touch with a sigh. His arms hooked around Sam's waist, cuddling his face into Sam's neck. It was vulnerability he didn't know he could show, and he hasn't since Ayo helped wipe the trigger words from his mind. Ayo had seen him at his worst, but also his best.
When Sam opened his eyes back up, the sky had changed colors; the once brilliant oranges and pinks fading to soft purples and blues. The lights of the houses lining the docks cast a yellow glow on the two men holding each other close, replacing that of the sun which had receded behind the horizon.(edited)
Bucky took a deep breath, taking in Sam's musky scent before he pulled away. Cinnamon and cigars, with a hint of citrus. "That was... nice." He cracked a tiny smile, looking over Sam's face, the different shades of light reflecting off his exposed skin. "Should we get back inside-?" He asked, feeling an unpleasant shiver roll down his spine as he recognized the temperature change.
That small timid smile could cure cancer in Sam's eyes. He got lost in it, in every gorgeous detail on Bucky's face and physique, committing it all to memory. He hummed, not really registering what Bucky said until he too felt a prickly gust of wind against the back of his neck. "Shit- yeah, yeah let's do that."
Bucky stood up and held a hand out to Sam, his heart fluttering as their hands touched. Sam would really be the death of him, but he was going to take things slow. He had never been in a committed stable relationship before, and he didnt want to fuck it up. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Sam, and he had already done that numerous times.
Sam had a quick thought; considering affectionally bumping his side against Bucky's, but decided against it last minute and instead leaned against the man gently as they walked, so their shoulders would brush every now and again. It was a timid experimental movement, as if Sam was back in his teens with his first crush. Pretty embarrassing, but he'd practically forgotten how to "do" romance so all of this was completely from scratch.
Bucky tried to hold the smile off his face, but it stayed in place. He squeezed Sam's hand gently as they walked back to Sarah's house. He felt the closest he had to Bucky from the 40s in a long time. Happy. Care-free. Like a puppy.
When they reached the door, Sam faltered for a moment. "Do we tell them-?" Sam wondered out loud; he was still so used to the idea that Sarah and Bucky were flirting, even though Bucky was now his boyfriend he still had his doubts on what they should do.
"Do you want to yet...?" He asked. His voice was surprisingly soft, his walls crumbling down around Sam like they never had before. Showing off the loving, soft Bucky that no one else got to see but Steve, before the war.
Sam looked to Bucky then back down at their hands which were still joined in a gentle yet firm grip. "D'you think maybe we should wait it out for a while-? I'd rather it just be.. us and not have people knowing yet."
"Yeah, that's okay." He offered a smile, pulling Sam's hand up to his face and kissing his knuckles. Classic charmer from the 40's. "We'll take things slow."
Feeling those soft lips against his skin made Sam's skin yet again heat up. Bucky could be such a damned heart throb when he wanted to be and it made Sam's legs weak. "Yeah.. well uh-" Sam cleared his throat. "After you-" He fumbled with his keys and unlocked the door awkwardly.
Bucky found himself smirking at Sam's sudden fluster. He dropped Sam's hand with a twist of his stomach, already wishing his hand could be embraced by the warmth of Sam's hand again. Opening the door, he walked inside and ran his metal hand through his hair.