Chapter 3
It was almost time for their first outing together
A simple Halloween party. They just needed one last thing; their costumes. It was the one thing they couldn’t seem to agree on. You see, Steve wanted to go as something, matching and classic. Bucky however wanted something matching, funny and something a little more… dumb.
They had been discussing it for days. Bucky storming in Steve’s apartment unannounced with a new stupid, punny idea. Steve was always quick to dismiss them even though he secretly liked them. He always dismissed the more naked ones and Bucky would complain, claiming he really wants to see those baby muscles.
Bucky always declined when Steve came with an idea, claiming his were either cringy or just to boring. “I don’t want to walk into the most pretentious Halloween party in New York and see that 4 other couples are wearing the exact same thing Steve! That ‘s stupid. Honestly we should just wear my Tarzan and Jane idea.”
“It’s almost November Buck, not gonna let you walk around in just your underwear.”
“Whatever mom.”
Today was different, they really needed a costume today or they would have to go in their regular clothes, and that is something you do when you really want to go to hell. They had narrowed it down to four. They both selected two and decided to fight it out.
“Definitely not the salt and pepper one.” Bucky mumbled and threw the picture in the trash. “Right where it belongs. Next!”
Steve giggled, something that is starting to happen more and more when he is close to the dark-haired man. It’s just something about him that makes his heart explode and makes him act like a 12 year-old.
“Fine, then were not doing the toothbrush and toothpaste one.”
Bucky let out an exasperated sigh. “That was my favourite you punk! Because of your rude acts we will do my other one.”
“No!”
“C’mon Steve, don’t be such a wuss, is gonna be fun!”
“I just don’t think anyone wants to see me in a dress Buck.”
Bucky just pouted. “And what if I wear the dress?”
“You really wanna go like this huh?”
Bucky nodded excitedly. God, Steve really can’t say no to a face like that. “Fine, we’ll go as Taco Belle .”
“Yes!”
☽‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾
They arrived at the party a little early. Steve dressed in the ridiculous taco costume and Bucky dressed in a yellow dress with his hair up in a bun. It was their first outing as a couple and it didn’t help they looked stupid as hell.
“So we should probably set up some rules right, they’ll expect us to hold hands or something or kiss.” Steve said in the car.
Bucky nodded. “Yeah… Right… No we should right? I’m alright with it if you are..”
“I’m alright with it.”
“Okay me too then.”
They stepped out of the car and intertwined their fingers. Camera’s were flashing the second their feet landed on the ground. Wow, that was intense. Steve took a quick glance at the other man and his brows knitted in confusion. In public Bucky was very different from private Bucky.
In public Bucky’s jaw was clenched, his hands were holding Steve’s tightly, maybe too tight and in public Bucky was tense, looking like a prey in someone else’s territory. Steve held Bucky’s hand a little tighter and rubbed his thumb over his hand.
Bucky seemed to notice this gesture and gave him a small smile. The two of them walked in, luckily they were no paps allowed inside. The other man visibly relaxed. “I’m gonna get us both drinks!” Steve shouted over the loud music he didn’t recognise.
He made his way through the crowd and ordered ridiculously overpriced drinks. When he made his way back he finally recognised the song, it was a remix of Bucky’s song Freezing . Steve smiled to himself and looked for him where he left him but Bucky was gone.
“Shit.”
Steve scanned the crowd but he didn’t see a man clad in a yellow dress so he went to the bathroom, there next to a very big houseplant Bucky was sitting, knees up to his chest and looking very distressed.
“Hey… Are you okay?”
Steve wanted to facepalm himself, of course he wasn’t okay the man looked like he had cried. The blonde sat down next to the other man and gave him his pink fruity drink. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know Steve,” Bucky whispered, “I guess I kinda freaked out. Was very crowded in there you know? Just had to leave. Don’t really wanna talk ‘bout it.”
Steve nodded. He really didn’t know what to do, he was awkward and generally bad at comforting others. What he lacked in social skills he made up in…. Well nothing really, acting skills? He never really had a lot of friends growing up, nor siblings, nobody that ever really needed his support.
“Do you wanna go home?” Steve asked when the awkward silence got too long.
Bucky nodded.
“Okay, let’s go.”
The two of them left the premises, the paps blinding them with their huge cameras. Steve held Bucky a little tighter and pulled him towards the sidewalk. Their chauffeur was still nearby luckily for them so they could get in immediately.
“Wanna go home?”
Bucky shook his head. “No, is it okay if we hang out a little longer?”
Steve nodded and smiled a little to himself. Wow, Bucky actually wanted to hang out with him outside of the meetings and outings their respective publicists arranged? That felt great, maybe they could become friends over the course of their next few months together. Steve certainly hoped so.
“Of course, whatever you want. We can watch a movie, maybe have a horror movie marathon? Or we can just sit and drink some tea, whatever you want.”
Bucky chuckled. “The horror movie marathon sounds great.”
☽‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾
The pair changed out of their costumes and changed into their own more comfortable clothing. Well… Bucky changed into Steve’s more comfortable clothing. He was wearing his grey sweatpants with his Harry Potter sweatshirt. He looked ridiculously cute. Steve was a bit taller, so the clothes were a little oversized on the other man.
Steve could just pinch Bucky’s cheeks like an old aunt at your grandma’s birthday.
“Soo… what movie do you wanna watch?”
Bucky looked up from his phone. “Uhm… I’m not a big fan of horror movies, so.. You pick.”
Steve looked at the other man in disbelief. The badass, tough guy James Barnes didn’t like horror movies. The guy who wore his boxers over his leather pants at an award show last year, the guy who wears eyeliner, listens to heavy metal and only plays villains in movies didn’t like horror movies?
“We could watch Scream? It’s one of my favourites, it’s a classic honestly.”
Bucky nodded. “Whatever you say is good Stevie.”
He really tried not to blush, he would consider himself successful (he wasn’t) at the nickname and put the movie on.
The two of them sat down on the couch and Steve put the hand knitted blanket on the two of them. As he was paying attention to the movie he felt Bucky snuggle closer and closer, putting his head on his shoulder.
Steve really couldn’t pay attention to the movie afterwards. The warmth of the other man, his little breaths and his little gasps at stuff that would happen in the movie were more than enough to distract him.
When the movie finished Steve didn’t feel Bucky’s little movements anymore. Steve looked over and saw the dark-haired man fast asleep on his shoulder, drooling a bit. If anyone else had the audacity to drool on his shoulder he would freak out, but not with Bucky. Never with Bucky.
Steve smiled and got the phone from his little pouch of his hoodie and snapped a picture of Bucky and posted it on his Instagram story.
No, this deal isn’t going to be that bad.
☽‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾