It started on a Friday night.
Bucky Barnes hadn’t expected Peter Quill to turn up at his window a little past 1 in the morning, throwing rocks until Bucky finally got the courage to open it and see what was happening, but after seeing Peter standing outside, beaming up at him like he had hung the moon and stars, Bucky had opened the window and let Peter climb into his room.
It wasn’t like they hadn’t spoken before, they had! However, Peter wasn’t in Bucky’s group of friends and the only times they had spoken were when Bucky had tutored Peter in maths after school in the library. There, Bucky had quickly learned Peter Quill was one of the flirtiest people in existence (a close second to Tony before he had finally got with Rhodey). Consequently, there was never much tutoring going on, just Bucky trying his damned hardest not to react to Peter’s insistent flirting, he was never completely successful – a small smile coming out every once in a while. Very slowly, Bucky realised he liked Peter Quill.
So, when Peter had climbed through his window, sitting on his bed like it was his own, with the excuse of “I just missed your face, sunshine”, Bucky found it very hard to say no.
It became a routine after that.
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Peter Quill was confused.
Every Friday night, Bucky would leave his window open for Peter to climb through (he had only started doing it because of the irrational fear that the rocks Peter would throw would smash his window) but tonight the window was closed. Peter felt a faint sense of dread and fear before pushing it away, however, he couldn’t help running through his past interactions with Bucky, searching for something that may have upset the boy that impacted his life so positively. Unable to find anything, Peter picked up the smallest rock he could find and threw it at Bucky’s window. Not getting a response, he shrugged and continued to throw rocks until he saw a hand reach for the window and open it. Peter rushed to climb up the wall, quietly climbing through the window. Bucky was sat at his desk, his back towards Peter.
“What? No hello sunshine?” Peter teased, perching on the window sill. He quickly replied to Gamora’s worried text, reassuring her he was okay. He glanced up after he received no response, only to be met with Bucky’s tense back. “Why so tense, sweetheart? Want me to give you a massage? I’m pretty damn good” he said with a slight leer.
“Don’t, Quill” came Bucky’s cold reply. Peter flinched slightly, hurt by the use of his last name.
“What’s wrong, angel?” Peter asked, letting concern slip into his voice as he got off the window sill and walked towards where Bucky was sat. As his hand reached towards Bucky’s shoulder, the boy gave a massive flinch and flew off his chair to stand next to the desk, he turned and let Peter see his face.
The soft light of Bucky’s fairy lights highlighted the shadows on his face. His eyes were puffy and his cheeks were red. Peter gasped softly.
“Sweetheart, I-”
“Don’t.” Bucky whispered, “Peter, just don’t. No nicknames, no flirting, please just go”. He turned away from Peter, already ashamed to let the boy he liked desperately to see him at his weakest. He heard shuffling behind him before a soft voice broke the tense silence that had filled the room.
“James.”
Bucky nearly started crying at the fondness and affection in the other boy’s voice, hope rising from deep within before he pushed it down again, yet, he could help his cheeks flush pink at the use of his first name which was rarely spoken. Suddenly, this whole meeting was a lot more intimate than it usually was.
“James,” Peter repeated, voice still soft and instantaneously, ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ started playing, “dance with me.”
A gentle hand turned Bucky round softly until he was facing Peter, who had a soft smile on his face and Bucky compared it to home – a warm feeling spread throughout his body. Peter guided Bucky’s hands around his neck then put his own around the smaller boy’s waist. With one more glance down at Bucky, Peter started to sway them slowly and rested his head on top of Bucky's. They weren’t in time with the music but neither of them cared. A breeze drifted in through the open window, carrying the sounds of distant cars, the leaves of trees rustling together and the occasional sound of a nocturnal animal; the light of the moon was barely visible due to the warm glow of the fairy lights that Bucky, although he couldn’t see his face, knew was reflecting on Peter’s face making him look ethereal. He knew at that moment that this was what home was, he could feel Peter humming along to the song and he knew that Peter wasn’t going to push for what was wrong and instead was just going to offer him much needed comfort before leaving. Bucky didn’t want him to leave.
Peter suddenly manoeuvred them so Bucky spun underneath his arm before collecting the shorter boy back into his embrace. Bucky chuckled softly against Peter’s neck, feeling rather than hearing the other boy join his laughter.
“God, I really like you” Bucky whispered, face still pressed against Peter’s neck. He felt a rush of relief of being able to say that without Peter hearing. He revelled in the lack of weight on mind for a few seconds before everything came crashing down around him.
Peter had frozen, no longer swaying and arms loser around Bucky’s waist.
Bucky ripped his arms from around Peter’s neck, walking backwards away quickly and looking frantically around. He glanced down and realised he was shaking. Mumbling apologies, he avoided looking at the other boy, how could he have been such an idiot? All the flirting meant nothing; Peter didn’t want anything to do with him. He had just ruined one of the best friendships he had. These weekly meetings were sometimes the only thing that kept him going-
“James, hey sunshine, mind breathing a little slower for me?”
There was warmth on Bucky’s cheek. He looked up to see Peter’s hand on his cheek whilst he looked Bucky, green eyes shining in the fairy lights. They were usually filled with mirth and fondness but now were tainted with concern. Bucky kept staring into them as he tried to slow down his breathing by copying Peter, the other boy’s hand stayed on his cheek with his thumb rubbing against Bucky’s cheekbone. When Bucky finally came back to the land of the calm, the first thing that happened was Peter slowly put his arms back around him, pressing Bucky’s face into his neck. The second thing that happened was Peter whispering right in his ear:
“Sunshine, I really like you too”
The third thing that happened was Peter slowly extracted Bucky’s head from the crook of his neck before he placed soft gentle kisses on Bucky’s forehead, cheeks and rubbed their noses in an Eskimo kiss.
“James” Peter whispered, pressing their heads together, staring into to ice blue eyes that were wide with disbelief. Then Bucky leant up and pressed his lips to Peter’s.
Bucky had never believed in fireworks or sparks during a kiss. He had never experienced them. Except, here he was. His arms wrapped around Peter’s neck; one hand tangled in his hair whilst Peter’s own hands were wrapped around his waist pressing them tightly against each other. Bucky didn’t want to call them sparks but there was something there. The feel of Peter’s lips against his own caused something to click in his mind. This. This was home.
They pulled apart for air. They were still wrapped around each other. Good, Bucky thought. He didn’t want Peter to leave. They spent a few minutes just looking at each other before Peter laughed softly under his breath.
“I can't believe you like me back,” he smiled, “I spent all this time flirting with you with basically no response, shit! I even came to your window just to talk to you and you still don't think I like you?” Peter brought Bucky back into an Eskimo kiss, “Sweetheart, you are adorably oblivious.” Bucky looked down and blushed, leaning back into Peter.
They stood there for a few more minutes until Peter’s phone chimed. Both of them tensed, Peter leaning out of the embrace – this being the moment where they separated. Bucky grabbed Peter’s hand before he could get far.
“Don’t go.” he whispered, however, it sounded so loud, “Please” he choked, realising how desperate he sounded, “Don’t go.”
Peter stood there watching Bucky quietly, as the shorter boy refused to make eye contact before he chuckled: “Eager to get me into bed, sunshine?” and pulled Bucky towards the bed. He lay down first, before pulling Bucky half on top of him and wrapping his arms around him. With a gentle kiss to Bucky’s temple, he closed his eyes.
“We’re talking about why you were crying in the morning; you know that right?” Peter whispered.
Bucky hummed not taking in the words that had been spoken, sleep rushing through his body pulling him down into relaxation. There was a long pause until he sleepily mumbled, “’Everybody Wants To Rule The World’?” Peter snorted softly.