Chapter 2
To say that Bucky was a little shaken up would be an understatement. His heart was racing and hands shaking. Steve almost saw him shifted. His biggest secret almost blown because he forgot to lock the bathroom door. Bucky felt stupid. Steve was so comfortable around him that he thought he could barge in on Bucky in the bathroom. It was Bucky’s fault, he let Steve into his life in this capacity.
Bucky was unstable getting up of the bathroom floor, he looked at himself in the mirror. His turquoise eyes were red rimmed Bucky hadn’t realized he was crying, his long wavy brown hair that came just below his ears was tangled. He grabbed his mom hair dryer and combed out his hair. He ran his hands through his locks, he was ready to face Steve.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and silently walked down the hall into his room. Steve was sprawled out nonchalantly across Bucky’s bed.
“Hey Steve”
“Hey, Buck, are you okay? I’m sorry I barged in on you like that” Steve apologized big blue puppy dog eyes staring up at Bucky. It was impossible to be mad at him.
“It’s fine” Bucky said, he wasn’t fine. “How did you get in anyway? My parents aren’t home”.
“The spare key under the mat, I assumed it would be okay” Steve explained, he was a little too cool with situation.
“Well it’s not okay Steve” Bucky snapped, he was shaken up. He didn't want to have to confront Steve.
“What?” Steve remarked with a look of confusion. “If this about the whole naked thing, this is not the first time I’ve seen you naked. And trust me you have nothing to be embarrassed about”
“It’s not about the nudity, it’s about privacy okay, we need to establish more boundaries” Bucky tried to explain calmly but he had an edge to his voice that Steve had detected.
“Bucky, I feel like you’re not telling me the whole story, is there something else I need to know?” Steve asked searching Bucky’s eyes for any give away.
“Steve it’s just...” Bucky couldn’t find the words, “can you just knock next time”
“Yeah Bucky I can do that” Steve agreed, small hints of resentment present in his voice.
“Alright then let’s just forget about it and find you something to wear” Bucky said rummaging through his closet. But Steve didn’t forget.
---
Steve and Bucky arrived at the party a little after eight. Bucky could already hear the bumping of the music and the splashing in the pool, it was overwhelming. The only thing calming him down was the calm salty ocean breeze that made his skin tingle in anticipation for the shift. Maybe later tonight, he thought to himself. As they waked closer to the action, Bucky was excited. A college party as 10th graders is kind of a big deal.
They spotted Clint, Natasha, and Sam sitting by the pool on the deck chairs chatting. Natasha spotted them and waved.
“Hey guys” Clint greeted pulling them in for a bro hug. “Here let me show you around”. Clint pointed to a table of food alcohol, “the big bro says we have to stick to beer, we’re not allowed to drink any of the hard stuff” Bucky wasn’t worried alcohol didn’t affect him anyway. “We have a pool and two hot tubs for those of you who are swimming and the bathrooms are through that door, that’s about it. Have fun” Clint said spotting a friend of his and leaving Bucky, Steve, and Sam behind.
Bucky grabbed a beer, and both Steve and Sam stuck with water.
“My mom would kill me if came home drunk” Sam had said.
“Same here” Steve remarked, and boy was he right. Sarah Rogers was the definition of a bad ass, she was an army doctor for 2 tours, before getting stationed in Hawaii to do medical research for the military after Steve’s dad, an Airforce Pilot, had died.
“My parents aren’t home” Bucky said.
“Yeah, where are they?” Steve asked.
“At a retail convention for my mom’s store” which was code for ‘visiting Atlantis’.
---
Bucky switched to water after his 5th beer with no buzz, they were basically just empty calories at this point and were giving him the serious burps. Steve and Sam were off finding Clint and Natasha, and Bucky was laid across a deck chair scrolling through his phone. A girl caught his attention, a blonde girl in a black bikini. She was making her way over to him.
“Hey, can I sit?” she asked she clearly had a little too much drink.
“It’s a free country” Bucky muttered not really wanting the attention. She sat down anyway, a little too close for comfort. She rested her hands on Bucky’s shoulders.
“Your eyes are so pretty” she slurred giggling.
“Thanks” Bucky said shifting awkwardly in his seat. Bucky turned his head to see Sam, Clint, Steve, and Natasha sniggering and watching from 10 feet away.
“Do you wanna kiss me?” she laughed resting her head on Bucky’s shoulders.
“Not really”
“Why not?” she slapped Bucky playfully.
“You’ve had a little too much to drink, I think it’d be wrong for me to take advantage of you like that” Bucky tried to explain without telling her his sexuality.
“I am not drunk” she said, “See I can even do this”, she attempted to touch her nose with her finger, but ended up poking herself in the cheek.
“Also, I’m gay” Bucky finally went to his default answer when girls try to hit on him. He was apprehensive to out himself to a party of frat boys, the most homophobic yet homoerotic culture ever.
The girl beamed, “Can we be friends?” she asked.
“Why?” Buck asked expectantly.
“I’ve always wanted a gay best friend” she lamented.
“I guess, I mean I really need more straight friends” Bucky told her.
“Really?” she asked earnestly.
“No, because I don’t befriend people just because of their sexuality” Bucky snapped, and dislodged the girl’s hands from his shoulders and stormed off.
“Asshole!” she called back, Bucky rolled his eyes. Straight white girls am I right?
“What was that about?” Natasha asked sipping on a beer.
“She said I had pretty eyes and wanted kiss me” Bucky explained.
“I think your eyes are freaky, but that’s just me” Nat commented.
“What did you tell her” Steve asked.
“That I’m gay, and they she asked me to be her gay best friend, so I told her she shouldn’t befriend people because of their sexuality and then she called me an asshole” Bucky recalled.
Steve nostrils flared in anger and annoyance, “I should say something” Steve ranted, “I mean some people are so disrespectful” he continued.
“Woah there Hercules” Clint said grabbing Steve by the shoulders, “I don’t think she’s worth the time”
“I don’t care, it’s just rude!” Steve said pushing up his sleeves to his elbows. What he always did before a fight and then stormed off in the blonde’s direction.
“Don’t be a hero Steve!” Natasha called out.
Sam and Bucky followed Steve, “Oh boy I gotta get this on video” Sam said whipping out his phone.
Steve marched up to the girl with a stubborn ferocity that even made little Steve intimidating, he pushed up his glasses and started lecturing her on how she’s Bucky’s sexuality does not make him an object and etcetera. To say the least, the girl was unimpressed.
“It’s not my fault the hottest guy at this party is a fucking faggot” she replied. Steve’s face turned red with anger.
“Oh shit” Sam whispers, they watch Steve as clenches and unclenches his fists. Steve would never hit a girl, but Bucky never seen him come this close. Steve collected himself and took a few deep breaths.
“I think my point has been proven, and I know I’m the better person in this situation, so I suggest you just leave us alone” Steve said with refrain but an air of passionate righteousness that only Steve can possess.
The girl is so belligerent she pushes Steve, a little close to the pool. Bucky gasps. Steve has hearing aid in and is still not a strong swimmer.
Bucky does something he’s not proud of. He uses his powers to manipulate the water and create a slippery patch right where the girl is standing. She steps backwards and Bucky watches in slow motion as she slips into the pool. She hits the water with a big splash, and Steve looks relieved. He looked back at Bucky, and Bucky just shrugs.
---
Bucky, Steve, Sam, Clint, and Natasha were standing round the food, Bucky picking at a bowl of Doritos.
“Hey, do you guys wanna jump in the hot tub?” Clint asked.
“I’m down” Sam and Natasha had said. Bucky looked at Steve expectantly, he usually would sit out with Bucky when his friends went in the water. However, Steve’s gaze couldn’t reach his eyes.
“Yeah, I’ll get in, as long as I don’t get my hearing aid wet” Steve said. Bucky’s never felt more betrayed by something as trivial as Steve getting in hot tub, but there’s layers to this situation that Bucky just doesn’t want to peel back.
“Um, I’m good I’ll just stay here” Bucky said, his usual answer.
“Why don’t you come in Bucky?” Steve piped up. Bucky was confused.
“You know why Steve” Bucky said on edge. Sam, Clint, and Natasha were watching the interaction intently.
“Actually, I don’t” Steve said smugly. What has gotten into him?
“What are you talking about Steve?” Bucky was concerned.
“You took a bath today Bucky, a hot tub isn’t that different from a bath, and according to you, you take baths all the time” Sam, Clint, and Natasha’s eyes grew wide.
“This is different” Bucky whispered.
“No, it’s really not” Steve replied.
“You know I have phobia and—”
“You know what Bucky, I don’t think your phobia is as bad as you say it is” Steve told him. Bucky’s heart began to race in anger. What was going on?
“Do you not trust me Steve?” Bucky whined. “I mean I’m your best friend” Bucky felt the hot sting of tears behind his eyes. Steve stared at him for a long time face unreadable, his arms were crossed. Sam, Natasha, and Clint were looking at each other they were as confused as Bucky was.
“That’s exactly what someone who was lying to someone would say” Steve commented, “You know what I think, you like the attention, I mean you were four years old when the boat accident happened how traumatized can one be!” Steve yelled, Bucky’s tears started to fall.
“Steve, you know that’s not true” Bucky pleaded.
“Do I? I’ve felt this way for a while now” Steve said. “Sam, Nat, and Clint agree with me” Bucky turned to them and they couldn’t meet his eyes, so it was true.
“You know what, fuck you guys” Bucky said. “You can find your own way home” Bucky directed to Steve.
He stormed off, to the soft sound of Natasha’s “Bucky, wait!”. He went to the only place that would make him feel better, the ocean. He stripped out of all his clothes and hid them in the dunes. He ran into the water and dived in. His mind in a state of bliss as he began to shift, he took a deep breath and the subtle gills on the side of his rib cage expanded and he started to breathe.
He swam for a few miles and in the distance, he saw his home, his true home. The portal to the lost city of Atlantis.