Chapter 8
Bucky and Steve laid lazily in bed, they sat in the comfortable silence as Steve ran his fingers through Bucky’s hair. There was a delicate knock on the door.
Bucky wasn’t expecting anybody. He rolled off the bed and opened the door, it was Teresa.
“Hi!” Bucky greeted and pulled her into a hug. She looked at him strangely, he knew she was working and that he shouldn’t distract her.
“Prince James,” she acknowledged returning the hug. Bucky ushered her in the door and down the stairs.
“There is someone I want you to meet,” he said as they descended the staircase. He grabbed her arm and drug her over to the bed, Steve and Teresa just stared at each other awkwardly. “You two are hopeless,” Bucky sighed.
“Steve this is Teresa, she’s a good friend of mine. Teresa this is Steve, he’s my boyfriend,” Bucky introduced them to each other.
“Nice to meet you,” Steve said smiling.
Teresa looked like a deer caught in headlights, she hated meeting new people, she was painfully shy. “Uh— it’s a pleasure— um Steve,” she said finally forming a sentence and she swallowed hard.
“Bucky,” she continued. “King Atlas is throwing a banquet tonight in you and Steve’s honor. So you will need to wear you traditional garbs as well as your crown,” she informed him and swiftly exited the room.
“Traditional garbs?” Steve questioned with an eyebrow raise, Bucky just rolled his eyes and plopped back down on the bed. “What’s her deal anyway?” Steve asked.
“She’s really shy, every since we were little she had trouble socializing so I help her out by introducing her to new people” Bucky answered.
Steve smiled brightly at him, “that’s really nice Bucky, she’s lucky to have you”.
“And I’m lucky to have her” he responded with a smile snuggling into to Steve’s side.
—
Bucky brought Steve with him to get fitted for his traditional clothing. The royal tailor resided on one of the top floors of the castle. Bucky drug Steve up several flights of stairs. Steve was struggling to catch his breath, he stopped putting his hands on his knees and panting.
Bucky rubbed his back soothingly, “asthma?” Bucky questioned knowingly. Steve nodded and reached in his pocket for his inhaler. He took a long drag.
“Do you want to talk to Dr. Strange about it?” Bucky asked worried.
“No, it’s okay, I don’t think my mom could handle my hearing impairment and asthma cured in one trip,” Steve said having caught his breath. Bucky laughed in agreement, she would freak.
Bucky stopped Steve right outside the tailor’s door, “remember what my mom told you about the weird looking merpeople,” Bucky said, Steve nodded. “Well this guy is one of them, he’s nice enough, he goes by vision, nobody really knows his real name”.
“I think I can handle it,” Steve said grinning at Bucky holding in a giggle.
“Don’t be rude,” Bucky said sternly, Steve let out another laugh. Bucky stared at him with a blank expression.
“I’m sorry it’s hard to take you seriously right now,” Steve said still biting back a laugh.
“Listen here you little punk,” Bucky jokingly threatened with a wide smile.
“You’re cute when you’re mad,” Bucky rolled his eyes and pushed open the door.
Inside a man stood over yards of colored fabric. He had bright red skin and was completely bald. The strangest part was his outfit looked straight out of a J. Crew catalogue. Bucky side-eyed Steve as he bit his tongue holding back a laugh.
‘Stop’ Bucky mouthed holding back a laugh himself. Their awkward shuffling finally caught the attention of tailor.
“Hello Prince James and friend,” he said in a rich British accent.
“Nice to see you again Vision, this is Steve my boyfriend,” Bucky introduced. Steve stuck his hand out, and Vision stared at it oddly. Steve dropped his hand back to his side.
“So, for tonight I just need to make a few alterations, you’ve grown a little since the last time you’ve worn this,” Vision commented pulling out his measuring tape. He wrapped it around Bucky’s hips and made a few notes.
“Just sit over there,” Vision said pointing to a red plushy couch. “This is only gonna take a few minutes”.
Steve and Bucky day next to each other, playing an intense game of footsy. The door to Vision’s work room opened, Alexander Pierce Jr. walked through the door. Bucky visibly tenses and Steve eyes him worriedly.
“Are you ok?” Steve whispered. Bucky shakes his head.
“That’s my ex,” Bucky whispered back, now Steve’s the tense one. He eyes Alex with contempt.
Vision greets Alex, Bucky can’t hear their conversation. Alex is probably being his charming and charismatic self, like a fucking cult leader. Vision points over to where Steve and Bucky sat. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve protectively. Alex strolls over to them with a smug confidence.
“Fuck,” Bucky muttered under his breath, Steve placed his hand on Bucky’s arm comfortingly.
Alex sits down on the opposite side of the couch, “How are you doing? My name’s Alex,” he introduced himself to Steve, sticking has hand out for a shake.
“Steve,” Steve supplied taking Alex’s hand and shaking it hard. Bucky ignored him, biting his tongue trying not to say something too antagonizing.
“Bucky how are you?” Alex asked with his million dollar smile. Bucky fell for it once, he’s not gonna fall for it again.
“Fine,” Bucky grumbled Turing away from the man.
Alex watched him like a spider watches it’s pray. “Hope there aren’t any hard feelings,” Alex said with his usual condescension. Bucky’s never been on this side of it.
“There are hard feelings actually,” Bucky said in a sudden burst of courage. “You put your hands on me and shoved me into a wall, I don’t if it’s because you’re jealous of Steve but if you don’t remember correctly we weren’t together. We haven’t been in two years, we were fuck buddies. That’s all.”
Alex looked at him with unreadable expression, he crossed her arms over his chest. He chuckled like he was amused, “I was never jealous of Steve, the real problem is that almost 2000 years of effort to keep our secret and it was wasted on the King’s slut of a grandson.”
“Watch your mouth!” Steve asserted.
“Why? He’s been handed everything, my family had to work for their position in the court. We will take the throne, soon enough. And all your Bucky will ever be is a little whore”.
Bucky didn’t like the sound of that threat.
—
“He had no right,” Steve said continuing the 30 minute rant he’d been on about Alex.
“I know Steve, that’s why we broke up. I’ll talk to my grandfather about it, he threatened my succession to the throne.”
“If he ever hurts you again I will kill the mother fucker,” Steve promised gritting his teeth. Bucky hugged Steve from behind.
“Relax, we’ll deal with the piece of shit later,” Bucky said. “We’re gonna have fun tonight”.
“Ok,” Steve said letting out a breath and decompressing.
“You get to meet my family and my grandfather and see me in some ridiculous clothes,” Bucky laughed.
“It literally looks like a fishing net,” Steve admitted picking up the garment. Bucky took it and put it on.
He would be shirtless, it was made out of ropes and gold entwined silk. It wrapped around his waist, it was asymmetrical and the longer side went down to mid-thigh.
“You look hot,” Steve said staring at Bucky.
“Thanks Stevie,” Bucky said grabbing his hand and pulling him in close, and kissing him hard on the lips.
Bucky pulled away and walked over a cabinet he pulled out a bottle of oil. He hands it to Steve and Steve gives him a puzzled look.
“I can usual do this myself,” Bucky said. “But I need you to rub me with it.”
Steve looked at him wide eyed, “Why?”
“Part of the uniform”.
Steve shrugged, “ok”. He rubbed Bucky’s back with oil and then moved to chest and toned abs. He felt himself grow hard in his pants and he shifted uncomfortably.
“Here you go,” he said handing Bucky back the oil.
“I see my plan worked,” Bucky smirked acknowledging the tent in Steve’s pants. “Let me take care of that”.
—
Steve stood awkwardly in banquet hall, in a pair of jeans and a button down. He was surrounded by half-dressed ancient merpeople, the only other person dressed like him was George. Bucky held his hand, golden crown perched on his head.
“I feel out of place,” Steve commented, Bucky smiled at him.
“Yeah, well that’s what makes you so special. You’re the guest of honor after all,” Bucky said pulling Steve across the room. They were heading towards a raised platform, with an exquisite chair on it. A throne, occupied by a handsome man, he looked to be in his mid-50s with salt and pepper colored hair.
“Is that your grandfather?” Steve asked. Bucky nodded smiling. Steve could see the likeness, same beautifully colored eyes, electric blue. Same cleft chin and high cheekbones.
The man smiled when he saw the pair and waved them over. Steve was timid but the man was warm and welcoming.
“Hello,” he bellowed. “You must be Steve” he said in a merry voice.
“That’s me,” Steve beamed, the warmth was contagious.
“Well if you didn’t know, I’m King Atlas or grandpa, whichever you prefer,” the man said with a happy expression.
“Ok,” Steve said bashfully.
“It’s an honor to meet the boy who makes my grandson so happy.” Steve blushed.
“He does make me happy,” Bucky confirmed, resting his chin on Steve’s shoulder. “Grandpa can we talk in private”. Bucky said, serious expression. His grandfather nodded wisely.
Bucky led them into an empty back room and shut the door.
“James what is it?” his grandfather asked concerned.
“The Pierce’s,” Bucky started his grandfather nodded knowingly. “Alex Jr. said some threatening stuff to me. He got physical with me when I told him about Steve knowing,” Atlas tenses. “He told me earlier today that his family would have the throne soon enough, and I all I would be was their whore.”
“Soon enough,” Atlas repeated. Bucky nodded, shifting nervously.
“I don’t like that sound of that,” Atlas said agreeing with Bucky. Steve sat there listening intensely. “Don’t worry about it I’ll take care of it,” Atlas reassured but his eyes depicted anger and worry.
“Are they gonna hurt Bucky?” Steve asked expressing his concern.
“Over my dead body,” Atlas said.
—
The party was bustling, Bucky didn’t feel much better after the conversation with Atlas.
“It’s okay Bucky,” Steve said sensing his discontent. “You heard your grandfather nothing’s going to happen.”
“I’m not worried about me, I’m worried about him”.
“I think he can take care of himself,” Steve said dragging Bucky into the middle of the party. Bucky smiled sadly.
Steve drug Bucky out onto the dance floor and they danced the night away.
—
They got back from Atlantis late Sunday afternoon. Bucky was fast asleep in the back seat on the car ride home.
Winnie smiled back at them, “did you have fun Steve?” she asked.
“It was incredible.”
“I agree,” George said.
“What do you know about Bucky’s ex?” Steve asked.
“Alexander? Never liked him,” George piped up.
“If he’s anything like his father, I don’t think he’s a good influence on James,” Winnie added.
“Apparently he pushed Bucky around,” Steve revealed. “Or at least that’s what he told me”.
Winnie turned around suddenly, “are you serious?”
Steve nodded gravely.
“We’re gonna have a serious conversation when we get home,” Winnie said seriousness in her voice.