"Steve! Hey Stevie! Come look at this!" Bucky yelled across the street to gain his best friend's attention. Steve's head turned to look at his brunet friend and jogged toward him, dodging the crowds of people on the way.
"Yeah, Buck, what is it?" Steve questioned, catching up to Bucky. Bucky pointed to a quaint little store that was just visible down a bright alley - the name read "Authentic Vintage" and inside the two men could barely see a collection of clothes and other items that looked as though they were from the early 1900's.
"You think they're real?" Steve wondered as they made their way toward the store.
"Well the 'authentic' in the name would suggest that they are pal, let's have a look." Bucky pulled open the door and a high pitched bell sounded above them, alerting the owner of their entry. They both wandered over to the till to ask the owner - a man who looked around 60 with a grey beard and glasses on - about the items within his store.
"How may I help you two young gentlemen?" The owner queried.
"We were wondering when the items in the shop are from? Are they from actual time periods or just made to look as though they were?" Bucky asked.
"Everything is from the early 1920's to the late 1930's - just before the war broke out sir." The shop owner replies and Steve and Bucky shared an eager glance with one another. They thanked the man and began to look at every item within the store - feeling like teenagers in Brooklyn again.
"Stevie, doesn't this remind of you of when you bought that hat for your ma and she wouldn't stop telling you off for spending money on her for days," Bucky picked up a black hat with a slight ridge, it did in fact look just like the one that Steve had bought his mother all those years ago.
"That looks just like it," Steve chuckled, enjoying having so many memories brought back to him that made him smile. Everything in the shop reminded Steve of Bucky, or something he did with Bucky, or somewhere he went with Bucky. It reminded him of how inseparable the two boys were from the youngest age - it made Steve smile, beyond grateful that he finally had his best friend back again.
They continued to look through the store for a couple of hours, exchanging memories that included the both of them and remembering what it was like all those years ago, growing up together in Brooklyn - them against the world. They saw dresses that reminded them of the countless double dates they would go on where Bucky would force Steve to take some dame dancing (who was usually more interested in the guys around her than scrawny little Steve - not that it mattered to him as he was always much more interested in Bucky than any dame, not that he ever told him that though or ever really could) and music that they would listen to in their tiny little apartment.
As Steve was mooching though the last of the store a certain grey jacket caught his eye. It looked exactly the same as one that Bucky used to wear, Steve remembered because it was Bucky's favourite - also because of the countless times Bucky had draped it over Steve's shoulders in an attempt to keep little Steve warm on chilly November nights, with no regard for his own comfort or health. He wore it on every date and it always took Steve's breath away - because Bucky always looked so darn incredible in it. He had left it at a bar one evening and Steve remembered Buck all but crying over his lost jacket.
Excitedly inching towards it, Steve picked the jacket up to get a closer look at it - scanning to room to make sure Bucky wasn't in there. Everything from the material to the buttons to the colour of the stitching was the same and Steve could picture his best friend in it clear as day, smiling at the pictures in his head. Steve delicately scanned the inside of the jacket in search for a tag or anything of the like and in the bottom corner he noticed a white label with a messy black scrawl on it. His breath hitched in anticipation as he leaned closer to read the ancient hand writing. In faded black ink it read 'property of James Buchanan Barnes, and he looks fine as hell in it.'
"Fuck." Steve whispered, tears coming to eyes in disbelief. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." Without thinking he brought the fabric to his nose to smell it and although the most prominent smell was dust he could still smell Bucky's faint scent in the jacket - even after all these years. Steve swore he was going to break down there and then but he hurriedly composed himself and brought the jacket to the owner behind the till, ensuring that Bucky was nowhere around.
"How uh, how did you get this item?" Steve stuttered out, a concerned look appearing on the man's face at Steve's discomposure.
"All the items are sold to us by families and we have so much that I'm afraid I don't remember - I'm so sorry." The older (well technically younger) man replied.
"Ah that's okay, I was just curious. Could I buy this please?" Steve requested as he handed the man the jacket he was clinging onto so tightly.
Just as the owner had finished putting the jacket in a bag for Steve, Bucky rounded the corner and gave the blond a curious look.
"What'cha got there Stevie?" He attempted to snatch the bag out of Steve's grip but Steve swiftly moved it out of the way - smirking triumphantly at the slightly shorter man.
"You'll have to wait till we get home jerk," Steve snickered, smiling softly at the man before him.
"Punk" came Bucky's frustrated reply and the pair headed out of the shop and back to Stark Towers.
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Back in Stark Towers Bucky was eager to see what Steve had bought from the old shop they had been into.
"You'll just have to wait Buck, you're too impatient for your own good."
"But whyyyyyy do I have to wait?" Bucky whined.
"Because I simply enjoy seeing you suffer." Steve chuckled in response, turning his back to the irritated ex-assassin.
"Ugh why do I even put up with you!' Bucky grumbled as he scuffed his way into the kitchen, his handsome features contorted into a sulky frown, resembling that of a stroppy 5 year old.
"Because you love me." Steve called as a reply, wishing that Bucky would actually love him the way he wanted him to.
"Yeah, right." Bucky scoffed as he returned to the lounge where Steve stood with the bag behind his back.
"Alright, fine. I bought it for you, I saw it and I just, well you'll see." A blush started to creep up onto Steve's cheeks as he slowly handed the bag to Bucky, nervous for some unexplainable reason. Bucky looked back at him perplexed, taking the bag and holding it softly in his hands.
"You shouldn't have bought me anything Stevie, I thought it was for you punk."
"Shut up and open it Jerk." Came Steve's quiet response. Bucky carefully pulled the material out of the bag and looked at it for a few seconds before glancing up at Steve before beginning to unfold it.
"This looks just like..." Bucky was cut off when a gasp escaped his lips, his grey eyes scanning repeatedly over the jacket in his hands.
"Look inside Buck," Steve moved closer to Bucky to open the jacket sides to reveal the white tag within.
"No fucking way," Was Bucky's shaky response as his soft fingers grazed the spot that he had written on so many years ago. Tears began to well in his eyes and he couldn't believe what he was holding in front of him. "How in the hell? Fuck, Oh my god, how? How did you even remember that I had this jacket?"
"It was your favourite one, you always wore it Buck of course I can remember." Steve whispered, taking in the soft expression of his best friend's face. His eyes were wide but crinkled at the sides and his soft looking lips parted ever so slightly and a tint of red lay upon his cheeks. Steve made a mental note to always remember how Bucky looked right there as he could swear that he had never seen anything as beautiful; he was already standing too close to his best friend and it took him everything he had not to lean forward and connect his lips to those of the man that he had secretly loved since he was 16 years old. He could smell Bucky's comforting smell mixed with a fresh aftershave and it was making him dizzy and before he could do anything stupid, Steve took a hasty step backwards, nearly tripping over his feet as he did so. Luckily Bucky hadn't seemed to notice as he was too busy gazing at his long lost jacket - his eyes bright and shimmering.
"Put it on." Steve urged, eager to see the brunet in the jacket again after all these years and curious to see if it still made him swoon like it used to.
"Yeah, I'll uh put on some smarter trousers and maybe we can go get something to eat, you and me, just like we used to?" Bucky finally lifted his gaze from the jacket to meet Steve's eyes.
"Sounds good jerk, I'll get changed too and look for somewhere nice to eat." Steve smiled warmly back at Bucky - who was still a little shell shocked and headed to his room.
Steve hunted through his wardrobe to find his most flattering outfit (even if he knew he hadn't got a chance with Bucky he still thought it was very important to try and look as good as possible in front of him, especially in situations like this) and laid it down on his bed. He had chosen pretty tight dark black dress trousers accompanied by a checkered shirt, black tie and tight blue sweater - finishing it off with black shoes and a bit of expensive aftershave.
Bucky - in his room was doing a similar thing to try and find clothes that might just maybe impress Steve (not that he had a teensy, small crush on him or anything, no it wasn't as if he had been in love with him since 1933, definitely not)
Bucky - in his room was doing a similar thing to try and find clothes that might just maybe impress Steve (not that he had a teensy, small crush on him or anything, no it wasn't as if he had been in love with him since 1933, definitely not). He pulled on a pair of black trousers, a tight pastel blue shirt and a flattering deep purple blazer, spritzing himself with his favourite aftershave. He picked up his old jacket, staring at the way the grey fabric was once again in his hands and slipped it on over the top. He gave himself a once over in the mirror and moved to leave his bedroom.
Steve was finished before his dark haired friend and so he waited for him nervously in their living room, his inner monologue repeating to him that it wasn't a date and that he needed to get a hold on himself
Steve was finished before his dark haired friend and so he waited for him nervously in their living room, his inner monologue repeating to him that it wasn't a date and that he needed to get a hold on himself. Just as the blond had started pacing he heard a door open behind him and light footsteps entering the lounge. He turned to see Bucky and his breath caught in his throat for a moment, forgetting entirely how to breathe. He looked stunning. The jacket that he adorned filled Steve's head with pictures of Bucky from when they were living in Brooklyn, making him smile. He stared at the man in front of him, taking in every detail of his flawless appearance
"Take a picture it will last longer," Bucky chuckled, smirking. He looked Steve over a couple of times, trying to keep the image in his mind for a long time because Steve's clothes looked so good on him that Bucky wanted nothing more than to take them off.
"No, uh, uh, it was just that you, uh, you just look so much like...you." The blond stuttered, his face going a deep shade of red. He really hoped that Bucky didn't think he was checking him out, he was, but he didn't want him to know that.
"Yeah, yeah punk. C'mon lets go." Bucky pulled on Steve's arm and dragged him out of the Stark Tower, not that Steve minded being manhandled, especially because being behind Bucky gave him a great view of his thighs in those tight trousers.
"So...Where do you wanna go pal?" Bucky asked, looking around to see if he could spot anywhere nice to eat.
"How about that place over there?" Steve pointed to a relatively fancy looking restaurant across the street, fairy lights adorning the front and several palm trees outside.
"Yeah that looks great!" They both strolled over to the restaurant, enjoying the warm air and the glowing sunset. Both of the super soldiers couldn't help but think that it was all very romantic.
"Hello, please may we have a table for two?" Steve asked the waiter at the door, smiling politely.
"Of course, sir. Would you like to sit outside or in?"
"Outside sounds good, that okay Stevie?" Steve nods in reply, smiling slightly when Bucky rests his hand on his shoulder as the waiter leads them through to the outside section of the restaurant. The setting was absolutely beautiful. Hundreds more fairy lights were situated outside, hanging from vine-covered canopies and weaved through eye catching plants and trees. There was a pond that was sparkling from the reflection of the lights and tiny lily pads floated on top of it. It looked like something out of a fairytale. The waiter showed them to a table next to the pond and handed them two menus, leaving them to decide what they wanted to order.
"It's beautiful here." Steve pondered out loud, looking around him.
"Yeah, beautiful." Bucky whispered back, staring not at their surroundings but the way Steve's blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
As the night went on their gazes at one another became longer and slight brushes against each other's hands became more apparent. Steve wondered if he was imagining it, cursing himself for letting him think for even a second that Bucky might reciprocate his feelings. His love was unrequited and he knew it was from the moment that stupid 16 year old boy fell for his best friend. Steve would do anything to go back in time and ensure that he didn't fall in love with Bucky but deep down he knew that no matter what he did, he would always find a way to fall for the handsome brunet that he had known all his life.
________________
By the time they had gotten home, both of their feelings for one another had grown (if that was even possible) and every time Bucky looked at the dashing blond his eyes would wonder to his soft, pink lips and desire would urge him to kiss Steve. It was like torture. The one thing that Bucky had wanted most since he was teenager, was the one thing that he couldn't have.
Bucky slipped out of his jacket, relishing in the feel of being able to wear it again and hung it on the back of the door - stretching and yawning as he did so.
"Right pal, I'm heading to bed. Thank you, for everything." Bucky smiled warmly at Steve and turned to his room, sure that he couldn't handle looking at Steve any more today without his heart exploding - with lust or sorrow he wasn't sure.
"Buck! Wait!" Steve called before Bucky was out of sight.
"Yeah?" Bucky turned round again, looking at Steve who was closed in on himself, looking like a scared puppy. "Hey, what's up?" Bucky moved toward his best friend again, instantly worried for him. His protectiveness over Steve had not lessened since the serum, even if Steve was bigger than him now.
"I, uh, wanted to, god, why am I doing this, I wanted to tell you something," Steve muttered, more to himself than to Bucky.
"You know you can tell me anything that's on your mind pal." Bucky reassured him, laying a gentle hand on Steve's arm.
"I don't want to tell you this, but I can't keep it bottled up anymore, god knows I have for 82 years."
"Steve what the hell is going on?" Concern flooded Bucky's eyes as he watched his best friend shake nervously.
"I think, well I know, that I'm uh, I'm bisexual." Steve stuttered, breaking his eye contact with Bucky.
"That...that was it? Stevie why were you so nervous about telling me that? I don't care what your sexual preference is! You're always going to be Stevie and that's what I care about. You could have told me that ages ago and I still wouldn't have cared. You idiot oh my god." Bucky pulled him in for a tight hug, using the seconds where his face was away from Steve's to smile with hope. Did this mean he had a chance?
"Thanks Buck, but that's not all of what I wanted to say." Steve thanked, pulling away from the comforting hug. "I've, well, I've sort of got-"
"A boyfriend?" Bucky interrupted, a sharp pain in his chest as he imagined his Stevie with another man.
"A boyfriend? No, god no I don't have a boyfriend," Bucky sighed in relief, glad that he wouldn't have to deal with that pain just yet.
"Well, then what?"
"I have a sortofcrushonyou" Steve mumbled out in one breath. "Well I think it's surpassed a crush now, I've liked you since I was sixteen Buck and I'm sorry because I know that this will ruin our friendship, I'm so, so sorry that I'm love with you. I wish I wasn't I really do but-"
Bucky interrupted him again, but this time with an urgent kiss. His lips pressed against Steve's and the blond was so shocked that it took him a moment to respond, but when he did he started to move his lips in synchronisation against Bucky's and everything fell into place. Their lips fitted together so perfectly and Steve couldn't help but notice how soft Bucky's were. His body felt as though it was on fire, in a very, very good way. Bucky grabbed Steve's waist with one hand and pulled their bodies together, his other hand moving up to grip the back of Steve's neck. One of Steve's hands started to tangle into Bucky's soft hair and when Steve tugged at it gently Bucky let out an involuntary groan that was like music to Steve's ears. Steve's other hand rested timidly on Bucky's chest, feeling his quickened heart beat through his clothes.
Bucky cautiously opened his mouth against Steve's, their desperate kiss becoming more heated. He allowed his tongue to gently glide along Steve's bottom lip, asking for entry, which Steve gladly allowed. Their tongues explored each other's mouths in a desperate attempt to be as close to one other as possible. They broke apart for air, both panting heavily, Steve's hand still carding through Bucky's hair.
"Fuck" Bucky muttered, he made eye contact with Steve and rested his forehead against the other man.
"I've waited so long for that and it was so much better than I dreamed of." Steve panted, grinning widely.
"Then why stop there?" Bucky questioned with a smirk and pushed Steve back against a wall, a surprised gasp escaping Steve's lips. Bucky began to kiss and suck down the blond's jawline and neck, earning an appreciative moan from Steve.
"Oh fuck Bucky." Steve groaned, tilting his head against the wall as Bucky made several dark hickeys across Steve's jaw and neck. How in the hell is he going to cover those up? Bucky moved his lips back to Steve's and smiled against them.
"I." "Love." "You." Bucky spoke between gentle but heated kisses. It had never felt so good to say anything in his life. Steve stopped kissing Bucky to smile to himself and nuzzle his head into Bucky's neck. He wrapped his arms tightly around the ex-assasin and tears of joy began to well up in his eyes.
"You have no idea how happy those three words make me," Steve whispered, bringing his head back up to make eye contact with Bucky.
"Oh, I think I do." Bucky replied, connecting his lips to Steve's again, tugging gently on his lower lip.
"Mmmm" was the only response Steve could muster as Bucky continued to make out with him. Steve decided that it was his turn to hear Bucky moan and so he placed his lips on the tender skin between Bucky's neck and jaw and slowly started sucking and biting there. Bucky let out several low moans that Steve appreciated but most of all he enjoyed the high pitched gasps that were coming out of Bucky's mouth. Steve continued to kiss up buck's jaw and the side of his face before reattaching their lips once more. Steve moved his hands from Bucky's hair to his front where he unbuttoned and removed his blazer, before he began to unbutton Bucky's shirt. Once it was open Steve gently ran his hands up Bucky's torso, breaking the kiss to marvel at the toned muscle beneath his fingers.
"You're beautiful," Steve sighed, gently placing his lips on one of Bucky's pecs in a loving kiss. Bucky lifted Steve's chin with his finger and whispered against the corner of the blond's mouth,
"Do you want to go to my bedroom?" Steve nodded in reply, laughing breathlessly into the crook of Bucky's neck as Bucky carried him there, bridal style.
"God, I love you so much Steven Grant Rogers," Bucky sighed as he lay Steve down gently on his bed, climbing to hover over him.
"I love you more James Buchanan Barnes," Steve retorted, grabbing the sides of Bucky's unbuttoned shirt and pulling him down for a bruising kiss.
_________________
The next morning Steve awoke to the gentle sounds of Bucky's breathing beside him and Steve had never been as happy in is entire life - all 98 years of it. He leaned down to kiss the side of Bucky's face gently, careful not to wake him. He stumbled out of bed, trying not to limp, and pulled on a pair of jogging bottoms and a loose t-shirt, realising that it was Bucky's as he caught his smell on it as he pulled it over his head. He smiled to himself at the thought of wearing Bucky's clothes and quietly left the room to make some coffee.
Steve groaned as he saw that Tony had once again taken Steve's cafeteria with a very passive aggressive note suggesting that Steve shouldn't leave coffee grounds in the sink.
"For fucks sake Stark" Steve muttered to himself as he headed out of his and Bucky's 'apartment' within Stark Tower to use the coffee machine in the avengers' group lounge, grumbling that he had to go so far just for a goddamn cup of coffee.
As he entered the lounge he noted the presence of all the other avengers and headed straight to the coffee machine.
"It's rude to not say hello Cap." Tony quipped, everyone turning to Steve.
"Yeah well you took my coffee machine asshole," Steve retorted, turning around as he waited for his coffee to brew.
"I have warned you that I will not tolerate your gang like behaviour Rogers so don't be so surprised and are those hickeys that I can see on your neck?" Tony asked incredulously, suspiciously eyeing the purple marks that littered Steve's neck and jaw.
"Shit" Steve muttered trying to cover them up with Bucky's shirt but it kept falling down. Why did Bucky have to buy all his clothes too big? Steve had forgotten about the prominent love bites and his face had turned a deep shade of scarlet as all the avengers looked at him shocked.
"My god has Steve finally gotten laid?" Natasha asked, eyes wide. "Who's the lucky gal?"
"Um, uhh" Steve desperately tried to think of something to say that wasn't 'I got fucked by The Winter Soldier.'
"The great Captain America seems to be a bit shy, c'mon man, tell us!" Clint urged, "I mean it's clear that she was good." He chuckled, referring to Steve's unusually disheveled appearance.
"He won't tell us, but I can find out." Tony chimed. "J.A.R.V.I.S who is currently in Cap's apartment?" He requested from the a.i.
"No-one is currently in Captain Rogers' apartment sir. It is empty." J.A.R.V.I.S informed. Steve frowned at the absence of Bucky in their apartment. He hoped he hadn't thought Steve had fled and was worried that Bucky might start to panic.
"Even got rid of Barnes for the night then? Smooth." Natasha noted, smirking. Steve could feel his cheeks heating up at the mention of Bucky, trying to think of a response that wouldn't give anything away when the door to the lounge opened again.
"Morning guys. Steve did you make coffee?" Bucky yawned, stretching slightly and padding over to one of the sofas, perching himself next to Steve. Everyone frowned in confusion and Steve looked like a deer in the headlights. Bruce looked from Bucky to Steve, eyes widening as he noticed a dark purple mark on the underside of Bucky's jaw.
"Oh. My. God." Bruce gasped, walking over to Bucky and pulling him to a standing position. He lifted the bottom of Bucky's shirt up, revealing his bare torso that was covered in blotches of purple and light fingernail marks.
"Woah, dude what the heck?" Bucky exclaimed trying to step away from Bruce's grip, freezing when he caught sight of the hickey's on his chest. Bucky's eyes flickered to Steve, distinguishing out the hickeys on Steve's neck that he had left there the night before. Steve's face was bright red and in an expression of horror, his mouth opening and closing like a fish.
"Clint you owe me 20 bucks," Natasha sniggered triumphantly, laughing at Steve's shocked expression. Everyone was staring at them expectantly, waiting for them to explain what was happening. Bucky simply pulls an embarrassed Steve up from the sofa and starts to lead him to the coffee machine.
"Well I have been in love with the guy for 83 years, it was about time I got some action," Bucky announced, pouring two cups of coffee and turning to hand one to Steve. Everyone stared after them as they left the lounge and headed down the corridor where they could faintly hear them say,
"Hey is that my shirt? Punk."
"Jerk."