We Can Do That Now - Stucky
Steve sat down on the couch next to Bucky and handed him a beer. They were relaxing in one of the many living rooms in the Avengers Compound and watching the Yankees game.
“It still bothers me that I don’t know any of these players,” Bucky said as he opened his beer.
“I gave up trying a while ago,” Steve said.
Bucky took a sip of his beer and winced a little.
“Better or worse than it used to be?” Steve asked, a small smile on his lips.
“It has a better taste then when we used to drink it. But I’m not used to it tasting better,” Bucky said with a chuckle.
“Ball four,” the announcer for the Yankees game said.
“What?!” Bucky cried. “That was a strike if I’ve ever seen one.”
“These umps nowadays have no idea what they’re calling,” Steve said before bringing his bottle up to his lips and taking a sip of beer.
“Oh great, sis, grandpas are watching stick ball again,” Tony said to Natasha as the two of them walked through the room.
“They’re not grandpas,” Natasha said as she stopped at the back of the couch and leaned against it. “They’re more like an old married couple.”
“Oh gross, I don’t want to catch the monogamy,” Tony said and quickened his pace out of the room.
Natasha winked at Steve before following Tony out of the room.
“Tony’s just kidding,” Steve said. “He and Pepper are very monogamous.”
“Are they married?” Bucky asked.
“No, not yet. But they will be before long,” Steve said.
“Seems like they think we will be, too,” Bucky said quietly.
“Well, it is legal now,” Steve said.
“It is, isn’t it?” Bucky said before taking another sip of his beer.
Steve nodded and took another sip of his beer as well.
“So, why don’t we?” Bucky asked.
Steve almost choked on his beer and had to wipe some off of his chin.
“What?” Steve asked.
“Come on, Stevie,” Bucky said, turning to face Steve on the couch. “You’re telling me you don’t want to?”
“I, I never said that. I was just taken by surprise,” Steve stammered.
“Steve,” Bucky said. He put his beer down on the table and reached over to take Steve’s hand. Steve looked at Bucky with wide eyes. He couldn’t move. He could barely breathe. The whole world around him was disappearing and there was only him and Bucky. “We’ve literally known each other for almost a hundred years.”
Both Steve and Bucky let out a small laugh at that.
“You’ve always been my favorite person in the world. When we were young I was always helping you out, but I never thought anything of it. I just knew that people were picking on you and I had the ability to stop it, so I did. But in recent years, you’ve helped me in more ways than I could ever help you. You’ve literally saved my life dozens of times.”
“In all fairness, you probably saved mine dozens of times too, back in the forties,” Steve added.
“Good point,” Bucky said with a smile. “But don’t interrupt, punk. You saved me when I thought I couldn’t be saved. You fixed me, emotionally, psychologically, physically, in every way that I could possibly be fixed. You’ve stood up for me when literally everyone in the world was telling you that you were wrong. You thought I was worth saving and fixing. You were the only one. But, look. You never gave up on me and now here we are. I never realized what it felt to be helped so much. As kids, I just knew you were my best friend so I would do whatever I needed to so I could keep you safe. Now I know how you felt back then when I was always helping out. And I know how you feel now. You feel like this is just part of being my best friend. That you’ll go to the end of the line for me, not because you feel you have to, but because it’s just what we do. Because, well Steve, because we love each other. You know we do. And I don’t mean in the way like friends, brothers. You know what I mean. You’ve known since we were kids. I could see it in your eyes then, and I can see it now. You love me. And I love you, Steve Rogers. So, you know, will you marry me?”
Steve was looking at Bucky with tears in his eyes. This was the happiest that Steve had ever felt. Steve had once thought his happiest moment was when Bucky said to him that his mom’s name was Sara and he used to wear newspapers in his shoes. Then Steve thought his happiest moment was when Bucky was finally able to come out of the ice for the last time. He was healed. He was back. His Bucky was back and he didn’t need to go away anymore. But this, this moment when Bucky was finally the first one to crack and say how they both knew they felt, this was the best moment of Steve’s life.
“Bucky,” Steve started, but he needed to stop to take a deep breath. “Of course, I’ll marry you. Jerk. I thought I’d be the one to say it first.”
“I’m always one step ahead of you, Rogers,” Bucky said with a smirk.
Steve laughed and leaned in, pulling Bucky into a hug. Bucky hugged him back tightly, letting his head rest on Steve’s shoulder. Bucky pulled back and looked at Steve. Steve knew what was about to happen, and quite literally, he had been waiting decades for this. Bucky leaned in and gently pressed his lips against Steve’s. The moment was everything Steve ever imagined it would be. He leaned into the kiss and cupped Bucky’s jaw with his right hand. The fireworks were going off behind his lids and his lips were on fire in the most wonderful way. His whole body felt alive in a way that Steve had never experienced before. He felt complete at once, even though before he hadn’t even realized that he was incomplete.
“Sirs, I hate to interrupt,” JARVIS’s booming voice came from the air around them, making both Steve and Bucky jump apart. “but Mr. Stark would like me to inform you that if you wish to take things further, he would prefer it if you took it to one of your bedrooms instead of on his new couch.”
“Thanks, Jarvis,” Steve said. Bucky chuckled and wiped the back of his neck with his metal hand. Steve turned around to look over his shoulder and saw that Tony and Natasha were in the next room watching them. Tony was cackling with laughter while Natasha was shaking her head disapprovingly at Tony, but still smiling at Steve and Bucky.
“Jarvis?” Bucky asked.
“Yes, Sergeant Barnes?” Jarvis replied.
“Could you tell Tony that he has five seconds to stop laughing like a hyena before I start taking Steve’s clothes off right in front of him?” Bucky said.
Steve turned bright red, but Tony’s face went pale. He stared at Bucky, silently daring him to do it. Bucky smirked and scooted closer to Steve on the couch.
“Alright, that’s it. Baseball game is over, enough alcohol for you boys, we’ll celebrate with champagne tonight at dinner, thank you,” Tony said, coming into the room, turning the television off, and taking the beers back into the kitchen.
“Another thing I love about you?” Steve said to Bucky. “I think you’re the only one here, besides maybe Natasha, who can get under Tony’s skin.”
“And I enjoy every minute of it,” Bucky said with a smile.
“We better go before he comes back. I’d rather have some peace and quiet with you,” Steve said.
“Well, Jarvis’ suggestion of one of our rooms sounds good to me,” Bucky said with a suggestive smirk.
“It does, doesn’t it?” Steve agreed.
Steve took Bucky’s hand and led him to the stairs.
Natasha walked into the living room after the guys left and sat down on the couch, resting her feet on the coffee table and crossing her ankles. She flipped the television on to catch the seventh inning of the baseball game.
“Clint owes me fifty bucks,” she murmured to herself.