Steve picked up the lid of a nearby garbage can as the loser in front of him threw another punch. It launched his makeshift shield out of his hands, causing Steve to lose his balance. With another punch, Steve was down.
He had gotten himself into another fight, despite Bucky telling him not to. But really, how could he stay out of a fight? He was Steve Rogers, for god's sake, and he was going to fight his way to the army or die trying.
Steve's far larger opponent landed a well-placed kick to his ribs, causing Steve to convulse. Pain shot through him, and he feared that the kick had broken a rib. Just as the man was about to kick him again, he heard footsteps coming from the end of the alley.
"HEY!" The familiar voice of his best friend Bucky floated down the alley, followed by Bucky's large, muscular form. Dressed in his military getup, Bucky looked like a force to be reckoned with. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"
The man threw a punch at him, but it was wide, and Bucky just stepped back before decking the guy across the face. The man spun around, and Bucky kicked him square in the ass, propelling him foreword.
As Steve's attacker dashed away in fear of his new, formidable enemy, Bucky held his hand out to Steve, who had been lying in a lovely pile of garbage.
"I almost had him." Steve muttered as he used Bucky's hand to pull himself up.
"Yeah, great job with that." Bucky pulled a banana peel off of Steve's shoulder. "You couldn't've fought him in a flower patch instead of a pile of garbage?"
Steve scoffed, while brushing his suit with his hands. "And where do you want me to find a flower patch in Brooklyn?"
"Fair point." Bucky said.
They walked silently down the street, Steve quietly glad that Bucky had come to his rescue. Finally, Steve plucked up enough courage to say, "Thanks for helping me."
Bucky smiled, laying a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Well pal, I'm with you till the end of the line." His smile faltered. "But Steve, you need to stop getting into fights."
Steve raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Well, for starters, it's not good for you, getting kicked in the ribs and all that." Bucky said, pausing. "Plus, I don't want you to get into something you can't get out of."
Steve grew concerned. "Buck, what do you mean?"
Bucky sighed. "Steve, you know I won't be able to save you forever. I'm being shipped out soon, and you'll be on your own."
Steve thought for a moment. "Well, I'm going to keep trying to join the army. Hopefully soon we'll be able to see each other on the front!"
Bucky stopped and looked right into Steve's eyes. "Steve, you know that the chance of you being accepted into the army is slim to none. I hate to admit it, but I really don't think anyone is going to recruit you, even if your heart is in the right place."
Steve balled his fists. How could his best friend, his Bucky, be saying this? He knew Steve's dream was to join the army and serve his country! "Bucky, I'm going to get into the army, and nothing is going to stop me. Not even you." And with that, Steve turned around and walked off.
"No, Steve! Wait! I didn't... I didn't mean it like that..." Bucky called after him. But it was for naught. He had hit him on a nerve, and Steve had tunnel vision when it came to the things he was passionate about.
Bucky spent the rest of the day wandering around Brooklyn. He was supposed to be meeting a girl at the carnival, but he was just too distracted. Steve meant everything to Bucky, and now Steve had disappeared. All because Bucky had to make a comment about the army.
Bucky kicked a wall. "DAMNIT!" He screamed. He had really screwed up this time.
As the sun was setting, Bucky wandered back to his apartment. He was about to pull out his keys when he realized the door was already open a crack. Slowly, he pushed it open.
"Hello?" He said, peering around his rooms. Suddenly, he came upon the form of someone lying across his couch. Quickly, he flipped the lights on. He then realized his mysterious intruder was Steve.
"I still have the key you gave me." Steve muttered, holding up a silver key that Bucky had given him a while back just in case Steve ever needed a place to crash.
Bucky sighed, his fears disappearing. "Phew. I was worried I'd been robbed or something."
Steve sat up, folding his hands in his lap. "Not like you've got much in here that someone'd wanna steal."
"Fair point." Bucky said. He paused. "Listen, Steve. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was just worried about you, and..."
"I know, Buck." Steve cut him off. "And... I'll be ok when you're gone. I'll try not to get into too many fights."
Bucky smiled. "Good. Hate to see that pretty face of yours all bruised up. It's your only asset."
"Well, maybe there's a girl out there who likes a fighting man." Steve laughed.
Bucky wasn't talking about girls, though. He had been in love with Steve for a long time, but he was never able to tell him for fear of Steve not sharing his feelings. So he tried to keep himself occupied with a bunch of girls, in hopes that his childish crush would wear off. But it never did. And he realized that now, since he was about to leave for the front, it was as good a time as any to tell him.
"Hey, Steve, there's something that I've been meaning to talk to you about." Bucky said, his stomach twisting in knots.
"What is it, Buck?" Steve's penetrating eyes saw right through Bucky's calm façade.
Bucky sat in a chair facing him. "Steve... I've had... A sort of a crush on you. For a long time."
Steve sat back, stunned. "On me?" Was all he could get out, because he was blushing wildly.
"Yeah. You." Bucky swallowed hard. "It's taken me a lot of courage to say this, and I can understand if you... If you don't feel the same towards me."
"Bucky..." Steve sat staring at the ground, saying nothing else. It wasn't that he didn't have the same feelings, he was just shocked that Bucky felt the same way towards him.
Bucky took Steve's silence the wrong way. "This was a bad idea." He ran a hand threw his hair as he turned a bright red. "I'm sorry, this is... I'll just..."
As Bucky awkwardly stood up, Steve quickly put a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "No, wait. I was just stunned that you felt the same way that I did." His voice softened. "I wasn't able to tell you before. I didn't think you felt the same, what with all the girls and all."
Bucky's face grew into a relieved smile. "Oh, thank god. I was worried."
Steve chuckled. "So... What do we do now?"
"Well... Now I think we kiss." And with that, Bucky pulled Steve towards him in a deep, passionate, long-awaited kiss.