Archive of Our Own ^beta

"How do people not realize just how in love Steve and Bucky are?"

"...What?"

Oh shit, Steve didn't realize he said that out loud, but oh well, he did. Not that it's a bad thing to say, but he needs to stop letting things slip out before something important slip out, especially with present company there. Something of he let slip would mess up their year old friendship, his new best friend who got him just as much as Robin does, especially all the fuckery they've been put through.

"Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes, they're in love? Like totally, life isn't right without you here, you're my home, my heart type of love?" Steve said, worrying at his lip as he tried to stay focused on the big screen in his living room. It was currently playing Captain America: The Winter Soldier on a movie channel, the channel showing the 3 cap movies back to back all day in celebration of The Fourth. They both just got home from work and showering off the day just in time to catch TFA starting, Steve taking the time between the end of The First Avenger and The Winter Soldier to order their pizza and the cookie-brownies Eddie loved.

"Really? You think so?" Eddie asked, blinking in surprise as he glanced over at the former jock and raised both eyebrows. "How?"

"I mean...just look at them." He said, gesturing towards the flashback scene on the screen. "I'm with you till the end of the line? How feral Rogers went in the first movie when he rescued Bucky? Or when he thought Bucky died? How he barely let go of Bucky in the hiking back to camp scenes? The tension in that scene with Peggy in the dress? Asking Bucky to stay? His fucking voice when Bucky fell was like...a part of him died! He was basically suicidal in that bombed out bar, trying to drink himself stupid!" The former jock ranted passionately, eyes darting between the screen and Eddie.

 "Then! Then this movie, when supposedly Bucky is a blank slate, almost 70 years of brainwashing almost cracked by Steve saying his name. Then when they mindfucked him again, it's Steve saying that line to him. Steve trying desperately to break through to his Bucky...then Bucky's face as he does, as he realizes what he was doing?" Steve continued, hands waving around in a habit that was picked up from the man next to him.

"That's the look I'd imagine making if I was hurting the love of my goddamn life, if I was putting bruises on the face I usually kissed better. I mean, I would just as devastated if it was say Robin but...there's a difference, you know? Also I think Peggy would be Rogers' Robin, they think it's romantic but..." Steve huffed, deflating as he ended his rant and took a deep pull of his Dr. Pepper, glancing over at his companion with an embarrassed smile. "Sorry."

Eddie was giving him a half amused, half impressed look, a type of smile tugging at his lips that had Steve blushing. "Put a lot of thought into this, sweetheart." He teased, bumping their shoulders.

"Yea well, I'm a sucker for great love stories." Steve said, shrugging his shoulders and ducking his head to hide his blush at the use of sweetheart. He's never been called pet names, he was usually the one calling someone one, and Eddie's use of them made him mushy inside. "I went on a binge when they did this marathon last year, looking into Captain America and lurking the Stucky tag on tumblr. Did you know that punk in the 40s and 30s were what they called either twinks or the younger and/or smaller male in a gay relationship? According to tumblr, which you can take with a grain of salt." Steve babbled, chewing at the inside of his cheek as he played with the condensation on his Dr. Pepper bottle.

"Really? That's...Bucky called Steve punk, huh." Eddie hummed in thought, toying with his skull ring.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Steve could feel there was something to it but he couldn't tell what. It only broke when the doorbell rang signally the arrival of their pizza. "I'll be right back." He said, dashing to the door and back with the two pizzas; cheese and black olives (Eddie) and meat lovers (Steve). They forego plates and just start eating out of the boxes, both relaxing into the couch as the last battle started.

Steve worried the inside of his bottom lip, glancing over at Eddie every few seconds, and letting this thought roam through his head. He opened his mouth to make a comment about Sam Wilson and his friend probably being together too but instead;

"Bucky Barnes helped me realize how disastrously Bi I am. Leather and long hair got me first because apparently I love a bad boy aesthetic. Then that scene with the motorcycle in the third movie did me in, man. Fucking Thighs of Betrayal is right. Also I think I have a competency kink because holy fucking hell, how he escaped while all Winter Soldier shouldn't be that hot." He blurted out, immediately covering his mouth after and squeezing his eyes shut at his lack of filter. That wasn't what he meant to say and that's really not how he wanted to tell his crush (his gay crush, Eddie came out to him and the others while he was still in the hospital bed after nearly dying being a hero.) that he liked boys too. God he's turning into Robin.

He couldn't look at Eddie, he could feel the older freeze and jerk to stare at the side of his head but he couldn't look at him.

"...Cool, that's cool, Stevie. Thank you for telling me and trusting me." Eddie said gently, grabbing his hand and squeezing it, making Steve's heart sputter in a worrying way, before letting go. Steve opened his eyes and looked over at Eddie, seeing that familiar rare gentle smile on his dimpled face.

"Thank you...I heard that bi people get shit on, called greedy and cheaters and...yea. Knew you and Robs would never but..."

"Shhh, I get it, sunshine. You're okay." Eddie said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and squeezing him into his side tightly. He didn't pull away after the hug, just kept his arm there and let Steve snuggle into his side which the shorter boy did so happily. "Now I gotta ask...since you talk girl crushes with Robster, you gotta tell me if there's a boy who's caught our Stevie's eye." The metalhead drawled, his infamous half feral grin taking over his face, only getting wider when he sees Steve getting flustered. "There is! Tell me, tell me, tell meeeeee!"

"Alright, alright, alright already! Jesus, you're worse than Dustin sometimes!" Steve huffed, crossing his arms and slouching more into Eddie's side. "What do you want to know? I'm not telling you his name!" He tried to hide the nerves filling his belly, hoping he could do this without revealing too much.

"Just gush, dude, tell me whatever you want." 

"Okay...okay." Steve took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, knowing if he didn't the dopey look on his face would give away just who he's thinking of. "He's...sweet, sweet but with a little mean streak if you get him upset. He's funny and dorky but also kind of a rebel? God he's kinda a badass. He makes me feel...safe, after everything I have a hard time feeling safe and relaxing but he makes me feel like that you know? Like...home, but better." Steve said, smiling tugging at his lips at the thought of the boy next to him.

 "I..I love his hands, he has such pretty hands and I love watching them just do things...like play his instrument or write. Or playing with the rings he'salways wearing, never thought rings on hands could be so sexy. He's got sexy vampire look going but also the vibe of a cute little bat saying "fear me, I am darkness" too? He's tall and lean but he's picked me up a couple times so he'sstrong and, holy fuck, I didn't know how much I loved being manhandled until then." He babbled, blushing covering his face as the last bit slipped out. "He's got pretty hair too, I just want to play with it and braid it into cool viking hairstyles. Pretty brown eyes that can go from puppy eyes to sly as a fox eyes. Dimples I want to kiss and this grin that just...makes me melt but also has me squirming because it has promises for me if I'm good boy." He covered his face and mouth, pulling his knees to his chest so he could hide from Eddie with them. He said too much, he knows he has, and Eddie isn't a stupid man, far from it in fact. Eddie is going to know and now he's gonna find out if he's lost a friend (probably) or gain a boyfriend (not probably).

Steve's heart clenched as he felt Eddie getting off the couch, he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to keep his trembling hidden. He fucked up, he fucked up, he fucked up...

Gentle hands pulled his own away from Steve's face, before still gentle but firmer fingertips tipped his head up to meet Eddie's eyes. He couldn't look away if he tried, never can with Eddie if he's honest. Eddie's face was soft, a smile tugging at his pierced lips, as he looked Steve's own face over, looking for something for a moment until he seems to find it.

"Wanna know 'bout the guy I like?" Eddie said softly, bringing one of Steve's hands to his face and pressing his cheek into the palm. "I'm half way in love with 'im honestly, didn't think I would since he seemed so out of my league and my circle in high school. He was a jock, popular and like a star, so so bright in this hell town." He said, tracing gentle fingers over Steve's still curled up legs, making a shiver go down his spine that he couldn't hide because he was so caught up in Eddie's words.

"It was after high school I truly met 'im and found out how kind he was, truly the sweetest of sweethearts. He'll protect this gaggle of baby nerds we share with his life and has multiple times. He's so soft, always with a sweater or a soft t-shirt and his hair is soft too, especially now he doesn't put gallons of product in it. Such pretty hair that begs to be played with while cuddlin'." Eddie's voice was so soft and husky, causing Steve to relax even more as his brain starts clicking and hope builds.

His eyes met Eddie's and his throat caught in his throat at the look in those dark eyes, love. There's love there. "His eyes...there's gold them and it makes sense, he's a golden boy. He's covered in a galaxy of moles and freckles, I want to kid them all and connect them into new constellations. He still has a jock build but like I said, he's softened now. Still gorgeous though, begs for kisses." Eddie has gotten closer and closer as he talked. Their faces are a foot apart and Steve swears his heart is about to beat right the fuck out of his chest and give itself over to Eddie to hold. "He has mouth that can be sweet but I love it when his old mean girl side comes out because it's cute." Eddie cupped his cheeks and traced his thumbs over Steve's cheekbones.

"Eddie..." He whimpered out, hope and love burning his throat.

"Stevie, sweetheart, I like you too. I love you too. How can't I? You're the sun, my sunshine." Eddie said, pressing their foreheads together and brushing a tear from Steve's cheek. "Can I kiss you, sweetheart?"

"Please." The words are barely out of Steve's mouth before it's covered by Eddie's, a noise almost like a whine leaving him as he's pulled down into Eddie's lap as the soft kiss deepens. Deepens into something messy and heavy, Eddie owning Steve's mouth thoroughly and almost growling when Steve tugs at the silver loop running through his lip. Eddie pulled back with a deep breath, cradling Steve's face in his hands and running a thumb over the younger's abused bottom lip. "Christ, the things I wanna do to you..." He murmured, pulling Steve's lip down with the thumb. "Please..." He whined again, trying to connect their lips in another kiss.

"Not tonight, sweetheart, I wanna take you on a date first before I show you want a good boy you are." Eddie said, pressing one last kiss to Steve's lips then peppering them to his nose, cheeks, and lastly his forehead. "Let's just finish watching the movies, okay? The third one is about to start and I know that's your favorite." He murmured, pulling Steve's legs around his waist and making sure he held on so he could pick them both up off the floor (slinging around engines blocks at work and stuff for his band making the move easy).

Steve hummed softly, snuggling into Eddie's body once they were both back on the couch. "Gonna wine and dine me, Munson? I'm already in love with you though." He teased softly, nuzzling into Eddie's neck and melting more at his spicy cinnamon scent. He felt tired now, from his emotional confessions and the kissing, from Eddie's touches and soft words, he just wanted to snuggle into him and watch his movies before sleeping. Maybe he could get Eddie to join him and hold him...

"Course I do, you deserve for someone to finally wine and dine ya." Eddie said, kissing the top of his head and running soft fingers through his hair. The metal head laid on the couch with Steve on his chest, arranging them both so they could see the screen and were comfortable. "I love you, sweetheart, and I wanna show you how much."

"I love you, too, Eddie." Steve said, an adorable awed smile on his face as he looked up at Eddie. He pressed a kiss to his chin before laying with his ear over Eddie's heart (something he picked up after they nearly lost the older boy and he needed to be reminded they didn't), a content sigh leaving his lips. He stared at the screen, watching the last good movie before Steve Rogers character gets butchered because of heteronormalty.

"...You know we've gotta dress up as Steve and Bucky for Halloween now, right? They got us together after all."

"You just want me in that tight red, white, and blue get up....but you're right. I hope I can survive you as the Winter Soldier."