Five's a Crowd | Stucky / Marvel Polyamorous LGBT Romance

Chapter 6: Bucky

Bucky spent the next week pondering what to do with Nicky. He had, unfortunately, told Steve he loved him during the fight that had ended their childhood friendship. When they had reunited in adulthood, the first thing Steve had done was tell him that he loved him too. That hadn't thoroughly convinced Bucky at the time. He had spent his entire life in love with Steve, and at that point, Steve had only just recently figured out he was even gay, let alone that he cared for Bucky.

Slowly, over six months of courting, mending, and building something real between them, Bucky had been convinced, and he and Steve had whispered I love you's the night they officially started dating.

Things with Nicky were different. Their relationship had followed a semi-traditional path, with ample flirting, courting, and finally dating. They had decided to become boyfriends late last year and they'd been building their relationship ever since. Bucky had suspected months ago that he was falling for Nicky, and the start of the pandemic had solidified that for him. He just didn't want to make the same choice he'd made with Steve, blurting it out during a rough time. Unfortunately, the entire pandemic had been rough, and so Bucky had just never felt the time was right, and apparently neither had Nicky.

He didn't really think that Nicky didn't love him. Sometimes, late at night, he would fret about it a little, but deep down he was pretty sure they were equally besotted with each other. For some reason though, they just couldn't take the plunge, and Bucky was beginning to believe he might be that reason.

At first he blamed Nicky. Before the pandemic they had been on many dates together, and there had been so many moments when it would have been perfect for them to say it to each other. For some reason though it never happened, and Bucky began to fear those moments. It had created a distance between them that was only noticeable on closer inspection, but now it was all Bucky could see.

He told his therapist he would change this the next time the opportunity arose, the problem was it just didn't seem to be happening. It felt like they went through waves as a quad. Sometimes they spent a lot of time in pairs or even on their own, and sometimes they would all four come together as if drawn by an invisible force, and they would spend every moment together, intertwined like the gnarled roots of a tree.

Part of Bucky was reveling in it, enjoying the intimacy he now shared with all three men, but part of him was getting more and more anxious to have some alone time with Nicky.

He finally confided in Steve about it, a little unsure if it was weird to talk to his boyfriend about his potentially unrequited love with his other boyfriend. However, just like everything else with the quad, as soon as he started talking, it felt completely natural to go to Steve for help.

Steve wasn't entirely helpful, having only ever expressed his love for two people, both of whom had told him first. He laughed a little self consciously at this, until Bucky sagged against the bed and he quickly backtracked. He asked Bucky if maybe he was building this up into more than it had to be, and Bucky grudgingly admitted it was entirely possible.

He considered confiding in Charlie, but it just didn't seem right, and also it probably wouldn't be helpful. Charlie had expressed his love for Steve in a fit of passion. He actually didn't know how he and Nicky had exchanged I love you's, but he figured he'd hear the story eventually if it was meant for his ears.

Finally, Steve intervened and lured Charlie into a movie night in their bedroom. Nicky and Bucky ended up on the couch, woven around and under each other like braided wool.

"I miss going on dates," Nicky stated into the quiet room, unprompted by anything Bucky had said.

"Yeah...I do too. I miss getting dressed up for you, trying to impress you, buying you flowers, and taking you home after."