Always There (Stucky One Shots and Short Stories)

Pre-Serum Stucky - Heat

"Let's go see a film." Bucky said lazily, eyeing Steve from his place sprawled on the couch.

Steve gave a non-committal grunt and wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. "Are you kidding? It's going to be even hotter in a crowded cinema." It was 95 degrees Fahrenheit in Brooklyn, in the first week of August and Steve was roasting. He and Bucky were already shirtless in his apartment in an attempt to cool off, but it didn't seem to be helping much. Steve had somehow sprawled himself on the arm chair, his right arm hanging over the right armrest, while his left arm rested on the back of the arm chair. His left leg dangled over the left armrest while his right leg was stretched out over the cushion with the heel of his foot on the floor. Bucky was positioned in a similar fashion on the couch.

The brunette sighed dramatically. "I'm practically dying." He drawled, rolling his head onto the armrest and giving Steve the most pitiful look he could muster.

"Of boredom or the heat?" Steve closed his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at Bucky's pleading puppy dogs eyes.

"Both." Bucky drew the word out so it lasted for a whole three seconds and sounded even more pitiful than Steve though possible.

"If you want to get up-" Steve began, only to be cut off.

"No." Bucky interrupted without a moment's pause. "You can't make me move."

Steve sighed and shifted in his position, opening his eyes to look at his friend. It never ceased to amaze him how Bucky could manage to be so handsome all the time. Even hot and sweaty, stretched out on Steve's couch half naked, Bucky was the most beautiful human being Steve had ever set eyes on. He had to look away before he started staring. "I was going to say we could get ice cream, but if you don't want to move..."

Bucky perked up at the mention of ice cream. "Ice cream?" He suddenly no longer looked like he was minutes away from melting into the couch. "Why didn't you say so?" He was up and pulling his shirt back on in a matter of seconds, and by the time Steve had started pulling his own shirt back on, Bucky had his fully buttoned.

"I tried." Steve grumbled, reluctantly pulling on his shoes. Why couldn't he just go barefoot? Hot pavement, that's why. He grabbed his keys and some money and led Bucky out the door, locking it behind him.

They walked for a few blocks and for once, Bucky didn't drape his arm across Steve's shoulder. Steve would be grateful for that touch if it wasn't so hot.

The line up at the ice cream parlour was about ten people outside the shop door. Steve was determined not to be dramatic about it, but Bucky had no such inhibitions.

"Are you serious?" The brunette drawled, probably hoping the whole line up would turn around, see who he was, and part like the Red Sea. No such thing happened.

Instead, one guy at the front nearest the door yelled back at Bucky, "I've been waiting for almost twenty minutes! You wanna shut up?"

"Hey how about you shut up!" Bucky's temper rose like the mercury, and Steve had to place a hand on his friend's chest to prevent him from losing his place in line to beat someone up.

Steve knew his hand on Bucky's chest wouldn't actually stop him if he was feeling violent enough, but it did seem to ground the brunette, and bring him back to reality.

And so they waited in the sun, in sweltering heat for what felt like an eternity. In reality it was only about fifteen minutes before they made it into the building, and another seven before they picked out their ice cream.

Steve was ready to pay for his own, two scoops of vanilla, and almost had the money on the counter before Bucky calmly plunked down enough money to pay for both of them.

"It's on me, don't worry." Bucky flashed Steve a winning smile and they left the ice cream parlour, moving to a tall, leafy tree nearby for shade.

"Thanks, Bucky." Steve said, grinning as he licked around his cone; the ice cream was already starting to melt.

"Ah, no problem." Bucky replied, licking his ice cream - rocky road - more aggressively than his small blond friend and as a result, was finished before Steve had even gotten halfway down his cone. "Hey, you want some help with that?" He was grinning slyly, and leaned over to take a bite off of Steve's cone.

Steve wasn't quite sure if Bucky was actually going to go for it or if he was joking, so he instinctively moved in for a bite at the same time. It was like some sort of twisted, unrequited romance game of chicken. He was waiting for Bucky to move, and apparently Bucky was waiting for Steve to move. This all happened in about two seconds with neither of them actually backing out. And their noses touched.

Steve backed out immediately, though he didn't mind that little spark that passed through him as he touched noses with Bucky. But would Bucky feel weird about it? The look on the brunette's face said no. He was giving Steve a look the blond had never seen in his eyes before. If he had to name it, it would be unbridled need. But, of course, it was gone in a flash and left Steve feeling confused and not sure if he wanted his ice cream anymore. He made to pass it off to Bucky, but the brunette pushed it back at Steve. "No, I bought it for you. It's your ice cream." His eyebrows were arched and he was giving Steve a serious look. "Eat it." And then he added as a joke, "Before I do."

Steve obeyed, however hesitantly, and finished his ice cream. But he could not get that expression out of his mind and when they parted ways, that look of absolute need in Bucky's eyes was all he could think about. He had to take a cold shower when he got home, which helped to beat the heat and temporarily deal with the other problem he was having.

Steve couldn't understand why people always said girls were complicated. It was Bucky he couldn't understand.