Always There (Stucky One Shots and Short Stories)

Pre-Serum Stucky - Double Date

Steve Rogers was in no way looking forward to the evening. Bucky had invited him to go on a double date later that day. Steve was no good with girls. Girls didn't like Steve and he was mostly okay with that. What he was dreading was having to go the whole night watching the person he loved kiss his date and dance with her and be generally affectionate. And Steve would have to suck it up. He'd have to deal with it, the jealousy and misery and have to keep it to himself. He'd probably end up crying himself to sleep.

He sighed, checking his appearance one last time in the mirror. His hair was fine, his face was fine, his clothes were fine. All he was missing was the height and some muscle definition.

He couldn't tell Bucky no. Every time Steve tried, the brunette gave him the most heart-breakingly adorable sad puppy eyes and Steve did not know how to say no to that face. He supposed he'd better learn.

Steve frowned at the mirror before going to wait for Bucky in the living room. He was supposed to bring both the girls by to pick him up. Steve did not want to go. They only part of this night that he was looking forward to was seeing Bucky. He guessed he could open the door, take a good look at Bucky and then feign sick to get out of the double date. If it were anyone but Bucky Barnes, that plan might work. But Steve knew exactly what would happen. Bucky would drop everything to take care of Steve in his "sickness". And when he found out that Steve wasn't actually sick? He didn't want to think about that.

And then there was that fateful knock at the door and Steve felt his heart drop into his stomach. Physically he was prepared for this double date. Emotionally? He could never be emotionally prepared for this. Even so, he answered the door with a smile and a wave, pretending to be happy seeing Bucky with a girl on his arm.

"Hey, Steve." Bucky said with a grin and Steve had an idea that Bucky had had a few drinks before coming over. "This is Cindy," He said, motioning to the girl on his arm. "And this is," He paused, not getting the name out in time.

"Betty." She said, ignoring Bucky.

"Yes, Betty." The brunette was grinning sheepishly and Steve gave him a very small, reproving head shake.

Steve couldn't help but notice that the girl hanging off of Bucky's arm was blond, almost exactly the same shade as Steve's own hair, and her eyes were blue like his. Steve wondered fleetingly if Bucky had a thing for blue eyed blonds.

Betty was a well groomed brunette with stunning blue-green eyes. Steve was seeing parallels here and he wondered if Bucky did this on purpose or if it was a happy accident.

Steve greeted Betty like a gentleman and they left with Steve locking his apartment behind him. He may not have had much experience with women, but he at least knew how not to be an ass. Which, at the moment, was more than he could say for Bucky.

Bucky was maybe two drinks tops from being a hot, drunken mess and Steve knew what could happen if he had any more alcohol. So he actively steered them away from any places selling alcoholic drinks and made the decision to take the girls dancing.

To Steve the night was a blur of trying to pretend he was having a good time and avoiding eye contact with Bucky. Steve was pretty sure Betty didn't like him. In fact, he was pretty sure no girl in the whole state of New York liked him. For a brief moment he felt bitter. Bucky got all the girls, he was tall and strong and handsome and Steve was small and weak and skinny and all kinds of sick. He couldn't get a girl if he tied her up and kept her in his basement. Then again, he didn't exactly want a girl. He didn't want any girls. He just wanted Bucky. And there was Bucky on the other side of the room having a great time without him. Steve was pretty much by himself at this point. No one would notice if he just went home. He could leave and no one would know. Bucky would know. Bucky always knew. Bucky would look over and Steve would be gone and he'd drop everything to know why. Steve couldn't tell him why. Not the real reason anyway.

This night was just turning out horrible for Steve and he knew that if he valued his mental health - it was kind of the only actual health he did have - he would leave. He would go home, go to bed and probably cry himself to sleep.

As soon as Steve made to leave, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see Bucky, a mildly concerned look on his face. Steve expected some sort of wisecrack from his friend, or maybe even a playful nudge to his shoulder, but there was none of that.

Instead, Bucky said in a soft voice, his words slurring just slightly, "You wanna go home?"

Was there a right answer to this question? Steve felt like he had single handedly ruined the entire night simply by not enjoying himself. When he didn't reply, Bucky prompted him with an arched eyebrow and a slight head tilt. Steve finally replied with a very small nod, feeling like a proper idiot. I ruined everything.

Bucky caught the look on his friend's face and shook his head. " 'S fine." He assured the blond before waving a farewell to the girls and leading Steve back outside and homeward bound.

"I'm sorry I ruined your date." Steve said in a small voice as they walked, keeping his head down and his hands in his pockets.

"Hey, don't start with that." Bucky said, a scolding tone to his voice as he draped an arm across Steve's shoulders. "It was your date too, and if you're not having fun, you have every right to leave."

"Yeah, I guess." Steve sighed.

Bucky walked him all the way home and left him at the door with a look that told Steve there was something going unsaid. At this point, the blond didn't care. He bid Bucky a good night and got himself ready for bed.

It was a little early to sleep, so he took his sketchbook with him to draw for an hour or so before actually going to sleep. He draw Bucky dancing with Steve in his arms and that night Steve dreamed of dancing a waltz with Bucky. He dreamed of a different world, where Bucky felt the same way and Steve knew how to dance.