NOT WITHOUT YOU | stucky one-shots

Invisible

Based off of CA:TFA

"See? I told you," Bucky drawled at Steve as he walked in. Steve had been asking his friends if they'd be down to help take down HYDRA bases, be his team. "They're all idiots." He sipped his drink.

Steve sat down beside him. "What about you?" he asked, turning a little to face Bucky. "You ready to follow Captain America into the jaws of death?"

"Hell no," Bucky said softly. "That little guy from Brooklyn who was too dumb not to run away from a fight. I'm following him." He looked up to see Steve's face change from confusion to gentle affection. "...But you're keeping the outfit, right?" he added, a smirk growing on his face.

"You know what?" Steve glanced over to a Captain America tour poster on the wall. "It's kinda growin' on me." They grinned at each other and sat side by side, listening to their friends belt out a popular drinking song.

Abruptly the singing faded. They leaned back to look over and saw Agent Peggy Carter walking towards them, dressed stunningly in a red dress. The two stood, as was proper in a lady's presence.

"Captain," she greeted Steve in her crisp British accent.

"Agent Carter."

She nodded to Bucky. Courteously, he inclined his head. "Ma'am."

The agent turned back to Steve. "Howard has some equipment for you to try. Tomorrow morning?"

"Sounds good." Steve's eyes flickered over her body, down to the ground, then back to Bucky. He gave Steve a reassuring smile, knowing how Steve had no experience with women.

"I see your top squad is prepping for duty," Agent Carter noted.

Cheekily, Bucky asked, "You don't like music?"

She turned her gaze back to Steve. "I do, actually. I might even, when this is all over, go dancing."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Bucky let his voice lower huskily.

The agent kept her eyes locked onto Steve's. "The right partner." After a moment, she said, "0800, Captain." and turned to leave.

"Yes ma'am," Steve replied. "I'll be there."

Bucky watched her go, then turned back to Steve, a shocked expression on his face. "I'm invisible," he forced a laugh. "I'm, I'm turning into you. It's like a horrible dream." He averted his eyes, looking everywhere but at Steve.

Steve grimaced and patted Bucky's shoulder. "Don't take it so hard. Maybe she's got a friend." With a sympathetic look, he walked past him to look for Howard Stark.

Bucky didn't move. He knew this would happen, he could see it from a mile away, and he didn't expect anything different, but it still hurt him in a way he never knew could hurt. He hadn't been referring to Peggy when he said he was invisible. He hadn't been talking to Peggy when he asked why wait to dance. He hadn't meant what Steve thought he meant when he said he was turning into the old Steve.

Before the war, when they had been younger, Bucky had been the ladies' man. There was always some girl who wanted to go out on a date with him, and it was always Steve who tagged along and ended up wandering off into some back alley for Bucky to find, beaten up and sometimes unconscious. Steve had wanted Bucky's love almost as much as those girls.

Now it was completely reversed. Captain America was a nationwide, hell, worldwide hero. He was admired by fellow soldiers and swooned over by women. He had found Agent Carter, and their spark ignited.

Now Steve's eyes were only for Peggy. He was blind to Bucky's affectionate looks, which were more than brotherly. He was deaf to Bucky's subtle flirting and teasing, which he had used to return. Bucky knew that he still had Steve's friendship and loyalty, but he had lost his love.

Hey Steve, you always wanted to go dancing.
Now is not the time, Bucky.
C'mon, I'll teach you. You never know when it might come in handy.
Maybe after the war.
...You're going to try and enlist again, aren't you? Steve, stop doing this to yourself...

"Looks like I just lost myself the right partner," Bucky muttered to himself. He gulped down his drink and ordered another.

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Recognize this scene??! When I watched CA:TFA for the 1029434762938756th time my Stucky-obsessed mind just thought that this might have been Bucky's thought process... Hope you enjoyed the angst :')

Also the fanart is unrelated but I thought it shows how much Bucky really loved Steve from the start uwu