Call It What You Want: Home Series 1 (Trans!Steve and Pan!Bucky Summer AU)

Fifty

Walking into the house, Steve lagged a little. Intentionally trying to get a moment alone with Bucky. And Steve suspected that both Natasha and Sam knew. Natasha walked just a little bit faster to the guestroom and Sam started flipping lights off on his way to his shared room with Bucky. All Steve could do was blink as he watched them head off in separate directions.

Soon enough, the pair was left by themselves, and suddenly Steve didn't know what to do.

"So," Bucky started, causing Steve to let out a little sigh of relief. Bucky shoved his hands into his shorts pockets and bashfully glanced at the floor as he suggested, "There's, uh, this... thing..."

Steve's brows were furrowed and he smirked, "What kind of... thing?"

"A movie marathon," Bucky answered, peeking up at Steve.

Chuckling, Steve asked, "You know that you already asked me to that right?"

"No," Bucky shook his head. Chuckling, himself, Bucky clarified, "Slasher Sunday. It's at midnight and they play the classics."

"Of course, they do," Steve teased. Thrilling at the way that Bucky's cheeks blushed. Mainly thrilling at the knowledge that Steve had an effect on him.

With his cheeks still red, Bucky continued, "This weekend is the Nightmare on Elm Street series." Then, a bit remorsefully, Bucky added, "But it's totally okay, if you don't want to."

Trying not to answer too quickly, Steve didn't want to seem too eager. Out of all the teen magazines and the romcoms that he'd been absorbing over the years of his short life, Steve knew one thing: being eager scared boys off. Even though Steve wanted nothing more than to readily agree to spend all the time in the world with Bucky, he held back. Trying to play it cool.

"We don't have to watch those, if you don't want to," Bucky rushed, raking his hand through his tousled brown hair that was starting to curl in the humidity. Rambling now, Bucky continued, "Although we could still watch movies. Movies are always best, I think. I mean, it's quiet and then you have something to talk about after instead of trying to think of something. And there's, there's cuddling, and --"

"Buck," Steve interrupted, giving him an amused quirk of his brow and lips. Bucky immediately shut his mouth, pressing his lips tightly to keep himself from talking while a blush flamed his face and ears. Steve's grin just grew as he accepted, "I think Slasher Sunday is a fine idea."

Then, before Steve can overthink the situation and his decision, he stood on his tip toes and pressed a sweet kiss to Bucky's cheek. Noticing the way Bucky's smile slowly stretched across his face, Steve moved back to placing his feet flat on the ground and turned on his heels. Wanting to look over his shoulder, but refraining from doing so as he walked down the short hallway to the guestroom.

As soon as he closed the door behind himself, he leaned against the door, trying to catch his breath. Lightheaded from the adrenaline, Steve pushed a shaky hand through his floppy blond hair. He needed to calm down. He needed to get a better grip on his heart. They only had two weeks left.

With a clay mask on her face, Natasha exited the ensuite and held out a jar of the smooth mask to Steve in a silent offer. Steve nodded and pushed himself off the door. Crossing the area, he passed Natasha and splashed his face with water first. Just needing to calm down a bit.

"So," Natasha started, setting the jar on the counter, "I take it, it went well."

Trying to fool Natasha as much as he was trying to fool himself, Steve rolled his eyes, "We're going to watch movies."

"Ooh," Natasha playfully cooed, holding out a thick headband for Steve.

"Don't even start," Steve chuckled, slipping the headband on and pushing it back up his forehead to get his hair out of his face. Lying to himself, "It's exactly like every other Monday, except on Saturday."

Playfully, Natasha wiggled her brows as she gleefully teased, "Saturday is date night, babe."

Steve started applying the mask to his face and paused to inform Natasha, "You're insufferable."

"Don't get mad at me for pointing out facts," Natasha held her hands up in mock surrender before poking Steve's side.

"It's not a big deal," Steve attempted again.

"It's not a big deal," Natasha mocked, rolling her eyes.

With the goo only applied to half of his face, Steve paused and chewed on the inside of his cheek as he admitted, "It's not. It's just a..." Steve paused trying to find the right word, but only being brought back to how Bucky had described the movie night, "Thing."

"You can call it what you want, but he likes you," Natasha softly insisted. Somehow always knowing how Steve was feeling and knowing exactly how to help him. Then, Natasha made her own confession, "Not just in an oh-you're-around-so-I-might-as-well type of way. But the something-more type of way. Something real."

Steve stood there for a minute. He wanted to believe Natasha. He wanted to trust her and see what she had seen. But his own insecurity and Brock's words wouldn't let him be happy. In his vulnerability, Steve quietly questioned, "Yeah, but does he like me for me? Or does he like me because I was born as a girl?"

"Stevie, I hate to break it to you. But you were never a girl," Natasha reassured. Her tone kind and nurturing. She leaned on the counter, crossing her arms along her chest. Giving a little shrug, "You might've been born with female presenting genitalia, but you were never a girl. From the day we met, I could tell."

Rolling his eyes, Steve scoffed, "We were eight, Nat."

"Yeah, and I was already crushing on other girls," a smile curling the corners of her lips as she nudged him, "But I never had a crush on you. I think my soul knew you were a boy before my eyes did. Knew before even you did."

Shaking his head, Steve went back to caking the mask back onto his face so it wouldn't be too uneven. Making faces to get it into the crevices, Steve reasoned, "You're only saying this because you're my best friend."

"No," Natasha harshly shook her own head. She strictly clarified, "I get to say this because I'm your best friend. But it doesn't make it any less true. Just like how it doesn't make Bucky's feelings for you any less true."

Looking down at his hands, he tried not to think about how much they still looked feminine to himself. A bit bitterly, Steve informed, "He's only ever dated girls."

"So? I used to only date boys and talk about dating boys. Didn't mean that I didn't like girls," Natasha explained.

Steve was glad that he had her. He was lucky to have a best friend who understood and accepted him. A best friend who could explain away his insecurity and correct him.

Smirking, Steve asked, "When did you get so smart?"

Playfully Natasha shrugged and teased, "Must run in the family."

Not knowing if she meant his family or the Barnes, but not caring. Steve wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Letting the hope in his heart grow as she reciprocated the hug.