(mhm i got that, but will he tell steve/ someone else eventually?)
"…Forget it." Steve said dismissively, shaking his head and wishing he could bring his gaze up to Bucky's face. "It doesn't matter what I'm thinking. All that matters right now, is you– finding a way to work through…whatever this thing is, without it continually hurting you."
(eventually most likely)
Bucky took a deep breath. "I don't…" He nodded a little. "Fine. Alright." He replied slowly.
"So…yeah," Steve sighed, absentmindedly tapping the cover of his sketchbook, "We'll– figure something out, I guess." He said with more hope than certainty, we have to.
Bucky swallowed, and nodded. "Alright…" He replied, voice still faint and quiet.
"Right." Steve swallowed, trying to push away the nagging reminder of how different Bucky was now. "D'you…still wanna stay here? I've got the stuff I wanna take over to the tower."
He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll…I don't know." He replied softly, shaking his head. "I'll go wherever you need me to."
"We don't need to go anywhere," Steve lightly smiled, gathering the last of his things on the coffee table. "It's just that the stuff there is better than the stuff here, appliance wise, and there's actually food in the fridge."
He nodded a little bit. "Ah. Tight. Okay." He said slowly. "Let's…go, then." He pulled his mind from his memories, letting out a breath and standing.
"Sure, yeah." Steve said with a nod, picking up his pencil case along with the little stack of books, which included the photo album, and moving towards the front door.
He took a deep breath, and followed Steve. "I can… carry things. If you want." He said slowly, running a hand through his hair.
"Oh, thanks." Steve smiled, handing Bucky his sketchbook and a book on origami. He locked the door behind him, stuffing the spare key under his welcome mat before quietly moving down the hall with him.
(?que Tony pulling up, rollin down the window like "Get in." ?)
Bucky took them, holding them carefully in his hands, not wanting to damage anything. "You're welcome." He replied calmly.
(Haha if you want! Idk how active I'ma be tonight tho)
"Hm. What are you in the mood for? For lunch, I mean." Steve asked as he walked down the single flight of stairs that led to the small lobby of the building. He thought about the app Sam had shown him how to use– 'Uber,' he called it– and wondered if he should try using it, even though hailing a cab would be faster.
( :P idk i just thought it might be a little more substantial instead of a silent cab ride lol)
Bucky shrugged. "Food?" he replied with a faint, quiet, breathy laugh. "I don't know." he held the sketchbook and book carefully as he followed Steve through the lobby and outside.
Tony honked his horn when he saw them. "I have been waiting out here for half an hour!" he exclaimed. "What were you two doing in there?"
(there lol)
Steve froze, then smiled, shaking his head as he approached Tony's car: a shiny hybrid. "Talking," He grinned, getting into the passenger side up front, "–If you can believe that."
Bucky got in the back, setting the stuff down and buckling up.
Tony smirked a little bit. "I'm not sure I do." He replied, shaking his head slightly.
"Hmph, well, what you're implying otherwise–" Steve muttered, sighing as he reached to clip in his seatbelt, "–Is a little groundless." Unless he found out about the fountain…
"Oh? Because you know the current trending hashtag for this area? #SoakedSupersoldiers. The pictures are you and your buddy in the fountain like you're about to…well. Kiss or fuck or both. So you tell me." Tony replied, smirking as he drove.
Steve's eyes widened as he spoke, looking at Tony in bewilderment. Even though he'd forgotten what a hashtag was, the fact that people knew and had seen them slightly rattled him, for some reason. "Uh–" Steve tried to speak, not knowing how to explain what had happened, "Um…I– His– his shoelace– I–"
Tony arched an eyebrow. "His shoelace…?" He smirked again. "What, Steve?" He kept driving, keeping his eyes on the road.
Steve let out a heavy exhale, somehow shrinking into his seat, praying for the fluttery feeling in his stomach to leave as he remembered his legs on either side of Bucky, looking down at his face and– "Uhm…yeah, it was untied." He said with a nod, confirming his own words, "And we– I… tripped, and…yeah."
Tony was still smirking. He shook his head. "Uh huh. Likely story, Steve." he replied, glancing over at the blonde, then back at the road again. "I totally believe you." his tone was sarcastic, making it obvious that he did not, in fact, believe Steve.
Bucky was silent, looking out the window and doing his best to ignore the conversation.
"–Ask Bucky!" Steve suggested, hoping Bucky would back him up, though he secretly wished it'd been different. What if they'd fallen under different circumstances? Like Tony thought they had. The thought of it made his stomach flutter. "It's the truth– you know I wouldn't lie. It was an accident."
"It wasn't anything." Bucky echoed calmly, eyes still directed out the window at the city they drove past.
Tony sighed. "Damn, sorry for trying to help you get laid." he replied teasingly, shaking his head and laughing.
Steve let his own laugh, turning to Tony. "That's you trying?" He smiled, knowing that he wouldn't exactly need convincing if that opportunity came up. "Suggestions and innuendos? Let's get a round of applause."
Tony stuck out his tongue. "Nah. Planting the idea in your heads, idiot. That's the first step. Then I gotta make it happen…" He trailed off, smirking.
"Make it happen?" Steve questioned, knowing that he was being sarcastic but– "There are steps?" How much of this had Tony actually thought about? Did he really know? Even though the 'idea' wasn't foreign to Steve, he couldn't help but wonder if Tony's plan had some real logistics to it.
Tony smirked. "Easiest way is to get you two drunk and then lock you in a room together…" He said thoughtfully, a shit-eating smirk on his features.
Bucky clenched his jaw a little bit, staring out the window.
"You say that like you think it could actually work," Steve smiled, rolling his eyes at Tony's remarks. "–And we can't really get drunk," He reminded him, but thought back to the game of truth or dare after their group dinner. Fully sober Steve still couldn't believe that he'd kissed Bucky.
(i gtg to bed soon)
Tony shrugged a little. "It could." he replied with a laugh. "And yes you can. With Thor's stuff. You got sort of drunk last night, soooo." he smirked again, glancing over at Steve.
