Chapter 1- Uncover

Steve said it was a bad idea from the start.

When Maria Hill and Natasha had developed the idea of someone posing as Steve's boyfriend to lure the Winter Soldier out of hiding, he had done nothing but protest. Despite his arguments that it would be cruel to use their once relationship to taunt Bucky into revealing himself to them, literally everybody had told him that the Winter Soldier probably didn't know of what they had been once upon a time. They thought Steve would be crushed, but Steve had forced himself to move on once he thought Bucky had died on the Hydra Train. It had been Steve who pointed out the obvious: If Bucky doesn't know if we were even a thing, why would me having a fake boyfriend make him reveal himself?

Maria's answer had been too confusing for Steve to even think about afterwards, so he ignored it and just nodded.

When deciding who exactly was to live at Steve's apartment with him under the watchful gaze of the Winter Soldier, Maria and Nick Fury had the final say. They had ruled out Thor and Bruce immediately: Bruce being too unpredictable with his episodes and Thor due to his familiar requirements that would cause him to have to sporadically leave Steve alone for several months at a time. That left Sam, Tony and Clint in their immediate radar. Tony had immediately withdrawn himself from consideration once it was clear that he was even being considered.

Maria had initially favoured Sam, as a direct result of her continuing mistrust of Clint. Fury thought that Clint would be better, having more undercover experience and a slightly better relationship with Steve.

Thankfully Steve had not had to choose between the two.

In the end, Fury's arguments won over Maria's concerns.

Clint had smirked at him. "Looks like I'm moving in, babe."

Steve rolled his eyes good-naturedly and thought back to the night that he and Clint had secretly fooled around while Natasha was away on a mission and, thus, unable to sexually satisfy Clint. When Clint had explained how bad his blue balls were, Steve had reluctantly revealed that he empathised and thus a sexual relationship was born. It had only been a few times, a few very good times, but it had been enough to make this impending situation a lot less awkward. The way Steve saw it, when you've been literally inside of someone, there's not a lot you can't share with them. Including a house, a life and a fake relationship.

Little did they know that that fake relationship would become very real very quickly.

Two Weeks Later

Night #5- 17thMarch 2014

"So when can I expect the Winter Soldier to come busting my ass for stealing his boyfriend?"

With Clint all moved in, the two had started to get to know each other better, though not because of the ruse they were creating. Both of their natural distrust had led to them having disputes about the way they each lived their lives. From such things as meal times to the volume of the television, they seemed to disagree on everything. Steve being Steve usually let Clint have things his way.

Though not when it came to Honesty Hour.

The two had implemented it as soon as Clint had set foot in the house. One hour a night, they both took turns asking questions about the other, with total honesty being the only prerequisite. They had both learned a lot about each other. Steve had been surprised to learn that Clint was deaf and that Tony had created a device that all but erased his impairment. Clint had been surprised to learn that the rumours about Steve and Bucky's relationship had been true once upon a time. As straight-laced as Captain America was perceived, illegal homosexuality seemed absolutely his style. Steve told him everything about how Bucky was back then. It wasn't until Steve was telling him about a particular double date that he realised how alike the two were. He made a checklist of comparisons in his head.

- Unnaturally attractive, the kind of attractiveness that made anyone sitting next to them feel insecure? Check.

-Impressive prowess in the bedroom? Double check.

-Natural charisma that was only dimmed by understandable paranoia? Absolutely.

-A killer smirk? You bet.

-Almost unparalleled sarcasm and wit? Oh, how Steve hated this particular comparison.

Steve shrugged at Clint's question. "I don't. I don't even know why Maria and Nat suggested this."

Clint rolled his eyes. "Are you already considering breaking up with me? I'm incredibly hurt by this, Steven. I think I might have to sleep on the couch tonight."

"We both know that's bullshit," Steve smirked at his pretend-boyfriend.

One of the upsides to their current situation: the sex. It was just as good as it had always been: Clint eager to please and Steve more than happy to let him.

"You know I would never pass up an opportunity to sleep with you," Clint chuckled quietly. "Though, seriously now, if the Buckster's gonna come looking for me, I need to be prepared."

"I'll give you two hundred dollars and a lifetime's supply of blowjobs if you call him that to his face."

Clint scoffed. "What? And lose both of my legs and possibly a few other important body parts? No thank you! Your mouth isn't that irresistible."

"We'll see about that," Steve licked his way up Clint's neck, stopping to suck on a sensitive spot.

Oh, something about Clint and Steve? They never kissed each other on the lips. It was one of Clint's cardinal rules; said it allowed him to get attached to people quicker. Steve inferred that it was because of his failed…whatever with Natasha before Steve had even met either of them.

Clint squirmed under Steve's ministrations and panted heavily. "Okay, I think you've made your point."

"I really don't think I have," Steve grinned boyishly and slid his hand up Clint's thigh until he reached the sweet spot.

Clint placed his hand atop of Steve's and smiled genuinely at him.

Steve saw a twinkle in Clint's eye that had never been there before and it made him curious.

"Everything okay?"

If Clint was somebody else, he would've explained his internal freaking out, but he wasn't that type of person. So he left Steve in the dark, perhaps just as in the dark as he himself was about everything. Something had clicked, something strange and unexpected, but neither of them seemed to be privy to it.

Clint nodded. "Yeah, of course. A little tired, I guess."

"Oh, we don't have to do this. After all, we're dating now, we only have every day to get wild between the sheets."

"You wanna head up to bed anyway?"

And that was how Clint found himself sinking into Steve's arms as they wrapped around him from behind. He felt the soldier's breath on his neck, sending flashes of heat arcing through him. Usually it was Steve Jr. that accomplished such a feat, but now it was different. Clint knew that it was different and, as much as he was loathe to admit it to himself, he knew exactly what had changed between them.

Clint was having feelings.

Night #20- 1stApril 2014

Steve held his phone close to his ear as he tried to hear what Natasha was hurriedly saying. "Wait, what? Is this an April Fool's joke?"

Clint frowned as he gestured to Steve to ask what was going on.

"Alright, Nat. Thanks for the heads up."

"What was that about?"

Steve sighed. "Bucky. He's been sighted near here, seems to be planning an attack. Tomorrow, Nat thinks."

Clint paused. "And it's not an April Fool's prank? Nat is deadly with those."

Then Steve went completely still. "Shit."

"Language," Clint admonished mockingly.

"No, this is serious, Clint. I think Bucky remembers. Well, the Winter Soldier remembers."

"How can you be sure?"

Steve swallowed. "Because I told him I loved him for the first time on April 2. Surely it can't be coincidence that he hasn't been sighted until today. If the Winter Soldier is anything like Bucky, he knows what the date means."

Clint bit his lip. "Surely the point of the Winter Soldier is that he's nothing like Bucky? Coincidences do happen, Steve."

"What are you trying to say?" Steve found himself growing angry, which was very unlike him. He guessed it was an instinctive Bucky reflex. Whenever anyway badmouthed him, his body reacted accordingly. Skinny Steve had gotten into many fights over people saying bad things about Bucky.

Clint noticed the tension and sighed shortly. "I'm not trying to say anything. I just…don't want you to get your hopes up, that's all. If Bucky isn't the way you remember him, it might disappoint you."

"He's a killer, Clint! He couldn't be more different that the Bucky I knew! I already know how different he is, I'm not a child."

Clint decided to say nothing more on the matter. He knew that Steve would calm down later and apologise, but he just needed that time to be around himself. Steve got the hint and stalked out of the room furiously.

As Clint predicted, it did not take long for Steve to come around.

"Clint…"

"Steve."

"I'm so sorry for how I spoke to you earlier. Bucky is…a sore spot with me. I spent so long thinking that he was dead and then I found out that he was a killer. He'd been manipulated by Hydra for so long. All of those stories in the museums about him, they're nothing if anybody finds out what they made him."

As Steve sat down, Clint put a reassuring hand on his thigh.

"Steve, I can't even imagine how hard it must be on you. I'm just scared that you'll confuse Bucky with whatever they made him. It's dangerous. He's dangerous. I'm worried about you."

"But what if there's a way to get him back?"

"What if there isn't?"

Steve sighed. "You make good points, Clint. I'm glad you've been here with me throughout this." Steve's fingers sloppily threaded themselves through Clint's. "I promise, I don't have feelings for Bucky anymore. I won't let him hurt you."

Clint was still painfully aware of both his hand on Steve's thigh and his other hand linked through Steve's. "I won't let him hurt you, either. If it comes down to it, we have to stop him."

"We will," Steve agreed.

Steve looked into Clint's eyes and saw the same twinkle he had seen several times since they moved in together. Only now he knew what that twinkle was.

He had heard the earnest in Clint's voice when he was talking about fighting Bucky. He heard the fear. Steve could feel how tightly Clint was holding his hand. And how tightly he was holding Clint's. He'd known for a while, he figured, but hadn't confronted it head on. Steve remembered an inexplicable burst of happiness when Fury ordered Clint to go undercover as his boyfriend. Steve remembered the first time he and Clint sat down to dinner together. He had just never put the pieces together.

Maybe now it was time to.

Steve decided to do it just as quickly as he had decided to hold Clint's hand. His head closed the space between he and Clint, his lips brushing against the archer's experimentally. Clint pulled back slowly and exhaled unsteadily.

"Steve?"

"Don't talk for a second."

"We don't do this," Clint pointed out.

"Maybe there was a reason we didn't," Steve retorted, pressing his lips to Clint's once more. "If you don't want this, you can say."

Clint paused for just a second before swinging his leg over Steve's, straddling him. "Oh, believe me, I want this."

Clint kissed him, hard, hands gripping either side of his head. They flocked to his hair, pulling it gently, then firmly as they responded to Steve's muffled moan for more.

"Bed?" Steve gasped as he tore himself away from Clint's talented mouth.

"I'm already there," Clint hopped off his lap and started for the stairs.

Looking back on it, Steve was glad everything worked out the way it did. On April 2nd, Bucky did indeed make an appearance. He didn't attack, at least not after he discovered that Steve was safe. It turned out that all Bucky wanted to do was make sure Steve was safe. After Washington, Bucky had been following potential threats to Steve's safety. He had eliminated more than a few, to which Steve was surprised. The way he saw it, Bucky was in a state of halves. He wasn't quite the Bucky he knew, but he wasn't totally the Winter Soldier, either. It was a comforting thing to witness.

As for Clint? Bucky appraised him, but had apparently tailed him a few times before when he wasn't sure where his allegiances were regarding Steve. Overall, Bucky approved.

And that was all Steve could have hoped for.