Steve chewed the end of his pen nervously. Art was his true passion. It was what he spent his life doing. Everything in this gallery was his life work. Bar a few pieces. He had sold a few paintings over the years. However, this was his first one man show. This was the first time it had been just a collection of just his works. He had submitted pieces for events previously. Not that he had ever attended. He wasn't a big name, he wasn't the most well known. It was hard to self promote, but he did his best anyway.

He walked around the gallery once more, looking at all the pieces and making sure the title plates were the right ones for the correct artwork. He knew they were, but it stopped him from feeling so nervous.

Natasha, a close friend of his, walked over and touched his shoulder. "Stop worrying. Its annoying me."

"My first exhibition opens in an hour. In one hour I will either have heaps of people show, or I will have nobody show. If nobody shows, I feel like I won't be able to ever have another show."

She rubbed his back. "Steve, tonight will be fine."

He nodded. "Yeah."

She raised a brow. "That was the least convincing 'yeah' I have heard in my whole life. You should be so proud right now. You have been waiting for this moment for how long?"

He bit his lip. "I would say... almost fifteen years."

"Exactly. You have worked so hard for this. You have to enjoy this. You will have so many people here you will be over-socialized and then you won't want to have one simply because everyone will want to talk to you."

He chuckled. "Thanks Nat."

"You better have your inhaler."

"I do."

"And please don't drink any of the champagne. It will react with your med-"

"I know. Thanks."

"I was just reminding you."

"I appreciate it." He looked at the painting he was standing next to. It was one of his personal favorites. It wasn't over detailed, it was a simple water color still life he had done for fun, but ended up falling in love with it. It was one of his older pieces that he still owned. It meant a lot to him simply because it was of items that his mother had owned, family heirlooms. It made him think of her every time he saw it, and hoped that she would be proud of him.

Natasha smiled warmly at him, something she only reserved for Steve and their mutual, but close friend Clint.

He smiled back.

"Well, now that you're feeling better, the only thing you really have to worry about is having Tony Stark open the exhibit for you. I have no idea why you picked him."

"Well, he offered."

She shook her head. "Alarm bells rang in my head when you first told me."

"Its okay, Pepper said she would proof read his speech."

"Steve, you know what Tony gets like. His stupid fucking improvisation and his-"

"Nat, I have faith in him."

She shook her head. "If you wanted a billionaire to open for you, he was the only one I would advise against.

Steve had met Tony at another gallery opening a few years prior. Steve had been invited by a friend from his art school who knew the artist personally as a plus one. Of course Tony had been there. Nothing like a little publicity. Steve was more surprised that Tony had known who he was, and spoken of his art. Before he knew it he had been commissioned for a painting. Natasha had said that Tony had only asked for one because Steve looked so sickly he was hoping to make money from the painting once he died, but Steve had a little bit more faith in Tony than Natasha, and was sure that Tony actually liked his work back then. Natasha just wasn't the biggest fan of Tony. They did talk to each other civilly most of the time, so that was a plus.

"Speak of the devil" Natasha sighed.

Tony flashed her a grin. "Nat" he said, before looking at Steve. "Congrats on your own exhibition."

"Thanks Tony" he smiled, shaking his hand. "And thank you for-"

"Please don't thank me until after."

Natasha rolled her eyes.

"What was that for Nat?" Tony asked, mock hurt in his voice.

"If you fuck this up-" she hissed, before Steve cut her off.

"How about I show you through the exhibit real quick?" he asked Tony.

"Sure. Thanks Steve."

...

"Okay, let's hope this doesn't fuck everything you worked hard for up" Natasha said as Tony took the stage.

The turnout had been more impressive than Steve had thought possible, and with Natasha's constant dismissive comments about Tony, he was now internally panicking. He felt his chest constrict.

"Your inhaler?" Nat said softly, a hint of worry in her voice.

Steve nodded and pulled it from his pocket, administering the puffs. He couldn't take his eyes of Tony, suddenly fearing the worst.

"Good evening ladies and gents."

Natasha bit her lip, standing still as she glowered at Tony.

"It really is an honor to be here, not only as an art enthusiast-"

"Liar" Natasha whispered. "Everyone knows Pepper chooses their art."

Steve had to chuckle softly at the truth of her statement.

"-but as a friend of Steven Rogers, and a supporter of this gallery, and friend of the curator."

Natasha looked at Steve. "Did you ask Tony to get this place for you?"

Steve shook his head. "I had no idea. But I mean, when you have that much money you know everyone, right?"

"True" she agreed.

"I am also proud to be here as the galleries newest sponsor. Miss. Pepper Potts and I have decided-"

"Of course its all about him."

Steve elbowed her lightly.

"What?"

"Shh" he couldn't help but grin as he shushed her.

"Steven Rogers is, as I said, a friend of mine. These beautiful works of his tell many stories. Stories of his life; his childhood, his family and friends. Each piece a wonderful memory of a different time in his life."

Steve was pleased when he looked up at Natasha who was finally smiling.

"To see this exhibition is to view life, not only from someone else's perspective, but to live in it for a moment. The pieces in this exhibition are, above all things, beautiful. This is a wonderful exhibition which I am honored to open. Thank you." He flashed his charming smile as he stepped down from the podium.

Natasha nodded. "Flowery, but nice."

"See" Steve said. "I told you I had faith in him."

"You are so lucky."

Tony caught up with them. "How was that?"

"It would be nice if I didn't miss some of it cause Nat kept interrupting" Steve joked.

Tony pouted at Natasha. "Not nice Nat."

Steve smiled. "Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to open this for me. I am the one who feels honored Tony."

He smiled. "More than welcome Steve. Well, I will leave you to it. I spotted a server with champagne."

Nat shook her head as Steve waved bye at Tony.

"Well, overall, that speech went well" he smiled.

She nodded. "I am glad. If he ruined it I would have-"

"Mr. Rogers?"

"What Nat? Why did you stop talking?"

"The guy behind you called your name."

Steve sighed. "Couldn't hear him" he muttered and Nat nodded understandingly. He looked around at a young photographer. "Peter Parker with The Daily Bugle."

"Hi there" he smiled politely.

"Just wanted to get a photo for the paper with your and Mr. Stark, would that be possible?"

Steve turned his ear towards the man. "Sorry, could you just speak up a little?"

"Sorry, I am just a little awestruck to be talking to you. I'm a bit of a fan you could say. I was hoping to get a picture with you and Mr. Stark for the paper, if that is possible."

"Oh, thank you and it should be-"

"I will go and find him" said Natasha.

"Can I ask you a few questions while I have you here?" Peter asked.

"Of course."

"Thank you. Firstly, congratulations. How does it feel to have achieved this?"

"Thank you. It feels amazing. I can't quite believe that all of this has fallen into place like this."

He smiled. "But you have had work displayed in other exhibitions, yes?"

"I have. But not for... a few years. Maybe two."

"You have been really busy with getting all these paintings done over the years, do you feel that tonight was the big payoff?"

"Absolutely."

"You called?" Tony asked, sauntering over.

"I swear he has already drank at least fifty percent of the alcohol for tonight" Natasha sighed, standing next to Peter as he took a few pictures of Tony and Steve together.

"I did not" Tony replied, rolling his eyes. "Jeez, not nice of you to be saying things like that Nat. Anyway, I started drinking before I got here."

She rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable. Do I have to call Pepper?" she asked, grabbing her phone.

"Lesson leaned" Tony replied. "Steve, it never ceases to amaze me how short you are."

Steve sighed. "Thanks Tony, just what I wanted to hear."

"Welcome."

He chuckled.

"Thank you for your time Mr. Stark" Peter said, looking a little bit more starstruck at seeing Tony so close. Steve took the second he had to sit down. All the stressing he had done and his bad health in general had left him feeling exhausted. He sighed, glad to be able to get off his feet for at least a few minutes. "Why do these things have to always start so late?" he asked himself.

Natasha walked over. "You feeling okay?"

"I am exhausted."

She nodded, sitting next to him. "Everyone is having a great time" she smiled. "I am sure you will make a few sales the way people are talking."

"Really?"

She nodded. "You know I like to listen out" she chuckled.

"You do that well too."

She smiled. "Thank you. By the way, I forgot to tell you, Clint was going to come in but couldn't. Last minute work commitments."

"Understandable. I gathered he must have been busy when you showed up without him."

"Steve, you look awful. And not like you should have spruced up a little more, more like you really need to get some sleep."

"I know."

"No one will be angry with you if you leave now."

"Just half an hour, then I will go."

She nodded. "Okay. But if you need to go, I have this under control."

He smiled. "I know you do."

"Mr. Rogers?"

The two of them looked up at the man with neatly trimmed, short, brown hair.

"That's me" Steve said in his tired state.

Natasha bit her lip to stop an unsightly chuckle from escaping. "What was that?" Steve only just heard her muttering to herself.

The man smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you. You too" Steve replied, shaking the mans outstretched hand.

Nat shook her head and turned away to cough (laugh at Steve) politely.

The man frowned. "Thanks?" he asked, looking confused.

"I have to apologize, I am feeling really, really tired" Steve admitted.

"Oh... I hope I'm not bothering you-"

"Not at all. Besides the journalist and my friends I haven't really talked to anyone" he realized as he spoke.

The man smiled. "Thank you for your time then. I appreciate it. I saw one of your works... to be honest, I can't really remember where, but... I just thought your work was... nice... sorry, I'm not really... I don't know much about art" he admitted, looking sheepish. "But it was just after I saw that painting and I just happened upon a... I think it was in a magazine? I mean, I don't know... I think it was..."

Natasha pulled a bit of a 'what the hell' face at Steve, but Steve could hardly look away from the man who was rambling to him.

"It was in one of those 'what's happening locally' ones and I saw one of your paintings in it and there was a picture of you and there was information about tonight... and I just wanted to say that..."

Natasha was now staring at the guy as if he had grown a second head. Steve had never seen her look so confused in his life. His attention was drawn back to the man very quickly when he started talking again.

"... I am so glad that I was able to come here tonight to meet you."

Steve was listening, of course, but at the same time he couldn't help but be distracted because this human was just so beautiful.

Wait, did he just say he was glad to meet him? Steve Rogers? Impossible. He looked at Nat who winked at him before looking back at the man. "Well, I am... I am flattered. Thank you" Steve smiled politely. He was legitimately complimented. Not many people said that they were actually pleased to meet him.

The man smiled, a light pink dusted across his cheeks, grin still firmly in place. "I just wanted to know why you didn't open with a speech of your own?"

Steve chuckled. "Artists don't open their own shows. If they do, there is a high chance they're drunk."

The man chuckled. "So, Mr. Rogers-"

Steve grinned. "Steve, please don't feel you have to be so formal with me."

Natasha raised a brow.

"What?" he asked her.

"That is a big smile Steve" she smiled knowingly.

Steve felt his face light up. He looked back at the brunette. "I just... didn't catch your name."

"James. Call me Bucky."

"Well, now I can say its a pleasure to meet you" Steve smiled, a sudden burst of confidence overtaking him. He stood up and shook Bucky's hand properly.

Bucky grinned. "To be honest I don't think I have ever been so excited to meet anyone well known."

"Well known?"

Steve looked at Tony. Oh no.

"Steve isn't that well known" Tony chuckled. "Hey Nat."

She sighed. "Fuck off Tony."

He looked back at Steve. "Well, I must say, this is great. You should hear all these art types. They really like your stuff. Don't get me wrong, I love it too, but these people are like... really into it. Don't you think that's weird?" he asked.

"I guess they wouldn't go to an art gallery if they didn't want to talk about art" said Bucky, looking at Tony like he was a rude, obnoxious prick.

Natasha sighed and grabbed her phone. "Its obvious someone has had too much to drink."

Tony shrugged. "It's damn fine champagne. Anyway, I'm not drunk. Just excited."

Bucky looked perpetually confused by Tony's behavior. "Is he always like this?" he asked Steve.

"No-"

"Yes" said Nat. "Oh, hi Pepper. Tony is being a drunk. ... Yep. ... Thank you. ... See you soon. ... Bye." she looked at Tony. "You better be on your best behavior for the next ten minutes."

"You called Pepper?" he asked exasperated. "Why?"

"You're annoying me and ruining the subtle romance that was blossoming" she said. Deep down she was moved by Bucky and Steve's impending awkward relationship in a mysterious way. Not that they had to know.

Steve yawned. "I am going to head off" he said to Natasha.

She nodded. "I think you have the right idea. You get a good nights sleep."

He nodded. "I will. Promise."

She smiled. "Good. Good. Are you right for a lift?"

"I will take a cab-"

"Get a lift with Pepper."

Tony nodded. "We'll drop you back."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Natasha rubbed his back. "Will you be okay?"

"Yeah. A bit of rest will do me wonders." He looked at Bucky. "It's been wonderful meeting you. I mean... I really enjoyed talking to you."

"Likewise" Bucky smiled. "I would-"

"Tony, you haven't been causing trouble have you?" Pepper asked, rushing over to check that he was okay.

"'m fine. Natasha's fault. Also we are dropping Steve home."

She nodded. She looked at Steve. "Congratulations. You had an incredible turnout."

"Thank you."

She smiled. "Welcome. Well, I have to get this drunk in the car, do you have everything?"

Steve nodded, double checking his inhaler was in his back pocket. "I'm good to go."

"Good, let's go."

Steve looked at Bucky one last time. "Thank you" he said, giving Bucky the most genuine smile he had probably ever smiled. He followed Pepper and Tony to the car, taking the backseat.