Steve stood backstage and could actually feel his legs shaking, what the hell was he doing? He knew they needed money but a drag competition? He shook his head and looked down at his outfit, he looked like a man in a dress, but some of the people waiting looked more like women than some of the female soldiers he had been deployed with! He glanced around knowing Sharon was right, it was easy money and if he caught the eye of the man who ran the place, Tony Stark, then he could have a regular gig doing this and they would have extra money coming in...all he had to do was what Sharon had shown him mime along to I am What I am and do the routine she made up for him...if only it was that easy...
Bucky leant against the bar and glanced out over the crowd, he was popular on the scene and dressed in tight fitted jeans and a white tight shirt to show off his body. He was not a big guy, but he had a good body and he loved coming to the club and seeing who he could score with. He knew he looked good and he took a sip of whiskey eager for the drag competition to end so the straights would leave and he could take his pick.
Backstage Steve was close to backing out, his heart was beating fast and the contestant in front of him was almost finished. Beside him stood Tony Stark, they had said a cursory hello but it was clear he was not going to stand for idle chit chat he had a job to do. Steve understood people like that well and though he could barely walk in the heels he had on, and the corset was digging into his ribs he knew he could not go back on his word.
He and Sharon had been together for a while and were living together, talk of children and marriage often came up and he knew she wanted better than the life he could give her on servicemen's pension. He had spoken to his councillor Sam Wilson and he had simply laughed and begged for photographs...though he did mention that stepping out of your comfort zone can give a person a new outlook though a gay bar was not exactly the usual choice!
The music ended and Tony Starke smiled over at him, "Good luck!" and with that headed out to introduce him. Steve watched him walk around with his arms outstretched like a circus ring leader, getting the crowd going and making him sound like someone to watch. He frowned as he pondered why he would talk him up more than the others, though his ID did say he was a serviceman they had not spoken about it. Shrugging he knew he needed to get his head in the game and he took a deep breath as his song started and Tony stepped back into the wings.
Bucky was bored, he had screwed all the good looking guys and if he was honest he was getting to the point where he wanted more. He knew most of his friends would mock him for it, but he honestly wanted to grow up and settle down. He worked for the army though he told nobody what he did and tried to forget the things he had done by drinking and fucking. This was not somewhere to meet someone to settle down with though and he downed his whiskey thinking of calling it a night, he just was not in the mood.
Sniffing he nodded a hello to an old flame and glanced up at the stage and froze, there dancing around like an idiot was the worst drag artist he had ever seen! It was easy to see that he never did his own make up, he couldn't walk in those heels, and the colour of the dress!...But there was something about how he was clearly giving it his all and his all too blue eyes that drew Bucky in. He smiled and leant against the bar ordering another drink...he was not going to leave until he had met that man!
Steve stumbled off the stage and took a seat with the other contestants, his eyes scanned the crowd for Sharon who stood up and waved over at him. He smiled back and shook his head knowing for sure he didn't stand a chance. He had danced around like an idiot, and almost fallen twice! He was just glad that he could sit down, it was over now he had given it a try and Sharon could say nothing more about it.
Bucky kept his eyes trained on the clearly relieved cute guy who thought he had no chance, but he hadn't heard the crowd! Everyone had gone crazy for him and Bucky could tell he had a good body...but then he noticed a blonde woman waving at him and he shook his head, "Of course he's straight!" he said rolling his eyes. He hated straight guys trying to walk on the wild side, but as he looked back at him he couldn't help but feel that wasn't the reason he was here.
Tony Stark stepped to the front of the stage and smiled, "You have been a great audience and wasn't all our ladies fabulous? Give them a round of applause!" he said waiting for it to die down. "Your reactions have been taken into consideration, as well as my own personal view of them because they are winning a spot here every Wednesday night!" the crowd cheered "And the winner is...contestant number 5!"
It took a moment for it to register, Steve frowned and looked at his arm, yes that was his number but there must be a mistake? Nudged along by the other contestants and the crowd he stumbled up to the stage and was handed a cheque and as he looked out he wondered what the hell he was going to do every week? He looked out unhearing and unseeing as a cute boy by the bar decided he would have to start coming to the club every week...
Hope you all like it, this will be a story of love and decisions, of courage to choose and be yourself...Please like and review to keep the muse dancing