The bell signaling the end of ninth period rang, and all the students in Steve's ninth period class haphazardly packed up their things and bolted for the door. He, too, had to be on his way because baseball season was upon the private school, and he had a team to coach. Steve, however, took a bit more time than usual packing up because of his hopes of seeing one particular auto mechanic teacher.

Ever since Marvelle Academy had come back from winter break, every so often, James Buchanan Barnes would come to Steve's classroom (on the complete opposite side of the building, he might add) after the bell for ninth period rang. Bucky, as Steve started to call him, would usually come with some sort of history book in his hands that he had bought for Steve. The blond was always surprised at the gesture, even though at this point Bucky had bought him three other books. Steve thought it was endearing.

As if the thought of it summoned him, Bucky knocked on the open door with yet another book in his hand. Steve gestured him in, and the brunet pushed his long bangs out of his face. His outfit today wasn't much different than on any other given day; he wore a t-shirt that was splattered with grease and oil as were his loosely fitting jeans. The ends of his jeans were lazily tucked into his work boots, and his long hair was messily thrown into a knot at the back of his head. Steve looked up at his face and couldn't help but grin; the idiot had a streak of oil smudged on his cheek. Bucky's blue eyes were framed with dark lashes, and Steve watched as they darted away from his as the brunet held out the book to him.

"Another book?" Steve asked in genuine surprise. "Bucky, you really don't have to—"

"It was nothing really," he cut the blond off. "I saw it while I was out this weekend, and I was pretty sure you didn't have this one yet, so I grabbed it for you."

Steve looked down at it—it was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Another World War II era novel. The blond chuckled as he set it down on his desk. "Thanks, Buck. I appreciate it, but you really don't have to keep getting me books. Admittedly, World War two is my favorite topic to teach but seriously. You don't have to go out of your way to get me these books you know."

Bucky played with the frayed end of his shirt sleeve and grinned. "Alright, alright, fine. No more books for Steve Rogers 'cause he's too good for them."

"Aw, c'mon I didn't say it like that—" Steve chuckled and then caught a glance at the clock on the wall above Bucky's head. "Ah, crap I'm going to be late. We're up against Xavier's today." Steve made a face that betrayed his worry about the outcome of the game. Bucky rolled his eyes playfully and punched Steve lightly in the shoulder.

"I'm sure you guys will do fine," he turned as the blond made his way around Bucky. Steve stopped for a moment, opening his mouth to ask if the brunet was going to watch the game, but clamped his mouth shut. Why would Bucky want to watch the game anyways? Marvelle Academy's baseball team sucked and everyone in the state knew it. Bucky wouldn't have cared to see the state's worst team play.

"Steve? Were you going to say something?" Bucky called out, snapping him out of his thoughts. Steve looked over his shoulder at him and gave him a wave.

"Oh, nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

XXX

To put it lightly, Marvelle Academy's baseball team was no match for the team from Xavier Institute. However, no matter how shit the team was, Bucky went to all the home games. For the most part, parents and younger siblings of the players would be sitting in the stands; occasionally, another teacher would be there, but usually Bucky was the only one. He probably really should have been grading projects for his introductory class, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity of seeing Steven Grant Rogers in a polo and a stupid baseball cap.

So, Bucky sat at the top of the bleachers, distanced from the parents and the younger siblings. He bit his lower lip as he watched the blond behind the face that separated the batter and the umpire from the rest of the team on the bench. Although he was at quite a distance, Bucky could tell that Steve was frustrated and rightfully so. Bucky was pretty sure they hadn't won a game since the beginning of the prior school year. It had been the first game of the season.

And as the batter struck out, the brunet saw Steve hit his forehead against the chain link fence and felt as if he could hear him sigh even across the field. They had just lost. Again.

The boys on the Xavier Institute team cheered, as they had beat Marvelle 12-2. The boys from the Academy, with shoulders slumped, lined up to half-heartedly high five the boys from the other team. The parents in the stands began to disperse and make their way to the parking lot. Bucky rose to his feet as well, and began making his way to the dugout.

Steve was just finishing his spiel to the team as Bucky walked up; Steve was saying something cheesy about how losing wasn't the worst thing in the world. The boys rose to their feet and trudged their way back to the locker room, tossing surprised glances at Bucky as they passed. He knew some of the boys on the team as they were in his class. However, they walked by him without saying a word. Steve turned in his direction, but didn't seem to notice Bucky. The blond was buried in the papers on his clipboard so Bucky took a step closer. Steve looked up.

"Oh!" he said in surprise. The blond's blue eyes seemed to light up, but Bucky was for sure that it was just his imagination. "Didn't expect you to come see the game. Turns out you were wrong. We lost again. Not like that was much of a surprise."

Bucky shrugged. "You can't win 'em all, Cap. Besides, I don't think anyone has beaten Xavier's. I'm pretty sure they've had an undefeated season."

"I guess so," Steve shrugged a shoulder as he picked up his binder of plays. "But it'd be nice to win a game. Or at least tie."

The two started walking back towards the school together in comfortable silence. Then, Bucky thought of something that tugged his lips up at the corners. He glanced up at Steve.

"How about I make a deal with you, Mr. Rogers?" The brunet smirked as he looked up at Steve.

"What kind of deal?" The blond inquired, sounding wary.

Bucky stopped for a moment. "If the team loses their next home game, you, Mr. Rogers, have to take me out for coffee one day."

At this, Steve raised an eyebrow, in either surprise or question, Bucky didn't know. The blond folded his arms across his chest, his well-muscled arms looking unfairly attractive in his polo. Bucky worried his lower lip, wondering if he had overstepped his boundaries. He panicked for a split second.

Steve smirked as he looked back up at him, and all the air left Bucky's lungs. "And if the team wins?"

The brunet blinked dumbly. "Uh," he said intelligently. "That's—that's up to you. What are you gonna wager?"

"If the team wins the next home game…" Steve started. He stood there for a moment, thinking. Bucky was pretty sure the blond wouldn't ask for something so selfish like a date. He'd probably make him run perimeters around the school with the team during practice. Something stupid like that.

However, Steve Rogers could be full of surprises.

"If the team wins the next home game, then you have to take me out to dinner."

Bucky's eyebrows shot up as soon as he registered what Steve had said. His heart raced in his chest as he stared dumbly at the slightly smug expression on the blond's face. Say something, you idiot, he urged himself.

To his surprise, his voice was steady when he replied. "Then we have ourselves a deal."