Steve's body ached with exhaustion. He could hardly remember the last time he slept in his own apartment; things were so hectic he had spent most of his time at work, often sleeping there as well. At least now it was confirmed that he was a little too large to sleep comfortably on a couch.
The only thing he looked forward too now that he had finally gone back to his place was crawling in bed beside Bucky and sleeping there for another decade. Unlocking the door to their apartment, Steve stiffly massaged the back of his neck with his hand and walked into the dim flat.
The day had gotten late enough that Steve figured Bucky had turned out the lights and gone to bed. He managed to fumble his way across the dark apartment, shrugging off his coat in the process.
On his way to the bedroom, the light seeping from under the bathroom door caught Steve's eye. It was fairly silent, and he wondered if James had left the light on on accident.
Sighing, Steve left his coat to drape over the back of the couch as he walked to the bathroom. He opened the door only a smidge at first, planning to snake his arm through and flick off the lights. Soon enough, the invigorating smell of colognes wafted out to greet him.
Steve's throat tightened up for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the light in the bathroom. By now, Bucky was hanging over the side of the bathtub, his shoulders sticking out of the water like some rugged mermaid. His hair was wet and stuck to his face in small streaks, but he just smiled childishly up at Steve.
"Took you long enough." Bucky murmured sarcastically, his fingers drumming the lip of the tub. Soft white bubbles wrapped to his torso and arms, some spilling over the edge and onto the floor. "I feel like I've been waiting years."
Steve narrowed his blue eyes and sighed, leaning against the door frame. "Ha-ha." He mocked slowly. "It's past midnight, Buck. What are you doing?"
The brunette looked around suggestively as if he wasn't sure what could be more obvious. "Laying in an oversized pot of water waiting for your ass to get home. What does it look like?"
Unable to suppress a slight grin, Steve walked further into the bathroom and nudged the door closed with his foot, to which Bucky perked up like a dog seeing a treat. "I mean why are you taking a bath in the middle of the night?"
Bucky shrugged. "Barton called and asked if I wanted to get drinks with you guys. I asked if you were tagging along, but he said you were already on your way back here. I figured I might as well wait up for ya."
For a moment, Steve was swooning over this man too much to think clearly. He drew in a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the tiled walls. "And you thought a bath would be the most logical idea."
"Obviously."
They shared a soft smile, their lips tugged upwards with grins filled with charm and admiration. Steve cocked his head slightly as if to say 'why not' before his hands went to his shirt and pried open each button one by one.
Had the roles been reversed, Steve would have buried his face in the bubbles and at least pretended he wasn't staring. Bucky, however, just laid his back against one side of the tub as his eyes remained glued to his partner. His stare never made Steve nervous; just feeling Bucky's eyes on him reassured him, to say the least.
Leaving his clothing in a semi-folded pile on the edge of the sink, Steve gestured for Bucky to move. He was reluctant at first, but soon obliged by the notion and tucked his body in to make room. The blonde chuckled quietly as his feet hit the water, enveloped by the warm embrace.
A few of the bubbles died down as Steve sank the rest of his body into the water. He couldn't stop the soft sighs of relief escaping his mouth as relaxation finally came to him. It wasn't until he felt Bucky's legs tangle with his that he truly felt serene.
His head laid back against the wall, Steve managed to keep open his eyes long enough to catch a glimpse of his partner; hair slicked back out of his face, revealing preciously bright eyes as their bodies merged together underwater. A smile stretched over Steve's face.
"What?" Bucky asked, his leg moving through the water and tucking into Steve's side.
The blonde shook his head slowly and lazily. "Nothing." He said in a hushed voice, nearly able to fall asleep on the spot.
Bucky ran his right hand through his hair, smoothing back any tangles that had been sticking out. Steve had watched all the little motions such as that with awe all his life; all the minute movements Bucky tended to make were so subtle yet so captivating.
Steve attempted to sink further into the water. Instead, all he felt was Bucky's other leg resting on his arm. He didn't mind the constriction as long as they could be so close; it was rare to be trapped with him like such.
Turning his hand out of the water, Steve let his forearm drape over Bucky's calf. He head lolled against the wall of the bathroom, tilting and laying against the other man's ankle. Steve felt his own leg stretch out beside the other man, curving around into him.
Even Bucky had grown a satisfied smirk from the positioning. His right arm wrapped around Steve's his left arm fleeting over the bubbles and surrounding the surface of where they came together. Steve just smiled as he watched.
Once again, Bucky lifted his eyes up to meet Steve's. "What?" He asked again, a little firmer this time.
Repeating himself just as Bucky had, Steve shook his head. "Nothing." He insisted. There weren't many words to tell Bucky how he felt, and even if he had them, Bucky would just laugh and dismiss it before going back to play with his bubbles.
How do you tell someone you're hopelessly in love with them? Steve's chest heaved with deep breaths. He felt the water had started to grow cold already. "It's just-"
Bucky looked up at him through his lashes, his head still pointed down as he made shapes with the bubbles. His smile was softer now, though it became possessed by something more careful.
After Steve grew silent again, Bucky went back to his work as if nothing happened. His hands kept swirling in the water, occasionally rubbing the warm bubbles against Steve's leg in a glorious massage. His palm drifted across Steve's thigh and calf, squeezing little spots were his muscles were sore.
Steve's entire body felt on fire, yet all he could do was sink further into the water. With each soft movement of Bucky's hand on his skin, his leg stretched out and nuzzled more in Bucky's side. He yearned to be closer. "Bucky, I-"
"For God's sake, kid, stop trying to talk. You're ruining the mood." Bucky blurted out, thankfully stopping Steve from more meaningless rambling.
Steve's face grew red, though he just closed his eyes and prayed for the heat to leave his cheeks. He let out a soft sigh as Bucky squeezed his thigh affectionately again for the numerous time that night. "The mood?"
Bucky nodded, his head leaning to the side. His face drifted over Steve's bent knee until his lips pressed against his skin, laying a barely noticeable kiss on his leg. "Mhmm." He hummed.
Steve wanted to ask what the mood was, just for the satisfaction of Bucky saying something corny. Though he had a point; the soft kiss he gently placed on his knee was still burning, and someone talking would feel like it interrupted the sensation.
Steve wasn't sure of how long it had been before he passed out. All he remembered was waking up to the gentle sloshing of the water as it rushed down the drain. He sighed, blinking his eyes open to find Bucky staring at him. "Let's go before you drown, kid."
"Why?" Steve replied with a slight yawn. He grabbed the towel Bucky held out and wiped off the water from his body before even attempting to stand up. "Did I ruin the mood?"
Bucky chuckled, a low yet lighthearted sound that made Steve's chest ache. Bucky shrugged his shoulders helplessly. "Maybe a little bit. You tend to have bad timing, though. Shoulda seen it coming."
Steve laughed breathily. His arm reached out and grabbed onto Bucky's, letting the other man pull him up to his feet. Steve immediately latched an arm around Bucky's shoulders for support as he stepped out the tub.
Something in Bucky's eyes flashed as they widened, staring at Steve intently as they held onto each other. His arm wrapped around Steve in return, eagerly pulling them closer together. He smiled gently as he looked at Steve. "I remember it being a lot easier to take care of you."
Steve shrugged, laying his head on Bucky's shoulder. Bucky turned out the lights to the bathroom and opening the door out to the hallway. "Weird, 'cause you're still as cocky about it as I remember." Steve murmured.
Bucky shook his head and started walking, leading them through the dark and back to their bedroom. He groaned softly, using Steve's weight as an excuse to wrap his arm tighter around him. "Christ, kid, what are you eating these days?"
"I had a big breakfast."