Title: mama, I'm in love with a criminal
Disclaimer: not my characters
Warnings: modern-day AU, talk of violence
Pairings: Steve/Bucky
Rating: PG
Wordcount:
Point of view: third
Prompt: any, any, In my mind and in my car/We can't rewind we've gone too far
They meet at Starbucks, as ridiculous as that will sound later. Bucky's late for a meeting with his advisor because he'd left his phone in another room when he went to bed last night, so he didn't hear his alarm this morning. All he wants is a peppermint hot chocolate because it's negative 18 outside, and he doesn't care about his dissertation topic anymore, and Becca's arguing with Jules about something they're both ranting about to him, demanding he be on their side, and he's just done with everything. He wants his damned peppermint hot chocolate.
He notices the hot blond guy in front of him, examining the case with the baked goods, but he's still mostly asleep, so nothing really stands out. But he hears the blond guy say, "Keep the change to cover whatever he's gettin'," and glances over in time to see the blond gesture at him and smile.
"Thanks," he says as the blond guy heads over to wait by the counter. They don't interact beyond that because Bucky orders and then goes to lean against the wall, almost falling asleep. He's getting too old to stay up all night and he can't even remember what he was reading. He doesn't hear the barista call his name, but he startles when something nudges his bicep, jerking away and waking right the hell up.
"Your beverage," the blond says, holding out a cup.
"Thanks," Bucky says. He inhales the peppermint scent, feeling himself wake up even more, and swiftly departs. He's got a ten minute drive, a meeting he's five minutes late for, and then a full day at the computer lab, answering at the tech desk, fuck everything.
He doesn't think about the blond again for three days, until he returns to Starbucks for more hot chocolate, and the blond is sitting at one of the tables, four separate notebooks spread in front of him. Bucky can't help glancing at them as he moves toward the line; it's some kind of code, which is enough to catch his attention and keep it. He taps his fingers against his bottom lip as he moves toward the counter, ordering his hot chocolate and two birthday cake cakepops, rearranging the numbers in his head. It's a puzzle and Bucky's always loved puzzles.
Bucky waits for his hot chocolate, glancing over at the blond as discreetly as he can. Once he's got his drink, he hesitantly walks over; it's been a while since he had the time or energy to actively flirt or date, but the guy had done a nice thing for him, so what's the harm in offering a cakepop?
"Hey," he says as the blond looks up. "Um, thanks for the other day."
The guy looks at him, brow furrowed for a moment before he smiles. "Oh, yeah, the sleepyhead."
Bucky snorts. "Yeah, that's me. Anyway, um, it's my birthday, so I got a cakepop, and then there's an extra, so…" He holds out the bag.
The guy's smile widens as he takes it. "Thank you. And happy birthday."
"Thanks," Bucky says. "So, uh, yeah. Have a good day." As he turns to leave, mortified and yet also a little elated, he pauses. "Also, um." That math's wrong. It's going to bother him all day if he doesn't say anything, so he leans down to point at one of the columns. "This isn't right."
The blond's entire countenance changes. "What do you mean by that?" he asks, sounding – not angry, exactly, but something damned close.
"Um." Bucky looks from the guy's eyes back to the number. "It's off by about sixty."
The guy looks down at the paper. "Do you have time to explain it to me?"
"I guess," Bucky says, sitting down across from him.
.
Bucky never finishes his dissertation. He figures out what Steve's doing long before Steve finally tells him, and by then, he's in too deep.
Of course Steve's numbers guy had been skimming off the top, about to run to the cops. Because Bucky caught the lie, the guy was executed. He figured that out on his own, too, because Steve tried to keep it all separate. He wanted Bucky safe, he explained later. Wanted to leave Bucky room to run if Bucky wanted or needed to.
"I'm not leaving, Steve," Bucky said, thumping the side of Steve's head gently. "Not without you."
.
Steve's people are good, insomuch as criminals ever are. Steve tries to minimize the damage, because he is a good guy, despite – well, despite everything. Bucky introduces Steve to Ma and the girls, and they all like him.
Then the bombing happens. Bucky wants to believe Steve didn't do it, despite all the evidence, and so when Steve decides to get off the grid, it's not like Bucky can do anything but go with him.
"Are you sure?" Steve asks. His men are scattering, though the inner circle know when and where to meet back up.
"Yeah," Bucky says. "Till the end of the line."
Steve smiles at him, brilliant and wide, and Bucky loves him so fucking much.
Bucky's good with numbers, always has been. He knows how it all adds up. But he's in too deep, now, to ever back out, and maybe – well, maybe the numbers are wrong.