In the past little while, Steve had faced what he never really wanted to, and even sort of feared; being alone. When he and Bucky went to a baseball game was the last time Steve thought things would be as they were, the way they were when they spent that rainy night in Steve's room, with Steve drawing and the two of them listening to the radio together, at least for a while.

That baseball game was when Bucky met Connie. She was a cute girl, she had a small frame and medium length brown hair. She and Bucky had caught each other's eyes during the game, and when he waited outside of the field for her, she let him walk her home.

Steve wasn't too enthusiastic when Bucky said that he'll see him later and walked away with a girl on his arm, but there was nothing he could do about it. Needless to say, Steve was jealous. It's not like he couldn't expect it, he knew that would happen eventually. Bucky was always more comfortable talking to women than Steve was, and that's the reason Bucky walked one girl home, and Steve walked alone.

"Let's face it," Steve said quietly to himself, "Buck is perfect in every way and I'm just…" he trailed off while looking down at himself.

"I'm just me."

This was his justification for why Bucky could have a countless number of dates before Steve had one, although perhaps in Steve's mind, it was also a justification for why Bucky isn't interested in spending time with him. Whether it was just him growing tired of being with Steve all the time, or just a flat out disinterest, Steve didn't know, but either way it made him upset. He felt this jab in his heart, there were knots in his stomach, and a lump in his throat. He couldn't go home, he didn't currently have it in him to be in a place where he associated with Bucky being there all the time. So he decided to visit a place he hadn't been in years; his parents' grave. He got to the cemetery where Steve had been two years prior for his mother's funeral. He stood a few feet away from their shared headstone and just looked at it for a brief time. He felt anything he said wouldn't help and they would be disappointed, but he needed to get some things off his chest and this was the only place he could. He looked around to make sure he could talk without people hearing, and when he was sure he could, he began.

"Hey Mom, Dad. I'm sorry I haven't visited. I've been kinda busy, and that's why I wanted to come here today. It's Bucky. You see the thing is, I'm confused and… scared of…" he paused trying to think of what to say, was he really scared? He didn't know what he was feeling right now but that was the first word that came to mind.

"I'm worried that something is going to come between our friendship. We were even closer than we were before these past two years since you've been gone, Mom, and I think I might… I might have feelings for him." he waited, almost expecting them to answer, even if he knew that was impossible. A slight breeze blew through Steve's hair, he figured that was his cue to continue.

"I know that's… impossible, but it's how things are. Though, they- the feelings aren't the same for him. He probably has a new girlfriend, if that girl from the ball game is as interested as she seems. So do I tell him I… this? Or do I just let it go. I don't want to ruin our friendship but I can't hold this in anymore. I love him." Steve looked down when he said that last part, and the smallest smile appeared on his face, he admitted it to himself, and to his parents' grave, which is something he'd never dream of doing. Though the harder question still persists, does he admit it to Bucky.

It goes without saying that even though Bucky spent the same amount of time with Steve, it would seem like the time they spent apart overpowered it. At least in Steve's mind, Bucky didn't see it that way, but then, Bucky had someone to distract his feelings, and he was glad to have this keep his mind off of Steve for now, it was hard for him, but he had to.

The two sat in the living room at Bucky's house, Steve at one end of the couch reading a newspaper, and Bucky on an armchair looking aimlessly. Whenever Bucky would try to say something, Steve would hardly answer. Bucky noticed this, but decided against saying anything, even if it was annoying him. Steve put the newspaper down and looked at Bucky, who returned the gaze hoping he would say something, instead he just looked at his wrist and said, "it's getting late. I'd best be off."

Steve got up from the couch, and without looking at Bucky, left his house. Bucky then looked at his own watch, "Four o'clock isn't late, pal," he argued quietly. Bucky had noticed how distant Steve had been, if they made plans, Steve would back out, or try to leave as early as he could. He didn't know why, and it was upsetting him, if he tried mentioning it, Steve would brush it off, leaving Bucky to think he was just overreacting.

After Steve left, Bucky decided to leave as well, to go see Connie, he figured maybe she might know what to do about this.

Over dinner at Steve and his usual diner, Bucky had been thinking about what to say to her, but he didn't know where to begin,

"Bucky, you okay?" Connie asked him, her usual chipper voice dropping to a more concerned tone. "You've barely touched your dinner."

Bucky looked at his plate, then at Connie. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just thinking."

"You must be pretty deep in thought if you're letting your burger get cold," she smiled, though still worried.

"Is Steve mad at me?" He looked at her, matching her concern. "I mean, he doesn't talk to me as much as he did, hell he barely even looks at me now."

Connie's smile faded, she didn't suspect that was what he was thinking, but she understood.

"Why would he be mad at you?" She asked him, almost doubting his worry.

"I don't know. He's been like this since…" he trailed off and looked at her, in his head he continued, since that baseball game.

"Since?" Connie asked, now confused as to why he just stopped talking.

"Never mind. I think I figured it out, though I kind of hope I didn't." Bucky knew Steve well enough to know that he got jealous sometimes, though normally it was over small things, he didn't expect his friend to be jealous of his girlfriend.

She frowned at this reply.

"So…? What's the matter?" she pried.

"Well," Bucky paused. He didn't know the words to tell her it's because of her without saying that. "Steve has only been acting this way since that baseball game where you and I met." He figured that told her everything she needed to know in that sentence.

"Oh. So what you're saying is that because you're busy with me, he's lonely."

"That's exactly it."

Connie smiled again, "So we should set him up with someone. Then we can go on double dates. I've got a friend who might be interested."

Bucky didn't smile back right away, would this be what Steve wanted? Could he date someone… At least they'd see each other more.

"Bucky?" Connie said louder, as if she were trying to get his attention. "As I was saying, tell me about Steve."

Bucky didn't know what to tell her. He knew everything about Steve, how could he possibly narrow it down? Just then, he thought of them sitting together in Steve's room, he thought of the detail Steve put into the drawing of him, and he knew what to say.

"He's an artist. He'll never call himself that, but he is. He's got a heart of gold, and though he's smaller than most guys, his spirit outshines everything. He likes to act tougher than he is and it gets him into trouble, but he'll always stand up for the little guys. Nothing about him is cowardly, he'll do anything to protect the people he loves."

Connie smiled at him, "I'm sure my friend will love him, she loves art"

Bucky looked at her, wondering if that was all she took from what he said. Instead of questioning her, he put the money for their dinners on the table and without finishing his, he stood up. He made a choice when describing all of that to her, and he knew he wasn't being a good friend by shutting Steve out. To put it simply, he had to see him.

"Sorry, Connie. I have to go. I'll call you, maybe," he said as he ran out of the diner before she could even respond.

He got to Steve's house and knocked on the door. "C'mon Steve, answer." Another knock. "If you don't come to the door, I'm walking in."

He waited for what seemed like forever, but was really only a few seconds, before opening the screen door, he was about the grab the doorknob but the door opened before he did.

"Buck? What are you doing here? Thought you had a date," Steve asked him, with genuine curiosity.

"I did. But I left. I wanted to talk to you."

"You left? Buck, you should probably go back. That probably wasn't the nicest thing to do…"

"Just… Shut up for a second, please. Maybe it wasn't the nicest, but I also haven't been the nicest friend to you, pal, so I'd like to apologize. Can I come in?"

Steve nodded and stepped away so Bucky come come inside, which he did.

"I'm glad you came by, Bucky. I wanna talk to you too." Steve admitted, he knew that he had been pushing Bucky away, and that wasn't fair to him, but now he knew he really had to tell him how he felt before it was too late. He had been holding it in too long, and he had to let it out.

"First, I gotta say that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being the best pal that I could, I just… I met Connie, and felt that she would be a distraction for me, because of some things I've been thinking lately." Bucky knew he was dancing around the subject, and he couldn't even really look at Steve as he said this. He was too afraid, until Steve spoke up.

"I know, Buck. I was hoping she'd be a distraction for you too. I thought that if I didn't see you so much, that I could stop having these thoughts that I've had for as long as I can remember." Steve sighed, he was looking Bucky in the eyes now, "Buck… I love you."

Bucky stared at him, he was overwhelmed with shock and happiness that he didn't know what to say so he looked down.

Steve continued, "I get that's kind of out of the blue, and you probably think I'm insane, but I needed you to know. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I couldn't keep it to myself. I'm sorry."

Bucky looked at Steve again with the smirk that he knew Steve loved, "Shut up," he said jokingly. Before Steve could reply, he felt Bucky's lips against his. He couldn't hide his surprise, but still he kissed Bucky back.

Bucky pulled away first, "If it's not clear, I love you too, Steve," his face was tinted a light red, and he was grinning. Steve looked down and smiled with a somewhat embarrassed look on his face, he couldn't believe that he hid this from Bucky for so long, but he was glad to have told him now. He stopped to think about what people might think if this got out, and when he looked at Bucky with the concern in his eyes. Bucky seemed to know exactly what Steve was thinking about, and he rested his hand on Steve's jaw, keeping his head tilted up.

"I don't think we have to worry, pal. We can keep it a secret." He shrugged, and once more placed his lips against Steve's.

The two were the happiest they could be, even if they had to keep this a secret. Right now, for them, everything was perfect.

/Hey guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm happy with the fluff it had. If you enjoyed it please review! I'd love to hear from you all. I may be wrapping this up in the next chapter, and getting ready for kind of a sequel. So you, thank you for reading!