Steve felt his heart sink. Pepper had told him about Tony's parents being killed back when he'd been at Tony's house. He'd known Howard Stark, because he'd helped created a steroid that he'd given to Steve to try, which had helped Steve build his muscle. Now upon learning that Howard's death was at the hands of Bucky, he didn't know how to feel.

"You were under the influence, Buck."

"But I still remember it. I watched them die, before taking their steroids from the back of the car and handing them to one of the Hydra guys that had been sitting in the passenger seat. No one called the cops. That's why T'Challa had it out for me- his father died recently, and he thought I was the one who did it, even though it wasn't me. It was some other kid."

"You still couldn't help it."

"I can't sleep at night, because every time I close my eyes, I see them bleeding out and crying for help. I can't live with what I've done to them, and Stark knows. He knows I killed them, and he's coming for you because he thinks you knew about it too."

"It's going to be fine. We can just-"

Bucky slammed the door of the car, and Steve stepped out as well, following him as he trudged through the pounding rain in the shoulder lane. Steve jogged to catch up, barely catching sight of Bucky's face as a result of the shadows cast upon his face from the streetlight. It took a mere seconds for the both of them to become soaked to the bone, facing each other, with nothing but the rumble of thunder and the aggressive, echoing onslaught of rain to break the silence between them. Steve gently placed a hand on Bucky's shoulder, but he recoiled, as if Steve had hit him. Steve took a step back toward Bucky, grabbing his sweatshirt and balling it up in his fists, trying to make him stay.

"Buck, this will come to pass. You didn't mean to. Hydra drugged you and held you against your will, and if Tony can't see that, then he can mind his own business, or he'll be dealing with me."

"Steve, I- I can't get you roped into this. If they somehow drug me again-"

"I won't let that happen, and neither will Sam, Nat, and-"

Bucky pushed him away roughly, but stumbled slightly with Steve, because his hands balled into fists were still holding onto his sweatshirt for dear life. Steve could see the scowl settle back upon his best friend's lips, and Steve was all the more determined to convince Bucky that things were going to work themselves out.

"You aren't going to hurt me or anyone else, Buck. I-"

"Do you know how much it hurt to watch my best friend fend me off with some sort of dinner platter like I was a monster? I saw the fear in your eyes as I watched myself attack you, Steve. I don't want to risk seeing that ever again."

Bucky attempted to rid himself of Steve's grip, making Steve all the more infuriated. He jerked on Bucky's sweatshirt, making his friend stumble minimally as he was pulled closer, still obviously not used to the fact that Steve had actual strength. Bucky's face was too close for Steve's liking, allowing him to see the storm clouds reflecting in Bucky's normally blue eyes, making them more of a deep grey-blue, like that of a turbulent sea during a storm. He could see the mauve bags of exhaustion upon Bucky's face, along with the stubble and shadow on his jaw to match the rough, sleep deprived look. Steve felt fury corse through his veins at the fact that Hydra had broken his best friend, scared him to hell and back, and now, Bucky felt as though it was his fault. Bucky was the victim of the hazing scheme, and it pissed Steve off to think that Tony was blaming Bucky for something that Bucky obviously had no control over. Steve felt his mouth curve into a frown, before evolving into a scowl that deepened as he realised that Bucky would continue to blame himself and live in fear of hurting more people, despite the fact that he was safe, and that Steve would move heaven and earth to make sure that no one from Hydra so much as came near Bucky again. It made Steve so infuriated that he had to do something.

So he smashed Bucky's face. With his face.

To make things more clear: Steve aggressively pulled Bucky by the sweatshirt and kissed him.

It wasn't like some sort of stereotypical movie scene with the rain and a sweet, passionate kiss. The two were soaked to the bone, lips smashed and teeth clashed, noses bumping and on top of it all, they were probably transferring germs and potentially pneumonia.

So romantic.

And it took a hot moment to realise that Bucky wasn't kissing him back.

Upon the realisation that Steve fucked up real bad, he tore himself away from Bucky, horrified. He took two steps back and swallowed hard, eyes scanning his best friend's blank face. Nothing. Steve didn't know how long they were standing there, but a call of his name startled him out of his trance. He glanced back to find Sam leaning out of the passenger side of a car about ten feet behind him. He took another two steps back, before turning and making his way relatively quickly to the back seat of the car and slamming the door. The car set in motion, and Steve watched from the window as they passed by Bucky, who was still frozen to the spot, and now fading into the distance as they picked up speed.

"Captain Rogers." Came the soft voice of T'Challa, which Steve found rather comforting.

Steve took in the fact that T'Challa was driving, Sam was sitting shotgun, and one of T'Challa's bodyguards was sitting in the seat next to him. Steve was also made aware of the fact that he wasn't wearing a seatbelt, and he clicked it into place, remembering when Bucky's face had been so close to his when he's been buckled in earlier…

"Captain Rogers," T'Challa's voice came again, and Steve's head shot up.

"Yes, your Highness?"

"I will drop you at Mister Wilson's house with him, as I am sure you both have much to cover. I also believe Okoye would rather not make another trip and extend the already dragged out window of tolerability to others."

"You missed an important debriefing that began almost fifteen minutes ago, my king. If you wish to not alert the high court that there is potential trouble you have fallen into, then I suggest you drive faster. Otherwise, you missed the initial start of the meeting to acquire Mister Wilson from the Pizza Hut, which I highly discouraged, but you proceeded to ignore me."

"Okoye, I am strengthening bonds with those who could be of potential help to Wakanda as we continue to open our doors to the rest of the world."

Steve watched as Okoye's face twitched in displeasure, before muttering, "Bitch."

Steve could swear that he saw a smile of satisfaction twitch across T'Challa's lips as his eyes crinkled warmly in the rearview mirror. The Wakandan royal then glanced toward Sam, before pulling around the roundabout.

"Did you know, Captain, that Sam would never engage with you romantically?"

Steve sputtered, and Sam whipped his head toward the driver, eyes large in disbelief.

"Dude-"

"I can assure you, that's true." Steve shrugged, and Sam let out a sigh (whether it was in defeat or exasperation, Steve would never know).

T'Challa let out a 'hmmm' as they pulled into Sam's neighborhood, and right up his driveway to his house.

"Wait, how did you know where I-?"

"It is imperative that the king knows the locations of the homes of his… associates." Okoye responded to Sam's confused and shocked expression, and Steve noticed the hesitation before 'associates'. It was like she knew that Sam was attracted to T'Challa… but T'Challa either didn't seem to notice the hesitation, or didn't care. He shook Sam's hand, before shaking Steve's.

"If you are ever in need of any assistance, I will do my best to respond if you so call upon me."

"Thank you, your Highness." Steve then gave Okoye a small smile. "We'll do our best to leave you out of our troubles."

Okoye gave him a knowing look, before he exited the car and closed to door, standing next to Sam in the driveway as Okoye took his place in shotgun. Sam gave him a playful glare, and Steve threw his hands up in surrender.

"I had to say something, or I'd ruin your chances with him!" Steve spoke rather loudly, just as T'Challa pulled out of the driveway, and Sam lunged to throw a hand over Steve's mouth.

"What chance, Steve? He probably heard you!"

And if Okoye wasn't mentally facepalming from where she sat next to an oblivious T'Challa, then she'd be damned if she didn't get Shuri in on assisting the two impaired idiots that were pining for each other.