I hope you guys like this chapter, it kinda took a life of its own, and it's turning into a slower burn than I thought. I hope you guys enjoy hungover Bucky! I am trying to stick to their personalities, and I don't know if that's working very well, so if this seems out of character, sorry, but it'll all come together I think.

Oh My God They Were Roommates

Chapter 2

Steve grinned at Bucky as he stumbled out of his room the next morning. His hair stuck up in every direction, and he still wore the tank top he'd worn to the bar, but apparently the jeans hadn't passed the comfy test, because sweatpants hung low on his hips. Steve admired the tattooed sleeve as Bucky cursed and used his arm to shield his eyes.

"Why are the fucking curtains open?"

"Because it's a beautiful day outside, and if you hadn't decided to get plastered you'd enjoy it too."

Bucky stumbled over and reached for the coffee pot. Steve held out a steaming mug and some pills. "Here you go, two sugars, just the way you like it."

Bucky didn't acknowledge Steve again until he'd swallowed the pills and downed the whole mug. He finally met Steve's gaze.

Steve leaned back against the counter top, bracing himself on his hands. They really needed to talk about Bucky's habits, as much as it scared Steve, he was also not always fond of having to drag his friend home. Not after the night Steve himself had had.

After last night's slurred conversation Steve realized that Bucky really was bothered by Steve's sexual adventures. That's really all they were, but Steve realized he'd never actually explained that to his roommate.

Growing up he'd never had the chance to explore his sexuality, figure out what he liked and what he disliked. It had only been a couple months ago that he realized he wanted to know what he liked, did he have a type? Did he have a preference for positions or people, or hell, was he a bottom or a top? Steve hadn't known, so he started experimenting. It didn't hurt that it was also a lot of fun to meet different people. He never actually gained a relationship through his exploits, but he didn't really feel like he needed one. He had Bucky to keep him company and that's all he really wanted. He was just… curious. Was that such a bad thing?

It hadn't been so far, but last night had ended differently. It hadn't been the first night that Patrick had been an ass, hell Patrick wasn't the only person who'd gotten angry with Steve about sex, so it wasn't a surprise. But Patrick had been so angry and Steve couldn't figure out what he'd done wrong, so Patrick had left. After he left Steve looked for Bucky, desperate for approval, company. But he had been gone, and his phone vibrated on the coffee table, and Steve had turned hurt into anger. He hoped Bucky would understand.

"Steve, I'm sorry." Bucky's tired voice made Steve look up from the ground

"It's not your fault, Buck."

Bucky just shrugged. Then suddenly he straightened. "What time is it? I was supposed to be at the garage an hour ago!"

Steve chuckled and grabbed his frantic roommate. "I called in for you, they think you have food poisoning, you can make it up later."

Bucky relaxed and grinned up at him. Steve loved that grin, it always made him feel at home. "I thought you said you weren't gonna take care of me today?"

Steve shoved him back gently. "Shut up before I change my mind. You're pathetic when you're hungover."

Bucky stumbled slightly, but waved a dismissive hand at Steve. "If I'm so pathetic why do you care so much, huh?"

Steve could tell it was meant to be a joke, but Bucky was always a little more honest when he was hungover. Steve took advantage of it. "Because I care, Buck, because a couple months ago we had this figured out. We had you down to three drinks a week, and no cigarettes. What happened? How many drinks did you have last night? I don't even know what triggered it again, I thought we had it kicked."

Bucky sobered, he poured himself another cup of coffee as he answered. "I don't know, Steve. I just go crazy sometimes and I need an outlet, and that's what I go back to."

Steve watched him closely, Bucky wouldn't meet his eyes. "Come on, tell me the truth, Bucky."

"That is the truth, I don't know what it is. Adam's a good bartender, things are easier when I'm there."

"What's easier?"

Bucky suddenly sighed and moved out of the kitchen to the living room. Steve wasn't sure if it was an evasive maneuver or just a desire to sit on the couch. He followed him either way.

Bucky settled into his corner, he dropped his elbows to his knees and stared down at his coffee. "Everything. It makes everything easier. I know it's dumb, but it kills me that you let people take advantage of you. And it kills me things have changed, we don't hang out anymore like we used to. I have to schedule hang out time, and even when I do it doesn't mean it happens. The garage is a bitch right now, Gary has me rebuilding this classic, which is fun, but it's not what I want to do. I went into overdraft on my account last week cause I'm an idiot. And the old lady three doors down never shuts up when I meet her in the laundry room." He stopped listing his complaints long enough to look back up at Steve, but he dropped his eyes immediately. "You want me to keep going?"

Steve shook his head. He thought about everything Bucky had said, unpacking it in his mind. He hadn't realized his friend was struggling, much less this much. Steve felt terrible for assuming the trips to the bar were simply to be stubborn and stupid.

Steve decided to address what felt like the biggest concern, one that he was sure Bucky wouldn't have brought up if he wasn't hungover. "Bucky, I promise I'm not letting people take advantage of me. You don't have to worry about that, I didn't even realize that was something that was worrying you."

Bucky shrugged. "It sure feels like they take advantage. I don't know how to tell, much less help you if I could. It's not the same as when we were kids, I can't fight the bully anymore, not when you invite them over. I feel like I'm constantly in battle mode with nobody you want me to fight."

Steve chuckled. "Well, you certainly can't help me if you're not here. And you're right, I don't need bullies fought anymore. What I do need is a friend who calls me on my bullshit, who can tell if the person I have over is gonna hurt me or not. You were there for a while that way, remember how you told me that girl, Sabrina, was a bad apple? You were right. But you don't do that for me anymore, you just leave."

Bucky looked up at that. "You hated me for saying that about Sabrina. It took you another week to realize I was right, and you wouldn't talk to me for days."

Steve flushed. "Well, I appreciate it now, and I was glad that I had a friend who cared enough to have an opinion. I feel like I lost you that way, and I don't know what I did to push you away. What did you think about Patrick?"

"The hippie from last night?"

"He is not a hippie, Buck."

"Well, he's a dick with long hair and an anklet, if that's not a hippie I don't know what is."

Steve laughed. "Fair enough."

"What do you mean, what do I think about him? You care about what I think about your dates?"

Steve flushed. "Date is a strong word, I just like having adventures. And of course I care, I actually rely on your cues a lot. You used to let me know if they were a good idea or not, but lately you just ditch, and leave me on my own."

Bucky relaxed, placing his mug on the coffee table. He motioned to Steve. "Come sit with me." Steve dropped into the couch and Bucky moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table in front of him.

"Steve, I don't think anyone is good enough for you. Some of them are okay, but lately, you bring people home and I just see assholes who don't see you for who you are. I know you're gorgeous, believe me, I'm gay, I know my best friend is a looker, but they only see that. I see everything else about you. You're an amazing cook, you make me coffee in the morning, you call in sick for me so I don't have to go to work feeling like shit, you drag me home kicking and screaming when I've had too much to drink. They don't see that, and it's stupid. So yeah, I leave, cause I don't want to make you mad, but I can't stand to see people not appreciate you for you."

Steve listened intently, feeling a surge of happiness that Bucky was serious, he really did care. But once Bucky stopped he smirked at him. "You think I'm gorgeous, Buck? I'm flattered."

Bucky punched him on the shoulder. "You dick." Bucky rubbed his head, Steve knew he had to have one hell of a headache. "I care that you're happy, and if having these people over is doing it for you, great, but seriously, just try to find someone who appreciates you for you. Cause I might just deck the next person you sleep with who doesn't."

Steve chuckled but it slowly dropped. He felt a pit in his stomach grow slowly. "I almost wish you did do that. I could have used your backup last night."

Bucky frowned, but his eyes remained dark, Steve had no idea what he was thinking. "I honestly don't remember much from last night, Steve. Patrick wasn't here when I got home?"

Steve chuckled. "No, because he left and then I had to drag your sorry ass home myself."

Bucky rubbed his temples. "I guess that makes sense, I remember drinking way too much. What happened?"

Steve rubbed his palms against his thighs, suddenly nervous, not wanting to talk about it.

"Steve, what happened? Did that asshat hurt you?"

Steve quickly shook his head, but still couldn't meet Bucky's gaze. "No, he didn't hurt me, he just… got angry, I don't even know what about, he just… well… I mean… we were… ya know." He trailed off. No way in hell was Bucky gonna want to know that it happened in the middle of sex, but Steve didn't know what else to say.

"Steve, come on, we're adults, we can talk about sex. I know that's what he came for, tell me what happened."

Steve flicked a smile toward Bucky. "Don't you know how to put a person at ease." He looked down to pick at the seam of his jeans. "He got mad at me for coming on too strong. He said that the first time he thought it was an act, but that if someone was gonna enjoy being with me that I needed to stop coming on so strong. I don't even know what that means… I don't mean to come on too strong, other people haven't had an issue with me, for some reason he did. But he enjoyed it last time, at least I thought he did."

Steve finally found the courage to look up when Bucky didn't respond after a few minutes. Steve was surprised to find both anger and humor warring in his eyes.

"What? What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, Steve, absolutely nothing, and I will track down Patrick and I will kill him. But I think I know what he means."

It was Bucky's turn to be a little unsure, Steve was surprised by the sudden insecurity in his eyes. "Okay, I think I know he means, but this might be a little awkward. Do you want to know or would you rather me just kill him and leave it at that?"

Steve laughed. "Bucky, we've talked about sex before, I'm not awkward, I just don't know. Some days I feel like I finally have this bisexual thing down, and other days I don't even know what I'm doing."

Bucky nodded, and Steve couldn't read his thoughts again. "Okay, do you want me to explain?"

"Yes, I don't even know how you understand what he meant when I was in the bedroom with him and I don't understand."

Bucky finally laughed, shifting his weight, leaning back on the coffee table. "I am pretty sure he's referencing your sexual personality. It took me a while to figure out mine, and it's not unusual to not know what you are until you've experimented a little. I'm a submissive, so when someone 'comes on too strong' it's fun for me. That's actually how I would phrase it, I like it when people come on too strong. But if you're a dominant then it's not fun, it's condescending, it's a turn off. So if a dominant is trying to seduce a dominant it can feel like they're coming on too strong, and it just isn't fun. If you're a dominant you want to have the control, and seeing the other person obey or whatever, that's what turns you on. A dominant can seduce a dominant, and a submissive can seduce a submissive, but it has to be done differently."

"So you're saying I'm dominant? How do you know?"

Bucky shrugged. "I experimented to figure myself out, but there's a pretty easy way to figure it out, if you want to try? I heard a guy at the garage talking about it."

Steve looked Bucky up and down, he seemed sincere. "You're not gonna make me have sex with you to figure it out, are you?"

Bucky chuckled, and Steve finally saw that little glint of shimmer in the grey eyes. "No, Steve, you don't have to have sex to figure it out, at least not this way."

"Okay, then how do you do it?"

Bucky stood up, shaking out his shoulders. Again Steve wondered if Bucky's hangover was affecting his actions, making him more open to ideas and less sure of himself. "Okay, imagine that I'm whoever, someone you find attractive, you invite me over, we make out on the couch and then we move to the bedroom."

Steve frowned a little, nervous flutters in his stomach suddenly. "Okay, got it."

Bucky glanced down at him. "Are you sure you're comfortable with this?"

"Bucky, I have no idea what you're doing! But I trust you, so sure, whatever." Steve pushed himself up on the couch a little, but stopped when Bucky's hand suddenly rested on his chest, pushing him back.

"Okay, so if I, or whoever, were to do this in bed, shove you back like this." Suddenly Bucky's hand went from his chest to the back of his neck, pulling his face up to meet Bucky's. Their eyes met, steel grey on ocean blue. Steve waited for the next part. "If I told you that I was gonna fuck you mercilessly and you were gonna beg for it, just like this, and I wasn't gonna let you fuck me, and I wasn't gonna fuck you till you begged for it." Bucky's eyes were intense, drilling holes into his skull, Steve's chest caught a little at how close they were, but he didn't know what kind of reaction Bucky was waiting for. "What would you do?"

Steve frowned. "I'm not really into the begging thing… Never have been, but I mean, I could try, the fucking mercilessly part sounds fun." Honesty seemed like the best policy here, and Steve still didn't know where Bucky was going.

"Okay," Bucky suddenly released him and sat back down on the coffee table. "Do it to me now, the exact same thing I just did."

"Including telling you I'm gonna fuck you merciless?"

Bucky's eyes flicked away and then back up. "Yeah, the whole thing."

Steve was a little awkward as he stood, but Bucky seemed to know what he was doing. But Bucky wasn't really in a position where Steve could push him down, and that had been what Bucky did to him. Steve knew he surprised Bucky when he suddenly grabbed his arms, moving him to the couch. Bucky chuckled. "Okay, I gotcha, go ahead, shove me back, see what happens. What reaction do you have?"

Steve took a deep breath, then reached down and placed a hand on Bucky's chest, he didn't want to hurt his friend, but Bucky had said to do it. He shoved him back gently, till his head hit the couch. But it made him look down, Steve realized he wanted to see Bucky's eyes again. He reached behind Bucky's head like Bucky had done, pulling his face up till their eyes met. He almost stopped when he realized Bucky's eyes had widened, his pupils were dilated (had he ever noticed Bucky's eyes dilate before? Man they were really close to each other). Steve tried to remember what Bucky said.

"I'm gonna fuck you merciless, and you're gonna beg for it. And I'm not gonna let you fuck me, and I'm not gonna fuck you till you beg me for it." Steve didn't even make it all the way through the simple phrases before he felt his own breath quicken. His conviction had been meh, but the reaction was almost instant. He felt the control wash over him, and suddenly he realized that he had said almost those words during sex before, he liked being the one in control. He repeated the words, a little differently, but stronger this time. "I'm gonna fuck you till you can't see straight, but you have to beg, want it, beg for me." He was leaning in a little further, he could feel Bucky's breath on his cheek, could see the grey crystals in his irises. He was getting hard, his groin was hot against his waistband, and he'd only said four sentences. It was a completely unexpected reaction and he quickly dropped his hand and stepped back, his hand on his stomach, and he took a couple of deep breaths.

It took him a moment to look back at Bucky and realize Bucky was also having some kind of reaction to what he'd done. Bucky held his head in his hands and his breathing was irregular and faster than usual.

"Are you okay, Buck? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, I don't know what that was." Steve was still trying to get his own breath back, but Bucky held up his hand.

"I'm okay, Steve, sorry, that was just… sorry."

"What was it? Did I do it wrong?"

Bucky laughed, a little unsteadily, as he stood. He rolled his head and shook his arms out, Steve didn't know what that meant.

"No, Steve, you did that completely right. God, that was just a little more than I bargained for, sorry."

"What's wrong? What does that mean?"

"It means you're a dominant, Steve, you like to have control in the bedroom. And I'm willing to bet Patrick is also a dominant. That's why he thought you were coming on too strong."

Steve watched his best friend closely, something was still wrong, he wouldn't meet Steve's eyes. "What's wrong?"

Bucky laughed again and finally looked up at him. "Nothing, I'm fine, it's just… I'm a submissive, Steve, and that… that was intense. I didn't realize how intense that would be for me, sorry, that probably makes it awkward."

Steve was still confused. "What do you mean? Why was that awkward?"

Bucky laughing suddenly came over to him and laid his head on Steve's chest. Steve automatically brought his arms up, giving him a hug.

"Cause I haven't had someone do that to me in a long time, and that is the easiest way in the world to turn on a submissive, I also tend to be sensitive, so it might not work for all of them, but me…" Bucky trailed off against his chest.

Steve finally nodded, suddenly feeling stupid for not understanding. "Oh God, Bucky, sorry, I didn't mean to turn you on. I just did what you told me to do."

Bucky laughed, fully this time, his eyes bright. He pushed away from Steve and punched his arm lightly. "I know you didn't, I honestly didn't even think about my reaction, I just kind of went for it. Honestly, if I'd gotten laid anytime in the past month it probably wouldn't have turned me on as much, I don't normally react quite that quick."

Steve nodded, wanted to keep figuring it out, but he was surprised that Bucky hadn't gotten laid lately. They had stopped talking about stuff like that a while ago, and Steve hadn't even noticed that Bucky wasn't bringing people home anymore, their roles had completely reversed, Bucky was normally the one who brought people home, not him. "Why haven't you?"

Bucky sat back down on the couch, grabbing his coffee. "Haven't what?"

"Gotten laid?"

Steve regretted asking as Bucky suddenly choked on his coffee. It was several seconds before his airways cleared enough to respond. "Wow, Steve, direct and to the point." He wiped his mouth again and then shook his head. "I don't know, nobody really catches my eye right now, just riding things out."

Steve noticed that Bucky carefully avoided his gaze while he spoke. He wanted to push his friend, get a better answer, but realized a flush was slowly creeping up his friend's neck. He dropped the subject in favor of something else. "Would you really kill Patrick for me if I asked you to?"

Bucky looked up, was he relieved that he'd changed the subject? "You know I would, pal, in half a heartbeat. Honestly, probably would even if you didn't ask, isn't that what friends are for?"

Steve laughed and joined Bucky on the couch, grabbing the remote as he sat down. "You've always been the best friend a guy could ask for."

Bucky patted his knee with one hand. "Anytime, pal."

"How's your head feeling?"

Bucky winced, his hand going to his temple. "Still waiting for the meds to kick in."

"Serves you right, asshat."

Bucky's punch was a little harder that time, but he didn't reply, just kicked his feet up on the coffee table and rested against the back of the couch. Steve didn't realize he'd fallen back asleep until Bucky's head hit his shoulder.