Chapter 6: To Be Your Husband
Steve gave Bucky one of his mostly empty sketchbooks and flipped to a blank page in another. After their first dance lesson, they sat down to brainstorm songs for their first dance. He'd thought about it occasionally over the past few weeks, but still had absolutely no ideas.
"I'm guessing you're leaning towards some classic old jazz love song? Frank Sinatra? Etta James?" Bucky said.
"Not necessarily. Honestly, I have no idea what I want. What about you?"
"I figured you'd already be set on the vintage thing, so I was looking through a few older love songs."
"Yeah? What did you find that you liked?"
"How about I play snippets of them and we can write down the ones we'll consider?"
"Okay."
The first song Bucky played Steve recognized immediately as the one his parents used at their wedding, "The Way You Look Tonight," by Frank Sinatra. Sometimes they played it and danced in the kitchen when they thought Steve wasn't paying attention.
"I hate to break it to you, but this was my parents' first song," Steve said.
"You don't want to continue the legacy?"
"No. I want it to be just ours, not all of ours."
"Okay. I agree."
"How about Cheek to Cheek by Fred Astaire?"
"Absolutely not," Bucky said before Steve even had a chance to pull up the song. "I don't like the double meaning of cheek."
Steve threw a pillow at him from across the sofa. "Grow up."
Bucky threw it back. "I refuse."
"Fine. No Fred Astaire."
"What about that Nat King Cole one? About what love stands for?"
"Cheesy."
"Yeah, you're right. But how about this one?" He cued up "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis. Steve let it play for a minute, and then he remembered hearing a cover that he actually liked better than this. Bucky played a few different covers until Steve heard the one that sounded familiar.
"That's the one! Who is that?"
"Someone called Haley Reinhart."
"Put that one on the list," Steve instructed. "But only if you also like it."
"I do. It's really pretty."
Hoping to continue the momentum now that they'd added one to the list of possibilities, Steve texted a few people to ask for suggestions. A few people answered within the next ten minutes, but his favorite response was Parker's: "It's your love story. Don't ask other people to translate it into song for you."
After reading that, Steve specified his search parameters. "What about "My Best Friend" by Tim McGraw."
"Isn't he a country singer?"
"Yes."
"I don't really like country music."
"This song is less country than most of his work, I think."
"Play it."
They listened to the first half.
"I like the message, I guess. We were best friends long before we were engaged," Bucky conceded.
"It sounds like you're not too keen on the song itself."
"Probably not."
"That's okay."
Bucky's next suggestion was "I Won't Give Up" by Jazon Mraz.
"I really like the "How old is your soul" line but it doesn't really feel like us."
Steve's next suggestion, another vintage one, he played without introducing it first. Bucky tilted his head as he listened, and the corner of his mouth curled up in a smile. "I'll put it on the list," Steve said. He scribbled down, "It's Been a Long, Long Time" by Harry James.
"This one popped up as recommended after the Jason Mraz one," Bucky said. "I've never heard of it, but based on the title it seems worth a listen."
"Go ahead."
Steve listened to the opening guitar chords with no expectations. From the very first line, he was intrigued. His connection to the song only grew as the lyrics continued, and from the first chorus, he knew without a doubt that this was the one. There couldn't possibly be another song that more accurately encompassed their journey together. Based on the glorious shine in Bucky's eyes, he felt the same.
"Are you texting the link to Nat or am I?" Bucky asked with a grin.
"You found it, you send it."
Steve really hoped he managed to improve his dancing enough to do this song justice.
~0~
Natasha approved of their song choice, but she warned them it was in four-four time, not three-four, so a standard waltz wasn't going to work. Every night, Steve made Bucky help him practice keeping rhythm through at least two or three songs. He did improve, but only marginally. Next time Nat came over, she taught them tango, which could be done in four-four time. The steps were more complicated than waltz. Not only did they move in different directions, but at different paces too. Slow, slow, quick, quick, slow. Steve took twice as long to get the hang of this one, but he did get there. By the end of their third lesson, they could move around the room and change directions through the steps.
Natasha watched them with her arms crossed and a critical eye. When the song concluded and they separated from frame, the corner of her mouth twitched up in a crooked smile. "You are ready."
"Really?"
"You won't be winning any competitions, but you won't get laughed off your own dance floor."
Bucky grinned. "That's good enough for me."
"Speaking of which, will you have a dance floor?"
"Yeah," Steve said. They'd just booked a venue a few weeks ago. "It's all outdoors, though. Safer for me with so many people around."
"Makes sense. I hope weather cooperates."
"It will," Steve avowed. Bucky agreed. If anyone deserved nice weather on his wedding day, it was Steve. However, the weather was the one thing they couldn't plan for. Everything else still needed to be done, and that included each of them choosing groomsfolk. Since the majority of their friend group overlapped and neither of them had siblings, it required a rather thorough discussion.
"What if we just let them choose whose party they want to be in," Bucky suggested. He wasn't entirely joking.
"Are you kidding? Nobody would make that choice."
"There's nothing wrong with a little friendly competition."
"Not in general, no, but these are not friendly competition circumstances."
"Fine. How do you want to do this then?"
"I don't know. Is there someone you have in mind that you want to be your best man?"
"I was actually going to pick Josiah, and that doesn't conflict with you at all."
"I think that's a great choice. Have you asked him yet?"
"No."
"I'm sure he'll say yes."
"He'd better, the bastard. Do you have anyone in mind?"
"Honestly? I can't decide between Tony and Natasha."
"Okay. What's stopping you from picking both?"
"Can you do that?"
"Steve, it's your wedding, you can do whatever the fuck you want."
"I guess you're right. I'll ask both of them."
"Make sure you tell them that it's a shared invitation so they don't usurp control of planning your bachelor party."
"Yeah, of course I will."
"What about the rest of the people?" Bucky had a few contenders to round out his group, but he didn't want to name any names only for Steve to say he wanted them too.
"Probably Jim and Timmy. Were you gonna say Gabe?"
His was the next name on Bucky's list after Josiah. "Yeah, definitely."
"What about Parker?"
"I figured he'd be one we fight over."
"This is ridiculous, we shouldn't fight over people. Why can't we just have one group of groomspeople to share? We can each have our own best person, but share all the rest."
"How will we split up who goes to which bachelor party? That is something I refuse to share."
"You're right, that doesn't make sense to share. I think we can leave that up to the person who plans it."
"Yeah I guess so. Make it their problem."
Steve smiled. "Sounds good. So, master groomsmen list: Gabe, Jim, Timmy, Parker. Tony and Nat as my best people, and Josiah as yours. Anyone else?"
"I don't know. There are plenty of other Avengers I'm thinking about, but I don't want the group to be too big, and I'm not sure where to draw the line in who's a closer friend, you know?"
"We can just stop there, if you want. That's seven people."
"Do you think it'll bother Nat to be the only girl?"
"I don't think so."
"Do we have to pick an outfit for her?" Bucky knew in hetero weddings, the bride normally chose at least the color of the bridesmaids' dresses.
"No. I don't want to do that," Steve said. "We'll give everyone the color palette and let them choose from there."
"Okay. Remind me again what the color palette is?"
"Purple and gold, duh."
"Right." Bucky paused. "I'm gonna go ahead and call Josiah now."
"Sounds good. I'll call Tony and Nat."
"Perfect."
Bucky picked up the phone and called Josiah. He picked up on the first ring and immediately asked, "Do I get to be your best man?"
"How did you know what this was about?" Bucky asked.
"Man, why else would you be calling me? People our age exclusively text unless it's something important."
He did have a point. Bucky continued, "So yeah, that's the question I was going to ask. Will you do it?"
"Hell yeah. I've been planning your bachelor party since you and Steve started dating."
"Are you serious?"
"I mean, not seriously planning. Just brainstorming."
"Still, that's a tad presumptuous of you, don't you think?"
"I don't even know what that means. But now I've got a party to plan and a toast to write, so talk to you later."
And with that, he hung up.
~0~
Steve decided to call Nat first. Since she'd already helped them with the whole dancing thing, he hoped she'd be amenable to joining the wedding party. "Hey Nat," he greeted. "So…Bucky and I are in the process of putting together our wedding parties, and…I know it's not the norm, but instead of one best man I was thinking I'd have you and Tony share the role. Is that something you'd be willing to do?"
"Steve, why do you phrase this question like you are asking me to carpool?"
"I…I dunno." He had no idea how this type of inquiry was supposed to proceed.
"Okay. Yes."
"Yes to what?"
"I will be one of your best people."
"That's great. Thank you so much."
"It's my pleasure."
Well, that was easier than he thought it would be. He tried Tony next. "Oooh, what did I do to earn a phone call from Steve Rogers?" Tony asked.
"Nothing," Steve told him. "Yet. I have something to ask you."
"Have you tried turning it off and on again?"
"This is not about tech support. Is that usually why people call you?"
"Just my mom."
"Okay. This is about the wedding."
"You want me to do lighting design or something? I don't have much experience, but I'm sure I could rig something up."
"No, Tony. Just let me ask the goddamn question."
"Okay."
"Will you be my best man? Well, one of them. You'll be sharing with Natasha."
"You already got Natasha and you still want me too?"
"Yeah, of course. You guys are my two best friends."
"I don't even know what to say."
"Yes? Hopefully," Steve said shyly.
"Steve, I would be honored. I'm sending Nat a brainstorming document as we speak."
"Tony, you're amazing."
"I'd better be if I'm going to be best man to Steve Rogers."
"You're already flattering me. You're gonna be great at this."
"I will certainly strive to. Thanks, Steve, for thinking of me. I'll do my best."
"I'm sure you will. Thank you."
By the time Steve hung up with Tony, Bucky had already finished his call and awaited him. "So?" he asked.
"They said yes."
"Alright!"
The rest of the wedding party came together just as smoothly. Little by little, the rest of the plans also fell into line. Well, not so much fell into line as were wrestled there by the combined efforts of Steve, Bucky, and their parents. Still, checking off each box left Steve with a profound sense of accomplishment. They picked out matching tuxedos and let their groomsfolk choose their own complementary fits. Steve, for one, could not wait to see them all together. Bucky, on the other hand, was more concerned with choosing a cake flavor.
"Absolutely nothing lemon," he demanded. Steve didn't have any reason to argue with that, and let Bucky pick whatever he wanted. Once the booking and decision-making logistics were figured out, he started writing his vows. Putting everything he loved about Bucky into words he could say in a minute or two was one of the most difficult tasks he'd ever undertaken, but he wrote list after list of promises and affirmations until he could look at them and intrinsically know which were most important to him. He read them over and over until he could recite them fluently without hardly thinking about it. That part was easier than he expected, because each word he believed wholeheartedly.
Picking out rings together felt more momentous than any other aspect of wedding planning. They chose unadorned gold bands with "'Til the end of the line" engraved on the inside. "I don't have a left hand to wear it on," Bucky pointed out after they bought them.
"The whole left hand thing is just a tradition. Wear it on your right. I'll wear it on that hand too, so we can be matching."
"But isn't switching hands for their ring something people do when their spouse dies? What if people think you're a widower?"
"Yeah, some people do that, but not all. We're doing this our way, and for us, that means wearing our ring on our right hand."
"Okay."
Steve stowed the box of rings somewhere hidden because Bucky kept "making sure it still fit." Neither of them actually believed that excuse. Bucky just couldn't wait to get married, clearly. Steve felt the same way.
They sent out invitations to the rest of their friends, Bucky's extended family in Wisconsin, the Langs, the Bartons, the entire amputee soccer team, Coach Phillips, some of Steve's dad's closest army buddies, and Gravesen president Dr. Lee. Steve added his name to the list on a whim, not thinking he'd even look at it, much less reply in the affirmative. When he RSVPed with a yes, Steve almost started crying. "He loves you," Bucky told him. "I'm sure he's thrilled to watch you reach such a milestone."
"Yeah, I guess so. I'm pretty thrilled."
"Me too."
"Bucky?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't wait to be your husband."
