Summary: There's a bit of a slight misunderstanding. And Steve is afraid of doors.

"Do you wanna stay over tonight?"

Bucky almost falls over at the sound of those words. He has to steady himself on the bed so he doesn't bring the covers down with him.

Steve has half his face buried in the pillows, so all Bucky sees is one eye blinking expectantly back at him. He has to force his gaze down, hoping he can somehow avoid the question without actually answering.

"Bucky."

The tone of his voice makes Bucky look up a little. "It's okay if you don't want to. I'll understand."

He twists the corner of the sheets nervously in his hands. He wants to stay over. He does. But if he stays, then that might mean Steve will expect more from him. And Bucky is just in no way ready for that. Steve has been so patient with Bucky, and he's a saint for that really. He's never pressured him, not once. He always took things slow and never did anything Bucky didn't want. But staying over could change that. It could bring out a different side of Steve, and honestly Bucky is scared to discover that part of him. Because it's not that part he fell in love with, and is continuously falling in love with.

Bucky still hasn't answered yet so instead he drags himself out of bed and tries to locate his boxers. Along with the rest of his clothes that were strewn all over the place in their haste to get to the bed. The sex was pretty awesome, not gonna lie. He makes a mental note to rub it in Natasha's face later. He likes bragging about how his sex life is better than hers, which it clearly is (Clint can't help going red in the face).

But before he's fully out Steve's hand shoots forward and curls around Bucky's wrist.

"You still haven't answered yet."

"I—" He can't seem to get the words out. He doesn't know how. He bites his lip and tries to pull his arm back, but Steve is just a little bit stronger and doesn't seem to give up any time soon.

Steve's grasp tightens and suddenly Bucky is falling over and lands in the massive expanse that is Steve's chest. He's about to get up but feels a pair of arms wrapping securely around his waist.

"Steve," Bucky warns.

"Bucky." But Steve has this little smirk on his face and he's not buying Bucky's face of utter doom. "I'm not letting you go until you give me an answer." It's not even threatening the way he says it. He can tell it's just a joke, that Steve is just being his playful, adorable self and is in no way trying to force Bucky into anything. Of course not, why would he?

Bucky almost whimpers and tries to squirm out, but it's not use. Steve has always been stronger than him.

"S-Steve."

"Hmmm?" He hums lazily as he buries his nose in Bucky's hair.

"C-come on, Steve. I mean it." There's a rising hysteria in his voice. Panic starts to settle in, and his vision has become double now. He's feeling scared.

Steve must notice because his eyes widen and he quickly releases Bucky like he's something deadly. He sits up and pushes his back completely against the headboard, trying to get as far away from Bucky as possible.

Bucky is a little shocked too at Steve's reaction, but he doesn't say anything. They stare at each other for a while until Steve mumbles a rushed 'I think I'm gonna go out for a bit' and throws the covers off him. He picks up his clothes and hastily puts them on, then silently slips out the door. There's a jingling sound and Bucky is now alone in the empty apartment.

Bucky rolls back on his heels, trying to make sense of what the fuck just happened. This wasn't supposed to happen. None of this. They were supposed to hang out together in Steve's apartment watching movies and doing absolutely nothing. They were supposed to spend the rest of their afternoon having glorious, mind-blowing sex and then bask in the afterglow of it. It was supposed to be just a normal day. Not Bucky almost freaking out because Steve had asked him a question.

He bends forward on his knees and groans into the bed. What was wrong with him? Well, obviously a lot of things but clearly he already knew that. He rolls over onto his back and sits up. He spots his phone on the bedside table and grabs it. He quickly dials Nat's number.

"So how's the sex going?" Is the first thing she says when the line gets through.

Bucky's about to respond with some snappy comeback but then remembers his reason for calling her in the first place.

"Nat, I screwed up."

"Well that's not a first," she snorts.

"Nat. I'm serious."

"And I'm serious too. So what'd you do this time?"

"…Why do you make it sound like I'm constantly—"

"Because you are. Especially now that you've got this thing with Steve."

"It's not a thing it's—"

"James, just tell me what happened," she says exasperatedly.

"…"

Steve has been standing outside his apartment door for approximately twenty minutes. He doesn't want to go in. Especially not after that whole fiasco. What was he thinking? He knew not to push Bucky. He knew better than that, and yet he still did it.

He looked up at the ceiling and sighed. He didn't mean to get too ahead of himself and rush things, but he really really wanted Bucky to stay the night. Holding him captive and giving him a mini heart attack probably wasn't the best way to go about it though.

He still can't bring himself to open the door. It's too ominous looking, and he's afraid of what he's going to find when he opens it. His hand is in a constant tug-of-war over whether it should twist the knob or not. He finally sighs in resignation and takes out his cell phone. He's so terrified that it has to come to this now. He puts it up to his ear and waits.

"Hello?"

"Bucky?"

He hears a yelp on the other line and some kind of banging noise. "…Steve?" Bucky asks hesitantly.

"This is him. What was that—"

"I dropped my phone," he answers quickly.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

There's an awkward silence.

"Um, Bucky, this is going to sound really weird but… I'm kind of.. outside? Like outside the door?" Steve looks around as if he's trying to avoid being seen by some unknown presence.

Another pause.

"You're serious?"

"Look I didn't—"

"Are you serious? Are you for real right now?"

"Uhhhhh."

"Oh my god," Bucky mutters. Steve hears some kind of pattering noise in the background and a sudden shaft of light makes him squint his eyes.

Bucky is standing in the doorway holding his cell phone to his ear. He's staring at Steve like he wants to laugh but he can tell Bucky is trying to keep his composure.

"Hi," Bucky's voice echoes. "So you wanna come in now or what?"

Steve winces and presses the end button. He's about to give a million apologies and reasons as to why he was so wrong before when Bucky grabs his shirt and pulls him into a tight embrace.

"Just shut up and let me hug you," Bucky says before Steve can get a word out.

Steve has no choice but to give in and reciprocates the hug. He settles his head in the crook of Bucky's neck and puts one hand on his waist and the other resting on his forearm.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Steve rubs his hand up and down Bucky's side.

"For, as Natasha quotes, 'being a pussy who doesn't know how to speak his feelings and has no fucking proper social skills.'"

The rubbing falters for a moment but continues. "Really now, did she?" Steve asks in an amused tone.

"Yeah. She couldn't help emphasizing on multiple occasions what a huge pussy I am."

"I see." Steve pulls back to get a look at Bucky's face. "She also should have told you what a huge push over I am and probably the worst boyfriend in the world."

"I think I've got you beat on that."

"Really? You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure. You're like a close second I think."

Bucky looks all smug but his mouth quirks up. It keeps quivering uncontrollably until he breaks out into a huge grin and ends up bursting out laughing. Steve can't help it and soon enough he's joining in too. They're falling all over each other, completely out of breath with tears in their eyes.

Bucky clutches at his stomach and tries to take some calming breaths. "We're a bunch of idiots."

"Yeah," Steve breathes out, "We really are."

They smile shyly at each other.

"By the way, I never got to answer your question."

Steve has to think for a moment before he grimaces at the memory. "Oh, no Buck please you don't—"

"No, but I do. I want to stay the night. I do, seriously. You aren't forcing me or anything. It was gonna happen eventually, right?"

"I mean, yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean it has to be tonight or anything," Steve quickly reassures. He doesn't want to get his hopes up.

"Steve," Bucky simply says.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want me to stay or not?"

"…Yes."

"Then just shut up and let me stay."

Steve obeys and doesn't utter another word about it.