Summary: Bucky needs to buy a present for Steve, only Steve may have the same thing in mind.
Bucky hates Christmas.
No, let him re-phrase that: he loves Christmas, but hates the idea of consumerism.
He just hates seeing people so caught up with the idea that Christmas equals presents which basically equals spend everything to get everything. It's kind of ridiculous, but hey that's society in a nutshell right there.
So here Bucky is, strolling along the streets of Times Square and taking in the sights of the massive billboards advertising every kind of Christmas sale these companies can think of. It's amusing to watch the crowds of people try to duck into stores or attempt to balance the hundreds of bags and boxes they're carrying.
"Stop smiling. It's creepy," Natasha says.
Bucky rolls his eyes and loops his arm through hers. "Sorry that I can't be happy during one of the greatest holidays of the year."
"Oh believe me, happy's got nothing to do with it. It's just weird seeing you… happy." She makes an annoyed face at her failure to elaborate.
"Thanks. Glad to know I can't be happy," he laughs.
"It's not that! Don't get me wrong, it's nice seeing you happy. It's just very different comparing the you today to the you who couldn't even step foot in a crowd full of people. The you back then would have opted to take cover indoors and watch ABC's 25 Days of Christmas."
"Hey, ABC's Christmas special is the best. You can't deny them that."
"Mhmm," Nat rolls her eyes and knocks his shoulder.
She's right. Back then, Bucky wouldn't have dared set foot in Times Square. People always terrified him. Now, he's like an actual normal person. It's great to have that back in his life, even if he does get the occasional panic attack.
"Hey, look at that!" Nat taps him on the arm and points to one of the big store windows displaying The Grinch Mountain with a train going around it. There's even puffs of smoke coming out.
"Oh my gosh that's so adorable I wanna puke." She bends down to get a closer look at the little figurines ice-skating at the bottom of the mountain.
Bucky raises an eyebrow at her choice of words. "Most people want to smile, not puke."
She swats him on the arm without turning around. "Oh hush. Let me enjoy this in all my bitterness while it lasts."
They stand there for a couple minutes admiring the display. It's cute, and Bucky even decides to take a picture and send it to Steve. Then thinking about Steve somehow leads him to Christmas, and then he puts two and two together and he almost shatters his phone on the ground.
Luckily Nat catches it just before it meets its impending doom. She huffs and hands it back to him. "What are you doing? You know how expensive these Stark phones are right?"
"I—yeah, right. Sorry, thanks." He shakes his head and slips the phone back in his jacket pocket.
Nat's still looking at him and opens her mouth, then closes it. She looks conflicted and is trying to decide whether to ask or not.
"It's fine, don't worry about it," Bucky reassures. He puts on his best smile and holds out his arm. "Come on, let's go look at some more displays so you can puke and shit."
It's three days later when the revelation comes back full force. As Nat predicted, he decided to spend the day holed up on his couch watching ABC.
25 Days of Christmas is very important to him, okay?
But then as he's watching the claymation Rudolph get down on himself for having a red nose it hits him again. This time, he drops the TV remote.
He runs a shaky hand through his hair and grips it tightly.
"Crap." He scrambles up from the couch and throws on his coat and scarf. He grabs his phone along the way and quickly plugs in Nat's number.
"Hey, it's me. I've got a problem and I need your help."
"Christmas is literally a week away."
"I know."
"A week."
"I. Know."
"I mean most people—"
"Nat," Bucky warns.
She puts her hands up in defense. "Hey, I'm just saying."
"Yes, I got that from the four thousand times you said it." He sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.
He is the most stupid human being on the face of the earth. Like seriously, he hasn't met anyone more stupid than himself.
"I mean really, Steve is your freaking boyfriend. How could you forget to buy him a present?"
Bucky grimaces at that.
"Shouldn't he be like the first person you think of?"
"I know, I know please don't remind me of my never-ending stupidity."
Yes, yes Bucky ALMOST FORGOT to get Steve, his boyfriend as Nat pointed out, a present. It had hit him when they were walking around in Times Square, and he repeatedly told himself he would do some online shopping when he got home. But then Becca called asking him to watch Peter for the night and he completely forgot all about it.
Usually he's not like this. When it comes to Christmas, he's always on top of things. He gets his Christmas shopping down early so he doesn't have to deal with the last minute shoppers, and he's got the presents all wrapped and waiting in his closet to be handed out. He's not really sure what happened because Nat's right, Steve's present should have been the first one he bought.
"I'm the worst," Bucky mumbles into his jacket.
Nat gives him a sympathetic look. "We'll find something, don't worry about it."
"Kinda hard not to worry."
"Look, let's start with that store first!" She points to nearby department store and Bucky lets her drag him inside. He's too depressed because he still can't believe he forgot about Steve, his boyfriend.
"Come ooon, stop looking so depressed." Natasha pokes his side and tries to get him to smile.
All Bucky can muster up is huffed out laugh and a sigh. "Nat, how could I forget about Steve?"
"It happens to the best of us. I mean honestly, do you think Clint remembers to get me an anniversary gift come anniversary time? No, he doesn't. But I forgive him because I know his love for me means more than a bouquet of flowers." She shrugs and picks up a nearby leather wallet. "I'm sure there'll be times when Steve forgets too, and that's okay. Not all couples are perfect." She holds out the wallet to him. "What do you think?"
Bucky accepts it and turns it around in his hands, inspecting the insides. "I don't know. Doesn't really scream 'Steve.' Plus wallets are so cliche, I need to get him something special, you know?" He puts it back where she found it.
She nods understandingly. "Okay, how about I tackle that section of the store and you tackle the other side?"
"Deal."
They both nod and head off in opposite directions.
Twenty minutes later and Bucky still can't find anything. He's just about given up when something catches his eyes. He walks over to a display full of jewelry, mainly rings. Rings for.. couples.
Bucky peers down at the glass to get a better look at them.
"Shopping for a girlfriend?" A nearby shop assistant asks.
"Uh, no. Well, sort of. But um, not really, uh…" He blushes at his inelegant stammering.
The shop assistant smiles. "Boyfriend?"
"Uh." He blushes harder and looks down.
She laughs and pats his arm. "No worries, we're not a gender-biased store. We've got all sorts of jewelry here, so take your time."
"Thanks," he mumbles embarrassingly. He looks back at the display case. "I just.. don't know if he'd like it or not."
The assistant hums thoughtfully. "Well, personally I think couple's jewelry is always nice. And even if he doesn't like it, it's the thought that counts. Plus if he really did love you, he wouldn't not appreciate it."
"True," Bucky agrees. "Could I maybe see that one?" He points to a set of rings that caught his attention earlier.
"Certainly, give me one moment." She smiles and walks behind the counter to take it out.
On closer inspection, they're actually pretty nice. The rings are very simple, with a small diamond embedded on the surface. It's nothing too gaudy, and it looks like it'd suit Steve pretty well.
"You like these?" She asks.
"Yeah I—I think so. Lemme go consult a friend first, get her opinion."
She chuckles. "Of course. I'll hold them right here."
He smiles gratefully and goes off in search of Nat. He finds her ten minutes later staring at handbags.
"I thought we were supposed to be looking for gifts for Steve," Bucky says amusingly.
"Maybe Steve wants a handbag." She holds up a gaudy looking thing that makes Bucky wince.
"Come on, I think I've got something better." He gestures for her to follow him and they walk back towards the display case.
He's about to point out the rings to her when he sees the shop assistant make a distressed face. When they get closer he figures out why.
"I'm sorry sir, but I already said I'd hold onto them for a customer who came before you."
"I know, and I get that I really do but is it possible you could—"
"Steve?"
Steve turns around and his face is hit with the full force of a very red blush upon seeing Bucky and Natasha.
"B-Bucky?" He squeaks out.
"Sir, this was the customer I was talking about," the assistant says.
"Wait what?" Bucky looks between Steve and the rings.
"Well this is awkward," Nat mumbles from behind.
They all stand in silence like that.
"You were… the.. rings?" Steve flails and makes unidentified hand gestures.
"Uh.. yeah." Bucky scratches his head and winces. "They were.. yeah."
The shop assistant looks uncertainly between the two men. "Uh, sir would you still like me to hold onto them?"
"Gee, um." Bucky bites his lip to stop from smiling and looks at Steve for confirmation. "I don't know. Should she still hold onto them for me?"
Steve's ears look and feel like they're gonna burn right off. He ducks his head. "I-I don't know."
"Wait, am I missing something here?" Nat asks.
Bucky rolls his eyes. "You know for a CIA agent you're not very observant are you?"
She punches him in the arm. "Shut up. It's Christmas, I'm allowed to be Natasha the bitter, not Natasha the agent."
He rolls his eyes again and turns his attention back to the shop assistant. Poor woman, she must be so confused. "Yes, I would like to buy them. If that's okay with you." He directs that last part at Steve, who only ducks his head further in embarrassment.
"Excellent!" The woman beams and starts taking the rings off the stand. "Would you like me to wrap them up or..?"
"No, you can just give them to me like that," Bucky says. He takes out his wallet and hands over his credit card to her. Once the exchange is done, with the receipt and rings in hand, he knocks Steve's shoulder to grab his attention.
"Hey." He bends his knees so he can actually make eye contact with him. Steve sneaks a peak, and he looks nervous.
"Hold out your hand for me."
This gets Steve to lift his head further up. He sucks in a sharp breath and holds out a shaky hand.
Bucky smiles as he takes the larger ring and slides it over Steve's ring finger. Even his own hands are shaking from the nerves.
"Now you do mine."
"R-Right."
Steve carefully takes the ring and handles it like a newborn baby. He smiles once the ring is securely on Bucky's finger. They're shiny, but most of all they're matching.
They have matching jewelry. If that's not the corniest yet cutest thing ever Bucky doesn't know what is.
The shop assistant makes an 'awwww' sound and gives a watery smile.
"Yeah, definitely gonna puke," Nat laughs.
Bucky smiles until he can feel his cheeks hurting. "Yeah, me too."
Steve rolls his lips and stares at their hands. Right now, he looks like the happiest man on earth. And Bucky still can't get over the fact that they have matching jewelry.
"So was this supposed to be my Christmas present or something?" He teases.
Steve chokes and blushes harder. "I—well… uh."
Bucky throws back his head and laughs. He leans up to kiss Steve on the cheek. "Merry Christmas Steve," he whispers.
"M-Merry Christmas, Bucky," he whispers back and smiles shyly.
Author's note: And have a very Merry Christmas everyone!