Guys I'm finally back! My vacation was absolutely amazing! Also, I'm super super excited to share the next two chapters with you!
Thank you for being so patient and waiting for these chapters and I really hope they don't let you down! Please do let me know what you think!


Chapter 27

"Hold still." Sam chastised Steve gently, a smile dancing on his lips while he ran his long fingers through Steve's fringe.

"Sorry." Steve mumbled, looking past Sam, at his reflection in Sam's full-length mirror. Steve bit down on his bottom lip nervously. Would Bucky like the outfit Sam had helped Steve pick out the day before? The dark-blue shirt fitted well enough, not sitting too tightly around his broad shoulders without swimming around his trim waist. It looked good both tucked in and hanging around the hem of his tight black jeans loosely. Steve, of course, had chosen to keep the shirt tucked in. Steve's bottom lip soon found itself between his teeth again, being chewed mercilessly while Steve scanned his outfit, trying to think of anything that he might have missed.

"Why're you so nervous Steve? It's just Bucky." The moment the words had left Sam's mouth, the former para-rescuer pulled a face, rolling his eyes at how silly that statement was. Sam knew just as well as Steve did that Steve was this nervous because it was Bucky. Anyone else and Steve's normally so still hands would probably be able to style his own fringe. With Bucky though? Steve was a wreck.

Steve took a deep breath, concentrating on the feeling of his lungs filling up with oxygen.

"You'll be fine." Sam assured him. He took a step back, critical gaze sweeping over Steve from head to toe.

"Do you think he'll like it?" Steve asked self-consciously, shoving his jittery hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Honest opinion?" Sam enquired. Steve nodded firmly, biting his lip again. "He's gotta be blind not to appreciate the way your ass looks in those jeans." Sam grinned.

"Sam!" Steve spluttered, going a violent shade of red while trying to somehow hide his face behind his shaking hands. Sam burst out laughing, slinging an arm around Steve casually, shaking the taller man a little.

"Did you see your face in the mirror? Please tell me you did- it was priceless!" Sam cackled, leaning more weight onto Steve while the blond tried to get his blush back under control, "But seriously Steve, you look pretty damn good."

"Th… thanks Sam." Steve stuttered, smiling at Sam's reflection gratefully.

"There is something though…" Sam pursed his lips thoughtfully, considering Steve one more time before springing into action. He undid the top two buttons of Steve's shirt, exposing Steve's collarbones before rolling up the sleeves, tucking them in neatly just below Steve's elbows. "Now you look less like a guy going to the office and more like a guy going on a date." Steve's stomach did a little flip at Sam's words.

Date.

He was going on a date.

He wasn't just going on a date; he was going on a date with his best friend. With James Buchanan Barnes, the man Steve had unwittingly loved for a long, long time. The more he tried to wrap his mind around it, the crazier the whole situation seemed to him. He let his mind drift, going back to the many double-dates he had gone on with Bucky. He remembered the way Bucky would look his date up and down appreciatively when they'd open the door for him. By the time Bucky'd be done, his date would be blushing and he'd laugh, as if he hadn't noticed her bashfulness, pulling her into a hug and pressing a kiss to her rosy cheek. And then this is my best pal Steve. 'Member I told ya all 'bout him? Ain't he something to look at?

Steve couldn't help but smile, ducking his head when Sam gave him a quizzical look through his reflection in the mirror.

Steve took a deep breath. He really didn't want to mess this up. He was well aware of the fact that Bucky had seen him in every possible kind of situation from elegant to embarrassing, from happy to incredibly sad and had still asked Steve out on a date but that thought didn't do much to calm the raging butterflies in his stomach. He just… really didn't want to mess this up.

"Steve." Steve blinked, surprised by Sam's sober tone, looking up at Sam whilst turning his back on the mirror.

"Yeah?" Steve's eyebrows arched in a question.

"You'll be fine."

You'll be fine Stevie! I mean, who wouldn't wanna go out with ya?

"I feel like that sixteen-year-old kid again." Steve admitted with an airy laugh.

"And what's wrong with that?" Sam asked, smiling at Steve warmly. Steve returned the smile for a moment, pondering Sam's rhetorical question briefly. There really wasn't anything wrong with that, was there? Bucky had always made Steve feel different, made him feel carefree. Even after his parents had died and Steve had felt all alone, he'd still had Bucky who'd make everything better with a bowel of chicken soup, a warm hug and his silly antics.

Steve was ripped out of his pleasant thoughts by a wave of nausea triggered by the sound of Sam's doorbell echoing through the apartment. His eyes grew wide and found Sam immediately, begging.

"Oh hell no!" Sam crossed his arms across his chest, frowning at Steve, "I am not answering the door! You are getting your grown-up ass over to that door to say hello to your freaking date! Then, you're going to have a great bloody time Rogers!"

Steve whimpered but obliged after only a short moment of hesitation. He checked his reflection in the mirror one last time before dodging Sam's hands when his friend waved at him to hurry it up.

Steve rushed out of the room and across the living room to the front door, stopping short once the door handle was within reach.

It felt to Steve as though his heart was about to beat right out of his chest.

"Okay breathe." He reminded himself, forcing himself to take a deep breath before opening the door for his best friend.

Steve had practiced his greeting all morning but despite it all, the moment his eyes settled on Bucky, it was all for naught. His brain shorted out and his mouth hung open stupidly while his bright eyes took in what Bucky looked like.

This was the man Steve was going to go out with? But he looked so good! He looked so happy, so radiant, so gorgeous! How could Steve have ever gotten so lucky?

Bucky's short hair was tousled but seemed to have been done up like that on purpose. His torso was adorned by a deep maroon button-up covered by a new leather jacket that made his impressive shoulders look even broader. He was wearing a pair of tight black jeans that showed off the lean muscles in Bucky's long legs. As if the outfit wasn't devastating enough, Bucky was wearing a pair of black military boots to top it all off.

Swallowing, Steve's eyes found the coy smirk on Bucky's handsome face before he forced himself to look up at Bucky's eyes. Bucky was just finishing off his own evaluation, his stunning eyes finding Steve's after only a short moment. Steve felt like he couldn't breathe.

"You clean up nicely Stevie." Naturally, Bucky was the first one to break the silence.

"You don't look too bad yourself Buck." Steve replied with a bright smile, gut twisting with a mixture of exhilaration and nervousness. Bucky's eyes left Steve's reluctantly, finding Sam who was lingering in the kitchen awkwardly. He gave Sam a short nod before turning his undivided attention back to an expectant Steve.

"You have everything you need?" Bucky asked him. Almost comically, Steve spun around on his heels to retrieve his brown leather jacket from the couch before rushing back to the door and patting down his pockets. Bucky watched this with a hardly visible smile. If one looked carefully enough though, one could see the adoration in his ice-blue eyes.

"I do." Steve finally announced with a triumphant smile, letting his arms fall to his sides.

"Then let's go."

As soon as Steve had closed the door to Sam's apartment behind him, Bucky's right hand was on his face, caressing his skin gently. Steve's eyes found Bucky's immediately, any words he may have wanted to say, vanishing in a puff of smoke. The look on Bucky's face… it was nothing like the look he had always worn when he had greeted those girls he went on dates with. It was overwhelmingly different, overwhelmingly better.

"I ain't used to telling you this." Bucky admitted with a smile, "But you look pretty darn amazin' Stevie." He conceded, leaning his forehead against Steve's carefully, "I can't believe you actually said yes to going out on a date with me."

"Bucky, do you even realize how amazing you are?" Steve blurted out unthinkingly, blushing when Bucky pulled away to consider Steve with soft, slightly puzzled eyes. Steve knew that Bucky couldn't relate. Bucky couldn't understand what Steve saw in him, couldn't understand why Steve gave up so much just to make sure that Bucky was safe and happy. He knew, as much as he hated it, that Bucky didn't think he was worth all that.

Suddenly, Steve's nervousness vanished, replaced by a blazing determination to show Bucky just how amazing he was. He finally had the opportunity to show Bucky just how special he was to Steve and Steve had every intention of seizing that opportunity.
He wasn't going to sit back and let Bucky do all the work on their date- he was going to make Bucky feel just as special as Bucky made him feel by asking him on the date in the first place.

"What're you thinking about?" Bucky asked him, having been watching Steve's thoughts project onto his face. "You look like you're about to fight someone." That made Steve laugh.

"Not unless anyone gives me a reason to." Steve replied, grinning.

"So you mean right up until you run into a man who's being rude to a woman?" Bucky smirked. Steve laughed again, ducking his head because it was yet another thing that Bucky obviously remembered and there was probably no way Steve could express how happy that made him.

"I'm just thinking about today." Steve admitted.

"Yeah?" Bucky tilted his head curiously, "I hope it's all good stuff."

"Sure is." Steve assured Bucky brightly, "So are we gonna go or do you wanna keep me waiting Buck?"

"Wouldn't dream of it Stevie."


"So where are we going?" Steve worded his question after mulling over it for a good ten minutes while following Bucky who was weaving between pedestrians masterfully, leading Steve along with a warm hand wrapped around Steve's.

"Where would the fun be in telling you?" Bucky looked at Steve over his shoulder, smiling when he saw the annoyed frown on Steve's face.

"C'mon Buck you gotta-." His voice broke off as soon as Bucky attempted to pull Steve down a set of stairs leading to the subway. The happy bliss he had felt ebbed away, giving way to worry that washed over him like a violent wave, shifting his mood to one of concern. Steve looked at the sign to the metro station for a very long moment before looking at Bucky who was waiting for Steve to make his decision.

"How do you know you're ready?" Steve asked Bucky quietly to avoid eavesdropping. People were passing them impatiently, annoyed by the fact that the two large men were standing in the middle of the subway entrance. Neither Steve nor Bucky could really find it in themselves to care though.

"I don't know if I'm ready." Bucky admitted but despite his confession, he didn't seem troubled at all.

"Then why are you doing this?" Steve felt a hint of agitation surface at the back of his mind. Bucky was being reckless. Yes, he was feeling better but pushing himself too far could set him back in his rehabilitation and, if push comes to shove, put people's lives in danger. "Well last time I checked, this was the entrance to the metro and seeing as I wanna catch one of 'em, I gotta go down there." Bucky smirked lightly, trying to ignore the annoyed look on Steve's face. "Bucky what if you-."

"How will I ever know if I don't try?" Bucky interrupted Steve, knowing fully well that Steve hated being interrupted. Steve frowned at him for a moment before shrugging, allowing Bucky to continue. "Let me try Stevie. I wanna try."

"Why today?" Steve asked worriedly, studying Bucky's face for any signs of discomfort but finding none. "Because I got you with me."

Steve wanted to protest. He wanted to tell Bucky to leave it but New York was a big city. He didn't know if they could get to their destination on foot and denying Bucky the chance to take Steve to the place he had planned to, seemed almost cruel.

"Let me do this Stevie." Bucky tried again, resting his hands on Steve's hips and pulling him closer, "I'll be fine." He added, placing a gentle kiss on Steve's cheek. Steve sighed, feeling his resolve dwindle away the longer Bucky held him like that.

"You'll tell me if it's too much?"

"Of course I will, doll."

Steve averted his eyes, biting down on his bottom lip while a blush spread across his cheeks, colouring his nose the colour of rose petals.


Steve's eyes were on Bucky when the silver train rattled to a stop in the station, the doors opening to let them in. He was slightly relieved to find that the train wasn't too full, hoping that it would somehow make Bucky feel a little more comfortable. Once they had found a good place to stand, Bucky's metal hand took a hold of one of the bars while his right arm wrapped around Steve's waist loosely.

As soon as the doors closed behind them, Steve noticed the tension in the line of Bucky's neck. He pushed into Bucky's side gently to comfort him. Noticing this, Bucky turned his head to face Steve, smiling at him gratefully, his arm tightening around Steve's waist. The two stayed like that, silently enjoying each other's company while the train pulled out of the station, screeching along the tracks as it barrelled towards the next stop.

After a while, Steve's guard dropped and he leant his head against Bucky's shoulder, enjoying Bucky's closeness and the smell of his cologne. He wanted to close his eyes but he knew that it was too soon for that. It wasn't that he didn't trust Bucky or his judgement, it was just that Steve couldn't help but want to look out for Bucky. He knew that Bucky was more than capable of looking after himself but that didn't do anything to make Steve feel any less fiercely protective over Bucky.

The train jolted and were it not for Bucky's arm around Steve, the blond would have fallen over. Steve mumbled a quiet "Thanks Buck." Into Bucky's shoulder and the brunette tightened his arm around Steve protectively in response.

After only a few stops, Steve stopped listening to the announcements, letting the noise around him blur together into white noise. He could feel Bucky's shoulder rise and fall with his steady breathing and he let it lull him into a daydream.


The Q train came to a screeching halt in a station that, at first glance, seemed nothing but slightly familiar to Steve. The platform was elevated, windows giving him a good view of the… ocean?

Steve looked at Bucky quizzically but all Bucky did was smile while realization very slowly dawned on the blond. His feet moved more quickly, following Bucky eagerly, letting his date lead him down the narrow metal stairs.

The afternoon heat hit Steve the moment he stepped out of the much cooler station. The heat wasn't the only thing that hit Steve though. Memories of afternoons spent here rushed through him like the blood in his veins. He felt teary and happy at the same time, unsure as to what to express. The sound of wheels rushing over rails drowned out the laughter, the screaming and the music for a brief moment. The ocean breeze whipped through Steve's hair, testing the quality of the hair wax Sam had let him use. The smell of corndogs and cotton-candy wafted towards him, beckoning him to take the remaining few steps down to the road. Steve's breath stalled for a moment, leaving him breathless and slightly overwhelmed.

"I did have fun." Bucky spoke up, resting a hand against the small of Steve's back to draw Steve's attention back to him, "I remembered."

Steve tore his eyes away from the Cyclone to look at Bucky. He had to swallow around the emotions stuck in his throat in order to speak.

"Yeah." Steve gave Bucky a watery smile, "We did have fun here."

"Ready to have some more fun?" Bucky grinned that mischievous, charming smile that Steve had missed so much, making Steve's poor heart skip a beat.

"Definitely." Steve breathed, alternating between grinning and laughing- all he could do to stop himself from crying.


If Steve had thought that the memories of Coney Island had been overwhelming for him, then he definitely hadn't thought about what it would be like for Bucky. The large amount of people around them at the fare didn't seem to bother Bucky in the slightest, not even when people bumped into him by mistake. He was so busy looking around, pointing things out to Steve to even notice any of the people around them. Steve on the other hand, was far too enraptured by Bucky to notice the people around them. Bucky was beaming! With every new memory that surfaced in vivid colours and intoxicating emotions, his face lit up that little bit more. When the memories didn't come anymore, all Steve had to do was tell Bucky some of the adventures they'd had and that usually got the ball rolling again. Bucky would run every single memory by Steve with colourful description and a fond smile, grinning when Steve confirmed the realness of each memory.

"Hey look Stevie!" Bucky grinned, pulling his date through the crowd to one of the stands. Round targets with a black bullseye in the middle were pinned to the wall in a neat line. Guns were laid out on a green plastic table, one gun for each target. "What was her name?" Bucky asked Steve.

"Dorothy but you called her Dot." Steve smiled, "You took her here shortly before you went to basic."

"I won her one of those teddies." Bucky nodded. His ice-blue eyes looked over the prizes with a fond, reminiscent twinkle. Steve watched this, trying not to think about how miserable he had been on that particular double-date. Bucky had been quite smitten with Dot, doing whatever he could to make an impression. Sometimes Steve wondered whether Bucky had hoped that she would wait for him until he got back from basic training. She didn't though and Steve would be lying if he said that he hadn't been slightly grateful to her for it.
Steve was snapped back to reality by the motion of Bucky handing over four one-dollar bills. The man behind the table thanked Bucky, handing him one of the rifles.

Bucky handled the gun with ease, muscle memory guiding his arms and hands in just the right way. The butt of the rifle settled against his shoulder, the barrel resting in Bucky's gloved metal hand. His right index finger rested against the trigger while he bowed his head to align his eye with the sight of the gun. Steve couldn't help but compare this Bucky to the Bucky that had held the same sort of rifle on the date with Dot and her friend. It was one of those moments in which Steve was painfully reminded of how different Bucky was now. He held the rifle with a confidence that made a cold shiver run down Steve's spine. Unconsciously and purely out of habit, Bucky let out a long, steadying breath before firing the air rifle. The first shot missed the bullseye. Bucky moved to reload just as the owner of the stand moved to instruct him on how to. Steve watched with a gentle smile as the man drew back his arm and took a step back, looking slightly resigned. Once the rifle was reloaded, he settled it back against the base of his shoulder, taking his time with aiming this time. Steve followed the line of the barrel, smirking when he saw that Bucky wasn't aiming at the bullseye anymore, having realized that the rifles were obviously rigged. This time, when Bucky fired the gun, the pellet hit dead centre, piercing through the middle of the black bullseye.

"Wow." The vendor pulled the piece of paper off the wall, taking a closer look at the two shots Bucky had taken, "You in the army?" He asked Bucky, a hint of a joke playing in his voice.

"Guess I'm just lucky." Bucky replied with a charming smile, handing the rifle back to the man with a polite nod. Steve couldn't help but feel slightly relieved now that the rifle was out of Bucky's hands; not because he didn't trust Bucky with it, but because it reminded Steve too much of a person lying dormant somewhere inside Bucky's mind.

"Well then, take your pick!" The vendor gestured to the stuffed toys with a wide wave of his arm, smiling at Bucky.

"Which one do you want Stevie?"

"What?" Steve asked dumbly, blushing when Bucky laughed.

"Well you are my date, aren't ya?"

"Well yes but I…" Steve closed his mouth before he could make himself look even sillier, shaking off his bashfulness enough to take a look at the stuffed toys. In the back, partially hidden behind a large fluffy unicorn, Steve spotted a small, dark-brown bear. Its torso was blue, resembling a uniform with blue pants and a thick blue jacket with red buttons and a red collar. All four of its paws were red as well and Steve assumed that it was wearing matching boots and gloves. Adorning its face was a black eye mask that ended just above its red button nose.

For some reason, the bear reminded him of Bucky.

"Uhm…" Steve bit down on his tongue for a moment, composing himself before speaking up again, "Could I have that bear? The one with the red paws and the mask?" He was certain that he must be blushing, especially when the man handed Steve the bear with a smile. The blond managed to force out a hoarse thank you, hugging the bear to his chest helplessly, as if it could make him feel any less flustered.

"Hey Steve?" Steve tore his eyes away from his new bear to look up at Bucky who was smiling at him endearingly. The moment their eyes met, Bucky leant in to give Steve a long, soft kiss. "If I had known that getting you a stuffed bear could make you blush like that, I would'a done it years ago." Bucky teased with a shit-eating grin that had Steve writhing.

"Oh shove off." Steve muttered, turning away from the shooting stand and making his way through the crowd. Behind him, Bucky hurried to keep up with him, laughing heartily.

"Hey! Steve!" Bucky called after him. Steve couldn't help but grin, making sure he stayed ahead of Bucky to prevent his date from seeing it. "Stevie! Wait up! Lemme see that cute blush of yours again!" Bucky chased after Steve who was dodging past people, heading in the direction of the boardwalk. Steve could hear Bucky continue to laugh and Steve felt his heart flutter.

Bucky's laugh was beautiful. Bucky was beautiful!
And this date? Well Steve had the feeling that it was only really getting started.


Thank you so much for reading!

These boys are killing me! So what did you think?
I'll be uploading the next chapter within the next half an hour for you guys!