After that, Steve started avoiding Bucky. It wasn't too noticeable at first, stuttered excuses and claims of being busy; given that it getting to be report card time, Bucky didn't think to much of it. But when it continued for weeks and showed no signs of stopping, Bucky began to get confused.
Had he done something? He thought things had been going well between them, he racked his brain but couldn't come up with anything that could have resulted in the avoidance he was on the receiving end of.

The longer Steve avoided him, the more hopeless Bucky started to feel. He wanted things to go back to the way they were. Yeah, maybe Steve would never want him the way Bucky wanted him, but he wished they could at least be friends. But now, Steve wouldn't even make eye contact with him.

Bucky knew that the logical solution would be to try to talk to Steve and work out their differences like mature adults, yet it seemed that Bucky had been reverted back to a teenager, and instead chose to mope around.

Finally, Sam, his best friend and roommate, had had enough.

"Okay, you've been like this for at least a week. What's going on?" He asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

Bucky just groaned in reply. He didn't feel like talking, all he wanted was Steve.

"It's either you tell me, with words, or I pour water on your face until you've had enough." Sam threatened, now even more concerned.

Bucky sighed, but resigned himself to the talk he was about to have.

"Steve's avoiding me." He mumbled, he folded his legs under himself and hugged a pillow close to his body.

"I'm sorry, man. Steve's the one you're hopelessly in love with, right?" He asked, though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

Bucky groaned again, this time in embarrassment. Jesus, did everyone know he was in love with the man?

"Yes," He muttered, finally.

"Do you know why?" Sam asked, always one to get straight to the point.

"Don't you think if I knew that I would be finding a way to fix whatever I did and have him not avoid me anymore?!" Bucky snapped, he wasn't really angry, he was just upset that he didn't know why Steve was upset.

Sam, bless his heart, remained patient and understanding, used to dealing with Bucky's outbursts. He waited until Bucky was ready to talk, having found that that was the best way to get Bucky to say what he was really thinking.

"I just…I thought things were going good between us, ya know? Sometimes it even seemed like he was flirting back and I guess I just let myself hope." Bucky mumbled, miserably.

"Stupid muscly blondes, ugh why are they always blonde," Bucky groaned out, dramatically flopped down on the couch.

"Wait, you said he was a blonde? Does he have blue eyes, looks like a brick house but has a general puppy vibe?" Sam asked, a weird tone in his voice.

"Yeah," Bucky replied, wistfully, only half listening.

"Man, I think this Steve guy showed up here, and it was right in the middle of my shower and you weren't home so I had to answer the door in a towel. He looked like he was expecting someone else. I think he panicked when I told him that it was the right apartment, and that I lived here too." Sam said, speaking slowly.

Bucky froze.

"Y-You don't think…what does he think you're my boyfriend or something?" Bucky asked, trying to squash the hope that had risen in him with this almost impossible but strangely plausible explanation.

Sam and Bucky just looked at each other for a moment, before Bucky let out a soft 'fuck' and sprung up from the couch. He rushed around, putting on his shoes, grabbing his hoodie and his keys.

"Good luck, dude!" Sam yelled after him as he rushed out the door, down the stairs, and towards his newly fixed car.

It was a quick drive over to Steve's apartment and for all of his gusto getting there, he found once he was in front of Steve's door, he got nervous.

He took a deep breath, and knocked.

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