Chapter 7- New Light

With the newfound experience between Steve and Bucky blooming with every day, it was hard when the light of day came to stay neutral about it. Steve and his friends took their usual seats in English class and they all looked at the teacher in front of them with the same thoughts in their mind.

You fucked Steve last night.

Bucky knew that they were all in the know, of course they were. They were Steve's best friends and even though Steve would deny telling anybody, Bucky knew. And he wasn't mad about that. If a person can't tell their best friends about their significant other, then it shouldn't be happening at all. He just wished Steve would be upfront with him about it. Yes, he knew that was a completely different situation that required a certain amount of discretion, but the correctly chosen friends could be trusted with anything and Bucky rather thought that Steve had assembled a very good group of friends with whom he could share anything. Bucky absently hoped that not all of the details were discussed with his peers, but if Steve needed to get something off his chest, he should have somebody to go to about that. He made a note to talk about it with his…boyfriend(?) when he next saw him. Which wouldn't be too long given that the bell was about to go off in ten minutes or so.

He had given his students the final fifteen minutes of the class to start outlining their papers, lightening their homework load just a bit. It wasn't selfless on Bucky's part. He figured that the less work Steve had to do outside of classes, the more time he could be spending with Bucky at his place. It was a win-win for everyone. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the most morally upstanding decision a teacher could make, but nobody was perfect. And Steve was Bucky's weakness. If he could manoeuvre the situation to make life easier for the guy he liked, why wouldn't he?

Bucky's eyes widened as he thought that. Steve frowned at him, eyes flickering across the classroom. Bucky, for once, wasn't looking at Steve. He was looking at Clint, who was smirking at him. Bucky had just fallen into the teacher-student trap. He had just implied, even in his passing thoughts, that he was going to bend the rules and the fucking curriculum to make Steve's life easier and to make time for their relationship. Sure, the other students would benefit too, but he wasn't even thinking about them for a second. It was all about Steve.

"What are you doing?" Steve hissed to Clint.

"Dude, you're making it so fucking obvious. You're basically stripping each other with your eyes. Try maybe not drawing pictures of him."

Steve looked down at his paper which, funnily enough, did in fact play host to a picture of Bucky Barnes. Steve wasn't in this one, it was just the teacher stood at his desk, back to the blackboard.

"It's just hard to pretend to look at him the same way that everyone else does."

"Like you haven't seen him without his clothes on," Tony filled in.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Thanks for that, but yeah you're right. How can I just be the same way I was before? What we shared was intimate and beautiful and oh god he's coming over act natural everyone."

Steve stared down firmly at his paper where he had scribbled a few ideas down for the main body of his essay.

Bucky wandered over with a polite smile on his face. "How are we getting on over here?"

"Fine," they chorused.

Tony smirked. "Actually, I need a little help with mine."

Natasha scoffed. "No, he doesn't. He's just trying to cause trouble."

"So the usual then? Barton, everything…okay?"

Clint refrained from chuckling. "Everything's great, Mr. Barnes. I'm gonna nail this paper."

Bucky thought the attempt was clever, he really did. So he didn't comment. "Well I'm glad you're keeping on top of your schoolwork for once. Keep it up."

"I sure will, Mr. Barnes."

As Bucky left he vaguely heard Steve's sighing. His mind flicked back to the breathy moan he had elicited from Steve's mouth the previous night. It took all he had not to shudder.

The bell rang and the students scrambled out of their chairs in order to leave the room.

"Don't be too sad that class is over," Bucky yelled above their noise. A few students laughed and had the grace to look ashamed but most of them were already gone. Steve lingered awkwardly.

"Guys, I'll be there in a few minutes. I just need to…"

"We get it, Steve," Natasha finished for him. "We'll be by the lockers when you're done."

Steve's friends shuffled out of the room, corralled by Natasha.

Steve dawdled up the desk and smiled. All of the tension that had been building in his chest had disappeared. "Hey."

"Hey yourself. That was hard."

Steve nodded. "I thought I could keep my composure but I ended up just drawing pictures of you, which is bad."

"It's probably best not to have actual evidence of our relationship lying around in my classroom."

Bucky was suddenly overwhelmed with a fantasy: fucking Steve in the classroom. Maybe on his desk? He would make sure to bring it up with the man when they had settled into more of a routine.

"Do you want to do anything tonight? I can come by after dinner."

Bucky beamed. "Actually, I was going to suggest that we go out for dinner."

"Go out?" Steve echoed in disbelief. "You mean, where other people could see us?"

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Yes, Steve, we're going to have a date in the parking lot at Walmart. No, I know this really great place about an hour outside of town. It's very small, nobody in this town would even think of going there. We'll be fine."

Steve relaxed a little and nodded. "In that case, I'd love to go out with you."

"Lovely! If you come by around 6:30, I can drive us out there."

"Don't you need a reservation?"

Bucky smirked. "I already made one, assuming you'd say yes."

Steve chuckled. That was such a Bucky move. "Of course you did. But yes, I'll be there."

Steve didn't count on how long it was going to take him to look presentable for his date. He had enlisted Natasha and Clint to help him get ready and pick something to wear. Natasha was there for an objective opinion on his entire look and Clint was there to help him pick an outfit for a date. Steve had never been on a proper date before and he had no idea what was acceptable and what wasn't. He was sure that Bucky wouldn't care, but he was supposed to be mature, wasn't supposed to freak out about something as simple as a date.

Little did he know that across town, Bucky was doing the exact same thing. Pacing, putting on shirts and taking them off again, throwing them across the room. He had showered, shaved and he was on the verge of sweating nervously every time he thought about sitting across the table from Steve and going on a date. Not because he was scared of getting caught, he was sure that they would be fine, but he wanted to make a very good impression for Steve, who was expecting him to be the adult in their relationship, to know how to do these things. At the moment, though, he was having trouble trying to tie a tie. Or even decide if he should wear a tie.

Steve was having the same dilemma.

"Because if I wear a tie, I'll seem classy. If I don't, I might be underdressed."

Clint looked at him seriously. "Is it you, though?"

Natasha shook her head. "That's not an accurate question. Steve's ideal choice of dating attire would be a hoodie and sweatpants."

Steve shrugged. "They make my butt look good."

Clint nodded with a smirk. "Yeah they do."

Steve and Natasha both stared at him.

"I mean…you have a butt, Steve? Oh, I didn't know. Never seen it before. I like boobs." He threw another shirt at Steve, who quickly put it on.

Natasha appraised him before sending him over to the mirror. "How does this feel?"

Steve pulled it down slightly and turned to the side. "Yeah, I think this is good. It feels comfortable and it looks good. Doesn't it Clint?"

Clint shrugged. "Dude, I can't even see you right now."

Steve chuckled and shook his head. "Right. Okay. I'm done."

Natasha smirked. "Steve?"

"Yes?"

"You need pants."

Steve glanced down and stupidly and groaned. His pair of tight American Eagle boxer briefs weren't going to match the fancy attire he went with on the top half of his body. "Damn it."

"Rogers, relax," Clint enunciated. "Barnes obviously likes you, he's risking his career just to date your sorry ass, calm your shit down."

"Last time I checked, my ass wasn't apologising. It was making him quite happy, actually," Steve retorted wisely.

"Details, Steve, god damn," Clint winced.

"Don't pretend you're not turned on by the idea of Mr. Barnes fucking Steve," Natasha smirked.

Clint opened his mouth to argue but found no words.

"Thought so."

Steve turned to her. "Could you find my black skinny jeans?"

Natasha rifled through Steve's closet determinedly. "Wow, it wasn't long ago that I'd have been able to find you in here, Rogers."

Clint doubled over in laughter, Steve reluctantly grinning at the joke.

"I don't know why you're laughing, Barton, you're practically the Emperor of Narnia." Natasha handed Steve his jeans and watched with a smirk as he struggled to get them on.

Natasha wasn't going to pretend like she hated ogling Steve. He was seriously hot and even though he wasn't interested in her that way (and was currently fucking their English teacher), it didn't mean she could look. She figured that Clint was that way, too, possibly even questioning his sexuality, but the subtle prods that Tony gave him were too much.

Tony wouldn't realise he was doing it, ever, and would amend his behaviour if pointed out, but he occasionally pressure Clint into seeming straighter than he actually was or more explicitly masculine than he was. Natasha wasn't sure which.

When their group had assembled, he had wondered how she had become best friends with five of the most attractive guys she'd ever seen. And how the hell they didn't objectify her every damn day. They were too nice to do that, she even objectified herself sometimes, just to make sure they weren't as most guys at their school were. Comments had been made about their dynamic, suggesting that Natasha had assembled a harem and was sleeping with all of them but each of the boys thought it was just them.

When Steve had come out, the repulsive phrase "gay best friend" had been thrown around by some of the more mentally-backwards students at their school. Steve had argued his point to them many times in the hallways, but it had taken Natasha's steely glare to shut them up (Thor had insisted it was his flexing biceps that had done it, but nobody was intimidated by the gentle giant that Thor was).

So of course Natasha noticed her boys physically. They were beautiful creatures and she would often wonder how she wasn't actually sleeping with any of them. Steve was out of the question, obviously, but the rest were up for grabs. And she could definitely grab them.

She looked to Clint.

So why wasn't she?

"Right, how do I look?"

Natasha was brought from her thoughts by Steve's question. She appraised him objectively and nodded. "I'd do you."

Steve turned to his other friend. "How 'bout you, Clint? Would you do me?"

Clint mumbled something that rather sounded like "Probably".

A satisfied smile spread across Steve's face. "Okay. I'm ready." With one last look in the mirror, he nodded. "Thanks for your help, guys."

"You want us to leave?"

Steve shrugged. "I guess you can stay here if you really wanted. My mom wouldn't mind, she loves you guys."

Natasha sighed. "It's fine. Clint, we're leaving. I want waffles."

Clint scrambled to his feet. "I love waffles."

Steve rolled his eyes fondly as they crossed the room.

"Good luck, Steve. It'll be fine, so no overthinking, okay?" Nat smiled.

"I promise," he winked before Natasha left the room.

Forty minutes later, Steve was at Bucky's door for the second time.

The door swung open and Steve gaped.

Bucky was dressed immaculately. A smart blazer, with a simple black button down underneath. He was wearing similar jeans to that of Steve and fancy black boots which glistened in the light. The man looked good.

"God, Bucky, you look amazing."

"Hey to you too. So do you, by the way. But you always do, so there's no surprises there."

Steve was charmed.

"Did you want to come inside for a little while before we go?"

Steve checked his watch. "There might be traffic."

Bucky nodded. "Right. Let's go."

They climbed into Bucky's car and took off, speeding away out of town, where nobody would spot them and send one of them to jail.

Steve smirked as he flashed back to the last time they were in this car. "Do you remember the last time we were here?"

Bucky blinked. "Steve, it was a few days ago. Of course I remember our first kiss."

"We were both significantly wetter that day."

"Though not as wet as our next out-of-school meeting."

Steve felt a shiver run up his body at the words and he prayed that he could make it through the next few hours without creating a sizeable wet spot in his nice underwear. With the way Bucky was biting his lip as he drove, Steve wasn't sure he was going to last completely through the evening.

"What are you thinking about?"

Steve blushed. Did he really want to say it? "Just about how I was going to keep from creaming my pants when you're looking like that."

Bucky swore he almost crashed the car right then and there.

"Shit, Steve. I lose my mind when you talk like that."

"I know, I know, it's not a reciting of the Canterbury Tales, but I figured you might make do with that kind of language."

Bucky breathed heavily. "I'll have my doctorate rescinded if you keep talking like that. I'm supposed to be steering you towards the art of English, not towards being a sexual deviant."

Steve drummed his fingers on Bucky's thigh. "But, sir, I've never done anything wrong before in my life. Please, don't get me into trouble."

Bucky gritted his teeth. "You little shit," he moaned as a shiver shot straight through to his groin. "I don't want to be rock hard while driving. No more of that or I'll withhold sex for three weeks."

Steve scoffed. "That would affect you just as much."

"True. But let's just get to the restaurant in one piece, yeah?"

Steve shrugged and went back to stressing, his momentary distraction fading away.

Steve wasn't sure when they had arrived at the restaurant, but Bucky was right. It was very small. It probably seated around 30 people, if you squeezed people in. It was very obscure, he knew that they would never see anybody they knew there.

The menu was expensive, to say the least. As Steve's desperate proclamations of the price, Bucky simply waved him away with a "I wanted to treat you and I'm going to" response.

They talked about everything. Steve realised halfway through talking about his parents that he and Bucky didn't actually know each other beyond literary quotes and flavoured lube. They discussed movies (Bucky loved black and white movies while shared his love of Stanley Kubrick), music (both were happy to listen to anything within reason), political stances (both quite happy being apolitical) and then literature finally rolled around just as the main course was being taken away from them.

"Okay, you have two spots left at a dinner party and you can invite two literary characters. Who are they?"

Bucky thought about Steve's question but came up with his answer immediately. "Hermione Granger and Atticus Finch."

Steve was both shocked and not shocked at Bucky's response. "Interesting. Why them?"

"Well, when I host anything, I like having intellectual discussions rather than sitting, eating and talking about everyone's vacations. I like thought-provoking conversation topics that are both insightful and informative. I feel as though both would have a lot to say about a lot of different areas of study. How about your party?"

"Holden Caulfield and Lady Macbeth."

Bucky almost choked on his lemonade. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Why?"

"Think about it. Holden Caulfield is a complainer. He's smart, entitled and malleable. But he complains a lot. Lady Macbeth is strong, powerful and conniving. She wouldn't tolerate his petty whining and he would help point out the flaws in whatever plan she's concocting that day. It's a win-win, plus entertainment value."

Bucky shook his head. "You really love literature, don't you? I can see it in your eyes when you talk about it. They…sparkle. You become animated, I've never seen someone so adorably flustered when arguing a point. Your thoughts come quicker than your words do and you get caught up in whatever tirade you're going on."

Steve smiled. "I never realised you observed me that closely."

Bucky smirked. "Guess you weren't paying attention to anything above the waist."

"Shut it."

"In all seriousness, nothing gets me hotter than when you shut down a classmate intellectually. Like the other day when you told Scott Lang that he was ignorant because he didn't fully acknowledge Nora's plight as a woman in a man's world: fucking priceless."

Steve rolled his eyes. "He was being sexist. But now that I know what gets you hot, you do realise I'm just going to use it against you."

Bucky rubbed his hands together. "Well how about I initiate an hour long discussion about sex, all in the name of literature, of course. Maybe discussing the nature of attraction, lust and uncontrollable need to have someone and hold them. I can call on you a lot. I can wear really thin shirts and really skinny jeans. Or go commando. I'll stand up the whole time and maybe bend over a few times. Won't that be inconvenient?"

Steve put up a hand. "Okay, you got me." The other hand was tapping his knee so that he didn't get hard. "Sir."

Bucky felt dizzy at the word. He had thought about it the previous night and had got himself off furiously, pretending that he was punishing Steve for stepping out of line. "I think it's time to go, don't you?" Bucky slipped a few notes under the bill and added a large tip.

"Oh god, yes," Steve groaned as they made their way to the car. "Thank you, Bucky."

"I haven't even touched you yet," he chuckled.

"For tonight, I mean. The food was lovely, your company was even more so and you paid. So, thanks. I've had a wonderful evening."

Bucky nodded his head in acceptance as they took their places in the car. "That's alright. But it's not over yet."

Steve made a low throaty noise. "If I can last an hour in the car next to you without ripping your shirt off your back."

"Don't tempt me, boy. I have another rule for us. No sex while driving."

Steve pouted. "Please, sir."

"No, Oliver. I'm sorry. I don't want to kill us. And if they found you leaning over me while my dick was out, there'd be questions. We'll just have to wait."

Steve folded his arms mockingly. "Fine."

"We can tease, though. Get us ready for later."

"Who says I'm going to be in the mood after all of this driving?"

Bucky smirked. "Oh you're gonna be in the mood. Once I tell you that tonight, I want you to fuck me."

Steve gasped for air and clutched his seat tightly. "That's nice," he moaned.

Bucky just laughed, Steve telling him to quit the mocking all the way home.

Steve rolled over, waking up to his phone buzzing.

He was at Bucky's, he knew that much. His mom thought he was sleeping at Clint's, so he didn't have to worry about that.

He groaned, seeing that Bucky was still fast asleep and checked his phone.

Natasha: Hey, sorry if this is short notice, but do you think you could find another ride into school? I can't do this morning! So sorry! xx

Steve smiled. No worries, Nat. I'll just see you in Physics first period. xx

He sent off another text to Clint. Any chance you could swing by my place on your way to school? Nat can't drive me today

A few minutes later, he got his reply. Sure man, I got u. Won't it be odd if your mom sees me picking you up.

Just park around the corner or something. I can just say you're dropping me off because I forgot a book and then heading straight back out again.

Okay cool! See you usual time?

Yeah, thanks Clint! I owe you one, buddy.

Don't sweat it.

"Anyone interesting?" Bucky rolled over sleepily, looking up at Steve, fluttering his eyelashes.

"Just my many suitors trying to steal me away from you."

Bucky growled. "I bet none of them know Othello word for word."

Steve patted Bucky's head. "That's just you, dear. It's still early, you should get more sleep."

Bucky sat on the edge of the bed. "Nah, it's cool. I'm up. Want some coffee before you go?"

Steve admired Bucky's ass as he stood up. "That'd be great, thanks."

Bucky winced as he walked. "Damn, Rogers, you ripped me apart last night."

"Don't complain, you were literally begging me to go harder."

"Whatever," the older man replied, trudging downstairs butt naked.

Steve smirked and rolled out of bed, stark naked too.

He met Bucky in the kitchen, standing over the coffee pot, his morning wood standing at full attention.

"You know, I can take care of that."

Bucky looked to his left and grinned. "So why aren't you?"

And with that, Steve dropped to his knees and got to work.

School that day was a quiet affair. Natasha had been strangely silent all through Physics, only giving noncommittal responses. Steve made a note to question her afterwards.

"What's going on with you?"

She looked to him as they walked in front of the other four. "Nothing."

"Nat, we've been friends since we were like six. I know you. Just like you know me. I know something's wrong with you."

Natasha smiled. "Nothing's wrong. In fact, something's right."

"I don't follow."

She leaned in close. "Sam asked me out."

Steve gaped. "Oh my god! Nat, that's great! So why are you so sullen about it?"

"Well I said yes. But I have a weird feeling about it."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Just go with it. Your weird feelings come and go every so often. You've been crushing on this guy for so long now. He's cute. Just go on a date with him and see how it goes."

Natasha shook her head. "You're right. I'm being the stupidest person on the planet right now. I'm going to go out on a date with Sam and it's going to be great."

When Steve looked back at the others, only three were left in his vision.

"Where's Clint?"

Thor shrugged. "No clue. He mumbled something about football and walked the other way. Guess we'll see him in English."

Steve nodded as all thoughts of Clint were erased and all thoughts of Bucky's English class entered his mind.

He breathed in deeply, regaining his pace with Natasha.

It's just a normal day, Stevie.