Chapter Eighteen

When Bucky finished his last file, he steered Steve out of the house and onto the dock. It didn't take much persuasion, with no wind and the sun shining in the cloudless sky, it actually felt like spring. Steve happily sat at the end of the dock and soaked up the sun.

Bucky sat beside him and leaned in, seemingly content to enjoy a silent moment together. After several minutes, Bucky sighed and turned to Steve. "He was thanking us for following through on our offer to help, wasn't he?"

Steve wished he had another answer. "I think so."

Bucky shoved his hair off his face and stared out over the water with a frown. "This is more than the magical world failing him." Bucky turned to Steve. "It's more like, besides his friends, no one's had his back since his parents died."

"I know," Steve said simply. He slipped his hand into Bucky's and squeezed. "I think a large part might come down to that Dumbledore's plotting, because Harry talks about the dark lord who tried to kill him with less anger."

With an aggravated sigh, Bucky turned back to look over the loch. "I'm getting tired of manipulative assholes scheming to create a world in their fucked-up image."

Steve let go of Bucky's hand to wrap his arm around Bucky's waist. "Me too."

%%%

They sat on the dock for a while longer, but the water didn't help Bucky's agitation, so Steve goaded him into a race. After a quick detour to change, they headed out the gate for a ten-mile run. For the first mile, Bucky pushed himself and with a teasing grin kept trying to either shove Steve or trip him. By the second mile, he finally relaxed and seemed happy to keep pace with Steve.

Neither pushed themselves, but they still finished the run in under an hour. They got back to the house in time for a quick lunch, before Steve steered Bucky into the gym. Spending most of his captivity in cryostasis, Bucky wasn't used to the need for regular exercise and Steve was working on getting him into the habit.

After another couple of hours in the gym, they headed upstairs to get cleaned up. Steve spent an extra few minutes in the shower, letting the hot water soothe the last of the knots from his shoulders. Between trying not to voice his wayward thoughts, easing Bucky's agitation, and wishing he knew how to earn Harry's full trust, Steve spent most of the day tense.

When Steve stepped out of the bathroom, all his thoughts scattered and he nearly swallowed his tongue. Bucky lay stretched across Steve's bed in only a pair of jeans. Steve stared, wide eyed, absently noting Bucky's damp hair and appreciating Bucky's complete lack of a shirt. Bucky tilted his head and met Steve's eyes.

A wide grin bloomed on Bucky's face. "You're good for my ego, Stevie."

Steve turned away and dug in his dresser for a pair of jeans. "You don't need your ego stroked," Steve said roughly. "You've always known you're a handsome man."

He heard the slight creak of the bed before a warm arm wrapped around his waist, pulling him back against Bucky's chest. Bucky's other hand plucked the jeans out of Steve's grip and tossed them aside.

"Everybody needs their ego stroked sometimes," Bucky said, his breath warm against the nape of Steve's neck.

He wrapped his other arm around Steve as well, holding him close and brushing a kiss across Steve's bare shoulder. With careful nudging, Bucky turned Steve until they faced the mirror. Steve immediately found himself fascinated by the sight of Bucky holding him close, by the look in Bucky's eyes as he met Steve's in the mirror.

Steve let his arms rest on Bucky's, as he tried to commit their mirrored images to memory. Bucky ducked his head and pressed a soft kiss to Steve's neck, making Steve shiver.

"The way your pretty blue eyes darken every time I kiss you makes me crazy," Bucky murmured. And Steve shivered again.

When Bucky looked up and met Steve's eyes again, Steve nearly whimpered at the tender affection in them.

"And since the first time I saw you after the serum, I've loved watching the confidence in them grow."

Steve tried to turn in Bucky's arms, but Bucky held him tight. "Not yet, Stevie," Bucky said, his voice husky. "You need to hear this, and if you get your hands on me, I'll forget."

It took Steve a long moment to rein in the urgent desire to hold Bucky. When Steve relaxed as much as he could, Bucky pressed another soft kiss to his shoulder.

"I do like your body now," Bucky said, holding Steve's eyes. "I like it because of the obvious pride you take in it, and the confidence it's given you. You are absolutely a gorgeous man."

A furious blush climbed Steve's cheeks. He'd never considered himself vain, but something about hearing Bucky call him gorgeous made him want to puff his chest out and crow.

"But, Stevie?" Bucky said, his eyes dark with emotion. "That skinny thirteen-year-old who wanted to hold my hand was every bit as beautiful."

Steve forgot to breathe, and his heart threatened to beat its way out of his chest as he stared at Bucky, stunned. He'd spent half his life listening to Bucky flatter all the girls and Steve searched Bucky's face for the familiar teasing glint. But Bucky's eyes held only obvious sincerity and affection.

This time, when he tried to turn, Bucky let him. Steve knew he couldn't find the words to convey how he felt. He couldn't even articulate it in his mind, but he had every intention of showing Bucky exactly how he felt.

When he turned around, Bucky's eyes were bright with laughter and affection. With a smile, Bucky stepped in and wrapped his arms around Steve's neck. Pleased Bucky was on board with the program, Steve wrapped one arm around Bucky and cupped his ass, while the other got a handful of hair, tilted Bucky's head back, and kissed him.

He tried to keep the kiss soft, but the sweet, increasingly familiar taste of Bucky's mouth and the feel of Bucky's bare chest against his own spurred him on. It was rough, clumsy, and fast. Steve loved every moment of it.

"The way your eyes look now, Stevie," Bucky said with a groan. He raised a shaky hand to cup Steve's cheek. "That's the one I like the most," Bucky leaned in for a quick kiss, "Because it practically shouts that you love me as much as I love you."

Afterwards, they weren't kissing so much as breathing each other in as they slowly calmed. Bucky idly played with the short strands of hair at the nape of Steve's neck, while Steve still couldn't pry his hands off Bucky's ass. Steve huffed when Bucky slipped out of his arms and sank onto the edge of the bed.

Steve turned to pick up his discarded jeans and looked down. His underwear hadn't escaped unscathed, and Steve sighed as he pulled them off and tossed them in the hamper. At Bucky's almost pained moan, Steve jerked back around. Bucky was trying to button his fly, but Steve could clearly see the outline of Bucky's cock. Bucky's hardening cock.

Instinctively, Steve took a step forward, his eyes on Bucky.

"Don't you dare, Stevie," Bucky said with a whine. "It's bad enough my dick still thinks it's sixteen. If you come closer, the rest of me will forget too."

Steve groaned, trying to control the urge to explore the exact effects the serum had on a man's refractory time. Bucky's hands flew as he quickly buttoned his jeans before gesturing towards Steve's dresser.

"Put some clothes on, will ya?" Bucky said, his voice little more than a gruff growl.

It took more effort than Steve liked to turn away and take the two steps to his dresser. He heard the bed creak, and he glanced over his shoulder to watch Bucky walk across the room and lean on the door frame, grinning when he caught Steve's eyes.

"You're too fucking tempting," Bucky said with a huff. "I'm staying over here until my dick behaves."

Before Steve could reply, there was a knock on the suite door. Bucky let his head fall back to hit the doorframe. "If that's Harry, the damned thing will never learn to behave," Bucky muttered as he turned to leave the room.

Steve yanked on a pair of boxers and pulled out jeans when he heard the outer door open. A long moment of silence stretched as Steve got into his pants.

"I, um," Steve nearly moaned at the stutter in Harry's voice, and he absolutely needed to see the expression on Harry's face.

"Kingsley sent…" Harry trailed off a moment and Steve hurried to button his fly. He forwent a shirt and stepped into the sitting room.

Harry couldn't seem to look away from Bucky's chest as a blush spread across his face. When he heard Steve's footsteps, Harry slowly dragged his eyes off Bucky's body and glanced up. Steve could practically feel Harry's gaze as it flew over his upper body for a moment before Harry flushed darker and dropped his eyes.

"The footage," Harry said quickly. "Kingsley sent the footage, and I was going to watch it and study the map." Harry still didn't look away from his feet. "If you wanted to join me."

Steve didn't know what kept Harry's eyes glued to the floor, but Bucky used his thumb and forefinger to gently tilt Harry's head up. Harry swallowed audibly, but looked up.

"Stevie and me," Bucky said, his voice husky. "We'd be happy to join you whenever you want."

The innuendo in Bucky's voice was enough to make Steve blush, but Harry seemed to almost sway into Bucky for a moment before he caught himself. And Steve watched as once again Harry closed his eyes and quickly composed himself.

"I'll be in the media room whenever you're ready," Harry said, his voice cool and impassive. He also kept his eyes looking slightly past Bucky's right shoulder.

Bucky sighed and watched the empty doorway as Harry turned on his heel and walked away. Steve crossed the room, and when Bucky reluctantly closed the door, Steve pulled him into his arms.

"What are we doing wrong?" Steve asked as Bucky settled into his embrace. "And how can we help him see how right it feels?"

"It's a hard thing to wrap your mind around," Bucky said. Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve's waist and looked up.

Steve didn't see how it could be hard, not when it felt so right. Even he'd known there was something between them. He might have needed Bucky to point out the nature of it, but Harry seemed more aware of his emotions than Steve did. How could he not see it?

Bucky huffed and dropped his head to rest on Steve's shoulder. "Stevie," Bucky said against his chest. "You do realize a three-way relationship is pretty fucking unusual, right? Even now?"

With a groan, Steve closed his eyes and rested his head on Bucky's. Not for a single moment had Steve considered that. Overwhelmed by the strength of the feelings, Steve never questioned it because it felt so right, like it was meant to be.

"I really am an idiot," Steve muttered.

With a laugh, Bucky held Steve tight, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. After a few moments, Steve reluctantly straightened and pulled away from Bucky.

"So what's the plan?" Steve asked.

Bucky grinned and arched his brow. "I plan on putting a shirt on, going to help Harry, probably eat some dinner, and keep thinking about a plan. One that doesn't involve throwing Harry to the nearest flat surface and showing him how I feel."

Steve laughed quietly because it was the only plan Steve could think of as well. Bucky leaned in and gave Steve a smacking kiss before turning towards his room.

"Get dressed, Stevie," Bucky called over his shoulder. "My dick is never gonna behave if you keep walking around half-naked."

With a huff, Steve rolled his eyes and headed for his room.

When they made it downstairs, Harry seemed more relaxed. He'd spread the map on the floor and sat cross-legged as he studied it. When Bucky and Steve joined him, Harry gave them an easy smile. Once they started studying the map and pointing out observations, any hesitation in Harry's manner disappeared.

As the evening continued, most of Steve's worries about Harry's ability to work with a team faded. Harry readily accepted their insights, jotting it all down on his legal pad. When they finished with the map, Kreacher popped in and demanded their presence in the dining room, and Harry shared a laugh with Bucky and winked at Steve.

After dinner, there was only a brief moment of hesitation before Harry sat in the only space Steve and Bucky left him, the middle seat. Even with only the relevant times shown, watching surveillance videos was boring. Bucky stretched his arm across the back of the couch and playfully flicked Steve's ear every so often. Every time Steve thought about telling him to stop, he'd catch the grin on Harry's face and couldn't bear to wipe it off.

Harry tried to concentrate on the videos, but Steve lost count of the number of times Harry's gaze strayed to either Bucky or himself. And while that attention gratified him, the confusion on Harry's face made Steve want to reach out and pull Harry in, to try and explain how welcome he was.

Eventually, the videos ended, and Steve watched Harry walk away with a frown. They had to figure it out soon. Steve couldn't take much more, not when Harry walked away with such a sad, confused, and yearning look on his face.

Bucky steered him upstairs. When they'd both changed into sleep pants and gotten into bed, Bucky curled up behind him and held him tight. The warmth of Bucky's body and the tenderness of the embrace soothed Steve enough to sleep.

When they awoke the next morning, things felt easier, and Steve was determined to figure out a plan today. Bucky gave him a sweet good morning kiss, and Steve didn't even mind the teasing rub of Bucky's stubble across his cheek. They quickly dressed for the day, and headed out towards Harry.

When they stepped into the hallway, Harry's bedroom door was standing open. As they approached, Harry called out. "Can you two step in here for a moment?"

Steve turned to Bucky with a raised brow, wondering what Harry wanted. Bucky shrugged and headed into Harry's room with Steve on his heels. They could hear the increasingly familiar music when they reached the doorway.

Once in the room, Steve blinked as he tried to figure out what was happening. Harry sat at the foot of the bed, wearing jeans, a t-shirt for a band Steve didn't recognize, and a multicolor flannel, heavy on the red. The jeans rolled up to accommodate Harry's feet resting in a large basin full of a pale purple liquid. His loose hair hung over one shoulder, wilder than ever, as he dug through a large floating drawer.

Bucky frowned and tilted his head. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Looking for scissors," Harry said. With an impatient gesture, he sent the drawer back to the dresser and summoned another.

"Why?" Steve asked, bemused.

Harry glanced up and huffed. "Forgot to take the bloody hair tie out before I went to sleep, and now it's hopelessly knotted." He poked at the mess of hair on his shoulder. "I need the scissors to cut the bloody thing out."

With a growl, Bucky took the drawer from Harry. "Stevie, untangle that for him."

Bucky bent to replace the drawer, and Steve took a deep breath to steady his nerves. He'd longed to get his hands on and in all that lovely hair since he'd first seen it loose. Harry watched with a furrowed brow as Steve approached.

"You don't have to," Harry said with a frown. "I'm tempted to cut it all off."

"NO," Steve said hastily and probably too loudly. A low growl came from Bucky's direction. The confusion was back on Harry's face and Steve felt a blush creeping up his own face. But he really didn't want Harry to cut his hair.

"It looks nice on you," Steve said, as he tried not to cringe at his awkwardness.

Harry's blush nearly matched Steve's. He looked up through his lashes and in a quiet voice asked. "You like it?" Harry turned to include Bucky. "Both of you?"

Steve's throat tightened until he could only nod. Bucky knelt so he could meet Harry's eyes. "With those pretty green eyes and that flowing hair, you're stunning." Bucky glanced up at Steve. "Isn't that right, Stevie?"

"God yes," Steve said breathlessly, glad Bucky could find the right words when he couldn't.

Harry's blush deepened, but the corner of his lips tilted up. With a soft smile, Bucky reached out and tugged Steve closer. "Get to work," Bucky said. With another smile for Harry, Bucky waved his metal fingers and said, "Still need more practice before I'm willing to trust my hand with the fiddly stuff."

He sat next to Harry and began separating the loose hair from the tangled. It took every bit of control Steve could muster to keep from burying his face in the silky mass. Slowly, Steve began unraveling the hair from the tangled rubber band.

"Now, what's with the purple stuff?" Bucky asked as he poked at the bowl.

"It's nothing," Harry said as he averted his eyes.

Bucky gave Harry a dubious frown. "Really?"

"I'm fine," Harry said with a huff.

Bucky sat cross-legged on the floor at Harry's feet. "That line probably works better on people who don't share your bad habit," Bucky said with a grin.

Steve couldn't help chuckling; they were both as bad as each other. Neither wanted to be a bother, even when help was offered freely. Without looking, Bucky reached out and pinched Steve's calf, hard. Steve managed not to jump and pull Harry's hair, but he couldn't resist kicking Bucky's thigh in retaliation.

The sudden, unexpected poke to his ribs made him gasp. The sight of Harry's smug smile had Steve shaking his head. He wasn't sure of Harry's limits, not like he was Bucky's, but Steve figured the return poke he gave Harry's ribs was safe. He'd seen Ron and Hermione both do it.

The quiet giggle reassured him, and Steve looked down to hide the satisfaction in his eyes. Harry's growing ease with them threatened to make him giddy.

"Back to the purple stuff," Bucky said.

Harry sighed. "It's a specialized healing potion."

When it was clear Harry wouldn't explain further, Bucky leaned forward and squeezed Harry's knee briefly. "You're allowed to tell me to mind my own business," Bucky said gruffly.

With a wave of Harry's hand, the door closed. Bucky looked up at Harry with a raised brow. "Closing the door activates the silencing charm," Harry said. "The little terror is a shameless eavesdropper."

He took a deep breath and shifted until he could see both Steve and Bucky without removing his hair from Steve's reach. "I know Hermione probably warned you the Department of Mysteries is still a touchy subject, and it can be."

Harry paused a moment and ran a restless hand over his wrist. Steve had watched Harry enough to guess he was looking for either his cuffs or a rubber band.

Bucky scooted forward and reached out, laying his hand, palm up, on Harry's knee. "Until Stevie can free your hair thing."

"Thank you," Harry whispered as he slipped his hand into Bucky's. "Most people tell me to stop fidgeting."

Bucky shrugged. "I'm not most people. If fidgeting makes it easier for you to talk, then do it." Bucky shot Steve a sly grin. "You've already heard Stevie say how he prefers to talk in bed."

Steve groaned. "Have I told you recently that you're an ass?"

"You called me a jackass last night," Bucky said with a grin. "Now stop interrupting Harry."

Harry shook his head at them, but the tension in his shoulders eased, which Steve suspected was Bucky's goal all along.

"It's not that I mind talking about some of it," Harry said haltingly.

He looked down and, with his free hand, traced the veins on the back of Bucky's hand. Steve kept gently unwinding hair from the rubber band, grateful to keep his hands occupied; he didn't have Bucky's patience to sit quietly while Harry gathered his thoughts.

With a sigh, Harry looked up. "Hermione and Ron still believe people like Hydra and the Unspeakables are an aberration. That the majority of humanity is basically decent." He looked back down at his hand intertwined with Bucky's. "They still believe the world can change for the better."

"And you don't," Steve said with a sad sigh. He could easily see how Harry's life could lead him to question the world's decency.

Harry shrugged and looked up at Steve. "I'm undecided," he said with a faintly bitter smile. "But I like that they still believe."

"You don't want to disillusion them," Bucky said, voice soft.

"No, but the two of you have seen more of the world." It wasn't quite a question, and Harry watched them both anxiously.

Bucky huffed. "Stevie and me, we're familiar with man's inhumanity to man, if that's what you're worried about."

"Unfortunately, we are," Steve said. Steve wasn't sure if he still believed most of the world was decent, or if it was only a desperate hope.

Harry watched them a few moments longer before giving a decisive nod. "In the beginning, they tried various methods of coercion."

Though Harry's voice stayed even, Steve could see the knuckles of the hand holding Bucky's turning white. Bucky never flinched.

"When isolation and starvation failed, they turned to more physical methods," Harry said as he stared at his feet sightlessly.

Steve needed to bite the inside of his cheek to control his outrage. Harry didn't need his anger now, especially with the way his magic swirled around him. Desperate to help, Steve stopped his untangling and laid his hand on the back of Harry's bare neck. He sighed with relief when Harry leaned into him, and Steve could feel Harry's magic calming.

"Need my hand back for a second," Bucky said. "I forgot something."

Harry looked at Bucky with a confused frown, but he released Bucky's hand.

"I forgot how often Stevie's right," Bucky said as he got to his feet.

He crawled onto the bed and sat behind Harry, shifting until he was against Harry's back. Bucky wrapped his arms around Harry's waist, and with a wink, he brushed a kiss over the knuckles of the hand Steve had on Harry's neck. Steve nearly forgot to breathe; Bucky kissing him while holding Harry was so close to what Steve wanted he could hardly contain himself.

"It is easier to talk in bed," Bucky said with a grin. He picked up Harry's hand and laced their fingers together again. Harry huffed a laugh, and immediately leaned back into Bucky's sheltering embrace, letting Bucky support him.

"Comfortable?" Bucky asked.

When Harry smiled and nodded, Steve returned to his untangling duties.

Bucky rested his chin on Harry's shoulder. "All safe and secure?"

Steve didn't need to be touching Harry to know he'd tensed up again. His magic flared as well, nearly as tense and agitated as Harry's body language.

"I'm not a child that needs cosseting and cuddling before talking about the bogeyman," Harry said in a clipped voice as he roughly tried to shove Bucky's arms away. When that failed, Harry grabbed Bucky's wrists and tried to pry them off by force.

"Easy there, Wildcat. Someone might get hurt," Bucky growled as he caught Harry's hands and tightened his grip. "That's not what I'm saying, and I'm pretty fucking sure you know it."

The fight went out of Harry and his body went slack in Bucky's arms. Bucky released Harry's hands but stayed wrapped around him. "Do you want me to let you go?" Bucky asked gruffly.

Harry immediately shook his head and clutched at Bucky's hand. Steve kept a careful eye on them both. With a frown, he tried to remember any time they'd treated Harry as a child. He couldn't think of one, and he wasn't sure why Harry thought they were now. With the hope it would help this time as well, Steve laid his hand on Harry's neck again. Harry closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddery breath.

"So we're all on the same page," Bucky said softly as he shifted from restraining Harry to embracing him. "There's nights where even with Stevie wrapped around me, I still can't talk about my nightmares. But, being in his arms makes me feel safe, safe enough they don't haunt me the rest of the night."

Steve reached out and gently stroked Bucky's back. Bucky turned his head and gave Steve a soft smile. Harry opened his eyes again and appeared fascinated by the veins in Bucky's hand.

"And though he doesn't like to admit it," Bucky said with a pointed look at Steve. "Even Stevie has nightmares sometimes and needs to be cuddled."

His brows furrowed, Harry turned and looked at Steve through his lashes. Tempted to kick Bucky again, Steve settled for flicking his ear and ignoring the dirty look Bucky shot him. He hated that he still dreamed about the ice; it had been the better part of four years, he should be over it by now. But if Bucky thought Harry needed to know, Steve would trust his judgement.

"They're about the ice," Steve said in little more than a whisper, the words refusing to come out any louder. "Sometimes if the day was cool, or if I kick off the blankets on a chilly night, I have nightmares where I'm still trapped in the ice. And it seems like I'll never be warm again."

Bucky unwound the arm nearest Steve and held it open. Without hesitation, Steve leaned in, rested his head on Bucky's shoulder, and closed his eyes as he tried to keep from shivering at the memory, Bucky's hand a welcome warmth on his back. A slightly smaller hand briefly squeezed his knee before moving. Steve felt the flare of Harry's magic and heard something hit flesh.

Harry tugged Steve's free hand onto his knee, pushed the sleeve of Steve's flannel up, and a moment later he felt the tip of a fountain pen against his skin. Steve opened his eyes and watched as Harry drew a string of runes on his wrist in the nearly invisible white ink.

"It's a runic warming charm," Harry said in a quiet voice as he worked. "It won't activate until you rub a finger over it while thinking about being warm. The charm will stay active for an hour."

He blew on Steve's wrist to dry the ink, and Steve shivered again. Not from a frozen memory this time, but the heat flooding his body was better than any warming charm. Over the top of Harry's head, Bucky gave him a suggestive smile.

When Harry rubbed his thumb over the runes, a physical heat joined the metaphorical. Steve hadn't realized how tense he was until his muscles relaxed. The heat wasn't scorching, but a constant, gentle warmth. Without thinking, Steve sat up as he pulled Harry slightly away from Bucky and hugged him tight.

"Thank you," Steve said as he released Harry.

Harry shrugged. "If it helps, I can look into making the ink last longer than a week."

Bucky leaned forward and rested his chin on Harry's shoulder, his mouth beside Harry's ear. "Did you help Stevie because you were feeling parental? Or maybe you thought he needed cosseting?"

With an unobstructed view of Harry's reaction to Bucky's whisper this time, Steve saw the blush creep up his face, saw Harry's pupils dilate before he closed his eyes and pressed his lips together. It only took Harry a heartbeat to regain his composure, but Steve had seen the truth and it left him wishing his jeans were baggier.

With a barely audible clearing of his throat, Harry leaned back and tilted his head until he could meet Bucky's eyes. "You're sneakier than Hermione," Harry said, his voice slightly rough.

With a grin, Bucky gathered the dark hair that slipped behind Harry during the brief struggle and arranged it so Steve could reach it. Steve didn't wait for an invitation. He went back to work, pleased to see he hadn't lost any progress.

"Hermione is too logical to effectively tackle a hardhead," Bucky said with a shrewd look at Harry and Steve. "That's not a problem I have, and I also know hardheads learn best from firsthand experience."

He didn't give either Harry or Steve a chance to respond before he pushed on. "A couple more things, in the interest of clarity," Bucky said with a pointed look at Harry.

Harry huffed, but straightened up and tentatively leaned into Bucky. The pained grimace told Steve exactly how much Harry's renewed hesitancy hurt Bucky. Without a word, Bucky laced the fingers of one hand with Harry's and used the other to pull Harry in closer.

"Neither Stevie nor I see you as a child," Bucky said in an unyielding tone. "Our birth dates might put us close to a century, but we didn't live those years."

Steve glanced up and Bucky gave him a tight smile. The smile told Steve while Bucky wasn't happy, he wasn't overly distressed.

"From our perspective, we're closer to," Bucky frowned and turned to Steve, "Thirty? Thirty-one?"

Quickly doing the math in his head, Steve nodded. "Give or take a few months."

"So experience wise, that puts us at five and six years older than you," Bucky said.

At the sly grin on Harry's face, Steve braced for trouble.

"Six and seven," Harry said primly. "I won't be twenty-five until the thirty-first of July."

Bucky groaned, but Steve couldn't resist pointing out. "Five and seven. Using Bucky's math, I wouldn't be thirty until the fourth of July, while he'd have turned thirty-one in March."

"It doesn't matter whose math you use," Bucky growled. "You're both a pain in the ass."

Harry laughed, and a softer smile crossed Bucky's face this time. After a moment, Bucky tightened his arms around Harry and seemed to brace himself. Steve watched with concern, half-heartedly working on another knot.

"Now that we're clear on the age thing, there's one thing left," Bucky said in a gruff voice. When Bucky briefly closed his eyes and took a deep breath, Steve's concern grew.

"You could have used your magic to get loose, if that's what you'd really wanted, and I couldn't have stopped you. Same as you know, you can't match my strength." Bucky said in a near whisper. "Why were you trying to push me away figuratively?"

Harry's shoulders tensed as he turned his head away, pulling his hair from Steve's hands.

"I don't always think of magic first," Harry said flatly.

Steve snorted. "You use magic like I breathe."

Slowly, Harry's head turned, and he gave Steve a withering glare. Steve met his eyes and arched a brow. Harry might not like it, but it wasn't an insensitive remark, and it was the truth.

Bucky huffed a dry laugh. "You might as well give it up, Green-Eyes. Stevie never backs down when he knows he's right." Bucky leaned in again. "And we both know he's right," Bucky whispered in Harry's ear, causing Harry to shiver and ending the staring contest. The silence stretched for several uneasy moments, and Steve worried if they'd pushed too far.

Harry turned away and sighed. "Because you were right the other night. The majority of my life is fucked up."

"Harry," Bucky said sadly as he pulled Harry in closer.

"You meant it as a joke, and I'm not fussed about it," Harry said as he leaned back in Bucky's arms. He ran his hands down Bucky's forearms, studied Bucky's hands, and took a deep breath.

"But it's not a joke, it's the plain, horrifying truth and one of these days, you're both going to run screaming into the night," Harry said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And I'd rather you did it now, before I…" Harry's jaw clenched and he pressed his lips together tightly.

Steve caught the sheen of tears in Bucky's eyes before he lowered his head to rest on Harry's shoulder. Harry tensed up as if bracing for a blow, and Steve couldn't take any more. Couldn't take another moment of being so afraid to make a mistake with Harry that they ended up doing nothing. And in doing nothing, they left Harry to suffer alone, left Harry unaware of how much they cared.

He got to his feet and nudged Harry. "Can your feet come out of that stuff?" Steve asked roughly as he gestured to the basin.

Brows furrowed, Harry looked up and studied Steve's face for a moment before he nodded. It only took Steve a moment to stalk into Harry's bathroom and grab a towel. Steve could feel Bucky and Harry's eyes following him and when he walked back into the bedroom, they watched him with nearly identical bemused expressions. For the moment Steve ignored the questions in their eyes and knelt to dry Harry's feet.

With a nudge to get Bucky to release Harry, Steve picked him up. Harry gasped when Steve lifted him, but he wrapped his arms around Steve's neck as Steve carried him towards the head of the bed. Steve sat and scooted until he sat with his back leaning against the headboard, Harry tucked firmly beside him.

Once he situated Harry, Steve held out the arm not wrapped around Harry, and said, "Buck."

Bucky never hesitated in his scrabble up the bed. He curled into Steve's side, resting his head on Steve's shoulder. It took a few moments longer for Harry to relax, but once he did, his head rested on Steve's opposite shoulder. The rightness of holding Harry and Bucky threatened to choke him up. Steve gave them all a few moments to settle before he tightened his grip on the men in his arms.

"I can't do any more dancing around," Steve said in a soft, husky voice. "I'm not a very good dancer."

Steve ran his hand soothingly up Harry's back as he turned to face him. "Bucky and I aren't going anywhere, no matter how fucked up your life is."

Harry watched him with a frown, searching Steve's face. Steve kept his expression open, letting Harry see the truth of his words. After a long moment, Harry nodded in acknowledgement. He might wish for a less hesitant nod, but Steve knew it would take time for Harry to believe him fully.

Harry relaxed enough to rest his hand on Steve's chest and fiddle with a button. Bucky stretched his arm across Steve and slipped his hand into Harry's.

"There's plenty of fucked up in our lives, too," Bucky said with a faint smile. "And I don't see you heading for the hills. No way you're getting rid of us that easily."

He might have rolled his eyes at Bucky, but Harry smiled and squeezed his hand. Steve took a deep breath and tried to call on the courage Bucky claimed he possessed. This next bit frankly scared the shit out of him, but needs must. Steve couldn't take the uncertainty any more.

"I know you have a case to investigate, but when it's done, there's a conversation Bucky and I would like to have with you," Steve said as he pulled Harry closer.

He would not hold his breath, or blush, or let his hands get clammy; sixteen was a long time past, and what Steve felt for Harry wasn't childish or driven by hormones. Harry watched him with a concerned expression and when it began heading into uncertainty, Steve knew he had to act, had to trust his and Bucky's instincts were right about Harry's feelings.

"In the interest of clarity," Steve murmured as he dipped his head towards Harry. "I'm going to kiss you. If that's not what you want, now is the time to say stop."

Harry's pretty green eyes widened as he shook his head. Steve closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to Harry's. Harry's lips were soft and warm, and Steve struggled to keep the kiss light. Struggled to keep from breaching Harry's lips and finally tasting him.

The way Harry returned the kiss with a soft hum and melted into him tempted Steve to push further, but he only wanted Harry to know how they felt, not to push him into a hasty decision. Somehow, after several blissful, agonizing moments, Steve found the strength to pull away.

Steve caught the barest glimpse of Harry's dazed expression before Bucky leaned over him, practically laying on him. Bucky didn't bother with words as he lowered his head and kissed Harry softly.

That softness was a direct contrast to the hard, insistent dick rubbing against Steve's hip. Even though Steve knew the jackass was doing it on purpose, he couldn't keep his hand from straying to Bucky's ass and squeezing.

The sight of Bucky and Harry kissing took Steve's breath away. They looked so right together, Steve had to swallow his moan. He also wished for a free hand to adjust his too-tight jeans. Bucky lifted his head, turned to Steve, and grinned his wild grin before he pressed his lips against Steve's.

There was nothing light or chaste about the tongue that swept past his lips to tangle with his. Steve tightened his grip when Harry shuddered and clutched at his shirt. Bucky kept the kiss quick, and when he lifted his head, he dropped back onto the bed, still smiling.

His hand still full of Steve's shirt, Harry turned until he could hide his face against Steve's neck and Steve could feel the heat radiating from Harry's face. Steve stroked his back and rested his chin on Harry's head, content for the moment to sit quietly with Bucky and Harry.

As the silence stretched, Steve realized how forward he'd been, picking Harry up, carrying him around, and his words hadn't been a request for permission; they were a declaration of intent. Steve closed his eyes as his face heated. Bucky shifted and pressed a kiss against Steve's cheek.

"You looked beautiful together," Bucky said in a low voice. He untangled Harry's hand from Steve's shirt and held it. "You alright there, Harry?"

Harry's head rose slowly, his eyes downcast, and when he licked his lips, Steve nearly moaned.

"What if I don't want to wait?" Harry asked, his voice rough.

"Don't want to wait for what?" Steve asked.

When Harry's eyes finally met his, Steve's arms tightened reflexively around both men. If he hadn't known Harry's eye color, it would be almost impossible to name it now, not with Harry's pupils blown wide. Bucky's groan in his ear made Steve shiver as he stared at Harry, barely daring to hope Harry meant what Steve thought he meant.

"What if I want to have that conversation now?"