Red Liquorice and Paintings | Stucky

Chapter 9

Steve's arms wrap tightly around Bucky's middle, as he presses his head into Bucky's back, and focuses on the roar of the engine, and not on the way he's feeling like absolute shit.

Bucky's leather jacket isn't the most comfortable thing, but it's Bucky, and it's warm, and Steve doesn't care.

.

Bucky leaps off of his bike as they reach Steve's house, and manages to pull Steve off too.

He's weak, and practically can't walk, and Bucky refrains from carrying him bridal style into the house. It's something Steve can do on his own.

Steve leans against Bucky for support, which Bucky gives him, as they slowly approach the front door.

"Key is under the brick beside the door." Steve rasps out, which startles a laugh out of Bucky.

"Of course it is." Bucky says, a smile in his voice. Steve chuckles, and manages a weak punch to Bucky's ribs.

Bucky settles Steve down onto his couch, and watches as he immediately curls up on himself, making himself as small as possible.

Bucky glances around the living room, and spots several pictures of Steve, his mother, and his dad. However, in all of the others, his dad is absent.

Bucky notes down that he'll ask Steve about that eventually.

Not wanting to feel like he's intruding, Bucky asks Steve if he'll be okay until his mother gets home, before bidding his goodbye.

"Buck, can-" Steve's voice shuts down, and he clenches his eyes shut, before opening them and looking up at Bucky.

"Stay, please." He says softly, and Bucky nods, before falling onto the other end of the couch, and watching Steve closely.

How can he say no to him? He's Steve.

"Food in the oven. Water in the fridge. Blankets in the cupboard down the hall. Remote on the coffee table." Steve tells Bucky, sounding tired, as he shifts and tries to get comfortable.

"What's Rumlow's problem with you?" Bucky asks, out of the blue, but wanting to get it off of his mind.

Steve pulls himself up into a sitting position, and looks over at Bucky.

"I'm the easiest target." Steve tells him quietly.

It's a lie, but it's also the truth.

Bucky seems to know it's a lie, and gives him a little knowing look.

"There's more to it than that." Bucky says, his voice unbelievably soft, and unlike him.

Steve feels himself drowning in it, and loving every second of it.

"Believe it or not, we were friends a while a go." Steve begins, his eyes on Bucky's, his knees against his chest.

"He took me in when I had no one, and became my friend." Steve hums, the truth feeling odd in his mouth, considering all that's happened since then.

"Then, he whisked me away to an end of year party. We drank, laughed, and acted like normal teenagers would. Until I totally spilled my soul to him." Steve says, eyes flashing with pain, and Bucky sits and listens without a word.

"He tried to kiss me. But I rejected him, then he turned it all back on me. Spread rumours that I tried to jump him and suck his dick, that I'm some abnormal alien that's into dudes." Steve says, voice strained.

"I dunno, after that we fell apart instantly. Then his friends pressured him into beating me up, and he was whispering 'I'm sorry' the whole time." Steve explains softly, staring blankly at the floor now.