Red Liquorice and Paintings | Stucky

Chapter 16

A/N: Holy moly guacamole this took a while.

I did it though, I said; I'll definitely release another chapter within the next five years. I did it.

I hope you enjoy whatever this is 💕

Steve lies on his bed, hands folded carefully on his stomach and his eyes staring blankly at his ceiling, his mouth slightly ajar. His entire body feels warm, pleasantly warm in a way that Steve's never felt before. He lifts his fingers to his mouth and gently presses them against his lips.

Did that really happen? He thinks, astonished. A giddy laugh bubbles in his throat and spills out of mouth, filling the room with the same warmth he feels in his bones. Steve's squeezes his eyes shut and grins like a child at the ceiling, wondering how on earth he got into this situation.

((..))

Bucky rides home with a cloud of regret following him persistently, grabbing and clawing at his mind, filling his brain that went cloudy with an overwhelming surge of happiness with dark, probing doubt.

Why the hell did I do that? Circulates around in his head on a constant loop, fuelling the cloud of self-doubt and self-hatred. He feels like an idiot who just stomped on the only solid friendship he's ever had.

With white knuckles and gritted teeth, Bucky turns into his driveway. He silences the engine and pulls the keys out of the engine, before carefully dismounting his bike. The second both of his feet touch the concrete, his knees give way. He falls heavily, his helmet dropping like a stone. Bucky cups his head in his hands, digging his fingers into his thick hair and cursing himself.

You're an idiot, Barnes, he thinks bitterly. He grinds his teeth and squeezes his eyes shut tightly, wondering just how badly he's messed up.

The light on the porch flicks on, and Bucky gathers himself up from the driveway before Pierce could see his small meltdown. He collects his helmet hastily and makes his way inside.

((..))

To say Steve was nervous to see Bucky the next day would be an understatement. He was a mess. A complete shaking mess. How is he supposed to cope with looming reality that he just kissed his best friend.

What does that even mean for them? What do they do now? Do they move in to a house together and buy a dog? Do they never talk to each other again?

Steve really hopes they don't decide to stop being friends, while Sam and Peggy were really the only people Steve had before he met Bucky they're just not the same.

It's different, somehow.

Steve's hands shake as he nervously leaves the house. He hesitates for a split second, contemplating staying at home and never stepping foot outside again. With a sigh, he walks on, toward whatever horrors await him when he arrives at school.

His feet tap rhythmically against the pavement, and he opts to listen to that instead of the thoughts pounding around in his head.

((..))

Bucky decides instead of actively trying to ruin his friendship, he'll keep quiet about the night before. Every word that filters out of his mouth when he's talking to Steve is carefully articulated in his head beforehand, trying to carefully steer away from any comments about last night. It makes him feel like the worst friend, but Steve really has to understand that he's trying to save their friendship here.

Steve looks confused at Bucky's approach to the situation, and eventually begins to look upset about it all. Which was not what Bucky had in mind at all. This is not what he planned.