Rude Boy: Blue Series 1 (Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes Modern California AU)

Eighteen

Although Steve had arrived at work on time, he still felt rushed.  It almost felt like Steve had forgotten something.  Like leaving the house and wondering if the stove was left on.  That was how Steve felt as he sat at his desk.  Steve wasn't able to concentrate on his current animation and he kept looking over his shoulder, as though someone was going to be there behind him.

Of course, there was someone behind him because Steve shared an office and Clint's desk was on the opposite wall behind him.

After the fifth time that Steve looked over his shoulder, Sam noticed.  Sam's desk was along the same wall as Steve's, Sam glanced over at Steve and asked, "Dude, the fuck?"

"What?"  Steve asked with a heavy furrowed brow.

"Are you and Clint having a prank war again?"  Sam questioned, suddenly becoming paranoid.  Sam remembered the last prank war well and he still wasn't over it.  Quickly, Sam looked over his shoulder to Clint who was busy with his current animation.

"No," Steve scoffed and rolled his eyes.  Stretching, Steve let out a groan before scrubbing his hand over his face.  With a shrug, Steve explained, "I just... feel like I... forgot something.  Or something."

Clint turned around and he asked, "Like what?"

"I don't know," Steve sighed, turning around and leaning back with his hands linked behind his head.  Steve thought about the night he had with Bucky and while trying to ignore his spreading blush, he lied, "Maybe I just didn't sleep well or something."

"Wait," Sam scoffed, "Didn't you go out with Bucky last night?"

Clint's arms were crossed along his chest and an interested, playful grin was on his face, "Color me intrigued.  How'd it go?"

"Fine," Steve turned around to face his desk again.

"That's it?"  Sam asked.  Quirked brow, Sam reminded Steve, "That's all you're going to give us?  Remember that brunette?  What was her name?  Candy?"

"Cindy," Clint corrected, "She was hot."

"She was crazy," Steve muttered as he attempted to concentrate on his current project.

"Still hot," Clint shrugged and turned around to face his own desk again.

"Anyway," Sam sighed, annoyed, "You gushed over her for like a week."

"What ever happened to her?"  Clint mused, tapping his pen on his desk.

Steve rolled his eyes and Sam let out a loud bark of a laugh as he remembered, "Didn't you find her in your apartment?"

"Yup," Steve sighed, remembering the awful night well, "Can we... not talk about that?"

"Hold on," Clint chuckled, "When was this?"

"I don't know, like last March or something," Sam declared, purposely not recounting the correct time frame.

Steve corrected, "February."

"That's right," Sam laughed, "It was Valentine's Day."

"Shut up," Clint loudly howled.  "That is the greatest thing that I've ever heard."

"That's not even the best part," Sam continued, "Steve was on a date and brought said date home to find Cindy naked and covered in chocolate."

Clint was practically rolling on the floor with his laughter and Steve couldn't help but turn back around with a fond smirk on his face.  Steve looked at Sam and questioned, "Is that why you called her, 'Candy.'"

"Hell yes," Sam confirmed, chuckling.  Steve shook his head, but he couldn't hide the grin on his face.  Not even when Sam declared, "And you would not stop talking about her for months."

"I only talked about her so much because she was insane," Steve defended himself.

Sam scoffed, "Even before that happened, you wouldn't shut up."

Clint was still laughing, but tried to hold it off until after he asked, "When was this?  I don't remember you talking about someone breaking into your apartment and covering themselves with chocolate."

"That's because I didn't want anyone to know," Steve sighed, throwing a crumpled up ball of paper at Sam.

Sam continued laughing though and threw the same ball of paper at Steve.  Sam added, "Plus, you and Laura went on vacation for two weeks."

"Well, now I just feel completely left out," Clint feigned offense and crossed his arms while pretending to pout.

"Whatever," Steve scoffed, throwing a large pink eraser at Clint.

Clint caught the eraser thanks to his impressive reflexes and winked at Steve before Clint swiveled back around to face his desk.  Steve sat there for a moment, stretching his arms above his head before linking his hands behind his head again.  For a moment, he just sat there.

Sam was throwing the rubber band ball up in the air.  Clint was trying to balance a pen on his upper lip.  Steve bit his own bottom lip before starting, "So, last night."

Quickly, Clint turned around and Sam stopped tossing the rubber band ball.  Both men intrigued as Sam asked, "What did you guys do."

"Well, we started at Nomad," Steve declared.

"Of course," Clint scoffed.  Sam's brows furrowed and Clint explained, "That's Steve's spot.  He takes everyone there."

"Anyway," Steve continued, "Bucky didn't like Nomad, so we went to Dave's, the, uh, truck stop off the freeway."

"Shut up," Sam smirked, he informed Clint, "They have the best burgers I've ever had."

"They also have some fantastic chili cheese fries," Steve said, trying to hide his smile.

Clint nodded as though he was considering checking the place out.  Then Clint asked Steve, "What did you do next?"

"After Bucky's car had to be towed, we went back to his apartment," Steve smirked, stretching his arms above his head again.  Turning around to face his desk again, Steve admitted, "And I stayed the night."

"Seriously?"  Clint questioned.  Steve didn't turn back around, he simply nodded.  But the tips of his ears were red and that was answer enough.

"But it's Wednesday," Sam stated, scandalized.

Steve's blush darkened and he simply shrugged as if that was sufficient enough of an answer.  Clint and Sam exchanged a look before they both started ragging on Steve.  Neither of them could believe that Steve stayed the night.  They knew Steve's dating history.  They knew how Steve was when it came to partners.

"Wow," Sam finally said, once he and Clint calmed down from their mocking.  Sam mused, "You must really like Bucky."

Shrugging, Steve smiled to himself, wondering when he would be able to see Bucky again.  Steve hoped that it would be soon.