I'm Spongebob? (Stony AU)

Chapter 19

Everyone was staring at Tony—well, almost everyone—Bucky was staring at Steve. A soft grin starting to form on his face. He assumed this was going where he thought it was going. Tony asking Steve to be his date.

Bucky wasn't Tony's biggest fan, but he'd been watching him like a hawk whenever he was around. He never acted like the tabloids always presented him. He seemed... sweet— almost . Like a timid four year old meeting new relatives.

Tony was polite. He was charming. He was awkward.

It was obvious he liked Steve. It was as if Steve was the designated place for his eyes to rest on. Like his mouth had no choice but to smile whenever he looked at Steve, or even talked about him.

Most importantly, Steve liked Tony back. Though he never audibly admitted it. Never said it, never confirmed it. It was something everyone now knew. It was something that he and Steve had been able to talk about without actually acknowledging.

Bucky would like to say he always knew that Steve wasn't 100% straight—though, who really is?—but even so, those thoughts, those inklings, he would brush them away. Steve never said anything—and Steve told him everything—so why think about it?

Now, Bucky realized Steve had also never told him he had blond hair. They talked about Steve's art often, but it was never something Steve had to sit Bucky down about and confess to doing.

Bucky also considered the possibility that Steve himself hadn't been fully... willing... to let others —maybe even himself—know this part of him. The military certainly wasn't a very encouraging place for Steve to explore all aspects of himself.

Bucky knew he eventually wanted to talk about this with Steve. Like he had eventually done with Steve and his art—When did you start drawing? Who got you your first sketchbook? What's your favorite thing to draw? What's your most cherished piece? Are you going to pursue it as a career?—like these, he wanted to talk with Steve, open and freely as they always did. He wanted Steve to talk to him just like he had when he started liking and dating Peggy. He wanted to hear about the butterflies and the nervousness and the awkward jokes. He wanted to ask Steve when he first knew he was bi, or gay—or whatever the hell he was—if he had had a boyfriend, or kissed a guy yet.

They were getting there. Slowly. Steve stopped hiding just how much thought and effort he put into his wardrobe whenever Tony would be meeting him. He ranted to Bucky about how brilliant Tony was, how they could chat for hours. The gang would tease him, not as full on as if Tony were a Toni, but that's because they didn't want to push Steve further than he was willing to them go.

Bucky hoped that by the end of his bachelor party he would be able to sit down with Steve and talk freely about his crush on Tony, Steve himself being able to say those words in front of him.

A/N: If you are liking the story please vote and comment. Seriously though, comments are what keep me writing and updating!! They mean the world to me!!