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Dogsled
“You did what?”
Clint smirked at his roommate as Bucky glowered at him. “--Well it’s not happening,” Bucky continued. “I’m not doing it. It’s gotta be illegal putting someone else’s name up for something like that. And just by the way? You’re the worst friend ever. What if I was going to ask someone else to the dance?”
“You weren’t. You don’t. You’re perpetually third wheeling at parties with Nat and I. You swear to us you’re going to hook up with someone, then spend the whole night looking for Rogers–unless he’s there, in which case you just make sad doe eyes at him and run away if he looks in your direction. I’m doing you a favor. You’re going to have a date this time. A real one, picked completely at random from a bunch of other Lonely Hearts Club members who are ticking off their friends.”
“Maybe I enjoy being single,” Bucky growled toothlessly.
“How long have I known you? Come on, Bucky. You’re pining. You’ve got this little crush, and it’s cute and all, but you’ve got to find out sooner or later that there’s other fish in the sea. If you won’t do it for yourself do it for me. Do it for Nat. Hell, do it for Steve Rogers. He deserves to be treated better than that, right?”
Bucky scowled, kicking up his feet and flopping back on his bed, staring at the Harley Davidson Livewire poster that Nat had given him for his birthday last year. He loved his friends, and he didn’t really blame them for interfering. How could he? Clint was right; in the two years since they’d come here together for uni, Bucky’s ladykiller days had spontaneously ended. It was always about Steve, now. Steve this, Steve that. Nevermind that in all that time Bucky had probably said maybe 20 words to the man.
Little did he know Natasha and Clint had no intention of the matchmaking being random. They broke into the office and meddled, as was their specialty.
Lonely Hearts Club Participant Match Ups
Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.
buckybarnesdeservestobehappy
Two days later, Bucky was sure his life was an unmitigated disaster. That was the only explanation for how he’d managed to accumulate friends that would do something so mean and underhanded (and yes, really sweet) to him. He wouldn’t be paired with Steve for the dance otherwise.
Sighing loudly, Bucky booted up his laptop, although he doubted he needed it. Health class wasn’t exactly the most mentally challenging class, but today he didn’t think he could handle anything other than pondering his failures. When Dr. Banner projected a film on the screen, he leaned over to Clint and hissed, “I might hate you a little bit.”
“You don’t. You just think you do.”
“Pretty sure, I do.”
“Oh, come on,” Clint responded with a grin. “Look at him down there. You. Are. Welcome.”
Bucky glanced at the front of the room where Steve sat, slumped over with his chin on his hand. Eyes glazed, he doodled on his notebook and half-watched the Rappin’ with Cap PSA playing on the screen. Why Dr. Banner thought Sam Wilson’s Captain America promos for the U.S. Army were a good thing to study in a college health class was beyond Bucky’s comprehension, but the videos were the basis of an entire unit in the course.
Irritated with Clint and everyone else, Bucky was just about to put in his earbuds and tune out when Sam Wilson looked right at the camera and said, “So, you think you’re in love with a dude in your class.”
“Oh, hell,” Clint snorted and covered his mouth.
Slumping into his seat, Bucky covered his eyes and tried not to die of embarrassment. He was just about to slam his laptop shut and sprint out the door when Steve straightened up and glanced back at Bucky. Eyes locked, they stared at each other for several long seconds before Bucky raised an eyebrow. When Steve gave an imperceptible nod, Bucky wondered if he’d died and gone to heaven.
“Did you see that?” he asked Clint in a stunned whisper.
“Sure did.”
Sivan325
“So, are you going to talk to him?” Clint nudged him.
“If I won’t faint first,” Buck replied, covering his face, he could feel himself blushing when Steve looked at him, “I don’t know what to do.”
“You’ll be okay,” Nat patted him on the back, “I saw the way he was looking at you, the man totally got you in his sights.”
“How do you even know that?” Buck asked, not daring to turn around in the middle of the class.
“I saw him, while he was talking with Thor and that Stark guy,” Nat answered him.
“Why me?” Bucky asked, almost whispering.
“Come on, we both know you are in love with Rogers, just try to have a conversation with him after the class.” Clint urged him.
Once the class was over, Bucky could see his crush walking closer to him.
“Oh, hi,” Steve said, brushing his hair nervously, “Barnes, right?”
“Ah, yeah, Bucky Barnes,” Bucky replied weakly, couldn’t believe he found the words speaking with his crush, “Steve, hi.”
“I saw that we are going dancing together, I thought to ask you first if you want to go out with me…” Steve asked
“I would love that,” Bucky said quickly before he is going to faint in his room.
“Bucky, I saw you hanging out with Clint, I think I’m friends with too.” Steve said with a thin smile.
“What?” Bucky asked.
“I think Clint already gave me your phone number, but I wanted to speak with you first,” Steve ignored his question and then he added, “I’ll call you later.”
“What just happened?” Bucky asked, wondering if talking to his crush was all his figment of imagination.
“Ha, there you are,” Clint said, noticed the glare that his friend gave him, “I saw you talking with Rogers.”
“Yeah, I’m going to faint now,” Bucky said and started walking toward his dorm, ignoring Clint’s voice calling his name, “I can’t believe the guy even talks to me. ME. Ugh…”
“What’s wrong with it?” Clint caught up with his roommate.
Trinity Day
“What isn’t wrong?” Bucky asked. “I just made the biggest fool of myself in front of—” the love of his life—“Steve Rogers.”
Clint didn’t bother hiding the roll of his eyes. “You said two sentences and he left with a smile. How was that embarrassing?”
“I thought he asked me out when really he just wanted to talk to me before committing to the dance.”
“Wanting to talk to you is good. Did he ask for your number?”
“He already has it. You know that—you gave it to him.”
Clint shrugged, unrepentant. “Yeah, we’re friends. Didn’t think you’d mind.”
Bucky might have objected in other circumstances, but this was Steve, so he waved it off.
“Still don’t see why you’re not over the moon,” Clint continued.
Bucky fixed his hair because it was that or yank it out at the roots. “First, I outed myself during that Captain America PSA. Why else would he look at me? Then I agreed to a date he didn’t even ask me on. This is awful, Clint,” he groaned.
Even with advanced warning, watching Clint pull an empty page from his notebook and crumple it up, Bucky didn’t dodge in time to avoid a paper ball to the face.
“That’s it. I’m done. I’ve tried setting you up. I’ve tried giving you pep talks. And still you go on about unrequited love when Steve is clearly into you, too.”
Clint tore another sheet.
“Don’t even think about it, Barton. I might not do archery, but you know my aim is just as good as yours. You don’t want to start this.”
“I absolutely want to start this,” said Clint, throwing the new projectile. Bucky ducked and his eyes narrowed.
It was on.
*
It was a good thing they were both as good as advertised or else Natasha’s revenge might have been a lot, lot worse.
*
Bucky’s phone buzzed. It wasn’t often that Bucky was excited to get a text from an unknown number, but then it wasn’t often his message preview said:
Hi. It’s Steve Rogers.
Politzania
Bucky’s hands were suddenly so sweaty that he nearly dropped his phone as he fumbled to get it unlocked.
<< Heyo
He accidentally hit Return instead of Backspace. “Gah!” He frantically stabbed at the recall command, but it was too late.
>> 😁 So - I had something I wanted to tell you before tomorrow night.
Bucky’s heart dropped. He wasn’t surprised that Steve would want to cancel; he’d probably gotten a better offer.
<< Okay.
>> Can I call you?
At least Steve was a decent enough guy to not dump him via text.
<< Sure.
Bucky’s phone buzzed a moment later.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Bucky. It’s Steve. So…” he trailed off for a moment. “The thing is - I can’t dance. At least not to the kind of music that will probably be playing. So if you want to go with someone else, I understand.”
Bucky frowned in confusion. If Steve was trying to get out of the date, he was going about it in an odd – but somehow charming – way.
“What kind of music can you dance to?” Bucky asked; his curiosity piqued.
Steve chuckled softly, making Bucky’s heart skip a beat. “Swing, actually.”
“Well, that sounds like a lot more fun than booming bass lines and misogynistic lyrics to me.”
“Really?” Steve sounded surprised.
“Yeah.” Bucky screwed up all the courage he could muster. “Maybe you could show me a couple of simple steps?”
“I’d like that.” Steve replied warmly. “Just to be clear, we’re ditching the Lonely Hearts Club mixer in favor of a big band night?”
“Yeah - serves Clint and Nat right for signing me up in the first place.”
“What?” Steve squawked. “Those two did the same thing to me!” They both broke out laughing. “Now I have to wonder if they had anything to do with the Rappin’ with Cap PSA selection.”
“I wouldn’t put it past those sneaky SOBs. I keep telling Nat she should intern for the CIA.”
“I can’t decide whether that’s brilliant or terrifying,” Steve commented. “So, can I stop by and pick you up around seven tomorrow?”
“Sounds great. See you then, Steve.”