Love Grows: Love Series 1 (demon!Bucky and pre-serum!Steve omegaverse au)

11

IT WAS WRONG. It was all wrong.

Why is this so difficult today?

Annoyed with himself, Steve threw the sketchbook across the room. Sure, he had been creatively blocked before – what kind of artist hadn't been before? – but nothing like this. Right now it felt like he had never even had an artistic thought in his head before in his life.

Deciding to try and jolt his muse senses, Steve left. One of the things that he had always loved about living in New York was all the different people that lived there too. Stylish people. Creative people. Weird people. People trying to guard their true feelings. People who wore their hearts on their sleeves. Anything that anyone could be going through could be found by just walking down the street.

Setting up at the park, Steve opened his sketchbook to an empty page, he got out his charcoal pencils. First, just starting with the motions, getting himself back into the element. Then, letting things take shape. Buildings in the distance. Ducks in the water. People milling around.

One man in particular got Steve's attention. Tall, lean frame. Dark hair slicked and styled like a reincarnation of Cary Grant or James Stewart. Steve couldn't see his face, but he'd bet his last cent that he was handsome. And all he was doing was standing there with his hands in his pockets as he gazed at the pond.

Idly, Steve wondered what he was thinking.

Then, the man turned. Surprisingly – unsurprisingly – it was Bucky. He spotted Steve almost instantly and smiled. Large and toothy, splitting his face in two. As though he had been waiting to see Steve again.

Not moving yet, Bucky raised a hand and waved at him. Steve waved back in reply. Bucky took that as an offering and made his way over to the petite omega. Closing his sketchbook, Steve started packing up.

"Fancy meeting you here," Bucky teased.

Smiling up at the alpha, "Needed to get out."

Gesturing towards the spot next to Steve on the bench, he silently asked for permission to sit. It was odd, but Steve allowed it. Bucky asked, "Working on something?"

"Sort of," Steve's cheeks heated, and he kept his gaze down on his supplies.

"Can I see?"

"Oh, I, uh," Steve stammered, "I don't, um... I don't really show my stuff until I'm done with it."

"Oh, that's okay." Bucky assured.

Steve eased. Glad that Bucky wasn't going to pester him about it. That was always the worst. Hodge still did it sometimes. Even though it annoyed the absolute hell out of Steve and he had told his husband so. But Steve did find it adorable how interested his beta was and how much he supported him.

As they sat there, Steve wondered what Bucky was thinking. Was he thinking about Steve's art? Was he thinking about how companionable the silence between them was? Or was he thinking about something outside of himself and Steve?

"It's nice out today," Steve started, not realizing he was talking until the words were out of his mouth.

Bucky looked over at him, a kind smile on his handsome face. "It is, isn't it?"

Steve nodded, trying not to look at the brunet too much. He shifted in his seat on the bench, "I love when the weather changes."

"Mmm," Bucky hummed, agreeing. "Sweater weather and all that jazz."

"Exactly," Steve chuckled. "My favorite is the leaves. All the colors."

"Makes sense," Bucky's smile stayed. "With you being an artist and all."