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

Twenty-Eight

Although Steve loved his chosen profession and the company that employed him, Steve would've preferred staying in Bucky's bed experiencing multiple orgasms. Of course, Steve had enough sense to figure that most people would prefer that kind of afternoon. So, slightly unsated, but not necessarily unhappy, Steve headed off to work.

Arriving just a moment before his lunch break was over, Steve hurried to the office he shared with his friends. Usually, Sam and Clint took their sweet time getting back to the office; something that Steve was expecting and hoping for today. However, Sam and Clint beat Steve to the office and were both sitting at their desks, facing the door with their arms crossed along their chests.

Pausing in the doorway, it was reminiscent of Steve's teen years when his step-dad tried to be stern with him when he stayed out past curfew. Steve playfully narrowed his eyes at his friends as, he too, crossed his arms along his own chest. Briefly they silently challenged each other before Clint barked out a laugh.

Steve just rolled his eyes while entering his office and taking his seat at his desk. Sam half teased, "Bruh, you reek of sex."

"Whatever," Steve scoffed. Sam gave Steve a pointed look and Steve briefly tucked his nose into the collar of his tee. The only thing that Steve could smell was Bucky. Bucky's sandalwood deodorant was the most prominent but then underneath was the lingering lavender laundry detergent mixed with the Shea butter and vanilla body wash that Bucky used. It seemed as though Bucky's scent had completely masked Steve's. Steve wasn't used to smelling like another person, but he wasn't exactly adverse to it either.

Shrugging off Sam's complaint, Steve reasoned, "I came and that's all that matters."

"Yeah, I'm sure that that's not a common occurrence or anything," Sam mocked, turning around to face his desk.

Steve balled a piece of paper and playfully threw it at Sam before teasing, "Jealous."

"Hell, I'm jealous!" Clint good-humoredly scoffed, causing Sam and Steve to turn around to face him. Clint stared off dreamily as he imagined, "Shit, being able to go have a nooner?"

"Just for that," Steve balled another piece of paper and threw it at Clint.  Steve mocked, "Why don't you just surprise Laura?"

"Because she's busy educating the future, asshole," Clint declared, tossing the paper ball back at Steve.

Sam and Steve laughed as the paper ball simply hit Steve's chest before bouncing off and falling to the ground. Of course, Steve and Sam knew why a midday romp wasn't necessarily capable for Clint and Laura considering Laura was an elementary school teacher that spent most of her lunch break to help confused students. Plus, Clint's lunch break was longer than Laura's.

Changing the subject, Sam asked, "What game did you pick for tonight?"

"You'll just have to wait and see," Clint answered, which both Sam and Steve knew meant that Clint hadn't picked any game. They also figured that Clint completely forgot about game night. Which was probably exactly what happened. Then, to take the heat off of himself, Clint asked, "Is Bucky still bringing the snacks?"

Before Steve could answer, Sam crossed his arms along his chest and questioned, "How're things going with Bucky?"

"Fine," Steve nonchalantly shrugged. Sam and Clint exchanged a glance with each other then gave Steve a pointed look. Steve widened his eyes while he innocently asked, "What?"

"Oh, c'mon, you know what," Clint scoffed.

Sam was a little more eloquent as he clarified, "How many times have you hung out with Bucky? Just this week alone?"

Even though Steve rolled his eyes, he admitted to himself that he had seen Bucky quite a bit. This wasn't even their first lunch break romp this week. Sure, they didn't have sex every single time that they had seen each other in the past few weeks. But they had spent a lot of time together.

"I see you and Barton every day and see Sharon a lot too, that doesn't mean anything," Steve finally stated.

"Oh-kay," Sam sarcastically agreed, turning back around to face his desk.

Clint gave Steve one last pointed look, then he too turned around to face his own desk. Steve was the last to turn around, but he couldn't help thinking about what Sam was insinuating. Surely Sam and Clint didn't think that Steve felt something more for Bucky, right? No, not possible. Sam and Clint knew Steve better than that. Perhaps the two were just hopeful that there could be something more. After all, Steve had never really had a relationship. Especially not since high school at least.

Steve worried his lower lip as he stared at the previous illustration that he had been working on. The more that he stared at the illustration, the more he found Bucky's features. Being a little paranoid that others would be able to piece together his subconscious's inspiration, Steve put the illustration in a drawer in his desk and started another.