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

Forty

Steve couldn't be sure -- but he was pretty fucking sure -- that even if Bucky wasn't dating Brock, Steve would've despised the man. Only having had a few encounters -- that seemed to be getting more frequent, much to Steve's chagrin -- Steve had noticed multiple things that he didn't like about the brunet.

The first was that Brock was, quite possibly, the most arrogant man that Steve had ever met. And Steve had (1) met a lot of men, and (2) knew a lot of arrogant people; a few of them even being his closest friends. Hell, Steve himself was an arrogant man! If that didn't make his point, Steve wasn't sure what would.

The second: Brock was a bragger. Which, Steve admitted that he wasn't completely unknown to the concept. But Steve, he didn't... he wasn't... When Steve bragged, he did so with dignity and a certain poise. Brock, however, had an excessive ostentatious streak that simply made Steve physically ill to witness. And that didn't even have anything to do with the way that Brock paraded Bucky around.

Which led to a third aspect to Brock that Steve couldn't stand. Brock flaunted Bucky. Sure, Steve understood that Bucky was someone who deserved to be treated like they personally hung the stars in the sky, but Steve reasoned that he would never treat Bucky so cheaply as Brock did. Not that Brock treated Bucky bad, per se. Just that... just...

What really got to Steve was how Brock always seemed to be around. Whether they were at game night -- where Brock tagged along with Bucky, uninvited by anyone in the group. Or how Brock would just "forget" that Steve and Bucky had plans, and would try to weasel his way into their plans -- even going so far as to drop by Bucky's apartment unannounced. Steve wasn't a paranoid person by nature, but he was starting to think that Brock might've been threatened by him.

A part of Steve couldn't blame Brock. Another part, however, couldn't help but to smugly think, good.

Of course, Steve was still civil towards Brock. Refusing to let Bucky know just how much he positively loathed the atrocity that was known as Brock, Steve kept it all bottled up until he could rant to one of their mutual friends. Sam and Clint were the funniest who always managed to put Steve in a better mood. Tony, the extravagant, offering to buy the repair shop where Brock worked just so he could fire the brooding man. Even Pepper, the more level-headed of the two, seemed to approve of Tony's suggestion.

Yet, Sharon was always Steve's go-to. Sharing a bottle -- or two -- of their favorite wine and watching preposterous, idiotic rom-coms while vociferating seemingly non-stop about the vile brunet.

When they were in a more public setting -- or when Brock and Bucky were around -- Sharon and Steve would exchange discreet, dramatic glances with one another. It helped. As much as something so simple could in a situation where Steve's heart was constantly being ripped out of his chest and being trampled on by every giggle that Brock managed to extract from Bucky.

During a movie night at the Potts/Stark house, Steve was at the wet bar, mixing himself a drink when Bucky approached him. Playfully, Bucky bumped his hip against Steve's, and Steve didn't even want to fight the grin that stretched at his lips. In fact, Steve wanted to beat his own ass for denying himself the simple pleasure of indulging in Bucky.  He wished that he had done so sooner.

"What cha makin'?" Bucky asked, looking at Steve's drink.

Steve longed for them to be as physical as they once were. Even wishing for the simple, companionable touches. Like the way that Bucky would rest his chin on Steve's broad shoulder. Or the way that Bucky used to snake his arms around Steve's midsection. All the tactile ways that they used to express themselves, but no longer did.

"A gimlet," Steve answered, using Tony's expensive Cobbler Shaker to mix his alcoholic beverage. Teasingly showing off, Steve winked at Bucky and openly smirked when Bucky blushed. Flirtatiously, Steve asked, "You want me to make you one?"

"I've never had one before," Bucky admitted, watching Steve.

At that, Steve theatrically started shaking his drink, causing Bucky to throw his head back as he chuckled. Just the sound of Bucky's laugh lit up Steve's body like a Christmas tree. Steve desired nothing more than to elicit as many of those sounds as possible for the rest of his life.

Steve poured his drink into one of the many ornate crystal glasses. Once the contents of the Cobbler Shaker was completely emptied into the glass, Steve topped it off with a lime garnish. Passing the drink for Bucky to try, Steve said, "If you like it, you can keep it."

Quirking a brow, Bucky took the drink and kept eye contact with Steve as he took a modest sip of the alcoholic beverage. Cringing at the taste, Bucky handed the drink back to a laughing Steve, and Bucky teased, "Vodka fan, huh?"

"You're not," Steve assumed and took an ample drink of the beverage. Setting his glass down on the bar countertop, Steve offered, "I can make you another drink, anything you want."

"A White Russian should hit the spot," Brock answered, intruding on Steve and Bucky's conversation. The smug grin alone confirmed that Brock knew exactly what he was doing. In case Steve missed the obvious cue though, Brock securely wrapped his arm around Bucky's waist and pulled him close to himself.

In Steve's annoyance, Steve pressed his lips tightly together. Trying to keep it together, when really, all Steve wanted to do was to knock Brock's lights out. Of course, Steve wasn't going to, but he couldn't help his fists from tightly clenching. So tightly in fact that his knuckles were turning white.

Striving to remain civil, Steve replied, "I don't think I have everything needed for that. I could probably swing a decent Moscow Mule though." All the while, attempting to ignore the way that Bucky affectionately curled into Brock's muscular chest.

"Thanks," Brock flashed Steve a shit-eating grin, tightened his grip on Bucky while rubbing soothing circles into Bucky's hip. Brock glanced down at Bucky, and then back up to Steve as Brock declined, "I think we're gonna head home."

"Oh?" Steve questioned, looking at Bucky.

Bucky's brows were arched high as though he was silently questioning Brock. When Bucky didn't spot any turnaround from Brock, Bucky confirmed, "Looks like it."

Pressing his lips together once again, Steve stared down at his drink and to keep himself from showing too much distress, Steve focused on the coldness from the glass. Softly, Steve said, "Oh, okay."

"I'll meet you upstairs," Brock announced. Brock pressed a quick kiss to Bucky's temple that seemed much too aggressive in Steve's opinion, but Bucky seemed fine with it.

Bucky watched Brock head up to the main level of the Potts/Stark house before turning his attention to Steve. Bucky proposed, "See you tomorrow?"

Steve was about to decline the offer, and Bucky could tell. So, Bucky added, "Might be fun. I mean, I don't think there's anything to currently cross off the list, but..."

"We've finished The List?" Steve asked, surprised. He was hoping that there were more items just so he could have an excuse to spend as much time with Bucky as possible.

"Not finished," Bucky clarified before he admitted, "There's still some big stuff, but I don't think we can cross any of them off right now."

"Big stuff?" Steve smirked, egging Bucky to continue.

Bucky blushed and ran his hand along the back of his neck while feigning nonchalance, "Yeah, big stuff. Backpack through Europe. Get married. Visit the Sistine Chapel. Ya know, big stuff."

"Right," Steve agreed, worrying his own lower lip. His heart fluttering excitedly in his chest as he imagined crossing off all the items with Bucky. Crossing off everything on that list and possibly starting their own. Steve immediately knew what he'd put on his list. And all of his tasks involved Bucky.