"Hair?" Bucky asks himself staring into the mirror, staring back is a mess. He's a mess. Why Roswell fell in love with him is beyond him. Seriously what the hell does she see in him? He turns his face a little and then scratches at his beard. "Okay," he whispers and then nods. He's going all out for this. For her. He'd do anything for her.
................
Steve's waiting for him when the bathroom door opens, leaning against the wall worrying his lip. This all has to go perfect for Roswell. Perfect.
"Oh my..." Steve states pushing up off the wall, surprised. He was thinking that Bucky would tie his hair back but he's cut it off. He looks more like the old Bucky now than ever before. Bucky shrugs a little.
"Is it too much?" he asks.
"Bit late now if it is" Steve teases a little. "You look great" he softens a little and then motions to his own face. "You shave too?" Bucky nods and lets out a breath. "This is going to work" Steve points out. "Now get dressed, I'll set everything up and get out of the way"
"Steve?" Steve pauses and turns to Bucky. "Are you sure about this?" Steve nods.
"Never been more sure about anything...." he admits and assures Bucky. "You and me, we've been through a lot, this is our...prize. A good, healthy, easy relationship with the woman we love, a woman we both love, who loves us" Bucky nods and looks down. "Get dressed" Steve repeats and walks away, Bucky takes a breath and nods again. Steeling himself.
...........
Bucky adjusts his shirt as he reaches the kitchen, he feels like he's choking in it, the buttons pressed against his Adam's apple. He reaches up pulling a little on the fabric as Steve turns.
"Roswell is changing at hers" Steve states lifting his eyes from his phone. "She'll be about fifteen minutes"
"Why does she still have an apartment?" Bucky asks. "She basically lives here" Steve hums a little.
"All of her stuff is there" Steve points out finishing his letter to Roswell.
"Why?" Bucky pushes smirking slyly. Steve shoots him a look.
"Okay, I get it, this works...then I'll ask her" he leans up and reads what he's written. "Alright," he whispers folding the paper and setting it into an envelope. "This should explain everything" he turns to Bucky.
"I'll text if this goes tits up" He promises patting Steve's arm. "Don't make her cry and don't eat like a Neanderthal, I know, I got it covered"
"Don't push yourself into this either" Steve adds. "You don't have to...progress" Bucky nods. "You're a good man, and she knows that, just....take it easy" Bucky nods and takes a deep breath. Steve straightens Bucky's tie and smiles a little before setting his hands on Bucky's shoulders. "She loves you" Steve assures him.
"And you" Bucky counters, Steve nods.
"Yeah, I know...." Steve agrees softly. "I don't doubt that, but you do..."
"It is unbelievable" Bucky points out. Steve shakes his head. He's not arguing with Bucky over this again. Bucky will just have to take it from Roswell to believe it. "We'll be fine" Bucky assures Steve who takes a breath.
"I'll be back later, around nine, that should be plenty of time..." he grabs his jacket. "Food's ready, just needs serving and there is champagne and wine in the fridge, scotch in the cupboard, ice in the freezer"
"I know all this" Bucky assures him. "And even if I didn't, you've written it all down on the fridge door" Steve shoots him a look. "Why are you so nervous?" he asks.
"I don't want her to hate me for this" Steve admits. "I don't want to upset her with this...."
"Whatever happens, we'll work it all out, Roswell's understanding..." Bucky explains, Steve nods.
"I'll see you later" he whispers and then leaves, shutting the door behind him, leaving Bucky alone in the apartment. His heart pounding in his chest. He takes a deep breath and looks around. Steve's outdone himself, soft light candles, soothing soft music.
.................
Bucky is pouring out a glass of whiskey when the front door opens. Roswell entering and shutting it behind her. Bucky is taking a sip when he turns to greet her, his eyes widening slightly. She's wearing a deep blue dress that reaches the floor, a plunging neckline that shows off more skin then totally necessary. Her hair curled and pinned into a small flowing crown around her head. She looks....incredible.
"Wow" he breaths as she looks over him with a smile, he knows he actually looks alright for a former brainwashed assassin.
"Look at you" she teases softly. "You look..." she softens and she smiles. "Date?" she asks, he nods. "Someone special?"
"The most" he answers watching her, her features twist a little and then she plasters on a fake smile. Steve's not batting too far off than on this then. "She's amazing" he offers, she looks away.
"Steve here?" she asks, Bucky shakes his head.
"No" he answers and then grabs the letter. "He left this" he holds it out to her, she glances to it and then sighs a little feeling a little letdown. She takes it from him and turns away to open it, Bucky goes back to his drink to wait. He watches her face, watches it twitch and shift, emotions dancing and settling on her face. She falls silent as she gets to the end of the letter.
"I don't understand" she whispers softly, then turns to Bucky who moves closer to her. "You love me?" she asks him, he nods. "And Steve wants us to..." she stops herself and frowns. He cups her cheek and she sighs relaxing slightly. "Bucky" she whispers looking to him. "Why didn't you say anything?" she asks, he shrugs.
"You and Steve" he answers. "I didn't want to hurt you two...." she looks down at Steve's letter.
"Is this real?" she asks. "Does he mean this?" she looks to Bucky.
"So far" Bucky answers. "He thinks we'd all make a good...." he cocks his head. "Couple? Throuple?"
"And he's okay with everything that means?" she asks still not getting that Steve would be okay with this. "Why?"
"Because he wants us all to be happy, together....wow I'm now hearing it how I should have heard it when he first told me and it makes so much sense" she smirks a little. "It takes a while to get over the whole shock of the idea," he tells her warmly. "But when you do think about it....me and you, Kitten, we've got this friendship that works because we trust one another, because we support one another, and spend meaningful time with one another, and we love one another" she hums a little. "And we have that with Steve too....being an us, all of us, it makes sense" She touches his face, drawing her fingers over his smooth skin, her eyes searching his as he pulls her closer to him. "My god he is going to be so smug" he whispers, she smiles softly. He searches her eyes. "You can say no" he assures her. "And it'd be okay" she shakes her head.
"I love you" she admits. "I do....this is just...a lot" she whispers, he nods in agreement. "How is this going to work?"
"I don't think he's planned that far ahead yet" he admits playing with her hair, her eyes shift slightly as she thinks about it.
"And this is something you want?" she asks him, he lifts her chin and nods.
"I thought I could get over the way I feel about you, but it's been 8 months and I just keep falling further in love with you" he admits, she stares at him. "You're too good, too pure, too perfect for me but I am still crazy about you" she touches his chest, wrapping her free hand around his wrist. He breaths softly, noses brushing over the others. "Kiss me" he pleads, she nudges his nose and then brushes her lips over his. He closes his eyes and kisses her back. She's pushed away her feelings for Bucky for so long that they all come crashing back. She is with Steve so she pushed everything else down and locked it away. Hearing that he feels the same, that Steve approves. She wraps her arms around his neck, Steve's letter clasped tightly in her hand as his own wrap around her waist. He pulls away and kisses her softly once more before smiling at her. "I think we could both use a drink" he offers. She nods a little holding onto his arms. "And we can talk and eat and then...." he kisses her forehead softly and then pulls away. "We don't have to rush this" he whispers warmly, she moves closer to him snuggling into his chest, Bucky closes his eyes and lets out a relieved breath before his arms wrap around her, his chin resting on the top of her head.
"I don't like the hair" she mumbles against his shirt, Bucky raises an eyebrow and then starts chuckles, she joins him.