musicalluna:

thank you <333 ouchhhh that’s a horrible way to start a day. I hope today was better for you

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“Was he always this difficult to fix up on a date?” Natasha asks, drawing Bucky’s hair up into a ponytail on top of his head.

“I’m right here,” Steve says with exasperation.

“Yes,” Bucky replies, hand held up where she can reach it, an assortment of hairbands encircling his fingers. “I musta tried it a million times. He always had a goddamn excuse for why it wouldn’t work out.”

“I did not!” Steve says indignantly.

“’Didja see the way she looked at me, Buck’, ‘she only had eyes for you, Buck’, ‘she never gave me the time of day, Buck’, ‘I don’t date bullies, Buck’. Nobody was good enough for Steve. Then in walks Peggy Carter and bam. Game over. Guess he knew what he wanted after all.”

Natasha sees Steve’s expression soften and she looks up at him as she smooths Bucky’s hair into a perfect ponytail, finding all the lumps and fingering them flat. “So he requires a more hands-off approach is what you’re saying.”

Bucky huffs. “The more you push, the more he’ll fight. Anyway, he’s already sweet on someone.”

Steve starts to flush strawberry pink and Natasha raises an eyebrow. “Oh is he? Are you going to share with the class, Steve?”

“I hate that you two know each other,” Steve says, scrubbing a hand over his face, like he might be able to purge the blush if he rubs hard enough.

“No you don’t,” Natasha says, and grins widely. “You actually love it. You’re happy Bucky’s making friends and you like seeing me be normal. You love that we hit it off. Who is it? Who’s the lucky girl?”

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose and says, “It’s not a girl.” Then he freezes, going a little deer in the headlights. “Um.”

Natasha leans forward over Bucky’s shoulder, and demands, “What? Who? Steve, you didn’t tell me you were bisexual the whole time I was trying to set you up with someone?!”

He’s fire-engine red now, stammering and stuttering and not making any sense whatsoever.

“It’s Stark,” Bucky says finally and Steve’s eyes go wide.

“You know?” he squeaks.

Bucky laughs, a low, rasping sound that makes the back of Natasha’s neck tingle. “Yeah, punk, you think I don’t know what you look like when you’ve hung a lantern?”

“Oh, that’s perfect,” Natasha says delighted. “He’s been side-eyeing you for months! I thought I was going to have to deal with his inadequacy issues in perpetuity.”

“Wait,” Steve says, “hang on, he has?”

Natasha just sighs. “No wonder Carter made the first move.”

“Amen to that,” Bucky says.