Chapter Text
Steve had never been this nervous before. His heart was racing and he couldn’t stop pacing. The reason behind his nerves? He finally had gotten up the courage and asked Bucky out on an actual date.
He’d fumbled his way through it and blushed like an idiot, while Bucky teased him the whole time—and afterwards—but he did do it. And he’d felt really good about for the next ten minutes until he realized they’d set it up for that night.
That’s when he started to panic.
Now he had to actually go on the physical date and he hated to admit it but he was actually scared. He was flustered already, he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to act, he wasn’t sure what he was going to wear, and most of all he wasn’t sure how he was going to survive the evening without giving in and kissing Bucky senseless like he’s wanted to do for years.
Give him an alien invasion over this any day.
Bucky was his closest friend and he knew more about him than anyone else in the world. Sometimes he knew more about Bucky than Bucky did.
The thought of sitting across from him at a restaurant and trying to talk to him and getting all dressed up and trying to be on a first date made his whole body shake and his head race.
Why was he so nervous?
Bucky was just the love of his life, his best friend, the most attractive person he’d ever seen or talked to, a complete tease who made Steve blush whenever he had the chance, and the person he had to survive a date with without making a fool out of himself.
Realizing his impossible task he picked up his phone and called the two people he could trust to help him with this mission.
“Sam? I need you and Natasha to get over here and help me ASAP.”
Twenty minutes later Sam walked into Steve’s apartment, Natasha trailing behind him with a smirk on her face.
“Steve?” Sam called out. They heard a thud and then a shout
“M’in the bedroom!”
“If he’s not wearing pants you owe me five bucks.” Natasha reminds Sam, her smirk getting bigger.
“Stop it. He is really freaking out. Don’t tease him okay? He’ll get enough of that from Bucky tonight.” Sam replied not able to hold back his own smile.
They both made their way into the bedroom where Steve was throwing shirts and pants all over his bed and on the floor. He didn’t even acknowledge them as they walked in.
It looked like a scene in a typical romance movie where the teenage girl was getting ready for the first date.
He was, however; wearing pants.
“Steve?” Sam asked hesitantly
“Sam! Nat! Oh good you’re here.” He stopped what he was doing and walked over to them. He put his hands on either side of Sam’s shoulder and asked very seriously.
“What do I do? What do I wear? What am I going to say? Should I style my hair? What if he doesn’t like ice cream anymore? What if doesn’t go well and it’s awkward between us for the rest of our lives? And that’ll be a very long time because we’re super soldiers.” He rambles on and Sam eventually has to put a hand over his mouth.
“Alright that’s enough…” he stopped him verbally and leaned back a little away from him.
“He’s worse than we thought.” Sam looked over to Natasha who was shaking her head.
“Okay. Sam. Here’s the plan. You take Steve to the kitchen and get him a glass of water, explain what an idiot he is to him, and I’ll take care of the outfit. And hair. And everything else.” Natasha says and walks past them into the room.
“You heard the lady.” Sam says and all but pulls Steve down the hall into the kitchen.
“Sam I’m so nervous. Why am I so nervous? Oh I know why it’s because I’m finally going on a date with Bucky. An actual date. What was I thinking asking him out? You should have seen his face he looked so amused like he’s just doing this to indulge me and tell me how stupid I am. I mean we were a couple before everything, but we never actually went out on dates before. And everything is so different now, what if he doesn’t feel the same way about me and he’s just saying yes so he let me down easy? ” He rambled for what seemed like forever as Sam made him sit down.
Sam listened to him as he freaked out and got him a glass of water. He put the glass down calmly in front of Steve and when Steve stopped and took a drink Sam said
“You’re a dumbass.”
Steve all but choked on his water and then gave Sam a confused look.
“How do you not see how Bucky looks at you? He’s wanted you to make the first move since the day he got his memories back. He’s still not sure of himself,” Sam leaned forward and looked Steve dead in the eyes, “but he’s sure of you. And that he wants you. So stop stressing and let us help you get ready. Trust me when I say Bucky is still in love with you so this is really just a formality.”
Steve was quiet for a minute and then opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could say anything Natasha was calling them.
“Let’s go boys! I haven’t got all day.”
Sam smiled at Steve and patted him on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry Cap you got this.”
Steve walked back into his bedroom to find Natasha with a shirt and pair of pants in her arms.
“This is what you’re wearing. Shoes are right there. Hop to it I have somewhere I need to be.” She said and shoved the clothes into his arms and then him into the bathroom.
He shut the door without protesting and started getting ready.
“You gunna tell him where you’re going?” Sam asked her with a quirked eyebrow.
“Nope.” She said, glancing at her freshly painted fingernails. “He can figure it out later.”
Five minutes later Steve walked out of the bathroom in a dark blue V-neck and some tighter than normal jeans.
“I don’t think this is…”
“Shut up those jeans make your ass look fine.” Sam says with a whistle.
Steve’s cheeks immediately get bright red.
Natasha nods in agreement, much to his chagrin.
“He’s right.” She was still nodding as she looked him up and down and moved her finger in a motion that meant ‘twirl’.
Steve gave her a look and when she did it again he let out a groan of annoyance and spun around for her.
“Is this supposed to make me feel better about tonight?” He muttered as Natasha walked up to him and started styling his hair for him.
“Yes. Now stay with Sam and don’t mess up your hair until later.” She winked at him and he blushed again just like she knew he would.
“I will see you later.” She called over her shoulder as she walked out of their line of sight.
Steve watched her go and Sam folded his arms
“So…” Sam started, “how are we going to keep you calm for the next…” he looked at his watch, “two hours?”
Steve felt himself go pale and had to steady himself on the wall.
“Two hours? That close already?! I’m not ready… I have to cancel!” he said and looked around frantically for his phone.
“Woah! Woah!” Sam said and put his hands on his shoulders to ground him.
“What the hell Cap. You’re not supposed to be scared of anything, and you’re scared of your best friend and sort-of-still-boyfriend who is just as in love with you as you are with him. If you don’t get laid tonight the team has not done its patriotic duty and the avengers have failed.”
Steve stopped and looked him intensely in the eyes
“Sam. You’re a good pal. But I swear if you say something like that to me ever again I will break your wings with my shield and tell Stark it was you so he lectures you about it for the rest of your life.”
Sam blinked a few times and then opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, at a loss for words.
“I uh….won’t?” Sam finally says
“Yikes Steve. Never seen you act like this about anything.” Sam observed while Steve started pacing again. He brought a hand up to run through his hair, but Sam stopped him
“Hey! You think breaking my wings is bad, wait until Nat finds out you messed up your hair. I promise she’ll break something a lot more vital.” He glanced down Steve’s body as he spoke, trying to give him a nonverbal hint as to what that vital thing might be.
When Steve finally got it he let out a strangled sound and went right back to pacing. Sam sighed and leaned against the doorframe to watch him.
It was going to be a long two hours.