[ Steve swallowed, looking over at him -- Bucky had taken it well, very clearly, and with that he only got bolder. Seriously, Bucky, you should stop enabling him. And definitely, male-male relationships were a little more mutual, not that Steve would know anything about it.

But it's the comment that came after that got to him, because it felt like Bucky was happy to be a stand-in for someone else when it was the last thing Steve wanted. He didn't want this so he could be ready for a female. He wanted Bucky.

Frowning, Steve made a soft noise and decided to just jump in, to make it clear what he wanted, even if he wasn't entire clear about the specifics of it. ] No. I -- don't want you to think I'm using you. If we kiss, it means that I mean that. And that I'm not preparing for any female to come along in future. [ And he was afraid; he was afraid he'd lose Bucky if he said more, but he did anyway. ] I want you to know that I want the same from you, too.