The Best Friends to More Meme

[disassembling]

the best friends to more meme

There's nothing in this world quite like a true, blue best friend that you can rely on. They've been with you through thick and thin, good and bad. You want to have fun? They're the first person you look for, because they always know how to bring the best out in you. You need a shoulder to cry on? Don't worry, they're already here. You need to bury a body? ...you should probably reconsider your priorities, but you know your best friend will be there with a shovel and a smile. You'd never ruin this friendship for ANYTHING in the world.

Something's brewing that may do just that, though. One of you has feelings, has for a long time, and that spells trouble. Unless you keep that to yourself and remain platonic, of course. Repression in this case might be a good thing.

Only it's too late. The cat's out of the bag, whether it's by confession or by accident. What to do, what to do? If feelings aren't returned, can you turn down a friend, or will you force something that isn't there just to make them happy? If feelings are returned, will you risk changing the perfect thing you have?

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[waypastasking]

Steve followed the sound of Bucky's voice, but he may have stopped breathing for a moment when he realized that his friend was not completely dressed, and Steve just stopped.

"Um..." Steve said, as he looked at his shoes. "Yeah of course, and Ha ha... I don't get my ass kicked everyday, just most days."

Steve laughed at his own joke. "It's not my fault that no one can appreciate my inner beauty right?

[disassembling]

He raised an eyebrow at the reaction, his finger pausing on the top four buttons for a moment. That wasn't normally how Steve reacted around him; that was how those young blushing women did when there was even a hint of skin beneath his neckline shown. Yet, his concern was more for a possible asthma attack than because he was almost half naked.

He walked over to Steve to make certain his friend was alright, abandoning his buttons in the process. No, breathing looked normal to him. "Skipping days now? That's smart, letting the bruises heal before you get more. You breathing alright, Steve?"

He smirked and nudged his friend's shoulder with a hand. "I always appreciate your inner beauty, but you like to show off the awkward kid when I try to display it for others."

[waypastasking]

He looked up at his friend slightly stunned. He realized that he was being spoken to, and shook his head, clearing those traitorous thoughts from his head.

Maybe if he was bigger.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" He asked, with a small grin. He nudged back a little. "You do know that I can take care of myself right? 'sides I've been working out some."

[disassembling]

Geez, what was that look for? He was only concerned that Steve was going to drop on his floor, not that he minded. He had dealt with his friend's illnesses for years and knew a calm and level head was the way to get through them. However, something else seemed to be up by his perceptions, and he was determined to find out what. He hoped it was a girl; oh, he really wanted Steve crushing on someone.

"You looked like you tried to swallow a duck or something," he replied with a skeptical look. He took the nudge and pretended to look around like he was supposed to have felt something. He then look at Steve and pretended to startle. "I'm completely aware of your ability to take care of yourself." He reached out and grabbed Steve's upper arm, feeling it. "Hmm, yep, think I feel a muscle growing. You'll have anyone you take on the ropes in no time."

[waypastasking]

Steve really wished that Bucky would stop touching him like her wanted to or something. Steve knew that couldn't be true, what with the number of dames he has seen flocking around Bucky. He couldn't be anything but straight.

Even if he wasn't straight, there is no way that he could be interested in him.

Steve blushed, because how could he not. Bucky was touching him after all. "Yeah Yeah. I thought that best friends weren't supposed to mock?"

[disassembling]

When he was around Steve or even around people he knew well, James was a touchy person. He didn't care about getting in close with other people because there was a simple and sheer joy of hugging someone close to him. Steve especially because the guy was just the right height and build to tuck in against his side where he could drag his friend around and not expect much resistance.

The blush had him pausing and leaning in close to examine it. His friend was so pale it stood out in stark contrast to the usual skin colouration. "Blushing? For me? Awww, Steve, you shouldn't," he commented jokingly. "Also, you happen to know I cheer every time you land a hit on anyone picking on you. No mocking then."

[waypastasking]

"Shut up," Steve said with as much force as he could, but it was laughable really.

"Thanks," Steve said soft, as he put his hand on the other's arms. He thought that maybe, just maybe..... But the moment was just as fleeting as when he came.

"So any plans for us today?"

[disassembling]

He chuckled at the snapped reply, aware that aside from poking him or giving him those little shoves, Steve was not actually putting up resistance. He quickly snapped an arm around his friend's shoulders, gathering Steve to his side in a manly hug. "Don't be lippy, my friend. You don't last in tickle torture now any more than you did then."

Plans? Well, he wasn't fully dressed for one, but Steve was here so his state of half dress didn't matter to him anymore. "Probably keeping you out of trouble," he said as he finally let the other man go to wander back to his small bathroom to comb his hair. "Oh and I plan on interrogating you on what's up. No secrets between us, remember?"

[waypastasking]

Steve audibly swallowed at that, his breath catching slightly, at the suddenly very close proximity of his friend.

Damn. Yes, tickle torture would be very bad. There would be no way he could hide then.

"I stay out of trouble," Steve protested, as he watched his friend walk away. He tried to keep the blush off his face.

"What? I told you nothing was wrong. You don't believe me now?"

[disassembling]

He smirked at the audible swallowing, giving Steve the look that he would use tickle torture if he had no other recourse. Well, there was always other recourse, but it was entertaining to just sit on the poor guy for a minute and then have to get up and help Steve breath for the next hour. What were friends for though?

"Since when do you stay out of trouble?" He shook his head as he ran a hand through his damp hair to mess it up just enough that it looked natural. He pointed his comb at the other man. "No, I don't believe you. I know when something's up, so you're going to tell me or else."

[waypastasking]

Steve was already shaking his head no, and he had paled slightly. "No, I'm not, " He said, as he turned to get out of the apartment.

He just had to get away from Bucky, with all of his bulging biceps and wet hair.... Damn him to hell.

"I've gotta go," Steve called back, as he made his way to the door.

[disassembling]

That was not a reaction he normally received from his friend unless his teasing got too intense. He knew that he wasn't actually teasing much, so he immediately left the bathroom and follow after the little guy. "Hey, Steve, don't go," he called as he moved to intercept the other man.

"We made plans to hang out today, so we're going to hang out," he said as he moved to catch an arm around Steve's waist before his friend could slip away. "I know where you live, so you can't really escape me. Come on, sit down and have a Coke and I won't bug you too much. When have you ever needed to be shy around me?"

[waypastasking]

Someone hated him.... some being in the universe hated Steve Rogers. That was the only thing that he could think of to explain why his incredibly sexy best friend was putting his hands all over him, and acting like it was no big deal.

Steve leaned against the door some, half tempted to make a break for it, but he knew that Bucky would catch him. He turned around, trying to smile, but it most definitely did not reach his eyes.

"I have to tell you something," Steve said quietly, as he sunk in the couch. "I think I like guys and gals."

[disassembling]

He relented when Steve wasn't about to bolt out the doorway and have an asthma attack on the street. He respected that something was wrong, and he also respected that he was going to find out what that was because he had never bothered to keep secrets from Steve and vice versa. That was just the way they worked. Honesty was their only policy aside from teasing each other.

He trailed after his little friend towards the couch and was a bit alarmed to see Steve sit down like that. He shifted and seated himself in the chair nearby, absently buttoning up the rest of his shirt before frowning at the admittance. "Okay, that's fine. Is that what the problem is?"

[waypastasking]

Steve stared at his friend, an incredulous look on his face. "That's it? Okay that's fine is all you have to say to the fact that I told you the truth," Steve asked. He didn't know if he could say it again.

He looked at his best friend, absolutely miserable, because his inability to lie was about to blow his life to hell.

"No, that's not what the problem is. You don't want to know what the problem is, but here it is," He wheezed out. "I like you, not just guys, but you, and now I am going to go before you can punch me," Steve said, standing and moving back towards the door.

[disassembling]

James wasn't certain that he was supposed to have a different reaction to such news. Sure it was not something that men talked about and it was horridly frowned upon, but this was his best friend. He could accept most things from Steve and not blink many eyelashes about it. If he liked men and women, he was fine with that, though he would protect that part of his friend too. He would always look out for Steve's best interests.

"You love who you love, and I won't stand in the way of that," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I can't help you getting on date on the one side because we both know... wait, what?"

For one of the first times, he was speechless at the real meat of the problem. Steve liked... him? He blinked and jumped out of his seat to put himself between Steve and the door. "Whoa, whoa, you're not going anywhere. You can't just drop a bomb like that and rush out, Stephen Rogers!"

[waypastasking]

"Yeah I actually can," Steve said. "I don't want you to hit me, so the best thing for me to do is leave, and then you can think about this or whatever you want to do," Steve said nodding, as he tried once again to leave.

"Listen, I don't expect anything from you, and I am sure that after awhile we'll be okay right?" He nodded his head needing to believe it.

[disassembling]

"I haven't hit you yet, now have I?" He was too floored by the whole proclamation to even know how to react. Oh yes, he was used to being told that someone liked him, giggling girls shuffling their shoulders and waiting with all the cues for him to ask them out. They didn't last long; he didn't particularly commit to one over another honestly.

He stood to his full height and set his hands on his hips, glaring at his friend. "You are such a virgin, Rogers. You don't just say those things and expect things to just be okay. I'm your best friend, and you're not leaving until I say so."

[waypastasking]

Steve looked down at the ground for a moment trying to control his breathing, because really how could he have been so stupid. He really needed to learn some impulse control.

"I just don't want you to hit me, I couldn't handle that, and I figured if I just left then I could live my life thinking you weren't mad at me, even though you probably are," Steve said in a rush, shrinking back slightly.

"What does me being a virgin have to do with anything anyway?" Steve said softly, as he shuffled back to the couch and sat down.

[disassembling]

James knew that pushing Steve too hard was not good for the man's heart or lungs, but this was the biggest bomb dropped since the whole war had begun a few months ago. That war had nothing to do with America, but he still knew about it. The most important thing was Steve to him, and he didn't feel angry or disgusted at the idea. It was... kind of nice to know he had appeal to all manner of people.

"I'm not going to hit you," he said softly, a promise in his voice as he slowly made his way over to the couch where Steve had sunk back down. He plopped himself down next to his friend to show his good faith but also that the declaration wouldn't get the reaction he knew so many would give. "And I'm not mad. Flattered actually."

He reached out and ruffled his friend's hair. "It means you haven't the experience to decide what the information will do. You realize how dangerous this is, though?"

[waypastasking]

Steve snorted softly. "If you say so," He didn't believe his friend for one second, but he hadn't hit him yet, so maybe that was a good sign.

"Flattered?" He looked over at Bucky shocked. He never for one moment would have thought he would hear that come out of his friend's mouth. "I don't understand. How can you be flattered?"

It would be so easy to just lean into his touch and just forget about everything that was said, but he couldn't do that, especially after his question.

Steve looked at his best friend sharply. "You think I don't know that? Why the hell do you think I didn't want to tell you in the first place. I can just add this to my list of things that make me a complete and total outcast."

[disassembling]

He wasn't so sure what was shocking about being flattered that someone he respected and had been friends with happened to like him beyond friendship. It seemed the ultimate compliment, though he supposed that most people would be weirded out about it. He wasn't and that was all that mattered to him. In some ways, he admitted curiosity because he was now thinking about it. Steve had the way of changing his perceptions, challenging his ideas of the world and how people dealt with other people.

"Because I'm obviously attractive enough to grab your attention that way," he said as he shifted his arms and folded them behind his head, looking utterly relaxed even about the topic. Cool and calm had always been his mantra. "It's a great compliment, Steve."

Well, as long as Steve realized that people didn't consider the attraction of two men normal, he was fine. He would protect that as much as he liked to think he kept Steve at least a little out of trouble. "You can trust me with anything," he said firmly, the teasing nature dropping away utterly. "Nothing you say will turn me against you. We're to the end, my friend."

[waypastasking]

"Please don't do that," Steve whispered, standing up. "Don't pretend that what I told you, was in anyway normal, or what you expected when I walked in the door okay?"

He looked around, and grabbed his coat.

"I'm just going to go okay?"

[disassembling]

He grew serious under the accusations and sat forward on the couch as he watched Steve. He sensed his friend's agitation and discomfort, and he drew him to his feet in return. "It wasn't expected, but I'm not pretending anything, Stevie. It doesn't bother me."

He stepped forward and caught Steve's cheeks as his friend tried slipping on the jacket. "Do I at least get a kiss good-bye? I want one, you know."

[waypastasking]

Stupid arms, and Stupid coat, was the only thought that went through Steve's head as he got caught up in his coat. He was focused on the coat, so he didn't notice his friend moving so close to him.

"W-what?" He stammered out, staring at his friend. "You want to kiss me?" He whispered. He shrugged out of his jacket, not caring when it fell to the floor.

"Bucky..."