Undercover Fake Boyfriends (And Other Tropes We Love)

[unshielding]

Steve is so thankful to have Bucky back, even if Bucky doesn't remember a whole lot. The end of the line never meant until one of us forgets and Steve will stand by him through anything. Bucky is a good person, even if he's been taken advantage of and used by by bad people. Steve knows that in his heart because he know Bucky better than anyone. He only hopes that Bucky will remember that he knows Steve better than anyone, too.

Bucky had dragged him from the Potomac and that alone had given Steve hope enough to vouch for him. If the US government wanted Steve to work for them, they'd offer Bucky immunity from anything related to HYDRA's activities.

He's not sure what he'd expected Bucky to want to do with his new found freedom, but he's not unhappy to be working with Bucky. If anything, he wishes they were able to work more closely, because Steve worries sometimes that Bucky's being taken advantage of when he's not around. It's not that Bucky isn't a smart, capable person, but Steve knows he's missing a lot. That makes anyone easy to manipulate.

Eventually, his requests to be on more missions with Bucky are answered, but maybe not in the way he'd intended. He's just finished reading the briefing. It seems like they're going undercover together, which is already not Steve's best skill set, and they're supposed to be in a romantic relationship. Steve tries not to think about how much that stings. How could anyone know that it would?

Once he's read it through twice, he goes to Bucky's door in their shared apartment and knocks quietly in case Bucky's sleeping.

Comments

[sinistral]

Bucky's actually pretty surprised at Steve's ingenuity. Getting them out of the camera's sight line is perfect — Bucky adds to the act with a delighted laugh at being all but pounced. The shirt is the perfect shroud for the lamp camera, and it'll be pretty easy for them to disable it later, he thinks. "Oh, I can think of a few ways I could make it up to you." If they're still being watched the wink that follows the statement should preserve the illusion that they're sleeping together; as it is, it's an answer to the movement of Steve's eyes. Horsing around the bedroom? It's an excellent way to explore.

And being pulled over to the closet? A good next step. He crowds right into Steve's space, lacing his left hand with Steve's right and pinning it above his head. At their height it doesn't take much movement at all for that artificial hand to flick to the side, crushing the listening device he'd spotted there. Two down. Good.

But he'd been so focused on getting that bug that turning his attention back to Steve and seeing that expression is like a kick in the gut. It's so earnest and open and Steve's not a good actor, not in things like this; the expression is genuine. It makes him freeze, pressed up close and only tangentially aware that he's staring.

"Steve...?" He has to lick his lips in order to wet them enough to speak. And it's probably pretty telling that the quiet murmur is Steve's real name, not his cover identity.