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Sir Steven Grant Rogers can't remember a time he didn't live in the palace. He sees his family from time to time, but this is where he's grown up. The whole time he'd lived here, it's been drilled into his head that it will be his job to protect Prince James. It's not exactly a hardship, either, because they've grown together here and even if their lessons are very different, Steve has spent enough time with his charge to know that he is someone very much worth protecting.

He's worked hard in his fighting lessons and he knows James works very hard in his own diplomacy and history ones. They get along well when they're together and they have since they started playing pranks together as children. Now, they're growing into fine young men, if anyone in the palace is to be believed. Steve isn't so cocky as to have an opinion on himself, but he does think that Prince James--Bucky in private--is growing into a fine leader.

Tonight, they've just finished yet another banquet in the King's honor. Many of the older knights and nobles are drunk and laughing, but at some point Bucky slipped out of the hall and Steve makes his own quiet exit to find his prince. Soon, Bucky won't be able to leave a room without Steve. Well, he shouldn't. Steve is sure that Bucky will find a way if he really wants to, but Steve hopes he'll grow out of the need to lose his guard when it officially becomes his best friend.

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It's comforting to know that the future king would fight to keep him close. He won't have to do anything but order it and it will be done. No one would be stupid enough to try to tear a King apart from his closest guard and confident. It would never work, because Steve can't be turned and Bucky must know as much.

"I would protest anyone wanting to do anything to your body against your will." It's a quiet murmur, but he means the words entirely. No one can touch Bucky in any harmful way and expect to not have Steve to contend with. Even a political betrothal would be naive to think that Steve wouldn't risk his own execution to keep Bucky from harm. No one has rights to Bucky's body any more than they can threaten his safety.

They're too dependent on each other now, plenty of people must be aware of that. Why else would they have been raised together since they were small? It makes Bucky melt into the the embrace, looking at Steve more than the show now. It's incredibly tempting to say something right now, anything. Maybe offer to shove their beds together in a casual tone, just a suggestion because he doesn't want to make it an order.

"You're so good to me, Stevie," he say instead, happy. "I don't think I could find someone better than you." He reaches for Steve's hand around his shoulder, hesitating for a moment before he laces their fingers together. It might be dangerous, but Bucky is fine with it. They can work out how, exactly, they're going to do this later. Whatever it is they want to call themselves.

"Think we should slip away now? We can have a little party of our own."

No, he should say, because even being here is a risk, but Bucky's hand fits in his own so easily and he can't help squeezing it gently. It feels so right to hold Bucky's hand like this.

He can read between the lines of those words an it pains him to agree. No one will take care of Bucky the way Steve does. He very much doubts anyone could love him like this, either, but what matters is that Bucky is safe. Steve can't risk his position as Bucky's guard, no matter how tempting it is.

And it is tempting.

"Where you go, I follow."

Against his better judgment, he leans in to kiss Bucky's temple. It feels so intimate, so dangerous, but he can't quite stop himself when Bucky is taking his own risks.

He squeezes back, happy and content. He knows it's a fleeting thought, that they'll have to hide this. He wishes he didn't have to, that they could be free to be with each other without worry about what people might think about the two of them, the fact that Bucky is pretty damn sure he's been in love with his best friend for as long as he can remember.

"Til the end of the line, huh?"

Bucky leans into the kiss, just a little. That's all he needs, that little signal implying Steve feels the same way. He brings Steve's hand up to his lips, kissing it. "I'll ask the kitchen. It's not like it's the first time I've asked them to bring us food after a banquet." They can focus on what this means one step at a time. He can't trust anyone else with this, after all.

They'll have to be careful, he knows that. But everyone already knows how close they are.

This is far more dangerous for Steve than it is for Bucky an he's well aware of that, but for he also thinks it's worth the risk because of that. He can risk himself just fine knowing that Bucky won't take any blame. It's worth it to make Bucky happy and if that happens to line up with what Steve wants so desperately, it's a bonus.

Bucky's lips against his skin only serve to light a fire in his chest, spur him on to want more of this.

"We'll get you some food and we'll find a quiet place to eat."

Privacy. They'll find privacy that's a little better than this tree.

With a final squeeze, he disengages himself and jumps down, landing easily. Once he's straightened up, he hold up his arms to help Bucky down.

It's risky, it's definitely risky-- but Bucky would do anything to protect Steve. He's the prince, that has to count for something. Especially when Bucky wouldn't be able to get along with whoever was sent in as a "replacement." There must be a reason they were raised to be this close to each other, even if he doesn't dare hint at this to anyone. It's probably not a shock they've grown close enough to develop feelings for each other, but it still makes his stomach do a flip, smiling at Steve happily.

"Not like anyone really bugs us in our rooms." Calling them 'rooms' is an understatement more than anything, the interconnected rooms are more like a small house within the palace than anything else, with a generous sized sitting room with a fireplace between them.

He waits until Steve jumps down, a part of himself incredibly attracted at the idea of them curled up, eating by the fire. It's not an unwelcome thought at all, and he reaches out for Steve's hand, climbing down until he's close enough to leap into Steve's grip, confident he'll be caught.

Steve smiles up at Bucky as he climbs down, helping him the last few feet whether he needs the help or not. Maybe it's just an excuse to get his hands on Bucky, because once Bucky's on the ground, Steve pulls him close. It's a little closer than is strictly platonic. His hand is on Bucky's hip and he's leaning in a little too close. If they're seen now, they'll need to think fast to explain it.

"I guess they don't."

If he leans in, they could kiss. They're nearly the same height now. Bucky's lips are so close to his own. There's a moment of hesitation an then he leans in until they're only a hair's breath away from each other, breath mingling when he finally whispers.

"Buck, tell me not to."

He doesn't protest the hand on his hip, leaning into Steve's personal space, closing the gap between the two of them. They're close enough it wouldn't take much for him to rock into the other, to press his hips into Steve. Like this, he's not sure he wants to pull away. He's not sure he could because this feels so natural, so wonderful. Bucky's never felt this way about someone else, but with Steve it doesn't feel at all.

"What if I want you to?" he whispers back, low and needy.

Bucky glances around, barely breaking eye contact. Just long enough to confirm that they're still alone, that the people viewing the fireworks aren't near them. They might even have enough time for this before people come looking for them and tell them to get back inside before it gets too cold.

Steve exhales, slow and steady. It's so much, but it's Bucky and Steve loves him. Maybe he's always loved him. He squeezes Bucky's hip and tugs him just a little closer.

"I've never been very good at saying no to you, have I?"

His eyelids flutter and he leans in to close the distance between their lips. It's hardly a distance at all, but it feels like a mile until it's finally gone and he can feel Bucky's warm lips under his. It's soft and gentle and tentative because it has to be. Bucky is so precious to him and he won't do this wrong. Full effort and care is no less than what Bucky deserves from anyone.

Bucky lets himself be pulled close, laughing quietly, happy to have Steve so close to him, happy to be here, in this moment. The feeling of Steve wrapped around him makes him feel safe, safer than he'd feel even with a battalion of soldiers guarding him. "Guess that's a perk of having known you forever," Bucky murmurs quietly tipping his head. He feels giddy, excited, surprised and delighted at the kiss, at how soft Steve's lips feel.

It's not like he's ever kissed someone before, but he still has a vague idea of what to do, what feels right. He wraps an arm around the back of Steve's head, combing fingers through the other's hair.

Steve's never kissed anyone, either, and that's what keeps him so slow and tentative at first, but then Bucky's wrapping his arm around Steve and Steve feels so much more confident that this is right. How could it be wrong when they care so deeply for each other? The idea of denying Bucky anything seems insane to him, but the fact that they might want the same thing is like heaven. He'll take what he can get and he'll give Bucky everything he has to give.

He hums, lips moving against Bucky's as he presses Bucky back a few inches into the trunk of the tree. It's hard to resist the urge to press against him, but he knows if he lets himself do that that he'll never be able to step away so he settles for crowding close.

"To the kitchens?" Much as he wants to get Bucky alone, Steve needs to make sure he doesn't starve himself.

The fact that this is new to both of them, that Bucky is fairly certain he's felt this way about Steve for as long as Steve has felt it about him... this is right. And he wishes more than anything this wasn't dangerous territory, that they didn't have to hide it. When Steve crowds in close, he can almost not breathe, has to stop himself from holding his breath in equal parts anticipation and thrill.

When Steve asks him, he nods, trying to give himself a moment to calm down, to actually look respectable before they go bother the kitchens for more food. He nods again, to himself, before he looks up at Steve with a lopsided smile. "Lead the way. We've gotta have our little party."

As he steps back, Steve takes a moment to help straighten Bucky's clothes before he fixes his own. It won't do for a prince to look sloppy, but mostly Steve just enjoys fussing over him a little.

He leads Bucky towards the kitchen, resisting the urge to touch him as they walk, even as Steve's body is screaming to brush against him and feel that warmth against his side. They manage to get a few containers of food from the kitchen staff and Steve insists on carrying it all with a little smile.

As they approach their rooms, he bumps his shoulder against Bucky's.

He likes this, this attention from Steve. It's nothing new, but that's what makes it so special to him. The fact that they've always had this means that the now, the fact that the two of them are this inseparable pair. He resists wrapping an arm around Steve-- even if it might come across as the two of them being friends and nothing more, Bucky doesn't feel like he can consider their relationship that simple anymore.

It's only once they've left the kitchens that Bucky feels a little more in control of himself, a little more like his heart isn't going to leap out of his throat. He flashes a smile at Steve, leaning into the touch. Once they've actually reached their rooms, he yanks the door to the common room open with another boyish smile.

"This is going to be a lot of fun."

Steve rolls his eyes, but his smile gives away any attempt to pretend he's anything but filled with joy right now. He herds Bucky through the door and kicks it most of the way closed with his foot and then he places the food down on the nearest flat surface before he turns back to Bucky with a wolfish smile. This is their place and he feels a lot bolder now that he knows they're in a room that's really only for the two of them.

"Yeah, it is."

He crowds into Bucky's space, pushing him back into the door gently. Behind Bucky, the door closes its last few inches and Steve leans in to press his lips to Bucky's. How many times has he dreamt of doing this? The love and devotion he feels for Bucky is something well beyond compare.

It's not like Bucky is particularly good at hiding his enthusiasm. It's a good thing he's always been like this around Steve, because that means acting like he's still a boy isn't going to be seen as suspicious, that no one is going to question the two of them. It's not surprising to have Steve pushing him into the door, not at all.

He'd been expecting something like this, and that's why he responds by wrapping his arms around Steve's waist, grinning into the kiss before he kisses back with a hum. This? This makes him feel truly happy.

Why did it take them so long to do this? It feels entirely natural, like he and Steve were always destined to end up together. Bucky finally pulls away to brush a hand against the side of Steve's face. "I never noticed how pretty your eyes are," he says. It's unbelievably corny, but he can't help it.

The compliment has Steve's heart in his throat. It's silly how much a simple sentence can affect him just as much as those kisses had. He feels so drawn to Bucky, to everything he is at his core and everything Steve knows him to be capable of.

"Well I've always noticed just how beautiful you are." With a little smile, he leans into the touch and then turns his head to kiss Bucky's palm. "There's no one like you, Bucky. Not in the entire world."

Not that Steve's checked personally, but in their little world, Steve's never had eyes for anyone else. Not like this. Bucky makes his heart flutter and he makes Steve smile when he thinks there's very little else worth smiling about. Steve loves him and he's here for anything Bucky would allow him to have. Like a moth to a flame, he can't help moving closer.

"You're a charming guy, Steve Rogers," Bucky says, smiling at the kiss, at how natural this all feels. He wants to keep this moment going forever. He leans in closer, so he can really pull himself into Steve's space, even if he's already so close. If they get any closer, they'll be right up against each other, and Bucky has to admit he wants that right now.

The fact that they've always worked well together isn't lost on him, and he beckons Steve closer, to push him up against the wall and kiss him. "I want this, Stevie. I want you." Everything about this feels right, like they've been building up to this moment their entire lives. He can feel his heart hammering in his chest, full of want he didn't even know he had until tonight.

"Whatever you want to give me, I'll take it."

Bucky's so beautiful like this, wild and alive and it fills Steve's heart like a balloon that he's the one who made him look like that.

"There's nothing I wouldn't give you, Buck." His voice is soft and reverent as he presses closer, because he's sharp enough to take a hint and if Bucky wants him closer, he can't think of anywhere he'd rather be.

He presses Bucky into the door with his body. Feeling all of that body heat radiating off of Bucky, all of that solid muscle pressed up against his own.

"Nothing." It's a whisper against Bucky's lips and then he's kissing Bucky again. He thinks he could do this for the rest of his life. Kissing Bucky feels like coming home, so he closes his eyes and does just that, losing himself in the sensation of wet lips and a warm body he knows almost as well as his own.

Bucky groans, a pleased noise from deep in his throat, feeling alive and pleased in ways he didn't know were possible. "Give me," he begins, not even sure what he's going to say, arms wrapping around Steve's shoulders happily. He leans tips his head, lips close enough to Steve's he can feel the other's breath on his skin.

He doesn't know what else he could say, doesn't even know what he wants right now, because his head is swimming with ideas, things he wants to try. Bucky welcomes the kiss eagerly, moaning into it quietly. This is wonderful, what he wants. But standing here isn't the most comfortable thing in the world, so eventually he has to pull away. "Dinner first?" He's grinning a little as he says is, trying to catch his breath.

Bucky figures it's a fair question; they did go to all that trouble, and if it gets cold on them, it's not going to be as fun for them to compete over who can eat the most.

Staying close and keeping hold on Bucky seems beyond necessary right now, but he knows one of them skipped dinner entirely and he wouldn't mind eating a little more, either.

He hums in agreement, but hesitates to actually put space between them. "You do need to eat something."

There's a mischievous smile with that and then he pulls back so that he can drag Bucky bu the wrist with him towards the food. It won't do to have his prince wasting away when he's the one meant to protect him. In this case, Steve is protecting him from himself, but that's okay.

Of course, he still plans to stay close, to touch Bucky as much as Bucky will let him in every way. Even the casual touch of his hand on Bucky's wrist right now feels like a connection point for them.

Bucky grins at him, clearly not wanting to end up too far from his best friend. It makes him feel wanted, cared for, in a way that is so incredibly different from the servants he interacts with who like him because he's the son of the King. Sometimes, this is when he'd playfully refuse to be lead, not actually fighting Steve, but not tonight. He likes the touch on his wrist, it makes him feel closer to Steve than he has in a long time, even if they've known each other their entire lives.

The fact that Steve is leading him to the food should annoy him-- he's had people trying to tell him what to do for as long as he can remember, but it's nothing like this right now. When it's just Steve, well... it feels right.

They'll need to talk this over eventually, like how in the hell they're going to be able to hide this when they're bound to act like a couple of kids on a first date together. Which is entirely fair.

"You gonna watch me while I eat to make sure I've had enough?" The question is teasing, but it's also something he fully expects.

"If I don't, who will?" Steve's still smiling like a huge dope. He doubts he could stop it if he wanted to, because Bucky makes him so damn happy and this? Being allowed to touch him and kiss him? It's so much, almost too much in how perfect it is. Steve knows without a doubt that he would do anything to protect this man and keep him safe and happy and it has nothing to do with his duty and everything to do with the man Bucky's become.

And maybe he's a little hungry, too, even if he'd eaten more than Bucky at the feast. He sits on the little settee, close enough to the center that if Bucky sits, their legs will touch. Now that he's allowed that proximity, he feels hungry for it, like he needs to soak up as much of Bucky as he can before it's too late.

One day it will be too late, but Steve can't worry about that right now. All he can worry about is Bucky and the food they're about to share and where their evening will take them once they've eaten. He knows what he'd like to do and he hopes Bucky won't mind Steve laying him out and exploring his body.

He wants to touch and taste and tease until Bucky can't take another minute of it all, but for now he'll watch.

"Guess you've got a point," Bucky says with a grin. This? This is perfectly fine with him. They work so well together, even if they hadn't just walked themselves into this final step between the two of them, he knows that Steve would be there for him for reasons that have nothing to do with being his bodyguard, and have everything to do with being Bucky's best friend. He moves his wrist carefully, so he can go from being lead by the wrist to squeezing at Steve's hand.

When he sits down, he can't help but smile at the proximity to Steve. He's honestly not sure how the hell he's going to be settle down enough to eat, because being this close to Steve is a dream come true, no longer something relegated to a private fantasy. It's easy enough for him to settle into grabbing at heaps of food onto his plate with a grin at Steve, deliberately shifting so he can move closer to Steve.

He might not be able to tell what's on Steve's mind, exactly, but his expression is full of want even so. "Anything you want to do tonight?" he asks, leaning in so he's completely in Steve's space. He's so close, they could almost kiss. There's no doubt what he's implying, not now, not when he's already leaning into Steve's space like he is.

Steve's eyes trace Bucky's movements easily. It's an old habit he's had for a while, but now he doesn't have to pretend it's purely his job. Now, he can let Bucky see exactly what he sees here in Bucky and it isn't even limited to lust. There's naked adoration on his face. He can't quite help it now that the floodgates are open.

"I want to touch you." He leans in, eyes focused on Bucky's. "I want to learn your body the way I've learned my own."

And then he licks his lips and leans in, not to kiss Bucky but to whisper hotly in his ear. "I want to make you forget everything else."

He pulls back with a smile, because he's a little bit of a bastard. "You should really eat something first."

All of this attention on him, so different now compared to how it used to be, before they were both able to accept this-- Bucky smiles, feeling boyish and suddenly shy, even if he's known Steve his entire life. "You can touch me," he purrs, a little pink in the face, but excited. He's had fantasies, sure, a couple of lewd dreams here and there, but the idea of them finally being able to do this, to learn together.

He pulls closer, because Steve has that look in his eyes that makes Bucky eager to get started. He wants to get his hands on his best friend, to do the same Steve wants. To really learn the other. "Stevie," he whines, feeling off-balanced and needy. How had he gone his entire life without this? That whisper sends a shiver down his spine, and Bucky can't help but lean further into Steve's space.

...And then he has to go and do that. "You punk!" But he's laughing; that's a good sign. Bucky can't blame Steve, not entirely, not when that was the entire reason they'd brought food into the room to begin with.

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sorry rl got weird and I lost track of some rp stuff for a bit there

no worries at all, it happens to everyone!

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