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Y’know,” Bucky says as Steve gets showed into the nurses office, “this is the fifth time this week you’ve been in here.”
Steve sits himself down on the exam table and then shoots nurse Bucky a smile. “Maybe I miss your charm.”
“Right.” Bucky snorts, getting up from his desk to come over to Steve and inspect the bruise forming under his left eye. He mutters something under his breath as he presses at the bruise; giving Steve an unapologetic look when he presses too hard and makes the younger man flinch.
“What excuse are we going for this time?” He asks, fetching an ice pack and then placing it against the darkening skin.
Steve has a tendency to lie and Bucky pretends to believe him just so Steve will continue to come back to the nurses station. It’s a weird relationship they have- Bucky always fixing up Steve and then sending him on his way, with the knowledge that Steve will probably be back the next day any way.
“Hmm,” Steve considers the question for a moment. Probably thinking of something outlandish that’ll make Bucky laugh. “I got into a fight with a door.”
Bucky rolls his eyes. “Sure, punk.”
“It’s true you jerk.”
“You’re either really clumsy or just like picking fights. And I know you.” Bucky replies, taking the ice pack off of the bruise and having another look. It’ll swell and probably go purple, and Bucky thinks that Steve deserves it because he just keeps doing this to himself.
“Fight me.” Steve says.
Bucky sighs. “Come back to me when I wouldn’t kick your arse and we’ll see.”
Steve laughs. “Am I free to go yet, nurse?”
“Yeah,” Bucky says, giving the ice pack to Steve, “take that with you though.”
Bucky watches as Steve hopes down off the table, holding the pack to his eye, and then make for the door.
“Don’t let me see you in here tomorrow.” Bucky calls out to him as Steve opens the door. He knows he will see Steve. Admits to himself that he’d miss him if he didn’t come in. There’s a lot of… feelings there that Bucky isn’t ready to think on yet. Knows that when he does Steve is gonna become even more of a pain in his butt.
“You’d miss me too much if I didn’t.” Steve says cockily, smirking over his shoulder at Bucky as he leaves.
Bucky shakes his head fondly. “Yeah… unfortunately.”
***
Five years later.
“Get into a fight with a door?” Bucky snorts as Steve lets himself into their tiny Brooklyn apartment, bruise forming under his left eye.
Steve presses a quick kiss to Bucky’s jaw and smiles. “Got an ice pack, nurse?”