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They’re a weird little group, Steve has to admit. And looking back at how the three of them got together, it seems even more unlikely.
Steve’s always been a small, sickly guy. The only thing big about him is his mouth and it got him into trouble a lot back in high school. Arguments, fights, once even trouble with a particularly unfair teacher. But he’d also always been lucky to have a very supportive mother. She’d always been on his side, even though she did give him a good talking to whenever he’d ended up bruised and broken again.
Then, halfway through his high school years, Bucky came into his life. Apart from the bullies, Steve’s relationships with his fellow students had been okay but he’d never made any real friends until Bucky came along.
Bucky was a troublemaker but like Steve, he had a good heart and never got into fights without a good reason. But unlike him, Bucky also had trouble coming to him. Because where Steve kept his head down and rarely came out of his shell, only reacting when he witnessed something unfair going on, Bucky was a flirt and a bigmouth. Flirting with girls other people had an eye on, openly confronting people when he knew they were wrong - Bucky just never missed an opportunity to get himself into trouble. But he was also really popular with most people. He had a large circle of friends, played sports and was always romantically involved with someone. Girls at first, but because of his positive reputation, no one even gave him shit when he started dating boys, too.
The most unlikely thing happened one afternoon when they both ended up in detention. It was a rare thing for there to be so few students around but except for them, only Silent Bob was around, a kid whose real name no one remembered but who looked suspiciously like he was gonna grow into his own version of his name giver one day and who almost never talked. Steve still doesn’t know if he and Bucky would have ended up talking if there’d been more kids around but he’s still grateful for that day.
They talked and found that despite their different appearances, they had a lot in common. A love for art, the same favorite bands and books.
Back then, Steve looked like the prototype of a nerd. Shirts that were much too big for him, often button-downs and coupled with ties, khaki pants, shiny shoes, a precisely styled old-fashioned haircut and thick-rimmed glasses that were much too big for his narrow face.
And Bucky...even back then he’d been a sight to behold. Hair shorter but always so soft and a little tousled on top, black skinny jeans and tight band shirts as his trademark style, snakebite piercings adorning his ridiculously full bottom lip and the first student to come to school with a tattoo, an intricate pirate ship design on his forearm. Everyone knew Bucky had lost his parents when he’d been very young and his sister was a lot more open-minded than most of the other kids’ parents, a fact that added largely to his popularity back then. Bucky always wore an easy smile on his lips and a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.
From that afternoon onwards, Steve and Bucky were rarely seen apart. They hung out after school and to Steve’s great surprise, popular kid Bucky also had no problem to be seen with nerdy Steve at school. They spent the breaks together, exchanging the cafeteria for some nice spot outside as often as possible, and between periods they didn’t spent together, they always met up at Steve’s locker.
By the time Bucky graduated, they were so inseparable that it didn’t even matter that Steve still had one year of high school left. And when his mother died less than a year after his graduation, it was Bucky who suggested that instead of staying in the house where everything reminded him of his mother and where bills had him working many hours besides his art school courses, he should move in with Bucky. And that was just about the logistics of the situation. Steve can never begin to list up all the things Bucky did to help him through that time but he’s sure he’s the only reason why he kept his sanity back then at all.
Once they didn’t only spend every spare moment together but also shared a home, they also started looking the part. It wasn’t like one started copying the other but they went to the same places, did the same things, even shopped in the same stores and by now, he’s adopted Bucky’s skinny jeans and band shirts, they’re both covered in tattoos designed by both of them and Steve loves to get swallowed up by one of Bucky’s huge sweaters when he’s lounging around at home. He wears his hair tousled and even went through a short mohawk phase which by now has moved on to a sidecut. Bucky’s hair is longer and always either falling around his face in silky waves or pulled back into a messy bun.
They both went to art school but only Steve went with a somewhat more classic path after his graduation. He does a lot of art for local businesses, and often commissions for nationwide or even international clients and his even working on his first exhibition now. Bucky, on the other hand, decided that just art alone wasn’t it for him. During their time at college, he already started doodling tattoo designs and since it was so easy for him to make friends, he soon found connections within the universe of body art. So once he got the opportunity, he dropped out of art school and got a job with their favourite tattoo parlor. By the time Steve graduated, Bucky had already opened his own place with the money from the fund his parents had left him and it’s going great. He has customers coming in from all over the place now.
What also changed was their relationship with each other. What had started out as an intense friendship had been changed forever one night when they’d gone to a concert and Bucky had kissed Steve in the colorful strobe lights that illuminated their faces. Steve would have lied if he’d said he hadn’t had a crush, on his friend for years, and that it hadn’t become more over time. But not assuming that Bucky would ever feel the same, he hadn’t wanted to destroy what they had, too afraid to lose his best friend, his soulmate. Bucky, as it seemed, was braver and took that risk, and in the months and years to follow, they learned that they were even better as a couple than they’d been as just friends.
Bucky is the perfect boyfriend, Steve couldn’t ask for anyone better. No one knows him like Bucky does and he’s always so conscious of Steve’s past and his feelings without making him feel small and incapable. After their rare fights, it’s usually Bucky who comes around and apologizes first. He’s courteous and sweet and often surprises him with small gifts or other things, but he also has this other, darker side through which Steve has learned how passionate and kinky he himself really is once he’s comfortable enough with someone.
Everything is perfect - or would be, except for one thing.
One day, about a year ago, a new club opened downtown and Bucky and Steve were immediately on board for that. It’s a Burlesque club with performances every night and they’ve both always loved the vintage style of that scene. Many places they’d visited before had seemed too pretentious and no fun but they both instantly fell in love with this one.
And that’s where they met Peggy.
She’s a dancer at that club, one of the crowd favorites, because the whole vintage style came so natural to her, with her smooth wavy hair and British accent. Since befriending her, Bucky and Steve have spent many times hanging out with her outside of the club, so they know that she has this charming, seductive air about her even when she isn’t trying.
A few months into their friendship, it became apparent that Peggy was struggling with problems of her own. Having recently split up with her ex, she was struggling to get by. The money she made at the club was decent, especially including tips, but with crazy New York rents and ever increasing prices for food and other necessities, things were often tight for her. Long story short, it didn’t take long before Peggy moved in with them.
So here they are and things could be so good if Peggy hadn’t brought one problem with her: She came in as a stark reminder that Steve wasn’t gay, had always liked women just as much. Bucky, being bi himself, knew about this, of course, and it also took him less than a couple weeks to catch onto the crush he has on Peggy. And to Steve’s surprise, he’s completely okay with this. Of course, it isn’t like Bucky would have any need to worry. Steve is completely head over heels with him and nothing and no one could ever make him want to risk their relationship. But he still feels guilty about it sometimes, especially when Peggy - always confident - strides around in another one of her figure-hugging dresses and Bucky catches Steve staring. To be fair, Bucky told him that he very much appreciates Peggy, too, her appearance as well as her open, easy-going personality. Strangers probably wouldn’t guess how often she lazes around on the couch with them, chugging beer and snacking on pizza and take away Chinese. And if Steve’s painfully honest, he’s just as attracted to her then as he is when she’s dancing in corsets and frilly pants.
Even though Steve has no plans to pursue this crush, it helps to know that Peggy isn’t looking for anything at all. If you ever have trouble believing there are happy singles, just look at her. She flirts, she dates, sometimes she brings someone home, but she’s always honest about wanting to stay on her own. Steve finds that admirable and it only makes him like her even more.
He’s come to terms with how things are by now, despite the occasional stab of guilt. Bucky’s never shown any signs of jealousy and Peggy isn’t uncomfortable, even though she’s caught on to his little crush by now. And Steve just values both of their roles in his life too much to want either to go, so pulling himself together comes more easily than he thought.
It’s his birthday and he and Bucky are curled up on the couch. All three of them have so much party and fun going on in their lives any given day of the week - concerts, art shows, club nights - that birthdays are rarely a party for them. Besides, Steve’s birthday is on the Fourth of July and while that was pretty cool during the first half of his life, he’s sick of partying with strangers wherever they go.
Tonight is supposed to be a movie night. It’s rare to get Bucky to sit down and focus his attention for longer than an hour but for Steve’s sake, he’s submitting himself to his boyfriend’s wish for the night. Still, Steve can feel his attention waver every other moment, hands going on trips all over his body, lips touching skin and making it hard for Steve not to give in. But he also likes keeping Bucky on his toes and doesn’t succumb to his teasing.
It surprises him a little that Bucky never really starts trying any harder. Normally, his boyfriend isn’t known for his patience. But with his attention distracted by the movie, Steve doesn’t think too much of it.
They’re halfway into the second movie, bellies full of homemade pizza and apple pie (the kind with lots of cinnamon, just like Steve’s mom used to make it), when the front door opens and Peggy buzzes in. Steve watches as she walks past them and disappears inside her room. He exchanges a confused look with Bucky who only shrugs at him. It’s a Thursday and Thursdays are always the nights when Peggy has her big show. Every night of the week, one of the popular dancers have their own big performance and Peggy hasn’t missed hers once since they’ve known each other.
But Bucky doesn’t seem worried and Steve decides not to break their closed-door-rule. Peggy’s door is closed which means she’ll come out when she wants to talk, and that time isn’t now.
The movie’s almost ended when the door to her bedroom opens again. Steve hears the sound but forces himself not to jump at the occasion, so he doesn’t see her before she’s standing right in front of the couch. And then his jaw drops.
Steve’s seen her dressed like this before, of course, but never outside of the club. She’s wearing a tight long-sleeved blouse which is tucked into a pair of high waist frilly pant shorts and adorned by a thin black tie. The outfit is completed by black fishnet tights, black vintage peeptoe heels and a tiny tophat pinned into her curled hair.
“It’s Thursday, don’t you perform tonight?” Somehow, that’s the first thing Steve thinks of asking and he wants to slap himself for that. Why does his brain work in such weird ways sometimes?
“Oh, but I am about to perform,” Peggy replies, bringing her hands to her hips and giving him one of those looks that make you sit up a little straighter.
Again, Steve’s brain doesn’t come up with anything witty to say. Instead of addressing her again, he turns to Bucky. “Did you know about this?” he asks.
Instead of a reply, Bucky just grins and reaches for the remote to switch the TV off, then gets some music started on his phone which is soon blasting from the speakers in the room.
“Nothing wrong with a little birthday fun, right?” Bucky says and slides away from Steve to give Peggy some room.
As soon as the first notes fill the air, she turns around and starts wiggling her butt. As she sways her hips, she throws the tie over her shoulder and then Steve can see her hands working on something on her front and he guesses she’s unbuttoning her blouse. He’s proven right when she turns around again, now with the garment half unbuttoned, revealing a gorgeous black lace bra underneath.
She continues the job of loosening the buttons then leaves it open and untucked from the pants, with the equally loosened tie now hanging limply between her heavy breasts.
For a moment, she moves to straddle Steve, somehow managing it without really touching him. She doesn’t have to, either, because just the way she’s looking straight into his eyes as she pulls the tie from over her head and puts it around his neck is enough to have him completely mesmerized and frozen in his spot. Somewhere to his right, he can hear a strangled sound from Bucky but he can’t tell if it’s excited or amused and Steve doesn’t have it in him to look at him now.
And then Peggy’s gone and so is the blouse, leaving her in her bra and frilly pants. She dances a little, leaving Steve’s head swaying just as much as her hips. He watches her shrug down a bra strap and leave it there, followed by another minute or two of dancing before the second strap follows its lead.
As she continues dancing, she also teases him by getting up close again and pulling one side of her pants down with a thumb hooked into the waistband. She lets it go down far enough that Steve can see the beginning of her thigh and then lets it snap back up.
When the song’s almost ended, she turns back around and lets him watch as she unhooks her bra and lets it slide down her arms, then turns back with both hands holding the undergarment to her breasts. As the last note of the song rings out, she lets it drop to the floor, revealing little glitter stars in the colors of the American flag covering her nipples, and lets her breasts jiggle and bounce a little as she gets closer.
Before Steve can react or even think of something to say, she has his head pressed between her boobs and her bright red lips press a kiss to the top of his head. “Happy Birthday, Stevie,” she laughs and then pulls away to pick up the clothing she’s dropped all over the place.
“What...the actual...fuck?” Steve’s head is still spinning and he looks from Bucky to Peggy, completely bewildered.
To his surprise, it is his boyfriend who speaks first. “C’mon, you never got a personal dance from Peg and it was getting ridiculous. Thought your birthday’s the perfect time for that.”
Peggy glares at Bucky for a moment and Steve knows it’s because of the nickname she hates but never quite manages to get out of Bucky, no matter what she chooses to threaten him with. Which is just another way his boyfriend impresses him because despite his little crush on her, Steve is also very, very intimidated by Peggy who frequently uses his fear of her wrath to her advantage.
Then she turns her attention back to Steve. Still holding her gathered clothes in her arms like a newborn, she trills another laugh. “I gotta go because I’m working tonight. I just told them to postpone my performance because my favourite birthday boy comes first.” Before she disappears again, she comes in close, this time pressing a kiss to Steve’s cheek which leaves him with a bright red lipstick mark. “We’re on for brunch tomorrow and you’ll get your real gift then. I’m sure you and Buckaroo here have more exciting plans for tonight.” This time, the look she gives Bucky is smug, obviously proud of herself for having her revenge with the stupid nickname.
This time, when she disappears inside her room, the door is left open and she’s gone for only two minutes before they watch her buzz through the room again, now wearing sweatpants and a hoodie. “Cheerio, guys!” she sings from the doorway before letting it slam shut behind her.
Steve stares at the closed apartment door for a solid minute before he turns his head slowly to look at Bucky. “You bastard,” he growls, aware that he doesn’t seem like a big menace, not with his face glowing red like he knows it is.
“Oh please, I know you enjoyed that,” Bucky smirks as he slides closer and then grabs Steve by the hips.
This time it is Steve who finds himself straddling someone as his knees come to settle on both sides of Bucky’s thighs. His boyfriend’s strong hands are still holding on to his hips as he kisses him, warm, soft lips pressing to Steve’s. It only lasts for a moment, though, before Bucky leans his forehead against his.
“I’m afraid I don’t have pretty tits like that to bounce for you. But I’m sure you’ll like the performance I’ve planned for you, too.” The dark, rumbling sound of his voice makes a shiver run down Steve’s spine and he hears himself release a whiney little purr at that.
“Don’t worry, yours are my favorite anyway,” is all he manages to say before Bucky kisses him again. And this time he doesn’t stop before they’re both breathless.