CW: gender-queer discovery, mentioned/referenced hate crimes
Bucky doesnât like Sharon and he refuses to tell Sam why.
Obviously she gets on both of their nerves, thatâs evident by the fact that their both consciously choosing to work next to Zemo and not her, but for Bucky itâs more than her attitude that nerves him. He tried to trick himself into thinking it was jealousy over Steve, but when you lose yourself and have to find who the new you is, there ainât much room for denial. He doesnât like how she dresses, not so much her style but how she doesnât really try. Sheâs allowed to wear heels and make up and skirts but doesnât, always opting for efficiency, which he understands. But he spent the last seventy years wearing the same few uniforms and nothing else, so he wants to change it up every now and again.
He tells himself itâs frustration for not being able to express himself well, but after thinking back to his younger years, he realises heâs always had a sort of longing he could never place.
Both fortunately and unfortunately for Bucky, there is no other person as perceptive as Sam Wilson. Sam buys him eyeliner and tells him he thinks it will make him look cooler and give him more style seen as he doesnât really have a uniform or anything. Bucky wears it everyday, soon adding mascara.
For his birthday (which he never wanted to celebrate), Sarah bought him some black, grey and subtle sparkling eye shadow and a little book that explained different styles. He tries a few times before getting fed up and asking her for help, both of them giving each other knowing looks when Sam runs into a wall upon seeing his Smokey Eyes.
Bucky finds himself bonding with Sarah a lot after that, her helping him with his make up and even painting his nails a bright blue. He tries lipstick and hates it at first, before Sarah gives him a darker colour that is less a paste and more a dye and he prefers it much more. He likes it subtle and dark, otherwise he gets paranoid of being mocked and abused by public.
Itâs two whole years of his make up journey that Sarah brings up clothing. He had thought about it sure, but he also saw a guy get beaten half to death in 1936 for wearing an apron, not even a dress or skirt.
Itâs takes him another month before he agrees to try it, get getting a wrap around skirt so it would fit first try. He cries for an hour, Sarah holding him throughout it and telling him he looks handsome. She takes him shopping and they buy two dresses, one long and one short enough that heâll have to be careful about bending over. She also buys him a skirt that she saw him looking at several times as a surprise, claiming that a skirt that beautiful needs a good pair of shoes.
When Sam comes home the next day he finds Bucky and Sarah discussing price inflation, both wearing summer dresses and light make up. Sam notices the three inch heels on Buckys feet and immediately images him kicking someone in the head hard enough to stab them with the heels. Bucky would later show him exactly that when they get caught in a surprise mission while out in the city, but before then Sarah tells her brother in Bucks behalf that the other would like it if they could trial some other pronouns.
Sam smiles, trying not to think too much about how much happier Buck looks, and nods.
Bucky hates Sharon, because they wishes to have the right to dress as she likes and Sam teaches him that rights arenât given, their taken.