#oblivious!steve

[steddieficrec]

Just a Little Crush by ruggedbrilliance

(14/14 I 27,885 I Teen)

Steve has come to a conclusion: Eddie Munson had a crush on Robin Buckley. Of course, that was the reason why Eddie kept showing up at Scoops Ahoy, it had to be. So he sets out on a mission to help them out and play matchmaker. But why does the thought of them together make his stomach hurt?

AKA: In a world without the Upside Down, Steve Harrington hasn't figured out that he's bi.

[musicalluna]

sit with me (and look up at the stars)

my holiday exchange fic for fantalaimon!

--

Natasha takes notice the minute Tony clears his throat, his fingers playing with the condensation on his glass. He's nervous for some reason. It's not often that he gets nervous when he's talking to them these days.

Natasha glances at Clint, who looks back at her; he's noticed, too. He gives a minute shrug and chews on the straw from his drink.

“So, ah,” Tony says, and Steve looks up from his plate, licking grease off his fingertips. Tony doesn't even notice, and that's even more concerning. What's going on in that head of his?

“Go on,” Natasha prompts when he seems to get stuck.

Tony flashes a look at her and his tongue flits over the corner of his mouth. Steve notices. His eyes darken. “Hey, so—let's go do something.”

“Did you have something in mind?” Bruce asks.

Tony shrugs, but his eyes slip sideways at the last second. “Let's see where we end up.”

Natasha narrows her eyes at him. There's something specific, she knows.

They all agree, though, so they troop downstairs and pile into a limo. Thor leans between the gap and hands Happy a slice of pizza from their lunch.

“Take us for a spin, Hap,” Tony calls.

“You got it, Boss.”

So Happy's in on whatever this is.

read on ao3 or

They drive around for awhile, seemingly aimless, but while they shout at Clint not to get himself beheaded when he sticks his entire upper body out the sunroof, and while they talk about whether or not Thor should learn how to swim, Tony inches closer and closer to Steve until he's practically sitting on top of him. Steve holds his hand and doesn't seem to notice anything is amiss. Natasha wants to slap him.

Since deciding to try and fill her life up with people and deciding to try and trust them even when she's not sure it won't blow up in her face, Natasha has become extraordinarily invested in the happiness and well-being of those select people. It can be exasperating in cases like this, when they're both people she cares about.

Given Tony's demeanor, she's not terribly surprised when they pull up to the curb in front of the Hayden Planetarium.

“How about here, Boss?” Happy asks, like this wasn't the plan all along.

Tony's eyes are fixed out the window. Bruce has apparently cottoned on, because he's staring at Tony with a concerned crease in his brow. Tony licks his lips and says, “What do we say, gang?”

“Where are we?” Steve asks, peering outside as well.

“The Hayden Planetarium,” Natasha replies, trying to get his attention with just her voice. He's too busy gawking to notice.

“This is what they did with the planetarium? Wow. Yeah, I'm in.”

“Aye, Midgardian science is always quaint.”

“Sure,” Bruce says, but he's still giving Tony a probing look as he says it.

An expression that's a combination of nerves and determination overtakes Tony's face when they start piling out of the car.

Natasha isn't entirely sure why he's doing this to himself—he reacts...badly whenever someone mentions wormholes (usually Jane, although she's gotten better about it) or when viewing an unobstructed starfield.

He'd been devastated when they tried to catch Steve up on Star Wars and he had to duck out to hide that he was having a panic attack. Of course Steve hadn't been about to sit and watch a movie after Tony all but sprinted out of the room and that was when he'd finally told them all about how badly he was actually handling New York.

Before that, they'd teased him about bringing up flying the nuke through the wormhole. They haven't since.

Steve keeps a tight grip on Tony's hand as they climb the stairs and head inside, so that's good at least.

Once they're inside, Tony seems to relax a little. Probably because there are kids everywhere and Natasha knows when Tony's having a hard time he volunteers at schools because being around kids makes him feel better.

Bruce sidles up to her as they head inside toward the exhibits. “Did you know he wanted to do this?”

Natasha sighs. “No.”

Bruce frowns, expression sad. “I thought we'd made it clear to him that there's nothing wrong with suffering from anxiety after a thing like that.”

“Apparently not clear enough.”

“Are we having a 'what the fuck is Stark thinking?' pow-wow?” Clint asks, slinging an arm around Bruce's shoulders.

“We have weird pow-wows,” Bruce sighs.

“Yes,” Natasha says. “We need to keep an eye on him. If he starts to struggle—”

Clint starts ticking off points on his fingers. “We know the techniques, we can get him breathing right, steer him away from the trigger, remind him it's a panic attack and he's going to be fine.”

“Steve hasn't noticed anything is wrong. He might need to be beaten with a clue stick.”

“The guy can be really dense,” Clint sighs.

“Hey, what are you guys doing?” Steve calls. “C'mon!”

“Go team!” Clint cheers sarcastically as they move to catch up.

It goes well while they take in the Cosmic Pathway. Astronomy isn't really something Tony works with, but he's learned about it extensively and seems to be in his element here, elaborating on the information given by the posted signs. Then they get in line for the show in the dome and he starts to get nervous again.

Natasha gets suspicious. “Tony, which of these shows are we seeing?”

“Ah.” His eyes dart around the room. “...Black Holes, Wormholes, and the Movies.”

“Perhaps there is another show we should view,” Thor says, frowning.

Tony swallows, but his expression turns defiant. “No, I want to see that one.”

“Tony knows more about this than any of us,” Steve says. “I'm sure the movie he picked will be interesting.”

Natasha bites the inside of her cheek. It will be very interesting.

The five of them are very quiet when the line is allowed to file into the theater. Natasha catches Tony by the sleeve and murmurs quietly, “You don't have to do this.”

Tony glances back at her, his mouth pulled into a thin, tense line. “What if I want to?”

Natasha squeezes his arm. “Then remember we're with you.”

Tony smiles wanly. “Why do you think I roped you guys into this?”

“Durachok,” Natasha grumbles.

She settles into the seat on Steve's left, prepared to climb over him if necessary. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Thor put his hand on Tony's knee and he gets another flash of that wan smile.

Natasha can't help keeping an eye on Tony even as the lights go down and the show begins. He's stiff in his seat, the light of the projections casting sharp shadows on his face. She doesn't like that he's doing this to himself, even if she knows he wants this part of his life back.

It goes well until the portion of the show about wormholes starts and a grainy, but full sized image of the New York wormhole appears overhead. She sees his chest jerk, and his hand clenches around Steve's so tight she can see it go white even in the dim. Before she can elbow Steve, he leans toward Tony, tipping his head down so his mouth is level with Tony's ear. Beyond them, she can see Clint, Thor, and Bruce all turned to look.

She doesn't know what Steve says, but Tony closes his eyes and grips his hand and slowly but surely, his breath evens out.

After, when they've exited the theater and Tony excuses himself to go to the bathroom, Natasha bumps Steve with her hip. “What did you say to him?” she asks. “I didn't even think you realized.”

Steve huffs and rubs the back of his head. “I didn't. Not until we were in line.” He grimaces. “I wish I'd realized sooner.” Then he sighs, “Or maybe I don't.” His mouth twists wryly. “Tony said he appreciated that I didn't fuss. And in the movie, all I said was, 'I'm right here.'”

Tony emerges and he smiles at them, a small, shy thing.

“That we are,” Natasha says.

[stuckybreak]

Oblivious!Steve

i just want you for my own (T | 1,675 | achaiion)

“Go to prom with me?”

Steve rolls his eyes, and shoves a piece of cold pasta in his mouth.

“I’m serious!”

“Shut up, Barnes.” Steve said, by way of response, putting the next forkful in his mouth.

Let me love you (T | 4,369 | thatgreenleaf)

The Winter Soldier keeps trying to shower Steve with affection in the middle of fights.

Steve keeps mistaking them for fight moves.

Kiss Me Like It's Do Or Die (M | 6,432 | SomethingWithSteve)

“Shit.”

Of course that’s the first word to leave his mouth when he realizes it. Stark just gives a disinterested remark of “Language” from where he’s sitting at his lab, soldering tools sparking as he repairs Bucky’s arm. Bucky, who is currently sitting silently (after hours of grumbling and bemoaning) at Stark’s side, glances up, an eyebrow arching as he gives Steve an expectant look.

Steve has no words for his friend, because how is he supposed to explain to him that he just realized he’s in love with him?

Communism was just a red herring (M | 17,448 | notallbees)

It's the 90s, it's summer break, and Bucky is staying with Steve for two months while his parents travel to India.

It's shaping up to be the best summer ever until Steve's mom makes things weird by telling them that they're gay for each other. All of a sudden Steve is full of strange thoughts about his best friend, and Bucky will barely speak to him. All Steve wants is to make things right again.

One Caress (E | 26,160 | fuck_me_barnes)

Steve's rarely been touched in a way that didn't equate to some kind of hurt. The cold metal of a stethoscope against his frail chest or the sting of a needle drawing yet another blood sample, when he was a sickly child. The bone-shattering punches thrown by the neighborhood bullies on the playground, or by his own father at home, drunk and wild. His mother, weak and clutching at him as she grew more incoherent with the drugs as the cancer ate away at her insides. Touch was something he shied away from, something he told himself he just didn't want.

Except...he did. He just didn't know how.

Until he finds a flyer for a local "affection and intimacy services" program.

In which Steve learns how to become comfortable with touch, and there is one very good dog, and a slow-burn romance.

Buck Me (E | 32,103 | OhCaptainMyCaptain)

Steve's been friends with Bucky for fourteen years. Unfortunately, he's also been in love with him for nearly just as long. He's been pretty good at hiding that over the past few years - until he follows a porn link one night and accidentally discovers that his best friend is secretly a camboy. Steve really shouldn't watch those videos... Not with the filthy things Bucky does to himself that gets him screaming every time he comes...

He shouldn't... he really fucking shouldn't.

But Steve's only human.

[cptstarbucks]

Last Night, While I Slept, They Rearranged the Streets - victoria_p (musesfool)

It's like the oblivious leading the clueless.

[cptstarbucks]

The Bucky Barnes Guide to Household Management - CryptoHomoRocker

"Steve doesn't even notice at first, is the thing." Or: Steve is unobservant, Bucky learns to be good at things that aren't killing people, and knitting happens.

[cptstarbucks]

And it Starts Just Where the Light Exists - caughtinanocean

In which Bucky can't admit the things he needs, but Steve knows them anyway, and Steve and Bucky are definitely a couple, even if they don't know it. “Steve, you don't gotta—” Bucky tries to say, when he's ten days out of SHIELD custody, and the dark circles under his eyes make it look like he hasn't slept since he was last sedated. It's probably close to the truth.