“You could’ve told me.” He speaks quietly, but the words are like the crack of a whip in the silence that has fallen between them. It makes Steve jump as much as Bucky, and startles him back to himself. He shakes his head. “It wouldn’t have changed anything between us. Hey.” Steve lays a hand on his friend’s shoulder again and tries not to be hurt by the look of surprise on Bucky’s face. “It doesn’t change anything.”
Shadowed brown eyes look back at him, searching his face for something Steve can’t begin to guess at. When Bucky smiles at last it’s surprisingly sad, but he shakes his head and laughs, and a moment later is simply himself again.
“You really never did grow up all the way, did you, Steve? Of course it changes things. But hey.” He lifts his glass, and Steve reluctantly lets go to join in the toast. “Who says change has to be bad?”
Steve learns something new about Bucky – and it changes things, of course it does. Because sometimes Steve needs some help to open his eyes to what’s right in front of them – and in his heart… Adorable and funny.