Ch 14 Peace Negotiations

Bucky set down his fork, carefully letting out a quiet burp as the last bite settled. "Excuse me."

Butch just smiled. Bucky felt his stomach churn in a way that had nothing to do with the heavy sauce on his chicken. Dinner was coming to an end and Butch would be expecting an answer. Bucky had changed his mind five times already that night and he still had no idea what he would say when the moment came. After Steve, Butch was one of the finest men Bucky had ever known. He didn't want to break his heart, but he didn't want to lie to him either. No matter what, he would end up doing one of those, but which one would be better.

He took a sip of his water as Butch finished his steak. He set down his fork and looked at Bucky. Bucky clenched his hand around his napkin.

"Coffee?" Butch asked.

Bucky tried to hide his relief. "Yes, that sounds great."

Butch signaled to a passing waiter. "We'll have two cups of coffee."

"Very good, sir," he nodded and continued on his way.

"And afterwards, I know a little place down the street where we can get some pie."

"That sounds delicious," Bucky said.

They lapsed into silence. Bucky desperately tried to think of something to say before Butch could bring up the proposal, but his mind was a blank. The waiter returned with their coffee. Bucky poured in some cream and sipped it slowly. Butch stirred in a bit of sugar and tapped his fingers on the table.

"Daisy," he began.

Suddenly a hand grabbed one of the empty chairs. "Are we too late?" Conner asked.

"Too late for what?" Butch asked sharply.

Steve came up beside him and took Bucky's arm. "Come on Daisy, I need to go powder my nose."

Bucky stumbled a bit as Steve dragged him off to the powder room. Pushing Bucky inside, Steve locked the door behind them. "Butch is gay," he said without preamble.

Stunned, Bucky sank slowly into the chair by the vanity. He had no reason to doubt Steve, but he had never suspected anything.

"I know," Steve said softly. "I didn't get that feeling either, but I found the pictures that they were looking for. Mrs. O'Sullivan was blackmailing them into dating us."

Bucky just nodded. Suddenly it all made sense. Their relationship had been a ruse, but Butch had been using him too.

Steve kissed him. "You're not disappointed are you?"

"I don't know." Bucky took his hand. "What should I do?"

Steve stroked his cheek. "You should remember that I love you, and I'll be here with you no matter what. Remember that we need to get home, and staying close to Loki is the best way to do that. And remember that we might be stuck here for a while." He kissed Bucky again. "And remember that none of that matters and I just want you to be happy."

Bucky kissed his hand. "That doesn't help, but thank you."

Steve smiled and fixed a few stray strands of hair. "You should get back out there."

Bucky fixed his lipstick and followed Steve back to the table. Butch and Conner sat in silence, but Bucky could tell they'd been having more or less the same conversation. Conner stood and pulled out the chair for Bucky.

"We'll leave you two love birds to it then." He offered his arm to Steve. Steve squeezed Bucky's shoulder quickly and let Conner escort him out of the restaurant.

Butch and Bucky finished their coffee in silence and left, heading down the street toward the cafe Butch had mentioned. For several blocks, neither of them spoke. Bucky didn't know what to say. His own thoughts were swirling around chaotically. Had anything between them been real? He had done the same thing when he was younger, using unsuspecting girls to keep anyone from guessing where his real interests lay. It was just a cruel reality of the times they lived in. Still, he had thought there was something between them.

"So you and Stella?" Butch asked.

The question caught Bucky off guard. He stumbled a bit but regained his balance. "It's a little more complicated than that, but yes," he said finally.

Butch frowned. "Complicated how?"

Bucky looked up at the stars, trying to think of how to explain their relationship. It had been confusing for them when they were younger and if they hadn't been catapulted 70 years into the future, they might never have figured it out. Butch was in the same position, trying to sort through feelings he had been taught were wrong with no one to guide him. He wouldn't understand many of the terms that Bucky had learned to describe his feelings for Steve, but he would have to explain it as best he could.

"Stella is the love of my life and she always will be, but the idea that I'm limited to loving just one person doesn't seem right to me. She isn't the only one I've fallen for. She understands and if I meet someone I'm free to pursue them."

Butch stopped dead in his tracks, staring at Bucky with a confused look. "She's ok with that?"

"Stella's situation is a little different too," Bucky continued. "She's not interested in sex, with anyone. Not even me. She loves me, she just shows it in other ways, but she doesn't expect me to abstain. It's unconventional but it works for us."

Butch leaned against a mail box and took a long drink from his flask. "She really lets you run around on her like that?"

"It took us some time to get to that point," Bucky explained. "We were separated for a while. After that, we decided that being together was more important than how we were together."

Butch took a long sip from his flask and handed it to Bucky. "So where does that leave us?"

"That's up to you," Bucky told him, taking a quick swig.

"I really do like you Daisy. If Conner wasn't in the picture, I think I really could have fallen for you."

"You still can," Bucky said.

Butch scoffed. "I don't think Conner will be as understanding as Stella."

"I don't want to steal you away, just borrow you from time to time."

Butch raised an eyebrow. "You'd still marry me?"

"If you'll have me," Bucky replied.

Butch took the flask back and took another swig. "I need to talk to Conner before I decide anything. He wasn't exactly crazy about this whole arrangement."

"Of course," Bucky agreed.

Butch grinned and reached in his pocket. He took out a small box and handed it to Bucky. "Why don't you hang on to this for me. Make sure it fits."

Bucky kissed him. "Now I believe you mentioned something about pie?"

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Loki watched the bubbles in the glass as Moretti poured the champagne.

"Your information was dead on. Fifty cases of French Champagne. Cheers."

Loki clinked his glass against Moretti's and took a sip. "Exquisite"

"So what's the next move?"

"I have a lead on a few more shipments, but after that you need to attack the clubs. Cut off his base of operations. He can always get more booze, but it's useless if he doesn't have a place to sell it."

"He's not going to take that lying down." Moretti warned. "Things could get ugly real quick."

Loki drew a gloved finger along Moretti's jaw. "Then you'd better be quicker."

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Steve sat at the kitchen table sipping cocoa while he waited for Bucky. His mind was racing. So much had happened in just a few hours. Conner had been surprisingly open minded when he explained his relationship with Bucky. After talking they had come to the conclusion that getting married made sense for all of them. He still hoped that they might find a way home soon, but until then, marrying Conner was the best option.

He poured another cup as Bucky came in.

"That was one hell of a night." Bucky said.

"I'll say," Steve agreed, getting another cup out of the cabinet and pouring some cocoa for Bucky. "So what did you tell him."

Bucky took the ring out and set it on the table. "He's talking it over with Conner, but I think it's going to work out.

Steve handed Bucky the cup of cocoa and opened the box to look at the ring. It was a modest sized stone, but the band had a beautiful art deco design. "I guess we need to start looking at wedding dresses then."

"So what exactly happened to you tonight?" Bucky asked. "When I left you were working late and then you show up at the restaurant with Conner."

Steve hesitated. With everything that had happened, he had almost forgotten about his run in with Bucky's father. "It's a long story. I'd rather not get into it right before bed."

"You're right," Bucky agreed. "I'm going to have trouble getting to sleep as it is. We can talk about it tomorrow over breakfast."

He finished his cocoa and went to change. Steve washed the mugs and went to help him. He picked up the brush to brush Bucky's hair.

"You like him, don't you?" he asked.

"I do," Bucky said. "I explained things to him."

Steve laughed and set down the brush. "I bet that was a shocker." He kissed Bucky on the cheek and got into bed.

"He took it pretty well." Bucky slipped under the covers beside Steve. "You're still the love of my life."

"I know," Steve told him. He leaned into kiss Bucky. "I like Butch. He's a good man."

"The second best I've ever met," Bucky said, draping an arm around Steve's waist

Steve lay his head on Bucky's shoulder, nestling his chin in the crook of Bucky's neck. Their lives never stayed peaceful for long. He had learned to enjoy the quiet moments when they were there. Laying here in Bucky's arms was a quiet as it got. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of Bucky's perfume.

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Notes: I've been intentionally vague about Bucky and Steve's orientations, partly because sex isn't a main focus of this, and partly because I didn't go into this with a plan and they've evolved with the story. I'm writing Steve as falling on the Asexual spectrum and Bucky being more pansexual. Butch is bi and Conner is gay. With Bucky and Butch's relationship, I'm writing the two of them as polyamorous. I feel like Steve and Bucky wouldn't really try to put a label on things. They're in love, they're together, but since Steve has little to no interest in sex, Bucky is free to seek that out elsewhere.