#the workout

Bucky turns around in shock. “What the fuck, Sam? He doesn’t look anything like me!”

The rest of the team furrows their brows as Bucky fails to see the uncanny resemblance. The hair is shorter, yes, and he’s more tanned than Bucky but the jawline, the color of his eyes and hair, the full lips, he’s almost identical. The only difference is the cocky attitude that Bucky lacks and Lance Tucker is full of. As soon as he opens his mouth, the self-satisfaction drips from his words. Captain America himself has asked for his expertise. The fact that the same Captain America is acting like a teenager with a crush makes him even smugger.

The exercises prove to be more difficult and intense as expected. Nat is the best obviously, making a statement by putting Lance in a headlock when he challenges her to show him her best move. The smiles on the Avengers’ faces drop as Lance seems to thoroughly enjoy the feeling of being trapped between the widow’s legs.

“You’re tight,” giving her a wink for good measure. They should have seen that coming to be honest.

Clint’s pretty good as well. Then follows Steve who is trying to impress Lance and visibly revels in every compliment Lance throws his way. Bucky isn’t bad either though he’s clearly less athletic than Steve. He never minded that but now it annoys the hell out of him. Sam and Tony? Training with Lance is a living hell. Their bodies are broken by the end of every training session; their muscles sore and their motivation and self-esteem down the drain. The constant exasperated sighs of Lance aren’t motivating either.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. You’ve got to be kidding me. You can fly but you can’t land on your feet without tumbling over? The world is doomed if we have to depend on you guys.” Lance shuts Sam up by simply raising his hand and walking away before he can even reply. He’s baffled. The only thing that’s motivating is finding ways to get rid of that little shit.

They were all fuming when they heard Lance talk over the phone about how he wants to motorboat Nat’s “cans” and that she was just playing hard to get. The comment about Steve wanting a piece of his ass drew the line. It took all Sam, Tony and Clint had to keep Bucky and Nat from ripping his head off.

Steve gasps and drops his water bottle. Explaining an exercise, the shirt of Lance rises up displaying his perfect abs and toned body. The ribbon that's tattooed on his lower abs is on full display, drawing attention to the stubble that's revealed by his sweats that hang low on his hips, putting his perfect V out there for everyone to see. Sam and Tony huff in annoyance. Bucky on the other hand clenches his jaw in utter annoyance. Not because that asshole is making a spectacle out of it. No, Bucky's annoyed by Steve whose jaw dropped to the floor and stays there. His eyes are fixed on the tattoo guiding his gaze towards the obviously outlined masculinity in Lance’s pants.

When Lance lands back on the mat, he sees Steve crouched down on the floor picking up his water bottle. He runs his hands through his hair and catches Steve staring at his tattoo. Lance juts out his chin in an overly confident manner, his fingers pointing to his crotch.

“That’s where the gold is, Captain,” he drawls out the last word and chuckles when Steve drops his bottle a second time and blushes crimson at being caught.

Tony’s more than done with Steve’s little infatuation with the spray tan man. He hits him over the head while walking by. “Close your mouth, Cap. I don't need to see what you had for breakfast this morning.”

Nat walks by next and hits him over the head as well. “Some respect for your boyfriend might be in order, Steve.”

The next thud comes from Sam followed by Clint, “What they said.”

Steve’s rubbing his head when he feels a firm warm chest pressed up against his back. Bucky gives him his water bottle that he picked up and growls in his ear, wiggling his metal arm in front of him. “Thought you liked silver, sweetheart.”

“I hate that dude.” Sam complains, limping towards the showers. The training is tough on Sam and Tony. While Nat and Clint are more agile, it’s still wearing them out too. When Bucky drags his tired form in they all give him compassionate looks. It’s worse on him than anyone else. Besides the fact that he’s far from as athletic or graceful in his moves as Steve, he has to endure seeing his boyfriend ogling the new trainer.

“I don’t get what Cap sees in him,” Tony says.

“Well, he kind of looks like Bu-.” Clint is cut off short.

“HE LOOKS NOTHING LIKE ME! Why does everyone keep saying that?!”

Nat is the first one to speak out loud what everyone thinks. “We need to get rid of Lance. We need to get Steve to fire him.”

“How are we going to do that?” Sam asks, his arms crossed over his chest.

“We need to make Steve jealous.”

Bucky is sitting on the bench, his head in his hands when he feels all eyes on him.

“I can’t ask you to do that, Nat,” he says.

“Well, Steve won’t get jealous if I try to get with Lance.” She cocks her eyebrow and stares Bucky in the eye. “I’m afraid you’ll have to take one for the team, Buckaroo,” Nat deadpans. The rest of them nod.

“He has to go but if this little fucked up plan of yours goes wrong, you’re all dead. I’ll kill you guys if Steve dumps me because of this.”

“You do realize he’s really going to kill us if this thing blows up in our faces, right Nat?” Clint says when Bucky disappears in the shower.

“I’ll have a Quinjet ready,” Tony adds.

The next morning, Bucky is the first one down and Lance is already there like he hoped he would be. Bucky looks at him. There is nothing he finds even remotely attractive about him. He doesn’t like the overdose of gel in his hair. He doesn’t like the way he chews his gum. He doesn’t like how white his teeth are. He hates the cocky look on his face. He shivers when he sees that overly confident swag and those stupid sunglasses in his shirt. He’s way too tanned and always wears that stupid outfit. He hates the way he always puts people down or embarrasses them in front of others. But most of all he hates the way Steve looks at him, the way his boyfriend’s breath hitches in his throat when he stands close to him, the way his face turns red when Lance flashes him a smile or tells him he’s done a good job. So he swallows down his pride and the way his heart hurts in his chest as he thinks about flirting with another man when all he wants is Steve. By now the team has arrived and he looks at them. The only one that’s even trying to argue about other options with Nat, is Sam.

He’s not even sure how he has to do this. Lance loves women. He’s as straight as they come. But Nat said he likes attention, everyone’s attention, including men, and so Bucky finds himself walking over to Lance.

“Excuse me… Lance,” Bucky drawls while he’s leaning against the wall where Lance is unpacking his stuff. Lance looks up and has this lopsided grin on his face that Bucky immediately wants to smack of his face. His body betrays him and his fists clench involuntarily. Lance looks at his bulging muscles in admiration because no matter what people think of Bucky, those arms are impressive, especially for someone as obsessed with upholding a glorious body as Lance Tucker. So Bucky flexes his arms again, gaining all of Lance’s attention.

“Yes, Barnes?” Lance takes a swig of water trying to mask the fact that he’s awestruck.

“I was really impressed by that exercise you showed us yesterday. Like really really impressed.” Bucky looks him over with hooded eyes and Lance is relishing the attention that’s bestowed on him. “But I can’t seem to do it and I was wondering if you want to help me with it.” Bucky pulls the tie out of his hair and makes a new bun while pushing out his chest and making the fabric of his shirt stretch sinfully over his arms and rise up. Lance doesn’t know where to look.

“Did he just make Lance blush?” Sam asks incredulously. “Damn, that man really can charm the pants of anyone and he’s not even trying.”

And so when Steve walks in the gym that morning, he’s greeted with a meek ‘hey’ from his teammates and the sight of his sweaty boyfriend hanging from one of the beams while Lance Tucker has his hands on the bare skin of Bucky’s hips where his shirt has crawled up and his shorts hang low. He can see Lance’s fingers gripping Bucky’s body tightly while Bucky cracks a joke about being ticklish.

“I don’t know if this is a good idea. He’s fucking pissed off already. Look at Nat, man.” Sam whispers to Tony. Both men watch as Nat gets up yet again after being thrown off Steve’s shoulders, not being able to hold the headlock like she usually does with ease.

“That just means it’s working.”

“Well, I’m not sparring with him today. Good luck,” and Sam pushes Tony towards their seething captain.

“Shoulder giving you trouble?”

After the training session, Lance hears a deep vibrating voice behind him. He’s not into guys but man, it does feed his always hungry ego that besides Captain America even the Winter Soldier takes a liking to him. And he must admit the feeling of Bucky’s big warm hand rubbing his shoulders feels damn good. The man certainly packs some power in those fingers. Too bad he’s not using the metal one too though. Bucky knows it’s driving Steve crazy that he’s touching another man. He decides to step up his game and grips Lance’s shoulders tight, eliciting a moan from the man in the process who leans his head back against Bucky.

“God, you’re rock hard,” Lance comments on his abs. In the gym the loud clang of metal weights hitting the ground is heard with a petrified Steve standing next to them.

“You okay there, baby?” Bucky innocently asks, his hand still on Lance’s shoulders rubbing small circles on them. Steve glares at him and walks away.

At the end of the next training session, Steve finds Bucky talking to Lance again and smiling wide after he emerges from the shower. It stings.

While Steve still gets compliments from Lance, Bucky seems to move closer to Lance every day. He stands next to Lance instead of at the back of the room when he explains the exercises of the day, asks for help on moves that Steve is sure he can perfectly do already, and asks to help him adjust his body to achieve the correct posture, always requiring Lance to touch him in one way or the other.

The team notices the angry scowls Steve is starting to give Lance, and they swear they could hear him mutter profanities under his breath when Lance has one of his legs between Bucky’s to wide his stance.

Just when everyone starts to think their scheme is working, much to the relief of Bucky, things take a turn for the worse.

How or why the team finds themselves sitting in a bar waiting for Lance the fucker Tucker, as Tony started calling him, is beyond them. By now Steve wants to make Bucky jealous but has no clue how. He was never good at flirting or making a move. If Bucky hadn’t kissed him first he’d still be pining after him, thinking the man only liked girls and his right hand would still be his best friend. He sighs when Bucky takes his hand in his, his fingers gently caressing his knuckles. Steve feels Lance slide in the booth next to him and the excessive amount of cologne on the man makes him sneeze.

“Bless you, Captain.”

“Thank y-“ When Steve looks at Lance; the wind is knocked out of him. He’s not wearing his usual blue sweatpants and red track jacket but a dark navy blue pea coat. Lance feels on top of the world with the impact he has on Captain America and he winks at him trying to provoke him even more. And yes, of course Lance Tucker wins gold again, he triumphantly thinks, when Steve blushes profusely.

“Hey, what’s the matter, babe?” Bucky asks after feeling Steve tense up, but he stops talking when Steve pulls his hand from his and looks away.

“What the hell is he doing?” Nat seethes.

While Steve tries to get his act together again, Lance’s eyes are already scanning the room looking for a hot body to bang. He shoots some of the women his sultry smile while he scrunches up his nose, not hiding his aversion, at the ones he doesn't deem worthy of his attention and body. His behavior makes even Tony cringe.

“Well, don't wait up for me.” Lance laughs and walks over to some woman in a top that's hardly covering her breasts. It takes all but five minutes before Lance lets his hands slide down her arms and onto her breasts. Sam almost spills his drink and Clint almost chokes on his. The woman’s taken aback but as soon as Lance’s hands glide further down her body and pulls her between his legs, he whispers something in her ear, making her giggle. Whatever it is he said, it works because they walk out while Lance slaps her ass. He turns around and winks at Steve who swallows hard. Bucky can't do anything but stare in disbelief at the scene in front of him.

“If you'll excuse me, I'm going to the restroom.” Steve slides out of the booth.

“What the hell was that?” Clint growls. “Not even Tony acts that way.”

“Hey! I'm sitting right here!”

Nat leans towards Bucky placing her hand on his arm. “How are you holding up, soldier?”

The look in Bucky's eyes tells her nothing. His face is blank unlike mere minutes before. His tense body on the other hand tells her all she needs to know.

Walking back to the tower, Steve avoids any physical contact with Bucky.

“What’s going on with Lance, Steve?” Bucky sighs when they get back to their room.

Steve avoids looking Bucky in the eyes, worrying Bucky even more.

“Do you,” he clears his throat, “do you like him? Like you like me? Or more than me?” he almost whispers, sitting on his knees in front of Steve, desperate for him to look him in the eyes. “You know I love you, right? But you hardly looked at me all night, sweetheart. You even pulled back your hand.”

“He reminds me of you,” Steve answers in a flat voice.

Bucky’s eyes go wide-open, disbelief written on his face. Lance Tucker reminds Steve of him. He is nothing like that man. It’s a fucking insult being compared to that man.

“The way he looks and then he picked up that woman,” he sighs and looks up at Bucky.

“This guy talked to that girl for five minutes and grabbed her boobs. How does that remind you of me? I’m not perfect but when have I ever treated a lady like that, Steve?” He blinks his eyes rapidly, looking at the man he loves. “Have I ever treated you like that?”

“You grabbed…”

“Jesus Steve! I squeezed your boobs once!” Bucky exclaimed. “It was a joke! Tony dared me to grab someone’s boobs that night. It was you or Natasha.” He runs his hands through his hair. “Seriously, THAT reminded you of me?” He shakes his head, disappointed. “You think that little of me?” He walks out of their room before Steve can say something.

Bucky doesn’t go back to their room that night, leaving Steve alone with his thoughts. He walks over to his desk and pulls out his notebook that holds a picture of Bucky with his hair slicked back, wearing his navy blue Howling Commando coat. Lance looks so much like him. It simply catches him off guard every damn time and he still feels the need to impress that Bucky from the forties.

After the fiasco at the bar and Steve’s comment, Bucky decides to get rid of Lance straightaway. The next morning he strides over to him, Sam’s grasp on his arm not strong enough.

“Tucker, you need to go.”

Lance spreads his leg and crosses his arms. “Is that so, Barnes?”

“Yup,” and Bucky reaches for Lance’s bag and starts packing.

“Why now? Don’t like the way your boyfriend looks at me? That he likes what he sees?” He looks right at Bucky, challenging him. One has to admit it, the Avengers do not intimidate Lance Tucker nor does a bad tempered Bucky Barnes.

Bucky’s struggling to keep his composure and but it’s the truth. Steve likes what he sees when he looks at Lance and he used to look at him that way. Lance has a perfect body no matter how he hates to admit it, while his own body looks like it’s been put in a grinder. He sighs, “That’s exactly why, yes.”

“Ok.”

Bucky is surprised. That was too easy.

“On one condition.” Bucky doesn’t like the look in Lance’s eyes. He just knows it has something to do with him. “I want to touch it.”

“Touch what?”

“That.” The tip of Lance’s finger hovers close to Bucky’s covered arm.

“No.”

“Then I stay. Start warming up.”

Bucky clenches his fists, making the plates whir and it excites Lance, making him bite his lip. For Steve, he thinks. The sooner this man is gone, the better. Bucky closes his eyes and takes off his long sleeved shirt. The top he’s wearing underneath shows his arm but not the scars. Lance’s eyes widen.

“Never thought something that’s only silver could look this good.” He degrades Bucky’s arm even more by a lousy and snarky remark.

Bucky braces himself with his flesh hand on the wall behind Lance, takes a deep breath and extends his arm for the hands of this asshole to touch it. His hands slide over the plates, feeling the curves, while Bucky’s breath hitches, just as Steve walks in.

“HEY!” His booming voice startles them both. Lance jumps and Bucky sighs relieved. “Hands off my man!”

“I was just leaving. Training is over. None of you are going to get any better than this.” Lance conceitedly says.

In an instant Bucky stands behind Steve, hiding and peering over his shoulder at the retreating figure. As soon as Lance walks out the gym, Steve feels Bucky’s hands slides across his waist and grip him tight, burying his face in the crook of his neck.

“Make it go away. Make his touch go away, Stevie,” he murmurs.

So Steve turns around, a warm smile on his face, and kisses Bucky’s neck and shoulder, running his fingertips over his arms, followed by his lips on every plate. He turns his lover’s hand upwards and kisses the inside of it and the tips of his fingers, murmuring his I love you’s along the way.

“Baby, you did that for me?” Steve whispers, cupping Bucky’s jaw to look him in the eye.

“You’re only supposed to look at me like that, Stevie. It hurt so bad. His body’s flawless and mine-”

“Let me show you how perfect you are to me,” and he kisses Bucky with all the love he has to give.

While they lie in bed in together, Bucky’s looking at Steve’s picture-perfect face.

“You know, if you like tattoos, I could get one,” Bucky suggests, shrugging his shoulders. “You can draw it.”

“Really?” Steve blushes a little because it means he’s admitting he really liked Lance’s tattoo. Not the tattoo itself though, that was tacky as hell. He grabs a pencil and his sketchbook, sticking the tip of his tongue out while he starts to draw.

Bucky takes a nap before heading out to the gym later that afternoon. Grabbing his gym bag he sees Steve’s sketchbook and some tentative attempts at designing a tattoo for him. He likes the idea, having something of Steve permanently inked on his body. Meanwhile he can’t help but think about Steve and the hot dream he had about him, Steve’s hands all over his body, his soft touch, his hot breath fanning over his lower abdomen. After the workout, Bucky thinks, after.

The time in the gym took way longer than Bucky really wanted. All he wanted was to get his hands on Steve and Steve noticed. Every chance Bucky got he was touching some part of him, a lingering touch on his arm, his nose nudging his ear, his hand sliding down his back. While Tony, Sam and Clint make their way to the showers and Nat to hers, Bucky seizes his opportunity and pushes Steve up against a wall, kissing him hard, pushing his body up against his, his hands roaming over his chest and tickling his sides making Steve squirm. He loves that. Steve is wiggling against his body, breath coming out in short pants and his cheeks turn adorably pink when he laughs. A happy Steve Rogers is a sight to behold and he is all his. Bucky cups his face and kisses him.

“You’re mine.”

“And you’re mine, Bucky. And I’ll show it to the world. Starting with our friends.” He chuckles and smoothly escapes Bucky’s grip and heads towards the shower.

Steve’s practically finished showering by the time Bucky arrives and starts washing his hair.

“What the fuck, man?!” Sam shouts.

Tony and Clint snap their heads and their gaze follows Sam pointing finger. Clint doubles over in laughter and Steve hops out of the shower.

“What? Why are you pointing at my-?”

Bucky looks down at the particular body part Sam is pointing at and then he sees it. The reason why he dreamt about Steve’s breath fanning across his body, the soft touches. There it is, in all its glory, a black drawing… right above his…

“God dammit, Steve! What the hell did you do?”

“I tried out a tattoo,” he snickers, tears in his eyes, fumbling to get his clothes on as fast as possible. “Do you,” he’s laughing again, “do you like it?”

“No! How am I supposed to like this? It says “Steve’s” and it’s a black arrow pointing towards my dick.”

“It just takes some getting used to, baby.”

“I’m not getting used to this. It’s coming off right now!”

It’s a sight for sore eyes, Bucky Barnes furiously washing himself, soap and foam dripping down his legs. Something gets tossed in the shower, landing in front of Bucky’s feet with a soft thud.

“Forget it, Buck. That’s not coming off any time soon,” Clint says picking up the black sharpie pen, “It says permanent.”

Shampoo dripping down his face, Bucky bellows, “You better run, Rogers!! I’m coming after you!”

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