Ski instructor Steve and useless gay but loveable Bucky!

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"We had to do this?" Bucky hissed as he pushed himself up for the umpteenth time. "I told you I needed lessons."

"And for once you were right," Sam commented as he helped him rise. "How are you so bad at this? Did you not have a childhood, Barnes?"

Bucky waved him off impatiently as he held his knees together, arms out to hold his balance. He must've looked quite a sight, he thought miserably to himself, a healthy 23 year-old man simply trying his best at standing while seventh graders were going down the bunny hill like it was nothing.

The bunny hill sat there taunting him and Bucky wished he could be anywhere, literally anywhere else.

"Looks like there's an instructor there," Sam pointed out, nodding to one of the ski attendees, standing at the ready at the top of the hill to offer assistance.

Bucky frowned. "I don't want to be a bother... "

"Better you do it now rather than later," Sam said with a shrug, nodding toward the instructor again -- Bucky waved him off once more, groaned, and finally shuffled his way over to the instructor standing there.

"Hi, uh... do you, um, teach?" Bucky spoke up, frowning at himself. The instructor turned -- Bucky saw Steve on the nametag, surprised to see a nametag at all. "I'm, uh, in desperate need of help."

"Well, you came to the right guy," he said with a charming smile, adjusting his goggles.

Sam chatted up a different ski instructor with sandy brown hair and a good physique while Bucky got on with Steve -- he ended up staying with him for over an hour.

"Sh*t -- " Bucky fell to his knees once more, huffing as he flicked his hair back and grabbed his fallen toque. Steve helped him up, a patience about him that Bucky admired.

"You're alright," Steve said as he helped him straighten his stance. "Okay, try again, slow, knees together," he directed as he stood in front of Bucky, gently gliding down the hill backwards with an air of grace and caution. Bucky clutched at his hands for balance, ignoring how hotly his cheeks were burning.

"Christ," Bucky huffed as they started to pick up speed. He moved to grip Steve's wrists, staring at the snow, concentrating.

"I got you, eyes up," he added, and Bucky flicked his eyes up to meet his quickly. He flashed a quick smile, breathless.

"I'm doing it?"

"You're doing great," Steve promised.

They made it almost all the way down before Bucky's skis slipped out from beneath him and he crashed onto his rear, nearly pulling Steve with him. He yelped and reddened even more so, glancing up at Steve. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry," he said as he helped him up once more. "You okay?"

"Only thing bruised is my dignity," he said dryly, catching Sam's eye from across the hill. He was grinning broadly at him, thumbs up in his direction.

"Well, sitting down might help," he mused. "Can I get you a hot chocolate?"

"Aren't you on shift?"

Steve, now, turned a little pink. "I've, uh, still got fifteen minutes to my break left."

Bucky stared at him and wished to crawl into a hole. "I ate up half of your break? Christ, Steve, I'm sorry -- "

"Hey, don't worry about it." Steve waved it off, then grinned. "So, can I get you one?"

"I think after all that I should treat you to one," Bucky grunted as he stepped out of his skis, with some difficulty. He held onto his hands for a moment too long before letting go.

////

They collapsed into a booth with ten minutes to spare, both clutching a small hot chocolate of horrible quality.

"Sorry to steal so much of your time," he said with a frown.

Steve shook his head, meeting his eyes. Bucky never knew someone could have eyes so blue. Beautiful.

"Hey, it's what I get paid for." He shrugged. "Plus, I appreciate the company. Usually I get all the kids."

"Well, thank you anyway," he said with a smile as he finally paid attention to his hot chocolate.

Glancing briefly out the window, he saw Sam and the mysterious instructor he'd been chatting up pass the window, walking surprisingly close to each other. Sam waved him down energetically as they passed and Riley-- said the nametag-- grinned over at Sam fondly.

Bucky blushed even more so and scratched his neck, obviously ignoring his friend. Steve followed his unspoken gaze and smiled, over at Bucky.

"Friend, or...?"

"Just a friend," he assured automatically and smiled, gently. "So, um... when do you work next? You know, for my next lesson?"

Steve rubbed the back of his neck shyly, the first indication Bucky got that he was nervous. "Same time, same place Thursday?"

"It's a date," Bucky hummed with a nod.

////

When Sam and Bucky filed into the car, quiet, smiles on their faces, they glanced at each other. "So? Worth it?"

Bucky nodded, playing with his hands absently as he thought of a particular ski instructor. Sam nodded too, smiling out the window at the thought of Riley.

"Well. Coming back?"

Bucky grinned, nodding. "Definitely."

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Hey I did it! One with actual story! Before 10:00!