I opened my laptop in the local Starbucks, sipping my hot chocolate and rolling up the sleeves of my pink fluffy sweater. I'm currently writing another children's book.

A blonde sat near my table, looking lonely and uncertain, so I moved to his table, trying to be more social.

"Hi." Bucky said. "I'm Bucky."

The blonde's eyes watched my lips before he started to write.

I'm Steve and I'm deaf, but I'm doing my best to lip-read until I get hearing aids. I hope you don't mind. Your name, it's Bucky Barnes if I remember right. You're a children's book author.

I nodded. Steve looked at me like I was the sky when it snowed last night. I smiled nervously.

I heard your illustrator quit. Do you need a new one?

I nodded again. "I do need a new illustrator."

Can I be your illustrator?

Are you any good at drawing? I wrote back.

Well, you can be the judge of that.

Steve put his pen down and put a sketch pad down in front of me. I flipped through the pages, dead silent as I looked at his masterpieces before pausing on a hand-drawn cartoon version of my bio picture, cracking a smile at my rainbow flower crown, pride flag, and crop top.

You're hired.

XXXXX

Steve looked at me as I opened the door, his freckled cheeks dusted pink. I let him in, taking his coat and bag. Steve stared at me for a moment, trying to register that I wasn't wearing anything remotely feminine and that I hadn't shaved or brushed my hair before looking at my metal arm(which is never really visible normally).

"Uh...okay then. Hi, Bucky." Steve said slowly.

"Oh, so you got new hearing aids. That's great! I got new earrings, so we both got new ear wear. Anyways...have a seat at the table, make yourself comfortable, I'm just...gonna go get dressed...if you don't mind?" I said hesitantly. Steve nodded, taking out his sketch pad and making a "go ahead" gesture.

I knocked on my friend, Clint's front door. The half-deaf person answered the door, looking at me with one eye open and a pot of coffee in their hand. 

"Hi, Clint. What is today for you, guy or girl or neither or both?" I asked kindly, trying not to open his eyes for him.

"Coffee. I'm coffee today. Pronouns are it or they." Clint grumbled.

"Okay. Well...can you uh...keep Steve company while I get dressed, pretty please?" I said, making a begging motion. Clint rolled their eyes and put on their slippers before ambling into my dining room.

"Alright, I will. Hi, Steve." Clint signed at Steve as they spoke. Steve grinned up at him and started to chat with Clint casually as I stole away to my room. 

I took a quick shower, intending only to make sure that I didn't smell like a stinky rat man and that my hair was clean before blow-drying my hair. I put on deodorant after my leggings and underwear and then my pale yellow undershirt, brushing out my hair and shaving my face. I put on my makeup because I dug through my closet for a skirt and a sweater and decided upon my strawberry-print sweater and green skirt.

I grabbed my rough draft and story boards of my new children's book to show Steve what he was working with and put my short heels on before going downstairs. Clint looked up upon my appearance and gave me a look that said: "lookin' good" to which I stuck my tongue out at them. Clint gave me The Look before disappearing into my basement (which I had rented to him).

"Oh, Bucky, you're back. You look...beautiful." Steve smiled, blushing. I smiled, putting the rough draft down in front of the blonde. Steve read it and I had my fingers crossed because I had no idea if Steve would actually want to illustrate for this story, "Ben, the Flower Boy" and knowing that Steve was the first person other than me to read it.

"What'd you think?" I asked nervously when Steve finished reading it. Steve suddenly kissed me, holding my head in his hands. His big, graceful, strong hands with the small scars and freckles and callouses with the silver ring on his pinky finger.

He pulled away. "Man...marry me right fucking now, dude. IT. WAS. GREAT!!" Steve shouted. I felt myself smile and I didn't know what happened but I replied:

"Gladly, handsome, I would happily marry you."

Steve seemed to do the buffering thing that Netflix does before saying: "Well that didn't really play out like I planned and that was a little fast for me but...y'know, okay. Do you want my school ring for now?"

"Oh, uh..." I stammered, letting my denial about my huge-ass crush on Steve go and holding out my left hand. "Sure."