Work Text:
Bucky thought that getting smashed on cognac would help him finally ask Steve a direct question.
It did. But "Steve, can you pass the bucket? I think I'm gonna be --" wasn't the one he'd intended.
And it only made it better and worse that Steve stayed with him the whole time and wiped his mouth with a clean wet handkerchief before tucking him into bed.
The next morning there was a glass of seltzer water next to the bed, two aspirin, and a note in Steve's perfect handwriting letting him know he snored very loudly when sleeping off a drunk.
Bucky sipped the seltzer water until his stomach stopped rolling and took the aspirin with the hot mush the mess tent served for breakfast. Gingerly he sipped at cup of coffee. Fuck, he felt like shit.
"My God, you're actually green." Steve said, his tone joking, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "What possessed you to get drunk like that?"
For a long, hellish moment Bucky thought he would sick up all over again. "Don't know," He finally managed to gasp.
"Don't do it again." Pause. "Please, Bucky. I need you with me 100%, not hungover."
Ignoring the pain of what felt like a knife-stab to the heart, Bucky drew a deep breath and said, "Don't worry, Steve. Won't happen again."
"Promise?" There was worry in Steve's eyes.
"Promise." Because letting you down hurts more than this fucking headache .
"Good." Steve squeezed his hand and this time the smile reached his eyes.