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“Baby, I really don’t care whether you wear a dress or a skirt or jeans or sweatpants or anything. I mean: you gotta wear clothes cause we’re going out in public, but otherwise, go wild.” Steve assured, petting his boyfriend’s hair.
“I don’t know, Stevie….I ain’t never worn a skirt in public before.” Bucky anxiously spun, pushing down on his green tulle skirt.
“There’s a first time for everything.”
“Yeah, but the first time is always the hardest.”
“It is, but that just means it’ll be easier later.”
“Mmmmm…..” Bucky spun again. “I don’t know.”
“Well, I know this will be hard for you regardless, you’re already doing something new by having a date outside of the house, so you can wear something more gender-conforming if you want. It’s not that I don’t want you wearing a skirt or anything, but I don’t want you to push yourself too far.”
“I hate this, Stevie, it ain’t fair.”
“I know, but you just got to give yourself time. I know it’s frustrating to not be used to this world or to not be ready to do what you want to and all that, but it won’t always be that way. You’ll recover.”
“I probably won’t ever be fully recovered, though.”
“That’s okay, you don’t have to be fully recovered. It’s okay to just have preventative measures for some stuff, it doesn’t have to all go away completely. It don’t make you a failure or nothing like I know you think.” Steve assured.
“But….You went through war and stuff too, but you’re not as messed up as me.”
“You’ve been through a lot more than me, anyway everyone processes trauma differently. Not to mention your autism.”
“But, I—”
“No buts, Buck. There’s nothing wrong with you needing accommodations or help or time or anything.”
“I don’t like being a burden to you.”
“That’s just fine, babe, cause you’re not a burden to me.”
“I feel like one.”
“Just because you feel a way doesn’t make it true, I promise.” Steve went back to rubbing his head. “I really, really, love you.”
“....I love you too.”
“So, skirt or no skirt?”
“....I think….”
“....”
“....I will wear the skirt….If that’s okay….”
“Sounds wonderful, baby.”
And it was wonderful, because it didn’t matter what clothes they wore, if Bucky needed headphones, or Steve had to order for both of them. Because all that mattered was that they were together.
They finally got to be together.