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“Oh no, you’re cute. More than cute - you’re a downright hottie.” Bucky looked up from where he’d been locking the door to his new apartment to see a guy standing in front of the door of the apartment next to him, keys held in one hand.
He was pretty good looking himself, with his fluffy hair and big brown eyes. Admittedly, they weren’t quite focusing at the moment, and he had a smear of what looked like grease on one cheek, just above the beard that ran along his jawline and met up with a well-trimmed mustache and goatee.
“Did I say all that out loud?” Bucky’s neighbor asked, with a faintly confused - and kind of adorable - expression on his face. “I tend to lose my brain to mouth filter when I’ve been up for more than twenty-four hours, which I’m pretty sure is the case. It’s Thursday already, isn’t it?”
“Uh, yes?” Bucky was short on sleep himself and the single cup of coffee he’d had time for that morning had not prepared him for this kind of rapid-fire commentary.
“I thought so,” the guy nodded solemnly, the motion making him lose his balance slightly. “I never could get the hang of Thursdays.”
“Do you at least know where your towel is?” Bucky found himself asking, as he’d recognized the Douglas Adams reference.
“Always.” the guy replied, patting the over-full messenger bag on his hip. “But I should probably get some sleep.” After a couple of tries, he finally unlocked his door. “Maybe if I’m lucky,” he said over his shoulder, “I’ll dream about you.” Before Bucky could formulate a reply, the door closed behind his neighbor.
The next time Bucky saw his attractive neighbor, he was wearing a well-tailored business suit, his wingtips - which matched his briefcase - polished to a high gloss. It was such a change from the ratty band tee and well-worn jeans he’d been wearing the first time they met, Bucky could scarcely believe he was the same guy. “Hey - it’s my new neighbor,” he held out a hand in greeting. “I’m Tony, by the way. Tony Stark.”
Bemused, Bucky introduced himself; Tony smiled warmly as they shook hands. “Wish I could stay and chat, James,” he commented, “but I have promises to keep.”
“And miles to go before you sleep?” Bucky completed the phrase from the Robert Frost poem.
“Got it in one.” With a nod and a half-grin, Tony strode out onto the street and hailed a cab.
The third time they ran into each other, it was at the coffee shop down the street from their apartment building. Tony was sitting with a gorgeous redhead, who he introduced as Pepper. “It’s Virginia, actually,” she explained, “Pepper’s the nickname Tony insisted on giving me.”
“I get it,” Bucky replied with a chuckle, while tamping down a tiny spark of jealousy. “I go by James most places, but my friends call me Bucky.”
“Huh - I feel like there’s a story behind that,” Tony mused, “but maybe it would be rude to ask.”
“I’m used to it,” Bucky shrugged. “I lost my front baby teeth earlier than usual, and when my adult teeth came in, they looked a little too big for my face.”
“Well, you’ve got a gorgeous smile now, that’s for sure.” A warm feeling blossomed in Bucky’s chest at Tony’s compliment.
“Tony, you better not be buttering your new neighbor up so he won’t be as upset when you set off the fire alarm for the third time in a week.” Pepper gave Tony a mock-stern look before turning to Bucky. “He’s got a mad scientist laboratory in the basement of your apartment building.”
“Is that so? I’d love to see it!” Bucky couldn’t help letting his science nerd self get the best of him for a moment. “Please tell me you’ve got, like a Jacob’s ladder or a Van De Graff generator or something like that!”
“Both, actually,” Tony replied excitedly. “And a Tesla coil - just a small one, for atmosphere. That said, I’m actually focusing on autonomous robotics instead of trying to reanimate the dead.”
“That’s good,” Bucky chuckled, “I wouldn’t even know where to get a torch around here, much less a pitchfork.”
Pepper glanced between them both. “You're also a science nerd, you get his pop culture references and you're cute? You’re right, Tony, you are in trouble.”
“Aw, c’mon, Pep,” Tony replied, his cheeks pinking as he sipped at his coffee.
“You know,” she continued with a mischievous grin, “I’ve been thinking you could use a lab partner - someone to keep an eye on you during your late night science binges.”
“In other words, be the Igor to his Frankenstein?” Bucky broke in.
“That’s Fronk-en-stein, Buckeroo Banzai,” Tony’s geeky reference and flirty wink made Bucky’s heart skip a beat, but then Tony’s face fell. “Oh, I didn’t mean to assume, you know, with the nickname thing.”
“It’s okay. More than okay, in fact,” Bucky reassured him. “And yeah, I’d love to see what you’re working on, and help however I can. Hopefully we won't run into any Red Lectroids in the process.”
Tony grinned and Pepper rolled her eyes fondly. “Then it’s settled. You two nerds of a feather can flock together without me being a third wheel.” She stood and picked up her bag. “Just make sure to invite me to the wedding.”