Gay Date #3 ( CLOSED )

[sidecars]

WHO: Bucky Barnes sidecars and Dick Grayson performance
WHERE: Across De Chima
WHEN: December 25th
WHAT: Being a pair of lovesick dweebs on Christmas
WARNINGS: Frustrating UST

Late in the afternoon Bucky gets a few presents bought just in time. The sales definitely make up for the hectic crowds. Perhaps he should have been more thoughtful, but he really hadn't expected to get gifts. But now he's in three deep and had to respond in kind.

So before he goes over to Dick's he makes sure not to come empty handed.

With a heavy knock, he waits to be let in with a rather giddy grin.

Comments

[performance]

That's it — that's when the cackling starts. Dick tips over onto his back, hands raised in front of him as he laughs way too hard at his own stupid joke and the look on Bucky's face. "No, no, no regifting! I'm too young! You've gotta be at least fifty to pull it off!"

[sidecars]

"Auuugh you are a horrible little shrimp!!" He keeps smothering Dick with the hat until it sort of sits atop his stupid little head. But on his way back to the table he is all narrowed eyes and suspicion over this last gift. Thankfully it's both wonderful and perplexing.

"Is this... actual popcorn? Are they flavored?" Honestly, he's a little confused as to why they are all the colors of the rainbow. What happened to old fashioned white?

[performance]

Dick pushes himself up onto an arm, the hat sitting at a sideways sort of angle on his head. He's still snickering a little. "Yes, it's real popcorn. What kind of monster would buy fake popcorn—" Oh, hang on, he's having another giggle fit. Gotta wipe away a tear! "It's candied. Like, you know, caramel corn but fruity?"

[sidecars]

"Don't laugh!" He snaps for lack of anything better to say. But even caramel popcorn doesn't help him much. He's had candied or caramel apples before, so that's what he bases his assumptions on here.

Opening the tin straight away (how can you not when faced with candied popcorn?), Bucky tries a red one first.

"Oh my God..." The look on his face is one of complete perplexment. "It's like fruit!"

[performance]

"Told you," Dick chirps, and sneaks a hand out lightning-quick to steal a piece for himself. "Friendship tax." Chomp.

"You like? It's good? I figured, if we're gonna do movie nights..."

[sidecars]

Bucky doesn't flinch. There's no way he can eat this all by himself, so he doesn't get too territorial over it. Maybe once they start reaching the bottom. "You should think about raising your retail price there, bub." Dick's worth more than a few kernels of popcorn.

But at his friend's insinuation, Bucky's cheeks slowly dimple into a pleased grin. "Yeah?" Then his arm winds around Dick's shoulders, pulling him into a tight side hug. "Swell! We should break in a movie..." Sometime. Anytime. He doesn't want to look too clingy, but it's not often he finds another soul he can spend so much time with. Only one comes to mind.

[performance]

Well, it's certainly nice to feel appreciated, and Dick's hardly one to mind a little clinginess. There's probably something to be said about needing to be needed, even if some part of him suspects it's an 'any port in a storm' kind of situation on Bucky's end, but he'll overanalyze that later.

"Yeah!" Wow, that came out a little eager. Cool your friendship jets, Grayson. "But we have plans for today, right? Oh— after I open my present! What'd you get me, anyway? Am I gonna feel bad about the gag gifts now?"

He'll just tear into the present while he leans into that side hug.

[sidecars]

"Gee, open it and find out!" Honestly, what kind of question is that to ask? "And you may! I think I did pretty well for a first time gift with you in mind."

He keeps his arm draped over Dick, always enjoying the feeling of someone to lean on. Usually they are too tall for him, so this is always a novel experience he continuously savors. Don't mind him if he seems a little anxious. He's trying to keep his cool, but the suspense is starting to get to him.

[performance]

"Sorry, sorry, I'm chatty when I'm excited! And... the rest of the time, too." He opens the box, and grins at a pair of brand new aviator shades. Oh, Bucky, you have no idea how much this kid is into sunglasses. No. Idea.

"Dude," he laughs, taking them out of the box and slipping them on, nudging them up the bridge of his nose with one finger. He blinks at the dimmed lights of the Christmas tree behind the dark glasses. "These are great. I mean, I don't feel bad about the hat yet, that's hilarious, but still!"

He turns to face Bucky, a grin on his face. "How do I look? Extremely cool?" No one has ever looked cool in a reindeer sweater, no matter what kind of sunglasses he's wearing.

[sidecars]

The reaction is good. He likes the reaction. Watching Dick for any changes in his facial expression, Bucky considers the question.

"Well you sure look extremely something." Then he puts his hands up to block out everything but Dick's head. "There we go! There's the coolness you were describing! So they're good? You like 'em? I kept the receipt in case... I mean the shop said this was the style, so..."

Please validate his actions, Dick! Please, please!

[performance]

"They're good, I like them, stop worrying!" And it's genuine, even if he's hamming it up. Honestly, he's just touched that he got anything at all. "I'm gonna wear them all day. And possibly all night. It'll be extra dark, so you'll have to be my seeing eye dog."

[sidecars]

He full on cackles at that. "You know the first chance I get I'm leading you right into a wall." So wadding up all the trashed wrapping paper, he asks, "So what's on the menu, pal?"

[performance]

Dick hops to his feet, stretching, then starts counting off steps of the plan on his fingers.

"One, we see if it's cold enough to go skating anywhere. The flapping around like wounded swans thing! I'm sure the ladies find it irresistible. Two, if there's enough snow for snowmen, then we're totally gonna make snowmen. If not, then maybe we take my bike out to the middle of the country and either make snowmen there or just have a swordfight with icicles. I don't know, we'll wing it. This part's flexible."

Is this sounding good so far? Because it sounds awesome to him. "Then hot cocoa? Probably. Aaand maybe after that we show up uninvited to someone's Christmas party and see how that goes. Or we get tired halfway through this itinerary and end up on the couch watching a movie, but it's good to have a plan A."

[sidecars]

"Damn. You are good at planning. I'm gonna have to remember that." Bucky can't plan his way out of a wet paper bag. "I like all these ideas. Especially any talk of running around on your bike." That thing is slick.

"Question, though. Do I get to keep the Santa hat? Because I've got to say, I look pretty dashing in it."

[performance]

"Dashing through the snow?" Dick adjusts his sunglasses again. "I guess you'll have to catch up to my overwhelming handsomeness somehow, so, yeah, sure. It's all yours."