Weekly Fic Rec: Underdogs with Good Intentions by jinlinli

[stellahibernis]

Link to AO3

Author’s summary:

 

“You could try dating other people,” Steve says hesitantly.

The blistering hypocrisy of him saying this to Bucky of all people is not lost on him. His track record of trying to turn off his feelings for the man in question has been pitiful at best, schadenfreudically disastrous at worst.

Bucky scrubs a hand over his face. “Fuck, I guess? I don’t even know where to begin.”

“Maybe I could help?” Steve’s mouth says, and then he kinda wants to stab himself in the face. Because silently pining for your best friend for two years is bad enough, but being said friend’s rebound? That’s pathetic, even for him. “I mean, I could help you find a date?”

 

Honestly it’s like something out of a Shakespeare comedy. Both of them helplessly, hopelessly in love with all the wrong people.

 

Words: 9479, Chapters: 1/1

 

Fandoms: Captain America (Movies)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Steve Rogers, James “Bucky” Barnes, Sam Wilson (Marvel)

Relationships: James “Bucky” Barnes/Steve Rogers

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Bad Matchmaking, Matchmaker Steve Rogers, One-Sided James “Bucky” Barnes/Natasha Romanov - Freeform, everyone is bad at feelings

My notes:

 

I especially like their conversations at the diner, with the layer of what’s going on between them and what’s going on in their heads.