Steve shook his head a bit. "Well, right now, I don't care about all the dames, just one," he said, rather stubbornly.

"Lucky for you," Bucky said, grinning. He was quiet for a moment. "She's a lucky girl, though, gotta say that."

Steve shook his head a bit. "So is yours," he said stubbornly. "Once we get to talk to them and work things out."

"We'll see." Bucky had no doubt that the girl Steve had connected with was a lucky one. After all, she got Steve Rodgers. Liz, on the other hand... Well. There was only so much that could be done in Bucky's favor.

"Don't make me hit you," Steve threatened, although there was no real heat in his voice. It was an old threat, anyway, on both sides. Usually when one thought the other was being stupid.

Bucky snorted. It was somehow comforting that Steve remembered the old threat.

"You should go and try to talk to her tomorrow," he said, turning the subject back again.

"Tomorrow?" Steve asked, stilling. That was far too soon. "No, I don't even know what I'll say to her, besides, I don't know where she'll be, it'll come off as creepy."

"Take Nat as a cover, then," Bucky said. "I'm sure she'd be fine with shopping some more, and most normal people work six days a week, nowadays. Can't be too hard to find her."

Steve sighed. "Fine," he agreed. "If you go back to that coffee shop and talk to your girl for a while."

Bucky considered it, weighing his options.

"Once I see how well you fare with your girl," he offered. Because if Steve was accepted well enough, then there might be hope for him too.

Steve nodded. That was acceptable. "Alright," he agreed. "No dodging out of this, though. You've already talked to her once, right? And it went well, so things will probably go fine this time too."

"That was before I knew what I was doing to her," Bucky pointed out. "And before everything today."

"So? It might not matter. You'll never know if you don't try." Steve wouldn't push him much more than that, though. Too much would just make him run.

Bucky made a vague sound and sprawled out on Steve's bed. It was comfy there, and he didn't feel like going into his own room. Being alone didn't sound like a good idea at the moment.

Steve didn't mind, just stretching out and grabbing a sketch book. Drawing always made him feel better, and Bucky was actually being a good model for once.

Bucky knew Steve was doing it; it was pretty typical of Steve, actually. Even back before everything, Bucky had known Steve to sketch everything in sight, up to and including his best friend doing all manner of things. Lounging tended to be a big one.

The next day, Steve got Natasha to go back with him to the shop, glancing around rather hopefully to see if Hillary was in that day.

Steve was in luck: Hillary was working. She had settled on a pair of jeans and a black shirt with lace sleeves to her elbows. There was a faint glint of warm copper under the black lace on her shoulders. She glanced over when she heard the bell on the door, and she couldn't help her eyes going a bit wide.

Natasha immediately started browsing again. Not that she thought she'd find anything, but if she didn't, Steve would be even more nervous.

"Hi," Steve said after a moment, looking at Hillary. "Store looks good today." It was the first thing that popped to mind, especially since last time he'd been by it had been messier. But he still felt like an idiot as soon as he said it. "I mean, of course it does, it just looks better than last time, last time was messier, must have been a busier day, or something."

"Oh! Uh, thanks," Hillary said, blushing slightly. She knew exactly who he was, of course, and now that she knew what she did about the strange things she'd been experiencing, it didn't take a genius to put two and two together and get fish. "It's been slow today, not many people in to mess things up."

Steve's lips twitched in a little grin. "Yeah, I know the feeling," he agreed. "It's nice when you can get things done and not have to worry about what people are messing up."

"Yeah," Hillary said. She blushed a bit. "Um..." How was she supposed to broach the subject of having some sort of bond with him?

"There's a great little café not far from here," Steve blurted, not really sure why that had come to mind. "Great pie, good coffee, usually pretty quiet."

"I think I know the one," Hillary said, still a bit pink. She hesitated. "I get off at three?" Her eyes went a bit wide. "I mean-- if that's what you meant--"

"Three is good," Steve agreed, rather relieved. "I'll meet you there at three. Or, you know, a few minutes after, so don't feel rushed or anything, I know you have to walk over and all that." He flushed.