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You see Steve and Bucky have a handful of secrets they’re willing to take to their graves if they have to. Things that only they know. That they worked together to hide from the world as kids. Amongst those things are how Bucky has always found both men and women attractive, and how Steve’s mother gave him a woman’s name when he was born.
They don’t want to hide any of this however they just want to live and not have to always fear the police. So as teens they managed to forge documents saying Steve is a man, and they went to speakeasies where pansy performers were welcome.
The two teens were in awe of these performers, it wasn’t too long before the two teens joined the others on stage. Creating their own personas of beauty and performance. They always performed together as a duo and were actually gaining popularity.
That is until the New York police tried to shut down and start arresting pansies. Though not that it stopped the two boys from performing when they could. It’s something they both loved and found liberating, not that they ever dared tell anyone who the men beneath Jean Wilson and Betty Smith actually were.
Once the war reached the US however the two stopped to join. Steve managed to hide from the military that he’s a transvestite and much to his amazement became Captain America. Finally getting the chance to fight alongside the man who’s not his lover but also more than his friend.
When Steve was unfrozen no one bothered to tell him just how far the rights of people like him have come. No one told him a damn thing, which he would have been pissed about had he known.
No one wanted to tell the poster boy for American traditional values that people were allowed to openly cross dress, transition, or love someone of the same sex. Steve on the other hand would have been ecstatic to learn this news but well military propaganda made people assume he would have been a bigot about such things.
The night he got Bucky back the two men spent the night wrapped up in bed holding the other in their arms. Fearful to yet again lose the man who meant the world to him, but still thinking they had to hide their odd version of love.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
This all accumulates to the current situation. The avengers were all piled onto the couch for movie night in the tower. The movie in question they were watching being, Mamma Mia!
Unbeknownst to Steve and Bucky, all the others had the “bright idea” to slowly introduce gay rights to the two men from the 1940s. Starting with a movie night featuring a somewhat openly gay man. If someone was particularly dense they might miss it but you have to start gently.
The two men oblivious to the scheming of their teammates sat next to one another on the couch, carefully keeping their distance so as to not arouse suspicion, something they mastered back in their teens.
Though that didn’t stop Steve from wanting to lean into Bucky’s side and reassure himself that the other man was still there.
When they reach the scene where it sounds like Harry is coming out to Bill, Bucky and Steve are understandably shocked that the movie would make such an open joke, especially without a derogatory punchline.
Subtly looking at the others around the room Nat is smiling softly, Clint faintly chuckling, Tony grinning, and Bruce is laughing. Not a single odd look or a crinkle of disgust. Seeing this Bucky leans in and whispers to Steve to look at the other’s reactions.
For a few minutes the two men are completely stunned. Steve shoots Bucky a look silently communicating they’re going to have a conversation about this later.
Confused yet hopeful, the two men watch the movie with even more intrigue. Towards the end when everyone is kissing Steve’s hand latches onto Bucky’s wrist and his jaw drops open.
Because he can’t have just seen what he thought he did. In the background for just a split second Harry was kissing another man. Nobody else even reacts or seems to notice, other than Bucky who stiffens and his eyes are wide.
While those two are sitting in stunned silence Tony notices the look on Steve’s face and scowls, mistaking his open mouthed shock for something much worse. Realizing that he’ll have a lot of work to do.
Steve’s eyes are burning and as soon as he can slip away without seeming too suspicious he does. He heads to his room and just cries, luckily the walls are soundproofed. Only a few minutes later Bucky comes in and wraps his arms around him.
“Is there really nothing wrong with us?” Steve sounds so broken and hopeful. “I know there was Jean back in our day and all the others, but god…”
“Stevie, you saw how they reacted, none of the others seemed to notice the blatant homosexuality.” Bucky’s own voice wavers and he sounds near tears. “It seems times have changed, and for the better.”
“Why did no one bother to tell us?!” He clutches onto Bucky desperately and sounds nearly enraged.
“I don’t know.” The two men cry in the other’s embrace for what feels like hours. Steve completely falls apart while Bucky quietly shatters. That is until the two drift to sleep on the carpeted floor still wrapped around each other.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
The next day the two men end up spending the vast majority of the day together in one of their rooms. Researching queer rights, or as they’re learning, is now the correct terminology LGBTQ+ rights.
The day is filled with moments of pure unadulterated joy and sorrow. Learning about how the riots started and why, but also it’s all legal now.
Even gay marriage is a possibility, the Supreme Court is actively deciding whether or not it’s protected by the constitution. It’s more than either could have imagined.
Bucky mutters with pain and joy, “we’re not freaks…”
“There’s so many other folk just like us, Buck. I can hardly believe it. There’s a term for people like you who don’t care for gender in a partner…”
“I can just say that I’m Pansexual and people will know… I don’t have to explain.” He starts to cry, “there’s flags for us, and a parade once a year.” He sounds so utterly astounded and overwhelmed.
“It’s incredible, and transvestites, or I suppose the term now is transgenders? We can legally change our names. People don’t have to worry about getting arrested for dressing and being who they are.” The unbridled joy in Steve’s voice causes a brittle smile to form on the other man’s.
“And there’s a term for people like us who don’t love no one. Aromantic… and a term for people like you who ain’t wanna bed no one, asexual.” Steve laughs softly and smiles at Bucky’s comment.
“We ain’t messed up for not loving like most, there’s nothing wrong with us. Either of us.” The two men grin at one another like idiots before Steve leans forward and pecks Bucky’s cheek. “For us not being freaks and having a term to define our not quite friendship not quite lovers.”
Bucky raises an eyebrow and grins even wider, the widest Steve has seen since before the war. “Well then, to our queer platonic relationship.” He leans forward and kisses Steve’s cheek in retaliation.
Steve gets that look that Bucky knows means trouble. The look he hides from almost everyone to make them think he’s a goodie two shoes. Bucky can’t help but sigh knowing there’s no stopping the other and he’ll have to help. “What are you planning?”
“Seeing as our team decided it wasn’t important for either of us to know about gay rights, well I just think it’d be fair we get some revenge.” At Steve’s words Bucky looks weary.
“What’s our plan?” Bucky knows he’s going to help no matter how insane the plan ends up being.
“We don’t tell either of them that we know. We act entirely oblivious no matter how clear their hints get. However, we go to the pride parade that’s coming up in the drag versions of ourselves.” At this point Bucky looks proud and excited for Steve’s plan.
Their planning continues for a few minutes and the next day if they get a cheap apartment in the city to store drag stuff at, well no one needs to know.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
Their plan of sorts gets a hiccup just two days later. They’ve ordered packages and started to get supplies ready. Hell they even managed to get into the parade itself. However Steve is chatting with Bruce while cooking when something goes slightly awry.
“What did you think of Mamma Mia? You and Bucky have been scarce these past few days.” Bruce’s voice is light, almost carefully so.
Weighing his response carefully Steve takes a moment to respond. “Oh well-” Steve freezes suddenly and runs to the bathroom at full speed without another word.
This can’t be happening, I haven’t had a period since the serum! It’s safe to say Steve’s internal monologue is less than calm.
Bruce calls after him after blinking in surprise at the now unattended stove. “Steve, you okay?!” This garners the attention of everyone nearby.
Too absorbed in his panic to realize Bruce’s call he doesn’t respond. Rummaging through a cabinet to find some sort of pad. But would he even recognize modern pads? Surely they’ve gotten better? But god damn it Nat is the only woman around and he’s not sure if the red room did something to make it so she didn’t have periods, that seems like something they’d do.
He sees what might be his savior! A long brightly wrapped tube sorta shape that might be a tampon! He’s only used one a few times but it’s better than nothing. Opening up the packaging while settling onto the toilet he’s confused by the plastic applicator. But given the string and when pushing gently on the bottom of the applicator the top looks like a tampon it’s probably one.
Tony calls out, “You alright in there?!”
Sounding frazzled and anything but okay he calls back, “yup, everything’s okay -fuck- I’m just fine.” He swore when he almost dropped the tampon he’s getting out of the weird plastic protective layer(?), he doesn’t know what it is.
After a few moments of silence while they take in the fact Steve swore. “You sure?” If he’s not mistaken, that was Nat.
“Positive!” He still sounds frazzled.
As Steve figures out his business with a modern tampon the others hover outside the door quietly talking.
“Bruce you were talking with him when he ran in there, what happened?” Nat speaks calmly and quietly but her brows are slightly furrowed.
“As we discussed I was trying to gauge his reaction to Mamma Mia, I had just asked what he thought. He just paused for a second and then ran off.” Bruce’s response comes with a frown and causes more than a few sour looks.
“Did he really run off because a movie with one man being gay in a movie made him so uncomfortable he couldn’t talk about it?” Tony scowls as he mutters this.
Before anyone else responds Steve emerges from the bathroom looking a little frazzled muttering. “Sorry there’s something I need to take care of.” Before rushing off out of the tower.
He’s going to the small apartment he and Bucky are going to get, as Bucky’s there checking it out, so they can figure out modern periods together. He needs his emotional support human during this trying time.
Bruce responds once Steve is out of the room. “It would seem like that Tony.” He looks decidedly unhappy about this.
Bruce sends out a message in the group chat with everyone but Bucky, Steve, Thor, and Peter, saying what happened. Thor isn’t in the chat because he’s one off world and two has the subtlety of a semi. Not exactly helpful for their “get the men from the 1940s to accept LGBTQ+ rights” mission. Peter’s not on the chat because one he’s a kid, and two he’s not often at the tower.
Clearly this is going to be harder than any of them thought. Given the fact Nat is a lesbian, Tony is bi, and Peter is trans, well it’s certainly not good. Well Bruce is also clearly gay but is really repressed and will never admit it, so they’re not sure he counts.
You know, on second thought this might not be a hiccup in the two drag queens from the forties plans but rather make their reveal even better.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
When it’s finally time for the pride parade only a few weeks later. The two have managed to subtly or not so subtly steer the conversation away from anything LGBTQ+ related as soon as the others bring it up.
Currently they’re in the shoddy apartment they got and are helping each other with the makeup. Luckily they have practice from their time performing during the 30s that they only needed a few tutorials on modern makeup.
By the time they’re done getting ready they both look like a clear drag queen playing Captain America and the Winter Soldier. Frankly it’s beautiful and they can’t help but laugh for a few minutes before heading to the staging area for the parade.
The person in charge squeals when they see Bucky and Steve. “Soldiers, you queens look amazing. The arm and shield just look fabulous and so realistic!” Their name is River, and they are wearing a nonbinary flag as a cape with a pin on it saying they/them.
“Why thank you, you look quite nice yourself.” Bucky’s voice is much higher and softer than usual, not that he’s unpracticed after having spent years in their youth singing in drag with Steve.
“What do you expect? We’re here to serve after all.” Steve winks and his voice is high and musical. He looks entirely relaxed.
Though River notices the two queens looking around at those gathered with clear awe. “Is this your first pride?”
“Were we that obvious? Yeah, we also haven’t even done drag in a few years so this is odd but incredible already.” Steve sounds sheepish and scratches the back of his neck. Careful not to touch the giant blond wig.
“Well then, I’ll just have to show you both how this is done. You’ll have an awesome time!” River looks even more enthusiastic now.
When the parade itself starts Steve and Bucky stick by each other's sides and dance provocatively while occasionally kissing each other's hands or cheeks.
They’re both having a blast and taking photos with whoever they can. In awe of just how many people are there to celebrate pride and how enthusiastic people are to see a drag version of Captain America and the Winter Soldier.
A few times they even sing together and gather a small crowd after getting to the festival. They spend more time just taking in all the people then looking at all the booths. Though Bucky sneaks away for a moment to buy Steve something, at the same time Steve does the same.
It’s nearly 8pm before they get back to the apartment and clean themselves up. “Did you see all of them, Bucky?” Steve’s voice breaks.
“Yeah I did, there were so many people, with all different sorts of flags but everyone was so happy. It was… magical.” Bucky’s voice wavers as he smiles. They both get out of their wigs and remove their makeup before taking turns showering.
“Steve, I got you something.” Bucky passes over a small brown paper bag with a hesitant look. “I hope you like it.”
With a surprised look Steve carefully opens the bag and smiles as he pulls out three different small pins. A tiny potion bottle that’s in the trans flag colors, a little snake with the asexual flag colors, and a grumpy looking cat in the aromantic colors.
Nearly immediately Steve lunges forward and hugs Bucky. “You’re incredible, thank you so much. I would say you don’t know how much this means to me but you know exactly how much it means.” There’s tears in Steve’s eyes as he gently presses a lingering kiss to Bucky’s forehead.
“That’s exactly why I did it. I thought you’d like a reminder that nothing's wrong with you, that there’s others just like you.” He kisses the back of Steve’s hand, and smiles at Steve like he’s his world.
Steve smiles sheepishly and pulls out another small paper bag and passes it to Bucky. “I had the same thought for you.”
Bucky just laughs as he opens the bag up. “Of course you did, my dear.” Steve blushes faintly at the pet name as Bucky pulls out two bracelets. Both are made out of leather strands braided together with a large metal bead secured in the middle with multi-colored bands. One is the pansexual flag, the other is the aromantic flat.
“This is perfect.” He looks at the bracelets with a fondness and slips them onto his metal wrist. “Giving me something to remind me that I’m not a freak and will distract me from my arm is just like you.”
“I was hoping you’d like it.” Steve smiles. “Though we should get back to the tower before the others start to worry.”
The two men put all of their drag stuff away and hide their pride paraphernalia into their pockets before heading back to the tower and avoiding the others.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
The next few weeks until the Supreme Court rules that gay marriage is legal are comical for the two. Sneaking off occasionally to perform as Jean Wilson and Betty Smith.
It’s going surprisingly well, and they're becoming experts at subtly deflecting while making it seem unintentional from conversations about LGBTQ+ rights. They can tell the team is becoming increasingly frustrated.
It’s also comical how they try and make sure neither of them see the photos of the drag Captain America and Winter Soldier. When gay marriage is declared everyone in the tower seems excited but refuses to tell Steve and Bucky why. Clearly putting off their explanation.
They have a silent celebration in the privacy of their secret apartment and then head out in their drag personas. Steve as Jean and Bucky as Betty. Though they do discuss the potential of getting married to one another, no conclusion is reached.
Three days later a press conference is scheduled for the Avengers. Thor is still off-world, however the others try to sit Steve and Bucky down to explain what it’s going to be about. They fail as Bucky and Steve work together to expertly steer the conversation away.
The panic in everyone else’s eyes is beautiful and sweet revenge. Everything is going according to plan. Now they just have to make sure they’re the ones to answer the first question about gay marriage, which shouldn’t be hard. After all, a drag version of the two have blown up online and conservatives will look to the men from the 40s to agree with them.
Upon the conference starting Steve takes immediate control. Gesturing at an old grouchy and unhappy looking man to see what his question is. “My question is specifically for Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes. What is your opinion on the recent Supreme Court ruling, especially as someone has been using your likeness to support that sort of thing the other week. Neither of you have given any comment on that so far.”
Steve smiles brightly and subtly removes the earpiece that the PR team is using to try and get him to say something appropriate with. Much to almost the whole team’s horror. Though they hide it well. Bucky does much the same.
“I speak for both Bucky and I when I say this. As a child who grew up in the 30s, during the height of what is now referred to as the pansy craze, I’m frankly horrified this hasn’t happened sooner.” Shock ripples across the crowd as Steve continues.
“I saw homosexual men and women perform in movies. For a few years there pansies, who you’d nowadays refer to as drag queens, ruled the stages across the world, technically it was illegal but that didn’t stop anyone. Not until the mid 30s when police cracked down on them.”
Bucky butts into Steve’s response. “When that happened Steve and I were pissed, after all running from the police was a pain and neither of us were about to stop performing drag.” The reporter who asked the question is growing increasingly red.
Steve just plows on, “though frankly back then neither of us could have imagined just how far LGBTQ+ folk would come. Even during the pansy craze it was more of don’t flaunt yourself and we’ll turn a blind eye. So to know that anyone can legally marry who they love is incredible and moving.”
“As to answer your question about the whole drag queen version of us, it was just so much fun. We knew pride was going to be incredible but to see how many people lit up at seeing us being obviously queer was incredible.” Bucky picks up where Steve had left off without pause and smiles at the man who is now turning purple and the looks of surprised joy in so many others faces.
Silence falls for a few moments before reporters start calling out questions and the rest of the team is too stunted to react so Steve calls on another reporter. “What are your thoughts on trans folk openly being in public spaces and changing their gender legally?” The young woman looks nervous as she asks this.
Steve smiles so softly and genuinely before answering. “It would be hypocritical of me to be anything but overjoyed that people can now do so legally. Especially after I forged my own papers so I could join the military.”
Tons of people call out asking if he’s trans. “Yes I first figured out that I’m a transvestite, though I suppose the modern term is transgender, at a very young age. I’m astounded at how far health care has come for folks like myself and my sisters. When Bucky and I first found out how far everything’s come we spent the night crying tears of joy.”
Bucky cuts in to elaborate. “To find out there’s terms for folk like me was incredible, I couldn’t have imagined as a kid that I’d ever have more than just, someone who likes men and women just the same. Steve and I have been floored these past few weeks with all the changes.”
In the resounding silence that settles for a few moments the angry looking man who asked the first question yells out, “You two can’t possibly actually be serious and support faggots!”
Bucky glares at the man and then turns to Steve with a nod, when he receives one back says firmly, “we’ve meant every word we’ve said.” Before proceeding to grab Steve’s chin and kiss resoundingly for nearly 10 seconds. “After all, it would be very hypocritical for my fiancé and I to not support LGBTQ+ rights.”
Steve stands up, grabs Bucky’s hand and walks backstage. Shuddering Steve hovers over a trashcan for a moment while Bucky grabs a water bottle. “Sorry, that guy just pissed me off enough with his comment that I had to prove him wrong.”
Taking a few sips of water after gaging Steve nods, “it’s fine, I nodded back for a reason, I knew your plan. I just forget how repulsive kissing is. Also glad we came to a conclusion about whether or not to marry.”
Pausing for a few moments before he responds, “I know it’s worse because of the work you had to do back then.”
“Can we not talk about my days as a prostitute? Yeah it kept me alive but I’d rather forget about that time.”
Neither of them head back out on stage just leaving the others to handle it. Sitting on the floor next to each other leaning on one another and holding hands.
•—————•—————•~•—————•—————•
When the press conference finally finished the rest of the team heads backstage and immediately zeros in on them both.
“Why didn’t you say anything about any of that beforehand?” Tony looks absolutely pissed but mostly confused and hurt.
“Because after we watched Mamma Mia we figured out that being gay is now legal and we’re pissed no one cared enough to tell us. None of you bothered to say a single word that we could walk down the street holding hands without fearing for our goddamn lives! That there was nothing wrong with us!” Steve is near tears and sounds so angry, Bucky just squeezes his hand and lets him continue.
“Do you know what it’s like to grow up in the 20s and 30s as a queer kid? It’s terrifying and you think you're a freak, that you're an abomination of god! That anyone could kill you for loving or living as yourself! And no one bothered to say a single word that we didn’t have to live in terror. So maybe it was fucked up we let you sweat a little thinking we had no clue about queer rights and were actually homophobic assholes but it seemed like the most tame revenge I could come up with.” Steve starts to cry as his tirade continues and Bucky just wraps his arms around him and glares at the team.
“Look I get where you’re coming from and that’s entirely fair but you weren’t the only ones scared. After all Nat’s a lesbian, I’m Bi, and Spidy is trans. So we were a bit worried about how two men from the 40s would react.” Tony’s voice is soft and almost pained. “It hadn’t even hit us to consider you might also be part of the community.”
“Wait really?” Bucky looks visibly surprised.
“Yeah you’re not the only LGBTQ+ members of the team,” is Bruce’s response.