InsaneJournal

Who: Harry McGlade and Bucky Barnes
What: Swapping drink tips
When: 9/15
Where: A liquor store in Huntington Beach
Rating: PG for Harry
Status: Complete



Bucky was still smiling after his text from Jean Spangler that morning. She wanted to see him again. He wasn’t entirely sure what he’d done to charm her, but thank God he had! She was funny and smart and had legs for ten years, and he really wanted to impress her. So, just in case, he was browsing the liquor store, wanting to lay in something nice for her instead of his usual boxed wine and crappy off-brand whiskey.

Whistling as he walked up and down the aisles, Harry McGlade was in good spirits. He had on his lucky blue Hawaiian shirt, his brown corduroy suit wasn’t too dirty to wear again, and he was getting the fixings for rum punch. Which meant that he needed lots of vodka.

Bucky heard whistling as he checked the aisles for good whiskey, but he hadn’t expected it to come up so soon. He accidentally clipped the shoulder of a short guy as he headed past. “Sorry about that. Hey.” As long as he had the guy’s attention. “Do you have any idea where the decent whiskey is?”

“No problem, and uh, lemme see.” Harry turned his cart around after neatly snagging some lemon sorbet flavored vodka. “Here we go.” He pointed out the nice bottles. “I’ve got company over, so I’m going for the cheap stuff. I’m already paying them to hang out with me, right?”

He was a little thrown by the guy’s honesty, but Bucky decided it was funny, and laughed. “Yeah, I suppose. I might have an actual girl - I mean. Not one I paid. Anyway. She might come over and I don’t want her to see the boxed wine.”

“Oh? Do you know what kind of drinks she likes? I have this theory - you can tell a lot about a girl by what her drink is.” Harry ran his fingers through his blonde hair, sending the slightly greasy locks askew.

“Not sure,” Bucky shook his head. “We went for a burger and beer, so I didn’t figure out much about her that way. But she’s gorgeous ... kind of retro looking.”

“So if she’s a classic girl, she’ll like classic romance. Makes it easier on you, though - you know you can just get flowers and chocolates and things. It’s awful when you have guess what they want because they’re trying so hard to be quirky.” Harry wrinkled his nose.

“I don’t know.” Bucky shook his head. “Jean doesn’t seem like the type to be satisfied with chocolates.” He smiled a little, sticking out his hand. “I’m Bucky, by the way. James, but nobody calls me that but my ma and sister.”

“Harry, but everyone calls me McGlade.” He shook the other man’s hand. “Good to meet you, Bucky. And it sounds like you have a little bit of a crush.”

“Might be a little too early to tell with that. Only met her a week or so ago.” Bucky smiled a little. “She works at my new job.”

“Oooh, that’s a daring thing, workplace dating. Does your boss let you?” He blinked a little, shifting his weight. This was why he preferred to pay for dates.

“Hasn’t come up yet.” Bucky was fairly convinced he’d sneak around at least for a few dates, if Miss Yuriko said no. “The lady that runs the club has been a little preoccupied; her fiance is in the hospital.”

Harry arched a brow. “That illness going around? It’s awful.”

“So I hear. Been lucky so far.” Bucky knocked on his forehead as if to ‘knock wood.’ “I’m honestly surprised. I have three part time jobs, I’m around enough people to contract anything and everything. What about you?”

“Nope, I’m fine, and I’ve slept with two different girls this week. I’m lucky.” Harry shrugged and added another bottle of whipped cream vodka to his cart.

“Hence the girly drinks?” He wasn’t going to judge anyone on their sex life, but he’d damn well do it on their drink choice.

“Yeah, that’s not so much for me. I’m more of a regular vodka and OJ kinda guy. At least around them, since I’m hiding the good stuff.” Harry grinned, shrugging a little. “It’s girlie, but still acceptable.”

“Screwdrivers. Good choice. I know we just met, but I’m obligated to make fun of a guy who drinks froufy vodka drinks in his own home.” Bucky tried to joke, hoping it was successful.

“Oh, no. Well. If one of the girls wants to feed me one or something, maybe, but that’s about it.” He wrinkled his nose. “Not on purpose.”

“Good man.” Bucky smiled. “Though sometimes ladies will surprise you. Had my first whiskey and soda with my first girlfriend.”

“Why did you ruin whiskey with soda?” Harry blinked. “That’s just cruel.”

“It wasn’t good whiskey. The good stuff I drink on the rocks.” Bucky laughed. “Promise, not going to screw up Macallan with soda water.”

“Oh, thank god.” Harry laughed, a hand on his chest. “You almost scared me.”

“As God is my witness.” Bucky held his hand up, scout’s honor. Though it did make him think. “I should get soda water in case she was gin. There are things soda’s good with. Just not the purest good whiskey.”

“Gin’s just gas in disguise as far as I’m concerned.” Harry shook his head. “It’s gross.”

“Well, you know that, and I know that, but I don’t think Jean does.” Bucky laughed. “She’s ... ” He tried to find the word. “Classy.”

Harry shook his head. “Classy’s code for dangerous, they’re easy to fall for and easy to get dumped by.” He spoke from experience; Irene was classy too.

“Uh oh, that sounds like experience.” Bucky wasn’t even teasing. He folded his arms. “I hope she didn’t hurt you too bad?”

“Only every day,” Harry smiled. It was a fond one, though, and he couldn’t help himself.

“Ouch.” Bucky winced. “Can’t get out of her orbit?”

“I go every day to see her on purpose.” Harry ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. “I leave stuff in her morgue just so she’ll yell at me.” He wasn’t normally so free with this side of himself, but it seemed like he could trust this guy.

“In her morgue?” Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, she’s a coroner. It’s the only place I know she’ll always be.” Harry chuckled. “She’s perfect.”

“Oh, I guess that makes more sense.” Bucky had to laugh, but he couldn’t help but wince when McGlade looked all sappy happy. “Look, I mean. We just met, but didn’t you say she doesn’t like you?”

“Not really. I mean, not like that.” McGlade shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not a big deal, really.”

“She doesn’t really not like you?” Bucky let his eyes cross, just for effect and to make the guy laugh.

“We’re sort of reluctant friends. She doesn’t like like me.” Oh, god, Harry McGlade has just brought it back to grade school.

Bucky couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh, jeez. Do you know you’re back in high school, fella?” He was amused, but also felt sort of sorry for the guy.

“Yeah, she does that to me. I can’t help it.” He laughed, but then shook himself. “You know what? I have strippers coming over, I should be happy.”

“True.” Hell, he’d be happy if strippers were coming to his place, never mind Jean.
“Well, I’ve got to get to checking out. Like I said, strippers. Six of them. I’m going to be up late, I should get a nap in. I swear, it’s like you get the whipped cream vodka in ‘em and they’re tireless.”

“Yeah?” Bucky couldn’t help but be amused. “If I’m ever in need of a way to keep strippers entertained and moving, I’ll remember. But thanks for pointing me to the good stuff. Hopefully Jean’ll appreciate it.” If she ever got to his place. Maybe. One could hope.

“If she’s as stupid about you as you are about her - stupid with hope and all excited like - you’ll do just fine. Here.” Harry fished around in his pockets for a business card, handing one over. “Call me, we’ll get drinks sometime.”

“Sounds good.” Bucky took it, sketching a half-salute. “Good to meet you.”