(This started as a joke but now I actually want it. Going off the assumption that Steve visited Bucky before Infinity War.)
Steve and Bucky are having a long distance relationship between CW and IW. They enjoy getting off together via phone and chat, but when Steve visits Wakanda and they try to have sex in person for the first time since the 40s, things get a little weird. Bucky seems off during sex and the reasons are revealed in one of two ways:
1)Bucky full on starts thinking Steve is someone else and says and does things he wouldn't do with Steve. 2)Bucky is clearly freaked out but trying to hide it. (He thinks he's great at hiding his emotions during sex because he's used to having sex when he's upset and having his partner ignore it.)
During Winter Soldier times, a series of Hydra handlers had "relationships" with Bucky to improve his effectiveness and loyalty. Always confused about his identity and relationships, he'd fall quickly for guys who had a certain combination of mannerisms, personality traits, and sexual tastes (carefully calibrated based on what Bucky responded to, and intentionally or unintentionally resembling Steve). He was protective of them, put aside his discomfort to make them happy, and took their word for it on things he couldn't remember or judge for himself.
Now he's pretty messed up about the whole thing, since it's trippy to look back and realize that you had a lot of relationships and sex with actors pretending to like you and pretending to be your type. He didn't have trouble when he and Steve were flirting over WhatsApp, but bodies are somehow more confusing, and sometimes he just "slips" when they're in bed together, expecting the guy to turn over and be someone else, or even suffering from pathological uncertainty that he can really be sure this is Steve and he's not just confused.
Cue Steve experimenting with drastic changes to his appearance to distinguish himself from the series of Steve imitators.
(Confession: I want to write this myself, but I'd be very happy if someone else wanted to write it too.)
Why Steve Has a Beard
Steve and Bucky are having a long distance relationship between CW and IW. They enjoy getting off together via phone and chat, but when Steve visits Wakanda and they try to have sex in person for the first time since the 40s, things get a little weird. Bucky seems off during sex and the reasons are revealed in one of two ways:
1)Bucky full on starts thinking Steve is someone else and says and does things he wouldn't do with Steve.
2)Bucky is clearly freaked out but trying to hide it. (He thinks he's great at hiding his emotions during sex because he's used to having sex when he's upset and having his partner ignore it.)
During Winter Soldier times, a series of Hydra handlers had "relationships" with Bucky to improve his effectiveness and loyalty. Always confused about his identity and relationships, he'd fall quickly for guys who had a certain combination of mannerisms, personality traits, and sexual tastes (carefully calibrated based on what Bucky responded to, and intentionally or unintentionally resembling Steve). He was protective of them, put aside his discomfort to make them happy, and took their word for it on things he couldn't remember or judge for himself.
Now he's pretty messed up about the whole thing, since it's trippy to look back and realize that you had a lot of relationships and sex with actors pretending to like you and pretending to be your type. He didn't have trouble when he and Steve were flirting over WhatsApp, but bodies are somehow more confusing, and sometimes he just "slips" when they're in bed together, expecting the guy to turn over and be someone else, or even suffering from pathological uncertainty that he can really be sure this is Steve and he's not just confused.
Cue Steve experimenting with drastic changes to his appearance to distinguish himself from the series of Steve imitators.
(Confession: I want to write this myself, but I'd be very happy if someone else wanted to write it too.)