Characters: Steve Rogers, reader, Happy Hogan, Bucky Barnes, Ava Barnes(oc), Jerry (oc)

Summary: Being on the road with your favorite band was a dream come true, but your job as a roadie still had its challenges. Especially as you did your best to reign in your crush on a certain handsome lead guitarist, Steve Rogers. When an impromptu private guitar lesson looks like it might turn into more, you have to decide if it's worth taking the leap and risking it all.

Song Inspiration: "Simple Man" by Lynard Skynard

Word Count: 3.3k

Warnings: none! Maybe mild language.

A/N: Ahhh!! I'm excited, you guys!! So, this mini series takes place in the same world as my rockstar!Bucky fic "Faithfully", but they can be read separately. Steve is soooo adorable and hot and swoon-worthy, gah!! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!! Any feedback is appreciated. I adore you all!! <3

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"Alright. Opening band is on their last song, so prepare for stage changes," you heard the tour manager squawk in your radio's headset.

"Roger. On my way," you replied, heading toward stage left to orchestrate the change.

Mouthing the words to a song you had now heard hundreds of times, you weaved between large black trunks on wheels that would hold equipment at the end of the string of three shows in a row. It was nice to stay in one city longer than a night sometimes. Everything backstage had to be choreographed like a perfect dance in order for the show to run as it should. It was intense but also thrilling to be part of such a huge tour.

Reaching your position, you tucked a hand in your pocket for the guitar pick that now lived there and rubbed it between two fingers. Memories floated through your mind before you shook them off and straightened up, focusing on the job. The setup for the opening act was no big deal, since you had hours before the show to prepare. It was the prep for the big act that still gave you butterflies. God, you loved this job.

"Y/N," a male voice caught your attention. It was the tour manager, Happy, but in person this time. "Hey. Toby's sick so I need you to man the guitars tonight," he told you, distractedly.

"I—really? Okay," you agreed, suddenly nervous.

Being in charge of handing the lead guitarist, bassists, and sometimes the lead singer, their instruments during the show could be nerve-wracking, but you knew the set list and each artist's preferences well enough by now. That part wasn't what was making you nervous. It was the fact that this position meant being in close proximity to Steve Rogers, the lead guitarist of the highly popular rock and roll band, Howling Buchanan.

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After graduating from college, you went through the motions of searching for a job but your heart wasn't in it. You now regretted following the advice from your mom about majoring in something "safe and marketable" because now you couldn't stomach the thought of having that sort of job for the rest of your life.

The true highlight of your college experience was working at a music venue in your hometown most nights and on the weekends. Music was a huge part of your life so making money while hearing some of the best up and coming bands was absolute heaven. You tracked some of the bands as they gained notoriety and on occasion got picked up by record labels. One of your favorites was a band called Howling Buchanan that was lead by frontman Bucky Barnes.

Not long after hearing them at your small venue, they finally got to release an album and go out on tour. You caught their concerts as often as possible and one show that turned out to be truly incredible was in St. Louis. The band played fantastically and you spent the night scream-singing your lungs out to every word, having the time of your life. And then something unusual happened. The lead singer, Bucky, said he wanted to do something different and mentioned his wife and daughter specifically before directing the spotlight to his lead guitarist, Steve, who was actually sitting at a keyboard instead, and he began to play a familiar song.

As Bucky put his whole heart into singing a cover of Journey's "Faithfully", you could hear the raw emotion in every note. Chills erupted on your skin and as people raised their lit up cell phones and began to sway to the ballad, you knew you'd never be the same.

Having experienced their show several times before, you knew their set was officially over and "Faithfully" was something unexpected. After that song, the band exited the stage and the crowd went wild, crying out for an encore. The applause and screaming was deafening as everyone waited in anticipation for the band to return to the stage. Time stretched on and suddenly, people stopped clapping in confusion.

Finally, you spotted the bassist, drummer and lead guitarist, Steve, but...no Bucky. The crowd went wild, waiting for the long-haired, handsome singer to arrive, but instead you witnessed the other band members huddle in the middle of the stage for a moment before approaching their instruments. Steve strapped on his guitar, but instead of staying on the left side of the stage, he approached the center mic always used by Bucky. The crowd quieted then, hoping to hear an explanation.

"St. Louis!" the blond guitarist bellowed into the mic. "Thank you for that standing ovation, we really appreciate it. You've all been a fantastic crowd. Um...unfortunately, Bucky had a family emergency to attend to but we didn't want to leave you all hanging after being so amazing. So we're gonna do a different sort of Encore. I hope you like it."

A little wary, the crowd offered a polite applause as Steve adjusted his guitar strap and began to play. He plucked individual notes as you searched your mind for the song's name when the drums burst in. Having moved the keyboard next to his mic, Steve then played a progression of chords on the black and white keys before he began to sing.

"Here we stand, worlds apart.

Hearts broken in two, two, two.

Sleepless nights, Losing ground.

I'm reaching for you, you, you.

Feelin' that it's gone can change your mind

If we can't go on

Survive the tide, love divides."

Remembrance struck your heart and mind as the song came to you. Another Journey song, this one called "Separate Ways". A real tear-jerker. As Steve broke into the chorus, he closed his eyes and let the music flow through him, seeming to put emotion into every lyric.

"Someday love will find you

Break those chains that bind you

One night will remind you

How we touched

And went our separate ways.

If he ever hurts you

True love won't desert you

You know I still love you

Though we touched

And went our separate ways."

The crowd was seriously into it, dancing around to the heavy beat but you seemed to be the only one hearing the lyrics and seeing the anguish on the guitarist's handsome face as he sang them. Steve's voice wasn't as powerful or growl-like as Bucky's but it was earnest and beautiful. As the song came to a close, he thanked the crowd and also the band for following his lead at such short notice.

That show stuck with you and when a few weeks later you heard through ties you still had in the industry that there was an opening in Howling Buchanan roadie crew, you thankfully were able to contact the right people and get the job.

Your mom was less than pleased that your first job post-graduation had nothing to do with your degree and in fact, it involved "following a rock band around the country", but you couldn't care less. This was your dream and after packing your bags, you joined them at the next tour city and never looked back.

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After spending months on tour with the band, you knew that it was a stroke of luck to find this job at the perfect time. This tour was different from most, being dubbed a "sober and family-friendly environment", which at first glance may seem like the antithesis for a touring rock and roll band, but it was true. From what you gathered, one or more of the band members had substance abuse troubles in the past and in order to support them, Bucky and Steve decided to create a way for everyone to stay in the band without temptation.

And when Bucky's wife gave birth to a baby girl, he couldn't bear being apart from them, so he was all the more determined to allow his rock and roll lifestyle to include his family. It wasn't meant to dictate the lives of everyone on the tour at all times, but when even the crew was on duty or at the venue, there were no drugs or alcohol allowed. What people did elsewhere was their business, but if any of that behavior affected the job then they were cut.

In fact, you were able to fill that job opening only because someone else had broken the rules and it resulted in them missing a safety check. Luckily, no one was hurt but it could have been a bad situation. Their loss was your gain.

Now, almost a year into the job, you couldn't imagine living your life any differently. You got to see so many amazing places, from bustling cities to small towns and everything in between. It wasn't all sunshine and roses. You had to admit you felt homesick every once in a while, but there were times when the band was off the road for a few weeks, or maybe a month on occasion. You got to go home during those times.

On the whole, being on the road was the most fun you'd ever had. The band and crew became almost family. Although, many had families of their own and along with Bucky, they brought theirs on the road when possible. You hadn't had a steady relationship in a while, but it didn't bother you. Life was busy and some guys just couldn't handle you being away so much. Every once in a while someone would catch your eye and there would be flirting or more, but it was short-lived and superficial. Not what you wanted too much of in your life. Too messy.

And then there was Steve. The Howling Buchanan lead guitarist was a bit of a lone wolf. That wasn't always the case, but you had heard snippets of his story. The one where he had a girlfriend back home and things were still good for a while but as the band got more popular and he spent more time on tour, she couldn't handle it. One rumor said she broke it off, another claimed he caught her with someone else. No one knew for sure, but apparently the big breakup happened just before that fateful St. Louis show that changed your life. His rendition of "Separate Ways" was so incredible for a reason. He was heartbroken.

Since then, Steve seemed to never really try with relationships. He was an incredibly sweet, adorable, talented man who was also a super hot rockstar with the body of a god. On stage, Steve wore a pair of jeans that fit him beautifully and a snug short-sleeved t-shirt that showed every sculpted muscle. Lately, he had let his butterscotch locks grow out a bit and his formerly clean-shaven face now sported a swoon-worthy, trimmed beard. No one could blame his fangirls for trying to get his attention after every show, but he would always sign a few autographs and then disappear onto the bus alone.

No one could blame you either for developing a crush of your own on Steve. You were only human, but you were determined to remain professional and not let the mostly-male crew know that. Steve was courteous and friendly toward you, just as he was to everyone else, but you couldn't help your heart from skipping a beat whenever his handsome half-smile was directed at you.

Time on the road was funny. There were burst of craziness and stress, but then there were times when there was a string of shows in the same city, so once the initial set-up was done, you actually had downtime. And you had no idea what to do with yourself. Depending on where in the country you were, there might be some sights to see but if not, then you recently decided to develop a skill or hobby to pass the time. You had settled on learning the guitar, given your love of music, but the instrument was definitely a challenge.

Which is how you found yourself tucked into the corner of a room at the venue with a guitar in your hands. Having looked up the chords online for one particular song, you also had one earbud in order to hear how the song should sound as you clumsily plucked at the strings. Pausing the song, you followed the notes on your phone's screen, running through the progression a few times before you felt like you were getting the hang of it. Until the door burst open and you nearly dropped the guitar in surprise.

"Oh! Hey, Y/N," Steve greeted, then smiling at your startled expression. "Sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here. I just came to get my capo."

Smiling nervously, you tried to compose yourself. "Hey, I, um...sorry, I shouldn't be in here, I just...my guitar string broke and I thought I could borrow one of yours for a little while. I thought you'd be gone with the rest of the band for the afternoon, so..."

"It's no problem," he assured you, taking a few steps forward. "We finished rehearsal early, since Ava wanted her daddy and Bucky can't say no to her."

Steve chuckled at the softie his best friend had become and you joined him, cheeks warming at the proximity to the man in a small room full of guitars.

"She definitely has him wrapped around her finger," you admitted.

Steve nodded with a grin and then took a seat on a chair across from you, much to your surprise. "So, what are you working on?"

"Oh, um..." you stammered a moment before lifting your phone screen to show the man.

"Lynard Skynard, huh? Respectable choice," he nodded, then scrolling through the guitar chords on the phone in your hands. "Huh. I know these people online try their best, but I'm not sure this website is going to be as helpful as you'd hope. Show me what you've got," Steve requested, tilting his chin toward the guitar you held, which happened to be his.

Feeling on the spot, you nervously took a deep breath and pressed your fingers on the correct strings on the fret board and then plucked the opening notes to "Simple Man". You got through a few slow, repeating measures of the song before you stumbled, then letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I'm working on it," you admitted sheepishly, pressing your sore fingertips into your thigh.

Steve smiled encouragingly, leaning forward in his seat. "No, you've got it. There's a lot of arpeggio, which isn't easy, but you're getting there. You're plucking individual strings instead of strumming and it takes a bit more brain power that way. Just takes practice. I might suggest a different guitar, though..." he trailed off, glancing around the room in search of something.

"I know, I'm sorry to borrow, but my crappy secondhand 6-string needs new strings, so," you shrugged, but Steve had already found the beat up guitar case he was looking for and laid it on the floor, giving you a magnificent view of his backside. Your gaze darted away, trying not to ogle.

"No, seriously, it's fine. Instruments are meant to be played. I just mean that the particular guitar you're holding has brand new strings and much higher action, so it'll hurt your fingers more than usual," he explained, settling back into his chair and taking the guitar from you and switching it for the other.

"Action?" you asked.

"It means how close the strings are to the fretboard. If the action is higher, then you have to press harder to get the sound you want. Plus new, stiff strings equal a lot more pain," he grimaced upon seeing your bright red fingertips. "Until you develop the calluses needed, playing will continue to hurt. All you can do is keep practicing, but this guitar will help. I played that all through high school and during our first few big shows. I still love to play it sometimes. It has a nice, warm sound. Try it out."

With the 6-stringed acoustic instrument resting on your right thigh, you bent over and placed your fingers on the strings to strum a G chord, followed by E and then D.

"Wow," you breathed out as you gave Steve a bright smile, which he returned.

"Right? It's not much to look at compared to this Les Paul, but it doesn't have to look pretty to sound good," Steve grinned proudly. "Try your song again."

Taking a deep breath you started again, slowly to get your fingers to cooperate. One run through the opening of the song and Steve nodded, then joined you, the perfect sound and urging tempo putting you to shame. He offered encouraging words and after a few minutes, you were playing it almost at the speed the song required.

"Nice!" he exclaimed as you finally gave your fingers a rest.

"You make that look way too easy," you shook your head with a smile.

He offered a humble shrug. "Like I said...practice. You're almost there, though. I like your concentration face, your tongue sticking out a bit. It's cute," he teased, his knee brushing yours as you squirmed at the compliment.

"Not cute," you tried to hide your smile with a frown. "I look like I'm doing long division."

Steve barked out a laugh at that, causing your heart to flutter in your chest. He was so damn handsome. "Still cute. Let me look at the rest of that song, see if I can—"

"Hey, Steve, they need you out th—oh," Bucky burst into the room and then saw the two of you, heads only inches apart. "Sorry, I didn't know you were both in here."

"It's my fault, I—" you spoke up.

"No, I interrupted her practice with a few tips," Steve piped in. "What's up, Buck?"

Bucky let out a slow grin, his gaze flickering between the two of you. "Riiiggghhhtt. Okay. We need you out here for the photoshoot, punk."

"Damn, I forgot," Steve stood suddenly. "I'll be right there."

As Bucky left the room, you stood as well and went to hand the guitar to Steve but he gently pressed a hand against yours. "Why don't you keep it for me. Go ahead and practice. I'll get it from you later," he said with that gorgeous half-smile that made you breathless.

"Okay. Well...thank you. Smile pretty for the camera," you said with a nerdy huff of laughter.

Luckily, Steve laughed along with you, offering a mock salute before leaving the room. Collapsing on the chair, you sat in disbelief that the last half hour had happened. A personal guitar lesson from an actual rockstar. Who was also the kindest and most handsome man you'd ever met. Your heart could barely handle it.

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Two nights later, you were done packing up after a great show and everyone was piling onto vehicles heading for the next city. Tossing your bags into the back of a van, you were about the hop in when a voice called out to you.

"Y/N!" you heard Steve shout from the doorway of one of the tour buses reserved for the band. "Why don't you ride with us? Bring that guitar with you," he urged with a smile before ducking inside.

Shocked, you blinked a moment and then opened the back door to the van.

"Wait a minute, you're leaving us?" Jerry asked you, sounding offended. "It's your turn to drive."

Hauling your duffle over your shoulder with the guitar in your other hand, you shrugged. "Let's see, a van full of smelly, unwashed dude-bros who are gonna drink and tell gross stories I've heard a thousand times, or ride with the band in the nice, clean, fancy tour bus..." you squinted, pretending to actually consider it. "Hell yes!"

You offered a wide smile and a finger wave at the boys as you headed for the bus and climbed in. 

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Part 2 coming>>>

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Y'alllllll i am L I V I N G for handsome rockstar Steve Rogers!!! I hope you are too!! I would kill to get a private guitar lesson with him. ;) *swoon* And I seriously know the pain of learning the guitar. I've played on and off for years and my fingertips HURT cause I don't play often enough. heh. It's so much fun, though. For those of you who have read Faithfully, did you pick up on the little mentions? Are you excited for part 2?? I hope so! Please let me know your thoughts and thank you for reading! Love you all!! 

https://youtu.be/UfJQ6yveYH0