Rectify | Bucky Barnes

Chapter Twenty-Two

Music booms downstairs and vibrates the floor slightly. I don't feel like going to the party because there's much more going on that needs attention, like Tony trying to create an all-powerful artificial intelligence program that will affect the entire world. But I guess that's on the backburner for him tonight. 

I had avoided the lab like Bruce wanted me to today and I haven't been able to talk to him yet. Hopefully the party is short lived and people leave early so I can discuss things with him. Although I have a feeling that Tony's parties are anything but short and uneventful. 

It has also become quite evident that some of the wardrobe my room was stocked with is likely to be from women attending parties just like this one. The bottom left drawer of the dresser was full of clothes, unfolded, and probably shoved in there hastily. Luckily, the women these clothes belonged to were close enough to my size that I was able to figure something out; though it's not my preferred style.

I put the earrings that I found on and fix my hair one last time before walking out of my en suite. I put on a pair of black suede ankle boots with a tall chunky heel, also courtesy of the drawer, and try to wiggle my toes. Obviously whoever these shoes belonged to had smaller feet than me, but I'll have to make it work for the night. I take one last look around the room before I walk out to make sure everything is in place. I lock the door from the inside as I step out into the hall, I don't need anybody snooping around tonight. 

Filled with dread, I step onto the elevator and make my way to the main floor where everyone is. Thankfully this building is quite spacious, otherwise I don't think this many people could've fit. The lights are dim, the music is loud. I step into the crowd and try to find the bar, it's going to be the only way I get through this night. 

"Vodka cran please." I yell over the music to the bartender. I turn my back to the bar and look for a familiar face. As I anticipated from Tony, there are a lot of women here, beautiful women. I look at some of them, admiring their outfits and getting sidetracked. 

The bartender taps my shoulder and hands me the drink, snapping me out of my admiration. I grab the glass and take a quick drink, starting to maneuver through the crowd. This feels like a nightclub instead of the building I've been living in for the past two weeks. People are dancing on each other as I push through trying to find Bruce, Steve, or Bucky. 

I look left to right and finally spot Steve and Bucky. I feel my heart drop to my stomach as I realize what's going on. I should've ordered two drinks. I finish my first and turn around to get another as quickly as possible. As if anything could've made this party less tolerable. 

The bartender is quick to get my second drink to me, and I down it with ease. I guess I could use another. With my third drink in hand I make my way back over to Steve and Bucky. I slide past people enjoying themselves, knowing I will likely not be enjoying much of anything tonight. Just as when I went back for my second drink, Steve and Bucky are sitting on a long couch away from the main crowd, Bucky with his arm around a slender blonde woman who looks like she just stepped off the runway.

I take another sip of my drink before making my way over to them. Steve sees me first and his eyes widen, 

"Adalyn, I was starting to think you weren't going to show up." He smiles. I smile back as I sit next to him and cross my legs, leaning back on the couch. 

"Trust me I thought about skipping." I say and observe the crowd as I pace myself on my drinks, I don't need a repeat of when Bucky and I went to the bar. Thankfully Steve is tall enough to shield my vision from Bucky and his lady friend. 

"It'll be fun." Steve says to me, I look at him doubtfully. 

"We'll see about that." I say as the crowd suddenly goes wild. I try to see what the commotion is about, and see a tall blonde-haired man walk through the crowd. My jaw almost drops, it's Thor. He flashes the crowd a bright white smile and waves, signature hammer in hand. He spots Steve and waves before making his way to us through the sea of women who surround him. I take another drink as he sets his hammer down on the glass accent table in front of us.