𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐄𝐃 ✧ MARVEL

vi.

𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫

𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

"Are they late again? " she asked, tapping her foot.

"Relax, he said they'll be here in 5." I saw that she looked a little nervous.

"This is going to work, Nat." I gave her a reassuring nod, or at least I tried to.

"I know it is. Because I don't know what I'm going to do if it doesn't." She moved closer to me. "Okay, I'm probably going to act weird but just go with it." I nodded. I saw Steve and Wanda walk in, looking for us. She put her hand on my shoulder. "Flirt with me."

"What do you me-" They came closer.

"Just do it. Say anything."

"That color looks nice on you," I said, attempting a smile.

"Well, I know it's your favorite," she said, smirking.

"Hey, guys!" Steve said. Nat and I were still faking laughter as they stood in front of us. Wanda looked a bit suspicious, and Steve had a playfully confused look.

"Hey," Nat said, putting her other hand on my chest.

"Is there something....happening...here?" Steve asked.

"Well, it was meant to be a surprise, but I guess you figured it out," I said.

"Your suspicions are true, James and I are a couple." Nat smiled, leaning into me.

"How long?" Steve asked.

"About two weeks," I answered. "How have things been going with you?"

"Good, we're happy and all," Wanda said.

"So are we," Nat said. She pulled me in to kiss me. She ended it after a few seconds, then pat my suit down. "Right then," she mumbled. "Who's up for dancing?"

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𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

Steve and Wanda were still dancing when I grabbed Bucky's arm and dragged him outside.

"W-What are you doing?" he asked.

"One more thing. Kiss me."

"Again? You don't think there's been enough?"

"Of course I do, but this should put it over the line."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Just..put your hands around my waist." I put mine on his shoulders. I turned to see Steve and Wanda coming closer to the front door. "Now." I kissed him as they walked out. They almost passed us but stopped when they saw us. Steve cleared his throat, and I moved away from Bucky, placing my hands on his chest.

"Oh, sorry about that, you know, new relationship," I said with a smile.

"Uh-huh," Steve said. "Well, look, uh, we're going to get going, I guess we'll see you soon." Wanda waved as they walked to their car and drove off.

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𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

When Natasha looked back at me she looked distraught. I saw tears form in her eyes.

"God, I'm horrible," she said, choking back tears. I put my hands on her arms.

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am. I don't deserve Steve." Her tears fell. "After Bruce, now lying to and tricking him, and Wanda, she's been nothing but kind since she arrived here, she doesn't deserve this treatment. Neither do you, you've never done anything wrong and I dragged you into this. I made up this horrible fucking idea to break up my two happy friends. I'm so fucking selfish. At least you have a chance with Wanda."

"All of us have fucked up at some point, you're not the only one. And don't you think Wanda and Steve will hate us both if they found out about this?" I began to cry.

"We blew it, Buck. We screwed up."

"Well aren't we perfect together," I said dryly. She laughed a little.

"None of this has to do with you. If the plan did work, and they break up, go with Wanda, please. You deserve it."

"The plan was for all four of us to be happy. I would be miserable keeping this from Wanda, and I wouldn't want to be with her knowing you and Steve hate each other."

"I could never hate him." she choked on her words as she cried more. I pulled her into a hug and we just stood there for a while, letting out some of our guilt in tears.

"Do you want me to drive you home?" I asked.

"If you want. I'll take an Uber if yo-"

"It's no problem."

"Well at least if we lose them, we have each other."

"Yeah, we can be miserable together."

"I look forward to it."

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𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕:

The minute Bucky dropped me off at home I knew I didn't want to be alone. I wasn't going to call him, though, I'd caused him enough pain for a lifetime. It took me a few minutes before it hit me.

Clint.

I got in my car and drove straight to his house. I knocked on the door. He opened it, looking tired and confused. I wondered why then I checked my phone. 12:43 am.

"Nat? What are yo-"

"Shit, Clint, I didn't see the time, I'll come back lat-"

"No, no it's fine. Come in." The minute I walked in I started bawling. "What's wrong?" We sat on his couch, and he put a pillow on his lap, allowing me to lay down.

I told him everything, all the plans, ideas, who loved who, for how long, and telling him made me feel a little bit better.

"Wow," he said.

"I know."

"You're not bad people, neither of you are. Both of you are in love, and I know it's cliché, but love makes you do crazy things."

"I wouldn't call it love, not for me at least. I don't know, I just got this feeling, and I don't know why I have it. Steve's my best friend. Nothing more than that. It started off as a crush back in high school but otherwise nothing....nothing for years. I didn't feel this way when he dated Sharon."

"That's because we all knew they never had a chance. He and Wanda, it sounds like they could stick together for a while...well...not anymore."

"You think this will work?"

"Of course it will."

"I just want to know why I'm feeling this when I didn't before. I never have. When he told me about Peggy, Sharon...I just didn't feel it until now."

"Because now you feel like you can lose him."

"Meaning?"

"You don't know you love someone until you lose them."

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