Take It Back - Bucky x Reader

I keep dancing on my own

They sat there for a few minutes on the couch, squirming occasionally.

Bucky swirled the cup of water in his hand that had been given to him.

"Are you going to talk?" Steve asked hoarsely. "You seemed to have had so much to say."

Bucky looked at his best friend and Steve could see how tired he was.

He could tell how much this whole situation was having a toll over him.

"Steve, you're my best friend," Bucky sighed.

Steve played with his own glass as he looked away from his friend, sad.

"I met her the same day you did," Bucky started softly. "I need you to believe me that when I tell you that my intentions with her from the start was never to win her over, it's true. I wasn't interested in her like that," Bucky watched as Steve inhaled deeply, "I wanted her for you, we all did," Steve moved in his seat, resting both his elbows on his knees, "but we know how she wasn't ready for a relationship. Me and you both know that wasn't a facade. She wasn't ready. After we became best friends, you were right - I got too close," Steve's eyes flicked up at that and he gulped, "But it didn't help that Ashlyn was never there for me anymore," Steves eyes fell slowly off Bucky's face, "It wasn't like I wasn't trying to make it work between me and Ash. Hell, I even offered to go away with her on her work trips, but she kept pushing me away." Steve's eyes furrowed together, "I tried so hard to make it work. But it was almost like she was pushing me away. And by doing that, I ended up staying by Y/N's side more," Steve's breath hitched and Bucky ran a hand down his face, "We got close, and she became a saving ground for me. By the time I realized how I felt, it was too late. I didn't want to be that man, you have to believe me, I didn't want to cheat on my wife-"

Steve's head snapped up.

"Then why did you?"

Bucky's eyes didn't falter from him as he responded, "Because she got into my heart, man. I wanted to do it right, I wanted to tell Y/N how I felt and then later tell Ashlyn everything. I didn't expect that night to happen - for any of it to happen— and shit," Steve's eyes softened, "I know its hard for you to hear, but it did happen. It just felt so right, like it was something that was supposed to happen. And I know it's god awful, because I was getting married, but you need to understand the position I was in," Bucky's eyes were pleading. "I was so in love with her."

Steve stared at Bucky with a thoughtful face before looking back down at his glass. He ran his finger across the top of the rim.

"You love her?"

Bucky nodded slowly, "I do. And I know you felt the same," Bucky ticked his tongue, "but fuck...everything just felt so right with her. So correct. It did kill me knowing what I did to Ashlyn and to you, but fuck, it's like loving Y/N makes it all so much easier to accept."

Steve thinks for a second, and it's like he has a change of heart as his eyes soften significantly so.

"Look, I don't know what happened between you and Y/N. She didn't give me details, but please believe her when she says she didn't mean to make you think she lead you on, or that she doesn't care about you. None of this is black and white, there's too many grays. We can't take any of this at face value. We just need to all sit down and talk about it. We don't want to leave this a mess."

Steve chuckled.

"We."

Bucky narrows his eyes together on confusion.

"What?"

"We. You keep saying we. You and her; we."

They share a look of understanding and Bucky leans over to place his cup on the coffee table.