A/N: Some of the pictures in this and the next chapter might not fit together perfectly but I really suck at describing surroundings and places and they're a help to show you what I was thinking of. I hope you enjoy what's to come and all the sweetness I tried to put in this chapter :)
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Bucky lies wide awake that night, thinking about the way his night with [Y/N] has ended. He thinks about [Y/N]'s shirt in his hands, the view of her almost bare chest in front of him and his breathing and heartbeat fasten. He thinks about the desire in her eyes because she wanted him. And yet he feels more than relieved that he's in his own room now and has not given in. It will happen. He knows that and he wants it. But not like this. He'll make sure that everything's right this time.
He ponders on what to do on their date and freaks out about the few hours left. He hasn't thought that through and maybe he needs some more time to plan something special. But he doesn't want to wait anymore.
Their relationship seems pretty obvious to their friends already and they don't seem to dislike it. There is no reason to keep things low anymore.
After he has spent some time thinking about his feelings for her and freaking out about his upcoming date with her, Bucky drifts off to sleep as the last one of the team.
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"Steve, I need your help" hears the blonde man the next morning and groans, not having his eyes opened just yet.
"I swear to God, Buck. If you make a habit of this, you have to move out."
"You'd miss me the minute I step out of the building" Bucky chuckles and Steve stretches his arms and legs before finally opening his eyes.
"I hate to admit that it's true. Now, what do you want that is so important that I can't even get dressed before you enrich me with your presence?"
Bucky laughs slightly at this comment, a sloppy grin on his face. "I need your help. I'm taking her on a date tonight."
"Its about time" Steve replies smirking and watches his friend roll his eyes. "How can I help you?"
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Later that day, [Y/N] has shooting training with Natasha as they're training her as much of all kind of fighting skills as possible. They're already done and grab their few things when Steve joins them and pats Natasha on the shoulder. "I'm sorry to interrupt but I need to steal your training partner" he says.
"She's all yours. We're done for today."
"Oh" Steve says and raises his eyebrow at [Y/N]. "Is she improving?"
"She's a better fighter when not having a gun" Natasha answers smirking as she glances at [Y/N] who rolls her eyes.
"You know I can hear you" she complains when she joins them and hugs Steve. "You should see me with a knife though. What's up, Cap? I don't have much time today."
"You got plans?" Natasha asks surprised the same moment Steve answers smirking. "I know." He then turns to Natasha and gives her puppy eyes and she nods, smirking as she knows that Steve needs to be alone with [Y/N].
"See you later" she says and leaves, knowing that she'll find out what this is about soon enough.
"I guess you know about the date?" asks [Y/N] once Natasha is gone.
"Don't worry, I'm not telling anyone about it this time" Steve answers as they begin to walk out of the room.
"We'll see. The day is not over yet" [Y/N] says and nudges his side with her elbow as an amused smirk lies on her lips. She follows Steve to one of the training rooms with a fighting ring of the building they live in and watches as he locks the door from the inside. Raising an eyebrow, her gaze follows him until he stands in front of her, making her aware once again how tall he is.
"I guess this seems weird but there's a slight chance you'll have to dance tonight and Bucky will kill me for spoiling this detail but I just thought it would be nice for you to have practiced some" he explains quickly, his voice trembling slightly as it gives away his nervousness.
[Y/N] continues to look at him with her eyebrow raised but can't help the smile forming on her lips, feeling all excited about her date tonight. They're going to dance. Just the thought of it makes her heart beat faster. "And you're my teacher? Mr. I-still-don't-know-how-to-dance?"
Steve chuckles. "You know, I have practiced by now. I know the basics."
"Practised with whom?"
"Natasha."
"Natasha?" asks [Y/N] and crosses her arms in front of her chest as she watches Steve walk away from her again. "You know, I know how to dance, too. I think. I mean... I was a young lady. We went dancing. I guess."
Steve looks over his shoulder and waves her a warm smile. He feels sorry for her memory loss but sometimes she handles it too cute. There's no sadness in her voice, no pain. She's always trying to make the best out of her situation and he admires it. "Wouldn't be bad to brush up on it, hm?"
"You're right" [Y/N] says as she watches Steve walk over to a modern record player and start playing the disc. "Now, that's old-school. Even for you, Steve" [Y/N] laughs loudly.
"Oh, shut up! They're having a comeback!" Steve answers as he walks back to her and places a hand on [Y/N]'s side, the other one grabs her hand.
"Watch your language, Captain!" she rebukes her friend and Steve grimaces.
"You have not even been there!"
"You know... Your friends can't keep their mouthes shut either."
"Who was it? Sam? Maybe even Clint?" Steve asks as he begins to take the first steps to make them move.
"Well, other than you, I can keep secrets."
"This will haunt me forever, won't it?"
[Y/N] chuckles as she tries to let Steve guide her. "I'm just messing with you, Steve. I trust you with my whole heart. No matter how often you tell things you shouldn't tell to people who shouldn't know."
"We have come quite far, haven't we?" he jokes. "I remember a time where you watched my every step."
"My memories might be a mess but I remember that we both didn't trust each other."
"But we do now. Because I trust you with my whole heart, too" Steve answers and [Y/N] blushes before she stumbles over her own feet.
"Damn, I really need some practice" she curses and Steve chuckles.
"You just need to focus. Concentrate on the music, not our conversation. And I'll try to guide you."
[Y/N] does as she is told and listens to the gentle tones that take her back to another time. A time when she was still a young lady and her life didn't know much sorrow or pain. A life in which she still had memories and a life that she can no longer remember. But the music seems so familiar to her that she feels a sense of warmth as Steve guides her around the room, always focused on not tripping over his own or her feet.
"So if Bucky doesn't know you're here... then why are we practising?" asks [Y/N] sometime later as Steve and her seem to have found their rhythm and she has to focus less on her steps.
"I'm just helping out a friend" Steve shrugs. "I thought it'd be nice if you don't stumble over his feet within the first five seconds."
[Y/N] chuckles and feels Steve's fingers dig deeper into her back, pulling her closer and she relaxes some more. Despite that it's easier to follow his lead now, being close with Steve always calms her because he means safety. "You're a real hero, Steve."
"Are you nervous about tonight?" Steve asks as he moves his face closer to hide his blushing. "After all, things are going to change tonight."
"Well, I am now" [Y/N] laughs slightly as her cheeks turn red. "Why should they change though?"
Steve continues to move them to the rhythm of the music and leans his head back to watch his friend closely, a soft smile on his lips. "I know you for almost two years now, [Y/N]. And I certainly know you better than anyone else on the team. And you have always enriched us with your good mood. But you're only fully happy when Bucky is around you. And by that I mean fully happy. Like, your eyes are sparkling happy. And without you, Bucky would still be hiding in his room, probably not having said more than 5 words per week to Sam."
[Y/N] chuckles at his final words. "That sounds pretty realistic."
"That's what I'm talking about. You won't have to hide anymore" Steve says and the hand on her waist begins to caress her. "I'm really happy for you two" Steve says and moves his blue eyes away from her. "That's why I wanted to help you. Bucky hasn't been dancing since the night before he left for war."
"The last night things were okay" [Y/N] mumbles.
"Yeah" Steve mumbles as well and pulls his friend closer again until he could rest his head on hers. "You two are my favorite people, [Y/N]. I want you both to be happy."
For a moment, Steve and [Y/N] continue swaying to the rhythm of the music, enjoying each other's company and the kindness of their words. That is, until Steve stops dancing and places a kiss on her forehead. "Also I'm the only one who knows where to find Buck tonight, so you're stuck with me for some longer."
Once again chuckling, [Y/N] places a kiss on Steve's cheek. "I couldn't ask for a better company."
When she pulls away, Steve can see that she whipes tears from her eyes and he smirks. "Don't say I made you tear up."
"I won't tease you that you're such a softie if you don't tease me that your words touched me" grins the woman and then walks away to stop the disc. "For a moment, I was scared you're going to ask me out."
"Oh, just shut up for once!" Steve complains and [Y/N] laughs.
"Language, Captain!"
"I take back what I said. I hate you all" Steve says and the laughter of the two friends fill the room that they leave just shortly after.
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It's winter already and the sun has already set when [Y/N] hears an impatient knock on her door. "[Y/N], he said 5 o'clock! We have to go!" she hears Steve scolding softly from the other side of her door while she checks her style for tonight in the mirror. A long sleeved black dress and dark grey overknee boots, her hair tied in a fishtail-braid and a few strands hanging loosely around her face. Her lips highlighted by nude lipstick and black eyeliner and mascare on her eyes.
She takes another deep breath to calm her nerves before setting off to join Steve. "Don't tell me you're losing your cool now" Steve grins broadly at his friend as he checks her out.
"Oh shut up! I couldn't decide what to wear since no one told me what we're doing tonight" [Y/N] complains as they walk down the stairs.
"Well, this outfit will definitely blow him away. You look amazing, [Y/N]."
"Thank you, Steve" [Y/N] answers blushing. "Where's Bucky anyway?" she asks curiously as they make their way to the elevator quickly before Sam or Natasha can spot them. "I haven't seen him all day."
"I'm not going to reveal the whole surprise" Steve replies grinning at [Y/N] and helps her into her jacket.
"Well, what will you tell the others where we are at?"
"I'll just make up that you're having one of your movie nights where you and Buck hide for hours, eating fast food, never inviting us" Steve explains and watches the smirk on [Y/N]'s face with a smile on his own.
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After about 20 minutes' drive, Steve stops in front of a housing complex and turns off the engine. "You can handle things from here on."
"Is this the right place?" [Y/N] asks surprised and looks up at the housing complex. "Where are we, Steve?"
Said one turns to the building they are in front of and points to an entrance. "Fifth floor, second door on the left" he informs [Y/N] and when he turns back to her, she takes him in her arms.
"Thank you for everything, Steve. Spending the afternoon with you was a good way to keep me distracted."
"Let's not get sentimental now" grins Steve at his friends that has to giggle. "It's just Buck so don't be nervous. Now go and have fun. And behave" he winks.
***
[Y/N] follows Steve's instructions to said door. Everything seems so weird but knowing Bucky and Steve, [Y/N] has learnt to just flow with it and not ask any questions. So she just knocks on the door and feels someone coming closer until the door is unlocked and Bucky stands in front of her. He smiles widely when he sees her and his smile infects [Y/N] that now smiles just as widely.
"Hi" she says kind of shyly when she checks out the outfit of her favorite man.
"Hey Doll" Bucky greets her, his smile now forming into the well known sloppy grin as he steps aside to let her inside. He stops behind her and takes her jacket before approaching her from the front. "Wow" he says, his eyes sparkling as he takes her right hand to move it to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. "You look breathtaking."
"And you are exaggerating" [Y/N] answers. "But at least you're getting better at your compliments."
"And you're ruining the mood" Bucky complains as he rolls his eyes and moves down their hands. "That damn mistake is going to be engraved in my gravestone" he adds mumbling under his breath.
"I'm sorry" [Y/N] chuckles. "You look handsome, James. Really. Thank you for the compliment."
"Much better" he smirks and with one swift motion, he pulls her into him by dragging her hand. "I was just about to call Steve back and spend the evening with him" he says lowly as their faces are much closer now.
"Hmm... I'm sure you two would love that" [Y/N] hums against his lips as she moves further and Bucky leans in to give her a kiss, biting her bottom lip as punishment, making her giggle, her cheeks turning red from the little flirt.
"Where are we?" she asks and brings some distance between them to check out the apartment.
"Well, considering the facts that we can't go out in public much and our place is full of people that love to interrupt and don't know any personal space... I thought it'd be nice to spend just one night uninterrupted."
"So you rented an apartment? How's that even possible? I'm sure your name is on a black list or something."
"I know Steve. And Steve has connections. Don't worry, we're not breaking the law again. Someone is paying the rent for tonight."
[Y/N] laughs. "I was just getting used to you being my partner in crime."
Bucky smirks and his left hand wraps around her waist from behind and pulls her back into him. "I'd break any law in the world for you, doll" he hums against her lips and kisses her again.
"You're extra flirtatious tonight, James."
"I blame your dress for that" he smirks before pressing his lips on hers again. This time, [Y/N] gives in and wraps her arms around his neck as he drags her even closer, pressing their bodies together. His free hand wanders to her side, fingers caressing it, thumb drawing small circles. They only pull away when they run out of air.
"Now, that was a great start" [Y/N] breathes out. Her words make Bucky laugh as he let's go of her and walks to the kitchen to grab the bottle of wine he got for them. [Y/N] follows him and watches Bucky as he pours the liquid in two glasses and then turns around to hand one to her.
"Are you nervous?" he asks her as they move the glass to their lips and [Y/N] nods slightly before taking the first sip.
"Kinda. I mean it's just the two of us but I still have no idea what you've got planned."
Bucky drinks some of the wine too and watches her with a smile. "Don't worry, I'm nervous, too. But your dress is literally blowing me away tonight." The chuckle that escapes [Y/N]'s lips is enough to make Bucky relax, a smile forming on his lips as he continues. "I thought it'd be nice to spend a cozy evening together. No adventures, no parties, just the two of us."