The party starts to die down around twelve am, the people left around are those I know better, and most people retire to the lounge area with a smaller bar where Jack has been asked to take over, much to my enjoyment.
It seems to be mostly the younger people sat around, talking to one another about whatever they please.
I've found myself happily perched on a barstool where I can watch over those sat on the sofas. I've taken two more pills and had much more to drink and my head is fuzzy and clouded with nothing but Bucky.
"Jack, where are you from?" I slur at him and he chuckles as he makes a drink for Nat stood beside me at the bar.
"LA babe."
"Oh the city of angels huh? I thought you had that vibe about you." My flirting gets worse the more fucked I am.
"If I'm an angel then that must make you the devil." He winks and places Nats drink down on a napkin in front of her and goes to serve someone else leaving me with a cheeky smirk.
"Could he try any harder? He wants you bad, girl."
I swat her arm with a giggle, noticing Bucky's eyes on me still, god he needs to get over himself.
That's a lie, you love having his attention.
A stupid, ridiculous, thought pops into my head and I slide off my seat and drag Nat with me over to the brooding super soldier and his lovely best friend.
"So, how about we go out?" I propose and Bucky looks at me like I'm insane.
"Now?"
"Hmm I was thinking next weekend? You can bring your new girlfriend Bucky? We can all get to know her!" My voice is shaky, I see Steve's eyes widen at Nat.
"I'm not sure that's a good idea.." Nat begins.
"Why? Bucky is gonna have to introduce her to us at some point, and we're friends, right Buck?" I interrupt Nat but don't even look at her.
My eyes are focused on Bucky who is glaring at me as I sit on the coffee table in front of him.
"No."
No?
I swallow hard.
"What?" Steve says softly, we're still staring at each other.
"No, it's a great idea, she'd love to meet you all."
It's like a stab to the heart.
"Good, I can't wait to see my upgrade." I can only bite back at him to save myself getting upset.
Bucky raises his eyebrows and bites his lip, he's annoyed, it's obvious, but he's not gonna let that on to anyone. "It'll be fun."
"Good!" I say and start to get up, with both my high ass heels and drug fueled mind, I become unsteady and grab the closest thing to steady myself.
"Shit," I say as my hand grips onto Bucky's leg and he locks his jaw tight, his nostrils flaring.
I stand myself up straight, "now, there was a suggestion of going out?" I smirk at Nat and she stifles a laugh, "I'm up for it." She stands and we look down at Steve and Bucky, I almost suggest inviting Wanda and Pietro but realise I've not seen them in a while and they've probably left.
"Steve?" I put on my best puppy dog eyes.
He looks hesitant, "if you guys don't want to go, Eden and I can just go?" She pauses for just a second as she catches my eye, "..alone."
"We'll come." Bucky says quickly and I see Nat breathe a laugh, "I thought as much."
We head towards the main entrance, I wave to my father and Pepper and they tell us all to have fun.
I guess it's funny how they're okay with me going out with these three but not alone.
You were literally just brought home after being kidnapped.
It makes sense I suppose.
Nat links my arm with hers as we walk in front of the boys and giggles in a whisper, "I told Jack to meet us at that club on second!"
"What? When?" "When you were saying bye to Peter."
I laugh, truthfully I'd love for Peter to be able to come out with us, if only this were England he'd be plenty old enough now.
"You knew Bucky wouldn't let us go alone didn't you?"
Nat does that wicked grin that means trouble, "of course!"
All of us climb in the back of one of the many town cars waiting at the compound to take home guests. I'm glad we've all already drank, and no one can be the designated driver.
Nat gives directions and all four of us climb into the back seats, Steve climbs in beside Nat, their backs to the driver, and so I end up beside Bucky.
It's close enough that I can smell his cologne, the banana conditioner of mine he must've used in the shower this morning, I realise I'm staring at him and mentally scold myself and turn my attention to Steve who is looking out the window.
Nat catches me, of course and licks her lips, trying her best not to laugh at me. I bite my own lip and pull a face. The silence in this car is defeating.
"Are you two gonna enjoy being out or just sit like wallflowers the entire night?"
Bucky looks at me and narrows his eyes, "what's a wallflower?"
My heart beats a little faster, if there's one thing I love about him, it's these questions he asks when he doesn't know what you're talking about, the way his face, especially his eyes always soften, how he's so ridiculously curious and wants to learn.
I can't help but smile at him, not sarcastic, not patronizing, a sincere smile, it's involuntary, and he seems to faintly smile back.
"It's someone who sits at the sidelines at a party and doesn't get included."
Bucky nods, as if he's taking a mental note.
"What's wrong with being a wallflower?" He asks just as we pull up outside a club.
I look out the window and then back at Bucky, "I'll show you!"
Nat and Steve get out first, instantly recognised, instantly cheered by waiting crowds, and instantly let in the club with Bucky and I behind them.
I grab his hand, totally unthinking and shout for our friends to grab out drinks as I pull him into the crowds of people dancing.
"What are you doing?" He shouts over the music, we get caught between a few guys and I feel his grip on my hand tighten, looking back at our hands and then at him I try not to acknowledge the stern look he's giving any man that looks in my direction.
"I'm showing you why you don't want to be a wallflower!" I yell back over the heavy base of tue song and stop and face him amongst the crowds.
Bucky looks at me with a slightly confused smile and gestures his confusion, "now what?" He laughs and it makes me forget every minute of the party, every second I spent away from him before, the fact we aren't together anymore..
I grab his hands and put them on my waist, he looks playfully suspicious of me and it causes me to laugh, "you trust me right?" I shout beside his ear and he nods.
My own hands hold over his on my hips and I begin to move to the beat of the song, our bodies are close together because of the packed amount of people and Bucky's body is almost forced to move with mine
As he starts to dance he looks at me watching him, "does this feel familiar to you?" I laugh and he nods.
I move my hands from his, up his arms, around his neck, into his hair, I stroke my thumbs over his eyelids and he allows me to shut his eyes, "just move with me, to the beat."
He allows himself to do so, our bodies beginning to grind on one another, I take my thumbs from his eyes and he slowly opens them, looking at me in a haze as he takes in my face, from my eyes, to my lips, he lingers on them for a while and my own gaze goes to his own as he licks his lips.
Don't do it, don't fucking do it.
Our eyes meet again and I quickly pull myself from him, he looks slightly hurt but his jaw clicks.
I can't even register him for another second as our friends join us in the crowd.
My head feels fuzzy, and I know I've taken something, and drank a lot, but it's Bucky making me feel this way.
Turned on.
I take my drink from Nat and wrap my arms around her neck, our faces close as we dance together.
"We nearly kissed!" I say in her ear but don't pull back to see her expression, "and now I'm fucking turned on." I laugh and I feel her body jolt as she does too.
"Let's show him he's not the only person that gets to kiss you then." She does that wicked smirk again and really starts to gyrate her hips on mine, her hand moves up my body to my neck and she pulls me to her, closing the gap between us and pushing her lips to mine.
I think I hear Steve or Bucky say something but it's barely audible as I'm filled with nothing but excited curiosity.
We each pull away and smirk at one another before each moving our free hands to each other hips and dancing once more.
Curiosity gets the better of me and I look at the guys, Steve is proudly smiling and Bucky has an expression I can't place, turned on? Irritated? Impressed?
Nat and I laugh together and look at the men with wide eyes beside us, "chill out!" I giggle and wrap an poke both of them lightly in the stomach.
"Like you two have never kissed!" Nat says and winks at the pair.
Steve goes red and rubs the back of his neck, Bucky puffs out his chest and takes a heavy breath, downing the drink he's been given.
I wonder what he's thinking, in truth, I always wonder what he's thinking, his mind is marvelous and a mystery and I think of how much he's opened up to me in the past.
"Do you want to get another drink Buck?" Nat looks between the pair of us and he nods and they leave Steve and I alone on the dance floor.
"What's going on with you two?" He yells and I can't help but only shrug, "you tell me!"
Steve frowns and gestures for me to follow him.
We find a seat near the bar and Steve leans on the table in front of us so he can hear me speak.
"We aren't together Steve, he has another girlfriend!"
If his jaw could fall to the floor right now it would.
Steve shakes his head, "but-"
"You told him to move on! He did!"
I take a sip of my drink, "you heard the conversation back home, you knew this!?"
Steve shakes his head again, "I thought that was a joke!"
What?
Why would that be a joke? "What do you mean? Surely he's told you about her?"
Steve laughs in confusion, "no-" he squeezes his eyes shut as he continues to laugh, "Bucky told me that he just told me that to get me off his back, he's still crazy about you!"
I'm taken back, but..?
I'm visibly shocked and Steve smiles at me as he leans even closer as he sees our friends approach, "let's play this out and meet this 'girlfriend' huh?"
He winks and I give him an amused nod.
Oh I am so game for that.
_________
A/N: HIII! So I'm working on a chapter about Bucky finding out Eden is alive, it'll be over on Disruption Extra Chapters which is a separate story on my page, so if you've not checked that out yet go on over there, there's a few there already!