| Warning: Mild language |
"We're running late, I'm so sorry. Should be there in about 15 minutes."
You stared at the text from Steve as you shifted uncomfortably on your bar stool. Knowing he'd feel bad if you told him you were already waiting for him, you just typed, "No big deal, I'm kind of late myself. See you soon."
Sitting at a bar wasn't your kind of thing but at least this wasn't a dive bar... it was a hotel bar. In fact, it was a pretty nice hotel and maybe the most upstanding bar you'd ever been in. Come to think of it, that may not have been making you feel any better about it. The people in this room had money. It wasn't too comforting to you but you sipped your ginger ale and tried to blend in.
You put your phone back in your purse and glanced down at your blue-gray dress, smiling as you realized Steve was going to love this dress on you. And you would do just about anything to earn one of those beautiful smiles from him.
But your daydreaming was cut short when a man brushed against you, sitting down on the bar stool right next to you. You couldn't tell if the touching was accidental or not but you gave him a friendly smile when he looked at you.
"Hiya, honey. What'll you have?" he said, his tone getting pushier by the word. He eyed you up as you wished you could just get up and walk away.
"Oh, I'm fine, thanks. I have a full drink here," you said politely.
He laid his hand on your arm, "Come on, I'm buying..." he flagged down the bartender.
"Really, I'm fine. Thank you though. I'm meeting my boyfriend here any minute," you said. You tried to control any nervousness so it didn't come out in your voice. He'd feed off that like you were a wounded animal.
"Missy, I know better than that. There's no boyfriend coming. Look at you dressed like that... sitting here trying to play hard to get and pick up a..."
"Sir, you need to keep yourself in check," the bartender interrupted.
"All I want to do is buy her a drink," he growled. "We'll see where it goes from there..."
You felt a hot flush on your face, not believing that he had just said these things to you. You were starting to worry about how far this was going to go until Steve would get there and just then you felt a gentle hand on your left arm. Turning your head to see it really was a hand on you, you felt someone lean down and kiss your cheek. "Babe, sorry I'm late," his voice said.
It wasn't Steve.
You looked at him with wide eyes and he said, "I know you're mad. I'm sorry, I got stuck at work." He sat down on the other stool. The obnoxious man on your right got up and walked away, muttering and moving to the other side of the bar.
Your face returned to a smile as you looked at your hero. "Thank you... really. I appreciate it."
"I'm Jim," he said, suddenly looking more shy than before. He was tall and muscular with dark, shaggy hair and a bit of facial stubble... and you suddenly felt so much better that he was there.
"I'm (Y/N)," you said.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hit on you," he laughed softly. "I just watched that guy walk over here and I knew something was up."
"Well, thank you for being a good citizen," you smiled at him. "Can I buy you a drink?" You waved the bartender over and slid him your credit card. "Can we get a...?" You looked at him to find out what he wanted.
"Just a Coke, please," he said.
The bartender stepped away to get his Coke and Jim looked back over to you. "Are you really meeting your boyfriend?"
"I am," you nodded, playing with the straw in your drink. "What's a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?" You were teasing him but hoping he realized you weren't flirting.
He let out an honest laugh, even though you got the impression he held back his laughing for the most part.
"Meeting friends," he replied. He smiled to himself, "Actually, it's too bad one of those guys wasn't here because he would have had quite a bit to say to that pervy creep a minute ago."
"Sounds like my boyfriend," you said with a giggle.
"What sounds like me?" Steve's deep voice came from behind you. You turned around to look at him, surprised to see him and Sam so soon. "So let me get this straight, this guy knows you have a boyfriend and he's hitting on you?"
"No, no, he's not," you said, trying to diffuse the situation.
Steve's serious face turned into a big grin as he looked at Jim. "Buck, hands off... this beautiful girl is waiting for me," Steve said as he wrapped his arm around you and gave you a squeeze. "Hi baby," he said, leaning in for a little kiss.
Your eyebrows dipped as you looked at Jim, who was now smiling from ear to ear and reaching out to squeeze Steve's hand. "Hey pal, nice catch," he said to Steve, but nodding to you.
"Bucky!?" you asked, although it came out more like you'd finally put all the pieces together.
"Yeah, well, my name is James," he smiled at you.
"Well, I'm glad to finally meet you, Bucky... Jim... which do you prefer?" you asked.
"My friends call me Bucky," he said very pointedly to you.
"That's right, Barnes," Sam laughed.
"Hi, Sam," you smiled. When Steve told you about tonight, he said you'd be meeting some other people but you were already quite familiar with Sam.
"I'm sorry we were late," Steve said and then turned to look at Sam. "You can thank Sam for that... he does everything I do, just slower." Steve's sarcasm was on point tonight and not lost on Sam who shook his head.
"Steve, seriously... so I needed a little more time picking out a tie," Sam sighed comically. "You can't rush this." He pointed to himself with a sly smile.
"Well, it was worth the wait," you said. "You boys look very dashing."
"We have some time for a drink before the dinner," Steve said and he and Sam joined you on the closest bar stools. Steve leaned into you and in a low, whispered voice, he said "Baby, you look... you look like I want to take you home right now." The bartender interrupted to take their drink orders as you tried to keep your smile under control.
You got to hear lots of teasing between the three goofballs and even a "Steve-in-the-old-days" story from Bucky before you all headed upstairs to the ballroom for a charity dinner Tony had bought a table for.
As usual, someone came to take Steve away for a photo opportunity right after you had been seated. He looked at you like a puppy dog as they walked him away. You knew he didn't love the attention and he'd rather stay at the table but you understood why people were excited to see THE Captain America. Steve Rogers may belong to you but Captain America belongs to the world. You took the opportunity to get to know Bucky better. Although he could be quiet, he seemed to be letting go in front of you and you found that you got along famously and seemed to have a lot in common. Sam flew the coop to chase down a pretty girl right before the band changed the music and someone announced that Captain Rogers would be dancing the first dance... with some so and so... Whaaaaat? you wondered. You watched Steve from across the room and he shot you a look like he felt terrible.
"You're pretty understanding, aren't you?" Bucky asked, not sounding thrilled with Steve himself.
"Well... I know it's not like that's what he wanted," you said with a little shrug.
Other people started joining them on the dance floor now. Bucky stood up and held his hand out to you, "Come on, doll, let's give him a run for his money." He gave you a cute little smirk like the troublemaker you knew he could be from the stories Steve had told you. You reached out for his hand and followed him to the dance floor.
Bucky held your hand with his metal hand and wrapped his right arm around your back, pulling you closer than you expected. And yet, it was not awkward - you were sure this is how he danced with so many girls... many, many years ago. He was so confident in the way he held you, he was very charming.
"So do you always go around saving girls in bars?" you asked with a little laugh.
He laughed. "Well, old habits die hard... I was always jumping in to help Steve after he told some creep to buzz off. That guy has the biggest heart."
"He really does," you said, looking across the room to catch a glance at him. Even dancing with some high society lady, you still thought he looked so handsome.
"He was always getting himself into fights trying to stand up for people," he smiled.
"Some things never change," you said and he let out a little laugh. "I'm glad you're back, he's missed you."
"I'm glad he found someone else to pass the time with," he said, looking at you. "I'm not a good influence on him," he joked.
"That can't be true, I find it hard to believe you weren't part of the reason he grew to be who he is today." You spoke slowly and powerfully to make sure he understood how serious you were.
"Well, thanks, you're sweet. I can see why Steve's thinking about settling down now..." he said.
Silence.
Crickets.
"Settling down?" you asked in his ear, still dancing.
More silence.
"Shit..." he said.
Unbearable silence... and you felt him tense up and pull back to look at you. "I wasn't supposed to say anything about that," he said, his eyes a little bigger than before.
You couldn't help but grin when you saw his expression. "It's okay, I won't say anything."
"I guess that makes you my partner in crime then," he said, relaxing.
***
After a great dinner, you and the boys were standing near the bar with Natasha and Pepper, talking and laughing. Though it was more like you were talking to Natasha and Pepper and the guys were having their own conversation. Steve gave you a glance and grinned at you and just then, Bucky slapped Steve's shoulder and hunched over in an almost laugh. "Oh, would you look at the rear bumper on that one??" A group of ladies had just walked nearby, and one of them was rather "endowed" in one particular area. Steve's eyes stayed locked on yours, he squinted, he resisted the urge to turn his head. Bucky's face showed more amusement as he realized he forgot Steve's girlfriend was standing a foot away when he'd said that.
You glanced over at the woman again. "You have to look..." you said to Steve with a big smile on your face.
Bucky started howling with laughter, as Sam, Pepper and Natasha just looked at you in humored disbelief.
Steve's eyes didn't leave yours as he tried to comprehend what you'd just said. You nodded at him and he finally looked over at the group of ladies passing by. It was such a quick glance, you didn't think he could have even gotten a look but his cheeks started to turn pinkish. The laughter continued and motioning to you, Bucky said, "Steve! - Seriously, marry this girl!" Sam patted Steve on the shoulder.
Steve stepped over next to you and put his arm around your back, smiling down at you. "She is pretty great, isn't she?..."
***
This chapter is dedicated to my dear friend, Nate, who I miss so much and think of so often. Nate was taken from us too soon but I cherish the times we had laughing together.
He was my husband's best friend growing up, and they were like a real life Steve and Bucky, my husband being the lighter haired, more serious Steve and Nate being the dark haired, charming jokester, Bucky. Nate was the first person my husband introduced me to when we started dating and in one night out with him, we became fast friends, realizing we had so much in common and talking a ton about Marvel Comics. Nate was funny, sweet, caring and the best storyteller and writer (maybe the funniest person I have ever met in my whole life, no lie) ...he would have been thrilled to find out I'd started writing Marvel fan fiction and would have been very supportive. If you find a friend like him once in your life, you are blessed.
The very first night I met him, he pointed out a girl's rear "assets" to my husband as we were having dinner. My husband froze, just like Steve did... and then I told him to look and we all laughed. I was now the fiery redhead added to the duo of faux Steve and Bucky and I fit right in. I'll never forget that night, Nate. Miss you and love you, pal.