Chapter 1
Your hair fell over your face, beads of sweat forming at the back of your neck. A stranger shot you a smile as you moved your hips to the pumping beat. You smiled back. You turned your attention away from him just as it looked like he might approach you, leaning over to your friends instead. “I’m going to get another drink!” You shouted over the pounding music. Wanda waved you off with a smile as she watched Nat spin Pietro around and around in a fit of giggles.
You stumbled slightly as you made your way through the crowd, all packed tightly and dancing close, to the dimly lit bar, and leaned against it as you waited for the redheaded bartender to turn around. You tugged the hem of your tight little black dress down a little. It wasn’t a self-conscious motion. Truthfully, you felt beautiful tonight, all eyes on you. It was just habit. You weren’t usually this girl. You’d normally stay home for a quiet night in. But you’d be damned if you waited by your phone for a drunken phone call from him. If he was out with friends, you would be, too. And you’d have a damn good time.
Dizzying lights danced in your periphery as you took a moment to collect yourself, when suddenly you felt your phone buzzing in your bag. Whipping it out embarrassingly quickly, you asked the bartender for a couple of white tea shots before sliding your thumb across your screen, the video call opening to reveal a grinning Bucky.
He was walking outside from what you could tell, Steve and Sam at his sides and Thor and Bruce probably trailing behind. The wide grin on his face told you he was even drunker than you were, and he was still looking ahead of him as he walked.
“Where are you?!” He shouted. You stepped away from the bar closer to the door to hear him better, and held the phone up to show yourself and the scene behind you.
“Aces, with Nat and the Maximoffs,” you said loudly. He finally looked down, his blue eyes blown out and his jaw dropped.
“What the hell are you doing looking that good?” He asked. You heard the boys laughing and teasing him in the background, but you couldn’t make out what they were saying.
“Uh, dancing?” You said, but you couldn’t help the way your lips quirked into a smile at the compliment.
“The hell, with who?”
“I just told you—”
“I’m coming,” He announced. Your heart started to race as you imagined Bucky joining you guys. Seeing your little black dress in person. Dancing on you. Pinning you against a wall, kissing you…
“Y/N,” You were startled to notice it was Steve holding the phone now, looking down at you all broad shoulders and gallant smile. “Bucky is hammered. I’m going to take him home.”
“Oh, okay, should I come help you take care of him?” You couldn’t help the pang of disappointment in your chest at his words. Steve gave you a knowing smile.
“That’s alright, Y/N, he just needs to sleep it off. You enjoy your night.”
“Are you fucking done?” You heard Bucky’s voice pipe up as he snatched the phone back from Steve. “Sorry, Y/N, Steve is annoying and he wants to hog you all to himself.” He shot his best friend a glare who just gave him an amused but apologetic smile. You admired the lines of his sharp jaw, the way his brown hair was tucked behind his ears, and the way his eyebrows pushed together oh-so-seriously as he stepped away from his friends, the city lights blurring above him with each movement. “Sorry, I wanted you all to myself for a minute,” he said, flashing you a dazzling smile. You felt yourself getting lightheaded at the compliment and smiled at him shyly.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, you look fucking beautiful,” he proclaimed. “Should’ve told me you wanted to go out, angel. I would’ve taken you out on the town. Would’ve taken you back to my place.” He was so drunk. “So right now?” He asked with a smirk.
“Right now,” you agreed jokingly.
“I wish—” he started, but was interrupted by Thor yelling something to him in the background. “I gotta go, doll. Call you tonight?” You nodded, and when the call hung up you felt suddenly too sad to dance anymore. You gave your shots to Wanda, deciding the others had had enough to drink.
“You sure you’re okay?” Wanda asked, concern lacing her blue-green eyes. You gave her an unconvincing smile.
“Yeah, I just think I’m all danced out for the night. I’m gonna sleep.” She gave you a knowing look but hugged you goodbye.
“I’ll see you later then,” she said.
“See you later,” you repeated, trying to sound cheerful. “Have fun, you guys!”
Bucky didn’t call you. He probably fell asleep as soon as he got home. Your head spun from the liquor and his drunken smile all night.