claunighty008

[hellomissmabel]

Debut I/II

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Bucky x reader

Warnings: Someone being called a bitch and a jerk. Kicking someone in a very sensitive, male spot.

Word count: 2k

Summary: You’re a small town actress catapulted to fame when you land a role in an immensely popular TV show. After turning down the flirtations of the lead male character, the media paints you as a bitch and you end up being bullied by his fans. Struggling to stay true to yourself, you find comfort and friendship in one of actors who makes his debut on the show.

This is a two-part mini series! No tagging sorry x

All Sebastian Stan’s characters & fics can be found here

A/N: Written for @bbparker

“Y/N, babe, filming starts in ten! Please hurry up to Wanda for make-up, dear,” the producer Tony screams from the other end of the room, heatedly discussing something with the screenwriter Peggy.

Bidding goodbye to one of the extras on the show, Peter Parker, you rush to the makeup department to get touched up. Wanda is already waiting for you with a playfully stern look in her eyes, sighing exasperatingly when you finally jump into your assigned seat.

“Your hair is a mess, Y/N,” Wanda groans softly as she starts to comb through it in an attempt to tame your fake curls from last episode. “I thought I told you not to put them up in a messy bun! Now you have so many knots and I have only…” Looking down on her watch, she shrieks dramatically. “I have only six minutes left to fix this!”

“Calm down, Wanda,” the attractive brunet in the chair next to you tells your stylist. “I’m Bucky Barnes,” he introduces himself, extending a hand for you to shake.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” you smile back at the handsome stranger, “I play…”

“Harley Rains. Yeah, I instantly recognised you.” His piercing blue eyes stare straight into your soul. “The female lead. Well, Harley, meet your new co-star, August Addison.”

Wanda tugs firmly on your hair and you release a soft yelp, your face contorting in a severely unattractive expression. It seems to amuse Bucky more than it bothers you, so you continue your conversation like nothing happened. “You’re Steve’s half-brother, right? In the show, I mean.”

“Brady Hawking’s brother from another mother,” he chuckles as the make-up artist gives him a final once-over before clearing him. “Nice chatting with you, Harley. I’ll see you in a minute or two.”

The brunet leaves with a cheeky wink as Wanda rushes to raise your hair and makeup to a presentable level. When you exit the hair and makeup corner, you bump into your best friend and co-star Natasha, who funnily enough plays your on-screen nemesis, Dixie Sauvage.

“Did you already meet the fucking hot new co-star?,” she whispers into your ear as she pulls you aside. “Bucky Barnes a.k.a August Addison?” With a big, toothy grin you answer her question. “I don’t think Steve will be very happy. A lot of the girls will now be swooning over August instead of Brady.”

Maria, one of the dancers on the show, rounds the corner and stops in her tracks as she sees the two of you talking. With a foxy attitude and swaying hips, she walks up to you and flips her hair. “Guess who slept with Steve?”

Bursting into hearty laughter at her silly impersonation, the mood soon turns serious again. “No, really. Do you know who slept with Steve now?”

Both of you shake your head, curiosity peaking sky-high. “Sharon,” Maria reveals with a hushed breath. “The one and only Chanel Shaw.”

Exchanging a bewildered look with the redhead, you clasp your hand in front of your mouth to avoid screaming. “Are you kidding me? Sharon? That bitch who plays Chanel Shaw?” Natasha makes a gagging noise to emphasise her statement.

Chanel Shaw is the Barbie doll of the show, played by the screenwriter’s niece, Sharon Carter. Most of her fans are teenage girls who wouldn’t want anything more than to see her get together with Brady. Her character just happens to be Harley’s best friend on the show, but in real life you can’t stand each other, mainly because Steve never had eyes for Sharon as long as you didn’t turn him down. On top of that, Sharon’s a lousy actress and only good for numerous, pointless dramatic encounters.

“So what episode are we shooting today?,” you hear Sharon ask her niece Peggy as you, Natasha and Maria make it to the set.

Rolling your eyes with a disappointed hum, you nudge Natasha’s arm and mumble “so unprofessional, she doesn’t even know we’re shooting the Christmas special today” under your breath to the redhead.

Clapping her hands after answering Sharon, Peggy tells everyone to that we’re shooting outside and not on the set as foreseen. “Change of plans, people. Since this is still a Christmas special and there’s fresh snow outside, my personal friend and newest addition to the show, Bucky Barnes, suggested that we could shoot the outdoor scenes, in fact, outdoor.”

Her statement is met with loud cheering from some of the actors, but most of the dancers cause a little disturbance as dancing in the snow certainly isn’t easy. Eventually Peggy manages to convince them by saying she’ll buy them all hot chocolate after and next Friday off.

The general outline of today’s episode is the following: Chanel takes Harley shopping for the perfect dress for Christmas Eve as she will be spending it at Brady’s house and will meet his parents for the first time. On their way from their high school to the mall, they pass a patio surrounded by snow, where there’s a guy playing Christmas songs on a piano.

Then the camera zooms in on the new guy, August, who catches the two girls staring and invites them over to join him in his carol singing. Harley absolutely adores the Christmas spirit and decides to take him up on his offer, sitting next to him at the piano and singing along. August is enthralled by Harley’s voice and they share a few looks, sharing a beautiful moment together. Cue the dancers while the camera again zooms in on August’s face.

His face is very close to Harley’s as they finish the song, their breaths visible in the cold. Their eyes lock and a pink blush raises to her cheeks, having a very romantic moment until they’re interrupted by Chanel. They make acquaintances and bid goodbye, to which August keeps playing and Harley can’t focus on the shopping trip anymore.

“Okay, guys and girls, great work! We take a five minute break and then we do it again! I want perfection and nothing less!,” Peggy exclaims as you immediately take at least a million steps away from Sharon to get yourself a glass of water.

At the stall for food and drinks, your shoulder brushes with Bucky’s and you drop your cup, the water splashing everywhere and all over Bucky. Bucky in turn also drops his cup of coffee, the hot liquid  gushing all over you as well.

“Oh shit,” you curse as you grab some napkins to dry the stains on Bucky’s shirt, more worried about his water stains than the hot coffee stains on yours.

“Nah, don’t worry doll,” he chuckles, amused that you got so flustered by a bit of water. “Let’s go to wardrobe to change. You do know where it is, don’t you? Because I don’t and otherwise we’re lost.”

That playful, boyish glint in his eyes has an instant impact on your feelings. “Yeah, I do. Follow me.”

“That was some fine acting, Y/N. I heard you were very talented but now I got to act alongside of you, I got a taste of true talent myself.”

A small smile graces your lips as you’re turning into a red tomato after receiving such a huge compliment. “Thank you. I couldn’t help but think I’ve seen you somewhere before. Is there any chance you were in Royals? The king’s son?”

Clicking his tongue and scratching the back of his neck with a shy look, he holds the door open and lets you walk in first. “Yeah, that’s me alright. Your next question will probably be if I’m gay, right? Since my character was gay and I did such a good job…”

After finding yourself a fresh shirt and jacket, you notice Bucky is standing with his back to you, shirtless. He’s changing into a new shirt too, giving you some privacy so you can do the same. “So are you? Gay?,” you call over your shoulder to your new co-star.

“I can assure you that I am a full 100% bisexual,” he winks once you’re fully dressed again and he can turn around. His reply inspires a tiny burst of happiness in your heart, as you’re obviously not entirely oblivious to his good looks and his charms.

Offering his arm to you to escort you back to the others, you gladly accept. “Can I ask you a question, too, doll? Is it true what they say about you and Steve Rogers?”

Instantly it’s like hell has frozen over. “People say a lot of things, Bucky. You gotta be more specific,” you say in a soft voice, avoiding his eyes.

Before you’re close enough so the others might hear you, Bucky comes to a halt and searches your eyes. “Did you really threaten to cut his balls off if he tried to kiss you again?”

His grave tone and neutral expression prompt a hearty laugh from your throat, bubbling up from deep in your chest. “Yes, I did, “you confirm the rumour, still quite proud you managed to finally make it clear to Steve that you weren’t interested and never will be.

Natasha waves you over, a sign that they’re starting filming again, and you walk alongside Bucky back to the crowd. Before you party ways, Bucky being called back to the patio and piano, he leans in very close to whisper into your ear. “I’m looking forward to teaching you how to play the piano, Harley.”

“Playing the piano?” You shoot him a confused look. “For the show? No-one told me I had to learn how to play the piano for the show.”

“I’m not talking about learning how to play the piano for the show, doll. Wanda told me about your resolutions for 2018. I believe learning the piano is one of them?”

Of course it was Wanda who told him. “In that case, I’m looking forward to it too then,” you smile warmly back at him, a skip in both your step as you resume your respective places.

A day of non-stop filming with only a half hour lunch break will leave you completely exhausted at the end of the day. Especially now, when Peggy insisted on filming the closing scene for the next episode early because “the light was just perfect and she wants perfection and nothing less”.

The point of this scene is actually really simple. Brady finds out his father has a child with his high school sweetheart and that this child is August, an aspiring musician and big flirt, hellbent on winning Harley. In this scene Brady and Harley stand outside on his parents’ porch while August and Brady’s father are having a father-and-long-lost-son moment inside the house. It’s Christmas Eve and Brady is having a hard time accepting his big brother. Harley is there to convince him she loves Brady and not August and that she’ll stick by his side no matter what.

It’s so cliché and filled to the brim with tooth-rotting fluff you feel you might vomit into Steve’s mouth before you get the change to make out. “I love you, baby,” you coo innocently as you cup Brady/Steve’s face in your hands, bringing his lips to yours in a sweet, chaste kiss.

When you part away, Brady/Steve looks into your eyes as his tongue speaks words of adoration, eyes gazing lovingly into yours like you’re the only woman in the whole world. “I don’t know what I would do without you, Harley.” The scene ends with another kiss before you intertwine your fingers and head back inside to make amends with August.

When Peggy calls it a day and everyone is excused, Steve’s attitude towards you changes immediately. He commands one of the assistants to give him a tissue to wipe his mouth while grimacing in your direction. “God, I can’t wait until you break up with me because you’ve got feelings for August. Will spare me the agony of kissing you again.”

With a scoff, you turn your back on him and walk up to Natasha. “If this were a movie, I would totally have chosen him. Brady is the perfect guy. Steve on the other hand… he’s just a big jerk,” the actress snarls as she pulls you with her to the locker room.

You offer her a kind smile when she hands you a sandwich to munch, figuring you must be hungry. “Fortunately, we have Bucky now to feast our eyes on.”

“Yes, indeed,” you chuckle softly, wrapping your arm around Nat’s shoulder.

PART II/II

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[winterromanov]

I’m not sure if you write smut or not but would you ever write about college Bucky and readers first time? I feel like it would be sweet

pairing: bucky x reader (other fics in the series - here, here and here)

It’s not that you haven’t thought about sex. You’ve actually thought about it a lot, because you’ve done dates and kissing and late night Skype-calls and in most relationships it’s the logical next step. And you do want to have sex with Bucky--you do, but there’s still a looming sort of fear that lurks beneath your skin whenever the possibility arises. Because you’ve never actually done it before.

The longer you’re with Bucky, the more the fear nags away at you. You’re scared that Bucky is going to get tired of waiting for you to be ready, even though you’ve never actually discussed it before. You’re scared that you’re never going to be ready, period. And you’re terrified he’ll find out you’re a virgin and bolt a fucking mile.

You try convincing yourself that you’re being ridiculous. Bucky is soft, and gentle, and always, always patient. He has never pressured you into anything, never would. But being Bucky Barnes’ girlfriend comes with a certain kind of expectation in the eyes of the people that surround you both that you’re not sure you can fill.

After all, you do hear the whispers that travel round every party you walk in hanging off Bucky’s arm. You know, the usual. The how can he want to bang her or I bet she’s fucking frigid just because you’re a little quiet and wouldn’t be at these gatherings if it wasn’t for Bucky.

Most of the time you manage to shake it off. Bucky’s happy so you’re happy, but you can’t help but let it eat away at you.

“So...” A cheerleader who you don’t know the name of casually comes up to you, twirling a strand of blonde hair round her finger. She’s perfect and pouty and pretty and the way she stares at you makes you instantly uncomfortable. “What’s he like in bed, then?”

You almost choke on your drink, eyes desperately searching round the room for Bucky to come rescue you. “I’m sorry?”

“Bucky Barnes,” the girl says like it’s obvious, like it’s completely okay to just walk up to someone you don’t know and ask that. “Oh, come on. You must be pretty exceptional if he’s dating someone...like you.”

Like you? Ouch. You feel your cheeks burn, wondering if there’s a quick exit option, but Bucky and Steve and Sam are all nowhere to be seen. “I’m--I’m not sure...”

“All I’m saying. Bucky could have any girl he wants and yet--”

You feel a presence sidle up beside you and the girl’s expression falters, curling into a slightly nervous smile. You know it’s Natasha immediately--she has that effect on people. One glare and they’re folding in on themselves like a reverse flat-pack wardrobe.

“Do you mind fucking off, Genevieve?” Natasha smiles sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes. Genevieve’s tongue pokes in her cheek and for a moment might argue, but very quickly thinks better of it, stalking off irritably to her posse of equally judgmental friends. 

God. You really do hate match after parties.

“Don’t pay attention to her,” Natasha says, looking at you from the rim of her wine glass. She always drinks wine out of a proper glass, even though you’ve never been to a party where actual cups are available. She probably brings her own. “They’re like a pack of rabid hyenas. Just looking for a target.”

You drag your vision over to their little corner, a girl with red hair staring at you like a human sniper rifle, ready to just fucking taking you out. “And I’m their target?”

Natasha shrugs. “Like I said, don’t pay any attention. They’ve said plenty of things about me in the past but they know I could kill them in a heartbeat. They’re just less scared to say it to your face.”

You don’t have Natasha’s razor sharp tongue or killer prowess, stalking from party to party mostly without invitation because a girl like Natasha doesn’t need one. You’re pretty sure she’s not been invited to this one, but she knows enough about everyone to secure her place. And you’re kind of grateful for it.

“Look,” Natasha pauses for a second, considering her words. “The gossip that circles around here is usually vapid bullshit, but if it’s worrying you--which it is, I can tell, don’t need to be a psych major for that--you should talk to Bucky about it. Get it off your mind. Not that I’m telling you what to do. Just...a suggestion.”

“I...” you say, finally catching his familiar frame on the other side of the room, laughing loudly with Steve. “I don’t want to worry him. Or scare him off.”

Natasha’s smile is somehow knowing. It probably is, her mind a set of tarot cards, your future just one of many she has some secret knowledge on. “Trust me, this is Bucky we’re talking about here. Whenever he looks at you it’s like that dumb heart eyes emoji, sickening fucker. And if he is scared off, which he wouldn’t be but for arguments sake--he’s really not worth it, (Y/N).”

At that second, Bucky’s gaze flickers from Steve over to you, almost instinctively. His face instantly softens, smile crooked and tender, finger beckoning you over.

“See what I mean?” Natasha murmurs, slowly backing away. “Sickening fucker.”

Your heart settles. At least for now.

-

Bucky walks you back to your dorm, as he always does. He comes up with you, like he always does. And he presses you against your door as it automatically locks behind you, kissing you senseless, like he always does. His lips taste faintly of fruit punch and his hands are warm underneath the fabric of your top, skimming the skin of your back and your stomach. And you want this, you want this, you want this, and you consider not stopping. You consider letting this pan out so you have something to fucking say when Genevieve comes up to you at another party--but to prove a point to someone you don’t know is a ridiculous reason to have sex for the first time. The fear stabs you sharply in your gut yet again and you push Bucky’s shoulders away--you don’t want this, you’re not ready.

You’re not ready.

“Sweetheart?” Bucky whispers, breaths heavy and panting. “Is something wrong?”

“I need...” Fuck it. He looks genuinely worried and it breaks your heart a little, like he’s terrified he’s hurt you, pushed you too far. You close your eyes, breathing out, spreading your hands across his still clothed chest. “Buck, I’m still a virgin.”

Bucky exhales loudly, but his face suggests that he’s not completely surprised by this. You’ve not directly discussed it, but he knows he’s your first proper boyfriend. You’ve told him that before. “You know--you know that that’s okay, right? I should’ve...I kept meaning to talk to you about it, but I didn’t know if you were ready for the conversation or not and I didn’t want to look like I was pushing you into anything.”

“No, no, I’ve not felt pressurized. I promise you. I kept meaning to say too, I was just--scared, I guess. That it would freak you out.”

Bucky grins gently, reaching out to brush a strand of hair behind your ear. “As if, silly. Nothing could push me away from you, got that? Especially something like that. If you wanna go further, we do it on your terms, when you’re ready for it. If that’s in a week, or months, or years, or not at all. I’ll wait for you.”

He looks at you with such simple, unadulterated adoration that your chest is fit to burst. You lean forward and kiss him tenderly, letting your foreheads press together.

“I don’t deserve you,” you whisper. Bucky shakes his head decidedly.

“(Y/N), if a man says anything other than that, they don’t deserve you.” He leans back, running his hands down your arms. “I think I’m gonna say goodnight. I’ll text you when I get back, okay?”

“Please.” You nod, unlocking the door. Bucky ducks out underneath your arm, giving you one last kiss round the edge of the door. “I love you.”

“I love you too, favourite gal.”

-

got home to find sam playing twister with the girl from upstairs AGAIN

little shit asked me if i wanted to join in!!

of course i said no

don’t know what fluids have been spilled do i

ewwwww you’re so gross!!! delete my number 

i’m calling the police

if anything i should be calling the police

911 my girlfriend isn’t being sympathetic enough

i would have been sympathetic if you hadn’t brought fluids into it

think of my eyes y/n

okay sending f for your eyes

you happy now

your respects have been noted

i’m SO glad

thank you for being you

though

should be thanking you

goodnight darl

-

The next month or so seems to drag hopelessly past, most of your nights spent cramming for mid-terms in the library and watching Bucky practice on the field from mostly empty bleachers. He doesn’t mention your conversation, as to his word, dutifully walking you home and wishing you goodnight. At some point it wordlessly passes between you that he can stay over, passing out in your bed with his limbs wrapped around yours, sleeping together but not sleeping together. Honestly, you’re both so exhausted from college that sleeping is all you can do while Friends re-runs loop endlessly in the background. It get’s to a point where almost every night ends and morning begins with you sharing a bed.

The closeness, the up and down motion of his chest while he breathes, isn’t scary. It’s not scary sharing a bed with Bucky--it’s good. He’s not going anywhere. He’s not running off. He’s not even waiting, really, because waiting suggests an anticipation that will end in a pay off. He’s not sleeping with you because he wants sex, but rather because he just wants to spend every moment he can with you.

That makes your thought process easier. 

You spend the evening as Bucky’s guest at a charity gala the football team are supporting, all fancy food and black tie and important people giving important speeches and large amounts of money. Bucky looks like a Hollywood moviestar in his tux and your dress is on loan from a shop in the city, but it’s long and maroon and silk with ribbons that tie it together at the back. It’s easily the fanciest thing you’ve ever worn and you wobble in your high heels, but Bucky’s mouth gapes like you’re something ethereal, unreal.

You’ve never been ethereal in your life.

You get a lift back from the venue in a cab and you can feel how palpable the electricity between the two of you is in the confined space, your fingertips just about touching on the leather of the middle seat. You’re scared if you actually touch him you won’t be able to stop. In the ballroom, his hand spread out on the bare skin of your back, his body pressed into yours as you push between crowds, his palm on your thigh underneath the dinner table. 

You want him. You want him, and this time...you’re ready. You’re ready.

The door locks behind you and you grab the collar of his shirt, pulling him into a kiss that is so passionate it startles him. He doesn’t retract, though, the embrace deepening and his mouth crushing your own. You clasp onto his bowtie and urge him over to the bed, falling onto the sheets, legs curling round his waist.

“(Y/N),” he gasps while you hungrily kiss his neck, throwing the bowtie onto the floor. “(Y/N), are you sure--”

“I’m sure. I’m sure.” You say, looking him dead in the eyes. “God, I’m so fucking sure.”

You sit up so you’re face-to-face on the bed, guiding his eager fingers to where your dress knots at the back. Keeping eye contact, double and triple checking that this is all okay, he deftly unties the satin. Your dress falls away effortlessly, pooling round your hips like a bloodstain. 

“Jesus. Fuck.” Bucky says. His eyes flicker from your face to your underwear, your breasts. “Jesus. (Y/N). You’re so beautiful.”

You slowly reach out, beginning to unbutton his shirt. Breathes hitched. Heartbeats thrumming. He shudders as you undo his belt, revealing the waistband of his pants--he pushes you back gently onto the bed, dotting kisses across your collarbone and along your chest.

You’re so ready.

-

You wake to sun bleeding beneath your curtains and an empty condom wrapper on your bedside table, your dress tossed carelessly on the carpet and his trousers miraculously hung on the door handle. Bucky’s arms are wrapped firmly round your middle and you’re wearing his shirt. You smile as he feel him shift, groaning a little, finding his face in the crook between your shoulder and neck.

“’Morning,” he hums, kissing your neck. Memories from last night vividly fill your head like a kaleidoscope, the same feeling stirring in your gut.

“Good morning,” you say, reaching back to caress his jawline. “Get up to anything fun last night?”

His laugh is croaky from sleep and you can feel it in his chest. “I think the current position of my trousers could answer that question for you.”

“How did they end up there?”

“Magic.” Bucky whispers into your neck. You shudder reflexively--he does have that effect on you, after all. “You want pancakes?”

“Don’t mind if I do.”

a/n: this as close to smut as i get lol

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[shadowsof-thenight]

The long way home: Chapter four

Story summary: An AU about Steve Rogers that takes place in college. When you were kids, Steve was your best friend. Where he was you were and vice versa. So when your father got a new job on the other side of the country your 11 year old heart broken.

Over the years you had stayed in contact, though. And now, seven years later, you were off to college and unknowingly you’d applied to the college he had started at last year. You agree to meet on your second day and suddenly it all seemed a little less scary. Will you pick up where you’d left off? Or will everything have changed as much as Steve’s appearance.

Ship: Steve Rogers X Reader

Warnings: None. Words: 1732

If you want to get tagged, please let me know. I’d be happy too. This goes for all my stories .

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Previous Chapter

A/N: I struggled to get this out today. As of last week I am home from work, with a burnout. It has made me feel a little lost and writing was hard. Thankfully most of this chapter was already written. i'm hoping it wont effect my schedule of posting but I can't be sure.

Also, this chapter was supposed to end very differently, but it was over 3000 words long and I still could not end it properly. So instead I broke it in two. Not sure yet if it will effect the amount of chapters in the end, but it probably will. We'll see.

Hope you like this one!

As you sat in the food court and looked at the people rushing in and out around you, you were surprised by the passage of time. Time was going by so incredibly fast. It was already December and you truly felt that you had gotten into a grove here. You were comfortable, at ease. It felt like you belonged here. Classes were gruelling but, you still enjoyed them. And being away from your family was not so hard with the friends you had made. You had never expected to make those quite so easily.  

You smiled when you saw Natasha waving as she walked your way. You moved a seat over towards the window, allowing Bucky, Steve and her to slide into the other seats. Natasha sat across from you, next to Bucky, who moved his chair so he sat as close as he could to her. You chuckled at the sight, while Steve pressed a kiss to the top of your head and sat down in the chair next to you. You gave him a bright smile and said hello to the three of them.

All three of them had just returned from practice in their respective sports and were freshly showered. You on the other hand had been bent over in a chair in the library all afternoon and felt a little crumbled next to them. Then again, in your honest opinion, they tended to look like moviestars most of the time. You on the other hand felt more like the girl next door. Not ugly. Just not....as special. You would think twice to voice those thoughts though. A few weeks ago, you had and Natasha had been quick to berate you. It was sweet, but did nothing to lessen the feelings.

Uni however had been all you had hoped it would be and for some reason it almost felt too good to be true. Your friendship with Steve had picked up more easily than either of you could have guessed. And you had made new friends quite effortlessly. Which, you knew, was mostly thanks to Natasha's outgoing nature. She was funny, sarcastic and incredibly honest. Which most people seemed to like about her. Who could blame them? It was definitely something you loved about her.

You glanced to the side, watching Steve's profile while he spoke animately with Bucky. His hands waving frantically as he tried to explain something, but not finding the words to help him do so.

You smiled as you watched him, while you could hear Bucky's boisterous laughter as he kept repeating that he didn't understand Steve. Something told you that he understood very well what his friend was trying to say. He was just teasing him as Bucky so liked to do. Bucky seemed to thrive on banter, both with his friends and his girlfriend. Which was one of the reasons he and Natasha worked so well together.

After a few moments of gazing, you were quick to direct your eyes to the cup of tea before you. That was when you noticed Natasha looking your way. She winked at you before nodding her head to Steve. She was discreet, though you still checked to see if either of the men had noticed. You shook your head at her and she barked out a laugh. She didn't believe you. You could not really blame her, you didn't really believe it either.

While the men had not noticed the silent exchange, they did notice the laugh that had escaped Nat's mouth and she was quick to divert to attention back to them, telling Bucky to stop teasing Steve. Bucky laughed loudly and Steve's cheeks got a little more colour to them.

Natasha was smile sweetly before turning the conversation towards the match that weekend.

You could not help but smile as you thought back to their first match of the season. It had been a little while ago, but you still remembered the tone in Steve's voice when he had called you. He had been so nervous.

It had been late in the evening when your phone had buzzed. It pulled you from your slumber. If you had not been having trouble falling asleep that night, you might not even have heard it.

As it was, you did. Groggy you had reached for it, expecting a text, but as it kept buzzing you quickly realized it was a call. This had woken you up more and you had quickly turned on a night light, while sitting up straight. Luckily Natasha slept like a log or you would've had to deal with her sleep deprived anger.

With a whisper you answered the call, uncertain who would call at this time of the night. Of course, had you been more awake, you could have checked caller-id.

“Sorry to call this late” Steve’s voice had sounded on the other end, unease clear in his tone.

Confused you assured him that it was fine and inquired why he was calling. When you heard the anxiety laced in his next words, you knew what you had to do. When you had been kids, there was one thing that would always help him. So five minutes later, you were meeting Steve outside of your dorm.

You walked around campus for hours listening to his fears, his worries. How he feared that he would muck it up that next day. That they would lose the game and he would be to blame.

To distract him you had changed the subject. Talked about your combined memories and shared interests. The sun was already peaking over the horizon when you said goodbye to a much calmer Steve.

It had surprised you that he would still get so nervous. If you were to believe Bucky, and you did, Steve had been praised for his game ever since his first year of playing back in high school. It had made you wonder how much of the shy little boy that you had known so long ago, was still inside of him.

You pondered who he had talked to, when things made him anxious, before reuniting with him this year. Though you figured it would have been either Bucky or Sam. They seemed to understand that Steve wanted to do right by everyone and hardly ever teased him about that. Well, only light teasing, which Steve could easily return.

Coming back to the present as Natasha softly kicked you under the table, you apologised for tuning out, claiming fatigue. Natasha barked out another laugh, while Steve fussed over you, wondering if you were working yourself too hard. Assuring him that you would be just fine, Bucky finally repeated the question you had missed before.

“Are you coming to the after party?” he said and you laughed, wondering aloud if they were not being to cocky about their imminent victory.

“Win or lose, a party is a good way to end the day” Bucky shrugged, though he still seemed confident that they would not loose. It was a home game after all. There was the added home court advantage. Or as Steve would most likely see it, added pressure.  

“True,” you agreed, “Of course, I'll be there” you promised.

Steve pulled you into his side and kissed the top of your head once more as he muttered 'good'. You had no time to think about it as Bucky began to explain which dorm house would hold the party, as he would be damned to have it at their off campus apartment.

***

The game had been intense, making the elation over winning that much greater. The dorm was crowded and hot, making you wonder if the entire student body had showed up tonight. Pushing through throngs of dancing bodies, you finally made it to an empty bathroom, walking in before quickly closing the door behind you. You closed your eyes and sighed as you leaned back against the cool door.

“I thought I'd locked that” Steve's voice startled you and you opened your eyes to see him leaning on the sink with a beer. He smiled and you relaxed instantly.

“Pretty sure it's faulty” you said, twisting the lock a few times, hearing no click.

Steve shrugged and stood straight, looking you over. You could feel your stomach twisting under his gaze and your cheeks got heated. How could he have this effect on you, without really doing much of anything?

“Thanks for being there today” Steve said as he stepped closer and took your hand in his.

Willing your heart to slow down, you smiled  as you looked up at his face again. His blue eyes were bright and alert, his smile kind as always. Squeezing his hand you leaned into his side, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“Always” you promised and he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a hug.

“Now, tell me, why is the man of the match hiding away?” you asked him a few blissful moments later.

“Needed a moment of peace and quiet” Steve shrugged and you squeezed him a little closer, wanting to comfort him.

“And then I came barging into it” you looked up at him to assess his mood. Did it bother him? You'd leave in an instance if he needed you too.

“I never need you to stay away” Steve chuckled and you smiled.

He bent down to kiss your cheek and opened his mouth to say something when the door burst open and two very drunken strangers fell into the bathroom. They hardly even noticed you and kept kissing and pulling at their clothes. Swallowing his words Steve was quick to guide you to the door and close it behind the two of you. That's when you both burst out laughing and walked away to find your friends.

Two hours later, with the party in full swing you were taken over by yawning. It was nearing midnight and you really wanted to get into bed. It took you another hour to finally excuse yourself and leave. Natasha had decided to join you, while the celebrating men remained behind.

By the time you were in bed, sleep took over quickly. You were ready to leave the long day behind. If only you had known that it would last a little longer still.

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