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"I'm going out. Anyone coming with me?" Bucky offers, already pulling on his jacket and ready to leave after the crappy day he's just had.
"Nah, I'm good," Sam declines.
"I'll go!" you chirp, already standing up out of your seat.
"You're going to go out drinking- with Bucky?" Sam asks with an eyebrow raised in complete disbelief.
You shrug. "Why not? I've never gone out drinking before."
"Well that would be the first reason," Sam laughs.
"Would it be better if I went drinking alone?" you ask.
"Definitely not!" Bucky vehemently objects. "Just get dressed and we'll go."
You glance down at what you're wearing. It's the same clothes that you usually wear. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"Nothing," Bucky assures you. "But you were wearing that on the mission. And I'm pretty sure that hoodie's mine, by the way. Just put on something nice- nicer than normal."
"Okay," you nod excitedly, then bolt up the stairs to go find something to wear.
"Alright, well now I'm definitely going."
"You just said that you didn't want to go out," Bucky huffs.
"I know, but this I have to see," Sam teases him.
"There's nothing to see. Just some co-workers going out to a bar."
"Sure it is. Just surprising considering you usually do all your drinking alone."
"Maybe I'm feeling social."
"Or maybe you're getting a little friendly with-"
"Stop that," Bucky cuts him off. "Don't even finish that thought, Sam. There's nothing there. I don't even see her like-" And that's when you make your well timed reappearance. And no matter how hard Bucky tries to hide it, you make his heart beat just a little faster. He's not even sure what it is. He's seen you in that yellow sundress before. You've looked at him like that before, it's no different, he tries to convince himself.
"Dude, put your tongue back in your mouth," Sam interrupts, just as you're walking up to the two of them.
He clears his throat. "Shut up, Sam."
You look at Bucky and see his fully flushed face and the was he's all flustered. You reach out and touch Bucky's arm, slightly concerned. "Bucky, are you okay?"
"Yeah," he rasps, his voice gravelly. "I'm great."
You nod and turn back to the two men. "Do you guys think I'll need a jacket?"
"What do you think, Bucky? Does she need a jacket?" Sam asks with a mischievous grin.
"I think you're fine."
"Fine. Interesting choice of words," Sam continues.
"Leave Bucky alone. You've got him all flushed and flustered," you say, fanning Bucky with a slight breeze.
"Sure, I was the one that did that," Sam wryly remarks, standing up and walking out the door.
The walk to the bar is short and soon you're all three seated at some dive bar that only Bucky's familiar with. You excitedly drum on the countertop, "Alright, what do I try first?"
"You've really never had a drink before?" Sam asks.
"Nope."
"Okay, why don't we go with something simple? How about a beer?" Bucky suggests.
You nod, ready to try anything. Bucky orders for the three of you and while you wait Sam and Bucky explain to you the rules of drinking. To not mix drinks. Don't drink and drive. Don't text people while drinking. Don't take drinks from strangers- even friendly strangers.
"Here," Bucky says, handing you a bottle.
You gingerly take your first sip and instantly regret it. Sam chuckles as you try to hide the displeasure forming on your face. You barely swallow the first sip. You reluctantly grab the bottle again, but this time Bucky stops you. "You don't have to drink that," Bucky says.
"Thank you," you sigh in relief as Bucky moves the bottle away from you.
"It's an acquired taste, Doll."
"Here, let me try," Sam steps in ordering something else from the bartender. The bartender puts something very different in front of you. This drink is more colorful, something that intrigues you.
You take a cautious first sip and you don't even feel the burn or bitter taste. "Oh, that's good!"
"Told you," he whispers to Bucky. "You can't go wrong with fruity drinks."
By the time you've finished your first drink, Sam's already ordered you another one. Bucky shoots him a warning look. "Come on, I can't be the only one that wants to see what she's like when she's buzzed."
"It's her first time drinking," Bucky reminds him.
"No, Sam's right. I want to have fun tonight."
"That's the spirit!" Sam laughs.
By the time you're on your third drink, Bucky's intently watching you and Sam's abandoned the two of you to go flirt with the bartender.
You're now holding up little toothpicks and setting the end of fire. Even sober you've always been one to play or have fun with you very unique capabilities, so it really shouldn't surprise Bucky that you're a giggly mess by doing things that you already knew you could do.
But each time Bucky has to watch you grab another and hold it up in awe, and pull it away from you before anything gets out of hand. He's trying really hard not to be amused by you, to not let you see him giggle, or even crack a smile, but you just keep worming your way under his skin. The way you freely laugh or the way you keep touching Bucky's arm. Or when you doubled over in laughter at something he said and placed your head on his shoulder. The entire night you've been driving him crazy.
Of course that's when John Walker pops into the bar.
"John," Bucky grumbles. "What a coincidence."
"Yeah, not really," John admits.
"What are you doing here? We're trying to have some fun."
"Clearly," John scoffs, his eyes flickering to your drunken self. He turns to you, giving you his most innocent expression. "You don't mind me being here. Do you?"
"It's okay, James. I don't mind John being here."
"You heard the lady," John taunts Bucky quietly while your head it turned to order another drink. Bucky's really not interested in watching this scene play out anymore, so he grabs his drink and starts to stand up. That is until you reach for his arm. "Where are you going?"
"I'm just going to check on Sam. I'll be right back," he says more to John than to you.
"How about you let me get you a real drink?" John asks as Bucky walks away.
"This is a real drink," you protest, feeling more sober than you were a minute ago. "And James told me not to accept drinks from other people."
"So do you always do what Sergeant Barnes tell you to?" John challenges.
"I do when he's trying to keep my safe," you quip, taking another large sip from your drink.
"So you trust Barnes, but not me?"
"I trust James with my life."
"Why?"
"Why?" you recoil, not liking the way this conversation is turning out. "James is my friend. He's cares about me."
"I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Barnes only cares about himself."
"You know, I don't think I like you talking about my friend like that," you say, slightly louder than you intend to.
"Alright, easy there," John says, touching your arm as if to try and calm you down. You recoil from his touch and completely move your arm out of his reach.
Bucky sits down next to Sam in a huff. Sam turns away from the bartender and tries not to laugh at how jealous Bucky looks. He looks over at you and see John sitting over by you. "When did John get here?"
"Just now."
"And you're here because...?"
"Because..." Bucky trails off, not understanding what Sam's asking him. The both of them can hear the two of you, mostly because it's a small bar, but also because you're getting progressively louder in your conversation. Bucky really tries not to smile at the way you're defending him, the way you told John that you trusted Bucky and the advice he gave you. Then you call him your friend and he's frowning at that. But then you say that Bucky cares about you and his lip twitches up again.
"That is some emotional rollercoaster you are on, my friend," Sam remarks, clapping Bucky on the back. Even though he just sat down by Sam, he's up in an instant when he sees you pull your arm away from John. Sam doesn't even have time to intervene when Bucky shoots up and practically storms over to you.
"Alright, John, I think it's time that you left her alone."
"Barnes," John sighs condescendingly. "We're just having a drink, right?"
"No," you shake your head, stumbling to get up off your stool. Bucky's arms are instantly around you, helping support you.
"See, she's drunk. Maybe I should take her home?" John offers.
"Yeah, right," Bucky says sarcastically. "Come on, I think you've had enough for tonight."
"Okay," you shrug.
Bucky looks at Sam who's back talking to the bartender, Bucky looks at Sam silently asking him if he's going to head out with the two of them, but Sam waves him off. Bucky just rolls his eyes and with one hand in the small of your back he proceeds to walk you out of the bar. When the two of you step out, the cool hair hits you both in the face. Bucky give you his arm and you cling to it as he guides you through the mostly empty streets.
"I'm sorry that John ruined your fun," you offer as the two of you turn back onto a more familiar street.
"Ah, don't worry about me. I had fun."
"Me too. I always have fun with you."
"Really?" he asks, being more vulnerable knowing that you probably won't remember this. "I don't hear that a lot."
"Of course I do. You and that pretty face," you say, slightly poking his cheek.
He laughs. "And that's how I know you're still drunk."
"Maybe a little," you giggle. "But I do have fun with you. You're a good friend, James."
"That's just what every man loves to hear from a woman," Bucky mumbles under his breath.
It's quiet by the time the two of you make it back. Bucky leads you back to your room and makes sure you're alright before he leaves you. When he's sure you're sleeping, he quietly goes into your room and leaves you some aspirin and water next to your bed. Gently stroking the hair out of your face, he whispers, "Good night, Doll."