I dont understand how anyone expects me to bring a man into my life when I know nothing but peace being single like on the weekends I do all my little tasks and my little chores and I workout and listen to my podcasts and my music and watch my shows and write my little stories and make my little videos and I hang out with my cat and I sleep in and meal prep and watch weird YouTube videos about theme parks and I just dont know why I would want to upset my beautiful solitary little ecosystem by introducing a man to my enclosure when all he is going to do is be loud and make messes and inflict psychological warfare on me
Pairing: Spy!Steve x Spy!Reader
WC: 10.5k
Warnings: enemies to lovers, loosely inspired by mr. and mrs. smith, the avengers are not super mainstream in this, sexual tension, shower scene, makeout, jealousy, mean!steve at times, brat!reader, eventual smut (dry humping, fingering, unprotected p in v, edging, creampie, steve eating you out within an inch of your life (munch steve come homeeeeeeee), doggy style, tonguefucking), mentions of voyeurism, surveillance, size kink, miscommunication, angst-ish with comfort.
Summary: You and Steve are voluntold you're married for an undercover mission. Should be easy, except you hate each other.
+fran: this is the opening showing of the Captain Americana Film Festival and my humble contribution to Steve's birthday!!! I cannot tell you how much it filled me with joy that I sat down to write this on the 4th and actually spat out 10k words. WE ARE SO BACK!!! Happy 108th to the man who will always have my heart, has been the gold standard against which I measure every man, (this is blond man propaganda) and also my astrological twin <3 no one gets me like he does fr.
⤡ you should go listen to the incredible playlist named "mr and mrs smith [john and jane]" by marybatz on spotify
"Absolutely not!"
Fury had the timing of a tax audit to a billionaire CEO. Of course, of course, you'd be stuck playing this mission with fucking Steve.Â
One second you were minding your business, enjoying what was left of your coffee and your relatively peaceful morning, and the next Nick Fury was informing you that you would be spending the foreseeable future pretending to be happily married to Steve Rogers.
"You're going." Fury didn't even break stride. He rolled his eye and kept walking down the hallway toward the conference room, clearly done entertaining your complaints before you'd even finished making them, with you hot on his heel.Â
Your footsteps echoed in the wide hallway as you walked backwards, facing Fury. "Can't I marry someone else for this?" You pondered. "What about Barnes?"
Fury stopped so suddenly you nearly tripped. "You want to pretend to be married to Barnes?"
You opened your mouth, immediately closed it, thought for a second and shrugged, squeezing your eyes shut. "That's not the point."
"That's what I thought."
The polished floors reflected the overhead lights as the two of you moved through the hallway. âNat, maybe? Some of those married dudes would eat up girl-on-girl and spill the beans right away. Mission would be so quick!â
Fury walked with the patience of a man who'd dealt with far worse than you. The fact that he hadn't strangled you after years of working together was honestly kind of impressive, a little endearing almost.
Both of you quickly arrived at the conference room door, Fury stopping with his hand on the handle, turning his face to you and letting our a frustrated sigh. "Do you like working here?"
You rolled your eyes, "Yes, sir." What kind of question was that?
"And what's your title?" His brow quirked up.
A confused look plastered all over your face. "Agent."
He leaned down to talk to you closer, almost like explaining rules to a petulant child, "Then be an agent." and proceeded to push the door open and hold it for you, giving you full view of Steve Rogers sitting at the head of the table with a sour expression on his face, just as displeased to have to pretend to love you for the mission.Â
The training room should've been empty half an hour ago, and technically, everyone was done for the day.Â
It shouldâve been quietâmats wiped down, lights dimmed, everyone gone for the night.
Instead, the air was thick.
Heavy with sweat, heat, and something sharp enough to make the back of your neck prickle. The entire team and a couple recruits were watching you.
Well, you and Steve.Â
At first not openlyâno one was stupid enough to make it obviousâbut they lingered. Leaned against walls, sat on benches, hovered just close enough to pretend they had somewhere else to be.
It started as any other training session did, you rotated partners, almost like shark bait:Â in and out, partner after partner cycling through you while you stayed planted on the mat, pushing your stamina, your endurance, your patience.
Until you ended up on the other side of the mat from Steve.Â
Barefoot, sleeves rolled, skin already lightly sheened with the littlest bit of sweat that somehow made him look betterinstead of worseâwhich was deeply, personally offensive.
Here's the thing: he was a super soldier. He had endless stamina, super strength, reflexes that outmatched 99% of the population, and he had it all with perfect blond hair and barely breaking a sweat on his sculpted body.
It infuriated the hell out of you.Â
He blocked every kick, every punch, and when he didn't he wasn't even phased.Â
It made you go harder, to the point where you found yourselves now: almost trying to hurt each other.Â
By then, no one was even preteding to be occupied by anything else, shamelessly staring at the two of you at the center of the mat like Oppenheimer waiting for a bomb to go off.Â
Steve had stopped treating you with the same careful restraint he used with newer recruits. He'd throw you harder into the mats, knock the wind from your lungs, shove you back with enough force to remind you exactly how much stronger he was, and you'd borderline play dirty.
Every hit had a little more weight behind it. Neither willing to back down. Neither willing to lose.
Sam was sitting backwards in a chair, chin propped on his arms, watching like he had front row seats to the best show of his life; Natasha looked delighted; Bucky looked concerned, brows drawn, arms crossed tight over his chest, like he was trying to decide whether to step in or let you both learn your lesson the hard way.
Steve stood opposite of you, his feet staggered and his arms up, making a "come at me" motion with his fingers. His hair was slightly mussed, a damp strand falling forward over his forehead.
"Come to daddy."
The entire room held their breaths, and you saw red.Â
In hindsight, you should've planned a better move than to just charge at him, the strength in your muscles and bones not being able to match his. You should've thought of something tactical, something smart.Â
But also⌠you fucking hated his guts.Â
Which is exactly how you ended up with your cheek and stomach pressed to the sweaty mat, with Steve's whole weight on your back, your wrists pinned between the two of you and his right arm laced under yours and up your back, hand holding your neck down.Â
His hands caught you mid-motion, grip iron-tight as he twisted, using your momentum against you with terrifying ease, his grip locking your body in place, the angle just shy of painful.
"You need to work on your psyche. Mind over matter." His stupid voice right in your ear made goosebumps bloom up your spine, so you did what any reasonable person would do.
You flexed the knee that was between his spread legs hard enough that you hit him square in the balls, giving you the out you needed.Â
You straightened on your feet, pushing damp hair back from your face, a breathless, borderline feral grin breaking across your lips as he winced on the mat in pain.Â
"Who's your daddy now?"Â
Your breathless laughter was cut short, Fury's booming voice breaking through any pain or enjoyment present in the room. "You do know domestic violence is not part of your cover story, no?"
Both of your heads whipped in the direction of his voice.Â
He continued to walk in your direction, dropping two folders in front of your feet, and Steve, who was still kneeling down on the mat. "Shower this off. You leave in the morning, lovebirds."
The neighborhood looked like the kind of place where people complained to the HOA because their neighbor's hydrangeas were the wrong shade of blue.
Every lawn was trimmed within an inch of its life, sharp lines cutting through impossibly green grass like someone came out with a ruler every morning.Â
The mailboxes all matchedâsleek, black, expensive-lookingâand every driveway held something polished and obscene:luxury SUV or a car that definitely cost more than your first apartment.
The houses themselves were enormous. White trim, brick facades, wraparound porches, massive windows that left little room for privacy on a street that looked like it loved to mind every business but its own.Â
You sat in the passenger seat while Steve drove to your home, the undercover file open across your lap like a book while your bare feet rested on the dash.Â
Because annyong Steve was free, and your favorite past time. "No feet on the dash."
You turned a page, ignoring him. "They're staying." You read more of the file. "It's more comfortable that way." Your light blue summer dress was bunched up higher across your thighs, and he did a double take before taking a right turn to your house block.
He sighed. "If we crashâ"
"Just look at the road instead of me and we'll be fine." That made him shift in the driver's seat, straightening his posture and looking ahead, his Adam's apple bobbing in annoyance.
What irritated Steve about you was the fact that these comebacks never even seemed to make sense or be thought of, it just rolled off your tongue, almost just for the plot. And you didn't even care.Â
He didn't even know why you hated him so much in the first place, but he reciprocated the feeling as soon as he saw how insubordinate and bratty you were.Â
Steve sighed the long suffering sigh of a man questioning every life decision that had brought him to this moment. "You're impossible." Muttered under his breath.Â
"You're a Senior Project Manager at your own company, honey!" Fake admiration and praise filled your voice. "Oh, you proposed quick! Only a year after our first date." You turned to him, your first real smile plastered on your face. "You're so down bad."
The car came to a stop in your driveway, and Steve turned it off, unclipping his seatbelt. "Put your shoes on, we're here and I feel eyes already."Â
"Bossy." You muttered, doing exactly as he said. As you got out of the car, your voice went up an octave, carrying through the humid summer weather.Â
âReady, honey?â you asked, slipping the word out effortlessly, like youâd been saying it for years.
He opened the front door for you, making sure whoever was watching heard him just as well, possessive in a way that made your breath hitch before you could stop it.
âAfter you, sweetheart.â
You'd barely had enough time to figure out which bedroom closet was yours before the doorbell rang.
ding-dong. ding-dong.
You froze in the middle of the bedroom, one hand still gripping a hanger, Steve somewhere down the hall filling a modified cabinet with all sorts of concealed weapons.
You dropped the hanger onto the bed without another thought, smoothing your hands down your dress as you moved. Steve stepped out of the kitchen at the same time, wiping his hands on a dish towel like heâd been doing something domestic instead of checking sightlines and exits.
Ben and Julie Poindexter stood in your porch like they had been plucked straight out of a catalog. They were ones you hoped to make the acquaintance of quickly, as he was the right hand of the big druglord you and Steve were tasked with making an airtight case on.
Years of field work had taught you that monsters were rarely obvious, still, some primitive part of your brain always expected criminals to look like criminals.
Instead, Ben Poindexter looked like somebody who coached Little League and had multiple PTA moms undoing extra buttons in their cardigans to get his attention. Beside him, Julie beamed, already leaning slightly forward like she couldnât wait to know everything about you.
âOh my goodness,â she breathed, eyes lighting up. âYou must be the Adlers!â You felt Steve shift beside you, his hand coming to rest warm on your back with an ease that shouldn't be there in the best of actors.Â
He smiled, and it was a good one. The kind that made people relax immediately. The kind that five years ago made youâ
âGuilty,â he said easily. âFrank.â Right. Frank Adler.Â
He extended his hand and Ben took it immediately, introducing you then. âIâm Dex,â the shorter blond said in return, just as easy. âThis is my wife, Julie.â
âHi,â you said, stepping forward like you hadnât been mentally preparing to dismantle her entire social circle for intel. âItâs so nice to meet you.â
She lit up.
âOh, you are just adorable,â she gushed, reaching out to squeeze your arm like you were already best friends. âWe saw the moving truck this morning and I told Ben, I said, âWe have to go introduce ourselves before everyone else gets to them first.ââ
You faked confusion. "Ben�"
He chuckled lightly in response. "That's me, I⌠uh⌠Ben's really only for her and my parents. Friends call me Dex."
You smiled back in understanding. âWe appreciate that,â he said smoothly. âItâs been a bit of a whirlwind getting settled.â
âSo,â Dex cut in, tone casual but eyes observant, âwhat brings you two here?â There it was. The first test.
You felt Steveâs thumb twitch slightly against your back. A cue , or maybe just instinct. âWork, mostly,â he said, not missing a beat. âI just transferred to oversee a new branch out here.â
Julie gasped softly. âOh! Thatâs right, youâre the project manager, right? We heard something about thatââ
Of course they did.
You tilted your head toward Steve, letting your smile soften just a touch as you looked at him. Pride, affection⌠Just enough to sell it.
âHe wonât say it, but heâs very good at what he does.â You interjected, turning your sweet smile to your nosy neighbors again.Â
His hand pressed a little more firmly into your back before easing again. âSomeone has to pay the bills,â he joked lightly, glancing down at you.
"It's a 50/50 relationship," you shot back, nudging his side with your elbow just enough to look playful. "You earn money, and I look pretty in the things it buys." Your hand reached up to scratch the freshly shaven skin of his chin.
âWow,â Julie breathed, practically vibrating with delight. âYou two are so cute.â
You laughed, soft, a little embarassed⌠and completely fake. Dex watched that exchange carefully. His smile stayed in place, but his eyes sharpened just a fraction.
âNew couples usually take a while to settle in around here,â he said, tone still easy. âBut I think you two will fit right in.â
âWell,â you said lightly, leaning just a little closer into Steve without thinking about it, âweâre counting on our neighbors to help with that.â
Julie clasped her hands together. âOh, you have to come to dinner this weekend! Everyoneâs going to be thereâitâs kind of our thing.â
âWeâd love to,â Steve said, lightly nodding.
Both of them smiled in satisfaction, briefly saying their goodbyes and we'll let you get settled. As they started to step back, Julie waved enthusiastically. âWelcome to the neighborhood!â
Integration happened faster and easier than either of you expected. Almost likeâŚÂ bait.Â
It started with waves.
Small, polite acknowledgments from across drivewaysâneighbors watering already-perfect lawns, women in linen sets pausing mid-walk with their equally curated dogs. At first it was just smiles, quick introductions repeated twice because no one actually listened the first time, or maybe they expected you to slip up.Â
Names, occupations, how long you planned to stay.
Somehow, without either of you saying much at all, your lives had already been filled in for you. SteveâFrankâwas âthe project manager from the city.â You were âso sweetâ and âadjusting beautifully.â
It was unsettling.
Steve got pulled in first.
Dex made it look casualâleaning over the fence one late afternoon while Steve pretended to struggle with a hose attachment he absolutely knew how to fix.
âCouple of us head out to the club on Saturdays,â Dex had said, like it wasnât a test. Like it wasnât an invitation into something much bigger. âYou golf?â
Steve had shrugged, wiping his hands on a towel like the answer didnât matter. âEnough not to embarrass myself.â
Dex chuckled. âGood. Fisk hates losing.â
That was how Steve Rogers found himself in pressed polos and quiet greens, standing under the sun with a man who ran half the city from behind clean hands and cleaner money.
Wilson Fisk didnât look like a monster either. They never did.
From the sidelines, it wouldâve looked normalâthree men talking shop, trading easy laughs, the soft crack of a golf ball slicing through the air.
But Steve came home with tension in his shoulders that hadnât been there before, and eyes that thought too much.
You were integrated differently. Faster, deeper in a sense. If you wanna know a man, you need to know the woman in his life first. Julie took one look at you and decided you were hers.
Brunch turned into wine nights, which turned into yoga classes and impromptu shopping trips where you learned which women talked too much, which ones listened too closely, and which ones pretended not to notice everything while noticing everything.
You laughed when you were supposed to, touched arms at the right moments, let yourself be pulled into conversations about renovations and charity events and who was âhaving trouble in their marriageâ this week.
You played the part. Perfectly.
But you also listened. And Julie talked, about Dex, about their marriage, about his schedule, the men he worked with, his "job".
About Fisk in a careful, vague way that told you she knew just enough to be useful and not enough to be dangerous.
Inside the house, however, nothing really changed. You were in bliss whenever Steve was anywhere outside of the five thousand square feet of the house. And in hell when you could hear his footsteps through the hallways.Â
âWhy are your shoes in the middle of the hallway?â âBecause I took them off.â
âYou put a gun in the cereal cabinet.â âIt was concealed.â
And yet, somewhere in between the arguing and the slammed cabinets and the pointed silences, you moved around each other.
Steve adjusted the cuff of his polo as he stepped out onto the green, the sun warm against the back of his neck, the grass trimmed so perfectly it almost didnât look real. Somewhere in the distance, a fountain trickled softlyâcontrolled, decorative, intentional.
Everything here was curated, including the people. Dex stood a few feet ahead, already mid-conversation with a Fisk, Steve immediately recognizing his big frame.
âFrank,â Dex called easily, turning just enough to wave him over. âGlad you made it.âÂ
Steve walked up at an even pace, shoulders loose, posture relaxed, every movement deliberate in its lack of tension. âWouldnât miss it.â
Dex clapped his hands lightly. âLetâs see if you actually know how to swing that thing.â
The game itself was uneventful on the surface, small talk, a couple of drinks over a few holes, business talk, the kind of conversation that never said anything directly but still managed to reveal everything if you knew how to listen.
Steve pretending to be worse than Fisk at golf remembering what Dex said about him not liking losing.Â
Well, who does? He thought.
He missed a shot he couldâve made here and there, fake grimace on his face to help sell the lie, burrow himself deeper in the web.
Dex talked the mostâeasy laughter, casual stories, the kind of man who filled silence before it could become uncomfortable.
Fisk didnât, he was quieter, more measured. Almost amused.Â
By the ninth hole, Steve could feel the shift, the attention settling more fully onto him. He was past the evaluation phase and onto something else.Â
Fisk set his club aside after a clean shot, stepping back as one of the attendants moved to retrieve it. He didnât look at Steve immediately, instead adjusting his cufflinks with slow, precise movements.
âBeautiful house youâve got,â Fisk said finally.
Steve shrugged lightly, taking a swing of his beer. âGot lucky to swoop in right when it went on the market.â
Fisk hummed. âI find luck tends to favor the well-prepared.â Steve didnât respond, Fiskâs gaze lifted then. âYou and your wife settling in well?â
For some reason, hearing such a dangerous man mention you made him uneasy. And it shouldn't, because he hated you. Steve forced his expression to remain easy. âYeah. She likes it here.â He paused for a second. âSheâs⌠adjusting.â
Fiskâs lips curved slightly. âIs she?â Steveâs grip on the club in his hand tightened just a fraction.
Dex shifted beside them, glancing between the two, something quieter settling over his usual ease.
âYou know,â Fisk continued, tone almost conversational, âI take a great interest in the people who choose to live in the neighborhood.â
Steve tilted his head slightly. âSeems like a lot of effort.â
Fisk chuckled softly. âIt is if you don't have the⌠resources.â
Steve didnât like the way he said that, didnât like the weight behind it.
The back nine loosened things.
Or at least, thatâs what it looked like.
Dex got louder, a little more relaxed with each hole, his posture easing into something casual as the game stretched on. Drinks appeared somewhere around the seventhâcold, expensive, handed off by staff who moved like ghostsâand by the tenth, the conversation had shifted.
Way less about business.Â
Dex snorted at something one of the other menâsome hedge fund name Steve hadnât bothered to rememberâhad said, shaking his head as he lined up his shot.
âIâm telling you,â the man continued, grinning like he thought he was hilarious, âif youâre doing it right, sheâs not walking straight the next morning.â
One of the others chimed in with something worse, cruder. The kind of joke that got easy agreement and knowing looks passed around like currency.
Steve didnât react, just stood there, one hand resting loosely on his club, gaze fixed somewhere out over the green like he wasnât listening.
âCâmon, Adler,â Dex called, nudging him lightly with his elbow. âYouâve been real quiet over there.â
Steve glanced over, trying to seem unbothered. Like he didn't want to roll his eyes at everything coming out of that prick's mouth. âJust listening.â
âThatâs not how this works,â the hedge fund guy said with a smirk. âYou gotta contribute. Youâre married, right?â
âFamiliarity,â Fisk continued, almost thoughtfully, like he was discussing market trends instead of people, âbreeds a certain ease.â
âGuess some guys are just more private.â Steve chimed, moving as to redirect the conversation, walking a couple steps to the next hole. "I donât feel the need to talk about my wife like that."
Silence fell upon the group for a second, Dex interjected to change the subject quickly, but the way Fisk looked at Steve the rest of the time made he hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Steve unlocked the kitchen door, toeing his shoes off as soon as he stepped inside. The house was clean, marble countertops reflecting the golden light coming through the curtains.
A candle burned on the center island that made the house smell like a bouquet of fresh flowers, blooming in deepest winter.
The door clocked shit behind him with a soft, controlled click, as he called out "Babe?" while letting his keys rattle against the marble.
He stepped further into the kitchen, eyes sweeping automaticallyâback door locked, blinds angled just enough, nothing out of place. The cabinet heâd modified earlier sat closed, unassuming, hiding everything it needed to.
He called out for you again, "Sweetheart?", feet padding into the house and when he got to the bottom of the stairs, he heard the shower running on.Â
Steve's mind kept replaying the interactions he'd had that day, how Fisk seemed to have too much knowledge of his dynamic with you to not haveâ
Of course.
A man like Fisk wouldn't just intentionally have a blind side.Â
The motherfucker had surveillance on your house.Â
In your house.Â
The sound got clearer and clearer as he moved up the stairs. The hallway stretched ahead, quiet and sun-dimmed, and then right outside of the bathroom door, steam curling underneath it. Steve paused just outside it, his hand hovering near the frame, his head tilting slightly as he listened.
You were humming, soft and absentminded.
Like you werenât in the middle of a mission that had just taken a very sharp turn.
He exhaled softly through his nose, dragging a hand down his face, fingers catching briefly on the tension sitting heavy there.
He should wait, he knew he should. Whatever he had to say could wait ten minutes.
Five.
Hell, two.
But the words Fisk had saidâhad impliedâsat in his chest like a weight that refused to settle. So if Fisk had creepily put surveillance in your home like Steve was 98% sure he had, you were gonna have to roll with the punches.
Steam hit him immediately, warm and thick, fogging the edges of his vision for half a second before it cleared.Â
Stripping his shirt, kicking off the rest of his clothes in a blur of motion that wouldâve felt ridiculous under any other circumstance.
He walked into the shower, watching you let the water trickle over you, over your face, your neck, your chest, and he thanked every God he could think of that his body was cooperating and he did not have more than a half-hard on right then and there.
Which meant that you finished rinsing your shampoo off and opened your eyes to find a very, very naked Steve Rogers encapsulated by the shower stall glass around you.Â
With you.
All naked, and very wet, and very naked, andâ
"Ahh!"Â You shrieked in surprise, stumbling back half a step, water splashing over him as your hands came up instinctively. "What the fâ" Steve put his index finger on his lips with one hand, the other motioning to his ear and out.
We're being listened to.
"Honey,"Â You immediately switched into your undercover tone, "you scared the crap out of me!"
Steve stepped closer, couldn't risk his voice being any louder than absolutely necessary to get you the information right then and there.Â
His frame in comparison to yours felt even bigger now, steam curling around him like vines. You'd blame the way your nipples hardened at the sight on the water.Â
âFisk,â he whispered, barely audible over the spray. âHe knows somethingâs off. Pretty sure weâre wired. The house is.â
Your breath hitched.
Absolutely having nothing to do with the fact that you were trying very hard not to stare at hisâ "Where?"
"Everywhere." He confirmed.Â
Water ran down both of you in steady streams, heat curling between your bodies, steam thickening the air until everything felt too close.
âWell,â you murmured, louder now, just enough for anyone listening to catch it, your tone dipping into something softer, more playful, ânext time, maybe knock?â
Steve huffed out a quiet breath that could almost pass for a laugh, his forehead dipping closer to yours, but not touching, droplets of water falling from his hair onto you.
âDidnât think youâd mind.â One of your hands braced lightly against his chest, the other gripping his arm as if for balance.
Your hand slid up to the nape of his neck, pulling the hair there enough to make him hiss. âOh, I mind,â you said lightly, your fingers threading just a little deeper into the short hair at the nape of his neck. âYouâre lucky I like you.â
You were pretty good at⌠faking it.Â
Night settled over the house smoothly, the sun bleeding into deep indigo slowly and surely until stars littered the sky and you all you could hear was the fair sound of nature beyond the glass.
The neighborhood dimmed in stagesâporch lights flicking on one by one, warm squares of yellow glowing through wide, uncovered windows. Somewhere down the street, laughter carried faintly. A dog barked once, then twice, then went quiet again.
As your brain processed the information Steve had given you, you moved through the motions anyway.Â
Teeth brushed. Face washed. Lights turned off and on in the right order. The kind of routine that would look normal from the outside, mundane and unremarkable to anyone paying attention.
The thought sat in the back of your mind, somewhat panicked and loud, but also a constant, steady pressure.Â
You dried your hands slowly on a towel, eyes flicking briefly to the mirror. Your reflection stared backâhair dried and silky, skin still warm from the shower, expression carefully neutral.
Steve stood near the dresser, back half-turned to you, pulling a t-shirt over his head. The fabric stretched sinfâ normallyacross his shoulders before falling into place, softening the sharp lines of him into something more⌠domestic.
You watched him through the mirror without meaning to, picking up a book, turning on his bedside lamp, and crawling under the covers of your bed, letting the light comforter rest on his legs and hips while he flipped through the pages with his back resting against his pillows and the headboard.
You bit your lip, thoughts blooming fast and messy under your skull, and flicked the lights in the bathroom off, walking towards your side of the bed.Â
Your short camisole shifted through the air as you moved, light and soft, brushing against your thighs. Steve's eyes immediately clocking your bare legs before he forced them onto the words in front of him.Â
You laid onto your side and closed the distance between you in one smooth motion, your body fitting against his side like that's where it was always supposed to be.Â
Your arm slid across his waist, your cheek pressed lightly against the plane of his pecs, and you felt the very warm, solid, real muscle of him under your face go completely still.Â
Not in any subtle way, you could feel the exact moment his brain short-circuited.
He turned his face just enough to look down and meet your gaze. His expression screamed an unfiltered "what the hell?"while yours softly said "we have to sell it."
He shifted, turning just enough so he wasnât facing away from you anymore, his arm coming upâhesitant for half a secondâbefore settling around you, his hand resting on your forearm, thumb tracing soothing patterns on the soft, moisturized skin.Â
As you laid there, the cogs in your brain turned. You bit the inside of your cheek lightly, the more he believes it, the quicker we get out.Â
You moved forward, your hand pressed against his chest, using him for leverage as you pushed yourself up, swinging one leg over his hips in a smooth, deliberate motion until you were straddling him.
The poor book slid uselessly to rest on the mattress on the other side of his body. You nuzzled your face into his neck, pretending to pepper kisses on the skin there, and Steve stiffened up.
His hands instinctively came up, not grabbing or even stopping you, just hovering at your waist like he didnât know where they were allowed to go.
Your mouth lingered by his pulse point just long enough to make it convincing before you spoke, your breath hot against his skin. "Play along." You whispered.
You felt the tension in himâevery muscle coiled, controlled, restrained in a way that had nothing to do with the mission and everything to do with the position youâd just put him in.
âSweetheart,â he said, louder now, his tone shifting seamlessly, to something warmer, rougher, like it belonged to someone else. âYou trying to kill me?â
From the outside, it sounded like a joke. A husband amused by his wife.
You tilted your head, letting your lips ghost just below his ear. âYou just been working so much lately,â you murmured, just loud enough to carry.
His grip on you flexed, and he leaned into it.Â
âI know, baby, I know,â he said, voice dropping, threading something you hadnât heard from him since he had your face pressed into a sparring mat through it as his hands settled more firmly at your hips, anchoring you there. âIâm sorry, sweetheart.â
Your stomach flipped, shameful heat pooling low in your core even though you tried to ignore it and call it by a different name.Â
His fingers pressed just slightly, grounding, guiding, selling the illusion with an ease that made your pulse stutter.
Steve moved, fast as always, one second you were on top of him, the next your back hit the mattress, making it dip hard beneath you as he flipped you with practiced ease, your breath catching as his weight settled above you, caging you in without quite touching.
His face dipped toward yours, close enough that your noses almost brushed.
âWhat youâre doing,â he murmured against your ear, his breath warm, controlled, âis reckless.â
Your fingers curled slightly into his shirt, heart beating too fast, and you tilted your head just enough to whisper back, your tone soft and teasing, so low he almost didn't hear it. âSo is getting caught.â
You tilted your neck up, and your lips connected with his.
It had been weeks of little pecks, prim and proper kisses in front of your neighbors, just enough to sell it on the outside.Â
Holding his face in your hands and actually kissing Steve Rogers felt like a completely different experience.Â
His tongue licked into your mouth with an intention you never really expected from Steve. Specially a Steve that was faking it. Your hands roamed the plane of his shoulders, trying to make it seem like the actual rustling of sheets one would expect of a couple who was going toâ
He should really take this shirt off.Â
And so your hands went to the hem of his white cotton shirt, pulling it up. Steve reluctantly let you take it off of him, leaving him only in the grey boxers that let you see he wasn't faking that much.Â
"Oh my God," You whispered. "Are you serious?" That was more of a hiss. Was he seriously getting hard right now?
"I know," He whispered back, annoyed, frustrated, "I know. Just shut up about it."
Oh.
He wanted you to shut up about it. He wanted you toâ
The petty part of your brain took over, and before you couldn't think of a less reckless thing to do, you squeezed your legs tighter around him, bringing his bulge flush against your clothed pussy.Â
"O-ohâ" Steve was surprised, not about the pettiness, but at the action itself. You bit your lip, almost proud of yourself, and tilted your hips up.
That earned you a scolding look.Â
"Mmm," you breathed, just loud enough to carry, your voice shifting instantly to a soft, breathy, higher pitched version of yourself. "Fuck, baby, right there."
Steve's ears were ringing. Mostly because he didn't know what to do with his hard cock rubbing up and down against you. âRelax,â you murmured against his jaw, barely moving your lips. âYou sound like youâre filing paperwork.â
He huffed softly, turning it into something that passed. âMaybe I like paperwork,â he muttered.
You scoffed. âYou do not.â
âYou donât know that.â He whined softly against you.Â
"You need to actually move your hips, Steve. Video needs to look like you're fucking your wife." You whispered in his ear.Â
It's not like he couldn't feel how wet you were, slick pressing through the cotton of your panties and onto his underwear, darkening a spot there.Â
âYouâre unbelievable,â he breathed low, close to your ear.
âSay it louder,â you shot back quietly.
âYouâre unbelievable,â he repeated, louder, tone shifting, like it meant something entirely different now.
Your heels dug into his ass cheeks, pulling him closer and closer to you, and closer and closer to the edge.Â
You could feel the length of him twitch with each pass of his hips, and you pictured the leaking head of him making a mess out of the inside of his boxers, precum slicking him all over.Â
âOkayââ he muttered quickly under his breath, breaking the moment before it could stretch too far. âWe need a time frame. We canât justâkeep going forever.â
âTwo minutes,â you whispered. âMake it believable.â
âTwo minutes?â he echoed, actually offended. âThatâs insulting.â
The thought of it sent heat down your core. His face was buried in your neck, your lips brushing the shell of his ear as your hands threaded through his hair. "Talk about me." Another perfectly placed thrust that nudged your clit. "'bout how I feel."
Steve grinded his teeth like he was fighting a mental battle between letting himself be consumed by this moment, and being proper.Â
You nudged him again with your heel.Â
"Nice and tight, sweetheart." He let his voice carry, surprisingly unwavering for how close he was. "Never get enough of your pussy."
What in the fuckity fuck?
Steve?
He almost said your name, your very real name, too lost in himself, letting his rhythm build up much too realistically, his thrusts deeper, the bulge now rubbing and nudging your clothed entrance as well.Â
Your could hear the sound of wet fabric shifting, your panties getting caught and letting one lip slip out of safety and closer to Steve's leaking cock.Â
"Frank," You said loudly, trying to catch his attention without success. "Frank." You tried again, more stern, being met with the same squeezed-shut eyes you tried to get an answer from. You dropped your voice low, hushed like a secret. "Steve."
That made him open his eyes, powder blue irises staring at you as his thursts hit a spot that had him moaning, stuttering over his own breath.
And spilling all inside his boxers, looking right into your eyes.Â
His hips stuttered, almost as if his body wanted to milk itself dry, and his breathing slowed.Â
You were speechless, big wide eyes looking up at him, genuinely not knowing what to say.
Both of you stared at each other in shock, horror, confusion as to why it felt so good to do that without someone who managed to get under your skin without even trying.Â
You stayed like that until you felt the warm trickle of his seed seep through the cotton of his boxers and onto the front of your panties.
Steve dropped back to his side of the bed, and both of you avoided each other's gaze, just staring at the ceiling.Â
"Are weâ"
ââŚgo to sleep,â you muttered.
Whatever Fisk needed proof of, seemingly he got it, since both you and Steve got invited the the biggest 4th of July bash of the neighborhood.Â
Right at the belly of the beast.Â
The whole backyard looked like something out of a magazine.Â
String lights draped across the perimeter, glowing warm against the deep navy of the night sky, fireworks already starting to crackle faintly in the distance.Â
The lawn stretched wide and immaculate, dotted with clusters of people holding drinks in delicate glasses, laughter spilling easily between them like nothing in the world could touch this place.
It was loud, busy, perfect, and underneath it allâ wrong.
Steve had light wash jeans and a light blue polo on, you had a strapless summer dress and one of his linen shirts on, the shirt unbuttoned to give the air of a casual outing.Â
You stood near one of the long tables, fingers loosely wrapped around a Moscow Mule you hadnât touched, your eyes scanning without looking like you were scanning. Steve was across the yard, pulled into a circle of men near the grill, one of them mid-story, the others laughing at something you couldnât quite hear from this distance.
And there she was.
Blonde, tall, and much too interested in yourâ Steve.
Her hand landed on his arm like sheâd been waiting for an excuse, your eyes narrowed at her as you shoved a piece of salami and cheese into your mouth.
âThat's Sharon.â Julieâs voice chimed in beside you, far too cheerful for how observant she actually was. âShe's new. Came to stay with her aunt a bit, they live a few strees back. Divorced. Which means sheâsââ
ââlooking,â you finished lightly, before finally taking a sip of your drink like you hadnât already clocked every detail.
Julie laughed. âExactly.â
Your eyes flicked back to Steve. He hadnât moved away, hadnât stepped back, hadnât even noticed.
Of course he hadnât.
He was listeningâreally listeningâto whatever the man next to him was saying, nodding slightly, relaxed in that effortless way that made people lean in closer without thinking about it.
âOh, donât worry,â she said, lowering her voice just enough to feel conspiratorial. âIf he's anything like Dex, he's clueless. They donât even realize when theyâre being flirted with.â
You hummed softly. "He is clueless, alright."
âHeâs very charming,â Julie added, watching you now instead of them. âFrank, I mean.â
Your lips curved. âHe has his moments.â
Julie giggled, and you finished downing your drink, making your way to him, wrapping a hand around his perfectly sculped bicep and turning on your smile to the sweetest setting possible.Â
His body reacted immediately, adjusting to your touch like it always belonged there. His gaze dropped to you, surprise flickering for half a second before smoothing into something softer.
âHey,â he said, one hand coming up to rest at your hip without thinking about it.
âHi,â you replied, tilting your head up toward him, your smile warm in a way that felt almost too real. âSorry,â you said sweetly, not sounding sorry at all. âAm I interrupting?â
She blinked, then smiled tightly back at you. âNot at all.â Steveâs hand pressed slightly into your hip, a silent question that you answered it by leaning just a fraction closer into him.
âWe were just talking about the neighborhood,â she continued.
âWere you?â you asked, your tone light, but your grip on Steve tightening just enough to be felt.
âOhâyes,â she said, glancing briefly at him. âFrank was just telling us about his work.â
âMm,â you hummed, eyes flicking up to his. âHe works too much.â
Steveâs brows lifted slightly. âOh, I do?â
âYou do,â you said simply, sighing longingly, your fingers sliding absently against his side like it was second nature. âI barely see you anymore.â
Sharon laughed softly. âThatâs a shame.â Steve lifted the beer up to his lips and took a swing.
âIt is,â you agreed, smiling again. âBut I make sure he makes up for it.â
Steve choked on his drink. Actually choked. Coughed once, quickly covering it with a laugh that didnât quite hide the surprise.
His hand flexed at your hip. âYeah,â he said, voice dropping just slightly as he looked down at you, something new threading through it. âI do.â
For a moment it didn't feel like pretending, but it also didn't feel real. It felt like a limbo much too similar to five years ago, when he first recruited you into SHIELD by accident.Â
FIVE YEARS EARLIER
Colombia had been too hot. The humid, muggy weather made your skin sticky, a sheen coat of sweat all over your arms and legs, even though you were only wearing a white tanktop and a flowy, maxi floral skirt.Â
Music was bleeding from open windows, people crowding narrow streets, making it the kind of place where mistakes didnât just cost you the mission.
They cost you everything.
Youâd been handling it just fine, up until you werenât. The intel had been wrong. Or incomplete. Or leaked.
You didnât know which yetâonly that the second you stepped into that dim, crowded cantina, something in your gut twisted. Too many eyes, too many men pretending to drink, too many sharp ears and even sharper looks.Â
You were planning an exit strategy, a way to get out of here with as few scratches and as many of these men killed. Mid counting how many thing you could use as a weapon, in walked a picture perfect specimen.Â
Muscles everywhere, blond hair lightened even more by the sun, the faintest sunburn across his nose and cheeks making his blue eyes stand out more.Â
You turned slightly, lifting your drink to your lips like you were just another woman trying to cool off, not someone seconds away from deciding how many people she might have to kill.
He clocked the men immediately.Â
And then he clocked you. His broad frame faked a smile at you and stepped quickly to stand beside you at the bar, hand resting on your hip.
âDonât,â he muttered under his breath, pretending to try to get the bartender's attention.
âDonât what?â you shot back just as quietly, adjusting your sunglasses on your head like you were annoyed at them and happy to see him, not seconds away from being cornered.
âTheyâre looking for someone,â he said.
âI know.â A beat where he leaned down to whisper in your ear.
âTheyâre closing exits.â
And you responded through gritted teeth and a smile. âI noticed.â You let your body rest closer to his, feeling the heat radiating off of him.
Outside, thunder and lightning started, and a summer storm came pouring down.Â
âBabe,â you said, loud enough to carry, tilting your head up at him like you were teasing. âYou said one drink.â
He leaned into you, his hand sliding from your waist to your lower back, pulling you closer in a way that felt practiced.
âYeah?â he shot back easily. âThought you wanted to see more of the place.â
âOh, I do,â you laughed lightly, fingers curling into his shirt. âJust⌠from inside a bedroom window right now." You leaned in closer, lowering your voice just enough to make it look intimate, like you were sharing something private instead of tracking his every movement.
âRelax your shoulders,â you murmured.
He huffed softlyâalmost a laugh, almost something elseâand adjusted just slightly, his grip tightening at your lower back like he was settling into the role instead of fighting it.
A beat passed between youâquick, sharp, chargedâand then he leaned in closer, his mouth ghosting just along your temple.
âStormâs our out,â he whispered. âWe gotta go.â
âCome on,â you said, tugging gently at his shirt, turning your body into his as thunder cracked loud enough to rattle the windows. âI am not ruining my hair for this.â
âTragic,â he murmured, letting you pull him toward the back hallway.
The rain hit hard the second you stepped out of the main roomâheavy, sudden, loud enough to drown out most of the noise behind you. The narrow corridor smelled like damp wood and cheap liquor, dimly lit and barely used.
Perfect.
Your hand stayed fisted in his shirt as you stumbled slightlyâjust enough to sell itâas he caught you, his arm tightening instinctively around your waist.
âCareful, sweetheart.â he said, louder now, for anyone who might still be listening. âYouâre gonna slip.â
The back door burst open under his hand.
Rain poured down in sheets, warm and relentless, soaking the edges of your skirt instantly as you both stepped out into the alley behind the cantina.
Steve looked around to make sure no one followed, he kept you closer than necessary as you moved, your bodies angled into each other like you were shielding yourselves from the storm instead of disappearing into it.
One block, then another, until you were far away and safe in the back alley of the Sofitel. Your clothes were soaked, as were his, your shirt basically see through, you kept moving, pulling him down the short hallway and into the first unlocked door you foundâsome storage room or unused guest space, it didnât matter.
The door shut behind you with a soft click. Steve walked in last, and you didn't put distance between you two, though right now looking at him through wet lashes you wish you did.
His eyes reflected the gloomy sky outside, his lips were pink and plump, and you felt yourself being drawn closer and closer to him, as did he.Â
The storm outside cracked again, lightning flashing briefly through the thin curtains, illuminating the space in stark white for half a second, loud thunder taking you out of your trance, Steve jerking away like he was burned.Â
"I, uh⌠I think we lost them." Your voice was shaky and unsure.Â
âNot bad,â he added, quieter now, his eyes flicking over your face like he was reassessing something.
You scoffed lightly. âHigh praise.â
PRESENT
âFireworks are about to start,â someone called from across the yard.
And just like that, the moment broke, and your attentions turned to the mission at hand: while everyone is distracted, get into Fisk's office and copy all of his intel.Â
Steve leaned down slightly as people shifted away in the direction of the fireworks, his lips brushing near your ear, voice low. âYouâre laying it on thick.â
âAm I?â you murmured back, sly smirk playing on your lips.
âA little.â
You pulled back just enough to meet his eyes. "You should go for the office. I'll keep watch."
Steve looked at you like he wanted to say something, but nodded and snuck away, your eyes immediately making sure all persons of interest were accounted for and not in the office.Â
The party swelled around you.
Fireworks cracked overhead in bursts of red and gold, laughter spilling across Fiskâs perfectly manicured lawn, glasses clinking, music humming low beneath it all.
Steve had been gone for about five minutes when you noticed Dex was gone mid conversation with Claire and her husband Matthew. You saw the little flop of blonde hair make its way into the house and your blood ran cold.Â
Steve.
âIâm gonna grab another drink,â you said lightly, lifting your empty glass as proof, bee-lining up the stairs on the porch and to the kitchen.Â
You moved like you werenât tracking footsteps that werenât yours, counting seconds, mapping distance in your head.
You slipped inside through the side door, heels soft against polished floors, your breath steady even as your pulse kicked harder.
You moved faster, turning the corner just in time to see the office door slightly ajar, light spilling out onto the hallway, and footsteps approaching from the opposite direction.
You pushed the door open and slipped inside, Steve standing by the big mahogany table with a thumbdrive pluggesd into the desktop, downloading everything.
âWhatââ
âDex,â you cut him off, already crossing the room. âComing.â His expression shifted instantly, worry, anxiety, combat.Â
A shadow passed the crack of the door and you closed the distance between you, pushing yourself to sit on top of the table and pulled Steve to stand between your legs. Your hands grabbed his shirt, yanking him down toward you hard enough to make him stumble.
He exhaled harshly the second your lips touched, tasting the vanilla macadamia flavor of your lipgloss. Your tongue licked into his mouth and one of his hands found the plane of your back, the other bracing against the desk behind you as he backed you further into it, the impact soft but enough to sell it.
âMmââ you exhaled softly, the sound slipping out before you could stop it.
Your fingers thread through his hair as you sighed against him, losing yourself in the cedarwood of his cologne, the taste of beer on his tongue, andâÂ
The door creaked open lgithly with someone's breathy "oh." coming through at the sight.
You didn't pull away, didn't even flinch. If anything, you leaned in more, your body pressing fully into his, your mouth lingering just long enough to make the moment undeniable.
You heard a the sound of someone clearing their throat, and that made both of you break apart. Your lips brushed his once more before you turned your head, like youâd just noticed her. âOhââ you said, a little breathless, but smiling.
âSharon,â your eyes widened slightly when you looked behind you, a flush creeping into your expression like youâd been caught.
Her gaze drifted from his hands on you to the hem of your summer dress, pulled up and draped high on your thighs, then up to your hands in his hair and Steve's face â his expression a mix of very confused, flustered, and fucked out.Â
Steve cleared his throat, stepping back just slightly, like he was trying to recover something that had already slipped.
âWe were justââ
ââbusy,â you finished easily, sliding off the desk but not moving far from him.
ââŚright,â she said after a second, her lips pressing into something that wasnât quite a smile. "Well, enjoy the, uh⌠the party."
You stifled a laugh, biting your lip, as she walked away leaving the door open behind her. You hopped off the desk as Steve got his brain working again.Â
âWhat the hell was that?â His voice cut through it, low and sharp.
You shrugged. "Saved your ass, you're welcome." You smoothed the hem of your dress against your thighs and walked around the desk, making your way out the door as Steve hushedly called out for you, swiming the thumb drive into his pocket before following you out of the house.Â
Your heels hit the pavement in sharp, even beats, your jaw locked, your eyes fixed straight ahead like if you didnât look back, he wouldnât follow.
Fuck him and his long legs that caught up to you as soon as you reached your lawn.Â
You stormed into your kitchen, pushing the door closed quicky to slam it behind you, but making it hit Steve on the shoulder as he crowded the space behind you. âHeyââ he pushed still, stepping closer. âNo, seriously. What was that?â
You still gave him nothing, your jaw tightened. You stood with your back to the kitchen island, fingers gripping the marble, biting your own cheek. Your gaze stayed anywhere but him.
âThat wasnât about getting caught,â he said. âYou knew sheââ Then it seemed to dawn on him.  âYou kissed me to make her jealous.â His voice was incredulous, almost like he solved a decade long mystery right then and there. "You were jealous."
You scoffed, still not meeting his eye. "Jealous? Over you? Pleaâ"
He crowded you even more now, bending down to look for your gaze and force you to meet his, sly smile playing on his lips. "You were jealous."
You huffed, finally looking into his eyes, sunlight playing on his face making the blue just a tad lighter. Steve had his bottom lip trapped between his teeth, almost waiting for a response from you.Â
For what it felt like a second and a day all at once, your brain went numb.Â
And then your hands were on each side of his face, bringing his lips to crash into yours.Â
Steve's lips were warm against your mouth in the same way they were minutes ago. He stepped forward, towering over you making you tilt your head up to keep the kiss going, his hands grabbing your hips as he pressed you against the counter.Â
He licked into your mouth and your hands fell to the nape of his neck, his shoulders, and finally his arms.
Steve leaned over, pushing you back further, until you had no more oxygen to burn in your lungs and you broke the kiss, making him kiss your jaw, below your ear, and down your neck. "You had no reason to be jealous, you know."
He grinded his hips against yours, letting you feel the length of him hardening by the minute. "'M not jealous." You felt underwater, dizzy, borderline having fuzzies in your vision.Â
Steve chuckled against your neck, the warm breath making shivers run down your spine, his hands dropping to graze outside of your thighs. "Mmhmm." His right hand brushed over your thigh and made it way to your core, tickling the skin of your inner thigh.Â
His fingers quickly found the wet spot on the front of your underwear, kissing his way back towards your lips. When he pressed deep circled into it, he felt you sigh into his mouth.
"Steve⌠People might seeâŚ"
"Don't care" he pressed his fingers harder, until your hips were bucking to get more friction, and you were whining against him. Words came muffled against your mouth. "Not jealous, huh? Didn't want me a single bit, right?"
You scoffed despite youself, "You're the one that came into your pants the other day."Â
That did it.Â
Skin to skin. His rough fingers sliding through your soaked slit, dragging your arousal across your folds, teasing you right at the entrance. You broke off mid-sentence, a soft whimper catching in your throat.
His thumb easily found your clit, and one of your hands squeezed around his bicep while the other pulled at the hair at the nape of his neck, your moans getting breathier and breathier by the minute.
His fingers thrusted in and out of you bringing you to an edge so close you could taste it, letting out little pants by the crook of his neck, inflating Steve's ego, making more blood rush south. "Wanna try that again?"
He curled them just right, your slick coating his knuckles as your hips twitched against his hand.
Your head fell back, lips parting on a desperate moan. "N-not jealousâŚ" through gritted teeth, making him click his tongue.Â
"Suit yourself." And just like that, his fingers were gone, slick mess on your thighs and an unsatisfied beast inside of you.
"Steve, what theâ"
He pulled away the slightest bit and bent down, lacing his arm around your legs and throwing you over his shoulder, walking away in the direction of the stairs.
Steve nudged your bedroom door open once you got upstairs and flopped you down on the bed, making you bounce on the mattress.
He hovered over you, settling between your legs and rubbing the heat of him against you, while one if his hands snuck to the back of your dress and pulled the zipper down. He pulled the clothing item down your body as he kissed the same path, and soon you were only in his shirt and a thong.
Your legs opened to accommodate him further, thighs falling to your sides, and he slotted himself chest to mattress, lips barely an inch away from your pussy. Steve kissed your inner thigh once, then again, and your fingers threaded through his hair.Â
"She's wetter than that night," He spoke softly, but his voice had a dark tone to it, blue eyes staring up at you. "Can't blame me from coming in my boxers when," and a bite to your flesh. "you were grinding a wet spot onto me, honey."
Fuck him and that nickname.Â
His middle finger came to curl beyond the hem, pulling the sticky wet fabric down your thighs, and both of his thumbs spread your lips, watching your hole clench around nothing.Â
His gaze once again reached yours, almost asking for permission.Â
You didn't seem to be able to find it in you to say anything, not a single word but a quiet "Please." leaving your lips.Â
The second his tongue touched your slit, you were all the way back in that mission in Colombia. Wet, horny, and almost begging him.
At the first taste of you, one would think Steve got possessed, quickly settling further into the mattress and wrapping his arms around your thighs, holding them open. "F-fuck, Steveâ"
He groaned against you, the vibration going through you like electricity through water. His tongue traced your entrance, nose nudging your clit, and your back arched off the bed slightly, pushing your hips closer to his face.
Steve's fingers pressed against the tops of your thighs with bruising strength, not that you minded.Â
Not at all.Â
He licked zigzag patterens up and down your slit, and then would circle your clit with his tongue, sucking the nerves into his mouth and flicking it. "O-oh my God."
He chuckled into you, "Stop squirming."Â
Like you could help it. Like it was your damn fault he let Sharon touch him and flirt with him and all but forced you to make sure everyone bought this sham of a marriage.Â
"Easierâ fuck me, easier said than done, Rogers." Your nails scratched deeper into his scalp.
Steve angled his head differently so he could tense his tongue and fuck you while his thumb moved from your thigh to rub quick circles onto your clit.Â
Your thighs closed around his head, eyes squeezing shut as you heard him breathe heavy against you. Steve's other hand landed on your breast, kneading the skin there, pinching and pulling a nipple drawing a mewl out of you.Â
"Steve, Steve, I'mâ fuck, I'm gonnaâ"
You really shouldn't have told him, though he'd know you were close judging by the little flutters of your walls around his tongue.Â
He pulled away harshly, chin slick and lips swollen, his hair a mess from you running your fingers through it.Â
He stood by the foot of the bed, stripping down to nothing watching your dumbfounded fucked out expression. Your hair was matted, your nipples were hard, and there was a wet spot on the white comforter under you.Â
In front of you, though, stood 230lbs of pure, unadultered, perfectly sculped by God, blond 100% American Prime Steve Rogers.Â
Standing naked, tall, thick and proud.
And hard.
Your mouth salivated at the sight, looking at the leaking head of him appear and disappear inside his fist with each slick stroke he gave himself. Steve caught your ankle with his other hand, and pulled you to the edge of the bed, your toes touching the soft carpet of the bedroom.
He turned you around, fingers gripping the linen of his shirt you had on, dragging it down your arms but not over your wrists, twisting the fabric around his own fist.Â
And just like that, you were face and shoulders down on the mattress with your wrists tied behind you, feeling him rub the head of his cock up and down your puffy slit, coating himself in your wetness.Â
Steve heard a muffled whine from you, any words being impacted by the fabric of the bedding, "What was that, sweetheart?" He leaned over you, the tip of him notching just a smidge further.Â
You turned your head to the side. "Steve, pleaseâŚ"
He clicked his tongue again. "No, you didn't want me, remember? Think I shouldn't even be doing this to you."
He motioned to pull out and you whined louder. "Sheâ she was all o-over youâŚ" Tears pricked your eyes from the pressure in your chest, from the ache between your legs, from the desperation of being kept at the edge.Â
âSteve, please put it inâŚâ
"Yeah?" He gave you the cue to keep going, pushing in unbearably slow and barely any.Â
You nodded against the mattress. "Pissed me off." You gulped. "Please, please don't leave me like thisâŚ"
"All you had to do was stop being such a brat about it."
And then he thrust in enough to knock the air out of your lungs. The squelch of his cock pushing into you was obscene. And in your mind every inch he pushed after that thrust had one though going through your head:
There's more?!
"Oh GodâŚ"
That made Steve chuckle. "Just me, baby."
"Isâ is it all in?" Your voice trembled, and if you had a mirror you'd see Steve's evil smirk as he dragged your wrists down to where your bodies connected, arching your back and hurting you with the stretch, only to wrap your delicate hands around what was left of him.
"Barely half." He grunted.
You whimpered, both in fear and anticipation, and Steve took the queue to push the rest of the way through, until your hand was flat on his pelvis, and then he let you rest against the mattress again.Â
"So fucking good." He gave a couple tentative thrusts. "Can feel you gripping me like you don't wanna let me go."
You moaned at the feel of him hitting that sweet spot inside of you, making your eyes roll. "Soâ hah! Good, SteveâŚ"
After he felt your pussy get used to the size of him, that when he really stopped playing nice.Â
You could feel every ridge of him, every vein, the length of him pulsing and pulsing inside of you, throbbing against the spongy spot that made you see stars.
âSteve, please, please let meââ
Another harsh thrust interrupted you. âTell me the truth then.â
You whimpered. The bastard was really going to make you admit it.
As you tried to think through it, brainless as you were, he slowed down, and down, until you could feel the pulse of his cock inside of you just as he could feel your walls flutter around him.
You whimpered, cheeks blushing at the thought. âI was jealous! I was jealous, okay?!â You pushed your hips into him, chasing friction harder, deeper.
âShe thought she could have you andâ andââ He picked up the pace, your brain mush as your neck strained to keep your voice from being muffled. âAnd youâre myâ Ohâ oh my God!â
âYeah?â Steve leaned over you, fingers finding your clit with ease. âIâm your what?â
You could cry. You could cry right noâ oh you had tears streaming from your eyes onto the bedding. âSteveâŚâ
His eyes rolled to the back of his head.
âThatâs right, Iâm your Steve.â His fingers picked up speed as did his hips, lips kissing your shoulder blade. âCome for me, pretty girl. Come all over my cock.â
âMmmmngghhhââ your vision went white, your body clenching tight around him and pulsing, as your moans got drowned out outside by the fireworks still going.
Steve slammed his hips deeper into you, to the point of almost painful, muttering curse words in sequence of âfuck, fuck, fuck.â until you felt him spill thick ropes of cum inside of you, filling you up until it dripped onto the floor.
As you both caught your breaths, you heard the wet schlick of him pulling out, dropping himself on the bed with a bounce.
After a minute, you spoke. "There's gonna be so much paperwork to explain all this..."
He looked at an imaginary watch on his wrist, turning to you with that boyish smile of his, sheen coat of sweat on his chest and hairline. âGot time for a couple more rounds before all that. You tapped out?â
You smirked at him, using your arms to push yourself up, hands on his chest for leverage as you straddled him, slick pussy on top of his hardening cock.
âI could do this all day, Cap.â
final thoughts: this started as me and Maddie just thirsting over the shower scene, and then... yeah... heh
american pie. | steve and bucky (18+)
áŻâ chapter one. the dbf! mini-series masterlist.
⤡ dbf!steve rogers x f!reader x dbf!bucky barnes
âď¸ warnings: nsfw, dad's best friend au, sexual tension, age gap, forbidden relationships, dips into taboo territory, jealousy, possessive behavior, size difference, they both have dad bods and big dicks bc I said so, mentions of alcoholism and recovery, love marks, groping, dry humping
âď¸ word count: 10.9k
âď¸ a/n: i've been wanting to write some sort of dbf fic inspired by the song "im on fire" by bruce springsteen, and what better way to do it then make it fourth of july americana themed? here goes the first part, and i hope you guys like it! link to the fic playlist if you'd like to follow along :)
synopsis:
Your dad always kept his inner circle of friends small and close. Steve Rogers was one of them. He was respectful, kind, and someone you looked up to and trusted. What you didn't understand, though, was how your dad could also be best friends with a broody, grumpy man like Bucky Barnes. But when your dad leaves for a work trip over the Fourth of July, Bucky decides to remind you exactly why heâs so close with your fatherâexcept Steve keeps getting in his way to stop him.
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You and your dad always had a plan for the Fourth of July weekend.
In the morning, you both would go to the 24-hour diner just a few blocks away in your pajamas and order the classic All American Breakfast. It was a tower of buttermilk pancakes with a side of bacon and sunny side up eggs cooked to perfection.
By noon, youâd be swimming with friends and family under the bright, burning sunlight while your dad took over the backyard. He would have the grill ready, making the best burgersâ the kind that were a little burnt at the edges, and hot dogs that were charred and crispy on the outside but soft and juicy on the inside.
Beers and seltzers would already be chilled in the coolers, the ice nearly melted because it couldnât keep up with the summer heat, and youâd crack a cold one just as the sun went down and the fireworks began to light up the sky.
Fourth of July weekend was the holiday you looked forward to mostâso when your dad told you he wouldnât be home for it, you could only imagine your disappointment.
You were lying in your bedroom with every intention of sleeping in since every plan for the weekend was out window, but the sun piercing through the glass window and the sound of rustling in the living room downstairs woke you up.
Climbing out of bed tiredly, your bare feet padded softly down the wooden steps. You were still rubbing the sleep out of your eyes by the time you reached the kitchen.
âDad?â you mumbled sleepily. âYouâre home alreadyâ?â
Once the sleepy vision fog cleared, what you found in your kitchen was not your father, but rather...
âNot your daddy,â Steve said, turning to face you from the kitchen island. He set the mail heâd just picked up and his spare keys down on the counter. âBut someone better.â
The spare keys.
The ones your dad had lent to Steve for âemergenciesââwhich he never actually used them for but instead used them to come over whenever he wanted, watch TV, and crash on the couch. But you didnât mind, because you liked and respected Steve.
Plus, it had been a while since you had last seen him.
âWell, are you just gonna stand there and gawk? Or are you gonna give your good olâ Steve a hug?â
You flashed a droopy, sleepy grin as you met him at the counter. Getting up on your tippy toes, you raised your hands to wrap them around his neck, and he returned the gesture with a tight hug around your waist.
âMmm,â he hummed with a squeeze. âThere she is.â
âWhat are you doing here, Stevie?â you asked as you pulled away.
âWhat? You donât like seeing your dadâs favorite best friend over?â he asked with a playful grin and a matching head tilt.
You chuckled tiredly. âThatâs not it, and you know it. Itâs just⌠what brings you here? My dad isnât even in town.â
âThatâs the point, sweetie.â He leaned back against the counter, folding his large arms over his broad chest.
You swore he was too old to be wearing shirts that were always one size too small for him.
âI know how much celebrating the Fourth of July means to youâand since heâs out of town⌠well⌠I figured Iâd take over the celebration.â
You crossed your arms and raised a brow, half suspicious yet half amused. âDid he make you do this?â
âWhat? No. Iâm doing this out of the kindness of my old heart,â he chuckled lightly. âAnd besides, I wouldnât want to celebrate my birthday alone this year. So⌠how âbout it? A fun weekend with just you and me?â
Hanging out with Steve on the Fourth of July weekend was far better than doing nothing all alone. And by hanging out with Steve, it meant heâd pay for everythingâbreakfast and all. You knew you couldnât turn him downânot that you wanted toâbut you still wanted to try and pull his leg.
âI donât know,â you sighed dramatically, running a finger along the tile of the counter. âYou shouldâve asked me a lot sooner. My friends already planned something this week.â
You didnât even need to look up to see Steveâs frown.
âBut itâs also my birthday,â he said pathetically. âYou wouldnât leave me all alone on the Fourth of July now, would you?â
You had to bite back a smile. He looked like a kicked golden retriever. It was never a question of how or why your dad became friends with Steve Rogersâhe was just too much of a likable guy all around.
âWell, since youâre asking so nicelyâI guess Iâll spend it with you.â
His smile was so wide it was contagious.
âThatâs my girl.â
Steve swiped the keys off the counter and twirled the keychain around his rough finger. âYour dad told me all about your guysâ adventures over a beer one time. Wouldnât shut up about it. So the only right way to do this is by starting off with breakfast at a diner, right?â
Your lips quirked into a half smile as you bit your lip. âNot just any diner. Itâs Mama Joannâs, just a few blocks away. And not just any breakfast, either. We get theââ
ââAll American,â Steve finished with a smug grin. âI know. Your old man talks a lot.â
He pocketed his phone and wallet into his jeans and nodded towards the front door. âIâll get the car started. Go on and get dressed now.â
When you didnât move an inch, he paused and raised a brow at you.
âGuess my âold manâ forgot to mention during his ramblings that we actually go in our pajamas,â you explained, waving a finger at him. âSo technicallyâyouâre the one who isn't dressed.â
Steveâs face was unreadable as he scratched at the stubble on his chin.
âHoney, if you wanted to see me in nothing but my underwear, you shouldâve just told me.â
Your face immediately warmed at his bold statement. âY-youâ! Whatâ!â
But before you could even stammer out a coherent sentence, Steve was already walking out the front door to wait for you.
A red 1966 Ford Mustang was parked at the curb of your house. It was an old thing that made more odd sounds than it did distance.
It was Steveâs pride and joyâthat typical man project he was always working on in his garage. He rarely ever took it out, occasionally driving it around the neighborhood just to keep the engine breathing. You guessed he had actually planned on spending time with you this weekend before today, because heâd gotten it all fixed up and ready just for you.
The car creaked and groaned as it made its way to Mama Joannâs, the radio connected to an aux cord playing Bob Dylanâhis favorite.
He had the top down, leaving your hair to whip wildly in the wind. You caught him glancing at you through the side mirrors.
âWhat are you staring at, Stevie?â you asked without looking at him.
Steve held the wheel with one hand, while the other rested casually on the gear shift. âNothinâ,â he said, a grin evident in his tone. âItâs just⌠your pajamas.â
âAnd what about them?â You looked down at yourself, peering over the rim of your sunglasses. You were wearing a soft white tank top and a pair of light pink plaid sleeping shorts. âDid you take me out to breakfast just to make fun of my sleeping clothes?â
He chuckledâdeep and raspy. He glanced over at you, blue eyes dancing over the rim of his own dark sunglasses as they traced the curve of your bare leg up to your tank top. You realized just then that you werenât wearing a bra, since you never slept in one and hadnât bothered to put one on.
âNot making fun of you, sweetie,â he said, pinning his focus back on the road. âJust think the shorts are cute and all.â
Despite the wind blowing in your face, you still felt warm.
Finally pulling into Mama Joannâs busy parking lot, Steve stepped out of the car.
When riding with Steve, he never let you open the doors yourself. He would quickly park, scramble over to your side, and hold the door open for you. Every time he did it, your dad would always say, âSee what Uncle Stevie does for you? This is why I wonât let you settle for anybody less.â
âThank you,â you said with a smile, grabbing his hand. âBut you know you donât have to do that when my dadâs not around, right?â
âWhen has your dad being here ever mattered?â he asked genuinely, raising an eyebrow as he shut the door behind you and locked it.
You shrugged. âYou know how he isâheâll always be like, âLook at Steve! When you get a boyfriend, make sure he respects you like Steve does,â yadayada.â
A short snort left his lips as he held the diner door open for you. âHoney, I donât think thereâs any man out there whoâll be respectable enough for you anyway. Itâs best you save yourself from the disappointment and stay single.â
You raised a brow at that. Sometimes, you found him acting more paternal than your actual father did with how often he lectured you.
The bell chimed with a welcoming jingle, and Steve stepped in right behind you.
As always, Joann was walking around with a black apron wrapped around her waist, refilling the coffee cups of everyone seated at the booths. The bell chiming caught her attention, and she smiled upon seeing you.
âThere you are!â she greeted so loudly it caused the customers to look up at you and Steve. âYou had me believinâ for a second that youâd be missinâ out on a yearly tradition.â
She set the pot down, motioning to the booth by the window that she always gave to you and your dad.
Speaking of whichâŚ
âNow, this handsome man next to you ainât your daddy,â she said, nodding to the six foot two man standing right beside you. âWhoâs this? And is he single?â she asked shamelessly.
Steve chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. âIâm Steveâa good friend of her dadâs.â
âHey, Joann,â you waved with a smile. âMy dad is out of town for a work trip, so Steve insisted on taking me out for the Fourth of July weekend.â
You two slid into the booth as Joann laid two menus over the sticky wooden table.
âWell, ainât he sweet,â she cooed. âI know you and your dad always get the All American, but in case your friend here wants somethinâ different, Iâll give you guys some time to look over the menu.â
Then, before leaving, she threw a wink in Steveâs direction, though she was talking to you. âAnd if Mr. Steve wants to hang out with someone more⌠age-appropriateâjust know that the folks in town call me Mama for a reasonââ
ââOkay, thanks, Joann!â you quickly dismissed her with a burning face and an embarrassed wave of your hand.
Steve chuckled, lifting the menu and leaning back in the booth. It looked way too small for a man his size with the way he filled the space.
âSheâs a sweetheart, isnât she?â he joked.
You blew a raspberry and gave him a look, glancing at your own menu despite already knowing what you were going to order. âShould I invite her back over to have breakfast with us, then?â
Steve grinned wolfishly. If he didnât know any better, he mightâve assumed you were jealous. His eyes raked over the menu. âSo, the All American, you said?â
You nodded enthusiastically, looking giddy as you smiled brightly over the top of the menu. âItâs the best thing here. Joannâs buttermilk pancakes are the bestâbetter than anything you can get from a chain.â
You pointed to where it said âwith a side of bacon and sausageâ on the menu, and tapped on the bacon text. âAnd make sure to get the bacon extra crispy.â
âGeez,â Steve huffed a laugh, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling up handsomely. âSounds like you and your dad know what youâre doing.â
You laughed at the fond memory of your father taking you to this same diner since you were a little girl. The fact that he wasnât here to celebrate was saddening, but you couldnât have asked for a better man to spend it with than Steve.
You watched as he reached for his coffee mug, his large hands cradling the ceramic. It looked tiny and weightless in his grip, the tight hold emphasizing the veins and roughness of his hands. He lifted the mug to his lips, blowing on it gently before swallowing in slow gulps that made his Adamâs apple bob.
You swallowed hard and tried to avert your gaze so he wouldnât catch you staring. But instead, your eyes trailed lower to his built chest and the way his stomach slightly pushed against his tight shirt.
He set his mug down and glanced up.
He caught you staring, and he smiled.
You quickly tried to save face.
âYeah, umâI bet the calorie intake will probably throw off your entire game,â you stammered out with a chuckle that sounded awkward and nervous. Jesus. What were you saying?
âNervousâ, however, wasnât in Steveâs vocabulary.
Awkward? Probably.
âWhat?â he frowned.
Steve glanced down at himself, noticing his slouch and the way his belly seemed⌠a bit softer as of late. He had one too many steaks and far too many beers.
He looked back up at you, his grin turning slow and lazy. He rested his large forearms on the edge of the table, leaning in just enough to make himself look even more imposing.
âWhatâs the matter?â he murmured, his voice dropping deep and gravelly in a way that made your nerves dance. âA girl like you doesnât like a man with a little meat on his bones?â
Your breath hitched and your eyes widened. Before you could even stammer out a response, he continued.
âBesides,â his blue eyes twinkled with amusement as he maintained eye contact, âdonât you think I need a little extra fuel if Iâm gonna keep up with you all weekend? Unless youâre planning on keeping me busy enough to burn it all off, that is.â
It was way too early for Steve fucking Rogers, of all people, to be making you feel this way.
This unexpected, flustered and butterflies-in-your-stomach type of feeling caused by your own fatherâs best friend.
You had never seen Steve in any light other than as your fatherâs highly respectable, closest friend. At this point, you couldnât tell if he was just taunting you like he normally did, or if he was actually flirting. But with the way he was looking and smiling at youâno.
Surely, he wouldnât take that risk.
Then again, with your dad out of town, maybe there was a side to Steve he usually kept hiddenâone you knew nothing about, but was now curious to unravel.
Desperate for a distraction, you grabbed your own coffee mug, which had cooled down enough for you to swallow it in big, hasty gulps.
âEasy, girl.â
âJustâŚâ you wiped your lips, ââŚthirsty.â
Steve grinned. âCoffee is a diuretic, silly goose.â
And there was the taunt. You mentally groaned, wanting to kick yourself for even entertaining the possibility that Steve would ever blur the line between himself and his best friendâs daughter.
âItâs too early for you to be teasing me like this, Stevie,â you mumbled shyly, tracing your finger along the wooden table.
Steve wore a wolfish grin, resting both of his large arms on the table as they crossed over each other, taking up even more space in the tiny booth. âSorry, I canât help it,â he snickered. âEspecially when you react the way you do.â
âHey! Whatâs that supposed to meanââ you started to say, but your words died in your throat as a large presence that was hard to ignore fell over the booth.
âWhat do we have here?â
The voice was gruff and deep, lacking the playful warmth you and Steve had just been exchanging. You and Steve both froze, staring up at Bucky, who stood at the edge of the table holding his own coffee mug. His expression was unreadable, his sharp eyes glancing back and forth between the two of you as you sat there completely dumbfounded.
He raised a brow at your silent, wide eyed stares. âThere a party going on that I donât know about?â
While your father was best friends with Steve, you didnât know how your father also managed to become best friends with a man like Bucky Barnes.
Growing up, Bucky had his share of good momentsâhe helped you learn how to drive, despite snapping at you impatiently whenever you hit the curb. He picked you up from parties whenever you were too drunk to get yourself home, and he would often spoil you with sweet treats or something he found at a store, always with a simple, âSaw this running errands, thought you might like it.â
But, in return, Bucky also had plenty of bad moments.
He was incredibly specific about how he liked things. If you ever tried to help him or your dad with somethingâlike the grill or fixing a drinkâ Bucky would already be over your shoulder, nudging you away and taking the tongs right out of your hands.
âI got it. Youâre just making a mess.â
There were times where you would be dressed up to go out with friends, and he would be sitting on the porch with your dad for a smoke. He would look you up and down, eyes lingering, and say something like, âYouâre really going out looking like that? Go put a jacket on.â
Or sometimes, when your dad was away and you needed a hand around the house whether it be checking on the locks or fixing a leak, Bucky would show up, but heâd be short tempered the entire time. He would constantly scoff while he worked, acting like he had a million better places to be.
Your dad always told you that Bucky was part of the familyâthat it was just how he was, and that was how he showed his love.
But you didnât buy it.
You felt like he had something personal against you.
And⌠it also felt like he might have something personal against Steve, too.
âBucky,â Steve greeted, though it sounded more like a warning.
Or maybe, it was Steve that had something personal against him.
Buckyâs eyes flickered down to meet Steveâs, holding his gaze for a long moment. âSteve.â
While the two men stared at each other in a silent competition, you took this opportunity to take in Bucky. He wore a dark leather jacket that had seen better days with a white tank topâthat strained against his thick lower bellyâtucked beneath his belt and jeans.
Bucky tore his gaze away from Steve to look down at you.
âWell?â Buckyâs lips tugged into a lazy, tired smirk. âArenât you happy to see me?â
There were times when Bucky would disappear, going M.I.A. for weeks at a time. It had gotten to the point where even your father had gotten involved, leaving late at night, scrambling out the door with nothing but a hasty, âDonât wait up for me, okay? Uncle Bucky is⌠uh, going through something and he needs me right now.â
It hadnât taken you long to piece together that your father kept having to pick him up from bars, or even the police station. Yet despite his recent wrongdoings, just like your father, you still had a soft spot for him that you could never push away, no matter how much he worried you.
âOf course I am,â you finally said.
Even with your lack of enthusiasm, Bucky seemed pleased with your answer. His leather jacket creaked as he gestured with his coffee mug to the empty spot on the bench right next to you. âMind if I sit? Or is this seat reserved for someone else?â
âSit down, Buck,â Steve said. All the warmth he had shared with you gone and thrown out the window now that Bucky was here. âWe were just about to order.â
Bucky glanced at Steve, pursing his lips as he gave a short nod. âGood.â
He set his mug down on the wooden table and slid right next to you in the booth. His denim clad knee brushed roughly against your bare leg, making you shudder and feel even smaller. âBecause Iâm starving.â
Bucky rested his hands on the table, intertwining his fingers. He looked like he worked with his hands, and he smelled like Marlboro Reds.
You could see the dirt trapped underneath his fingernails, his skin callousedâthe rough texture of someone who spent his life either fixing things or breaking them. He scratched the stubble on his chin.
Just like Steve, it looked like he hadnât shaved in weeks.
He caught your gaze and smiled, letting his eyes trail down to your legs. âCute pajamas.â
Steveâs eyebrow twitched.
âThanks,â you said shyly, looking down and playing with a stray string that had come loose from your shorts. âMy dadâwell, when heâs actually in townâlikes to take me to this diner on the morning of the Fourth of July weekend. Itâs usually our tradition.â
While Steve already knew your tradition with your father like the back of his hand, Bucky had no clue.
âAinât that sweet,â Bucky hummed in amusement, giving you his full attention. âWhat else do you and your dad do? I wanna hear all about it.â
You smiled just thinking about it. âWe always hostââ
ââa party in their backyard, grilling burgers, drinking beer, and swimming,â Steve cut in, taking a sip of his coffee as he glared a sharp dagger straight into Buckyâs eyes. âThe one he hosted last year was fun. And the one before that too. Itâs a shame you missed it, Buck.â
Steve wasnât being sympathetic at all, and both of you knew it. He was being petty, even immature, throwing it in Bucky's face that he hadnât been around for any of the holidaysâor that he didn't even know your father was out of town, for that matter.
Buckyâs jaw clenched, but he kept his smile up, trying to save face just for you.
âIs that right?â he murmured. âGuess I had some important business to take care of last summer. But Iâm here now, Stevie. So why donât you fill me in on what else I missed?
Steve had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from saying something offensive.
âYou missed a lot, Buck,â Steve said flatly. âMore than you think.â
You sat there, sandwiched between a tension that was rapidly becoming suffocating.
It was clear that whatever Steve and Bucky had going onâwhich you had no clue aboutâthey never communicated or resolved. You figured it might have had something to do with Bucky and his recent downward spiralâtraveling down a wrong, bumpy path with signs that led to nowhere. But you werenât going to sit here and become their mediator.
Clearing your throat, you caught both of their attention.
âI have to use the bathroom,â you announced. âIf Joann comes by, you already know what to order for me. Bucky, will you excuse me, please?â
Bucky nodded before sliding out of the seat. He offered his hand to help you out of the booth, and the two older men watched you walk off towards the restroom. As you left, Bucky wore a grin that Steve knew all too wellâa smile that meant nothing but trouble.
âLook at her,â Bucky said, watching you from afar with a soft look in his eyes. âOur baby is all grown up.â
Steve scoffed in disbelief. âOur baby?â
The smile Bucky was wearing quickly dropped into an annoyed frown now that you were no longer there to witness it. He slid back into the booth, leaning across the table as he glared at Steve.
âWhat the hell is your problem?â Bucky hissed, ditching his good boy facade entirely.
âMy problem?â Steve sneered, leaning across the table to meet Bucky halfway. âMy problem is that you show up after months of silence whenever itâs convenient for youâbringing all sorts of trouble with you.â
Steve kept his voice low, trying to maintain enough control to avoid drawing attention to their booth.
âWhat the hell have you been doing these past few months?â
Buckyâs brows drew together so closely as he glared back at his childhood best friend. Before your father came into the picture, Steve and Bucky had been two peas in a pod. They were inseparable growing up, but as they got older, they naturally drifted into their own separate lives, with only occasional chatter here and there.
Steve had already gone through the whole marriage routine. He had tried to start a family with his ex-wife, Peggy, but after she cheated on him, he went through a heartbreaking divorce. Meanwhile, Bucky had suffered a string of devastating losses.
Bucky had always prided himself on being a family man, and when he lost it all, he felt like he had nothing left. His mother, Winnie, and his sister, Rebecca, had both passed away in the same year. From there, Bucky fell into a dark stupor, finding comfort only in solitude and alcohol.
Over time, Steve grew to despise the way Bucky copedâhating to watch his best friend drink himself silly and end up in places he shouldnât be. Bucky, on the other hand, hated being lectured by Steve. He believed that a true friend should support him at all costs, through all the good and the bad.
Eventually, they both just kept their distance, leaving you and your dad as the middle ground.
âIâm in recovery, Steve,â Bucky protested weakly, his fingers digging into his palm as he tightened his fist.
âYeah?â Steve scoffed with a bitter smile. âAnd howâs that working out for you?â
Regret washed over Buckyâs blue eyes, and for a split second, Steve nearly softened. But he couldnât. His friend had pulled his leg for far too long. The mental reminders of Bucky taking advantage of him over the years were enough to make Steve push down his guilt.
âLook, Iâm trying, okay?â Bucky muttered, staring into his half-empty mug. âI just wanted to pay a quick visit to townâsee how you and her dad are doing.â
âSee how he and I are doing?â Steve folded his arms across his chest, sitting back. âOr see how sheâs doing?â
Buckyâs jaw clenched. He kept his head down but raised his eyes to glare back at him. âAnd if I was, is there something wrong with that?â
Steve really tried his best to keep his composure. Bucky knew exactly how to get under his skinâusing a voice that could pass for innocent when it was anything but.
âYou have no right showing up back in town after all the bullshit you pulled. Did you even know her father was out of town? Or did you take advantage of him being gone just so you could spend time with her?â When Steve realized how loud he was gettingâcatching the attention of some of the diner staffâhe dropped his voice to a harsh whisper.
âIf youâre still involved with whatever shit you were getting into, leave it behind. Donât drag her into thisââ
ââJesus. Where the hell is the waitress?â Bucky muttered, throwing his arm over the back of the seat and looking behind him.
Steve snapped his fingers to yank his attention back. âAnd donât think for a second I didnât notice you checking her out. Are you fucking kidding me, Buck? Sheâs your best friendâs daughter!â
âHeyâall I did was call her shorts cute.â Bucky turned back to Steve. âI was just being nice.â
Steve ran out of scoffs to give. âYouâre a lot of things, Bucky, but youâve never been subtle.â
Bucky could feel his own patience frying. âWanna know whatâs funny, Stevie?â
âWhat?â
Now, it was Buckyâs turn to lean in so no one else could eavesdrop. âTo an outsider, you look like an old, perverted man taking a young, respectable lady out on a date. Come on, Steve. How old are you again?â he tilted his head with that taunting tone that made Steveâs blood boil. âYouâre drilling me so hard over something so trivial, but youâre no saint either.â
Steve slammed his hand on the table, causing the wood to shake and making the family of four at the next table gasp. So much for being discreet.
âWhat the hell kind of person are you trying to make me out to be?â
âDonât act like you havenât thought about it,â Bucky shot back. âA pretty girl like herâlooking up at you the way she does, with that cute smile of hers.â
Steve opened his mouth, his face turning a furious shade of crimson. âWhat are you sayingâ!â
Bucky held his gaze, his eyes boring deeply into Steveâs. âLook me in the eye and tell me you havenât thought about fucking her, Steve.â
Neither of them had noticed Joann standing there, her pen poised over her notepad. She stared at them completely dumbfounded, her mouth slightly agape in shock.
âUh,â she drawled, her gaze shifting slowly between the two grown men. âWhatâll it be, boys?â
Both Steve and Bucky blinked up at her.
They cleared their throats rapidly and sat back, trying to put as much distance between each other as the small booth allowed. Steve forced his charming smile back onto his face, acting as if he hadnât just slammed his hand down and yelled a second ago. Across from him, Bucky crossed his leg and turned his head, pressing a hand over his mouth to hide his frustration as he forced himself to look out the window.
âWeâll have the All American,â Steve said.
Joann jotted down their ordersâalong with an extra chocolate milkshake added by Bucky, which earned him a side-eye from Steve, since Steve was the one paying for it all.
On your way back from the bathroom, you bumped right into her.
âOh, hey Joann. Did you already take our orders?â
âSure did, but honey, you better be careful with those two,â Joann warned, pointing her pen over her shoulder toward your booth with a worried expression. âThey look like they bite.â
The chance to elaborate was long gone as she was already walking off towards the kitchen. Turning your attention back to the booth, you saw Steve pressing his cheek against his palm, staring morosely out the window, while Bucky casually sipped his coffee.
You smiled to yourself, oblivious to all the tension.
From where you stood, it looked like they had gotten along just fine while you were gone.
The breakfast platters were already cleared away, leaving nothing but a pile of crumpled napkins and Buckyâs drained milkshake glass.
Up front by the old cash register, Steve stood with his back to the booth, digging into his wallet as Mama Joann rang up the bill. Even from behind, Steveâs broad shoulders were still stiff from his earlier irritation.
Breakfast had gone by smoothly enoughâthough it wasnât quite as fun as it normally was with your dad, you still appreciated their company. The entire time, however, it felt like they were talking to you rather than to each other. Every time Bucky asked you a question, you would answer, only for Steve to immediately grab your attention next. Once you replied to Steve, Bucky would subtly try to fight for your focus again.
The whole dining experience felt more like a job interview than spending time with close family friends.
Now, you were left alone in the booth with Bucky. With Steve away from the table, Buckyâs shoulders eased up just slightly.
âSo,â he drawled. âWhat are you and Stevie going to do after this?â
You thought about it for a moment, realizing you and Steve hadnât actually planned much of anything.
âIâm⌠Iâm actually not sure,â you replied with a shrug. âBreakfast was all we talked about today.â
âSounds boring, and sounds just like Steve,â Bucky said, leaning back against the seat and draping his arm over the top as he looked down at you.
Under his cold stare, you always felt so small.
You knew Bucky was the kind of man who just took what he wantedâand right now, it felt like he only wanted you.
âYou remember Beccaâs old house? The one by the lake?â he asked.
You blinked, caught off guard. Ever since his sisterâs passing, your father had strictly warned you never to bring up Buckyâs family. It was only safe to do so if Bucky brought them up first, and even then, you had to be careful to avoid any painful triggers.
âI do,â you nodded, keeping your response brief to let him control the conversation.
âItâs been a while since Iâve been over there,â Bucky explained, his blue eyes studying your face. âI think I can fix up her old boat in the shed. Maybe we can take it out for a spin on the lake.â
Your mouth parted slightly with a loss for words. Bucky was inviting you to his late sisterâs house? To ride on her boat, no less? He rarely ever spoke about Rebecca, let alone extended an invitation to her place. You were pretty sure not even your dad had ever been invited over there.
âAnd considering itâs been some time since I last saw you, I think itâd be a great opportunity for us to catch up,â Bucky added.
âCatch up on what?â
Both you and Bucky looked up to find Steve standing at the edge of the booth. He was pocketing his wallet in the back of his jeans, taking in your wide eyes and Buckyâs slouched, unbothered posture.
Bucky kept his arm draped casually over the seat behind you. âJust telling her about Beccaâs old place,â he said with that smug tone. âThinking about going down to the lake later. Get some fresh air. You know, since you didnât make any plans.â
Steveâs jaw clenched so hard you were sure you heard his teeth click. He crossed his arms tightly over his broad chest, glaring down at Bucky.
âOh, is that so?â Steve huffed. He then shifted his gaze to you. âAnd what did she say about it?â
Being put on the spot made your stomach drop. It felt like there was no right answer.
Your eyes flickered back and forth between them. You could understand Steveâs apprehensionâBuckyâs reputation hadnât been... the best, as of late. But looking at Bucky, seeing as much hope as he could muster in those tired blue eyes and the vulnerability of him sharing a piece of his late sisterâs memory with you, you already knew your answer.
âIâd love to check out Beccaâs house and ride on the boat,â you finally said.
Bucky let out a quiet breath of relief, while Steveâs brows pinched together in disbelief.
ââŚBut,â you added quickly, âI think itâd be fun if Steve tagged along, too.â
The disgruntled noise that left Buckyâs mouth wouldâve made you laugh, but the way Steveâs eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets beat you to it.
Bucky pulled his arm back, throwing you an incredulous look that he didn't even bother trying to hide. âSweetheart, I was actually hoping it would be just the two of usââ
âI would love to come,â Steve interjected, a shit-eating grin spreading across his face that Bucky wanted nothing more than to wipe off.
A smile broke across your face. You knew there was still an underlying tension between them, but the prospect of visiting Rebeccaâs old house for the first time and riding in a boat was far better than sitting around doing nothing.
âYay!â You clasped your hands together, your enthusiastic gaze flickering between the two of them. âSteve and I will stop by the house first so I can changeââ
âNo,â Bucky interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. âYou already extended an unwanted invite to Steve, and Iâll only forgive you if you donât keep me waiting.â
He kept his eyes locked on Steve as he slid out of the booth, rising to his full height to meet him face to face.
âYou remember the way to Beccaâs house?â he asked.
ââCourse I do.â
âGood.â Bucky spared a quick glance down at you as you began sliding out of the booth yourself, before turning his attention back to Steve. He leaned in, voice dripping quietly so only Steve could catch it.
âDonât have too much fun with her on the way, yeah?â
Steve only glared harder.
On the drive to Rebeccaâs house, you noticed Steveâs grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles taut. One of his favorite songs came on the radio, and he didnât even care to acknowledge it.
There was something deeply wrong between him and Buckyâsomething you had missed entirely while you were in the bathroom.
Finally mustering the courage, you decided to address it. âSteveââ
âThereâs something you should know about Bucky,â Steve cut you off, deciding to it for you.
âOkay,â you murmured, prompting him to continue.
âI donât know how much your dad has told you,â Steve said, letting out a deep breath through his nose. âBut Buckyâs been through a lot. He isnât the same guy he used to be. I know heâs⌠family to you, and I know your dad trusts him. But Buckyâs been running with a bad crowd lately. Getting into things he shouldnât be, making promises he canât keep. Heâs reckless.â
You leaned back slightly in your seat, your right arm propped on the window sill as you watched Buckyâs truck ahead of you. Everything he was saying to you wasnât exactly new.
âWhere are you going with this?â
âHe treats everything like a game. People, relationships,â Steve continued.
He paused for a moment, chewing his bottom lip in apprehension as he tried to find the right words.
âI recognize the way heâs looking at you, and I donât like it one bit. Heâs looking at you like a distraction from his own mess. I just... I donât want to see you get hurt, or caught in the middle of whatever trouble heâs dragging behind him.â
You slowly let out the breath you had been holding.
For the most part, you were grateful that Steve was actually being open with you about Bucky and his bad habits. Whenever Buckyâs name came up around your father, your dad was always quick to beat around the bush, never addressing anything seriously.
âAh, Bucky is just going through a rough patch right now.â
âHeâs just in another one of his moods. Leave him be.â
âI invited Bucky to your birthday party, but he⌠he couldnât make it. You know how he is.â
Even though Bucky was everything a girl like you should avoid, at the end of the day, he was like family. And the idea of him being alone this weekend while he was back in town killed you.
He had his ups and downs, and as much of a grumpy old man he could be now, you werenât going to throw away all the good times just because of the bad.
âIâm a big girl, Steve,â you reassured him, glancing over. He kept his gaze locked on the road. âI can make my own decisions. Bucky invited me to his late sisterâs boatâand despite everything, I couldnât refuse that. You know why.â
Up ahead, Buckyâs truck slowed down, turning left onto a narrow, gravel driveway lined with overgrown pine trees. The reflection of the sun hit the lake and shone through the branches in the distance.
Steve pulled up right behind him, shifting the car into park but keeping his foot firmly on the brake. He turned fully in his seat to look at you, his blue eyes searching yours with earnesty.
âI know. Itâs just⌠promise me youâll stay close to me today,â Steve pleaded softly.
You unbuckled your seatbelt and gave him a reassuring smile. You nodded towards Buckyâs truck, where he was just hopping out of the driverâs seat and slamming the door shut.
âYou act like heâs going to murder me.â
Despite your attempt at a joke, Steveâs expression didnât waver.
âYour dad left you under my watch, so in a way, I feel responsible for protecting youââ
ââprotecting her from what?â Bucky asked, slapping his calloused hands against Steveâs window and leaning over. âWoahâthis car is still running? You know, my sister used to love this thing. Couldaâ sworn you were gonna win her over with it every time you pulled up to the house.â
Steve gave Bucky a deadpan look. With a grunt, he pushed his door openâforcing Bucky out of the way. But just as Steve started walking around to your side to open your door, Bucky beat him to it.
âWatch your step,â Bucky said, holding your hand to help you out of the seat. âLots of rocks.â
âSince when did you get so sweet?â you teased, sandals stepping down onto the crunching gravel.
Bucky chuckledâa low, raspy sound as he shook his head. âGeez, you really think Iâm an awful guy, donât you?â
You gave him a small smile, which he returned with a gentle one of his own before letting go of your fingers.
Steve kicked a pebble with the toe of his boot. He didnât like this interaction one bit, but he swallowed down his pride for your sake.
He looked around the property, taking in the overgrown grass and the faded paint on the siding of the old house. The place hadnât been maintained in what looked and felt like years. The fences had once been painted a bright coral blueâRebeccaâs favorite colorâbut now, they were stained with dirt and weathered from years of neglect.
Steve glanced at you, knowing you were thinking the same thing. A solemn look settled into your eyes. You knew how close Bucky and his sister had been, and leaving this house to him had obviously been more than he could handle.
Bucky stood there stiffly, hands shoved into the pockets of his worn leather jacket. The playful twinkle his eyes had held for you just moments ago slowly faded the longer he stared at the house.
âIt hasnât changed much,â Steve said quietly, clearing his throat. He was trying to ease the tension, even though they both knew it was a lie.
Something between a snort and a self-deprecating laugh left Buckyâs lungs.
He nodded towards the path wrapping around the side of the building. âCome on. The shedâs down by the dock.â
The three of you fell into a single file line, with you taking the middle spot. As you approached the shed, Bucky fished around in his pocket for the keys. It took him a moment to find the right one, but when he finally pushed the door open, it revealed an eighteen foot wooden motorboat right in the middle.
The deep emerald green paint on the hull was flaking away in brittle scabs, exposing the gray, sun bleached wood underneath. Inside, the white oak ribs were coated in dust and cobwebs, and the stagnant rainwater pooling in the bilge smelled faintly of rot, causing you to wrinkle your nose.
Bucky took the first step inside, his hand reaching out to gently touch the worn steering wheel.
âWeâll get her fixed up today,â he murmured. âWeâll take her out on the lake.â
He spoke so softly you werenât sure if he was talking to you, or to himself.
âI donât know, Buck,â Steve hesitated, dragging a finger along the side. âShe might leak like a sieve if you put her in the water right now. Youâre gonna need a miracle to get this thing to turn over, let alone idle.â
Buckyâs shoulders dropped, his expression turning somber. He knew Steve was right, and seeing that defeated look pulled at your heart. He was already carrying so much emotionally, it ached to watch him rarely try to plan something special, only to see it fall apart.
âChin up, you guys,â you spoke up enthusiastically, breaking the silence. âIt doesnât look that bad. Especially since thereâs three of usâwe can fix this in no time.â
Steve raised a skeptical brow at you. âYouâve never even touched a boat, sweetheart. Thereâs a lot of heavy lifting to be done here.â
âWellâitâs a good thing Iâve got two strong men by my side!â you joked, hopeful eyes flickering between the two of them. âEven if we donât fix it completely, even if we just end up floating out there,â you shrugged, a smile tugging at your lips, âat least we got it on the lake, right?â
That, at least, managed to pull a small smile from Bucky.
And with the soft spot Steve always had for you, he knew he couldnât deny your wishes.
With a reluctant sigh, he started moving around the shed, scanning the shelves for the tools they would need. âWell? What are we standing around for, then?â
For the rest of the afternoon, the three of you worked side by side to bring Rebeccaâs old boat back to life.
Steve and Bucky took turns with the heavy lifting, hauling out the rusted battery and helping each other realign the heavy parts of the inboard motor. Bucky insisted on handling the delicate mechanical workâscraping away layers of rust, cleaning out the gummed up carburetor, and replacing the brittle fuel lines.
You did your best to help where you could, taking a wire brush to the flaking paint on the hull and wiping down the dusty wooden benches. Mostly, you acted as their mediator, passing wrenches and screwdrivers back and forth while they worked in relative silence.
By the time the sun began to slip behind the trees, painting the sky in beautiful shades of orange and pink, the boat was far from perfect, but it finally looked cared for again.
Bucky stood over the engine block, hands on his hips. He had discarded his leather jacket hours ago, and his shirt was now thoroughly drenched in sweat.
He looked over at you with a grin. âThink sheâs good enough to take for a spin?â
Your lips started to tug into a smile. âYesâ!â
Steve shook his head, shutting you down. âNo. The bilge pump is shot. It needs to be replaced before we put her in the water.â
Sitting on the wooden bench inside the boat, you glanced over your shoulder and met Steveâs eyes with a frown. âBut we worked on it all day. Are you sure we canât take it out? Not even for a little bit?â
âWithout that pump, water is going to leak through the planks like crazy,â Steve explained.
But caught between your crestfallen look and the disappointed crease between Buckyâs brows, he sighed and gave in.
He checked his watch, tapping the glass. âItâs just past five. The auto parts store in town closes at seven on Fridays. If I leave right now, I can grab a replacement pump and be back before it gets dark.â
âReally? Youâd do that, Stevie?â you beamed, your excitement returning in an instant.
Steveâs eyes softened. He hated how easily he gave in to you. âYeah. Iâll be quickâjust stay here, alright?â
Bucky shifted, rocking back on his heels with a rare and slightly sheepish look. âThanks, Steve.â
Steve stepped away from the boat, fishing his car keys out of his pocket. Before he turned around, he pointed a stern finger at Bucky. âDonât do anything stupid until I get back.â
To anyone else, that saying could have passed as typical, lighthearted banter between two old friends. But you knew Steve well enough to hear the real warning underneath it.
Bucky just shrugged, unbothered. âHow can I? When youâre taking all the stupid with you.â
Steve was already walking briskly up the path towards the driveway, keys jingling in his hand. He muttered something under his breath and shook his head, ignoring Buckyâs comment entirely.
The two of you watched him get into his car and drive off. The moment the sounds of Steveâs engine faded away, Bucky turned back to you.
A slow, mischievous grin spread across his faceâit was a look that insinuated he was up to no good.
âHow âbout we take her out anyway?â Bucky asked, nodding to the lake. âJust to see how long sheâll float?â
You gasped. âBucky, no! Steve literally just said sheâll leakââ
âSteve worries too much,â Bucky scoffed, clicking his tongue. He stepped over to the stern and began pushing the boat towards the lake, ignoring the fact that you were still sitting inside. âItâll take time for the water to really start coming in. Weâll just go out a hundred yards, turn around, and come right back.â
You knew Steve would be furious, and logically, sitting in a boat that was destined to take on water was a terrible idea. But looking at the sudden, bright spark of life in Buckyâs eyesâthe first real glimpse of the carefree guy your dad used to talk aboutâyou found yourself softening.
âA hundred yards,â you bargained, pointing a stern finger at him. âAnd the second my feet get wet, we turn right around.â
âDeal.â
Before you could change your mind, he shoved the boat down the wooden launch ramp. âHold on tight!â
The cedar hull hit the once calm glassy surface of the lake with a splash, sending a hard ripple across the water. Bucky tied her off to the dock quickly, then vaulted over and immediately went to work on the flywheel.
He wrapped a pull rope around the starter, took a deep breath, and gave it a hard yank.
The engine coughed, sputtering out a cloud of blue gray smoke, but failed to catch.
âCome on,â Bucky muttered to the machine, wrapping the rope again. He gave it another tug.
This time, the engine sputtered, groaned, and then loudly chugged to life. Bucky laughed triumphantly, the sound so raspy and genuineâ it made butterflies swarm in your belly.
He unhooked the mooring line from the dock and tossed it into the bow, then hopped back to the center of the boat to take the steering wheel, gliding the boat away from the dock and further into the water.
The cool lakeside breeze greeted your face, a godsend from working under the sun for hours. Surprisingly enough, the engine and boat remained stable while the sun turned the lake into a pretty pool of liquid gold.
Bucky had a gentle look on his face, the lines around his eyes creasing slightly as he wore a soft smile.
âMy sister and I used to ride this boat all the time,â he explained softly, eyes boring into the sun dipping past the lake line. âWe would go fishingâand sheâd always hate me for catching the biggest fish.â
You smiled softly. It wasnât often that Bucky shared a part of himself, but every time he did, it was beautiful.
âWe should go fishing one day,â you said. âMy dad loves fishing, and itâs been a long time since he saw you. Maybe we could do it when he gets back.â You chuckled quietly to yourself at the idea. âHeâd probably be so jealous if he found out I got to ride your boat before he did.â
Bucky hummed, the corners of his lips quirking up.
The two of you stayed quiet for a moment as he steered the boat deeper into the lake. Compared to you and Steve, your conversations with Bucky werenât as lighthearted or enthusiastic. Majority of the time, itâs just you sitting in awkward silenceâwell, awkward for youâwhile Bucky just basks in the moment.
âIâm sorry I havenât been around these days,â he suddenly murmured, back still turned to you as he kept his focus on the sunset. âIâve been caught up with a lot of things. Iâm sure your father has told you, and Iâm also sure I lost all his respect for me.â He huffed a self-deprecating laugh as he added, âNot that I deserve it, anyway.â
âYouâre being too hard on yourself.â Even though he wouldnât look at you, you kept your eyes on his back. âHe still respects you.â
Then, Bucky slowly looked over his shoulder, eyes half lidded and tired.
âAnd what about you?â he rasped. âDo you still respect me?â
You tilted your head and raised a brow, not expecting him to care about your respect for him of all things.
âOf course I do, Bucky.â
âGood,â he nodded, looking back at the lake. âThatâs goodâŚâ
While on the topic of respect, you couldnât help but wonderâŚ
âWhat about you? Do you respect me?â
Buckyâs lips curved up into an even bigger impish grin. âI donât know yet,â he teased.
Your eyes bulged. âHuh? Whatâs that supposed to meanâ!â
But the already short teasing interaction got cut even shorter, a wet sensation seeping through your sandals and between your toes.
You glanced down, catching the way the water was bubbling up through the gaps in the floorboards like tiny miniature fountains. The dark pool in the bilge had risen past the soles of your sandals, and with every small wave that hit the hull, the water level crept higher toward your ankles.
âBucky,â you gasped, lifting your foot. âBucky! Look down!â
Bucky glanced down, that impish grin stripped off his features as he lifted his boot, now dampened with water. âShit.â
Your eyes flickered in a panic around you. The dock looked tiny in the distance. The shoreline was far awayâway further than the promised a hundred yards. In the middle of your conversation, Bucky had kept driving obliviously and you were now stranded right in the deep center of the lake.
âBucky, weâre too far out!â you shrieked as you lifted your knees to your chest, trying to keep your feet out of the freezing water.
The bilge was filling fast, making the boat feel heavy and sluggish.
âTurn it around!â you urged.
âIâm tryingââ Bucky grabbed the lever, but the moment he shifted it into reverse to swing the boat around, the engine made a startling noise with a sputter that choked on the rising water. And died.
âShit. Itâs not turningâcan you swim?â He met you in the center of the boat, where it rocked dangerously, and he grabbed your wrist.
âOh, God,â you felt your heart race in horror. Being stranded in the middle of a lake with no life vest was a far reach from your usual swimming capabilities that only belonged in a swimming pool.
âBuckyâI donât know howââ
âItâs okay,â he tried to reassure you, grabbing both your wrists, which only caused you to panic even more. âJust hold stillââ
He tried to widen his stance to keep his balance, but your flailing caused him to hiss impatiently, pulling you closer to his chest with a harsh and sudden tug.
He was strongâstrong enough to cause you to collide into his chest, and without the engine running to keep the boat steady, the sudden movement tipped the vessel. The momentum caused you to fall over, bringing Bucky down with you.
A shriek managed to escape your lips before you were engulfed completely under the freezing lake water.
You flailed your arms, trying to figure out which way was up. Bucky found your wrists again, pulling you upward with him as your head broke the surface. You gasped for air, blinking the dirty lake water out of your eyes.
âI got youâI got you, okay? Just stay with me,â he reassured, his deep and asserting voice overriding your panic momentarily as his long, dark hair hung wet over his gruff face. âDonât let go.â
You stood in the middle of the first floor bathroom with Bucky. He was frantically rubbing you down with a towel, ruffling your hair into an even wetter mop than it already was as he kept mumbling things about not wanting to get you sick, and how both your father and Steve would kill him if he did.
âIâll be okay, Bucky,â you grabbed the towel from his hands, pausing him. âYou need to take care of yourself too. Youâre drenched.â
âRight. Well, I was only able to find one towel in hereââ He started browsing through the other cabinets, his large hands shifting through expired bottles and dusty toiletries out of the way.
As he rummaged deeper, his movements started to slow.
Hidden behind a stack of old soap bars was a small, dusty bottle of vanilla perfume and a faded pink hair ribbonâthings left abandoned by Rebecca years ago, who was⌠no longer around to use them.
His shoulders dropped as he just stood there, staring at them.
You frowned softly, watching the change in his expression. âAre you okay?â
He closed the cabinet door slowly and shrugged, trying to shake it off, but there was no use. âI couldnât find another towel, so Iâll just air dry.â He answered instead.
Your frown deepened as the water droplets from his hair hit the cold tile floor.
He was soaked from head to toe, and he was shivering. You knew there might have been a spare towel somewhere in the house, but you knew Bucky didnât want to look. It had been clear that there werenât any signs of life in this house after his sisterâs passing up until now, and if he got shaken up from just seeing the perfume bottle and hair tie alone, then you could only imagine what heâd go through if he walked through the rest of the house.
âDonât be stupid,â you murmured softly, gathering the damp towel and pressing it against his hair.
Bucky went still, his breath hitching as you began to dry his wet strands. You wiped the back of his neck, then moved down to gently dab at his broad shoulders and the damp fabric of his shirt.
âYou should take your shirt off,â you explained. âYouâll get sick.â
He huffed a short laugh, glancing subtly over his shoulder down at you. âI could say the same thing to you, but thatâd be inappropriate.â
Pausing, you quickly glanced down at yourself and realized just how inappropriate this already wasâeven with your shirt still on.
Your white cotton tank top was soaked right through, your cold and perky nipples poking against the fabric obscenely. Your shorts, completely damp, clung tightly to the curves of your body, riding up as water drippled down your thighs.
The entire sight was improper, and you were sure Bucky was thinking the same thingâhe just didnât want to address it.
Slowly, he turned around to face you, his hands finding your wrists and gently catching them to stop you.
âThank you for riding the boat with me,â he murmured, gently guiding your hand with the towel over his damp and stubbled cheek.
Your breath shuddered. Buckyâyour dadâs friend, who was usually always walking around with grumpy frown lines and his arms crossedâlooked so utterly small and vulnerable in the small space of this cold bathroom.
âOf course,â you whispered.
Buckyâs grip on your wrists loosened, his large hands sliding slowly up your forearms, past your elbows, until they found comfort on your waist.
Even though he was drenched, his hands felt warm against your skin. Pulling you closer, his thumb brushed against the bare skin of your hip bones where your tank top had rose up.
âEvery time I leave town, my mind always screams at meâtelling me to come back to one thing,â he spoke quietly, his eyes tracing the vulnerable column of your neck. âNot even to your dad, or to Steve, or even⌠this house.â
He stepped closer, one strong leg finding its way between yours as he pushed you gently back against the sinkâs counter.
âBut to you. Isnât that so wrong of me?â
You didnât even realize you were holding your breath until you found out he was actually waiting for an answer.
âI donât see how that can be wrong,â you spoke, more timidly than youâd like. âWeâre like family, arenât we?â
Buckyâs brows furrowed so deep it shouldâve scared you.
âThatâs what makes it so wrong,â he murmured, one hand coming up to cup your cheek, letting his thumb glide over the curve. âBecause I have these thoughtsâthoughts a man like me shouldnât have for a girl like you. Like how badly I want to kiss you.â Bucky rasped, his voice conflicted as he pulled you closer against him, until no space was left. âI know I shouldnât. But hell, everything in my body is telling me to.â
The look in his eyes matched the conflict he poured into every single word.
His hands held you tight, keeping you trapped between the counter and his body, but the look in his eyes was begging himself to let you go.
You knew you shouldnât encourage this. You knew this wasnât right.
And yetâŚ
You reached up, your fingers tangling into the wet strands of his hair, and pulled him down and met his lips with yours.
The gasp that caught in his throat was overcome by the warm sensation of your mouth. Shock paralyzed him, but the longer he felt your lips press against his, he lost all the resolve that was screaming at him to stop.
Bucky took the control he wanted to have over you for a long time. His hands gripped your waist, meeting your first gentle kiss with a rough, demanding one. He slipped his tongue in as he lifted your body up until you were sitting right on the edge of the sink counter. He stepped closer, forcing your legs to open and let him in.
He didnât want this moment to slip away, or even grace you with the opportunity to change your mind. His hands explored all over your body, large palms sliding to cup the curve of your ass, rocking the erection that grew in his pants within seconds just from being close to you.
âFuckâwe shouldnât do this,â he rasped against your lips before pulling away to catch his breath. âWe shouldnâtâshitââ
âI donât care,â you whimpered, your pleading eyes meeting his hungry ones. âI want this.â
A dark, raspy chuckle left his lips. âYouâre gonna get me in trouble.â
His mouth trailed down your jawline to bury his face in the crook of your neck. He bit and suckled at your sensitive skin, making you arch your back as his hot breath and wet tongue sent shivers straight down your spine. His hands slid up, fingers hooking under the hem of your soaked white tank top and pushing the fabric up until it was bunched beneath your chin.
You shuddered as the cold air hit your skin. Buckyâs eyes were dark and hungry, staring at the water dripping down between your breasts like a taunt.
âChrist, look at you. Looking like every manâs dream,â he groaned, greedy hands coming up to cup your tits before pressing both of them together. âIâll take care of you. I promise.â
He leaned down to capture one cold, perky nipple between his lips. He swirled his tongue around the peak, sucking it deep into his mouth with a tug that had your fingers gripping his shoulders in pleasure, your hips rolling up against the bulge of his lower stomach as you filled the bathroom with the slutty sounds of your breath.
You arched your back, tugging at his hair while his tongue feverishly licked and sucked at the sensitive bud. While his mouth gave its attention to one nipple, his rough fingers would play with the other. Then he would switch between the two, giving your body all the love he knew it was lacking.
Bucky pulled his face away with a wet pop of his mouth, a string of saliva connecting to your chest as he licked his lips clean.
âThis⌠this is so wrong,â his words drifted uselessly in the air as he broke the space again, his nose to your neck as his tongue found something new to play with.
His warm mouth danced around the skin of your neck, sucking, biting, and groaning with every nibble.
He was sure to leave marks, but you didnât have the strength to tell him to stopâyou didnât want him to.
âKeep going,â you said breathlessly, your head rolling to the side while he made love to your neck and memorized your body with his hands. âDonât stop, Buckyââ
Suddenly, all the tension in the room shifted into something far more wicked than what was transpiring between you and Bucky.
The door slammed open, hard enough that the knob left an indent on the wall, and right there, standing in the doorframe, was Steveâwho had once been holding the brand new bilge pump that had fallen and hit the floor.
âWhat the fuck is going on here?â
if you've made it this far, as always thank you so much for taking the time to read my work. interactions are always appreciated, I love reading every bit of them!
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Im def the type of girl to complain 5min into doggy that we have to switch positions because youâre too far away from me. âBut babe im literally inside of yo-â UTUTTUT I SAID TOO. FAR. AWAY.