Watching Seven Brides for Seven Brothers for the first time and why have we not remade this several times. In several ways.
Like? What are we even doing as a society? We have lost the plot. There can't be real lovers in Hollywood anymore to let this slip through their fingers.
This should be adapted like Jane Austen novels and Shakespeare plays. A musical version, a non musical version, a black version, a modernized retelling like Clueless and Ten Things. It's such a cute, timeless concept. You can adapt in all kinds of ways. It's perfectly expandable.
I mean, come on, a group of rough and tumble boys getting civilized for love. The girls would eat that up.
Okay, maybe the kidnapping part has to change. Because that's crazy, but also it's fiction, who cares. Leave it in. Just make it less creepy.
Lonesome Polecat is fire.
Get rid of the corporate swine and bring back real lovers.
summary: You decide to take a break from studying and go to a masked party but your casual hookup turns out to be your biggest rival, Bucky Barnes.
pairing: College!Bucky Barnes x Female Reader
warnings: 18+, academic rivals, alcohol consumption, hidden identities, hookup, boob worship, semi-public sex, pet names, oral sex (female receiving), protected sex, dirty talk, praise kink, no mention of y/n.
word count: 2.4K
A/N: @notafunkiller gave me "I don't care if they're gonna see it. I'm not giving them back." and academic rivals as prompt and now here we are… I hope you enjoy this random story. Thanking Andreea also for the editing and for the name suggestion. She’s the best!
All work is mine, please do not repost or translate without my permission.
Keep reading tag starts after the second paragraph of the story.
This isn’t like you. You don’t find people attractive this easily, let alone hook up with them at a party, right after meeting them. It feels surreal… like you are having some kind of a fever dream. Maybe it’s because of the alcohol you consumed, but you don’t feel tipsy. So maybe not.
His hands roam on your body, hungrily discovering every inch. His lips are relentless, sucking and licking. It feels so damn good and it’s just so hard to resist. You deserve to let go sometimes. You work so hard, right? It’s okay to hook up with a handsome stranger. Well, you aren’t sure about the handsome part. Not when half of his face is covered by some kind of mask, but his piercing blue eyes tell you he might be the most handsome man you have ever seen. They also seem familiar somehow and you don’t know how that’s possible.
He stops kissing you, while his hands are still on your hips. He looks you in the eye, and it makes you shiver. You finally realize why he feels so familiar and it makes you uncomfortable. Those blue eyes… They remind you of Bucky Barnes. Why on earth would you find someone attractive because they look like him?
“Is everything alright?”
Even his voice… It sounds kinda like him. Not completely though. Bucky’s voice is usually harsher. He sounds like he’s trying to poison you with words. Especially when he makes fun of you after getting a better grade. God, you hate him so much.
“Yeah, yeah.” Your answer sounds so absent and not convincing at all.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I just realized you look like someone I know.”
“Oh, darling…” God, the way he smiles! There’s no way this man can be ugly. That smile punches you in your stomach. “There’s no way you know me.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I would remember a beauty like you.”
That makes you laugh. It sounds so cheesy. Plus he can’t even see half of your face. How could he even remember you?
“I mean it.”
“I’m sure you used that line on girls before.”
“I can’t say…” He stops for a second, trying to find the right words. “I do this often.”
“You mean hooking up with strangers at a party?”
“No.” His answer confuses you for a second. “Hooking up at all.”
Oh, that can’t be true. Those blue eyes can convince anyone to do anything. Maybe he’s just trying to make you feel special, and truth be told, it doesn’t matter. You don’t know him.
“Why is that?”
His hands caress your hips gently. “Usually… I don’t let myself get distracted.”
“Sorry for distracting you, then.”
Your playful answer makes him smile. He starts kissing your neck. His hands move on your ass, kneading while he keeps on kissing you. His lips move closer and closer to your cleavage. You know this is your last chance to say anything if you don’t wanna go further, but you can’t find the strength in yourself to stop him. His lips are soft and wet on your skin. Every kiss he lays on your skin makes you want more. You don’t know if you can stop him.
Suddenly he grabs your tits, pushing them together while he buries his head between them. It makes you gasp, and he inhales your scent like he can’t get enough of it.
“I want them in my mouth.”
He looks up, his eyes pleading for your consent.
“Can I?”
“Someone might come in any time.” You don’t wanna get caught like that. “They might see us.”
"I don't care if they're gonna see it. I'm not giving them back." His response makes you smile. He sounds so desperate while still holding your tits. And like it isn’t enough, he starts to beg. “Please… Can I?”
“Yeah, yeah.” You sound breathy, just because of the anticipation. You just want to enjoy this moment, not thinking about anything else.
He pushes down the straps. He doesn’t even bother unclasping your bra. He just frees your tits and starts sucking on your nipple. Your head is thrown back with sudden pleasure. His tongue dances around your nipple, making you squirm.
“God, you are so delicious.”
He switches to your other nipple. He licks, bites, and sucks while you try to keep your voice down. It’s not easy. A couple of moans slip away. You are just glad this is a party and the music is loud enough to conceal any sound you make.
Suddenly he lets go of your nipple. The wet pop makes you bite your lip.
“I really need to taste you.” You give him a confused look. Isn’t he already doing that? “Down there.” He quickly adds.
You don’t know what to say. You expected a quick fuck at best, that’s what the girls told you. Don’t have high expectations for hookups. They end pretty quickly and you might end up unsatisfied. But he’s proving you wrong every step of the way.
He keeps looking at you with a glow. God, his eyes are so freaking beautiful! Even if you didn’t want that, it would be so hard to say no. You finally nod, giving him permission.
“Thank you.” He quickly gets on his knees and hikes up your dress.
He starts to kiss your thighs, then he brings his nose onto your clothed pussy and just inhales.
“You smell so freaking good, d-darling.”
The praise makes you shiver. Not just because you aren’t used to it, but he also sounds so much like Bucky when he says darling. He calls you doll in a way that makes you feel degraded. Like you’re nothing more than a beautiful doll. No brains. No talent. Just there to look pretty. But this time… It doesn’t make you feel small. It makes you feel like a goddess.
Your shivering doesn’t go unnoticed, though. He smiles like a devil, looking into your eyes. Then he grabs your underwear and just pushes it down. You feel unbelievably exposed. Your breasts are sticking out of your dress while your pussy is right in front of him. But the hunger on his face makes you feel better.
“Such a pretty pussy.” He licks his lips before diving in. He grabs one of your legs and hikes it up on his shoulder, creating more space for himself to work.
He starts you eat you eagerly. His tongue moves smoothly between your folds and he sets a pace that makes it harder to shut your mouth. His tongue discovers every inch of you. Then suddenly he switches on sucking your clit, making you moan loudly.
“Jesus fucking christ!”
You feel him smile as he stops sucking for a second. His hands reach for your hips, steadying you while he goes back to sucking your clit. Once again your head is thrown back. You try to steady your breathing, but it doesn’t work. Your orgasm comes crashing in.
“Fuckk! I’m coming!” You don’t realize how loud you say it. You don’t realize how harshly you grab his hair and make him moan against your clit. Yet he doesn’t stop. Not until your shaking calms down.
The moment he’s sure you rode out every last bit of your orgasm, he moves away from you. When he looks up, he realizes your mask moved a little bit. Just enough to make him recognize who you are. His eyes are wide open, but you don’t notice any of it. You are still breathing heavily, trying to collect yourself.
He suddenly stands up and places his hands on the wall, caging you in. He looks like he wants to say something, but he can’t find the words. You assume it’s because of his unmet needs. So instead of questioning him, you move your hands to his pants. He watches you unbuckling and unzipping him. Then you look back at his face, silently asking for permission, and he nods.
You get rid of his pants and boxers with his help before he grabs his cock like he’s getting ready. Your words, though, stop him.
“We are not doing this without a condom.”
You don’t know what you expected, but you didn’t expect him to smile.
“Smart girl.”
The way he says that turns you on even more. The only problem is that he starts to sound more and more like Bucky. While you are trying to push away the thought of your biggest rival, he takes his wallet out and finds a condom.
“You don’t do this often, but you have a condom in your wallet.” You can’t help but point out.
“Every guy has one in their wallet. Just in case…” He responds while putting on the condom. “Doesn’t mean we think we’ll get lucky.”
“Well, you are certainly getting lucky tonight.”
“Oh, don’t I know it?”
He suddenly lifts you up against the wall. It’s so unexpected, yet it makes your blood rush. His lips find yours once again, but this time, it feels different. You don’t know what changed. You can’t put your finger on it. It was already passionate, hungry, and curious before, but this time… It’s just on another level.
“Ready?” You know what he’s asking about.
“Yeah.” You find yourself nodding and he smiles.
“That eager, huh?” His voice is deep and full of impatience, but also some kind of belittlement. God, that Bucky really messed up with your head.
He doesn’t wait for your answer. He gently pushes himself inside you, and you can’t help but moan out loud. A part of you feels embarrassed that you can’t seem to shut your mouth. You’re not used to this. It makes you feel exposed.
“Yes!” He sounds like he accomplished the most important thing in the world. “Don’t hold back those pretty sounds.”
You don’t know what to say, all you can focus on is the way his words make you wetter and wetter. You feel like you are discovering a part of you that you didn’t know existed. Maybe all you need is to hear how good you are doing. Is it why you are working this hard to get the best grades possible?
He doesn’t let you question more about yourself when he finally starts to move. It feels so overwhelming that you forget about anything else.
“Oh god…” He moans right next to your ear as his fingers are gripping on your skin. “You are so wet, doll.” You freeze. What did he just say?
“Bucky?”
Your heart starts to race faster than before. You don’t know what you are feeling. Shock, fear, excitement… This might be your worst nightmare. Or your biggest dream.
“I swear to god,” he starts to talk with haste, trying to explain himself before you get the wrong idea. “I didn’t know it was you. You have to believe me.” The fear in his voice is so audible. You don’t think you’ve ever seen him fearing something like this before. “After your first orgasm,your mask slipped a little.”
You suddenly feel relief washing over you. You felt so dumb for a second, thinking he might have tricked you. Knowing he’s afraid just like you helps a lot. He didn’t plan this. Maybe it's just a twist of fate. You reach for his mask and take it off without saying anything. There’s no need for it anymore. He smiles in response. You can see he wants to do the same, but he’s still carrying you, so you take off your own mask, too
He looks into your eyes, trying to see if you are still okay with this.
“Come on, big guy, move!”
His devilish grin returns. He bounces you on his arms, securing your position, and then starts to move again. His lips find yours, and you moan into his mouth. You can’t believe you are actually having sex with Bucky Barnes. You have had a couple of wet dreams about him, but you never thought it would turn into reality. You never thought he would be into you. He starts to lose control and move faster than before.
“Oh shit!” You feel like you might come soon. “Faster. Please!”
“So needy.” He grips on your ass. You don’t know why but his words rub you the wrong way.
“Don’t belittle me.” You snap back, and it makes him stop. You frown, thinking he’s gonna get you off and leave you unsatisfied.
“I never belittle you.” He’s looking into your eyes. “I never meant to belittle you.”
“You are not?” You always thought he was. You thought he was trying to put you down, demotivate you. Even if he was saying something nice.
“Never, doll. You are the smartest person I have ever met.”
You never heard him say this before. Maybe he just didn’t want to admit it back then.
“You’re not so bad yourself.”
“And the prettiest girl.”
You crash your lips onto his, kissing him like you can’t survive without it. You had no idea how much you wanted to hear something like this coming from him. He moans into your mouth while he starts to move again.
“I don’t think-” He sounds so pained. “I can- hold back any longer.”
You’re not so far away from reaching your climax. All you need is him moving just a bit harder, then you might be able to come with him.
“Please, come with me!” You don’t care how desperate it sounds. “I just need it a little harder.”
That breaks his defense. He starts to move so fast that it takes your breath away. After a couple of thrusts, your body starts to shake uncontrollably.
“Bucky!” You can’t stay silent. “I’m- coming.”
“Come for me, doll. Make a mess.” His thrusts grow sloppier. You can see he’s losing control because of you. “So fucking pretty. Can’t believe I get to see you like this.” You are sure his grip on your ass will leave some bruises, but you don’t care. It feels so good. He makes you feel so good. “Oh fuck!”
He looks so pretty while he’s coming. The way he moans… The way his eyes flutter with each thrust… You watch every detail while coming yourself, wanting to memorize it.
Then he opens his eyes. His pretty blue eyes shine in a way that feels warm, cozy, and downright giddy.
“I can’t believe we really did that.” He’s still holding you. You wonder how that is even possible. You always thought he looked strong, but this is on another level.
“Now tell me,” You sound confident and satisfied. “For how long did you want to do that?”
He chuckles in a way that makes you feel needy all over again.
Summary: Bucky finally wins the favor of the pretty new girl in the neighborhood and together they make the most of the week before he ships out. Bucky makes her a promise the night before he leaves, and he intends to keep it.
Warnings: all my work is considered 18+, shameless flirting the both of them lol, fluff, angst,talk of war, there’s a tiny altercation in a dancehall, protective Bucky, allusions to smut, allusions to premarital sex which was frowned upon, nightmare mention, minor ofc is a refugee, pre serum Steve makes a couple appearances, happy ending
~~~
Bucky had seen her a handul of times around the neighborhood. Had done a bit of chatting up the neighbors to learn the little about her he could. She was new, relatively, to their block. Mrs. Martin in his building had said she remembered her folks before they had moved away, the girl had just been a baby then. He'd heard her talking to Frankie at the deli and her accent wasn't from around here, she'd grown up somewhere else. Mr and Mrs Lewis had even told him, just the other day when he'd stopped to help change their tire, that her family had moved back in to take care of a sick grandmother. Her mothers or fathers side they didn't know, but they lived in the place next to them and she was "such a sweet girl James, she'd straighten you right up."
Today she was walking out of the grocery a paper sack in one arm and a small stack of library books in the other. He smiled. Tis was his chance and he was more than happy to take it. Part of him, admittedly the slgihtly shallow part, wished he was in his uniform or at least dressed better than his work clothes.
That didn't stop him from picking up his pace and cutting across the street to bump into her. "You sure got your hands full. Here let me help." He ducked his head to catch her eye and spare her an easy grin as he gestured towards the sack of groceries.
Her eyes were a pale, sea glass green and they were sharp and skeptical as she appraised him. "I can manage, thank you though."
"No, not a chance, my ma would never forgive me." He deftly snagged the bag from her, grinning wider. "Besides, I think we live across the street from eachother. It's Lettie right?"
Those pretty green eyes narrowed at him, her brow furrowed "It is…"
"James," He settled her groceries in one hand and extended his other to her, "Everyone calls me Bucky though."
"Strapping young man like you can't get them to stop?" She quipped even as she held her hand up for him to take, "Your teeth don't seem that bad to me." One single brow arched and her face was passive as she held her books tight and walked on down the street. Not waiting for him to follow.
Bucky smiled wide as he fell in step beside her, keeping his stride slow and leisurely. "Cute," He looked down at her but she didn't look back. Unphased he elaborated, "Buchanan is my middle name, family name."
"Ohhh," She looked at him finally, tucked her sleek red hair behind her ear as she turned to walk backwards eying him in a way he couldn't quite place. "You're the Barnes boy. Mrs. Lewis told me to watch out for you." She looked pleased with herself, thinking she'd got some sort of upperhand.
Still grinning Bucky picked up his pace, just so he could step past her and lean down close and say, "Funny, she told me the same thing about you." And he continued on ahead of her biting his bottom lip and waiting.
"Now, just a minute, what is that supposed to mean?" She jogged to catch up to him again.
He didn't respond just smiled, kept walking, and threw her a lazy wink as they walked on down the street.
At the next corner she turned on him again, "What's your angle Barnes?"
"What angle doll?" He countered her overly formal use of his name with one that earned him a slght pink flush to her cheeks.
"Just a nice neighbor boy, carryin' my groceries? What is it? All the other girls in Brooklyn had their fill?" She shifted the books in her arms and Bucky saw one was a Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
"No angle," He nodded his head for her to continue and went out on a limb as he put his free hand at her shoulder to turn her and keep her moving, "Okay, that's not entirely true," He nudged her forward again smiling at the triumphant look on her face when she spun on him. "I just mean, that you are prettier than any girl I've ever seen and I've been dying for a chance to steal just a little bit of time with you." He slowed to a stop in front of what he knew was her building and grinned when she continued on a few steps before she noticed.
Her eyes were calculating and predatory as she scrutinized him. Looking for the angle, as she had said.
He noticed then the second book was a copy of the Hobbit he'd borrowed himself years ago.
"Alright, I'll bite, a little bit of time for what exactly?" She looked almost unimpressed, with herself, for asking.
Licking his lips Bucky smiled and took a step closer so she would have to tilt her chin up to look him in the eye. Which she did, standing her ground, and he loved it. "To ask if I could take you out one night this week."
"Just one night huh?" Her face didn't change as she said it
Was she really…? Bucky faltered the slightest bit, cocked his head to the side as he tried to figure out the real meaning in her words. He pushed his luck. "Every night if you'd let me."
She smiled. The barest tilt of her lips and Bucky felt ten feet tall. He was in love with this girl already, or would be if he wasn't careful.
"How about we just start with tomorrow night?" Her face softened but her eyes kept the spark in them.
"Done." Bucky didn't hesitate. "There is one catch though."
She rolled her eyes and then they both had to step away from the stoop as one of her neighbors exited the building. Both of them mumbled their apologies before she continued, "Always is."
"Not anything bad." Bucky assured her. "See i've got this friend, my best friend really, he's a great guy but shy."
Lettie nodded, eyes skeptical again. "So you actually want me go out with this friend?"
"God no!" The moment the words left his mouth he cringed, but the sting of his own embarrasment faded when she chuckled and ducked her eyes to the sidewalk. He caught a peak at the tip of her tongue as it wetted her lips and his confidence came back, "I'm keeping you all to myself sweetheart, trust me."
Her cheeks were pink when she looked back up at him and she was biting the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling too wide. "So, this friend…"
"Steve. Great guy. He just, needs a little push out of his shell if you know what I mean." Bucky almost felt bad, but God help him he desperatley wanted to find his pal a girl. "Was just thinkin' maybe you had a friend, we could make it a double date."
Lettie's eyes were skeptical again and she glanced behind her before she responded, "A friend that likes shy boys or a friend that likes any boy?"
When he caught her meaning Bucky licked his lips and looked her up and down, "Oh sweetheart, surely you don't have friends like that? I had you figgured for a good girl." He was going to fucking marry this girl, God help him.
She flushed a darker shade of pink and laughed, rolled her eyes again but settled her greens back on his blues after a heartbeat. Lettie licked her lips and looked him up and down herself. "Most of the time." Her eyes locked on his mouth as Bucky sunk his teeth into his bottom lip for a fraction of a second.
Unable to stop himself Bucky hummed approvingly and hunted for her gaze again before he spoke, "Then why don't you bring one of your nice, sweet friends with you tomorrow night and she can keep Steve company while you and me see what kinda trouble we can get into?"
Lettie answered by taking back her brown paper bag full of groceries and taking the first few steps up to the front of the building before she turned and said. "You better be right here by seven tomorrow night, Barnes." She settled him with a look which softened after a second. "Earlier if you want to make a good impression."
"Yes ma'am." His cheeks hurt from smiling and he shoved his hands in his pockets. She was almost to the door before he called after her, "Hey sweetheart," she was grinning when she turned around, her face still skeptical but in a teasing sort of way now. Bucky took a few steps backwards towards his side of the street, "Wear somethin' you can dance in."
~~~
Bucky was outside her building at 6:45pm, fighting the urge to smoke a cigarette while he waited.
The front door opened at 6:50pm and Lettie poked her head out, "Why Mr. Barnes, I'm proud." She sounded snarky but she was smiling as Bucky jogged up the steps to meet her. She pushed the door open wider and waved him in.
He stepped right up in front of her and took the door, looking over her he sucked his bottom lip between his teeth. "Well hello to you too doll." She looked so pretty he had to force his eyes to meet hers. "You look gorgeous."
She rolled her eyes but blushed that rosy pink color that he liked. "You look pretty sharp yourself."
He'd worn his uniform. Shined his boots and everything. "
That'll help." She added cryptically as she started up the stairs.
Bucky paused at the bottom, "Help with what?" Lettie bounced back down a couple stairs until they were eye to eye. "Help convince papa you're a fine young man that's gonna take good care of me."
"Oh," Bucky felt a rush roll through him as she grabbed his hand. He used the hold to keep her in place as he held her gaze intenesly and added, "I'm gonna take real' good care of ya sweetheart."
Her father had been nice enough, intimidating but Bucky had won him over quickly. Her mother was a looker with the same red hair as Lettie. A younger sister that he'd seen poking her head around the corner to sneak a peak had the same pretty green eyes and looked like she'd be a world of trouble herself in a few years. If the way Lettie and her mother had both scolded the younger girl and sent her scurrying was any inclination.
"I'm impressed." Lettie said once they were back down on the street.
"Already?" Bucky teased and laughed when she playfully shoved him towards traffic. "Kidding." He tugged her close and looked her over, "Thought springing your folks on me was gonna send me runnin'?"
She didn't answer but that was answer enough. Bucky picked up her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Lettie smiled and rolled her eyes even as she let his lips linger. He liked that little bit of attitude mixed with that soft and sweet. He liked it a lot.
"We should uh, we should go. I told Isaline we would meet her at the station. I wasn't sure where we were going." Lettie seemed the slightest bit flustered but her eyes were still bright.
Bucky smiled, wrapped her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her off down the street. "So is this the nice friend or the really nice friend." He coughed out a laugh as she smacked him in the chest.
"Isaline is a sweetheart, she's a little shy herself but only, well, you'll see."
When he watched her greet her friend at the station the rapid chattering in a different language caught him off guard. He stood back, a little awkward, but with an easy, charming smile on his face.
"James this is Isaline, Isa this is James, or Bucky as he somehow prefers to be called." Lettie introduced them with a big smile.
The friend was pretty and Letties comment made more sense when he heard how heavily accented her English was. On the train the girls sat and chatted while Bucky stood, one hand on the rail and listened as they went back and forth between English and French. As they left the train Bucky grabbed Lettie's elbow softly and leaned into her ear, "Aren't you just a treat?"
The girl with him blushed a bright red but smiled, "What do you mean?"
"You speak French?"
"My family lived in Montreol for most of my childhood." Lettie lowered her voice, "Isaline's family fled France a couple years ago, before…" Lettie trailed off.
Bucky nodded, "Brave girl." He whispered back before he wrapped Letties hand through his arm again. Isa and Lettie linking arms and letting Bucky lead them down the street to the little dancehall he liked best. Steve would like this girl, even if she was shy, she was pretty for sure, a killer smile and brave enough to escape the Nazis. Right up his best friends alley.
~~~
Steve was waiting for them out front. Standing off to the side, hands in his pockets, wearing that same old jacket. Bucky had to grin. He whistled then called out, "Hey punk, over here!"
When Bucky introdruced him to Lettie and Isa Steve was ever the gentleman. Then as Isa rattled something off in French to Lettie, Bucky and Steve exchanged a look. Steve furrowed his brow at his best friend, Bucky just smiled and shrugged.
Lettie chuckled and then linked her arm through Bucky's, whcih pleased him greatly, as she addressed Steve. "She wants me to tell you that she's sorry her English isn't so good, but that she'd like it very much if you would help her practice some tonight. Preferably while she's running her fingers through your hair." Isa giggled beside her friend and Bucky outright laughed.
Steve gulped as Bucky clapped him on the shoulder and pushed him towards the door with the music spilling out. "What're you laughing at Buck?"
Bucky laughed again as Isa hooked her arm in Steve's and began to drag him forward at a jog. "I think we're both in trouble tonight pal." He felt a pinch in his side as he laughed again and turned to tip his gaze down to Lettie, "What was that for doll?" With his same easy grin he walked her towards the line to get in, his pace a slow kind of swagger. Feeling good in his uniform with a gorgeous girl on his arm.
"Isa is not trouble." She defended her friend, "She's just... flirtacious. It's 'cause she's French."
"I'll say." Bucky laughed again, falling in line behind the flirty French girl and Steve. While they waited Bucky ducked down to whisper in her ear, "What would a guy have to do for you to whisper to him in French and play with his hair? Hmm?"
Lettie rolled her eyes and flicked the bill of his cap, "He'd have to take me on at least two more dates."
Bucky smirked and raised his brows as he straightend his cap. In his head he counted out the days until he shipped out. "I think I can make that happen." "
Oh do you?" Lettie smirked as they came to the door, "I think I'll be the one that decides that Mr. Barnes."
He kept smiling as he paid for the four of them to get in, "Y'know, technically, it's Sargent Barnes."
Her cheeks were rosy from her permanent smirk as she shook her head, "Whatever you say Bucky." She teased him, not giving him the satisfaction of acting impressed.
With one hand on her back he guided her through the door behind Steve and Isaline. Once she was in front of him he leaned in to whisper beside her ear again, "You're just a little firecracker aren't you?"
There was a brief moment where she halfstepped, intentionally causing him to bump into her back as he followed her and on reflex he set a hand at her waist to steady them both. WIth him close Lettie glanced over her shoulder and gave him a look, "I thought I was a treat?"
Bucky liked the way she felt just barely pressed against him and the way her waist fit so perfectly in his hand. He smiled, a little mischevious and leaned in so close his nose brushed her hair, "Girl can be both. Perfect combination if you ask me." He caught the way she blushed and smiled wide just before she looked away from him and it was doing dangerous things to his ego.
~~~
Lettie knew she wasn't the best dancer but she had been excited. Impatient even to let Bucky take her out onto the floor. It hadn't taken him long and they'd quickly abandoned their friends in the corner to camp out on the dancefloor. They danced song after song until the band took a break, She was warm and a little breathless when she had nodded and let Bucky pull her towards the back of the hall for something cold to drink.
She stood a little behind Bucky while he spoke with a server behind the bar and busied herself trying to spy across the room at Isa and Steve. Neither of them had ran away yet, which based on what Bucky had told her while they danced was an improvement. She hadn't seen them out on the floor even once, but it looked like Steve had a bit of a pink hue to his cheeks which made Lettie laugh to herself.
"Hey honey, you gonna give anyone else a go tonight?"
"Excuse me?" She turned towards the unfamiliar voice.
"You heard me sweetie. You been lettin' that pretty boy hog you all night. Think I should get a turn, huh?"
The disgust on her face was evident when she spat back, "I think you should quit callin' me names and beat it."
"You little s…" The mans hand was a blur of motion but it froze midair when Buckys hand caught him by the wrist.
"That's a real bad idea." Bucky said calm as can be as he held an iron grip on the man with his left hand and reached towards Lettie with his right. He twisted the mans wrist just enough to cause some discomfort and push him back.
"You outta put muzzle on your bitch there." The man snarled even as Bucky twisted his arm further.
Before Bucky could retalliate though Lettie was pushing past him, "You outta put a bag over your head so the rest of us ain't gotta suffer that ugly mug."
"Okay doll, that's enough." Bucky dropped the mans wrist in favor for catching Lettie around the waist and pulling her back, spinning her around behind him once again. He saw the motion out of the corner of his eye and groaned, "You're killin' me." He caught the other mans sloppy haymaker easily and twisted him around with it, pinning it at what looked to be an extremely uncomfortable angle. He shoved the man back towards his group of friends, "You boys, better sort your pal out there." Bucky gestured to the still fuming, stumbling, loudmouth and then turned back to Lettie
"Nuh-uh." Bucky shook his head as he pushed her back by the hip, "Leave it doll, let's go." He reached for the two cokes he'd bought and gently ushered her back from the scene of the incident.
"You're just gonna let him…"
"I…" Bucky drew out the syllable to emphasize a point, "Am keepin' you outta trouble."
Lettie chewed on her lip, not noticing the way Bucky was figinting back a grin, "You should've let me…"
"Let you what doll? Sock him?' Bucky glanced over his shoulder then back to her, "Was gonna do it myself till you went tearin' after him like a prize fighter."
The scowl on her face softened slightly and Bucky tilted his head to one side, smiling down at her, "Sweetheart, I think you did enough damage without either one of us puttin' hands on him." He tugged her closer, let his arm wrap all the way around her waist and she relaxed into him almost immediatly.
"I'm sorry James." She finally, had the decency to look a little embarrassed.
"Don't apologize, I kinda liked it." Bucky threw her a wink and held her gaze a beat, "My little firecracker."
Lettie scoffed, purposfully ignoring the way he had used 'my'. She leaned back enough to pluck a Coke bottle from his grasp and take a sip. "I kinda liked it too." She mumbled against the mouth of the glass bottle.
"What's that?" Bucky leaned closer so he could hear.
She sighed deep and stood up a little to repeat herself in his ear, "I kinda liked how you… ya know…" Lettie trailed off not sure how to explain that she had found his quiet, confindent, control of the situation so attractive. The way he could have clearly swung on the troublemaker but instad chose to use his brain as well as his muscles.
He must've seen it in her eyes, or heaven forbid read her mind, because Bucky pulled back with a shit eating grin, "Oh really?" He licked his lips and gave her a nearly inappropriate look, "I'm glad." He all but whispered against her temple and followed it by a careful press of his lips. When he pulled back she was grinning too and they left it at that.
~~~
For awhile the four of them had sat at the little corner table and chatted. Bucky had kicked Steve out of his chair, forcing him to go and sit beside Isa so Lettie could sit next to him. Soon he had his arm draped over the back of Letties chair and was smiling contently as the girls chatted across the table.
After awhile Bucky had all but bullied his pal into taking the pretty French girl out for a spin on the dancefloor. Lettie had giggled beside him as Isaline had nearly drug Steve along behind her. Together they sat there, watching from the sidelines as their friends danced, or tried to.
"Gosh is that how clumsy I looked?" Lettie laughed hiding it behind her hand.
'Not a chance," Bucky ducked his head to meet her gaze, "You looked like a dream doll."
She turned that pretty pink color and couldn't hold his eye. Bucky chuckled, "How come you can be so gorgeous, so quick, square up with a guy twice your size without thinkin' twice," He paused and reached a careful hand out to tip her face back to his, "And still get so flustered when I say somethin' nice?"
Lettie bit her lip and shook her head a little, eyes dropping closed for a moment when he stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "I don't know."
All he could do was smile. When he caught sight of the others coming back he gave her a soft smile and a wink.
~~~
The four of them had split up at the station, Bucky once again nearly forcing Steve to walk Isa home, giving Bucky and Lettie the chance to walk home together. Alone.
She had ahold of his elbow again, only this time she had both arms wrapped around his and they laughed and teased eachother as they walked. At the front steps to her builing Lettie's heart dropped slightly and she took a fortifying breath. She turned to face Bucky and asked outright, "You're leaving soon aren't you?"
Though it might have caught him off guard he didn't show it. He only took her hand in his and nodded, "My company ships out Friday."
Lettie nodded, looked intently at his hand that engulfed hers, warm, rough to the touch but gentle. She put on a smile, forced but not insincere, "I had a really great time tonight Bucky."
That brough his smile back as well. He picked her hand up to his lips and kissed the top of her thumb, "So did I."
SHe studied him intently, eyes searching for some answer he was more than willing to let her find. He stood there patiently, with his easy grin firmly in place while he waited, hand still holding hers.
"Even though I kinda tried to start a fight?" She chuckled sheepishly.
HIs grin doubled, "Oh especially since you tried to start a fight."
She swatted at his chest and he took it in stride, even tugged her back to him after.
"So you'd consider, maybe, taking me out again?" Lettie was fighting back nerves that evaporated when she saw the way his face cracked into a wide, honest smile.
"Sweeheart, you have no idea how much I'd like that." He took that as a sign that he could get away with wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her against him. "Can I come fetcch you tomorrow? We can get a bite to eat, just you and me this time?"
Lettie was beaming when she nodded, "Sounds perfect."
The way she was looking up at him, matched with the way she had all but melted into him, gave him hope but she was a handful and he was a gentleman. So, he asked, "Lettie," he tipped her chin up with his knuckle and looked her in the eye, "Can I kiss you goodnight?"
"Yes please."
Bucky had to remind himself to keep it short and sweet. The way all the air left her in a rush as he pressed his lips to hers drew him in. He'd meant it to be a quick little peck, empitome of a gentleman, but then her hands had reached for either side of his jaw and he couldn't hold back the happy hum in the back of his throat. He swiped his lips over hers again and spread a hand wide over her back to press her even closer to him.
When he finally forced himself to pull away he saw her eyes still closed and her lips still parted and couldn't help himself. "Look at you." He murmered to her, catching the way her eyes fluttered open only for her to moan and let them fall closed once more as he allowed himself one final kiss. Electricity trilling down his spine as she captured his bottom lip between hers as they pulled away the second time.
Lettie was trying to catch her breath and her eyes were wide and lit from within.
"See you tomorrow beautiful." Bucky tipped her face gently so he could press a kiss to the corner of her eye, not trusting himself to kiss her properly again.
WIth a happy hum she let her hands slide over his shoulders and down to squeeze his biceps as she smiled up at him sweetly. "Can't wait."
Bucky held the door to her building open for her and returned her silly little wave as she scampered up the stairs. He stood there unitil he heard her door upstairs open and close. "Neither can I." He whispered to himself, with the shake of his head, as he let the door swing closerd behind him.
~~~
"You're too good for the likes of him Lettie, you mark my words."
"Sal!" Bucky scoffed, "C'mon, you've known me my whole life"
"Exactly!" The old man pointed at him accusingly as he set another bottle of Coke down.
Bucky shook his head, offended, "Don't do me dirty like that Sal, c'mon." The man behind the counter laughed loudly as he walked away, sharing a conspiritorial wink with Lettie.
Still shaking his head Bucky shifted to face her on his stool, "You might have everyone fooled, but I know better."
Lettie scoffed, "Oh, you know better? Do you? A few dates and you've got me all figured out, is that it?" She propped her elbow besdie her plate and arched her brow, waiting.
"Workin' on it." Bucky grinned, reached down to grab the leg of her stool and drag her closer. It made her giggle and he loved it, "You're no angel darlin' but you are definitly too good for me."
That surprised her and she grinned even wider, licking her lips she spoke softly, "Well then aren't you lucky?"
"Very lucky." Bucky leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"You knock that off Barnes! People eat here."
Lettie snorted out a laugh, as Bucky jokingly growled, "Sal, you're killin' me here." He caught the way Lettie was looking at him out the corner of her eye, "Don't you enourage him doll." She snorted out an even less lady like laugh and went back to her food. "You're both killin' me."
Bucky snuck a hand out to tickle her ribs earning him a squeal of laughter and a hard swat to his forearm. "Behave yourself." She scolded him, jabbing a finger in his direction.
Bucky surrendered, hands in the air and everything. "Okay, okay, best behavior." He tossed her a wink as he went back to his own plate. Both of them fighting back smiles, cheeks aching.
Sal walked back by after a minute and gave Bucky a hard look, "I take it back, this girl, I think she's good for you." He smacked Bucky hard, affectionantly but hard, on the shoulder and turned to move on down to another couple at the end of the counter.
Bucky caught Letties eye and kept his voice low, "Oh, she's very good for me."
Lettie flushed bright red and hid her face in her free hand, "You are the absolute worst." She hissed back at him.
He furrowed his brow, asbsentmindedly twirling his fork between his fingers, "Really? Pretty sure that's not what you ..."
"James Buchanan, I swear..." She left her threat to trail off in the static between them. Her face flushed and Bucky grinned like the cat that ate the canary.
"Okay, like I said, best behavior." He left it at that, only reaching for the hand she had been hiding behind and tugging it to him so he could press a kiss to her palm. Then with a happy, contented smile he remained on his best behavior through the rest of lunch.
When the two of them left, Bucky left a little bigger tip on the counter than he needed to and tucked Lettie into his side as they headed back out onto the street. Neither of them paying attention to the looks that trailed after them. The group of girls in a booth that looked longingly at the handsome young man and the open and obvious adoration for the girl that wasn't them. The older couple that shared a knowing, reminiscint smile, and Sal who shook his head with a chuckle as he cleared their plates away.
Out on the street Bucky and Lettie continued down the sidewalk, his arm over her shoulders and their fingers laced together.
"Buck?" "
Yeah doll."
"What happens while your gone?" She tried to keep her voice light.
Bucky swallowed thickly and did the same, "Told you, we're gonna go over there, kick HItlers ass, and be back in time for you..." He paused mid stride to spin her around and pull her back so they stood face to face, "To take me ice skating for Christmas."
Lettie rolled her eyes in that way she knew he liked. "For me to take you, huh?"
"Well, we already established I don't know how, so... yeah. You're gonna have to hold onto me all night." He fought back a grin as he walked into her, pushing her to step backwards, "I'm probably gonna make a fool out of myself, hanging on you the whole time." He made his point by wrapping his arms around her tightly, still keeping them walking down the street. Lettie trusting him completely as she continued stepping backwards.
"James, I'm serious." She looked up at him with bright but serious eyes. He returned her gaze and slowed them to a stop at a cross walk. His sharp blue eyes left hers to watch the traffic go by for a moment. "We talked about this Lettie." He looked back to her, kept her wrapped up tight. "
You hardly know me."
"Don't matter." His answer was so immediate and certain it took a little of the fight out of her. "You're my girl. We both know this ain't..." Bucky trailed off. For once he was the one at a loss for words, "Don't matter it's only been a week. It's never been like this for me before Lettie."
With a heavy sigh she wrapped her arms around his neck and relaxed into him. "Me either."
"So, you'll wait for me?" He gazed down at her lovingly, hopefully. His eyes nearly fluttering closed at the feel of her nails scratching through the short hairs at the nape of his neck.
"You know I will. " She smiled up at him just as in love, even if neither of them had said those words just yet. "As long as you promise to do your damndest to come home to me."
HIs smile turned into a smirk, "Such a mouth on you." He kissed her before she could say anything back, being so bold as to swipe his tongue into her mouth right there in the middle of the sidewalk. She nipped at his bottom lip as he pulled back and he let her draw him in for another slow kiss. "I promise Doll, I'm comin' home to you."
They stood that way for a moment longer, more unspoken promises being shared in the silence. Lettie was the one that broke them out of it, "You, better let me go, so I have time to go round up a friend for Steve and get ready."
"You look good in what you're wearin'." Bucky almost pouted, carefully bunching up the fabric of her skirt in one hand.
"Thank you, but" She swatted his hand away, "You promised to wear your uniform for me tonight, so I have to go get dolled up." She winked when she used a play on his favorite pet name for her, "So those other girls out there don't get the wrong idea."
"Don't see how they could when I can't keep my hands off you." Bucky offered smoothly as he dropped a short, teasing kiss to her lips. "But, you know I love it when you get all done up for me." His eyes were downright sinful when he looked her up and down and he smiled at the blush on her cheeks. "You sure you're okay meeting us there?"
"I'm sure." She patted him on the chest, took a moment to enjoy the feel of the hard earned muscle under his shirt and then dropped her hands when Bucky gave her a look. "Don't you..."
"Wasn't gonna say a word." He bit his bottom lip and looked her up and down. Unabashedly remembering how her hands had felt on his bare skin, the slight red marks she had left behind. Bucky slowly backed away before he got himself in anymore trouble.
"Hey Sarge!" Lettie called after him, teaasing him again, "Forgetting something?"
WIth a laugh and a shake of his head he joined her back on the corner of the sidewalk, and with a hand on each hip he pulled her into another kiss. "I'll see you tonight."
~~~
It was too bad Isaline hadn't been the girl for Steve, it turns out they were just two different types of shy. Isa was shy becuase she was new to the States and still didn't feel completely at home. Steve was shy because, well, he was Steve.
Lettie liked Steve the little she'd been around him. Bucky was right, he was a great guy, he just was a little unsure of himself. Lettie remembered the first little tiff she and Bucky had had, on their second date, when she had brought up what Isa had said about Steve. But Lettie had apologized for speaking harshly about his best friend and Bucky had apologized for raising his voice.
They had sat in a park down by the water and talked after that, Bucky filling her in on growing up with Steve and she understood better. Even became a little more invested in finding him a girl, vowing to take up the mission while Bucky was overseas along with most of the competition. Admittedly the date she'd found for him tonight wasn't the best match but she'd had short notice. Mae was smart as a whip and pretty, but a little on the stoic side. She had been excited though.
Of course that was after Lettie had told her that Bucky, her handsome Army beau had got them tickets to the Stark Expo and was going to bring a buddy along for her. Bucky had talked him up, sharing all the best things.
Mae had looked at her sideways when the boys arrived, "That's Buckys best friend?"
"Yeah." Lettie called them over and then turned back to Mae. "Don't be rude, he's the sweetest guy. You'll see."
"He could be sweet and look like yours. Is that too much to ask?"
Lettie rolled her eyes already feeling bad about the setup but excited for the expo and to spend the night with Bucky.
~~~
They had stayed out so late that Lettie was certain her folks would be upset, even if they liked Bucky which they did, it was well past the decent hour to bring a girl home. Who could blame them though? He was shipping out in the morning. This would be their last night together in God knew how long.
She swayed with the motion of Bucky bumping into her as they walked, "Where that pretty mind of yours wander off to?" He asked when she glanced up at him.
She gave him a soft, sadly tinged smile and apologized, "Sorry, was just thinkin'."
He didn't have to ask, he just held her tighter and dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "You got the pamphlet right, on how to get letters to me?"
Lettie nodded but didn't trust herself to speak. They were a few blocks from her house now and her throat got tighter with each step.
Bucky breathed deep and tried to lighten the mood, "Wish I could keep you out all night. Keep you all to myself 'till I have to leave. But, I think your folks like me and I don't wanna mess that up. Would throw a real wrench in my plans."
With a snort Lettie gazed up at him, "Your plans huh?"
"Mhmm."
When he left it at that she finally cracked a smile and a hint of a laugh, "Care to share those plans with me Barnes?"
WIth a wide smile Bucky pulled her to a stop around the block from her home. "Nothin' too crazy. Just go to war, come home, convince you to marry me, which admittedly may be difficult but I'm up to the challenge," He laughed at the eye roll that earned him and continued, "Get a good job, find us a place, figure out how many kids we're gonna have."
"So you do, just got it all planned out don't you?" Lettie shook her head.
He nodded once slowly, not saying anything else for a long while. Then he tugged her to him by the waist and kissed her, "How does that sound?" He whiispered against her lips.
Lettie wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to mold her body against his and squeeze her tight as they breathed the same air.
She thought of a lifetime of the laughing and smiling, the teasing and squabbling. Of his wandering hands and hugs that set the world right again. With heat rising up in her chest she thought of the one night they'd been able to steal together. The way they had laughed and fumbled and whispered together in the dark. How she had felt so adored and loved and at the same time so alive and indescent in the most amazing ways. She thought of the way he had looked at her, and she at him.
It wasn't that they were the only people in the world, far from it, but that they were only ones that either of them could imagine having for the rest of their lives.
With no sense of how long she'd been thinking she hugged him tighter and whispered into the side of his neck, "It sounds amazing."
His arms held her tighter, closer, if that were even possible, and then her feet were off the ground and the world was spinning. When Bucky sat her feet back on solid ground she was laughing and he was giving her that obnoxiously charming, easy grin she had fallen for so quickly.
Bucky brought his hands up to cradle her face as he kissed her again. More so this time, "I wish I could take you home with me tonight." He barely pulled back from her to say the words and then he was devouring her lips again. "One more time before I go." He wouldn't give her enough time to respond between kisses so she just hummed, moaned more like, happily into his mouth and carded her fingers through the hair at the back of his head.
A shiver rolled through her at the thought of another stolen night spent thouroughly exhausted and wrapped up in his arms. The promise of a future where he wouldn't have to sneak her home after. Where they could stay that way, wake up wrapped in eachother.
Eventually Lettie moaned again, nipped at his lip to get him to give her a chance to breath, and they were both giggling as they pulled apart. Bucky licked his lips like he was savoring the taste of something sweet and it made her heart flutter.
All of the sudden she couldn't keep her hands still. They slid from his neck to frame his jaw and then down to his firm chest and even lower over his torso. The memory of watching the muscles there ripple, flex and contract above her brought heat to her cheeks.
"You're thinkin' too much again doll." He was teasing her now, as he took her hands in his and started them walking back down the sidewalk before they got themselves in trouble.
"You mean it right?" She blurted out as he tucked her back into his side and turned the corner towards her building.
"Every word." He kissed the top of her head again, hugging her to him the whole rest of the block. In front of her building he smiled at her, "Want me to walk you up?" He didn't want to leave her yet.
Lettie took the first step and then turned towards him again, they were eye to eye like this, and shook her head. "It'll be quietter if I go up alone." She draped her arms over his shoulders and closed her eyes, smiling serenely as his hands moved to her waist.
They stroked up and down a few times before he wrapped his arms around her completely. He was going to ask for one more kiss but she beat him to it. One of her hands reached up to tip his cap off his head and the other combed through his jet black, slicked back hair underneath.
His eyes closed with the gentle touch and he smiled when she pressed her lips to his. This kiss was softer, sweeter, a proper good bye, as they held eachother in the dark on their Brooklyn street. When his eyes opened and saw her there, green eyes glassy and lips swollen he hadn't hesitated, "I love you so much." He lifted his own hand to tuck a strand of hair back and swipe away a tear from the corner of her eye, "I promise you doll, I'll do everything in my power to come home to you."
"I love you too, God, so much it scares me." She sobbed out a little laugh and leaned into his hand. "And you better keep that promise."
Bucky laughed too, a lump in his throat and fighting back uncharacteristic tears of his own. "You better get upstairs." He kissed her again, quick and light. Trying to ease the heaviness of the mood.
"Good night Bucky." She tilted her head to kiss him, one more time, and then set his cap back on his head. Crooked, the way he liked it. Then she backed away.
"Sweet dreams doll." He held her hand in his until it had slipped away and he watched her turn at the door and smile back at him.
She waved, that same silly, flirtacious wave, she'd given him every night for the past week and then blew him a kiss. How could he not laugh, shake his head at her and return the wave. He even blew her a kiss of his own, laughing at himself but loving the way she beamed back at him. Then the door swung closed behind her and Bucky was alone in the darkness. With a sad smile he shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to walk across to his own building. He knew he wouldn't sleep tonight.
~~~
Lettie could barely sleep either. She had woke early, her eyes jumping to the clock. In less than an hour Bucky would be reporting to muster at the ship yards, and by lunch he would be on his way to England. Then on his way to war.
Not knowing what possessed her she bolted out of bed and threw a robe over her nightdress. When she had dashed down the hallway she had nearly bowled over her father who stood in the kitchen. The collision slowed her down enough to apologize and clear her thoughts for a moment.
"What are you doing darling?" Her father questioned her, concern etched in his face, "Are you alright?"
She didn't know how to explain. She needed to see Bucky, one more time, if she hurried….
"I'm fine Papa." She blurted as the hurried to the door and nearly ripped it open. When she dashed out of the apartment she collided with a solid form for the second time that early morning.
This time however the man she had collided with cursed slightly under his breath and caught her in his arms, "Easy doll, where you runnin' off to?"
She was speechless when she came to her senses and saw Bucky standing before her. Crisp and clean shaven, uniform pristine and that crooked smile on his face. All she could do was wrap her arms around him and hug him to her. "I wanted to see you, one more time before you left."
Strong arms wrapped her up tight as he chuckled into her messy, morning hair. "Guess that makes two of us."
Lettie didn't see her father poke his head out of their apartment door, nor did she see the look the two men exchanged. Bucky appropriatly sheepish at the current postition in which he was entangled with the other mans daughter, but his hold on her never weakened.
To both of their surprise her father coughed, breaking them apart, and gestured them back inside the apartment. Bucky hadn't planned on sitting at the kitchen table with Lettie and her parents that morning, but it did his heart good. Her father had poured him a cup of coffee and shook his hand. Her mother had kissed him on the cheek. Lettie had sat beside him in her robe and disheveled hair and that was exactly how he wanted to remember her.
Like this he could picture her in their own home, walking into the ktichen in her robe, hair a mess from the night before to kiss him goodbye on his way to work.
After Lettie had walked him down to the front door, he hadn't let her come outisde with him. She shook her head, laughing at him when he said it was one thing for him to see his girl in a robe, but no way the whole neighborhood was getting a peak. They had kissed goodbye again and again and again until he absolutely had to leave.
Then Lettie walked back up to the apartment sat down at the kitchen table with her parents, and cried.
~~~
War was hell.
Even in Brooklyn, war was hell.
Lettie had held her breath between each letter. Each of them a heaving gasp of fresh air as she opened them and read Buckys words.
She focused on her work, she'd got a job at one of the factories like so many of the other girls. She spent all day punching rivets into fuselages and often caught herself wondering what she would do with herself when the boys came back.
Lettie liked the girls she worked with, they had all become good friends. Some of them were married, a few of them had kids, a couple were single but most of her new friends had a man they loved fighting overseas. Those had been the friends she'd confided in when Bucky's letters had stopped.
War was hell.
She knew that.
He wasn't allowed to tell her much about it, but she knew that of course there would be long gaps in communication. There had never been one that had gone on so long before though and fear had settled in her stomach like a lead weight.
Isaline, who worked with her, did her best to keep her friends spirts up. Told her that her boyfriend was just busy fighting Germans, and as soon as he was able he would write her another of his lovesick letters. Telling her stories of the men in his platoon and their rowdy shenanigans.
Just when Lettie had nearly given up hope, had settled into the bleak depression of not knowing, a runner had came to her station on the line with a telegram. Her heart had stopped and her rivet gun had dropped to the ground with a clatter as she stumbled.
No.... No, no, no....
One of the married women had caught her and steadied her, shushing her in her thick Brooklyn accent.
Isa had plucked the telegram from her fingers and opened it with a pale, sickly expression on her face. An expression that had disappeared instantly, replaced with elation, in French she exclaimed, "Listen, Lettie listen. for the love of God, girl listen!"
Lettie's world stopped spinning and her eyes settled on Isa as she read the telegram, beaming.
"Doll, I'm safe, I'll write soon. Love Buck"
After that the letters started up again, this time with even more fantastical shenanigans which included Steve now which he promised to explain later, and even more promises. He loved her, he was safe, he was coming home to her as soon as this was all over.
Then one of her friends from the factory had drug them to the cinema, demanding they get dolled up and go out, boys or no boys. Which is where she saw Bucky for the first time in over a year.
There on the screen, his face scowling in concentration across from none other than Captain America, Steve Rogers. She had recognized a few others in the reels from Buckys letters, men from his platoon and the girls had giggled together as Lettie retold the stories she'd heard. Once she got home that night she had written him and informed him he very much had a lot of explaining to do.
She never got a response to that last letter.
War was hell.
Again, she found herself repeating old mantras, the weight settled back in her stomach.
This time however, it was not a telegram that knocked the wind out of her. It was Sargent James "Bucky" Barnes, leaning casually against the front of her building in the warm afternoon sun, smoking a cigarette and wating for her.
~~~
She awoke with a start, heart racing for some unknown reason. Until a warm, heavy hand settled on her waist, "Sorry doll." His voice was hushed and hoarse in the silence.
Lettie rolled over and saw, once her eyes had adjusted, Bucky lying wide awake beside her, one arm propped behind his head and his chest rising and falling faster than normal. She slid over to him and tucked herself into the space he made for her against his side. "Nightmare?" She whispered softly as she pressed a kiss to a scar on his chest, one of the thick, ugly ones, and then rested her head there.
"Mhmm." Was his only response, aside from sinking back down into the matress and pulling the covers up over them.
"Want to tell me?" She asked against his chest.
She felt and heard him swallow thickly and then his arm around her tightened. "Not this one sweeheart." He murmered into the hair at the crown of her head and then dropped a kiss there. "Just tell me I'm home."
Lettie smiled and shifted so that she could look him in the eye, take his face in her hand and kiss him. "You're home." Kiss, "You're home, in bed, with me." Another longer kiss and then she carded her fingers through his sleep mussed hair. "RIght where you belong."
Bucky hummed appreciatively, wrapped his arms tighter around her and pulled her impossibly closer. HIs body had changed, he had grown into a man over there. His chest filled out, his arms and torso no longer lean but bulky. His back was solid muscle as were his legs. He had changed too. Not for the worse, just changed. Darkness chased him, and so many others, but he was sill her Bucky.
A fact made evident when his lips carressed her throat and he murmured, "Y'know, I'm pretty sure you promised, once upon a time, to play with my hair and talk dirty to me in French if I took you out two more times."
Lettie breathed out a laugh, "Oh really? That just don't sound like me at all." She teased even as she stroked through his hair again. A nip to her collarbone brought out a giggle. "Can't believe you remember that."
Bucky hummed again and rolled up onto his side. shifting her onto her back and gazing down at her. "Lettie, I tried not to think about home too much,noene of us did, after awhile it hurt too damn much." He reached a hand up to trace her cheekbone. "But, that week with you, God there were times I played it like a movie over and over again in my mind."
The way he looked at her gave her butterfilies, just like he had back then. Lettie smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, to bring him closer.
He dropped a sleepy, short kiss to her lips and then added, "And I distanctly remember you promising to do exactly that."
Lettie laughed and pushed him off of her. "You wouldn't know what I was sayin' anyway." She pointed out as she moved back into his side and laid her head on his chest.
"You could read me a diner menu doll, and I'd be just fine." He chuckled at himself and tugged her closer, already feeling the weight of the nightmare fading. They were quiet for a long time, Bucky distracted by the warmth of her slight breath over his bare chest and the feel of her twisting the gold band on his finger over and over. He smiled, content and let his eyes fell closed as he focused on the comforting repetetive motion of his wife toying with his wedding band as she drifted back to sleep.
After awhile his eyes grew heavy and the motion of Lettie's fingers slowed. As if with her last bit of energy before sleep reclaimed her she whispered to him in the darkness, her French slow and whispy as she faded, "You're home, my love, home with me. Where you belong."
Bucky breathed deep and released it in one long exhale, all the negativity of the nightmares gone with it, and then laced his fingers throught hers. "I'm home." He followed her in sleep with his hand holding hers and a soft, content smile on his face.
Summary: A year after his mother's death, Marc travels back to Chicago to face his father. He doesn't expect it to be easy but he also doesn't expect it to be so hard. He especially doesn't expect to find refuge from the hard moments in a little known witch's shop a few blocks over. And definitely not in one keeping watch over the family's piano.
"It's the one memory he has of his mother that isn’t tainted. It’s the one memory where she doesn’t change, where she always loves him."
Pairing: eventual Marc Spector x Reader (eventual minor Steven Grant x Reader and Jake Lockley x Reader)
Series warnings (so far): slow burn, mentions of past child abuse, mental health issues, tense relationship with a parent, alcohol
Series Status: COMPLETE
A/N: Hello! I'm very excited (and nervous) to be writing a series again. I anticipate this being 8ish parts long. The first part will be posted Sunday, January 15, 2023. I will try to keep to an upload schedule of every Saturday at 3PM EST.
40s!Bucky Barnes Masterlist Co-Written with @notafunkiller
you’re my desire
summary: Your best friend drags you out on a double date. You were supposed to be Steve Rogers’ date but plans change pretty quickly and you end up in Bucky Barnes’ arms.
pairing: 40s Bucky Barnes x Female Reader
warnings: 18+ NSFW MINORS DNI, first date, public sex, ripped clothing, teasing, rough sex, dirty talk, praise, pet names, no mention of y/n
trust in what tomorrow brings
summary: After your first date with Bucky Barnes [aka you’re my desire] you two spend some time alone in your apartment. That’s when you realize you actually want to keep him.
pairing: 40s Bucky Barnes x Female Reader
warnings: 18+ NSFW MINORS DNI, teasing, pet names, protected and unprotected sex, praising dirty talking mixture, dry humping, ripped clothing, face riding, blowjob, rough sex, multiple orgasms, light punishment, no mention of y/n
Summary: soulmateAU, in which when you meet your soulmate, the first letter of their name appears on your wrist
Content: angst with happy ending
Word count: 1.2k
Emptiness. That's all you've felt inside for so many months.
You don't remember when it replaced unbearable pain and all-consuming anger. It happened smoothly, gradually.
For half of a year you lived like in hell, as if you were carrying a red-hot, flaming orb in your chest, that was literally burning you from the inside out. Day after day. For half of a year you lived hating yourself, the world, and him.
He wasn't your soulmate. You knew that from the beginning. You were sure you were smart enough not to fall in love. You denied it until the last moment, unable to admit even to yourself that it had already happened.
He wasn't your soulmate. But your feelings for him were so real, so genuine. You made all the excuses you could think of to explain the absence of the first letter of his name on your skin. But the facts were still the facts. Your brittle wrists were clean. You were selflessly in love with him. And he was married.
At some point, you decided to go for broke. All or nothing. You mustered up all your courage and confessed to him. And it destroyed you.
Now the memories seem distant, like they're covered in a thick, whitish fog. It's like a scene from a movie you saw a long time ago, and you remember only fragments of it. But back then... Oh, it was more than real. It felt like your chest had been ripped open. You were lying in your bed, unable even to cry, feeling the life slowly draining out of you, as if you were really bleeding.
And now... Emptiness. You don't have any more pain. You just don't feel anything.
You've learned to pretend. Pretend to be a happy, carefree person who’s doing well, because that’s how your friends and family wanted to see you. And then hurry home, to your apartment, where no one was waiting for you, except maybe the potted plants. Close the door behind you and exhale in relief, taking off your fake smiling mask and tossing it into a far corner until the next time.
You’ve lost hope. Hope for happiness, for mutual love, for a family. You've gotten used to your loneliness, convincing yourself that it keeps you safe. After all, if no one is around, no one can hurt you, right?
One frowny morning, yawning sleepily, you reached into the kitchen drawer for a bag of coffee beans. A couple more minutes and your favorite beverage would warm and wake you up. You'll be ready to start a new day.
The locker door creaked miserably and sagged, twisting. You sighed irritably and went in search of a screwdriver. After twenty minutes of futile effort, you realized that you'd broken the hinge for good. Throwing the tool aside, you let out a doomed groan and buried your face in your hands.
All week long you'd been angry at the poor door, as if it had broken to spite you, as if it had been its evil plan to piss you off. But one day you woke up determined, and, after a quick breakfast, went to the store.
You never liked your kitchen. It was left over from the previous owners, and you decided, to economize, that you'd get a new one as soon as you saved up some money. But as they say, nothing is more permanent than the temporary. You've been living with this kitchen for almost four years now. Finally, the universe gave you a sign.
You adored home improvement stores. You’d already picked up a basket full of cute little things - a soft plaid with an intricate pattern, a candle with the scent of almond cookies, a funny mug with pictures of sloths - and now you strolled leisurely down the aisles lined with samples of kitchen furniture.
A strange feeling of warmth and calm suddenly overwhelmed you - as if the sun had peeked out from behind the clouds on an overcast day and warmed you with its tender rays. You smiled at this unusual sense, not knowing what caused it. You had never experienced anything like it.
A few seconds later you were nearly knocked off your feet.
Before you could react, you almost fell, but strong arms held you upright. Your shopping basket was less fortunate: it ended up on the floor. The mug you'd fallen in love with at first sight split in two.
- Oh fuck, - the man exhaled, letting you go, - excuse me. I’m... I'm so sorry. I'll buy you a new one and pay for this one.
- It was the last one, - you sighed, feeling like you were going to cry tears of resentment. You turned your gaze to your offender, meeting his dark brown eyes.
You were seeing this man for the first time, but...
- I'm really sorry. I... In that case, let me pay for the rest of your purchases as an apology.
- I don't think so, - you grinned, - I'm going to buy the kitchen unit, so...
You were silent for a few moments, looking at each other.
- I... - the man started again, but you interrupted him.
- Don't worry about it. It's just a mug. It's nothing serious.
He made an unsure gesture, something between a nod and a shake of his head. For a few seconds he hesitated, as if thinking about something, but then he turned around to leave. Your stomach twisted with a strange feeling, very similar to panic mixed with despair, at the thought that you would never see him again.
- Do you... Do you like this, the beige one? - you suddenly blurted out.
The man stared at you in confusion.
- Me? I don’t think… - he swallowed, - maybe you'd better discuss with your husband on this choice.
- I don't have a husband, - you said quietly, shrugging your shoulders. Something flashed in his eyes, something you couldn't quite grasp.
- Boyfriend? - he clarified.
- No boyfriend.
His dark eyes studied you intently. Their gaze was heavy, insistent, but it didn't make you uncomfortable. On the contrary, it was as if...
He took a brief look at the furniture you were talking about.
- It's not bad, - he nodded, - but it looks rather complicated to assemble. You'll need a good handyman.
He shifted his gaze to you again.
- Listen. I still feel awkward about pushing you. Can I at least buy you a coffee to make amends?
Your heart did a somersault in your chest.
- Okay.
He took a small pencil and a crumpled piece of paper out of his jacket pocket - a shopping list, you guessed and smiled surreptitiously. Not in his smartphone, but on paper? Really? He scribbled numbers on an empty space, then tore off a piece and handed it to you.
- Call me when you're done here. I'll be nearby.
You took the sheet from his hands, noticing the way he rubbed his wrist.
- I didn't ask your name.
When you introduced yourself, he nodded and, after slowing for a second, walked away.
You lowered your eyes to the note with the phone number and name.
Your own wrist stung and tingled slightly. Feeling your heart pounding faster and faster and your breathing treacherously knocking out, you lifted the sleeve. The letter "M" appeared on your delicate, thin skin, like a tiny tattoo.
You shifted your gaze back to the scrap of paper.
"Marc"
Tag list: @welcometostayingawake ; @ahookedheroespureheart ; @minigirl87 ; @uncle-eggy
Comments / reblogs are incredibly meaningful!
Please support your content creators!🫶🏻
Pairings: Modern!Aegon x Reader, Modern!Aemond x Reader
Rating: 18+/NSFW
Warnings: Profanity, porn without that much plot, infidelity, mutual masturbation, spitting, choking, degradation, exhibitionism and voyeurism, unprotected sex (p in v), salirophilia, overstimulation, fellatio, photo exhibitionism.
𝙰𝚎𝚐𝚘𝚗
Technically...
It’s not cheating if he’s only watching, right?
Your Call
You just need to get him out of your system, that's all.
𝙰𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍
Private Show
It's always the quiet ones.
Comeuppance
He's had enough of your provocative ways.
ˣ summary: being stranded on a planet? not a problem, at least rescue’s coming. the real issue is that it means for twelve hours, you’re stuck with poe dameron.
ˣ warnings: 7.7k wc. explicit smut (oral/vaginal) and language. enemies-ish to lovers & forced proximity trope. mentions of blood & injuries. kinda soft!
ˣ a/n: “it’s been 84 years…” seriously tho i apologize for the big delay in posting ;_; but yay here’s my first official poe fic! i didn’t intend for this to be quite long, still i hope you enjoy 🤍
You’re seething with anger.
A red, hot, and blinding rage.
One more word out of your Commander, and you swear you’d make him regret having survived that crash landing.
You couldn’t care any less for his half-assed excuses. The weak explanations and baseless assumptions that only boil your blood. Even the sound of his mere voice has you so irritated that you wish the explosion had blown out your ear drums.
If only he had listened to you, then the two of you wouldn’t be in this mess— you wouldn’t be stranded on some unknown, barren planet deep in the outer rim.
Quick to point a finger, this was entirely Poe Dameron’s doing.
Created for @hermiones-haven // I love Hermione x Viktor. That’s all I have to say about that :3
Title: Cultural Exchange
Rating: Gen
Pairing: Hermione x Viktor
Word Count: 1360
Square: O3 - Aguamenti
Major Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Baking, Cultural References
Summary: Hermione and Viktor reunite at a conference, their long-distance friendship reigniting. They come together again and again, learning about their homes and each other and how maybe now is the time to give each other a chance.
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37240033
Notes: Inspired by Love Fest 2022 prompt from meditationsinemergencies
Check out Hermione’s Haven Bingo 2022 Collection over on Ao3
Summary: You broke up with Aegon months ago but he can't move on, and maybe neither can you.
Word count: +2200
Warning: Mentions of depression and drinking. This is pure comfort fluff with a tiny bit of angst.
Seeing Aegon cry just melts my heart, okay, I know he has issues but we'll leave those in canon. This modern Aegon is just a sad, depressed puppy who needs love.
***
All my fics are also on AO3
***
If Aegon had learned one thing from a very young age it’s that people always leave. Whether it was his father, who never cared for him, or his mother, who had high hopes for her son he was never able to fulfill.
Even his brother and eventually his sister grew tired of having to deal with him and his moods.
But then he met you, and for a while things were better than ever. He made you laugh and you made him fall so deeply in love with you. The world was softer then, more colorful and he actually started to have hope again.
But of course it didn’t last.
That’s another thing Aegon had learned from a very young age, he would always fuck up a good thing.
He just didn’t know how to stop, how to change, grow up and be like everybody else. It just wasn’t in his DNA.
And fuck it, he didn’t want to be like everyone else. People were sad and cruel creatures, life an endless cycle of the same boring days repeated over and over. It was eating at his soul.
Drinking helped. Sex did as well. He got addicted to both. But the cure was only temporary, and always left him wanting more. Left him needing what he couldn’t have anymore. You.
He watched you from the sidelines tonight, watching as you danced with him. Too close, too cozy, his hands all over you and the shy, sweet smile on your face showing not the slightest objection.
Aegon forced himself to look away. He knew he shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t be following you around like this, like a love sick puppy that couldn’t move on. But what else could he do?
You found him sitting on your doorstep when you arrived home later that night.
He had his face hidden in his hands and when he looked up you saw he’d been crying.
”Gods, not again,” you sighed.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he tried to smile at you but it only made him look more miserable.
You grabbed your keys from your purse and walked up to the door, fully planning on ignoring him. “This isn’t your apartment anymore, Aegon, you can’t keep coming here every time you’re drunk.”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” he stood and met your eyes,”I’m not drunk. I swear.”
It only took you a few seconds to know he wasn’t lying, you’d seen him drunk on too many occasions to know tonight wasn’t one of them. Your initial irritation faded a little bit. “What are you doing here then?”
“My head’s really bad tonight,” he confessed, rubbing more tears from his face,”really bad and…I just can’t stomach being alone right now, can I…please just stay for a while? Please.”
You sighed again. You knew you should say no, you couldn’t keep doing this, taking him in every time he had another breakdown. But this was Aegon, your Aegon. You would never be able to find it in your heart to turn him and his sad puppy eyes away.
“Yeah, okay, fine,” you caved,”Come on up.”
***
The warmth coming from your fireplace was soothing and comforting, the rest of the room was dark and Aegon couldn’t stop looking at the moving flames right in front of him. You sat down next to him on the floor and handed him a cup of tea.
“Thanks,” he spoke quietly,” I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin your night.”
“You didn’t, my night was over anyway.”
He looked away from the fire to meet your eyes, his gaze soft and filled with that all too familiar mix of sad and troubled with a little hint of mischievous.
It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, how all he had to do was look at you with those big doe eyes and your heart would go all weak for him again.
He was bad for you, you knew that and breaking up with him all those months ago had been the smart thing to do, the only thing to do to protect your own heart. But some part of you still missed him every day, and it killed you to see him struggle, no matter how self-inflicted his issues were.
“You look really great, by the way,” Aegon pulled you from your thoughts,”And happy, really happy, I mean, you’re practically glowing.”
“That’s just the reflection of the fireplace,” you joked and he laughed softly.
“Well, It looks good on you,” he continued,” And I’m…I’m happy for you.”
For a moment you just looked at him.
“You’re still a bad liar,” you then smiled.
Aegon shook his head and the smile faded.”And you still see right through me, huh?”
“Always.”
You both stayed quiet then.
“Are you?” he then asked.
“What?”
“Happy?”
Your eyes met his and you couldn’t lie, not when he was looking at you like that.
You shook your head,”No, but…I’m okay.”
“What about that guy you’ve been seeing?” he asked carefully.
“I’m not seeing him, it’s just a casual thing…he’s not…it’s nothing."
He’s not you, is what you’d wanted to say but you bit your tongue and swallowed those words.
“It’s none of my business anymore, I know,” Aegon sighed,”It’s…god, fuck, I shouldn’t even be here, should I?”
“Why are you here, Aegs?”
A hint of a smile tugged at his lips at your nickname and you instantly regretted it. You shouldn’t have said it, you didn’t want him to think…
“You’re the only home I know,” he then whispered, interrupting your thoughts,”My head gets bad and…all I can think about is…how badly I want to disappear into your arms. It’s the only place I feel…”
When you looked at him you could see the tears in his eyes again.
“I’m sorry,” he sighed, wiping his tears before they could fall down,”I know I shouldn’t say those things anymore, I just…I can’t fucking move on from you. I tried, I really fucking tried but…and then I saw you with him tonight and I…”
He bit his lip to stop himself from blurting out more things he would probably regret later.
“You followed me again?” you asked, disappointed but not surprised, it wasn't the first time you’d accidentally ran into him and you knew it wouldn’t be the last.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed.
“Gods help me, Aegon, what am I going to do with you?” you sighed.
“Oh, the gods don’t want me anymore, baby. My own family doesn’t even want me anymore,” he chuckled sadly before meeting your eyes, letting his gaze linger as he added in a soft whisper,”But you still do, don’t you?”
You wished it wasn’t true, wished that you could listen to your head instead of your heart and save yourself the inevitable heartbreak that would surely follow, if it wasn’t today or tomorrow then further down the road. There was no happy ending with Aegon, you knew this.
But it didn’t matter, you couldn’t deny the way your heart was aching for him.
“Yes,” you confessed with a defeated sigh,” Yes, I still do.”
Aegon’s hand reached for yours, holding it in his for a moment before he pulled you into his space. You went willingly, letting your body lean against his, your head on his shoulder while his arm wrapped around you and his hand started caressing your hair.
“I miss you,” he whispered against your ear,”You have no idea how much I fucking miss you.”
You sighed into his touch, realizing how much you had missed him as well but you didn’t say anything, you just wrapped your arm around his waist and hugged him closer. Aegon melted into you, his face buried into your hair while he breathed you in.
Tears filled his eyes again but they were not of sadness this time. Your smell, your presence, your obvious affection for him warmed his heart and just like that he could slowly see some color seeping into his world again. Every touch from you chasing away part of the darkness that’s been following him like a shadow for as long as he could remember.
You hugged him tighter and let him cry in your arms, meanwhile losing yourself in his embrace and the way his hands made you feel so safe and needed.
This was the thing with Aegon, when things were good they were really fucking good. After those first months together you were convinced you would never want or need another man again. You two were so happy you didn’t know what you had done to deserve him.
But then things changed, he’d started feeling insecure, going out more and drinking more, feeling depressed whenever he came down from his highs and blaming it all on you.
The breakup was ugly, you had never been so mad at anyone in your life, Aegon begged and cried and promised you a million different things. You believed none of them.
It had been seven months now. You told yourself you had moved on but right now, laying in his arms with his hands caressing your hair and your back so gently while his lips pressed soft kisses to your forehead, you realized you hadn’t moved on at all.
You missed him just as much as he missed you, if not more.
You leaned back to look at him,”Aegs?”
He cupped your face, thumb tracing your cheek while he stared deep into your eyes,”What is it, baby?”
You didn’t speak, you just closed the distance between you both and softy kissed his lips. He didn’t hesitate, one hand cupping your neck to hold you close while he slowly deepened the kiss, tasting you, chasing your tongue with his.
Your hands moved through his messy hair and he pulled you even closer, kissing you over and over, not wanting to stop now that he was allowed to have you again.
“Aegon, wait,” you pulled back after a while.
“I’m sorry,” he bit his lip and leaned his head on your shoulder,”I’m sorry…I’m a mess, I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“No,” you shook your head and hugged him close. Aegon leaned into you, holding your body to his but not wanting to push things too far too fast. If you pulled away from him now he would never recover.
You leaned back to look at him after a while and noticed the tears were back in his eyes.
“I’m sorry,” he cried softly,”I never know what I’m doing…everything is so dark without you…and I know it’s not fair to even say that to you now…I know I hurt you too much. I wish I could take it all back and you would be with me again…I still love you so much, baby…”
You pressed your forehead to his and closed your eyes, feeling your own hot tears finally spill at his words.
“Why are you crying, sweetheart?” Aegon whispered, his hand was back to caressing your hair.
“Because…I haven’t moved on either,” you sobbed,”I’m just very good at pretending…but I still love you, Aegs. I probably always will.”
Your eyes met his and the world seemed to halt for a moment. He gently wiped your tears away with his thumb and then kissed your cheeks until you stopped crying and he could see a smile on your face again. Then he carefully leaned in and kissed your mouth again, slow but deep, just as he had before. You softly moaned into the kiss, pulling him closer and putting a smile on his face.
“You’re sure?” he asked, insecurity clouding his voice,”Sure you want this? I’m so fucked up.”
“Well, obviously so am I, why else would I take you back?” you teased him and he laughed.
You hadn’t heard him laugh like that in so long. It made you realize once again just how badly you had missed seeing him like this. Happy, or at least something resembling it. And you knew it was because of you.
Aegon leaned in to place another quick kiss on your lips.
“I will do better this time,” he then whispered,”I promise you, I will try so hard…”
“Stop,” you cupped his face, caressing his cheek,”Don’t promise me anything. No beautiful, hollow words or plans for the future this time, no expectations and no pressure. Just us.”
He leaned into your touch and nodded his head.”Just us,” he repeated.
“All I need is for you to love me. Can you do that?”
“I don’t know how to do anything else,” he smiled softly and then pulled you down into his lap. You followed eagerly, wrapping your legs around him and feeling him cling to you with his entire body.
“Can I stay?” he whispered in your ear.
“Always,” you nodded with a smile.
Aegon couldn’t believe this was actually happening, that you still wanted him, after everything.
He was determined to not let the past repeat itself this time. Not with you, not again. He would be better this time, take it day by day and do his utter best to keep the darkness at bay and let your light be his anchor in this world.
For the first time in a long while he felt like maybe he would be okay.
note: this is fanon!aegon. not show!aegon. I don't endorse the show version's actions, I just think TGC is hot idk
Summary: You and Aegon told each other your relationship was just sex (you both fucked up).
Rating: Mature (nothing explicit, but many, many allusions to sex)
Warnings: FWB relationship, friends/fuckbuddies to lovers, fluff, references to sex/porn Aegon is stupid, modern au
Word Count: 1.5k
════════════════════════════════════════════
You and Aegon had a good thing going–he’d text or call you around 1 AM, and you’d have him over, you’d fuck, and he’d leave.
During daylight hours, you were casual acquaintances. He was a friend of a friend, and you knew next to nothing about him besides that he was rich, a fantastic lay, and, if you were honest, a bit of a slut.
“Careful–don’t fall in love with me,” he had teased after he kissed you for the first time in the bathroom at some friend’s house party.
You had no worries about that–he was hot but definitely not your type dating-wise–and you’d laughed out loud and dragged him in for another kiss.
That night he’d taken you home and fucked you stupid with his fingers, his tongue, and then his cock until all you could do was whimper and beg for him to “please, keep going.”
You weren’t sure exactly when it happened, but after about a month of casual hookups, he started spending the night after you slept together–it became a common Saturday morning thing to wake up with him in bed beside you, face smashed into your satin pillowcase.
You learned that, in addition to being rich, he was quite sensitive, which he covered up with flashy bravado and over-the-top flirting. He could be quite gentle when he wanted to be, and during those lazy mornings, he often did want to be.
At some point, he started staying for breakfast too, which began to stretch into the whole weekend.
You taught him how to make pancakes and giggled openly at him when he burned them, soothing his sour-faced embarrassment with a kiss on the cheek.
You shared more information about your personal life, and he did the same. His truths were always laced with airy jokes and innuendos, but they were genuine, which you’d never expected from Aegon Targaryen, of all people.
His Friday night texts started to get earlier too–first at midnight, then 11 PM–until he was coming over at 6 PM with dinner and a bottle of wine in tow, always wearing the same impish grin on his face.
You began to finish your Friday nights curled up under his arm on the couch, watching shitty horror movies.
Sometimes, you didn’t even sleep together–you just enjoyed each other’s company.
You were well aware that the line between fuckbuddies and something more than that was blurring more and more every time he did something nondescript and sweet for you–brushing your hair back over your shoulder, clasping your necklace for you, calling you pretty.
Convincing yourself you were reading too much into things, you elected to ignore those lines he was constantly crossing. You disregarded his unsubtle compliments and laughed off his little displays of affection, repeating to yourself in the mirror that it was just sex and nothing more.
When he showed up to your apartment on your birthday, flowers in hand, however, you couldn’t not say something about it.
“Aegon, what is this?” you breathe, your heart hammering in your chest, cheeks burning white-hot.
“Flowers?” he answers plainly, his scruffy, white-haired head tilted to the side like a lost puppy. “It’s your birthday. I thought you’d like them. I read online girls like shit like this,” he admits, scratching the back of his neck. He looks uncharacteristically nervous, fingers fidgeting around the stems of the bouquet, swallowing harshly under your gaze.
“You hate them,” he states weakly, wincing at his words. “I can throw them away if you want. I just…sorry,” he chokes, his cheeks flushing pink, violet eyes staring anywhere but at you.
“No!” you exclaimed louder than you intended, your heart thundering in your chest. “No, don’t throw them away. I like them, I do. I’m just surprised,” you explain, stumbling over your sentences.
“Why are you surprised?”
“I mean–well...fuckbuddies don’t usually buy each other birthday gifts, do they?” you reason weakly. “I didn’t expect you to get me something.”
His lips twitch at the word “fuckbuddies”, and you feel…something twist deep in your gut at his obvious distaste for it.
“Well, I do,” he mutters shortly. “I buy gifts for all my ‘fuckbuddies’,” he makes air quotes around the word. “I’m a classy guy; what can I say? Here.” He shoves the flowers into your chest. “They were $20, practically nothing. Don’t read into it.”
You catch the half-thrown flowers, eyebrows raising as you watch him walk past you into the apartment.
“I’d call you many things, Aeg,” you snort, setting the bouquet on your side table, “but ‘classy’? Not one of them.”
He rolls his eyes and crosses the short space between you, shutting you up with a searing kiss, the intensity of which makes you stumble backward, your back hitting the wall.
“Sorry,” he mumbles as he trails hot kisses down your neck, sucking a mark onto your skin above the collar of your shirt. He had a bad habit of leaving behind very visible bruises, which had annoyed you at first, but now you found you kind of liked it. The sight of them in the morning made you feel oddly giddy, and you shamefully started to think of them as little marks of possession, as if the two of you were more than just friends who fucked each other’s brains out.
Abruptly, Aegon pulls back, his broad hands halfway under your shirt, warm against the bare skin of your waist. He just…stares at you for a moment, his lips parted, fingers flexing against your body.
“You okay?” you ask breathlessly, reaching to tuck a rogue strand of silver hair back behind his ear.
“I love you,” he blurts, his cheeks stained bright red as though he hadn’t expected the confession to slip out.
“Every other time I’ve done the whole friends-with-benefits thing it’s been normal–I come over later, we fuck, I leave, and eventually one of us gets bored with the other, but with you, I–” he wets his lips with the tip of his tongue. “It’s different,” he finishes his sentence softly, pale purple eyes darting over your expression, searching for an answer in your eyes.
Your brain feels like it’s full of static, and you feel stuck between kissing him again and running away without a word. All you can manage to say is:
“Fuck.”
In a flash, his hands are gone, leaving you cold, and your heart drops to your stomach.
“Yeah, I figured you wouldn’t…” Aegon coughs awkwardly, looking anywhere except at you. “Just forget I said anything, alright?”
“Aegon,” you say his name, your mind finally catching up to the rest of you.
“As a matter of fact, I was just kidding,” he rambles. “It was a joke–I got you!” he choked out with achingly artificial enthusiasm.
“Aegon,” you step toward him quickly, reaching for his face.
“We should just fuck now, I think,” he continues as if you hadn’t spoken. “Just go back to how things were–there’s actually this position I saw in a porno once that doesn’t seem physically possible that I’ve been wanting to try–”
“Aegon shut the fuck up,” you interrupt loudly, grabbing him by the cheeks and forcing him to look into your eyes.
For a moment, he’s actually quiet, but then he opens his mouth again, and you silence him with a deep, slow kiss. Your tongue curls into his mouth, caressing his with yours, savoring the sharp taste of vodka and mint toothpaste on his lips–he’d evidently taken a shot “for courage” before he arrived.
His hands find their way back to your hips, pulling you in as close as he possibly can, squeezing like he’s checking to make sure you’re real. For once, he lets you lead the kiss, a low, breathy groan rumbling in his throat when you drag your tongue down along the roof of his mouth.
This time, it’s you who breaks away.
“I’d rather not forget that happened, if it’s alright with you,” you murmur, forehead resting against his. “Considering that it would be pretty unfortunate if you didn’t mean it since I love you too.”
His eyes widen in shock, as though you hadn't just shared an uncharacteristically loving, passionate kiss.
“What?” he squeaks.
You can’t hold back your smile anymore, and it overtakes your face completely.
“I love you too,” you repeat gently. “I just…I didn’t know that’s what I felt until you said it.”
“Fucking hell, that’s fantastic,” he breathes, eliciting a loud snort from you at his choice of words. “We can still fuck if we’re in love and shit, right?”
You giggle, pressing your face into his shoulder, shaking your head at the sheer ridiculousness of him.
“Yeah, Aegon, we can still fuck. That’s kind of a big part of a lot of romantic relationships.”
“Thank fuckin’ God,” he sighs, “because I do still want to try that position–”
“Jesus Christ, Aeg,” you pull back to look him in the eye, laughing outright. “You’re an idiot.”
“What does that make you then, if you love an idiot?” he smirks triumphantly.
You quiet him with another kiss, your heart fluttering happily in your chest.
You had promised yourself that you wouldn’t fall for him. Told yourself that he wasn’t your type.
On reflection, you weren’t sure when you’d fallen for him, but you’d never been happier to have been wrong about something in your life.
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