real people
chapter eighteen (finale)
18+
the final part.
Content Warning: Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader, angst, mention of pregnancy, enemies to lovers to strangers, fluff, mention of sex, misunderstanding trope bc why not, and omg I am not ready to say goodbye to these characters I want to cryyyyyyyy. super long author's note at the end
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"This is nice," Gwen says, her eyes closed as she stands with her arms up, allowing the breeze to brush over her skin. Her loose, white shirt flies behind her and the waves gently kiss at her feet. You're not sure why she keeps saying that - this is nice - but you hardly go an hour without hearing those words pour from her mouth, drenched in contentment.
The sunset has caused the sky to match her hair, the sand cooling down under your palms. You watch as the ice in your sangria melts, letting the sound of the waves relax you. Not that there's anything causing you any stress right now - having been in Mexico for a week now, you're completely zen. But there is one thought that threatens to disturb your peace.
"Do you think he'll be here?" You can't help but ask her.
Her head turns to the side, her eyes fluttering open. She knows who you're talking about without having to ask for clarification. "He's the best man," She reminds you. "Of course he'll be here."
"This early on, though?" You wonder, grabbing fistfuls of sand. "The rehearsal dinner isn't until Friday."
Gwen turns so she's fully facing you, a blank look on her face. "I know what you want to hear, but I'm not going to lie to you," She begins. "He's here. Just landed today, actually."
Your stomach churns and you nod, looking down at your lap.
"What?" She asks you, taking a few steps closer. "Are you really that nervous to see him?"
"I haven't seen him since..." You trail off, shaking your head.
"Then maybe it's about time you did," She says bluntly. "I mean, for Christ's sake, it's been what? Three years?"
"I know, but..." You mumble, feeling dumb. "It's weird. We were together for such a short period of time, and now we've spent so much time apart... but I still-"
"Don't," Gwen cuts you off curtly. "I swear to God, don't say it."
"I wasn't gonna say love," You claim. "I just mean, I won't know how I feel until I see him."
"Well, then," She chirps. "Good thing both of you brought dates."
"He brought a date?" You ask, feeling nauseous at the thought of seeing him with someone else.
"Mhm," Gwen confirms. "But you have Pietro, so you're both in the same boat, which is good.
"Yeah," You utter dryly. "Great."
Gwen stretches before holding her hand out to you. "C'mon, we need to get ready. If we miss dinner again, Sharon will make me sleep on this beach," She says before grabbing your hand and pulling you up to your feet.
The two of you make your way back to the resort, but this time, you're no longer zen. You're a bundle of nerves.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, you turn to the side to get a look at yourself at all angles. Ever since your conversation with Gwen on the beach, you've felt a pit in your stomach and it's weighing you down, making you want to do nothing more than crawl into bed and hide from the world.
There's a knock at the door which makes you jump slightly, before it swings open. "Hey, you," Pietro says as he walks in with a grin. "You look incredible."
Relaxing a little with his presence, you smile at him in the mirror. "Thank you, P," You reply. "Are you ready to go?"
"Yep - just need to use the bathroom," He says as he walks towards it.
"Ugh, please don't clog it again!" You call out as he walks past you.
With a sly grin and a squeeze of your ass, he swings open the door. "I won't," He swears as he walks in, and you know better than to believe him.
"Why do I fuck you, again?" You call out, shaking your head.
Pietro opens the door again and pokes his head through. "Because I'm a damn good fuck, baby," He says with a wink. "Your words."
Rolling your eyes, you fiddle with your hair. "Whatever. Go poop - and hurry, because Sharon will kill me if I'm late!"
While you wait for him, you sit on the bed and decide to scroll through social media. You notice that Steve's got a new story up, so with a soft smile you open it up, expecting to see a photo of him and Sharon - but it's a photo of a gift-wrapped box with a Rolex on top of it. Gift from the best man, the caption reads. With a gasp, you close Instagram and put your phone down. And immediately, you hate how affected you are, just from a mere mention of him.
Fuck, you're screwed.
"I'm ready!" Pietro announces as he walks back out the bathroom.
"Did you wash your ha-"
"Yes, I washed my hands," He cuts you off with a laugh as he walks over and takes your hand, pulling you up to your feet. Moving in closer, he gives you a soft kiss. "You really do look so fucking good."
"No," You say sternly. "I refuse to be late to this dinner, P."
He tilts his head, giving you the soft-eyed, ever-so-slightly-desperate look he knows drives you crazy. "Gimme ten minutes, baby," He mumbles.
You narrow your eyes at him and push him back. "No. You'll mess up my hair and makeup," You whine.
"C'mere," He whispers before kissing you, once, twice, three times.
You melt into it, allowing yourself the respite of his physical comfort from your overthinking head, but then your mind conjures up the image of Sharon's pissed-off expression, which is enough motivation to give you the strength to pull away. "Let's go," You decide firmly. "It's Sharon's wedding week. I'm not gonna stress her out anymore than she already is."
Giving in with a sigh, he nods and takes a step back. "Alright," He says, following you to the door. "Have I told you how sexy you are when you're being all considerate for your friends, and shit?"
The resort has been booked out in its entirety by Steve and Sharon for the week, allowing them to spend a few days with their nearest and dearest before the big day on Saturday. So far, Sharon's been spending the days with her bridesmaids, Steve with his groomsmen, and each evening, everyone comes together to have dinner. It's been fine so far, but today's the first night that all the groomsmen are here - which has you almost shaking as you and Pietro make your way to the dining hall.
"What's wrong? Nervous to see everyone?" Pietro asks you as your heels click against the marble floor. "You've already met 'em all before, right? Oh, wait, shit. Isn't your ex here tonight?"
He swings the doors to the hall open and, of course, it seems you're the last ones to arrive. Thankfully, Sharon doesn't look annoyed in the slightest, as everyone turns to look at you.
"They're here!" Sharon squeals, standing up with her glass of wine raised up. "Come in, sit down!"
Pietro's got his arm around your waist, so when he begins to walk in, even though your feet feel planted to the ground, you can't help but move with him. But your eyes stayed glued to him.
Bucky.
It's like time slows down. He looks so different, but also exactly the same. And he's staring back at you. A small part of you is acutely aware of the beautiful woman sitting by his side, but everyone else melts away into irrelevance when you're looking at him. It's the first time in three years that you've been so close to him - sitting at opposite ends of a 25-seat table - but it feels as familiar as though no time has passed at all.
"Red or white tonight?" Steve asks you as he stands up to pour you a glass of wine.
Ripping your eyes away from Bucky and looking up at Steve, you let out a huff. "Brown," You reply curtly before grabbing a bottle of whisky from the middle of the table and pouring it into your glass.
Steve chuckles before pouring Pietro some wine, and you take a long sip. Next to you, Gwen gently nudges your stomach. "Way to be subtle," She hisses under her breath. "You guys just stared at each other for, like, five minutes."
"Shut up," You whisper, before you smile widely at Sharon who's sitting opposite you. "You look amazing, Shar!"
And she really does - this whole week, she's been glowing. "Thank you," She sings, still standing. Clearing her throat, she taps her glass of water with her fork, getting everyone's attention. "Alright. Everyone is officially here! Besides, like, our family, and everyone else," She begins with a soft laugh. "Steve and I are so, so grateful that you've all taken time out of your incredibly busy schedules to come and spend the last few days before the wedding with us. Ever since Steve and I started talking about getting married, we really had only one priority - to have a relaxed time with our best friends. Mexico has always meant so much to him and I - ever since the school trip episode of Sunset Lake, and all the times we returned together since - so it only felt right to get married here. In four days, Steve and I will be standing at the altar, with all of you there- but until then, we can eat, relax, get pampered, and party!"
Everyone holds up their respective glasses and cheers along with her, and Steve stands up and gives her a kiss. You grin as you watch them, so entirely in love. It makes you yearn for that feeling. Sure, sleeping with Pietro is fun and fulfils your needs, but you haven't felt a deeper connection to anyone since... Bucky.
You dare to steal a glance at him. He's pouring his date a drink- you recognize her. She's from some TV show that was big on Netflix or Hulu last year. Not his usual type, but then again, he's been linked with all sorts of women over the past three years. And he could say the same about you.
Before long, the food is served, so you can distract yourself with hummus and pita. You have conversations with Sharon and Steve, Gwen and Peter, and a few hushed comments fly between you and Pietro, but as it's such a big group, you can't venture out much further than them. Not that you particularly want to.
She finds him funny, that much is for sure. She pulls him arm whenever he makes her laugh, which is often.
"Her name's Jean," Gwen tells you, knowing you too well to not realize what it is you're thinking. "They work together. They've been spotted out at dinner a few times since."
"I feel sick," You utter, grabbing your napkin.
"Don't worry- you have Pietro, so you're on equal ground with him right now," Gwen says in an attempt to comfort you - as if the thing you're upset about is that Bucky is one-upping you.
"Pietro is nothing more than a human dildo to me," You whisper bitterly. "Bucky's actually dating that woman. With emotions."
"That's mean," Pietro chimes in as he wraps an arm around your shoulder, resting his chin on your other shoulder.
"Shut up. You're lucky I let you anywhere near me," You say to him with an eye-roll.
He bites down on his fist and leans in closer to Gwen with his head at your chest. "Isn't she so sexy?" He says lowly, to which she just snorts.
While everyone else continues chatting and drinking, you can't help but fall into the darkest depths of your mind.
He doesn't want you anymore. He probably hasn't for a while. You wonder how long it took him to officially be over you. You thought you might have been starting to get over him until you saw him tonight. All the feelings just came rushing back, hitting you like a truck. The last thing you wanted all those years ago was to become a stranger to him- but it seems like it might be too late.
Suddenly, you feel a kick under the table. You frown and look up to see Sharon giving you a pointed look as she taps her phone. While Gwen and Pietro chat, you look down at your phone to see a message from Sharon.
SharBear
I need to meet you tonight once everyone's in their rooms. Midnight outside reception. It's important. Please!
Without hesitation, you respond.
You
I'll be there.
Your mind is swirling with all the things Sharon could possibly want to speak to you about - has something gone wrong with the wedding plans? Has she suddenly got cold feet? You pace at reception for ten minutes before she finally appears.
"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry, I was waiting for Steve to get into the shower," She says in a hushed voice as she rushes over from the elevator and grabs your hands. "Thank you for meeting me."
"Of course, Sharon," You say, deeply concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Everything's perfect!" She replies instinctively with a chirpy smile, before letting out a sigh and letting her face fall. "But... it might not be."
"What's going on?" You ask her, pulling her away from the worker at the front desk who's giving you odd looks and towards the entrance of the hotel.
She looks around the lobby, making sure nobody's around before she speaks. "I need... I need you to buy me something," She utters.
You frown as you lower your voice. "Like... drugs?" You whisper. "Something to help you relax? Pietro might have a xanny-"
"No, not like that," She cuts you off with a mild look of panic in her eyes as they meet yours. "I need, um... I think I need a pregnancy test?"
Up until now, you would've liked to think that you'd be the calm, collected friend during crises. That you'd be the level-headed leader keeping everyone's panic at bay, coming up with an action plan and swiftly carrying it out without fault. But instead, you suck in a loud gasp and slap your hands over your face. "Sharon!" You let out, your yell muffled by your hands.
"I know, I know, it's crazy," She says as she shakes her hands. "It's just so I can be sure, before I drink myself into oblivion this week."
"That's why you haven't been drinking," You say with wide eyes as everything falls into place in your head. "And you didn't eat the edibles yesterday!"
"I'm just being careful, until I can be sure," Sharon says. "Now, you're my best friend and the one I trust most out of everyone here. I can't trust the resort workers not to leak it to the press, so I can't ask them or even order one online in case they snoop. So it has to be you, Y/N."
Taking in a deep breath, you nod, accepting the responsibility. "Yes. I can do this," You tell her, keeping your voice firm. "I can do this for you."
"Great. There's a pharmacy about a mile away, it's open twenty-four hours. Steve and I stopped there when we landed, to get... condoms," She says, wincing.
"Yes, got it," You say, trying to remain calm. "I'll call a taxi and-"
"No public transport," She cuts in quickly. "Everyone in this city knows the wedding is this week. They all know we're here. If a cab driver recognizes you - I can't handle the scandal, Y/N."
"So what do you want me to do?" You ask her, shaking your head. "It's not like I can walk a mile in the middle of the night!"
Just then, someone walks into the hotel. It's, of course, none other than Bucky, holding a motorcycle helmet under his arm. You can practically see the cogs turning in Sharon's head as she looks at him.
"Sharon, no. No, Sharon," You say gravely, holding her arms tight. But it's too late.
"Bucky!" She calls out, making you die inside.
"Hey," He replies, while you stare at the floor. "What are you both doing down here so late?"
"We, um, have a little issue," She tells him. "Just a little visit from Aunt Flo, you know?"
"Oh, right," He mumbles, and you can't help but feel a shiver at the sound of his voice. Get it together.
"Yeah, so... would you be able to give Y/N a lift to a pharmacy?" She asks him while you grimace. "So she can stock up on tampons, and stuff."
"Sure," Bucky replies. "Let's go."
"Thank you so much!" Sharon exclaims, giving him a hug before coming back to you and placing her hands on your shoulder. "And thank you. I love you."
"You're lucky I love you, too," You mutter, before turning to face him.
He holds the helmet out to you and you take it before following him out, shooting Sharon one last glare on your way.
"So, the pharmacy?" Bucky asks as he taps on his phone.
"Yeah, Sharon said there should be one about a mile away?" You respond, your voice pathetically small.
"Got it. Let's go," He says while sticking his phone with the map on on the handlebar and getting on the bike.
You take in a deep breath before putting on the helmet and getting on behind him, planning to hold onto the handles located behind you for the entirety of the ride - but the second he rides off, you instantly clamber to wrap your arms around him. It may be awkward, but you'd rather that than die before the wedding.
The ride is quiet, save for the sound of the engine. The streets are pretty bare, being in a less-populated area, and the sky is full of stars. After a few minutes, you take off your helmet so as to feel the fresh air on your face, and to get a proper view of the starry night. Soon, you arrive at the pharmacy, and Bucky parks up outside. When you jump off and he sees you without the helmet on, he sighs.
"I would really rather you keep that on during the ride," He says lowly.
"Sorry," You utter, slowly backing away towards the shop. "Want anything?"
He simply shakes his head, and you nod before turning and walking into the pharmacy. Thankfully, there's a box of face masks at the entrance so you grab one and wear it. The man at the counter doesn't seem the type to keep up with celebrity news, but you want to do all you can to keep things under wrap. You walk through the aisles until you get to the shelves with pregnancy tests, and decide to grab one of each of the five brands available, knowing Sharon's the type to want to double and triple check. Along with the tests, you grab a chapstick, for no other reason than to make it feel like a normal shopping trip, though the combination of Sharon's news and being back on Bucky's bike has you feeling like you're having an out-of-body experience.
Just as you put the tests and chapstick on the counter, you feel a presence behind you. You turn your head to see Bucky standing there, holding a bag of chips. And his eyes are on the tests.
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck.
Without a word, you toss four ₱500 notes on the counter and take the plastic bag from the worker before stuffing in the tests and chapsticks and walking out the store. When you get out, all you want to do is scream. He thinks you're pregnant, or at least potentially so. And you can't even correct him because then you'd be outing Sharon. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
"Ready to go?" He asks as he walks out of the pharmacy, as casual as ever. Fucker.
"You're so annoying!" You can't help but explode at him once you rip the mask off your face.
Taken aback, he raises a brow. "Excuse me?"
"If you wanted fucking chips, why didn't you just ask me to buy you chips?" You ask him, frustration dropping from your tone.
"What is your problem?" Bucky asks you, taking a step closer.
"I clearly asked you if you wanted anything, and you said no," You hurl at him.
"I changed my mind," He says flatly.
"You changed your mi- you're such a dick," You hiss, turning away.
"Will you calm down?" He calls out. "It's... not a big deal!"
"Not a big deal?" You all but scream, turning back to him. He thinks you could be pregnant with Pietro's baby. He thinks you're that close - that you'd be that reckless because you're that locked in with fucking Pietro. And he doesn't seem to care.
"Yes, it's not a big deal," He doubles down.
"Whatever," You huff before spinning back on your heel and storming away.
"Where do you think you're going?" His voice booms behind you, but you're too irritated to think or act rationally. You simply continue stomping away, too stubborn to accept a ride back to the resort with him. Safety be damned. You have pregnancy tests and chapstick to defend yourself with.
The rumbling of his bike gets louder and after a few seconds, he pulls up next to you. "Get on the damn bike, Y/N," He orders you sternly.
"Fuck you," You spit, walking even faster.
He trails slowly behind you, his bike swaying side to side as he does his best to keep the slow pace. "You're going the wrong way, dipshit," He says, and it feels like the air turns twenty degrees colder.
The old nickname makes you falter in your steps, but you continue moving. "Maybe I'm taking the scenic route," You utter.
He speeds up for a second before turning his bike in front of you, stopping you from going any further. With a glare, he lets out a huff through his nostrils. "Get on the bike. I'm tired, and I don't have time for this," He says curtly.
"Then go back to the hotel and get in bed," You say with your arms folded across your chest. "I'm sure Jean's waiting for you."
Bucky narrows his eyes at you. "What, are you jealous?" He asks, to which you scoff.
"You wish!" You all but yell. "Just go. I'll call an Uber."
"It's almost 1am. I'm not letting you get a cab alone," He says bluntly. "Get on the bike, we'll go back to the hotel, and we can pretend like this night didn't happen."
A dry laugh leaves your mouth of its own accord. "I've heard that before," You mutter bitterly.
Without a word, he holds the helmet out to you. You roll your eyes before grabbing it off him and getting on the bike, as much as it pains you to give in. This time, even though you're terrified, you keep your hands firmly on the handles behind you, refusing to let him think you want to touch him. Although it hurts to be back at square one with him, it's easier to focus on being annoyed at him than to realize he's over you.
Once you get back to the resort, you clamber off the bike and pull the helmet off, putting it down where you were sitting. He sits and types on his phone.
"Thanks for the ride," You mumble like a child being forced to show manners.
He just grunts in response.
The next morning at breakfast, you're inwardly stressing as you try to find the perfect opportunity for you to transport the five pregnancy tests in your bag to Sharon's without anyone seeing.
"Y/N, sit down!" Gwen calls out before grabbing your hand and yanking you down onto the empty seat next to her.
You give her a smile. "I actually just need to speak to Shar-"
"Eat first," She cuts you off sternly as she places a pastry onto your plate.
"Ooh, those look good," The person sitting on the other side of you comments. You turn to see none other than Bucky's date, Jean. "Could you please hand me one?"
Of course she's lovely and polite. Fuck's sake.
"Sure," You reply with a smile as you grab the platter and hold it out to her.
She grabs a square croissant and puts it on her plate with a bashful look. "Thank you. God, this is so surreal," She says with flushed cheeks. "I'm just, like, a huge fan of you."
Damn. She's making it really hard to hate her.
"That's so sweet, thank you," You reply.
"It's just crazy being in a room, practically on vacation, with a group of people I look up to," She continues with awe in her eyes. "Oh, I'm Jean, by the way. I... I'm here with... uh..."
"It's alright. I know you're Bucky's date," You tell her with a soft laugh. "I'm not sweating over a six-month situationship I had three years ago, don't worry."
A throat clear behind you. "Morning, everyone," Bucky says, squeezing her shoulders before taking a seat next to her.
"Oops," You whisper to yourself.
"Morning, sunshine," Jean greets him sweetly with a kiss on his cheek before she turns back to you. "So, I have to ask you: what was it like working with the Norman Osborn? Was it everything I dream about?"
"Oh, and more," You answer her emphatically. "He's just... a genius. It sounds cliché, but that's really the only way I can describe him. Being on set with him alone was flabbergasting, but being directed by him? I genuinely felt like a new woman every day. A new actress, should I say."
"Wow. I am so jealous," Jean says. "And the movie was incredible. You're gonna think I'm lying, but I literally watched it in theatres, like, twelve times."
"So, you're who I need to thank for the box office success," You say teasingly.
"You were so robbed at the Oscars this year," She says with a scoff. "Like, I know the other nominees were great, but none of them held a candle to your performance."
"I was just grateful to be nominated," You tell her, giving her the PR-approved response.
She narrows her eyes, leans in, and lowers her voice. "Yeah, but you were also thinking, what the fuck? Right?" Jean whispers. "Don't worry, it's a safe space."
With a delighted laugh, you lightly push her arm. "Of course not," You say, before whispering, "Maybe."
After spending the entirety of breakfast laughing non-stop with Bucky's girlfriend, much to the surprise of everyone, you soon become acutely aware of the tests in your bag.
As everyone gets up to return to their rooms and freshen up before the day's activities, you pull Sharon to a quiet corner. "Hey," You whisper. "How are you feeling?"
"Okay," She answers with a quick nod. "Haven't vomited today, but we'll see how long breakfast lasts."
"Uh, I've got the... things," You utter, giving her a pointed look as you shake your bag.
"Oh! Yeah, great, thank you so much," She says, holding your hands. "How was it with Bucky? I hope it wasn't too awkward? He didn't see, did he?"
Opting not to tell her about how he saw you buying the tests and how you subsequently screamed at him in the street, you nod. "It was fine," You lie. "Do you want them now?"
"Yes," She says, holding her bag open next to yours. "Just... don't be suspicious."
Trying to act casual, angling your bags so that nobody behind can see them, you slowly transport the tests one by one from your bag to hers.
"Fuck, how many did you get?" She asks with wide eyes.
"I figured you'd want to be really sure," You tell her with a shrug as you drop the last one in.
A smile breaks out on her face. "You know me so well," She says, pulling you in for a hug. "Thank you. You're the best."
"Do you wanna take one now?" You ask as you pull away. "I can come with you."
"I'm gonna wait until tomorrow," She tells you. "When Mom's here. I need her with me in case it's... yeah."
"Of course," You say with an understanding nod, though the sentiment doesn't reach your heart. Not having a mom in your life means if you were in Sharon's position, it would be her or Gwen you needed by your side - and for some twisted reason, it has you feeling bitter that you wouldn't be their chosen pregnancy-test aide. You know it's irrational and unfair to feel that way, but you can't help it.
"Okay, let's go back to everyone before they wonder what we're talking about," Sharon chirps as she takes your arm and leads you back to the group.
Jean gasps and rushes over to you when she sees you. "Hey, have you been to the spa yet?" She asks you excitedly.
"I haven't, actually," You tell her. "Been too busy helping Sharon out with wedding stuff."
"You have to come," She says, grabbing your hand. "They are incredible here. Bring Pietro, too - it can be like a double date at the spa!"
Realizing that that means Bucky will also be there, you falter. "Uh, I don't know if Pietro will-"
"If Pietro will what?" The man himself asks as he appears, hugging you from behind.
"Oh, we were talking about spending some time at the spa," Jean tells him. "You're down, right?"
"Absolutely," He answers.
"So, it's settled!" She exclaims with a giddy grin. "We'll meet you there in an hour."
"Can't wait," You say half-heartedly.
You all but melt into the warm hot tub, closing your eyes and letting all your stress go with the steam. Pregnancy tests. Exes. Forget it all.
"Mind if I join?" An all too familiar voice asks.
Opening your eyes, you see Bucky stepping down into the tub. "Doesn't seem like I have a choice," You mutter.
There's a few moments of blissful silence, and you close your eyes again, electing to pretend as though he isn't there. The sound of Pietro and Jean racing laps in the swimming pool fades into the background, and all you can hear is the bubbles fizzing-
"So, a six-month situationship, huh?" Bucky abruptly cuts into your thoughts. "That's how you look at it?"
You let out a deep sigh, refusing to let him bait you into giving him a reaction. "What else would you call it?" You ask him.
He doesn't answer, but you're not foolish enough to think that's the end of the conversation. "So, you pregnant?" He asks bluntly.
"No," You reply.
"Took all five tests?"
"Shut up."
"Make me."
"Were you always this childish?" You ask, opening your eyes to glare at him. "I'm none of your business anymore, Barnes. I haven't been for three years."
He's staring at you. "A heads-up would've been nice," He says bitterly. "Y'know, that 'see you later' actually meant fuck you, I'm done."
"I wasn't done," You correct him gravely. "Though you obviously were."
"Are you kidding me?" He asks with a dry laugh.
"Oh, sorry, all the times you tried so hard to contact me must've got lost in the mail," You say flatly.
"Contact you? And when was the best time? When you were dating your co-star while filming in Australia? Or maybe when you came back and started dating those other schmucks?" He spits.
"You cannot be serious," You say gravely. "Says Mr. 'Dating Three Women At Once'!"
"Really? You of all people believe what the media said?" Bucky asks incredulously.
"Oh, fuck you!" You yell, standing up.
"Fuck you," He returns just as harshly, standing up as well.
He's looking down at you with a look in his eyes you haven't seen since you first met - that day on Steve's yacht when you first debuted your fake relationship to the world. It sends a shiver down your spine. Full of rage and seemingly genuine hatred - and it makes you want to kiss him.
Bucky tries to stay strong, but his eyes betray him, flickering down to look at your drenched, bikini-clad body, the same body he's been missing for three years. He remembers all the places he left marks, and all the places he kissed it better.
"I never forgot how I felt," He says in a hushed, rushed tone.
"You didn't even blink at the possibility of me being pregnant with another man's child," You point out coldly.
"Listen to me," He utters, grabbing your wrist. "I thought about you every single minute. I still do."
"Bucky, shut up," You whisper, highly aware of both Pietro and Jean making their way over.
"Tell me you don't feel the same," He challenges you. "Tell me you don't want anymore. That you don't love me anymore."
"What the fuck, Barnes?" You hiss.
"If you can tell me you don't love me anymore, I won't bring it up again," He says.
You raise a brow.
His jaw clenches for a second. "But if you can't, I'll spend every waking moment getting you back," He finishes.
With a pit in your stomach and a lump in your throat, you shoot him one last glare. "You're too late," You utter before pulling your wrist out of his grip and leaving him there alone.
Friday evening arrives, and with it, the rehearsal dinner. Steve and Sharon's families have also arrived at the resort, meaning there's a lot more people around the table which makes it a heck of a lot easier to ignore Bucky's stares.
"What is going on between you?" Gwen asks you in a hushed voice as you're served by the waiting staff. "He hasn't stopped looking at you all day, with that weird, intense stare. Did you speak to him?"
With a shrug, you pick up your glass of wine. "It's Bucky. He's always weird and intense," You answer lamely.
"Oh, my God. Did he say something to you?" She presses. "You have to tell me. Are you guys... sleeping together?"
"What? No," You answer instantly. "What do you think of me, Gwen?"
"I don't know; when two people with history reconnect, there can be major sparks," She says while cutting into a roasted potato. "All the feelings come rushing back."
Instead of validating her theory with a response, you begin to eat.
"Holy shit. You did reconnect, didn't you?" She hisses. "I knew it!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," You say plainly.
She lets out a sigh. "Look, if you realized that there are still strong feelings between you, that's not a bad thing."
"Not a bad thing? He's got a girlfriend!" You whisper-shout, grateful for the sound of cutlery on porcelain drowning you out.
"Hasn't stopped you before," Gwen lets out before gasping at herself. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. I mean - what he had with Natasha wasn't even real-"
"I get it, Gwen, it's fine," You cut in, and the two of you leave it at that.
While you're eating, Sharon gets out of her seat and walks around the table to you, smiling and squeezing the shoulders of everyone she passes on her way. When she gets to you, she brings her mouth to your ear and lowers her voice. "Can you come to the lobby with me?"
Once again, you're filled with anxiety and dread as you follow her out of the room. She holds your hand tight, and neither of you say a word as you walk to the lobby.
"Everything okay?" You ask once you get there, making sure the receptionist is out of earshot.
Sharon takes in a deep breath. "I took the test. Well, all five tests," She begins, a mixture of worry and fear in her eyes. "And... they were all positive."
You slap your hands over your mouth. "Oh, my God!" You all but scream, thankfully muffling your voice with your hands.
"I know!" She exclaims, breathing in and out quickly.
"That's amazing!" You tell her with a wide grin. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you," She whispers with teary eyes.
"Have you told Steve?" You ask her, to which she shakes her head.
"Not yet. I just... I don't know how," She admits. "My mom said I should just tell him, but... what if he gets scared? What if it's too much for him and he gets cold feet?"
"Sharon, that man looks at you like you hung the moon and stars," You tell her, holding her shoulders. "He loves you more than anything. The last thing he would do is leave you alone, especially if he knew the truth. Love isn't something you can just... throw away. Forget about. You can only confront it, and accept it... and... denying yourself of it would be the biggest disservice you could do to yourself."
She narrows her eyes. "Are we still talking about me being pregnant?"
You raise your brows, and let out a breath you didn't realize you were holding in. "I don't know," You say in a small voice.
"Okay, well, I want to do something special for him," She tells you. "He's always planning so many nice surprises for me, and I want to do the same. So, I need your help."
"Anything," You tell her.
A sly grin grows on her face. "I love you," She says.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" You ask her with a frown. "Like you've done something I won't like?"
"Well, I thought you might need some help setting it up," She begins, glancing behind her. "So, I enlisted another pair of hands. The only other person I trust with my life who wouldn't go to the press."
Before you can ask her exactly who she's talking about, none other than Bucky walks into the lobby with an expectant look on his face. "Hey, Sharon. What is it you needed my help with?"
She looks at you with wide, hopeful eyes. "I don't want him to know it's for me, yet," She whispers to you. "Don't want him to know before Steve. You can tell him the truth once Steve knows."
With a sigh, you swallow your pride. "Uh, fuck. It's me, Barnes," You say flatly, hating every second of this. "As it turns out... I am pregnant."
He looks taken aback.
"And she wants to surprise Pietro," Sharon chimes in. "Can you help her set up the surprise on the beach? At this point, we don't want anyone knowing that doesn't need to, or that we don't trust."
With a nod, Bucky keeps his face free of emotion. "Of course."
You're convinced that you died and this is hell, because you've experienced nothing worse than setting up a 'We're Pregnant!' message on the beach with Bucky, who thinks the pregnancy is yours, and that the father is Pietro.
Bucky seems to have an artistic eye as he sets out the flowers around the words in the sand. You're lighting the candles, wondering how it got to this.
"This is so weird," You mumble.
"Yep," He replies curtly. "Didn't imagine this would be happening three years ago."
"It's been a long time," You say. "A lot has changed."
"You haven't," He says, looking down at the sand. "Still just as gorgeous."
A soft laugh leaves your mouth. "Should you be flirting with a pregnant woman?"
Bucky looks up at you, into your eyes. "Do you love him?" He asks you.
You struggle with the lighter, letting out a frustrated huff before answering him. "It started out as just sex," You say truthfully.
"Like us?"
You snort. "I guess."
"Do you love him?" He asks you again.
"Let's... not do this now," You suggest.
He lets out a long sigh and sits up. "When it ended with Natasha... my first thought was you. Carol told me to wait, at least a few weeks, so it didn't look like I was just jumping between you. I also didn't want to overwhelm you, or take attention off the fact that you won the case," He tells you. "Then you left New York to film in Australia. And the rumors about you and Luke... I just thought it would be best to leave you to it. You were working abroad. It wasn't the right time."
"Then I came back, and you were dating someone else," You remember.
"Wasn't dating her," He mumbles. "Emma and I were just friends."
"Well, it didn't look like that, and I didn't wanna reach out just to hear that you had moved on," You tell him truthfully. "I... I don't think I could have handled hearing that. For it to be final. Outlined clearly. I guess it was easier to live with the vagueness. The hope that... maybe we just needed time, and eventually we'd find each other again. But I couldn't listen to you telling me you were with someone else. I just couldn't."
He lets out a shaky breath. "I felt the same," He admits. "I know I'm a fucking coward for not trying harder. And now I'm too late."
"You're not a coward. You were just protecting yourself," You say lowly, before looking around. "I think we're done. Thanks for your help."
"Of course," He mumbles.
Sending Sharon a quick text telling her it's ready, you get up to leave. Bucky begins walking away, a look of dejection on his face, when you grab his hand. "Hold on. Just... wait here with me," You say, pulling him behind a rock.
"What are we doing here?" He asks you with a frown.
"Just wait," You whisper, looking over the rock. A few minutes pass before Sharon and Steve walk out the hotel.
"What are they doing here?" Bucky wonders. "Want me to stall them while you wait for Pietro?"
"Wait," You repeat, feeling the confusion emanate from him.
As Sharon and Steve make their way down to the beach, you hold your breath. Steve seems confused to the babble leaving Sharon's mouth, until they get to the candles and message in the sand. They stop. He's looking down at it. He looks back up at her, and she's grinning at him. With a laugh, he swoops her into his arms and spins her around.
You turn to look at Bucky, who just looks absolutely lost.
"What... they... huh?" He utters.
"The tests weren't for me. They were for Sharon," You reveal. "And this whole thing was for Steve, not Pietro. Sharon was just really scared of everyone finding out, and wanted Steve to know before anyone else."
Bucky's lips part in shock, and he just stares down at you. "So, you and Pietro..."
"We just sleep together every now and then," You admit. "I just... wanted to bring someone in case you brought someone. Which you did."
"Jean and I aren't... we're just friends," He tells you. "We're working on a film together. I mentioned that I wasn't bringing a plus-one, and she asked if she could come with me so she could network."
"So..." You trail off, your heart racing.
"So..." He echoes, raising a brow. "I still love you. I still want you more than I've ever wanted anything else. If I have to spend another three years proving myself to you, I will."
"Bucky... I... I love you, too," You say, the words finally flying free. "I don't want to waste any more time. But... I have a lot to think about," You tell him. "And a conversation to have with Pietro. But I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah. The big day," He says, looking as though he's holding back from doing something he wants to do.
"Yeah. Very big," You say awkwardly. "Well... good night."
He takes a step closer to you, and you forget how to breathe. Looking down at you, he cups your cheek in his hand. "Good night," He replies.
Swallowing thickly, you nod.
How the fuck are you supposed to get any sleep tonight?
The wedding ceremony is beautiful. The love Steve and Sharon have for each other is evident in their vows and the way they look at each other, and you can't help but notice the glow on Sharon's face. However, the reception is when the real fun starts.
You've been pouring water shots for Sharon whenever someone wants to do a round with her, because she isn't ready for everyone to know about the baby yet. As her maid of honor, you've barely had a chance to sit down, having to fight all the small fires that arise to make sure she doesn't realize anything's wrong. You're grateful once the cake's been cut and the dance floor fills up, meaning you can finally relax as the party goes on.
"It's so unfair that you're breaking up with me," Pietro whines as he looks you up and down. "In that dress? You're killing me."
"Get a grip, Maximoff," You say with an eye roll.
"C'mon, let's dance!" He says, pulling you onto the dance floor before you have a chance to say no.
It's an upbeat song at first, one that you can simply clap along to so as not to make a fool of yourself - but then the band switches to a slow ballad.
"Everyone, grab someone you care about and let's dance a little slower," The singer says.
Bucky suddenly appears behind Pietro, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Hey, man. Mind if I steal her from you?"
Only looking slightly intimidated, Pietro nods. "Of course, man. Have fun," He says, giving you a grin before walking away.
As the song begins, a rendition of Can't Help Falling In Love, you smile and shake your head. "Did you request this?" You ask him, placing your hands on his shoulder.
"Who? Me?" He asks with faux innocence as he takes your waist in his hands. "I don't know what you mean."
"Cheesy fucker," You mumble, unable to keep the smile on your face.
This song reminds you of one of the best days you ever spent with him - when you met his family. Losing them was another painful thing you had to deal with when you left Bucky, and getting to see them again is one of the things you're most excited about.
"How is everyone?" You ask him. "Rebecca?"
"She's doing well," He says with a smile. "She's a teacher at our old school."
"I miss her," You tell him. "I miss them all."
"We can see them soon," Bucky tells you. "They've never stopped asking me about you. Ma will probably faint when I tell her you're mine for real this time."
"I'm yours?" You ask teasingly. "Prove it, Mr. Barnes."
He lets out a breathy laugh before moving in closer, holding your body to his, and bringing his lips to yours in a soft kiss. It was everything you've been missing and more. You feel just as safe with him as you did all those years ago.
When he pulls away, he shakes his head. "I can't believe I ever thought I could keep you at a distance. At the start, when I did everything I could to ignore my feelings," He says. "All you ever were was perfect. And I let fear keep me from being with you."
"We both did," You tell him. "And nobody can blame us. We'd never been in love before. Never thought we ever would be. But you came into my life, and... you taught me love. Showed me what it's supposed to be. And I want to spend my life loving you, without judgement, without hiding from the world. I love you, Jamie. No amount of time could have ever changed that. I never moved on, never forgot. I'll always be yours."
"And I'll always be yours," Bucky swears. "I'm gonna look after you, always. I went through life without feeling anything real before I met you. And you made me feel it all. Anger, hate, irritation."
"Damn," You utter lowly.
"Joy, appreciation, love," He adds with a smile. "It's like I was only pretending to feel those things before you made me really feel them. You lit a fire in me. Made me real. You made me real. I want to spend the rest of my life thanking you for that."
"I wish I could tell the Bucky from three and a half years ago that he'd be saying all this one day," You say with a grin. "He'd lose his fucking mind."
"Ah, he was a dick," He says flippantly. "Didn't know a thing."
"He was a dick," You agree, leaning in. "But... he was also really good in bed."
A smirk pulls at his lips. "Yeah? You enjoyed getting hate-fucked by him, didn't you?"
You bite down on your lip, squeezing his shoulders. "So. Much," You utter.
Bucky glances around the thinning-out dance floor and looks back at you. "How about, once we're done here, I take you up to one of the rooms, and fuck you like I hate you?" He suggests, sending a shiver down your spine. "What do you say? For old time's sake?"
With a grin, and ruined panties, you wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him before repeating, "For old time's sake."
super long a/n incominggggg
the fucking end.
so here we are. i am so not emotionally prepared to say goodbye to real people. the past eighteen weeks have felt so, so incredible (eighteen weeks??? they went so quick omg), and exactly what peak tumblr felt like for me, back in the method acting and suburban pleasure days. for those who have been following me for a while, you probably noticed i took an extremely long hiatus starting in about 2023, only really posting the odd one-shot here and there. real people was my first series back and . oh my God. the support was instant and overwhelming. it felt like a community again. my love for writing was reignited and, though there were one or two weeks when i hit writer's block and had to rush to get a chapter out, for the most part it genuinely felt like this series wrote itself. the storyline of actors fake dating has been sitting in my drafts for literal years. since before my marvel era. since before my anakin era. since an era none of you knew... my harry styles era. yep. i had a really weak intro drafted of a harry styles fanfic with the same concept. it was just called "real". and that was in like... 2016/17. so to be here now, almost a decade later, with a full series based on 16-year-old kinana's idea written and complete that I'm so proud of is so damn surreal. I genuinely would not have been able to write this without your love and support so thank you to everyone who commented and reblogged and sent me lovely messages week in and week out. you are the reason this series exists. i hope i can continue to bring you more stories. i might take a short break from posting anything for a few weeks, work on some drafts. maybe think up a new series. and work on some old ones. i'll see you soon. i love you all.
masterlist
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