Things with Bucky are easy, and he's the sweetest guy you've been with. But when you throw in a bitter roommate and untold secrets, things get real hard, real fast.
Series Warning: Nerd!Frat!Bucky x Reader, mature and distressing themes, friends to lovers, fluff, soft!bucky, smut, angst.
Lol, tell me why I had a dream where I was in the spn universe but instead of it being canon, it was a frat au.
And I was introduced to frat president!Dean and frat!Sam Winchester by their mum, Mary, who was friends with my mum and some time after meeting them, I fell into bed with each of them, behind the others back. Mostly because Dean already had a gf but because I didn't want them to find out about the other ('coz.... awkward). Until one day, me and Sam had a walk of shame and we were spotted by one of his frat bros and it circled back to Dean and we fought, to which I called him out for sleeping with me, even though he was dating someone else....
And the dream ended there before anything juicy could happen :( I tried going back to sleep but my subconscious was like, yeah nah, we're gonna give you a nightmare/anxiety dream to counteract that steamy dream you had 😒 whyyyyyyyyy?? It was getting soooo good.
Honorable Mention:
(set the night I met them, before I boned either of them)
Some rando: "So, the Winchesters are notorious flirts, which one was the first to flirt with you? Sam or Dean?"
Me: *smirks* "Neither actually. It was their mum, Mary..."
S&D: "Ugh, mum!" "Not again!"
?: Well, at least, it wasn't (your) dad this time.
Me: "Wait, your dad?--oh, now I've got to know what he looks like. C'mon, show me a picture--" *Dean gives in and passes his phone, the tab opened up to a picture in his gallery* "This is your dad? You guys' looking for a step mum or sumn because I'd happily take that spot."
Dean: "Haha, very funny..." *he tries snatching his phone back*
Me: *dodges him, and holds up the phone to his face, seeing the resemblance between him and his father, John* "seriously though, if this is what you'll look like in thirty years. I can totally get with that..."
*commence sex eyes and the beginning of the end...*
Ideas for possible full length fic:
Following what happened above, reader bones Dean first. And after realizing he had a gf (his gf had texted/called after you *finished*??), she slips out and runs into Sam, oblivious to what happened between her and his brother and they stay up all night (idk if they'd do anything at this point in time, just yet) and it just all goes from there.
Lmk if this interests you and if you have any add ons. Anon/asks are open!!
Bucky tries to keep things composed and civil as he confronts Steve - but his composure only lasts so long.
Content Warning: Nerd!Frat!Bucky x Reader, mature themes, angst, mention of coercion and dub!con, protective!bucky, best friend!sam, violence, blood, injury.
Series Masterlist
"Why do you look so nervous?"
Your leg stops bouncing and you look up at Sam, who's raising a brow as he folds his arms across his chest.
"You gonna tell me, or do I have to torture it out of you?" He asks you, tilting his head.
Knowing better than to call his bluff, you let out a sigh. "Just... boy drama," You answer casually.
His face drops and his hands clench into fists. "I'm gonna kill that pretty little white boy," He grumbles menacingly.
"No, Bucky didn't do anything!" You exclaim, standing up. "I don't mean drama with me, I mean... him and Steve are going through a... disagreement."
Sam seems to be surprised at that as his brows furrow together. "Really? That's not like them," He mutters. "What are they disagreeing about?"
You regret saying anything at all. Taking his hand in yours, you shrug. "I don't know the details."
"Well, why are you stressing about it, hmm?" He asks you. "It has nothing to do with you, does it?"
It makes you feel nauseous to lie right to his face, but when the alternative is breaking his heart, you know what you'd rather do. "No, it doesn't," You answer. "But I care about Bucky, so I don't like knowing he's upset."
He tuts softly, pulling you into a hug. "Don't worry, baby, I know those guys," He assures you. "They're best friends. Ain't nothing breaking them up."
Your brows raise up. "You think so? Nothing at all?"
"They're brothers," He tells you. "And nothing can come between brothers. Whatever it is, they'll eventually forgive each other. That's what brothers do."
You hum against his chest, nodding slowly. "Right."
Bucky's buzzing with tension. After spending the night at your place, his mind is scrambled and the only thing he can feel is rage. Blinding, scalding hot rage.
The second he walks into his apartment, he sees Steve sitting on the ground, drawing on a piece of paper. There's a faint bruise on his chin from Bucky's punch the day before, but he still musters up a smile.
"Hey, man," He greets Bucky, putting down the felt-tip pen in his hand. "I thought you were in your room. When did you leave?"
Saying nothing, Bucky shuts the door behind him, taking deep breaths in an effort to compose himself.
"Peg's got me making signs for the pep rally," Steve says in an effort to fill the tense silence, keeping the pleasant smile on his face. "Greatest ex of the year award goes to me."
Taking a few steps further into the apartment, Bucky finally speaks. "I spent the night at Y/N's," He states lowly.
"Oh," Steve says, his brows furrowing slightly. "So... you sorted things out, then?"
Bucky sits on the couch, keeping his face blank. "She told me," He reveals casually. "She told me the truth about what happened that night."
Steve feels his blood run cold, but he remains calm. "About... I mean, the truth is the truth. What more was there for her tell you?"
Clenching his jaw, Bucky sits forward. "You failed to mention the fact that it was you who initiated it," He states coolly. "The fact that she was uncomfortable with it. That you coerced her into having sex with you and then dropped her like she was nothing."
Steve stands up, his cheeks flushing pink. "What the fuck, dude?" He scoffs. "She said I raped her?"
Bucky raises a brow. "She didn't explicitly use that word. Funny how you did, though."
"What the fuck is your problem, pal?" Steve sputters. "Do you really think I'd do that to someone?"
Standing up, too, Bucky's eyes darken. "I didn't, until I find out that you did."
"Dude, I'm your best friend," Steve states. "How are you trusting this bitch over me?"
Unable to hold back, Bucky lunges at him, raining down a flood of punches to Steve's face. All he can think of is you in pain, being manipulated, forced to put on a happy face and continue being Steve's friend just to keep the peace.
But there is no peace. Not until he pays for what he did.
"Bucky, stop!" Steve tells, pushing him away. "You're insane; she's got you all twisted!"
"Fuck you," He seethes, breathing heavily. "Just take responsibility for once in your goddamn life. Accept that what you did to Y/N was fucking disgusting. Admit it."
Shaking his head, Steve stumbles backwards. His eyes hold fear as his hands twitch. "Buck... I don't-"
"Please, stop lying to me, man," Bucky begs, his voice cracking. "You hurt the girl I love, really fucking bad. What you did was... it was wrong. So wrong. If you can't own up to it and apologize to her, then I won't be able to stop myself from hurting you."
A shaky breath leaves Steve's mouth as blood begins to leak from his broken nose.
"When she told me what you did, I wanted to kill you," Bucky admits without exaggeration. "But you're my brother, man. I... I fuckin' loved you. This isn't who I thought you were. Please, just be honest. What you did doesn't define you, but how you act now does. If you choose to continue treating Y/N as though she isn't a human being who deserves for you to at least acknowledge that what you did to her was wrong, then... Steve, I'll..."
Steve remains silent, his lips parted as though he's forgotten how to speak.
Rubbing his mouth, Bucky shakes his head. "Please. I know you. You're the kid that cried when we had to dissect a frog in biology. You're the guy that would die for your mom. You were my best friend. And you've hurt Y/N, man," He says lowly. "We can't get back from this. Knowing what you did, our friendship is over. But if you continue to act like you did nothing wrong that night, and you downplay the trauma that you caused Y/N, then I'll fucking kill you, Rogers."
With a deep breath, Steve nods. The pain is clear on his face, and Bucky himself is hurting, but neither of them can claim to be in more pain than you were that night.
Timidly, Steve clears his throat and looks down, unable to meet Bucky's eyes as he says, "I wanna talk to her."
You're terrified when you open the door to see Steve's bruised face. Though Bucky told you they'd be coming over, he left out the part where he'd given Steve a black eye and a crooked nose.
"Where's Sam?" Bucky asks you as the three of you stand in the living room, the mention of your best friend causing Steve to stiffen in fear.
"He's asleep," You mumble, rubbing the back of your neck.
With furrowed brows, Steve looks over at you. "I... Y/N, I'm sorry," He begins, immediately bringing you a catharsis you didn't even know you so desperately craved. "That night, I manipulated you into sleeping with me. I wanted to beat Brock, and in doing so, I ended up using you like an object. That was wrong of me. I... I'm not gonna stand here and claim that my feelings were anywhere near as hard to deal with as yours were after that night, but I lost sleep knowing what I did. I knew what I did to you was wrong, but I ignored the guilt. And pretty soon, I buried it enough to forget about it, which must feel like a kick in the teeth because it wouldn't have been that easy for you to forget it. What I did to you was horrific. Scarring. I will never, ever forgive myself."
It's a lot to take in, seeing as you never thought you'd hear the words from his mouth, but it feels freeing. You feel validated, knowing that he accepts the truth.
"I convinced myself that you weren't that hurt over it," Steve tells you. "I told myself that I was imagining your obvious discomfort during the ordeal. That you enjoyed it, and you were only upset because of Brock. But... deep down, I knew. I knew I had coerced you into bed, that I had grossly violated our friendship, and permanently tarnished your trust in me. And for that, I hate myself. I never... I never wanted to hurt you, but I also didn't try hard enough to protect you. I'm sorry, Y/N. I will spend the rest of my life being sorry for that night, and regretting what I did to you."
As your heart races, you nod, at a loss for words. Bucky notices your discomfort and takes your hand in his, silently reminding you that he has your back and is on your side.
"I appreciate that, Steve," You find the strength to say. "And, for what it's worth, I do forgive you."
"Thank you. That's much more than I deserve," He replies. "What I did to you was sexual assault. I recognize that, and I recognize that I need to work through a lot of shit."
"What the fuck did you just say?" A cold voice cuts in, making your heart skip a beat. Looking to the left, you see Sam in the doorway with shock and rage pooling in his eyes.
Oh, fuck.
part nine >
side blog for update notifications: @kinanabinksupdates
You and Steve slept together a couple of weeks ago and, though he said he would, he hasn't called you since. Harsh words from your best friend lead you to accept that he just doesn't want you in that way.
Content Warning: Frat!Steve x Reader, Frat!Sam x Reader (platonic... for the most part), partying, suggestive language, flirting, mention of alcohol and weed, mention of sex, arguing, slut shaming, angst, insecure!reader, self-deprecating thoughts, softie!frat!bucky, hurt/comfort, fluff, kissies.
"You're crazy," Sam says with wide eyes and a dopey grin as he watches you swallow down the shot. "I'm pretty sure that counts as a double."
Shrugging, you smile back at him. "What can I say, Wilson? I'm a pro."
"That, you are," He says, shooting you a wink. "And I've gotta say, baby, I'm proud of you. I wasn't expecting you to actually do it."
"Listen, I'm a simple girl," You tell him as the music booms around you in the dimly lit kitchen. "Someone pours me a shot as kindly as you did, I'm not gonna reject it."
He glances around before wrapping his arm around your shoulder and pulling you closer. "I mean, I gave you a choice, didn't I?"
Remembering his earlier words, you bite your lip. "I can't kiss you, Sam."
"Why not?" He whispers, looking you up and down.
Instinctively, your head turns to the side where you see the reason. Steve fucking Rogers. The asshole that made you think you had a special connection, only to completely ghost you after your one night stand. Though you hate him, you can't kiss one of his best friends. You're not that petty. He's chatting to a couple of girls, and you wonder if he's gonna take any of them home tonight. Asshole.
"I just can't," You say with a shrug.
"Alright, alright, I'll back off," Sam says, before his eyes light up. "Tequila?"
The two of you end up in the middle of the kitchen, sprinkling salt onto the backs of your hands. Once you're done, you hold your hand out to him and he holds his out to yours.
"Ready?" He asks you, to which you nod.
He licks the salt off your hand and you do the same to his, before quickly downing the shots of tequila. With a wince, you slam the shot glass back onto the counter and take the wedge of lime, sucking it for a few seconds. Just as the acidic liquid hits your tongue, Sam pulls the wedge from your mouth and puts it into his own.
"Fuck," You grimace, shaking your head. "Is it pathetic that I'm not used to tequila yet?"
Sam takes out the sucked lime and shakes his head, patting your shoulder. "You'll get there, baby. You'll get there."
After the shots, you and Sam talk for a few more minutes, laughing and dancing to the music. Before you can lean in and suggest you get another drink because it hasn't hit you yet, you feel a hand tightly gripping your arm.
Turning around, you see your best friend. "Hey, Annella!"
She has a stern look in her face as she pulls you backwards. "Come with me."
Frowning, you glance at Sam before turning back to her. "Can I just finish talking to-"
"Come with me, now," She cuts you off with no bit of humor on her features, immediately sobering you.
"Okay," You say, patting Sam's chest. "I guess I have to leave you, Wilson."
He gives you a nod. "I'll find you later."
Annella drags you over to the side, rage in her eyes. "What the heck, Y/N?"
Utterly confused, you take a step back. "What's wrong? What did I do?"
"Why are you flirting with Sam Wilson?" She asks you, clearly infuriated.
"Wha- flirting? I was just talking to him," You insist incredulously, wondering where this came from.
"Oh, please; I'm your best friend, I know when you're flirting," She says with an eye-roll. "Really? In the middle of a party where everyone can see you? With Sam fucking Wilson: the biggest whore on campus?"
"Will you calm down? Sam and I are just friends!" You argue. "And who cares if everyone can see?"
With a huff, Annella folds her arms across her chest. "You're acting like a slut, Y/N."
Her words cut right through you, making your eyes widen. "Why would you say that?" You ask her lowly.
"Because I'm your friend and I care about you," She claims. "I don't want you to flirt with guys like fucking Sam Wilson because I know what people will think!"
"Who cares what people think?" You ask her with a frown. "Sam and I were just having fun. If someone has a problem with that, it doesn't affect me at all and I couldn't care less."
"Are you kidding me? You sound so..." She trails off, shaking her head.
"I sound so what, Annella?" You challenge her with a raised brow.
"Slutty. You sound slutty," She spits with clenched fists, before muttering, "No wonder Steve didn't call you back."
That line hurts you deep.
"How could you say that?" You ask her, utterly shocked.
"He's right there, Y/N, he can see what you're doing," She says with narrow eyes. "He can see you flirting with one of his best friends; of course he doesn't want you!"
A few people around you have noticed that you're arguing, looking at you with odd looks and whispering between themselves. Having had enough of Annella, you storm out of the apartment, making your way outside where you can get some fresh air.
There's a short wall where a few people are smoking near, and you take a seat on it with a sigh. Is Annella right? Did Steve ghost you because he thinks you flirt too much with other people? Namely, his best friend? Does he think you're a slut, too? Oh, God. Did he sleep with you just because he knows you're easy?
"What's on your mind, sugar?" A gentle voice comes from the cold, dark night, like a blanket wrapping around you in the middle of a snowstorm.
You look to the left to see Bucky Barnes standing with a concerned look on his face and a blunt between his fingers. Sniffling, you shake your head. "Nothing."
He sits down next to you, frowning. "Which asshole up there has got you crying, hmm? Point him out to me and I'll break his legs."
"I don't cry over assholes," You claim, though that's clearly a lie.
"Then what's wrong?" He asks you, nudging your shoulder with his. "Wanna smoke?"
"No thanks; I've been drinking," You reply politely, before letting out a sigh. "I had a fight with my friend. She- she said I act like a slut."
"What?" Bucky scoffs, blowing out smoke. "Why did she say that?"
"I wasn't even flirting with Sam, but she thinks I was," You say with a shrug. "I was just doing a couple of shots with him. He even asked me to kiss him and I said no."
"Sam asked you to kiss him?" Bucky repeats with narrow eyes.
"Don't tell Steve," You implore, before your shoulders drop. "Not like he'll care, anyway. And that's what Annella said - she said Steve didn't call me because he must think I'm a slut, too. I don't even care that he didn't call me, I swear. I was just shocked that she said that."
"Well," Bucky begins, processing your words. "She was very wrong. And unkind. I mean, sure you're a slut, but she didn't have to come out and say it-"
"Hey!" You cry, hitting his arm.
"Kidding!" He exclaims, wrapping his arm around you in a tight hug. "Don't pay any attention to her words, alright?"
His comforting embrace makes tears spring into your eyes. "It's just that... Steve was actually really nice to me. No boy has ever been that nice to me. And he was saying things... I guess I'm an idiot for believing him. But he was so sweet and gentle; I thought for sure he'd call me. But he didn't. I'm such an idiot."
"Hey now, don't say that," Bucky scolds you gently, rocking you back and forth. "You're not an idiot."
"He was so nice," You whisper, shaking your head. "And he made me cum like, three times."
"Oh. Okay," Bucky says with wide eyes.
"Three fucking times! Even if it was just one, I'd have been amazed," You admit. "But he gave me three before he even came once!"
"Well, that's our Steve. He's a giver," Bucky says with a grimace. "And for what it's worth, I can say as his best friend that there's no way he thinks anything bad of you."
You cling to his chest, hoping he's right but suspecting that he's only being nice. He's probably had to mend multiple girls' hearts that have been broken by Steve.
Speaking of the devil, Steve himself exits the building to see you and Bucky huddled together on the wall. He walks over when he sees Bucky whispering into your ear and stroking your hair, concerned about your wellbeing.
"Everything okay here?" Steve asks, making you tense up in Bucky's arms.
Bucky turns to him. "Yeah, man."
Steve gives him a nod as if to say, 'You can leave now,' and Bucky promptly stands up before patting your back and walking back towards the building.
Sitting on the wall with his legs on either side, Steve looks down at you. "You okay?" He asks, his voice low and gravelly.
"Mhm," You mumble, hoping you don't do something stupid like cry in front of him.
"I saw Annella yelling at you," He tells you, frowning.
A dry laugh leaves your mouth. "Yeah."
"What about?" He pushes, unable to kill his curiosity.
You shrug, "She thought I was flirting with Sam- which I wasn't."
Steve slowly nods. "She wants Sam to herself, or something?"
"No; she just said it was making me look like a slut," You admit with a mutter. "And she said that's why you-" Stopping mid-sentence, you inwardly curse yourself. Fuck. Why would you say that?
"I what?" He questions, confused.
"No, it's nothing," You insists, giving him a tight-lipped smile.
"I wanna know what she said," Steve says persistently. "That's why I what?"
You look down with dejection. "She said that's why you didn't call me - but I swear, I really don't care that you didn't call me-"
"Y/N-"
"Seriously," You insist, lying through your teeth. "I just mentioned it in passing. She asked if you had called me since we slept together, and I said no - and I don't mind at all that you didn't. You don't owe me anything."
"Y/N," Steve says firmly, shutting you up. "Give me your hand."
You frown. "Which one do you want?"
Your question makes him chuckle and he shakes his head. "Any. Either. Both."
Holding out both hands to him, you watch with confusion as he holds them in his.
Steve takes a deep breath. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."
The phrase makes your entire body cringe as you recoil backwards. You've been rejected before, but you don't think you can take it from him. Not from Steve.
"It really doesn't matter," You insist, trying to pull your hands out of his tight grip but failing miserably. "I wasn't expecting anything, I swear."
"Can I just say what I wanna say?" He asks you, raising a brow.
"Please, Steve, it's fine," You beg, standing up with you hands still being held hostage by him. "We don't have to talk about it and you don't have to explain anything; we can just forget anything ever happened."
"Oh, my God," Steve mumbles, looking up at you. "You are absolutely terrified of me rejecting you."
You feel nauseous. With a shaky breath, you whimper. "Can we just drop this, please?"
"Look at me," He says firmly. "Sit down."
With your heart racing, you reluctantly do as he says. Fuck. Here we go.
"Listen to me, Y/N," Steve says, his voice and eyes softening. "I really, really like you."
You suck in a breath. "But?"
He lets out a gentle chuckle. "Okay, there is a 'but'-"
"Please, let go of me-"
"But it's an absolutely miniscule 'but' and it's entirely fixable!" He claims.
"Steve-"
"You gave me the wrong number."
You stop pulling away. Your face drops. Your brows knit together. "What?"
"I called the number you gave and some old man picked up," Steve tells you. "I figured you gave me the wrong number on purpose because you didn't want me to call you."
"Oh," Is all you can say.
"Yeah," He mumbles, letting go of your hands.
"Oh," You repeat with widening eyes. "So you did try to call me?"
"Yes, I tried to fucking call you," He says with a laugh. "Bucky told me to just DM you but I thought you didn't wanna see me again because of the whole wrong number thing."
"What were you- why were you calling?" You ask him, your voice small.
"I called you the next afternoon," He informs you with a soft smile. "I was gonna ask you if you wanted to check out the Christmas Market with me."
"That sounds nice," You mutter, feeling both foolish and utterly ecstatic. "I would've said yes."
"Yeah?" He nudges your shoulder playfully.
"Absolutely," You insist, feeling butterflies in your stomach.
A smile grows on his lips as he leans even closer in. Slowly, he kisses you, causing flashes of the perfect night you shared to pop up in your mind. You feel gentle explosions of nerves and excitement as he wraps his hand around the back of your neck, stroking the side of your throat with his thumb as you remember all the things his fingers did to you that night.
He pulls away after a few minutes, an accomplished look on his face. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at six. Make sure you're hungry."
Your heart skips a beat at his words, but somehow you remain cool and collected. "Wait, I-"
"See you tomorrow, beautiful," Steve calls out as he gets up and walks away.
Oh, what a night.
steve masterlist
hi! i no longer have a taglist, but if you follow @kinanabinksupdates and turn on notifications, you'll know when i post 🥰
also, if you are willing and able, i would appreciate if you buy me a kofi - even the smallest of donations helps me out so much! ❤
Our favorite students finally meet peace. But peace doesn't always bring satisfaction.
Content Warning: Frat!Steve x Reader, Frat!Bucky x Reader, angst, slight panic attack, violence, threat, gut wrenching fluff.
A/N: hi there! don't usually do author's notes before the chapter but i wanted to recommend that you read this drabble before you read this part if you haven't already. it's about how steve and y/n met, and there's a callback to it in this part that you'd appreciate a whole lot more if you understood its context!
Series Masterlist
🎥
"Another beer, please," You ask the bartender, hoping the alcohol will ease some of your tension. You hate being an outsider to the action, waiting for updates about whatever the fuck is going on in that damn apartment.
"I'm gonna need to see some ID, sweetheart," A familiar silky voice calls out as two strong hands are placed on your shoulder, squeezing them.
"That hurts, Jamie," You whine before turning around in your stool to face the three of them. Looking over at Sam, you raise a brow. "Well? What's happening?"
"We're waiting on Alina to call," He informs you, patting the counter. "Once she's got Beryl's admission on tape, we can go back."
You let out a sigh, rubbing your forehead. "This is insane. I- I kind of feel guilty, I mean; I was the one who invited her into our lives-"
"Don't do that," Steve interjects sternly, frowning at you. "How could you have known that she'd end up being utterly deranged?"
It feels odd to be talking to him; like there's some invisible block sitting between you. "Yeah," You mumble, falling into his eyes. "Thanks, Steve."
His heart clenches. He hates how awkward things are now. "Of course," He mutters, rubbing the back of his neck. "I- we love you, Y/N. We'd never turn our backs on you."
Bucky clears his throat and raises a brow, sensing the tension. Him and Sam share a look before they wander off to the other side of the bar, giving the two of you some alone time. You immediately realize what they're doing and wince, feeling your body tense up.
Steve slowly sits in the stool next to you, completely at a loss for words. What the fuck is he supposed to say? His heart races and panic makes itself at home in his mind, somewhere between the anxious thoughts and aching heartbreak.
You recognize his quivering fingers and furrowing brows and place your hand on his back. "Stevie, you're okay. Just breathe for me."
His eyes flutter shut and he shakes his head. "I'm okay. I just..."
"It's alright," You assure him softly, rubbing circles on his back.
With a deep breath, he turns to look at you, pain in his eyes. "I'm so sorry-"
"Steven," You sternly cut him off, doing your best not to tear up. "Stop it. Just- we'll talk about it later. Okay?"
He sniffles, his hand twitching as it yearns to be linked with yours. "Okay."
Meanwhile, back at the guys' apartment, things are getting out of hand.
"This is getting out of hand!" Alina exclaims as she stands behind the couch with wide eyes. "You're unhinged, Bibi!"
"You made me this way!" Beryl screams back at her with a large bread knife in hand. "All of you! Everyone who ever saw me as less than them."
"I never saw you as less-"
"Oh, bullshit!" Beryl cuts her off bitterly, taking a foreboding step closer. "You only kept me around to make yourself look better."
"Will you stop being such a fucking victim?" Alina spits, having had enough. "Maybe if you weren't so self-pitying, someone would actually enjoy being your friend. But you're fucking insufferable because of that 'oh, woe-is-me' attitude, and I'm not surprised at all that you had to resort to scheming your way into making friends." She regrets it the second it leaves her mouth.
Beryl's face drops. A split second later, she lets out a warrior cry and sprints after Alina, chasing her around the apartment with the knife in hand. While they play cat-and-mouse, the front door opens again, and in storms Kayla.
"Actually, you know what? It's not okay- what the fuck is going on?" Kayla gasps when she sees Beryl with a knife up to Alina's neck, and immediately pulls out her phone.
Alina uses the distraction to get the higher ground, grabbing Beryl's shoulders and pushing her to the ground. Pinning her down, Alina looks back to Kayla. "I don't have time to explain; just call the fucking police!"
Kayla's already on it, frantically explaining to the operator that there's a crazy bitch trying to kill another crazy bitch.
"Help me tie her up!" Alina yells with a strained voiced, trying to stay strong. Rushing over, Kayla assists Alina in using the rope from the curtains to tie Beryl to a chair, jumping while Beryl screams at them.
"They'll never believe you!" Beryl yells, shaking her head. "Sam and Bucky and Steve - not even the fucking police will believe you!"
With a smirk, Alina pulls out the recording device from her pocket and tilts her head. "Maybe not. But they'll sure as fuck believe you."
The way Beryl's face falls makes Alina feel electric; like after a lifetime of shame, she can finally breathe in fresh air. Kayla is still incredibly confused, but she doesn't voice her questions until the police arrive - and hot on their trails are you and the boys.
"Holy fuck," Bucky mutters as he sees the police handcuffing Beryl. "Is this really happening?"
"It is," Sam says with relief, moving to the side when the police drag her out.
"We'll take your statements in the morning," One of the officers informs you all. "For now, just try and stay out of trouble."
"We'll do our best," You mumble, an odd feeling washing over you. You want to feel relaxed because Beryl is finally gone, but something tells you that the damaged she caused won't be so quick to leave with her.
"Now that's what you call a citizen's arrest," Alina says proudly, grinning.
You rush over to the girls and pull them in for a hug. "You guys are the best. I don't know what I would've done without you."
"That's nice, and all," Kayla begins, patting your back and pulling away. "But can you please explain what the fuck just happened?"
"Of course," You say with a soft laugh, stepping back. "But I'm gonna need a shit-ton of beer and a blunt to get through this fucking story."
Bucky springs into action. "On it!"
•
"It's over," You say to nobody in particular, staring out at the city lights. "It's actually fucking over."
Soft music plays in the background as everyone winds down, drinking away the stress. After recounting the story of Bibi's infiltration, you're exhausted, and it's nice to sit in the company of your loved ones. Alina left a few hours ago, leaving the five of you to bask in the newfound peace.
On her way back from the freezer with two cold beers in hand, Kayla elects to sit next to Sam on the couch. He feels a slight jolt at her presence, but does well to hide his excitement.
"Open," She mumbles, handing him the beers. "I like when you open it with your hands."
Ignoring the stirring in his stomach, Sam takes the beers and uses the side of his thumb to flick off the tops. Kayla smiles and snuggles into his side, taking a long sip before speaking.
"I, uh..." She trails off, playing with the hem of his black sweater. "I broke up with him."
Sam's heart skips a beat. For the first time since he met her, Kayla is single. Holy fucking fuck. "Oh," He replies simply, kicking himself for being so awkward.
Kayla looks up at him and nods. "Yeah."
Remembering her earlier revelation, Sam clears his throat. "Mikayla?"
"Yes, Samuel?" She asks, keeping her eyes locked on his.
He wraps his big arm around her shoulder and smiles down at her. "I love you, too."
Kayla smiles back at him before snuggling back into his chest, and she feels the safest she has ever felt.
With a racing heart, Steve is making his way over to where you're sitting on the floor in front of the full-length window. He sits down next to you, his leg pressing against yours. Neither of you speak for a while, as though silence is the third person in your presence, stealing the spotlight.
Taking in a deep breath, Steve knows he can't stay quiet forever. "I'm so sorry that I let it go on for so long. All the shit with Beryl."
You bite down on your lip, hoping that you won't cry in front of him. "It's okay," You manage to get out weakly.
"And I'm sorry for ending things so abruptly," He goes on to say, looking down at the wooden flooring. "My head is just..."
"It's okay," You repeat, not really knowing what else you can say.
Finally, he looks at you, teary-eyed and beautiful. "I'm just so sorry."
You don't reply, because you can't trust your voice not to break, and the last thing you want to do is make him feel even more guilty.
Steve nudges your shoulder with his, a glint in his eye. "Hey, you know how rabbits say sorry?"
A laugh leaves your mouth and you look at him with raised brows. "Uh, no. How?"
He turns to face you and leans closer. "They press their heads together." Moving even closer, he gently presses his forehead to yours. "Bop."
You purse your lips together to stop an ugly sob from falling out, taking a deep breath through your nose to calm down. "Apol- apology accepted," You whisper, before grabbing his hand. "I love you, Steve, and I will always care about you. I understand that you're in a difficult situation right now, and I would never put pressure on you. Take all the time you need to figure out your feelings, and the day you do, I'll be here."
His heart aches at your words. "You deserve better than to wait around for me."
Shaking your head, you offer him a smile. "I'd wait forever and a day for you, Rogers."
Steve squeezes your hand, before bringing it up to his lips and giving it a soft kiss. He wishes he could fix everything, but there's still a constant Peggy-shaped block in the way of his feelings for you. All he knows is guilt, and it's debilitating. With a soft, "Goodnight, bunny," He gets up and leaves, retiring to his empty bedroom.
Once he's gone, the floodgates swing open. You burst into tears, hugging your knees to your chest. Bucky, who has been doing his best to ignore your conversation with Steve, swoops in from the kitchen and lifts you up into his arms, holding you tightly as he takes you to his bedroom. Sam and Kayla are too lost in their kiss to notice.
"You're okay, dummy," Bucky soothes you, sitting on his bed with you on his lap. "I promise that everything will be okay."
Crying into his shirt, you clutch onto him tightly, shaking your head. "I'm so- I'm so scared that he'll never be ready. That Peggy will always be his one."
Rocking you back and forth, Bucky winces at his second-hand heartache. "He just needs some time, dummy. Everything has been so tense recently. We all need some time to breathe."
Sniffling, you lift up your head and meet his eyes. "Promise everything will be okay?"
With a smile, Bucky pulls you even closer. "I promise, baby." Gently, he kisses the tip of your nose, cupping your cheek in his hand and resting his forehead against yours. His eyes flicker up to meet yours, and it feels as though the outside world has come to a stop. You and Bucky have a mutual dependency on one another, each of you drawing comfort from the other. He moves forward to kiss your cheek, and then the corner of your mouth. Neither of you are sure that this is really happening, but the electricity that shoots through your bodies when Bucky marries his soft lips to yours drenches you in cold realization that yes, this is really happening.
Two seconds later, you pull away, your eyes wide. Bucky looks just as terrified as you feel, neither of you speaking.
Oh, God. Does it count as cheating if Steve broke up with you? Even if it wasn't cheating, you just kissed Steve's best friend. Oh, fuck.
"It's okay," Bucky whispers, recognizing the panic in your shallow breaths. "That didn't happen."
With a frown, you fist his shirt in your hand. "Jamie?"
"It didn't happen," He states firmly, ignoring the pain it causes him to say so. He wants it to be true; that you love him in the way he loves you, but he knows it's wrong. You belong with Steve. You and Steve make sense together. Bucky is a useless idiot floating in space with no fucking worth and whose only reason for existing is to fuck up other people's happiness.
"Jamie," You mumble, cupping his cheeks. "It happened. We- we can't-"
"Stop it, Y/N," He cuts you off coldly, before gently placing you onto the bed and standing up. "You can sleep here tonight. I'll crash with Ste- I'll take the couch."
"Jamie, please," You beg, not knowing what it is you want from him. "Can we just talk about it?"
"We'll talk in the morning," Bucky says sternly, avoiding your eyes as he rushes out of the room.
Something tells you that you won't catch a wink of sleep tonight.
🎥
Next Part >>
hi! i no longer have a taglist, but if you follow @kinanabinksupdates and turn on notifications, you'll know when i post 🥰
It's the prestigious Film Ball, but this year, things are different. Will it ever be the same again? Do our favorite trio even want it to be?
Content Warning: frat!steve x reader x frat!bucky, fluff, angst.
Series Masterlist
🎥
"This is so weird," Kayla says, looking herself up and down in the mirror. "I feel like it's my fucking wedding or something."
"You're wearing a pink mini dress," You reply deadpan, making her eyes roll.
"You know what I mean," She insists, touching up her lipstick. "I've never been to a ball before. I'm so excited."
"Curb your excitement," You say dryly, turning to the side to get a good look at your ass. "It isn't as fun as the poster makes out, and the whole time you'll be getting looks from people who are all thinking, 'that bitch doesn't even do Film.'"
Every year, the different courses throw balls, and everyone knows that the Film ball is the only one worth attending. You always go as Bucky's date, while Steve and Sam take their flavor of the month. This year will be no different.
Well, it'll be a little different.
"They're here!" Kayla chirps as she types on her phone. Without warning, she grabs your arm and pulls you out the room and out of your apartment, barely taking three seconds to lock the door before racing out.
Sam and Bucky are waiting outside Bucky's car, both of them looking absolutely delicious in their suits. Bucky's busy on his phone while Sam and Kayla exhibit some intense PDA, and his heart stops when he hears your voice.
"Hey, Jamie," You greet him meekly, playing with your bracelet.
He looks up with wide eyes, utterly taken aback. "Y/N? I didn't... I didn't know you were coming."
"What do you mean?" Kayla asks with a frown. "She's your date every year."
The kiss a week ago hasn't been discussed between you and Bucky, much less everyone else, but you're sick of the silence. You miss your Bucky, and you'd be damned if you had to miss the Film ball because of stubbornness.
"Of course I'm coming," You mumble, waiting for Sam and Kayla to get into the car before taking Bucky's hand. His eyes widen at the gesture, but you speak before he gets the chance to. "I hate not talking to you, Jamie. Please, can we just... go back to normal?"
Normal. Bucky isn't sure he even remembers what that was like.
"I miss you," You whisper with an aching heart. "I miss hanging out with you. I miss cooking together. I miss cuddling with you."
His heart cracks a little at your words and he finds it difficult to retain eye contact with you. Letting out a sigh, he places his free hand on your shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly. "Let's go back to normal, dummy."
You grin widely before pulling him into a tight hug, utterly relieved. There's an odd stinging at the thought of the kiss meaning nothing, but you do well to push it down and ignore it.
•
The ball is in full swing. A live band is doing covers of popular songs, the sports hall has been beautifully decorated and looks fit for an Oscars after party, and there's a certain blonde making good use of the chocolate fountain.
Steve dips his third strawberry into the brown pool of cocoa delight, wondering why this is the first time he's attended the ball alone. Without a date, he's free to do whatever he wants, and nobody's forcing him to dance or take pictures all night. Instead, he can eat all the waffle bites and marshmallows he wants, because he fucking misses you, goddamn it.
"Eating your feelings?" A familiar voice calls out as a warm hand pats Steve's shoulder.
He turns to see Sam with a smug grin on his face, and rolls his eyes. "Let me live. I feel like half a person right now." Steve is used to seeing you flitting around the ball, always the best dressed, while he holds back from asking you to dance. Why is it that he never asked you to dance?
"Such a drama queen," Sam grumbles under his breath, before clearing his throat. "You not gonna join the rest of us, then?"
With a frown, Steve looks to where Sam is gesturing. And there you are, laughing with Bucky while he spins you around. Steve can't help but smile. His angels.
"Didn't know bunny would be here," He mutters quietly, trying to shield his excitement.
Grabbing a napkin, Sam begins to dab at the chocolate residue on the corner of Steve's mouth. "What; just because you took a little step back from Y/N, you thought Bucky would, too?"
"Of course not," Steve answers. "I just..."
"You thought she'd still be crying over your ass?" Sam asks with a scoff, to which Steve purses his lips.
"Yes, actually," He deadpans dryly. "Thought she'd be too busy sobbing uncontrollably to come."
With a laugh and an eye roll, Sam places a firm hand on Steve's arm. "Come on. Stop moping around, and let's go dance."
Reluctantly, Steve allows Sam to drag him over to you, where you're dancing with Kayla and Bucky. A slower song starts to play and the singer orders everyone to partner up before you get the chance to greet Steve - and in a panic, he grabs Natasha who's walking past and asks her to dance. You pull Bucky to the floor, determined to have at least some fun, and Kayla and Sam dance near you.
"We'll be graduating soon," Sam comments with a sigh, looking around at all his friends as he gently waltzes with Kayla. "And college will be over."
"The end of an era," She replies with a small smile. "What are your plans for the future?"
"L.A," Sam answers her proudly. "The guys and I have it all planned out. Freshly faced Film graduates getting our hopes and dreams ripped apart with every rejection."
"Don't think like that. You boys are gonna be Hollywood stars," Kayla promises, believing every word she says. Slowly, her smile falters. "But Y/N..."
Sam nods, dejection on his face. "New York. She's already been accepted by an internship."
"Damn," Kayla mumbles, looking over at where you're dancing. "I can't imagine a world where Steve Rogers doesn't have Y/N on his arm."
"And don't get me started on Bucky," Sam says, shaking his head. "He's gonna fall apart without her. She's the only who understands how soft he is; sometimes I think she understands him more than Steve does. I don't know how Buck'll cope."
Kayla hums in contemplative response, resting her head on Sam's chest.
"What about you, cherry?" Sam asks after a few moments of silence. "What does a graduated Mikayla Okoro look like?"
"She looks busy," Kayla replies with a nervous laugh, lifting her head back up as she takes in a deep breath. "She looks... surrounded by marine animals. And huge spiders."
Sam frowns, confused. "Spiders? Marine biologists are surrounded by spiders?"
"No, but people who live in Australia are," She says cryptically, hoping he'll understand.
And he does. Realization blooms in his eyes and his movements come to a pause, the two of them at a standstill while couples dance around them. "Australia?" He repeats with a whisper.
With a heavily beating heart, Kayla nods. "I move there a week after graduation. The place I interned at last summer liked my work so much, that they offered me a full time job."
Processing her words, Sam lets out a breath. "Oh. That... that's... far."
"It is," She agrees, utterly terrified. "And I know we only just got together, and the timing is so shitty, but..."
He prepares himself for heartbreak. For her to say she's ending things because there's no point in continuing.
"But I love you way too much to lose you," She says firmly, making Sam's heart skip a beat before she continues. "And Samuel, I know this is a lot to ask, and I know that it'll be frustrating and sad and exhausting, but would you-"
"Yes," He cuts her off, holding her body close to his. "I'll do it. We'll make it work. We'll be the best goddamn long-distance lovers the world has ever seen."
With teary eyes, Kayla lets out a laugh of relief. "You mean it? I mean, will it work out? You said yourself that Bucky will fall apart without Y/N; they're only friends and it's only California and New York. We'll be dating-"
"And we are the most mature and emotionally sound people I know," Sam says firmly, smiling down at her. "Mikky, I have no concerns when it comes to us. We're good at communicating, we understand each other, we trust each other and we love each other. What more do we need, cherry?"
More in love than ever, Kayla marries her lips to Sam's. Relief, peace and boundless love fills her heart.
"Get me a slice of that," Natasha grumbles as she eyes the happy couple, slowly dancing with Steve. "Must be nice."
"Yup," Steve replies bitterly, missing his angels. He's doing his best not to be constantly watching the two of you dance, but it's hard to keep his eyes away.
"I mean, you had the entire pie," Natasha says with a raised brow. "How'd you fuck it up with Y/N? You didn't cheat, did you?"
"Fuck no," He says firmly, frowning. "It was... you wouldn't understand."
She rolls her eyes. "Oh, God. One of those big, dramatic breakups, huh? I'll still love you forever type of thing?"
Steve says nothing, trying to focus on the decorations rather than all the loved-up couples around him.
"It's funny," Natasha says absentmindedly. "I always thought Y/N would end up with Barnes."
"Yeah?" Steve asks, intrigued. "How's that?"
She shrugs casually. "Just the way they are with one another. He's the biggest softie I know, and she's the only one who lets him be soft. I can imagine it, you know? Her utterly dominating him. She has that energy about her."
Steve snorts. Oh, please. If only Nat knew how submissive you could be for him.
"Oh, am I wrong?" She asks, surprised. "I guess I just can't imagine Barnes taking control in the bedroom. Or in any situation, really."
He lets her words spark a thought in his head as he contemplates it. The memory of walking in on you and Bucky having sex flashes across Steve's mind. Bucky calling you mommy.
Holy shit.
"Then again, I can't imagine you with anyone other than her," Natasha continues with her thought. "The three of you are too closely knit to leave the little love trio you have going on. Hey, have you ever had a threesome with them? You can tell me; I'm good with secrets."
Threesome. Threesome. Threesome.
Steve finds it hard to breathe. With all the times he imagined you, Bucky and Steve all being together, he never once even thought to imagine the sex. In his mind, he only ever thought of sex with just you, or sex with just Bucky.
But both of you? Steve thinks he might die.
Meanwhile, you stand awkwardly to the side while Bucky grabs a drink. At least, that's what he told you he's doing.
When he returns, he doesn't say a word and pulls you back into a dance, slowly leading you over to where Natasha and Steve are dancing.
"Jamie?" You mumble with wide eyes. "What are you-"
"Hey, there," Natasha replies. "You both look beautiful."
Bucky gives her his thanks, while you whisper yours to the ground. "I'm bored," He states bluntly. "Let's switch partners."
"Okay," Natasha chirps, before holding her hand out to you. "Care to da-"
"No," Bucky sternly cuts her off, before softening his tone and placing his hand on the small of her back. "You just look so beautiful tonight, Tasha. Give me a dance, gorgeous."
She rolls her eyes, knowing exactly what he's trying to do, but plays along anyway. "Alright, Barnes."
The two of them waltz away, leaving you and Steve to stand there in each other's silence. He looks you up and down, before rubbing the back of his neck and smiling sheepishly. "Wanna dance, bunny?"
Smiling back at him, you take hold of his outstretched hand. "I'd love to, Stevie."
The second you start to dance, the opening tune to a familiar song plays, making you gasp. "There's a calm surrender, to the wild outdoors..." The singer falls into the lyrics and you clutch onto Steve's shoulders.
"It's our song," You whisper, your eyes burning into his. "From Lion King."
He lets out a surprised laugh, his heart racing. "So it is, bun."
Bucky smiles to himself. His plan worked.
"And can you feel the love tonight?" The singer belts, tugging at your heart strings. "It is where we are."
"Bunny?" Steve begins, throwing all caution to the wind and preparing to take a risk. "I want you back."
His words sent a sting to your heart. You should be happy, but all you feel is guilt, causing your admission to fall out. "I kissed Jamie."
Steve is confused, but laughs it off. "Who hasn't kissed Buck?"
Your hands shake and you grip his shoulders harder as you prepare for him to hate you. "No, Stevie, I mean recently. The day Beryl got arrested," You tell him, your voice wavering. "I'm so sorry. It was all me; he pulled away and-"
"Tensions were high that night," Steve cuts you off calmly. "Everyone was on edge." Truthfully, he's overjoyed. You kissed Bucky? This proves what he's known all along.
"What the fuck?" You scoff, offended that he's so okay with it. "Have you been kissing other girls because you're on edge?"
"No," He insists with a chuckle, holding you closer. "But... I mean, while we're coming clean about things... I think- no, I know that... I'm bisexual."
You're taken aback by his declaration, but something about it makes perfect sense to you. "Oh," You mumble, not really sure what else you can say.
"Does that..." He trails off, his voice getting smaller. "Does that change things?"
"Steven, no," You promise, cupping his face in your hands. "In fact, I kinda had a little inkling."
That surprises him. "What?"
A small smile graces your lips as you giggle. "You were always a liiiiittle too eager to accompany Jamie to gay bars."
Steve scoffs, "I'm- I'm just protective over him."
You hum, nodding. "Me too."
He notices the look in your eyes, and wonders whether you're ready to confront the truth. "Do you have feelings for him?"
Your heart skips a beat and you're utterly terrified. "No," You say instantly, though you aren't sure whether you even believe yourself. "No, no, no. Steve, I- it's like you said... everyone was tense, and on edge. It was a crazy night. Might have even been a full moon, you know? Crazy things happen on full moons." You can't admit to Steve that you feel your heart being pulled towards Bucky. That would mean losing Steve, and you wouldn't survive that.
"Okay," Steve utters, swaying you gently. "Well, my statement still stands."
"What statement?" You ask him, tilting your head.
"I want you back."
His words are bittersweet. On one hand, you wanted nothing more than to hear them. On the other, there's a small voice in your head telling you that you've made this mistake before. Who the fuck are you to think that you could replace Peggy?
But damn, does it feel good to be wanted by Steve.
"Okay," You breathe out. "I would like that. But Steve, listen to me: we're not gonna rush into anything. I don't expect anything from you. All I ask is that you're happy and comfortable. Knowing that you love me is more than enough, and maybe one day, you won't feel guilty anymore." A shaky breath leaves your mouth as you clutch him tighter, telling him everything you've been wanting to say for so long. "You know me, Steve. I don't want or need the big fancy wedding, or the kids, or the white picket fence. That was the life you had planned with Peggy. Not me. I'm in no rush, nor do I have any expectations. All I want, all I'll ever want, is to make you happy."
The combination of your words and the live cover of Can You Feel The Love Tonight has Steve's heart pounding harder than ever before. With a sniffle, his grip on your hips tighten. "Are you an angel?"
A melodic laugh leaves your mouth and you nod, doing your best not to cry. "Yeah. Yours," You promise, smiling up at him. "She knew all the trouble you'd get into so she sent me to look after you."
His throat tightens and he feels a pull to you; like a moth to the light. "I know you said we should take it slow, but I really wanna fucking kiss you right now, bunny baby."
Without wasting another second, you bring your lips to his in a sweet kiss, getting what you've been craving for so long. He holds you in his arms as though letting go would kill him, clinging to you in the way his arms have been missing.
He pulls away but keeps his face close, his forehead resting against yours. "Thank you for understanding."
"Of course," You reply with a whisper. "I'm your best friend."
Bucky left Natasha on the dancefloor a while back. He's happy that you and Steve seemed to have rekindled your relationship. He really is. He has also had a lot to drink. Like, a fuck ton.
He thinks he was kissing Joseph Judd earlier, but he isn't sure. All he knows is that Carly Dunham is looking fucking sexy in that dress, and she looks the complete opposite of you. Fuck it.
"Get over here, Dunham," Bucky slurs, coaxing her over to the side. "Wanna make out?"
She glances around, decides there's no better option, and goes with it. A few minutes into their drunken, sloppy kiss, Bucky is pulled back.
"What the fuck, Bucky?" Joseph scolds him. "I go to get you a drink and you're all over this slut by the time I'm back?"
"Hey!" Carly yells, glaring at him. "I'm not a slut, you slut."
"Calm down," Bucky says, holding his hands in surrender as a lazy grin blooms on his lips. "I guess I'm just, hic, in love with fucking everyone these days."
"And to think I was gonna go home with you," Joseph grumbles with disgust, rolling his eyes.
Something in him flips. "Don't you fucking call me that," He seethes, pointing a finger at her before taking a few steps back. "I can take anyone I fucking want home. Anyone at this shitty ball. Everyone and their fucking mothers!"
Bucky's ranting thoughtlessly, without a care for who hears him. Bucky's arrogant, flippant, and entitled. But Bucky knows he's going home alone tonight.
hi! i no longer use a taglist, but if you follow @kinanabinksupdates and turn on notifications, you'll know when i post! 🥰
A connection intense in nature, yet forbidden by name. Two souls unknowingly falling, despite the rules placed on them.
Why must we want that which we can't have? Why is the forbidden so attractive?
A madness most discreet, fated to destroy everything it touches.
Series Warning: Frat!Bucky x Reader, forbidden romance, friends with benefits to lovers, angst, fluff, smut, betrayal.
PROLOGUE
Wanda Maximoff is infuriated beyond belief, and it shows in the way she's storming through campus.
The other students know to move out of her way, the crowd parting like the Red Sea. Instead of Moses' staff, Wanda's clutching a flyer in her fist, the red paper crumpling under her tight grip and almost the same shade as her flushed cheeks.
She spots her sorority sisters sitting in their usual place; the paved circle of stone that resides in the middle of the grass right in front of the Medical Sciences building. They're on the ground discussing how their first lectures of final year had gone, and their predictions and hopes for the rest of the academic year.
"I want to have as much fun as possible," Natasha states, her legs outstretched in front of her. "And by fun, I mean sex."
"I'm cutting myself off," Sharon groaned, rubbing her forehead. "I almost failed my exams last year. This year, I'm taking on the role of nerdy recluse; all the guys want her, but nobody comes before her studies."
You snort at her dramatics before letting out a sigh. "I think I'm just gonna go with the flow this year. Take each day as it comes. No plans; just life."
Natasha and Sharon share an odd look before shrugging. "Sounds good, Y/N," Nat says with an unconvinced tone, before her eyes land on Wanda who is storming over with murder in her eyes. She spots the flyer in Wanda's hand and groans. "Oh, no. Looks like we have a code red."
"What the fuck?" Wanda yells before she even arrives, gaining the attention of the three girls. When she reaches them, Wanda throws the flyer down onto the ground, causing them all to peer forward and read the scrunched up letters.
"Seriously?" Sharon asks, her eyes narrowing. "Dolores gave the Winter Ball to Phi Alpha?"
"Just what the actual fuck do those idiots know about throwing a ball?" Wanda seethes, her hands on her hips. "We get the Winter Ball every single year. What changed?"
Ever the mediator, Natasha looks up at Wanda, squinting when the sun hits her eyes. "On the bright side, this means we're likely getting the Halloween party."
Her words excite you as you sit up. "Finally! I've been waiting for us to get Halloween since freshman year!"
"Who gives a fuck about Halloween?" Wanda asks with wild eyes. "The Winter Ball is our biggest fundraiser. This is gonna put Phi Alpha hundreds of dollars ahead of us."
"Wan, you said it yourself: the guys know nothing about throwing a ball," Sharon tells her, pulling on Wanda's hand and making her sit down in between her and Nat before continuing. "It's gonna be a bust, they'll make hardly any money, and we'll still be ahead of them."
"And our Halloween party is gonna be incredible," You promised, your mind already flowing with numerous ideas. "Better than the shitty ones Phi Alpha have thrown."
Wanda calms down a little, but the frustration is still clear on her features.
"The bake sale's next week; if we make more than them and we do amazingly on Halloween, which we will, we'll still be ahead of them on the leaderboard," Natasha explains brightly. "We've still got this, Wan. I promise you, we're winning this year."
The competition between Phi Alpha and Phi Delta has burned for decades. Each academic year since Clear Lake University was founded, the frat houses compete with the sorority houses to see who can raise the most money for charity. It started off innocently, as friendly competition, but over the years, the prestige of the winner grew. It became more important to win, for honor and pride. Over time, it became clear that Phi Alpha and Phi Delta were always at the forefront, and they became the unofficial faces of the competition. Phi Alpha as the face of all the fraternities, and Phi Delta as the face of the sororities.
The two societies are incredibly difficult to get into. Everyone who applies to CLU hopes to be accepted into them, and most of them are left disappointed.
Wanda has an especially strong tie to the competition.
Her mother, grandmother and great grandmother all came to CLU and were in PD, and their sorority won each time they graduated. Wanda is all the more stressed out this year seeing as it's your last one, and losing to PA would mean her family's tradition would be broken.
Seeing as you've consistently lost to Phi Alpha for the past three years, tensions are high and Wanda is on edge.
While Sharon helps her take some deep breaths, two sophomores from your sorority approach you, giddy smiles on their face. Daisy is staring down at her phone while Jemma greets you all with a smile and a wave before they both sit down to your left.
"Have you seen Hill's latest post?" Daisy asks, finally looking up from her phone. "Grant glowed up over summer, not gonna lie." She shows you all her screen which is on Maria Hill's recent article about the party that Phi Alpha threw last night to celebrate the start of the college year.
Sharon snorts and raises an eyebrow at her. "You can't say that; he's the enemy."
Daisy shrugs nonchalantly. "I'm allowed to have an opinion, aren't I?"
"It better stay an opinion," Wanda warns her with narrowed eyes, her hands clenching into fists.
"Phi Alphas are off-limits, I know," Daisy assures, putting her phone away and holding up her hands in surrender. "I'm just appreciating a good looking boy, is that so bad?"
"Speaking of good-looking," Jemma begins with a coy smile. "How about that Steve? My God, he is so gorgeous-"
"He has a girlfriend, though," Sharon cuts her off with a frown, "And Peggy's like, my third cousin twice removed; let's respect her relationship."
"You know who's single though, so we can fawn over him with no guilt?" Natasha asks, a smirk growing on her lips. "Sam Wilson."
"Fucking Sam Wilson!" Daisy exclaimed, throwing her head back and grinning. "How is he allowed to be that good looking?"
You shake your head at their excitement, but laugh along nonetheless. Wanda remains silent with annoyance, her eyebrows furrowing.
"You guys are ignoring the hottest one," Sharon says as she leans back on her palms, the sun bouncing off her skin. "The leader of the damn pack."
"Bucky Barnes!" Daisy, Nat and Jemma all chorus in response with a swoon before bursting into laughter.
"Okay, he is very good looking, I have to admit," You say, pointing at Sharon with a nod.
"All of you, shut up," Wanda grunts, definitely not amused. "They're our enemies. How can you sit there gushing over them?"
"It isn't gonna lead to anything more, don't worry," Daisy affirms. "If it was, I would've slept with Grant last year."
"Yeah, you know we would never compromise the competition," Sharon promises, squeezing Wanda into a hug. "Phi Delta forever."
"Yeah, fuck the Phi Alphas!" Jemma exclaims before her eyes widen. "But not literally, though."
Just then, your phone vibrates with a notification. You unlock it to see a text, and angle your phone so that Daisy can't see the screen.
Candy Crush
We miss you! Have a free booster the next time you play.
You type your cryptic response before sending it.
Gold Seal Hotel
Our Golden Penthouse has become available for tonight, book now for a discount.
Waiting a few moments for him to respond, you jump slightly when your phone vibrates and open it right away.
Candy Crush
Connect your account to Snapchat.
When you open Snapchat, you see a picture message from 'B'. You click on it to see Bucky Barnes' smug face, captioned, 'usual spot at 9?'
You slyly take a semi-decent selfie and caption it, 'sure. still have those condoms?', before hitting send.
PART ONE 》》
hi! i no longer have a taglist, but if you follow @kinanabinksupdates and turn on notifications, you'll know when i post :]
likes, comments and reblogs are always much appreciated <3
Arguments; some real, some pretend. And an insight to Beryl’s motivations.
Content Warning: angst, arguing, yelling, some physical violence, mention of blood, mentions the death of a sibling, threat, mature and dark themes.
not a lot of y/n in this part but i hope it's still enjoyable 🥺
🎥
You storm out of Steve's room and into the living area, your hands clenching into fists at your side as your eyes narrow.
"Yeah, that's right!" Steve yells from behind you, following you in. "Run away, like fucking always!"
"I cannot believe I wasted so much time on you!" You scream, kicking the couch for good measure.
The others look on in shock, watching your blow-out like it's a soap opera.
"Oh, you can't believe it?" Steve retorts with a raised brow. "I can't believe I ever thought you were anywhere near good enough for me!"
"I'm way too good for you, Rogers! And come to think of it, way too hot for you, too!" You shout at him, admittedly having a lot of fun with taking your anger out on him. With a huff, you glance over at Sam and Bucky who are sitting at the breakfast counter with baffled looks on their face. While Beryl can't see your face, you shoot them a quick wink, causing them both to sigh in relief.
"Please," Steve says bitterly, glaring at you. "I think we all know who's out of whose league here."
"We do?" You ask, before turning to the others. "What do you guys think, huh?"
The four of them give you blank looks. Alina's doing her best not to laugh, while Sam and Bucky are terrified that you're going to genuinely want them to answer that question later (and there's no way they're not gonna admit that Steve Rogers is out of everyone's league), and Beryl is speechless at how her day has gone so far- but seeing Steve all hot and bothered (and yelling at you) is admittedly helping with her stress.
"No comment," Sam says lowly, averting his gaze.
"I personally think you're both gorgeous," Alina says, holding up her hand. "Dream threesome, for sure."
"I personally think you both need to calm down," Bucky says, walking over. "I mean, what's going on guys? Why are you fighting?"
"Can you blame me?" Steve asks him. "This bitch is insufferable."
You gasp, almost forgetting that he's acting for a second before letting go of your surprise. Glancing at Bucky, you slide three fingers up against your cheek, secretly letting him know that it's time to skip to Phase 3.
"Honestly?" Bucky begins, moving to stand next to Steve. "I've been thinking the same thing recently."
"Fuck you, Bucky," You say with narrow eyes. "What's your problem? Still crying over Mommy?" It hurts you to say it, but Bucky assured you beforehand that nothing is off limits.
"What the hell, Y/N?" Sam asks, slowly walking over with narrowing eyes. "Did you really just say that to him?"
Acting insulted, Bucky glares at you. "This is exactly what makes you such a bitch. Sam warned us not to get too close to you in freshman year. Should've fucking listened."
"Yeah," Sam repeats, his voice faltering a little as he tries to add onto the improv. "Told you guys. Damn. Should've listened to me." It's clear to see why he typically stays behind the camera.
"If that's really how you all feel, then why didn't you just say something earlier?" You ask angrily. "Why waste all of our time?"
"You really wanna know?" Bucky asks, stepping forward. "It's because we didn't want you to take Bee with you."
Beryl's shocked at his revelation. What?
"Yeah," Steve agrees. "We knew you'd pull some bullshit about how you found her first and you introduced her to us, and we didn't want you poisoning her against us or taking her away."
"Because she's our best friend," Sam says sternly, and you can tell it's hard for him to be so horrible to you. Steve and Bucky, on the other hand, seem to be having the time of their fucking lives.
Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, Beryl giggles inaudibly, her cheeks heating up. She's never been so celebrated before, and it feels good. She can't believe the thing she's wanted most is finally here: they hate you and love her. The only thing left for her to sort out is the Alina-shaped problem sitting to her right.
"Fuck this," You hiss, storming over to the door. "I'm leaving!"
"Good!" The three boys chorus as you stomp out, slamming the door shut behind you.
They're left in silence once you're gone, though it doesn't last long.
"Well," Alina begins, raising her brows. "That was... a lot."
"Good riddance, am I right?" Bucky scoffs, shaking his head.
"You are right, hon," Steve agrees, patting his shoulder.
Sam nods, but decides not to say anything in case his acting skills (or lack thereof) foil the plan.
Taking a few steps forward, Beryl gives the boys a sweet smile. "Thank you guys so much. I didn't think you'd realize Y/N's true colors after being friends with her for so long."
"What do you mean?" Steve asks curiously. "True colors?"
"You know; like how toxic she is," Beryl explains with a sheepish look. "She always had a way of putting me down and manipulating me. I'm so grateful you guys noticed what a bitch she really is."
Bucky almost lunges forward and socks her straight in the jaw, but the second his body stiffens, Steve grabs his forearm and places his free hand on Bucky's back, rubbing soothing circles to calm him down.
Slowly, Alina moves closer to Beryl, lowering her voice. "Should we go somewhere to... talk?"
Beryl pales, her heart thudding in her chest. Realizing that talking to Alina alone will give her the best chance to nip whatever revenge plan she has in the bud, she decides to go along with it. With a nod, she follows Alina out, while telling the guys they're off to do something girly.
The second Bucky's bedroom door closes behind Beryl, she glares at Alina. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Alina gives her a smirk. "I'm gonna cut to the chase: I'm here to ruin everything you've built for yourself," She admits coldly. "Destroy your life, like you did mine."
Feeling her blood run cold, Beryl instinctively takes a step backwards. "You have no idea what I did to get where I am," She tells Alina, her hands shaking. "I'm capable of much more than I used to be. I took you down once; I can do it again."
Snorting, Alina shakes her head, in disbelief that Beryl can be so arrogant. "Do you think I'm scared of you?" Alina asks with narrow eyes. "You have nothing on me."
Beryl knows she can't back down. Not right now. There's too much at stake, and she'll be damned if all her hard work goes to waste. "I'll find something," She warns Alina. "You've always been far from perfect. It won't take much to find some skeletons in your closet."
The room is filled with tense air, making it hard to breathe. But Alina keeps her smug smile up. "If you say so, Bibi."
Flinching at the nickname, Beryl clenches her hands into fists. "So what was your big plan, huh? Come up here and steal my friends? Sleep with Bucky?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Alina teases with a wink.
Beryl storms over to her and grabs her by the arm. "It would take less than a minute for me to convince Bucky that you're no good. The idiot wouldn't doubt me for a second."
Alina winces, "That's not a nice way to talk about your friends, Bibi."
Rolling her eyes, Beryl lets go of Alina's arm with a huff.
"But," Alina begins with a quirked brow. "They aren't your friends, are they?"
A silence fills the room and the girls stare at each other, sheer hatred in each of their eyes.
"Which of them are you after?" Alina asks. "Sam? No... that would be too easy. You wouldn't be so on edge if you had already gotten what you wanted," She ponders aloud. "Bucky, the idiot? No... he'd make much too easy a prey for your predatory ways." Alina's eyes light up and she claps her hands together. "Got it! Heartbroken Steve."
Beryl grits her teeth together, hoping she'll wake up from this nightmare.
"He's the one you want, isn't he?" Alina questioned her with sadistic delight. "I see the resemblance between him and John." She wanders around Bucky's room, running her fingers over his small collection of snow globes. "You swooped into that girl's life and stole her man. Just like you tried with me."
"I didn't just try," Beryl hisses with rage. "I succeeded. I ran you out of town like the Pied fucking Piper running out those rats."
Laughing, Alina shakes her head. "If you think you're the Pied Piper in this situation, you're wrong." Walking over to her, she lowers her voice to a whisper, tucking a piece of Beryl's hair behind her ear. "You're a rat, Bibi. And I'm here to run you out."
Looking up at her, Beryl swallows, narrowing her eyes.
"I shouldn't have given up as easily as I did back in high school," Alina admits lowly. "But I sure as fuck am not giving up this time."
Swallowing her fear, Beryl shoots Alina a glare. "Whatever. All you're giving is empty threats."
Before Alina can retort, Beryl storms out of the room.
Meanwhile, the three boys are standing in the living area, the stress clear on their faces.
"Understand, Steve?" Sam asks the blonde with a stern look.
Steve looks up at him and nods fervently. "Yeah. I can do this. It'll be fine."
Comfortingly, Bucky rubs his back. "This is gonna work. And once it's over, everything will go back to normal."
Everything will go back to normal. But Steve doesn't know if he wants normal back. "Everything?" He asks nimbly, meeting Bucky's soft eyes.
Bucky's movements still, his hand cupping Steve's shoulder as the two share unspoken meaning with just a look. What is normal? Back to being best friends again? Sitting on their feelings like they've done since they were kids?
"I don't know," Bucky whispers, wondering if Steve is thinking the same thing as him. "I- I don't know, Steve. Whatever you want, I'll make it- I'll make it for us."
Feeling his heart jolt, Steve takes in a breath. Now, what the fuck does Bucky mean by that?
Bucky doesn't know himself. All he knows is that he wants Steve to be happy.
Sensing the tension, Sam clears his throat. "Uh... anyway-"
Before he can continue, Beryl storms into the room, and the three boys immediately straighten up. Alina follows soon after her, giving the boys a nod before they hear a knock at the door. Steve takes a step towards it, wondering who it might be, but it opens before he gets a chance to grab the handle.
In walks Kayla, taking everyone by surprise. This is not part of the plan.
"Hey, guys," She says with a smile, before it slowly drops when she sees them all staring back at her blankly. "Uh... everything okay?"
Sam steps forward, his heart racing. God, she looks fucking beautiful. "Hey, Mik. What's going on?"
Kayla meets his eyes and smiles, wanting nothing more than to jump into his arms - but alas, there are a little too many people around for that. "Is Y/N here?" She asks, tilting her head. "She mentioned she was coming over."
"Y/N's not here anymore," Beryl interjects, with narrow eyes. "She left once we all realized what a bitch she really is."
With wide eyes, Kayla lets out a scoff. "Excuse me?" She looks over to the boys, raising a brow. "Did you guys not just fucking hear that?"
They say nothing, each of them wanting the ground to swallow them whole.
"Bucky?" Kayla presses, an incredulous look on her face. "You're gonna let her get away with talking about Y/N like that?"
He looks down, unable to meet her eyes.
"Steve?" She emphasizes, shaking her head. "Why aren't you saying anything, I- you're supposed to fucking love her. What, you dump her and that's it? You don't have any feelings for her anymore?"
Wincing, Steve rubs his cheek, wishing you had let Kayla in on the damn plan.
Utterly baffled, Kayla turns to the one man she hopes to God she can rely on. "Sam? What about you?" She asks, her voice small.
He sighs, before holding out his hand. "Come with me, Mikayla, I can explain-"
"No!" She cuts him off impatiently. "No, Sam, you tell me right here, right now. Beryl called Y/N a bitch and you just fucking stand there?"
"Because he agrees," Beryl chimes in with a smirk.
Kayla staggers backwards, shaking her head. "Sam, is that true?"
He looks up and meets her eyes, hating this situation. He doesn't think he's ever felt more uncomfortable, but he can't ruin the plan. "Yeah."
With parted lips and a horrified look on her face, Kayla feels her stomach drop and her heart break. "You know something?" She begins, glaring at Sam. "I came here to tell you that I love you. But if you honestly think that about Y/N, then you are not the man I thought I knew."
A silence falls in the apartment. Steve and Bucky share a wide-eyed look. Beryl rolls her eyes. Alina feels incredibly out of place. And Sam is frozen in shock.
"What?" He whispers, his heart skipping all the beats.
Kayla's glare lands on Alina. "And who the fuck are you?"
Raising a brow, she takes a step back. "Alina."
"What the fuck?" Kayla mutters, her confusion and anger mixing into one ball of frustration. She turns back to the guys, throwing up her hands. "What the fuck, guys?" And then, finally, she looks at Beryl, a dry laugh leaving her mouth. "You. You did this."
Beryl sighs, "I don't know what you're talking about-"
"Fuck you!" Kayla yells before charging over to her and punching her straight in the nose.
"Shit," Bucky whispers, rushing over with Sam and holding Kayla back from continuing her assault. Steve stands back, biting his lip to hold back his smile. He always did like Kayla.
Alina bent down to where Beryl writhed on the ground, clutching her bloody nose. "Are you okay?"
"Fuck off!" Beryl hisses, making Steve frown.
"Hey now, Bibi, no need to be angry at Alina," He scolds her with a patronizing tone.
"Mikayla, trust me," Sam whispers into her ear. "This will all make sense-"
"Fuck you all," Kayla cuts him off bitterly, pulling herself out of his and Bucky's grip with a glare. "I'm gonna go find Y/N. You know, your supposed best friend? The girl who has constantly been there for every single one of you, and helps out with your fucking class projects whenever you ask, and loves you all to death and you just fucking threw her out? Fuck you all."
With that, she storms out, slamming the door shut behind her. Sam feels his heart clench, and Bucky pats his back comfortingly. "It's alright, Sammy. You can explain it all to her when it's over. Hey- she loves you."
A small smile blossoms on Sam's lips as he looks up at Bucky. "She loves me."
"That's right," Bucky mumbles excitedly, cupping Sam's face. "So let's get through this bullshit and then you can go get your girl."
"Yeah," Sam agrees with a nod. "Let's fucking do this."
Steve's currently helping Beryl wipe the blood off her face, but some of it has already dried up on her chin, making her look like a vampire who just fed.
"I can't believe she hit me," She mumbles with a pout, making Steve grimace.
"Me neither," He utters, throwing away the red-stained tissues.
"Alright," Alina claps her hand together, sick of how long this is taking. "Beryl, come with me."
She narrows her eyes. "Why?"
Steve gives Alina a cautionary look, but she ignores him. "We need to clean you up properly."
"Good idea," Bucky says, walking over. "Meanwhile, the three of us should go, uh... pick up some food."
Sam nods robotically. "Yes. Good idea."
Beryl feels slightly concerned at the thought of being alone with Alina, so she takes a step forward. "Why- why do all three of you need to go?"
They share a look, and Steve clears his throat. "Uh, we're getting a lot of food. I haven't eaten all day."
"You girls have fun, now," Bucky calls out, pulling Sam and Steve to the door before Beryl gets another chance to stop them. She huffs as they leave, locking the door behind them.
Once they're outside, they all let out a breath of relief, their eyes wide.
"Holy fuck," Steve breathes out, rubbing his face while they rush down the stairs.
Taking out his phone, Bucky immediately goes to his contacts list, finding your name under 'Favorites'. You pick up once they leave the building, the evening sun warming their skin.
"Hello?" You greet cautiously from where you sit in the bar.
"Dummy, hey," Bucky says with a sigh. "We're out. Alina's alone with her."
"Good," You reply with relief. "How'd it go?"
"Bad," He answers with a wince.
Sam rubs his face, and you hear him yell a muffled, "That was horrible!"
"Kayla showed up," Bucky reveals, making your eyes widen.
"Fuck. What?" Your heart is racing. "What happened?"
"It's alright; Beryl didn't suspect anything," Bucky says. "But Kayla was pissed at us."
Steve says silent while Sam and Bucky update you. He can hear your voice through the phone, and that's enough for him.
"Where are you?" Sam asks, pressing his cheek to Bucky's while attempting to hear you better.
"Goblin's," You answer, looking around the bar. "Come meet me?"
Meanwhile, Beryl and Alina are alone in the apartment, though it isn't obvious which of them is more nervous about that fact.
"Leave now, and I'll take 'ruin Alina's life again' off my to-do list," Beryl seethes, glaring at her while wiping off the remnants of blood from her chin and neck.
Alina lets out a dry chuckle, masking her fear. "You came and set off a bomb in Y/N's life, just like you did to mine. But I won't let you get away with it. Not again."
"Save it," Beryl snorts. "Those boys trust me more than they trust each other. There is nothing you could say to them to get them on your side."
Nonchalantly, Alina presses the 'on' button on the tape recorder in her pocket. "You know, Bibi, I have to hand it to you: you are damn good at getting what you want," She says, feigning defeat. "Just tell me - how the fuck did you do it?"
Beryl smirks. Something inside her lights up - she put so much time and effort into stealing your life, and now she can finally gloat about it to someone who she can easily get rid of later. Holding it all inside has been painful for someone as arrogant as her.
Taking a seat on the arm of the couch, Beryl zones out as she stares down at the ground. "Growing up, I was always a good observer. I'd watch other people. I'd watch the kids around me all make friends with each other." Her jaw clenches, "I'd watch my parents fawn over my little sister while ignoring me."
Alina winces at the mention of Grace. She died when she was just 9 years old, a few days after Beryl's 15th birthday. It rocked the whole family; Alina recalls all the nights Beryl would spend at her house because being at home had become too hard.
"Must've been difficult, losing your baby sister," Alina comments, folding her arms across her chest.
"I don't give a fuck about that," Beryl spits, looking up at her. "They favored her, always. Even after she died, they still favored her. They stopped celebrating my birthday because it was too close to her death anniversary. Do you know how fucking shitty that feels, constantly being pushed aside? For your parents to love a dead little girl more than they love you?"
Wincing, Alina takes a step back, feeling uncomfortable.
"That's besides my point," Beryl huffs. "I spent my whole life on the sidelines. Watching my sister get the parental love I yearned for. And then, watching you get all the attention of our peers. The attention of the boys I liked."
"You never told me how you felt about John," Alina says gravely. "If you had just said something, I would've backed off-"
"And he would've fought for you!" She screams, standing up. "He still would've chosen you! Because everyone always chooses her. The other girl. It's never me."
Admittedly, Alina is beginning to feel bad for Beryl. But she's still a crazy bitch.
"And I got sick of it," Beryl admits. "Like any sane person would, I got sick of being overlooked. Of constantly placing second in a race where I had no fucking legs. So I tried to change it. I thought... I thought telling John you cheated on him would make him realize that I was better suited to him." She takes in a deep breath, her fingers shaking. "I thought he'd realize you were just another whore, like the rest of them."
"Oh, fuck you," Alina mutters, glaring at her.
Beryl is unfazed, still lost in her story. "It didn't work. He still didn't see me, after all that. And then I came to college, and I really, really thought things would be different. That in a new city, with new people, I'd finally find myself and people would finally see me."
With a sigh, Alina takes a step towards her. "If you had just been yourself-"
"Don't give me that bullshit!" Beryl yells with malice in her eyes. "I was myself, and nobody wanted me. No guys wanted to date me, no girls wanted to befriend me. And then I saw Y/N."
Alina sits on the armchair, her head aching with the intensity of this situation.
A whisper of a smile grows on Beryl's lips. "I saw her, with her perfect life. Her perfect friends. The boys. I saw the way Sam would be protective over her - she never even noticed the amount of guys he had to give the look to behind her back to make them back off. I saw the way Bucky depended on her as if her attention was his life source. He'd look at her like she was his god. At the start of freshman year, I thought he was constantly depressed, but then I saw the way he lit up around her. Like she provided him with his own personal sunlight. And I saw Steve," Beryl sighs, her heart clenching. "I fell in love with Steve the first time I saw him in class. He was the first person who was ever kind to me. I dropped my notebook, and he picked it up for me and when he handed it to me- oh, his eyes. The way he looked up at me..."
Feeling uneasy, Alina pulls a face, realizing just how deranged her ex-best friend really is.
"I knew he felt it too," Beryl whispers. "Our connection. But then, he walked away. After that day, she dug her nails into him. His precious fucking bunny. I saw the way he'd flirt with her and she'd turn him down- like, what the fuck? She'd brush off his compliments as though they were dirt on her fucking shoulder. Y/N didn't deserve him. She didn't deserve the way he'd endlessly praise her, and wrap his arm around her neck in the library, and fight any guy who tried touching her at parties-"
"And you did?" Alina asks with a raised brow.
"I did," Beryl states coldly. "After everything I've been through, yes, I did fucking deserve that. So I took it." She rolls her eyes and waves her hand, "Y/N will be fine. She'll make new friends. She's pretty, I guess, and likeable for some reason."
"But how?" Alina presses. "How did you manage to eject Y/N from her own life in less than two months?"
An arrogant smirk grows on Beryl's face. "In an alternate universe, you'd be proud of me."
"Go on," Alina urges, keeping her eyes locked on Beryl's. "How'd you do it? How'd you win it all so fast?"
Beryl sits on the couch, relaxing. "At first, it wasn't my goal to kick her out. I just wanted to find a place in their friendship group and on Steve's arm. I assumed Y/N and Bucky were into each other, so I didn't really have a problem with her. Until I noticed her feelings for Steve."
"Huh," Alina huffs, nodding. "Can't blame her. He's a stud."
"Watch your fucking mouth," Beryl says harshly, before her tone softens again. "When I noticed that Steve had some feelings for her, too, I knew what I had to do: get rid of her. So I did my best to plant a few seeds of doubt. Bucky was easy to fool, but they made up quickly. I tried a few other things that didn't take flight, either."
"Things like what?" Alina pushes.
"Uh, I don't know," Beryl shrugs. "Oh, yeah. There was this party in the Fullen Woods they were planning on going to, and I overheard Steve telling Sam that he was going to tell Y/N he loved her. I couldn't have that, so I slipped a little something into her water to make her sick."
Alina gasps, her eyes wide. "You're insane."
Beryl feeds off of Alina's shock; it makes her feel good. "And I dyed my hair to look like hers, and dressed like her, too. She was too sick to go the party, so she never saw me. But it ended up being a bust, anyway. I thought I could seduce Steve, but he was too concerned about the fact that she wasn't replying to his texts to notice me. Once again, I was overlooked."
Taking it all in, Alina realizes that she underestimated Beryl's derangement. Alina feels incredibly bad for you; for everything that Beryl has put you through.
"Wanna know something else?" Beryl asks excitedly, like a child counting their birthday gifts. "I could tell that Y/N was catching on to what I was doing, and I was worried that she'd talk to the guys about it. So I pretend to get mugged to buy myself some time. Roughed myself up. It worked like a charm; Steve even offered up his bed!"
Alina feels sick to her stomach.
"I really thought that was gonna be the night," Beryl says with a dreamy tone. "I really thought he'd decide to sleep in the bed with me. That he'd touch me, hold me. See me. But no. Just like always, I was pushed to the side, even in my hour of need."
"And then?" Alina asks, fully invested at this point.
A sadistic glint shines in Beryl's eyes. "Then I found something. A sore spot. They had been dancing around it for a while; all I did was shed some light onto it."
"Sore spot?" Alina repeats with a frown. "What are you talking about?"
Beryl leans forward and smirks. "Peggy. Steve's dead girlfriend. At first, I thought he was over it, but it quickly became obvious that he was feeling a little guilt for moving on. All I did was open up the box. It was always there in the back of his mind. He should be grateful that I showed him his truth; that I helped him realize his feelings."
"And now what?" Alina asks dryly. "You help him get over Peggy and he realizes he belongs with you?"
A grin grows on Beryl's face. "Exactly."
"Bibi, I need you to know that what you did was not right," Alina says gravely, standing up. "Yes, you've been treated horribly by some people, including your parents, and losing your sister at such a young age couldn't have been easy - but none of that justifies what you did to these people. And they are good people, Bibi. They did not deserve you messing up their friendships and their lives like this."
"Spare me the heroic speech," Beryl says with a wave of hand, rolling her eyes. "I don't care who I hurt to get what I want. I deserve to be happy. However many hearts I break in the process, none of them will ever feel the pain that I have had to endure in my life."
"Oh, please," Alina scoffs bitterly. "First-born syndrome and a few crushes that didn't like you back do not make the dramatic villain origin story you think they do."
"You wouldn't fucking understand!" Beryl screams, her face reddening as she stands up. "None of you perfect ones would ever understand! You're always chosen first, always doted on, always the ones that get the guy. You're the ones they want to flirt with. You're the ones they get protective over. You're the ones they fall in love with. And me? Us? The imperfect; the overlooked?" Beryl takes a few slow steps forward, her eyes cold and narrow. "We're pitied. Easily forgotten. Thrown out like unwanted leftovers. And for once in my life, I was able to be the perfect one. They loved me, they brought me into their friendship group, they accepted me-"
"And then you poisoned one of their best friends and tried to replace her," Alina cuts her off bluntly. "You cannot expect me to sympathize with you, Bibi. Your evil actions are not the way to balance your unfair life. You seriously hurt these people. You're not 'taking what you deserve'; you're perpetuating the cycle of cruelty and pain that you yourself claim is the reason for your brutality."
"I don't expect you to understand," Beryl utters calmly. "So I'm not going to bother arguing with you."
"Well, congratulations," Alina says flatly with a shrug. "You did it. You got what you wanted. Now what?"
"Now," Beryl begins, a darkness growing in her eyes. "I get rid of you."
"Get rid of me?" Alina snorts. "What are you gonna do; kill me?"
Her face is blank, her eyes devoid of any emotion. "Yes," Beryl confirms, taking another step towards her. "I'm going to kill you, just like I killed Grace." A smirk blossoms on her lips. "And then I'm gonna kill that bitch Y/N, too."