SEBASTIAN STAN As STEVE KEMP In FRESH (2022) Dir. Mimi Cave

SEBASTIAN STAN as STEVE KEMP in FRESH (2022) dir. Mimi Cave

SEBASTIAN STAN  as CLAY APUZZO in I’M DYING UP HERE (Pilot).

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SEBASTIAN STAN L'Officiel Russia | 2018 Ph. by Gavin Bond

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my dear starboy 🪐🤍

Sebastian Stan as Chris Beck in THE MARTIAN 2015 | dir. Ridley Scott

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Captain America: Civil War (2016)

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there’s nothing better than a enemies to lovers where he falls first and becomes possessive!!!! i loved this so muuuuch, it’s was so so good 😩

Crossing the Line

Summary: After your friends set you up on a blind date with your sworn enemy, you both drunkenly decide to mess with them by making a bet to see who can pretend to be a happy couple the longest.

Pairing: Beefy!Bucky x reader

Warnings: 18+ only, smut, unprotected possessive sex, beefy!bucky manhandling the reader a lot, mirror sex, fingering, light angst with a happy ending, fluff, swearing, Fifty Shades of Grey reference, alcohol, jealous!bucky, brief run-in with an "ex" with a wife, pet names, Bucky is kinda cocky, enemies to lovers, fake dating.

Word Count: 10.1k

Like, comment, and/or reblog to put a giant smile on my face ♡

“We shouldn't, right? It’d be too cruel,” Natasha asked warily. 

“Nat, they have so many things in common, and frankly I am tired of their bitter rivalry over every little thing. We can’t finish a game of Uno without things getting contentious. And god forbid that they end up on the opposite team for charades,” Sam said. “Would giving them a chance at meeting outside of our game nights be so bad?”

“No, but you know how they get when they’re left alone.”

“Bitter and argumentative, sure, but maybe there’s a hidden spark just waiting to ignite into a blazing passionate fire.”

Nat looked at Sam incredulously, “I think you’re doing this to get back at Barnes for flirting with your sister.” 

Sam smiled sheepishly, “Well why did you offer to set her up on the blind date to begin with? You were fully on board at one point.”

“I just feel like there is something there that they’re not seeing, and I have a strong sense that if given the chance, it could work out really well. Plus Bucky’s not a bad guy, and after the dates she’s been on — well I trust him at least a little bit.”

“And at the end of the day it will be a really funny story if it backfires,” Sam said cheekily. 

Nat sighed, a knowing smirk playing on her lips, “Yeah, can’t argue with that.” 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

You walked up to the doors of the restaurant with purpose. Your best friends Nat and Sam had set you up on a blind date, and while the thought of that was unnerving, you trusted their judgment. Blind dates were a fun way of meeting people, or so you told yourself, and at the very least you knew that the mystery man was vetted by reliable people, so it shouldn’t be too bad. 

With a deep breath you opened the door and walked towards the hostess. 

“Hello, do you have a reservation?” the cheery wide-eyed brunette asked. 

“I believe my date is already here. Is there a man in a blue shirt waiting for someone? I was told that’s what he would be wearing,” you said. 

“Yes, of course. He got in a few minutes ago, told me to expect a woman in a burgundy dress,” she said as she took in your attire. “Right this way,” she said gleefully before quickly grabbing a couple menus and walking you towards a candlelit corner booth. 

You couldn’t see the man given the angle of the booth, but the moment you arrived at the table you were filled with instant regret. 

“And here we are, your waiter will be right out in a second,” the jovial hostess said before giving you a sly wink and leaving you to be. 

You were met with familiar blue eyes that looked just as bewildered as yours. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You?!” you exclaimed at your annoying foe.

“I’ve got to be kidding? What the hell are you doing here?” 

You huffed out a breath before sliding into the seat across from Bucky. “Obviously this is some kind of punishment aimed at you for taking things too far last Saturday.”

He ran a hand through his hair, “When I play charades, I play to win, you know this.”

“I know, but did you have to nearly flip Sam’s coffee table?”

“This isn’t worth rehashing, what do we do, just go home?” he asked. 

“I’m hungry, and while I could go find something to eat elsewhere, we’re already here. Can you keep it together without any drama for a little while?” you asked sarcastically. 

“Only if you can,” he said with a raised brow. 

“Great, I’ll just need a lot of wine, but then I’ll be good to go.”

“Perfect, let’s get a bottle or two,” he said before flagging down a waiter. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

“Some prank huh?” you muttered after placing both your food and drink order because you had no intention of prolonging the night. 

“I know this is Sam’s way of getting back at me for something.”

“Yeah no doubt, but I’m not sure what I did to deserve this.”

“Right, because you’re perfect,” Bucky said drily. 

“Exactly.”

Bucky leaned back and looked at you with a tight smile. “So what do we do to get back at them? I don’t think they should get away with setting us up on a date that they knew wouldn’t work out.” 

“Whoa, I’m a damn delight, this could’ve worked out if you were anyone else.” 

Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why are you like this? I only agreed to this because Sam said this girl was unlike any I’d dated before. I didn’t think he’d mean it so literally.”

You furrowed your brows. “The hell is that supposed to mean?” 

He rolled his eyes, “Nothing bad, I just usually got along with my exes, at least for a while. You and I, on the other hand, have never gotten along.”

You nodded your head, “Yeah that’s true.” You paused for a minute as the waiter brought out your wine and poured it into your glasses, leaving behind the bottle.

After taking a few gulps, “Maybe you were right, I mean you pulled out an iron for that shirt, we can’t let them get away with this,” you said jokingly. 

“Thank you for noticing,” he said as he subconsciously ran his hands over his nicely pressed shirt. “So what are we thinking? We could TP their house,” he said before taking a big swig of his wine. 

You scoffed, “Bucky, how old are you?” 

“Well give us an idea, smartypants.”

You sighed, taking a moment to contemplate. Unfortunately, you realized every option would be juvenile. “Ugh I don’t know. Sadly, the mature thing to do would be to pretend like this didn’t affect us so that they don’t get the reaction they hoped for.” 

“That’s lame,” he said as your waiter brought out your food. 

“So is their prank,” you muttered before taking a bite of your pasta. 

The two of you ate in silence for a little bit because neither of you knew how to speak to each other companionably. It was always quips, retorts, and sarcastic remarks that fueled your conversations. 

After a beat, you asked, “Did you pick out the restaurant?” 

Bucky furrowed his brow, “Why, do you hate it?” 

Your eyes widened, “No, I actually really like it.” 

“Oh,” he chuckled in surprise. “I did, it’s my favorite spot for good Italian food.”

“Ah, well you’ve got decent taste — at least in food,” you said with a small smirk. 

He tugged at his bottom lip, trying to suppress a smile. “Do you want more wine?” 

“Yes please.”

Heat rose to your cheeks as the effects of the wine were finally making itself known. With one bottle down and another on the way, you felt a little more at ease in Bucky’s presence. 

“I don’t know why Nat would set me up with you, no offense — like she knows that I just got out of something a little messy.” 

Bucky’s eyes softened as he looked at you. “I know Sam is doing this to mess with me, but I can’t figure out what Nat’s thought process was in all of this. She’s usually so protective of you.”

“Yeah, I guess I’ll have to be more weary of her,” you said timidly. If you were completely sober you would shrug this off as a silly prank, but you weren’t and it was hard to process why your friend would mess with you in an area in which she knew you held many trust issues. 

Before you could ponder any further, the waiter reemerged, pouring more wine for the two of you. The two of you happily drank some more, not completely hating the date any longer. 

“You know what would be kind of funny?” Bucky mumbled more to himself. 

“Hmm?”

“If we pretended that this date was amazing and that we liked each other after it.” 

“Like liked each other?” you asked in surprise.

He let out a laugh, “Yes, like we felt a spark and decided to keep seeing each other.”

You giggled, “They’d never see that coming! But that would be hard to pull off.”

“I know,” Bucky blushed at the thought. 

“Regardless, you can’t seem to keep your cool around me when you’re sober, so it would never work.”

Bucky huffed out a breath, “Yeah that’s true, plus you despise me and start arguments for no reason whenever given the chance,” he shrugged.

You scoffed, “Right, I’m argumentative for absolutely no reason and you never upset me on purpose,” you muttered.

“That’s exactly right,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“I don’t know why you live to agitate me, I could totally keep it together and do it convincingly too.”

“Correction, you live to annoy me, and I know I could keep it together way better than you,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Wanna bet?” you blurted out. 

Bucky’s eyebrows raised, his interest was piqued. “Bet?”

“We do the pretend thing to mess with Nat and Sam — the first to back out loses.”

Bucky narrowed his eyes as he considered the proposition; it would be a good way to get back at Sam. And he would take that bet on principle just to prove you wrong and show you that you were the irrational one, but he knew something else was needed to make it more interesting. 

“What’s at stake? If we’re going to pretend to like each other in front of our friends it’s gotta be worthwhile.”

“Loser has to clean the winner’s place for a month.”

“Make it two months with laundry included and you’ve got yourself a deal. I could use the break.”

You snickered as you reached for your wine glass once more. “Yeah, and when I win you can enjoy the extra month of cleaning you’ll have to do at my place and yours.”

Bucky tilted his head, “Are we really doing this, or what?”

You extended your hand, “Two months of cleaning for whoever bails or starts drama first.”

He stretched out his hand, engulfing yours completely — and thus commenced the charade. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

You woke up feeling dehydrated and hungover; you needed a painkiller and a giant cup of water to quell the throbbing in your head. Begrudgingly getting up to retrieve that from your kitchen was a difficult endeavor, but it certainly helped you feel a bit better afterwards. Once your head felt a little less heavy you thought back to the bet you made with Bucky. Even though you were drunk then, it wasn’t difficult to remember every detail of the conversation now. 

In the light of day you started to feel uncertain about following through with it, and you wondered if Bucky was going to bring it up himself. You wouldn’t be mad if he didn’t, but as you put some bread in the toaster you felt your phone buzz in your pocket. 

Bucky: Hi sugarplum, honey pie…

Well shit, he remembered. There was no way you were going to back down now. 

Y/N: Workshopping nicknames are we?

Bucky: Duh. I’m in it to win it, muffin.

Y/N: Okay good for you, but why are you texting me? There’s no one around to see.

Bucky: Nat didn’t text you?

You were about to type that she had not, but your phone began to buzz at that moment. Speaking of the devil, it was Nat calling to likely see how her crappy set-up went. Before answering you reminded yourself that you didn’t want to be Bucky’s housekeeper. 

You soon found out that Sam had already spoken to Bucky and that Nat was checking to confirm if you really were good to grab coffee in an hour. She seemed genuinely excited to hear that things went well with Bucky, which confused you immensely. Nat even claimed that she knew something was there, but before you could ask her to elaborate on that she had to run. Before hanging up, you agreed to meet up with them. 

So much for coasting for a few days before having to play pretend.

Before you could grumble about it too much you remembered that you had to text Bucky back before getting ready. You pulled up your messages and quickly typed out your response. 

Y/N: Nat called, I guess I’ll be seeing you soon. 

Bucky: Right, I was going to ask if you wanted me to pick you up on my way. 

You couldn’t tell if he was being nice or whether he was trying to further prolong your suffering, but you had a feeling it was the latter. 

Y/N: Fine. 

Bucky: Cool, I’ll text you before I leave, babygirl :P

You rolled your eyes at your screen. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

Bucky pulled up to your place wearing a bright smile ten minutes before you were set to meet up with the other couple.

“What are you so happy about?” you asked as you buckled your seatbelt. 

“I’m just really looking forward to the upcoming two months of chore-free living, that’s all. Seeing you reminded me of what a great break I’m about to get.” 

You scoffed, “Wow, well I wouldn’t be too sure about that yet, Barnes.” 

“Barnes? No pet name for me, doll?” he asked cheekily. 

“I’ll think about it. Can we just save the talking for when we get to the coffee shop? I don’t even know why we’re doing this today.” 

“Steve and Sharon are out of town, so game night is pushed to tomorrow. Guess Sam and Nat still wanted to see us, and I think they’re also trying to confirm that we’re a thing.” 

“Well I am looking forward to messing with them about that,” you mumbled.

Bucky hummed in agreement, “Same, but let’s see how long you can hold out.” 

“All I know is it’ll be longer than you.”

Bucky scoffed as he turned a corner, “Right, just try not to fall in love with me while you’re at it.”

You snorted, “Shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Why’s that?” he asked with a self-assured smirk on his face. Bucky loved to mess with you, mainly because you were the only one that could keep up with him. 

You huffed a breath, “Because, I like my men a little less dick-ish.” 

“Ah, yes, that would be an issue then,” he said as he parked his car. After a second, he turned towards you with a smug smile, “But is too much dick, really that bad?” 

Groaning internally, you tried to rush out of the vehicle, ready for a moment away from him already. But Bucky was too quick, and he was there to help you out of the car once your door was open. You mumbled a thank you and moved to get across the street, but in your haste to get away, you tripped and stumbled onto the road. 

“Y/N!” Bucky shouted. He quickly grabbed your hand and tugged you back just as a cyclist zoomed past, barely missing you. 

All too fast, you heard a whiz of air and a shouting of expletives from the cyclist before you were roughly pulled against Bucky’s broad chest. “Shit!” you exclaimed, as you tried to recover your balance. 

“Are you alright?” Bucky asked as he placed his hands on your shoulders to steady you. He looked at you with concern, only now noticing the stunning hue of your eyes. He unconsciously brushed his thumb over your cheekbone, hoping to calm you, or perhaps himself as he took in your beauty.

Your heart raced as you stared into his sparkling blue eyes. And when you took a deep breath to calm yourself, you accidentally inhaled his warm cologne — like sandalwood and vanilla. Wow, did he always smell that good? 

Shaking your head and coming back to your senses, you finally found your voice. “This isn’t Fifty Shades of Grey. Thank you for saving me but I’m not going to gaze longingly into your eyes.” You only hoped that he wouldn’t bring up the fact that you had essentially done that already.

Bucky slowly released the grip he had on you, finally remembering where he was. “You sure? Could be good practice?” he said with a soft smirk on his lips. He was too mesmerized to call you out on that little moment, he was too caught up in you. 

You released a breath, before nodding your head. “I’m sure.” 

“Okay, well then it’s time to go put on a show. Is it alright if I hold your hand, for appearances of course?” Bucky didn’t tell you that he only wanted to make sure that you crossed the street safely. He was feeling unexpectedly protective over you after that adrenaline-inducing moment, and he was grateful when you wordlessly slipped your hand into his. 

As you crossed the street together, Bucky felt a weird sensation in his chest — and that worried him more than he cared to admit. 

Once you arrived in front of the coffee shop’s door, you both shared a knowing look. Plastering a fake smile on your face, you stepped inside as he held the door open for you. “Thank you, boo bear,” you said, looking back with a wink. 

Bucky looked at you in surprise. Oh, so she’s not going to make this easy on me.

┈┈┈┈┈・・

“So you guys really hit it off, huh?” Sam asked curiously as you curled up next to Bucky in the wooden booth. 

Sam’s narrowed eyes showed his disbelief, but Nat appeared smitten and excited for whatever response you were going to give. 

“We did, what can I say?” you said gleefully as you looked into Bucky’s eyes. He tried to contain a smile, but failed miserably. You were too good at this, and he knew he had to put in some work to keep up.

“It was strange,” Bucky chimed in. “It was like I saw her for the first time last night. Suddenly, all of our petty arguments seemed ridiculous.” You looked over at him suspiciously as he spoke all too convincingly. He continued, “She was wearing this burgundy dress that looked so gorgeous on her, and I knew then that I wanted her. And of course, let’s not forget, she’s always challenged me like no other. She makes me want to be a better man. So thanks so much for the set up, Samuel,” he said with a charming smile. 

Nat listened attentively to every word, as Sam sat still, finding it all hard to believe. Bucky and you were practically sworn enemies from almost the moment you crossed paths. Sam knew Bucky’s aversion was because he thought you were an “exasperating wisecrack.” And Nat knew your disdain stemmed from the first rude encounter you had with Bucky, where he told you he thought you were an “annoying know-it-all.”

From those early moments he couldn’t stand you, and you had trouble speaking with him without getting upset. Undoubtedly, it was petty and based off of the most trivial encounter, but it magnified over time. Game nights with the gang only amplified your animosity, which continued to grow through seemingly every interaction you both shared. 

“Yes, thank you Nat. Seeing Bucky all cleaned up last night, looking so handsome, just did something to me. I knew then that I had to have him,” you said, groaning internally as you spoke. 

Sam nodded his head, seemingly convinced. “Well, I’m happy for you both. You guys deserve something good.” The two of you together wasn’t entirely implausible, because despite the surface hostility, he knew you both respected each other. 

“I guess this means game nights are going to look a little different too then, huh?” Nat asked teasingly. 

Bucky looked at you, “Of course, we’re on the same team now. Isn’t that right, baby?” 

“So true, bunny,” you said as you looked into his cerulean eyes. 

Nat spoke up, “I am loving this, so so much! I cannot wait until tomorrow night.” 

“Me too,” Bucky mumbled. 

“Me three,” you said, lying through your teeth. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

The ride home was uncharacteristically quiet. Neither you nor Bucky had anything to say to each other. You were starting to feel a little weird about the bet, mainly because it wasn’t exceedingly hard to uphold. Playing nice wasn’t nearly as difficult as you imagined it’d be, and that felt strange. It’s not that you loved Bucky’s company, but you didn’t hate it as much as you usually did either. 

Bucky was feeling his own version of unusual, because he too realized that sustaining the bet was too easy. He had been fairly honest, and he realized when he spoke of how beautiful you looked the night before, that he meant every word. Hopefully, things will change at game night. 

He still felt compelled to check on you despite his desire to win. After parking in front of your place, he turned to you. “Are you sure you want to keep doing this? We can come clean before game night because I’m pretty sure we’ve convinced them and made up for their prank.” 

“Is that your way of attempting to quit?” you asked curiously. Sure, you felt odd, but you were still in it to win it. 

Bucky huffed out of breath, “No, I was giving you an out in case this isn’t something you wanted to do anymore. We could call off the bet and have no winner or loser if you want.”

“That kind of defeats the purpose of this whole thing, Bucky,” you said frankly. 

“I… I know.” He shrugged his shoulders, unsure of what he was even trying to say in the first place. “So then, I’ll pick you up at 5 tomorrow?” 

“Sure, and thanks for driving me today, boo bear,” you said as you opened the car door.

He let out a laugh, “Can I put in a request for another pet name?”

“You can, but it might not get approved,” you beamed before shutting the door and leaving him alone with his thoughts. 

And that consisted of the thought of you in his arms, the feel of your hand in his, and the memory of you in that dress. 

Shit.

┈┈┈┈┈・・

The following day, you tried not to dwell on the unusual feelings you had about the night before. They didn’t matter, and you figured Bucky would finally start some drama later on at game night. He was too competitive not to, and that made you excited about what was to come. 

By the time Bucky had come to get you, you were giddy to get the show on the road. You both made casual small talk, and seemed to be in good spirits. The two of you even set boundaries on public displays of affection quite easily, agreeing on everything but kissing. However, your plans were briefly thwarted when Nat texted you, asking if you could pick up some ingredients that she forgot to get from the store. After letting Bucky know, the two of you stopped at the supermarket along the way. 

“What did she say she needed?” Bucky asked as he grabbed a cart. 

“Just a couple of things for her dip. We don’t even need a cart.”

“That’s okay, I like to drive it.” 

“Suit yourself. I just need a few things from the produce section,” you said before heading in that direction. 

“Alright, I’ll meet you there in a minute. I’m going to grab a couple drinks.” 

You nodded, as you made your way to grab the vegetables you needed. As you picked out some celery, you were disappointed to see your recent ex, if you could even call him that, Quentin headed your way. Things abruptly ended early on after you found out that he had a wife. After a crappy first date, and a dramatic second date where his wife stormed in, you realized he was an absolute tool. He still called and texted you afterwards, trying to see if you were willing to look past it but you blocked his number after declining multiple times. 

“Well if it isn’t Y/N. How have you been, sugar?” he asked obnoxiously. 

“Quentin, —.”

Bucky interjected before you could respond. “Hey, doll. Do you remember the whiskey Sam had last weekend? I forgot the brand name,” he said as he stood behind the cart facing you and Quentin. He furrowed his brow as he took in your demeanor — he couldn’t tell what was going on, but he could see that you were bothered. 

“Hey, um I don’t remember.”

“Oh alright, well did you find —.”

Quentin narrowed his eyes as he looked at you, “Who the hell is this, Y/N?” he interrogated. 

Bucky was taken aback, but he finally understood from context that this had to be one of your crappy exes. He chimed in before you had to. “I’m her boyfriend, and I don’t really care who you are,” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest, making himself appear broader. “Ready to go, doll?” he asked, not giving Quentin a second glance. 

Quentin was so shocked by the turn of events that he couldn’t think of a response. 

You nodded your head as you placed the greens in the cart. Bucky reached out for your hand, after you put everything down, which you gladly took. 

“Do you actually need anything else?” he asked as you turned the corner. 

“No, I’ve got it all. And thanks for the assist back there.”

“Any time,” he said as he squeezed your hand. For a moment you forgot that he was still holding it, and by the looks of it, he did too. “Oh um, sorry,” he said, slowly letting go of your hand.  

Bucky knew he shouldn’t, but he wondered if you felt it too, the captivating force that was pulling him to you — a small part of him wished you did. 

“Nothing to be sorry about,” you mumbled as your heart skipped a beat. And you’d be lying if you said you didn’t miss the feel of your fingers intertwined with his. 

“I forgot to ask, do you want me to circle back and kick his ass?” 

You let out a laugh, looking up at him in disbelief. “You’d do that for me?” 

Bucky cracked a smile, “Anything for my sugarplum,” he teased, nudging you gently. You only shook your head and tried to suppress a smile in response. 

And even if his tone was playful, he couldn't help but feel like he meant it. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

After arriving at Sam and Nat’s you took the opportunity to step away from Bucky. You had a feeling things would get contentious soon enough, and a brief break before that wouldn’t be the worst thing. Heading to the kitchen you dropped off the groceries and caught up with the girls. 

“How have things been with Bucky?” Nat asked suggestively, wiggling her eyebrows. 

“Oh my goodness, is that why you two arrived together?!” Wanda asked excitedly. 

“Nat, it's only been a couple of days, but it’s been great. He’s a good guy.” 

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I know you guys clashed when you met, but he’s a good person. I’m so glad you’re seeing that now.” 

Wanda chimed in, “Bucky really is the best — so chivalrous and handsome. I’m happy you guys settled your differences, because you make a lovely pair.” 

“Thanks ladies,” you mumbled, taking a good swig of your beer. You were well aware that this was supposed to be a prank — mess with Sam and Nat for setting you up on a bad date, and get a couple months of cleaning out of Bucky. But it didn’t seem like the others were taking it the way you had intended. You weren’t feeling the satisfaction that you thought would come from pranking them, and Bucky was being entirely kind to you. How the hell is this going to work out? 

Before you could worry about that too much, your old friend Thor walked in. 

Excusing yourself from the girls, you walked up to your blonde friend. “Hey, I didn't know you were coming!” you said excitedly. Thor rarely made an appearance at your game nights, but you loved it whenever he did. 

Thor beamed at you, “Hello, Y/N. It’s so good to see you! Are you well?” he asked before pulling you into a bear hug. 

You giggled as he let you go. “I’m good! What’s new with you?”

As Thor caught you up on his daily life, someone else was feeling unsettled at the sight of you standing so close and chatting so happily with him. 

From across the way, Bucky asked Sam and Steve, “Who invited Thor?”

“Oh right, I ran into him a few days ago. I invited him but I didn’t think he’d take up the invite. He’s always a good time though.” Sam paused when he saw Bucky's irritated expression. “Why do you look upset?” he asked. 

Steve let out a laugh, “Because Y/N’s looking awfully chummy with him,” he pointed his beer bottle in your direction. 

Bucky glowered at you laughing at something Thor was saying; your head thrown back as you gripped his large bicep for balance. Thor looked at you with the brightest smile, laughing along to whatever joke you two were sharing. It made Bucky’s chest tighten, and he did not want to think about the reason for that. 

“Oh,” Sam said. He thought your behavior coupled with Bucky’s concern was suspicious, considering you both were apparently together now. “Well, what are you worried about? That’s your girl now,” Sam said to goad Bucky. For the first time that night, Sam started to doubt the legitimacy of your short relationship, and he figured he could push Bucky into revealing something.

Bucky took a deep breath before realizing something himself — this was the perfect opportunity to maintain the ruse and get you to quit first. “That’s right, she is my girl,” he said impishly. “If you’ll excuse me gentleman,” he said before heading towards you. 

You saw Bucky strutting towards you jovially, a bright smile on his face. Those kinds of smiles weren’t usually directed at you, so you knew something was up. Unsure of the reason, but hoping to divert his behavior, you spoke up. “Hey, Buck! What’s up?” you asked behind an obviously saccharine smile.

“Nothing, just came over to see my girl,” he said as he reached out and wrapped his arms around your waist. 

Your eyes widened as Bucky settled behind you, resting his chin on your shoulder as you both faced Thor. 

“I didn’t know you and James were together,” Thor said with a sweet smile and a hint of confusion. 

Bucky lifted his head. “We sure are Thor, this little jellybean is the best thing to ever happen to me,” he said with feigned enthusiasm.  

“Well that’s wonderful, how long have you been together?”

“Three days, three amazing days,” Bucky said as he let out a chuckle.

Thor furrowed his brow, “Well congratulations, to the both of you,” he said before kindly excusing himself to get another drink. 

Once he was gone you turned around to look at the annoyingly affectionate man behind you. 

“What the hell was that?” you challenged. 

“What was what, doll?” Bucky asked with a cheshire grin. 

Your jaw dropped, narrowing your eyes, you grabbed his hand and tugged him outside to the backyard. “So we’re adding sabotage to the mix, now huh?” 

“Sabotage, what do you mean? Like your chances with Thor? Well I just thought he ought to know your relationship status. Plus, Sam and Steve were starting to get concerned, what with you flirting so openly with another man when you’re supposed to be with me.”

“So what if he was flirting with me? We’ve told them that I’m with you.” 

Bucky eyes widened, taken aback. “You knew?”

“Thor’s a flirt, who cares?” 

“I do, you’re my girlfriend.”

You shook your head, “You know you’re starting to sound like a jealous boyfriend.”

“Then I’m playing the part right,” he shrugged.

You scoffed at his indifference, “Is that what it’d be like? Dating you?”

“Why, are you asking because you’re considering it?” he asked with a smirk. 

“No, Bucky. I just want to properly warn the next girl that stupidly falls for those pretty blue eyes.” 

“Did you just say that you like my eyes?” he asked gleefully. 

“Ugh,” you scoffed before kindly shoving him out of the way and heading back inside. 

He smiled to himself, satisfied that he got the better of that exchange. 

Watching through the glass door, he saw you walk into the kitchen and pour yourself a drink. You looked frustrated with him, and normally that would make him quite happy, but today Bucky felt a touch of guilt in his smug satisfaction. He didn’t want you to actually be upset with him. Lately, when it came to you though, the more time he spent in your presence, the more confused he became. 

The only thing he knew was certain from that interaction was that you were right. He didn’t like seeing you with Thor, and come to think of it, he didn’t like seeing you with that guy at the store either. It made him feel that tightness in his chest that was now becoming common when it came to you. 

After you threw back your drink and headed to the restroom to freshen up, you finally had a moment to yourself. As you thought about the events of your typical game night, you started to think about Bucky’s present ridiculousness. By now you’d be at each other’s throats for some type of game disagreement, not because of something like this. 

It was true, you enjoyed Thor’s company, and his flirty nature was fun for you too. However, you didn’t think you’d like the way it felt to be wrapped up in Bucky’s arms more — but you really did. The way it felt to be held against that wall of hard muscle, the heat permeating off his body, it just felt so good. 

This was supposed to be fake, and perhaps there was more beneath the surface, but you knew you shouldn’t think about that. It was too great a risk to take, especially with the bet still in place. You couldn’t give that smug bastard the satisfaction of a win. 

After returning to the living room, you observed the girls finishing up a game of Uno. 

“Hey, charades is starting up in five. You and Bucky are on different teams. Since you both are friendly with one another, I’m sure it shouldn’t be a problem!” Nat said excitedly. 

Oh thank goodness. Finally, competitive Bucky can come out and ruin the day. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

Bucky was excited to play against you, because he knew you were just as competitive as him. He too was ready to finish this bet. Every time you both stepped up to grab the slip of paper with the phrases on it, you could feel the tension. And he brought his A-game, beating you out on the hardest phrases. Somehow he was able to act out building a sandcastle with ease, and he made sure to give you a cocky wink after getting that done. When you were both up again, you were able to convey shoveling snow faster than him, and you loved seeing how frustrated that made him. 

Bucky had Steve on his team, which was an unfair advantage because it oftentimes felt like they shared the same brain. But you were grateful to have Wanda on your team because it almost felt like she could read your mind, which definitely helped rack up some points. 

As the game neared its end, both teams found themselves in a tie. It was down to you and Bucky to break it. After you both read “waterfall” you got to pantomiming the best that you possibly could. 

Ultimately, you were able to break up the word and make it recognizable for Sam, thus sealing your victory. You made sure to stick out your tongue at Bucky as you basked in your win. He only shook his head before heading out the back door. There’s the hot head that I know. 

You decided you’d follow him after a minute to see if you could push his buttons, and maybe win your bet too. But you didn’t expect to see him in such good spirits when you stepped onto the patio. 

“Hey, doll,” he said with a soft smile. “Congratulations on the win, I really thought I had you there.” 

“Here I was coming to gloat, and you’re being… nice. What gives?” 

Bucky shrugged, exhaling a heavy breath. “You know I don’t hate you, right?” 

“You told me off the day we met, Bucky. You don’t like me.” 

“I was drunk, which isn’t an excuse, but I only told you that you were a know-it-all. Did you ever ask yourself why I might've said that? 

You furrowed your brows. “No?” you asked quietly.

He took a deep breath. “I was being stupid and childish. I was the best at trivia, and then you came into my friend group, knowing more than me about American history — that was my thing. And it wasn’t just that, your team won the entire trivia match because of you alone. So I said something dumb when I shouldn’t have, because I was intimidated,” he said sheepishly. 

“Trivia, Bucky? Are you insane?” you asked in disbelief. That had to be the dumbest reason to start a bitter rivalry with a person. 

“We just clashed, we didn’t get along. And I guess I never did anything to fix that.” 

“You know, I studied up on those categories because I wanted to make a good impression on the new group of people Nat was introducing me to. I didn’t want to ruffle feathers, I only wanted to be accepted. But before the night ended you made sure I knew that I definitely was not.”

“I misjudged you, and I annoyed you when I should’ve seen you for the exceptional person you are. I should’ve been kinder, and I’m sorry.”

You eyed him suspiciously. “I don’t get it. Why are you saying this now?” 

“Because something’s changed, and I needed you to know that I —.”

“Hey lovebirds! Sharon convinced Nat to fire up the karaoke machine. You in or you in?” Sam asked excitedly, oblivious to the moment you were sharing. 

“Um,” you looked at Bucky. 

“We’re in,” he said. This was far too heavy a conversation for tonight, and he had already said what we wanted to. 

He gave you a shy smile before following Sam inside. 

You wished you could finish the conversation you were having. With the way Bucky was acting you felt like the bet would truly never end, and it scared you that you didn’t mind as much as you thought you would.

Now that you understood where he was coming from, as irrational as it was, it was hard to hate him. In his tipsy state he spouted out a statement borne of jealousy, which felt a little less harmful than what you had been thinking all this time. Still, you figured you could think about it all later. 

It was karaoke time now. 

┈┈┈┈┈・・

After watching Steve belt out “Brown Eyed Girl'' by Van Morrison, then seeing Sam follow it up with “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey, you started to feel a bit overwhelmed. Nat asked if you were feeling alright, and you weren’t sure how to answer that. You couldn’t fully pinpoint what was going on with you. 

Opting to avoid revealing anything that would lead you to lose the bet, you told her that you weren’t feeling well and that you were going to call it a night. Fortunately, Thor was heading out early too, so you left with him while Bucky dueted with Sam. 

Immediate relief washed over you once you were back home. Finally, you were alone and able to process your thoughts on your own. 

Things were getting weird with Bucky. Your friends were all too accepting of you two getting together, and even you were starting to get too comfortable with it. As silly as it was, you thought back to how you felt in his arms, when he pulled you out of harm's way. The way he looked at you, like he was seeing you for the first time — it was all too hard to forget. 

The man that you couldn’t stand a few days prior, now made you feel safe and somehow cared for? You pondered how that could be and gave yourself a headache thinking about it. Bucky went out of his way to apologize, when you were happy to dislike him for the rest of his days. 

Even though his rationale for being mean in the beginning was ridiculous, you realized neither of you did anything to stop it from spiraling out. And not only that, but he went on to tell you something had changed, making you even more confused. Did he feel something for you, like how you might feel for him too?

Deciding to forget about the whole thing, you lit a couple cozy vanilla candles and set up a warm bath for yourself. After soaking and relaxing your mind, you came to a decision. 

You were going to call off the bet. 

It had become pointless. Bucky treated you differently, and you couldn’t see how this would end in him surrendering. He was seemingly unbothered by the situation, so you had to be the one to put an end to it. You could always hire a housekeeping service or something to clean his place for him, the terms were never that detailed anyways.

As you slipped into your favorite pajamas, you felt content with your decision. Your life was going to go back to normal and an added bonus was that Bucky would no longer be your enemy — things were looking up. 

Just as you sat down with a cup of tea, your phone buzzed in your lap.

Bucky: Can I come over? Unless you’re with him. 

Huh? Maybe he was drunk texting you from Sam’s place. You decided not to text him back until the morning since it was already late. 

Bucky: I’m outside, if you’re awake. 

What the hell? You got up and opened the door, surprised to see him waiting on the other side. 

“He’s not here is he?” he grumbled. 

“Who?” 

“The one that would be more than happy to give you a ride.” 

“Of course, Thor’s not here,” you stepped aside to let him in from the cold. 

Bucky breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, that’s good,” he muttered as you shut the door. 

“You really came all the way over here to make sure I wasn’t with Thor? Are you serious?” you asked in disbelief. 

“No, well, you left without a word and I had to make sure you were okay, and tell you —."

You cut him off before he could continue. “Look, I don't want to do this —.”

“I’m calling it. I don’t want to do this bet anymore,” he blurted out at the same time.

“You’re… we’re both quitting?”

His eyes widened as he processed your question. “Looks that way.”

“Okay. So neither of us wins and gets a housekeeper… I guess that’s fair,” you said.  

“I think so,” he nodded. “Okay well, I’ll let you go then,” he said before moving to leave. 

Placing a hand on his chest, “Bucky, why couldn’t this wait until tomorrow?”

He exhaled a deep breath, looking down at your hand. He wanted to confess that he came because he saw red when Nat told him you left with Thor, and that his heart wouldn't know peace until he saw you. He needed you to know that you had consumed his thoughts the last few days and he needed to release the pressure of the bet because he was overwhelmed by his emotions. 

Instead he asked, “Did you feel it too?” 

“What do you mean?” you asked timidly. 

Clasping his large hand over yours, he looked up into your eyes. “I think you know.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you breathed out. Thinking back to all the instances in the last couple of days that made your heart race, of course you knew what he was referring to. But it wasn’t made to work, not with all the rough history between you two. 

His azure eyes bore into yours, as words were not necessary to express what laid under the surface. “Alright then,” he nodded before giving you a tight smile and dropping your hand to leave again. 

“That’s it? You’re not going to elaborate or anything?” you breathed out, before you could bite your tongue. 

Before you knew it, he was invading your space, slowly pushing you up against the door behind you with his hands on your waist. “I asked you a question, and you don’t want to answer honestly.” His lips were a mere inches from yours as he gazed into your eyes. 

“It was a vague question,” you whispered, your eyes falling to his soft pink lips. 

Bucky grabbed the back of your neck and pulled your lips to his — intentional and packed with everything he was too afraid to say. You reciprocated immediately; your confusion and doubt finally made sense. What you wanted, no, needed, was him. 

You gave into him completely, letting him take control of the filthy kiss. It was all tongue, teeth, and wanton desire. His rough hand dug into your hips as he pulled you towards him, melding you to his firm body. Your hands found their way into his hair, and you tugged his brown locks, earning a deep groan from his throat. 

Bucky didn’t want to let go of the feel of your lips on his, so he dragged out the moment until you were both too breathless to carry on. As he pulled away and released the hold he had on you, you reluctantly untangled your fingers from his hair and peered up at him; his eyes dark with kiss-swollen lips. 

“You knew what I meant,” he whispered, his thumb brushing against your bottom lip.

You nodded your head. 

Bucky smiled softly, one of his hands coming up to cradle your face. He couldn’t help it — his feelings were reciprocated and you were too gorgeous so he pulled you back for a wild, warm kiss. 

“You’re mine now, understand?” he muttered against your lips. 

You narrowed your eyes at him. “We’ll discuss that later,” you said defiantly, a smirk playing on your lips. 

A lazy grin tugged at his lips, “You are the most frustrating woman in the world.” 

You rolled your eyes, “And you are the most infuriating man I have ever known.”

“Yet for some reason, you like me, doll,” he goaded. 

“Shut up,” you muttered.  

His eyes widened, a twinkle of mischief glistening in his gaze, “Make me.”

He was about to tease you some more, but then you sucked his bottom lip between yours and he decided it wasn’t worth it; he’d gladly lose every little disagreement if you kept kissing him like that.

Bucky’s hand snaked its way to the back of your head as he savored the kiss, his tongue gliding along yours. 

Reaching up, you tugged at his hair to tilt his head for an even deeper kiss, pouring everything you felt into the searing kiss. 

Bucky’s hips grinded with yours, hands moving down to squeeze your ass as he kissed you fervently. You couldn’t help but moan at the delicious friction. His brain short-circuited, the sound sobering and disillusioning him at the same time. 

“I’m… fuck, I’ll stop.” He pulled away to look into your eyes, his hands doing nothing to release you from his hold. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to take advantage —.”

“You’re not, we can slow down if you want though,” you said before kissing him softly. 

He pulled away to smile at you. “I don’t want that. I want you.”

Oh.

You pushed his chest, successfully getting him to back up and away from you. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. You knew he was letting you shove him around, and that in reality he only moved because you directed him to. 

“Come and get me then,” you said before making a break for your bedroom. 

Bucky let out a laugh before chasing after you, and right as you were about to hop onto your bed, his arms wrapped around your stomach, jerking you back towards him. You squealed in surprise as he pressed your back up against his hard beefy body. 

He moved you so that you were facing your tall mirror and the sight of him wrapped around you made your heart pound like a drum in your chest. Engulfed in his warm scent, captured in his strong arms, your head felt dizzy with desire. 

“Now that I’ve caught you, what am I going to do with you?” he rasped, as his hand slid down your torso, toying with the hem of your shorts. You bucked against him, as his hand ghosted over your clothed core. 

“Please, Bucky. Whatever you want.” 

“Anything?” Bucky asked as he deftly untied your shorts, allowing them to fall in a pool at your feet. 

“Mhm,” you mumbled as you watched his fingers dip beneath your panties, trailing his fingers through your soaked folds. “Bucky,” you whimpered, as his thumb pressed into your clit, his fingers prodding at your entrance.

“Yes, doll?” he asked, slipping two fingers into your tight hole, pumping slowly. 

You were rendered speechless, trying to stifle your moans as you writhed against him. 

“So gorgeous,” Bucky groaned, taking in your pleasured expression in the mirror. He curled his fingers and you keened as he gently caressed that spot that made you shudder. 

Reaching down to his hand around your midsection, you guided it up to your body as you rucked up your shirt. Understanding your intention, Bucky pulled your top off before cupping your breast with his large warm palm, squeezing and kneading you roughly. You gasped, arching into him and he picked up the pace, strumming your clit with his thumb. You leaned your head back against his chest as he touched you, moaning as he eased in and out of you in a perfect rhythm. Incapable of controlling your hips, you grinded down on his hand erratically.

“Fuck,” Bucky breathed out, “Look at you.” You were falling apart before his eyes, and he couldn't look away. 

You whined desperately, clutching his forearm as that familiar coil tightened in your belly, “Fuck, I’m —.”

“Go ahead, doll,” he groaned in your ear. 

You whimpered as your walls fluttered around his fingers. Your vision going white as pleasure coursed through your body. 

If it weren’t for Bucky’s arm wrapped around you, you were certain you’d collapse. As your breathing slowed and sight cleared, you got a good look at him in the mirror — you watched as he brought his soaked fingers from your pussy to his mouth, licking them clean. 

Fuck.

Reaching behind you, you palmed his hard erection, earning a deep groan from his lips. Keeping his hold on you, he buried his face in your neck, sucking at your pulse point as he rutted against your hand. 

“I need you so bad,” he muttered as he kissed along your jawline. “Are you ready for what comes next?” 

You weren’t sure if he meant what you’d do in the bedroom or what would happen once you crossed the next line, but you nodded your head eagerly because it didn’t matter — you were ready for it all with him. 

He kissed your temple before finally releasing the hold he had on your body. “Undress me.” 

“Yes sir,” you whispered, turning around and eagerly unbuckling his belt, tugging off his pants and dragging down his boxers. Your mouth watered as you finally got a look at his impressive length. You should’ve known, the man was a giant, it only made sense that he’d be well-endowed too. 

Bucky’s jaw went slack as he looked at you, wide-eyed and gazing at him with fire in your eyes. He pulled his shirt off himself because he could see your attention was elsewhere.  

You marveled at the gorgeous unclad man, and you started to slowly pump his hard cock, unable to keep your hands off of him. You were about to fall to your knees when he lifted your chin to look into your eyes. 

“I need something else more, doll.”

You looked at him quizzically, until he scooped you up and headed towards the bed. You giggled as his knees hit the edge of the bed and the two of you fell sideways onto your duvet. He let out a laugh as you sidled up next to him, hooking your leg over his own, as you peppered his neck with kisses. Bucky’s hand skimmed over your back, gliding his fingers along your spine until they settled around your waist. Your hand found his hard length, and you stroked him slowly, earning a deep groan from his chest. 

“Fuck, baby,” he moaned. 

He kissed you softly before pulling back to look in your eyes. His hand halted your movements, making you release him. You were about to protest but then he gripped the back of your knee, and rolled you onto your back, so that he was hovering over your wet heat. Bucky met your gaze, looking for any unease, only to find you nodding and biting your lip in anticipation. 

He let out a chuckle at your expression before coating himself with your slick and lining himself up. Your fingers tangled in his hair as he slowly sunk into you, gasping at the feel of him stretching you out completely. Bucky leaned in and kissed you, his tongue swirling around yours as he gave you a moment to adjust. 

You had never felt so full before, but you knew that you could get used to the feeling. Wrapping your legs around the small of his back tightly, you urged him to move. Bucky sucked your bottom lip before easing back and thrusting into you hard. He watched as your eyes squeezed shut and mouth fell agape, as he sank in and out of you. 

He relished the way you clenched around him, your breathing coming out shallow as he took what he wanted. His lips found your neck when he felt your walls squeezing even tighter, “Such a good girl, and she’s all mine now, huh?” he mumbled against your skin, 

“Mmm.” 

“Use your words, doll,” he groaned as he suddenly slowed his movements. “Wanna hear you say it.” 

Your eyes snapped open as the peak you were so close to hitting started to slowly fizzle away. Bucky had a self righteous smirk on his face, like he knew he had you. He wasn’t going to give you what you wanted until you answered his question. 

“Bucky,” you whined in protest, trying to urge him to move faster with your hips. 

He halted his movements as he gazed deeply into your eyes, “You’re not getting out of this one, doll,” he smiled before nipping at your bottom lip.

“Later,” you pleaded. 

He swiftly pulled out of you, and manhandled you so that you were facing away from him while sitting in his lap. 

Your eyes flickered to his gaze in the mirror. “Do what you want then,” he muttered as he placed a pillow behind his back. 

You couldn’t help but think that Bucky was practically telling you to fuck yourself, but you didn’t care. You placed your hands on his thick thighs and tucked your legs up so that you were straddling him in reverse. The position had you spread open on your knees as you hovered over his lap. 

Bucky grasped the sides of your hips so that balance would not be an issue, allowing you to comfortably rock against him. The sight in the mirror made you even wetter, if that was possible — his brawny body taking up your bed, with his hands holding you tightly as you moved against his thick, perfect cock. 

You lined his length up with your entrance, and slowly sank down, releasing a shuddering breath as you went. The stretch ached in the most satisfying way, and you liked the control the position gave you. 

Your lips parted with a breathy moan as you started to move, bouncing up and down. Finding the right rhythm was easy as Bucky supported you and let you grind against him until you found what felt good. 

Bucky hissed beneath you, “Fuck, feel s’perfect.” He filled you up perfectly, like he was made for you. 

“Look at yourself, doll.” He grabbed the back of your neck, coaxing you to look at yourself in the mirror. “Watch how well you take my cock.”

You cupped your breasts as you saw your reflection, and then you understood why he insisted on making you see. The way you moved against him, the way your bodies melded together, it was all so beautiful. As you continued to appreciate the sight, Bucky sat up, so you could lean back against him.

He kissed along your shoulders, up to your neck as you took what you needed from him. “Don’t you see it?” 

And you finally realized, you did; you were perfect for one another, physically and literally. The thing that everyone saw, and you both were too afraid to admit, was that you were so damn similar. Both fiery, passionate, and a little crazy — you didn’t clash because you were different, you clashed because you were the same. 

You wrapped your hands around his, as he sucked a hickey into your neck. “Yes,” you breathed. 

“You belong with me.” 

“I do,” you moaned as the coil tightened in your belly. 

Before your brain could comprehend what was happening, he twisted you both onto your side and started thrusting into you from behind. “Good, now come with me,” he groaned. You arched your back, giving him better access as he pounded into you. His thumb found your swollen clit, rubbing rough deliberate circles, making you clench around him even more.

Your breath hitched in your throat as the sudden increase in pace and added pressure finally pushed you over the edge of bliss; your body tensing and mind blanking as your walls spasmed around him. “Fuck, fill me up please,” you cried out. 

His thrusts grew erratic as he buried himself as deep as he could go, hips driving into you with more force until he was spilling himself inside your core with your name on his lips. 

With one last squeeze on your hips, he carefully withdrew himself from you and rolled over on the bed next to you. You both laid there, panting as your breathing slowly regulated. 

After taking a solid moment you lazily turned towards him and reached up to play with his hair. 

Bucky turned towards you slowly, a lopsided grin on his face. His eyes were closed as he reveled in the way you touched him. 

“That was…” you said, barely above a whisper. Hot as fuck, ridiculously good, indescribable.

“Yeah,” he nodded, knowing exactly what you meant. “I wasn’t too rough was I?” he asked gently, finally coaxing his eyes open to look at you adoringly. 

You shook your head, “I liked it,” you murmured. 

Bucky grinned, grabbing your hand in his hair and bringing it to his lips, “And to think all the times we were bickering, we could’ve been doing this.” 

“Maybe we should take the weekend to make up for lost time,” you said teasingly. 

Bucky rolled you over, and pinned your hands above your head before you could blink. His lips hovered over yours as he caged you in. “I’ll need more than a weekend for that, doll.” 

You stretched up and pecked his lips before laying back and looking into his gorgeous blue eyes. “I think that can be arranged. After all, I am yours now, boo bear.”

He let out a laugh, “And don’t you forget it,” he beamed, leaning down to press his lips to yours.

Bucky would learn to deal with your silly nicknames, and your sass, and anything else you threw at him. Because now that you’d crossed the line, there was no going back — and he wouldn’t have it any other way. 

---