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biteofcherry · 2 years

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Grain of truth

*the picture used in the banner is no indication for how the Reader looks, it only serves the vibe of the story, it’s not a description

Soft!Dark Alpha Steve Rogers x Omega Reader

Summary: You're content with your quiet, peaceful life, but it suddenly becomes dangrously intense when an alpha, Steve Rogers, forces himself into it. You never believed nor seeked out the old fairytales of true mates, but Steve will make you admit there’s a grain of truth in every fairytale.

Warnings: For the first chapter merely hints of dub-con. In general for the rest of the story: soft!dark Steve Rogers; dub-con; A/B/O dynamics; dominance; possessive and controlling behavior; Dom/sub undertones; heat/mating cycles; forced orgasm; orgasm denial; size difference; slight breeding kink;

Main Masterlist

Grain of Truth Masterlist

Part One

word count: 4k

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Seeing Maria’s smile and the giddy bounce to her usually sharp step made you pause. You glanced at Darcy behind her long, polished receptionist's counter. Her face showed amusement and equal excitement.

You had no idea what was happening, but something told you caution was in order. Especially if your boss so openly displayed her emotions. Most of the time Maria was more composed and withdrawn than you, and you prided yourself with how well you controlled your reactions.

“The investor is coming today.” Maria walked over to you, in her skyscraper-high heels in which she glided without a wobble.

Ah, yes. Then you understood the commotion.

Maria worked very hard on opening the clinic, it was the achievement of her life. She offered you partnership and a position - you happily agreed to a job offer, but declined partnership. Dealing with boards, investors, finances and a shitload of other stressful (and boring) things wasn’t something you were interested in.

However, having a more flexible schedule and more resources made you agree to leave the hectic (and poorly paid) hospital life behind and settle in a nice space of a founded clinic.

It gave you more time and energy to properly care for your patients.

“You’re more excited with the prospect of working with him than you were with that Rumlow guy.” You noticed.

Brock Rumlow, representing Hydra Syndicate, not only gave off disgusting vibes, but also presented himself as a poor strategist and greedy moron with whom Maria didn’t want to work. Though Hydra offered a huge injection of money, what they wanted in return wasn’t something Maria would agree to.

“I’m more excited about the prospect of eating a worm than I was about working with Rumlow.” Maria snorted.

“Rogers, on the other hand, seems to be exactly what our clinic needs.” She added with unhidden approval. “I made a solid background check on him and his other investments. And his conditions for the clinic are reasonable.”

“Good.” You nodded and checked your watch. “Now excuse me, I need to prepare before Mrs. Dingle barges in twenty minutes before her scheduled appointment.”

You winked at Darcy when she chuckled. Mrs. Dingle was the clinic’s regular patient and chaos impersonated in the form of a tiny seventy year old woman. You liked her.

Around ten, just as you were finishing filling your latest’s patient’s electronic chart, you felt a tingle at the back of your neck.

A pleasant one, similar to a sensation caused by an intimate kiss.

You scratched the spot, not thinking much of it. But then the shiver traveled down your spine.

Taking it as a sign your body needed to stretch (and also maybe have one of the sweet buns Darcy always has stacked up on a plate in the kitchen), you closed your laptop and exited your office.

A few patients mingled around, waiting for their appointments with other specialists. You exchanged hushed hellos and smiles while walking towards the staff’s lounge room.

Just as you turned the corner Maria appeared on the other end of the corridor. With a man beside her.

One look at him was enough for you to realize he’s an alpha.

Maybe your omega instincts reacted to him. Or perhaps it was everything about him that screamed alpha.

He was tall and broad. His silhouette was hidden in the leather jacket he had on, at the same time the tight, dark shirt and fitting jeans emphasized his proportions. Trimmed beard softened his features, but couldn’t hide the chiseled angles of his jaw. His hair a darker blonde, neatly combed, made your fingers itch to comb through it..

You were quite surprised with his attire. The word investor was associated rather with pristine suits and shiny shoes.

Then again, Maria mentioned before that Rogers’ company is focused on aiding and hiring veterans. Perhaps his look reflected on that and what he found comfortable himself.

He moved with more than just confidence - with power that outmatched any self-assured prick you ever dealt with.

Something about him drew immediate attention, but also evoked the instinct to run and hide.

Pleasant prickles that ran down your back just a few minutes ago seemed to increase, humming through your body. It was a new, unknown sensation. Truthfully, it worried you a bit since you couldn’t find the reason for it.

You hoped to pass Maria and the alpha with a smile, maybe a forced little introduction, but nothing more.

You weren’t used to dealing with alphas. Not that you had many opportunities. There weren’t that many of them. Actually, alphas were very rare to find. Rarer than the omegas.

All your life you’ve been mostly surrounded by betas. They were the majority in the world. And in your eyes it made everything balanced.

It made your life as an omega easier.

Some of your omega friends loved to fantasize about past centuries when omegas were the rarest and most coveted while alphas held the highest power. They liked reading novels about omegas being fought for, chased, trapped by alphas.

And they often dreamed of catching an alpha’s eye in real life; hoping for a thrill of something more than just a mundane relationship.

You met two alphas in your life. Neither paid you much attention, not in the sense of wanting to date you. Which was absolutely fine with you.

It was quite comforting to know they weren’t mindlessly going for any omega, but clearly interested in finding the one matching whatever they searched for in a partner. Or whatever chemistry some old believers claimed there is between alpha-omega mates.

It never bothered you that you weren’t considered a tempting omega.

Fear of not being someone’s potential mate, which some of the omegas you know displayed, wasn’t one you shared. You considered it a blessing.

Because you heard alphas are… intense.

You never looked for that. You enjoyed the peace and quiet. Your own pace, small little things which brought contentment. The moderately crazy nights out with friends which ended in your comfy bed with a late breakfast, not with a regretful one-night stand that makes everything even more awkward in the morning.

You always imagined yourself settling down with a witty beta, who’d make you laugh and watch movie marathons with you. And yeah, one who made you come, or even could find your G-spot.

Stability and safety, as boring as they may sound to some, were your ideas for the future relationship.

You didn’t need, or want any unrealistic passions. You definitely didn’t want a dominating alpha to crowd your space and keep you on your tiptoes.

Yet your body filled with heat when the alpha accompanying Maria caught your gaze. Something about him, about the way his blue eyes darkened when he looked at you, made your heart rate quicken.

It pounded in your chest, rushing blood in a heatwave all through your body.

It took effort to look away. You glanced at Maria, who unfortunately didn’t notice any change in your demeanor that would indicate that introducing you to Steve Rogers was a bad idea at the moment.

They stopped right in the way of your escape route to the lounge room.

“We were just on our way to your office.” Maria informed you. “Let me introduce you.”

You did your best to remain composed when the alpha, now officially known to you as Steve Rogers, shook your hand.

His hand was bigger than yours, his skin a little calloused, grazing yours in a sort of pleasant way. He held your hand gently, yet firmly enough that you felt bound.

Was it his closeness, or the skin to skin contact, but suddenly his scent seemed to cloud you. Your thoughts tangled, your mouth going dry. You pulled your hand away and cleared your throat before forcing a polite smile on your face.

“Nice to meet you.” You said, quite proud of yourself that your voice didn’t waver. “I don’t want to stall you, I’m sure there’s more to show around and I hope to catch a quick bite before my next appointment.”

“Oh, that reminds me-” Maria was about to continue their walk, but stopped. “Your twelve o’clock rescheduled for the next week and Mr Lee canceled, again, so you’re free early today.”

“I’m not going to complain about leaving work early,” you grinned and added- “only a little about having to be creative, since I got here with Scott and his schedule is packed until 3PM.”

“I’ll gladly drive you home.” The alpha said.

Low timbre of his voice caused another ripple of warmth spreading through your body.

You were thankful for the layers of your dress which draped over your chest perfectly hiding your hardening nipples.

“That- that’s a very kind offer, but not necessary.” You quickly reacted, almost taking a step back from the alpha’s looming form.

In any other circumstances you’d probably accept a simple offer of a free ride home. But you sensed getting anywhere near and alone with Steve Rogers was a very bad idea.

You didn’t think he’d hurt you, it’s not that kind of fear. You were more terrified of your body’s reaction and how hungry his gaze was when it stayed on you.

It never happened before - this heightened reaction. Neither with any alphas, nor with the hot betas you met.

Your body felt out of your control, which was something you’d never allow.

“I insist.” He managed to keep his voice so polite and his smile so charming your grandma would swoon. You, however, sensed the unyielding strictness.

“I insist, too.” You replied, a little harsher.

You really, really didn’t want to spend more time with him. Especially alone. Because it was tempting. Something about him and about how strongly your body reacted made you curious. And fucking terrified you at the same time.

And because you knew that if you gave in now, he’d keep pushing for more. For whatever he wanted.

“Don’t be stubborn.” Maria chimed in. Her tone was light, but the glare she leveled you with screamed Important Investor! Don’t Fuck It Up Because Of Something So Irrelevant!

“I-” you wanted to object again. Use even the lame argument of needing to stretch your legs and the weather being lovely enough for a walk.

“It’s not an inconvenience, I assure you.” Steve’s eyes sparked, as if he found your resistance amusing. He glanced at his watch. “We should be done by the time you finish, so I’ll wait for you at the reception desk.”

You refused to meet his eyes, but under the pressure of Maria’s glare you muttered: “Thank you, Mr Rogers.”

“Please, call me Steve.”

You merely nodded, with a faint smile, but didn’t say his name. Then you quickly stepped around them to finally find safety in the lounge room.

At first you felt too tense to swallow anything beside water, but soon you angrily devoured two cinnamon buns while considering if there’s a way to slip out of the clinic without anyone noticing.

Without him noticing.

“A distracting beefcake, right?” Darcy marched into the room and sat right next to you on the couch.

“Huh?” Taken by surprise, you looked up disoriented.

“That alpha Maria wants to jump into bed with. Rogers.” Darcy picked one of the sweet buns and licked the frosting off the side.

“Maria wants to bed him?” You blinked a few times.

“Figuratively. For investing in the clinic.” Darcy said, chewing on a bite. “Though I wouldn’t blame her for wanting to bang him. I mean, you’ve seen him. Highly fuckable. Bet he has a big dick.”

You choked on your water.

You didn’t want to be thinking about his dick. Or any other part of him. Or him as a whole.

“Darcy!” You hissed, wiping at the wet stains on your shirt. “That’s inappropriate.”

“What?” She just shrugged. “It’s not like I ask him personally to take off his shirt. Just making an observation.”

“An observation about a stranger’s-” instead of finishing your sentence with the right word you made a vague gesture with your hand.

Which made Darcy frown at you. It wasn’t like you to be shy of using filthy words now and then. She heard you reveal some spicy, explicit secrets at Kaydee’s bachelorette party.

The truth was, you didn’t want to use that word now out of fear it made you think of that particular dick.

“Cock. Yeah.” Darcy nodded, studying you curiously. “What’s gotten into you? You’re unusually stiff for a talk about anatomy.”

“I just don’t think that work is the right place to do it. Especially with him still being around here. He could walk in any minute.” God, you hoped he wouldn’t!

“Is this about him being an alpha? You never had an alpha’s dick, right?” Darcy’s eyes glinted with mischief. She moved closer to you; her bun forgotten on the plate.

“What’s your point?” It was your turn to frown.

Many omegas never even had a chance of seeing an alpha’s dick. Not many alphas around to choose from. It didn’t seem that you were missing anything major.

Though few of your friends would disagree. Just last Saturday you were exposed to a nearly hour long thirst debate between two of your omega friends, who exchanged intel on alpha’s dexterity and virility.

“That you’re suddenly prudish because you’re a little scared an alpha’s dick could ruin you.” Darcy grinned, then burst out laughing.

You snorted and rolled your eyes.

“The only thing I’m scared of currently is the state of your brain,” you stood up and ruffled her curly hair, “All mush.”

Darcy was far from the truth, yet a little close with the fear part.

You feared the power Steve Rogers could have over you. You always voiced your view on equality in relationships, far deeper than just sharing the chores.

Power imbalance wasn’t a thrill for you. At least until now…

You kept that thought in your head as you walked out of your office a few hours later. It was enough time for you to calm yourself down and rebuild strength before meeting with Steve Rogers.

He waited by the receptionist's desk, as he promised. Bent over, with his elbows on the shiny white top as he leaned forward, chatting up Darcy. Or rather politely engaging in the chatting up she did.

Your eyes dropped to his ass and you quickly shifted your gaze, embarrassed with yourself. Just in time to see him straighten up and turn to you. He saw you coming, but you hoped he didn’t notice where your gaze wandered.

“Ready?” Steve asked, gracing you with another soft smile. One that tricks you into forgetting there’s something dangerous, predatory about him.

You only nodded. You couldn’t say yes, since it was a lie, for you definitely weren’t ready to be in his close proximity.

He opened the door for you. As you passed him, you felt his fingers brush against the small of your back. The touch disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but your body was already awakened again with the surge of adrenaline.

Steve repeated the motion as he opened the car door for you and waited for you to slip inside.

If you felt flushed in his presence before, it’s nothing compared to the warmth that engulfed you the moment you sat on the buttery soft leather of the passenger’s seat.

Steve’s scent permeated everything in the narrow space of the car. And it spiked your pulse into a frenzy. Heat unfurled in your belly. It crept up toward your chest and down too, between your thighs.

You took several calming breaths through your mouth, fingers clutching the seatbelt.

“You good?” Steve asked and it took you a second to realize he had to be saying something to you, but your brain - too hazy with the onslaught of sensations - didn’t register it.

“Of course.” You managed to reply, clenching your fingers so tightly your nails dug into your skin.

Steve studied you for a longer moment. His gaze traveled from your face down the column of your neck and to the modest cut of your dress. As his eyes moved back up, you felt as if instead of his gaze it was his touch moving over your body.

You nearly whimpered.

“Where to?” Steve asked, starting the ignition.

You blurted out your address, too late realizing it may not be the smartest thing to do. You could’ve given him just the street name, or even the one nearby, but not your actual address.

Too late now.

As he drove, you focused on the views outside the window. Mostly to fight down the urge to look at Steve.

“I thought a car ride was a good start.” Steve spoke up. “Not very romantic, but I sense you’re more pragmatic anyway.”

“A start to what?” You whipped around, startled.

“Us.” He replied and looked at you confused, as if it was the most obvious answer.

You stared at him. For a long, quiet moment. Though panic was rising inside you, you tried not to show how shaken you were. Keeping your stance and not showing weakness which the predator could explore.

“I’m not in the habit of dating work colleagues, or, well in your case, sort of my bosses.” This was a polite decline, right? One a man like Steve could swallow without his pride being hurt. “I’m flattered, but-”

“I thought you’re just in shock and being coy.” He interrupted you, disbelief sounding in his voice. Annoyance too. “But you’re really going to play the denial card?”

Now you were puzzled. Even more than before.

“And what exactly am I denying, in your opinion?” You asked, irritation getting the better of you.

“That we’re mates.” Steve’s reply came out so calm, so simple, yet it punched the air out of your lungs.

No, no, no! This couldn’t be happening. You were being thrusted into a whirlwind of dangerous and twisted tales from the underworld of some primitive subconsciousness. The kind of treacherous vine your friends wanted to be tangled in, not you.

“There’s no such thing.” You shook your head. “It’s fairytales, born out of poorly interpreted scripts of old that glorified alpha-omega unions.”

As a young girl you liked the dramatic romanticism of one true mate trope. Not necessarily limited to omegas falling for alphas, but in general. As you grew older, you recognized patterns of indoctrination. Teaching soft, little omegas how great bonding with an alpha is, only to have them resist less when someone chose to possess them.

You’re not that cynical to think there never could be love between an alpha and omega. You simply didn’t fall for the bullshit of belonging only to that one particular person. An alpha in your case.

“I’m happy to have long and deep conversations about the decrease of alphas and omegas in the population and its impact on the decimated number of true bondings, which lead to forgetting one of the basic truths about our nature.” Steve said.

Somehow you knew it’s a promise. A slightly dark one, if you thought about Steve teaching you “truths” about omegas and alphas.

“We can debate as long as you need.” He stated. “I am a patient man, if needed. But let me make myself clear on one matter - you belong to me, omega.”

That sparked instant defiance in you. You clenched one fist and with the finger of your other hand you pointed accusingly Steve’s way.

“I am an omega, yes.” You hissed. “But I don’t belong to anyone!”

A muscle in Steve’s jaw twitched. His hands on the steering wheel tightened, too. He didn’t lash out at you, though you half expected it. You sensed his anger growing.

Steve parked right outside of the flat you lived at and turned the engine off. Only then did he slowly turn to face you.

He reached with his hand and pinched your chin between his thumb and forefinger. He wasn’t hurting you, but the gesture asserted his dominance and for some reason you held still instead of pulling away.

“I don’t like repeating myself, but considering the sudden circumstances I understand you need time to accept things,” Steve said.

“Pick another omega to accept things.” You scoffed.

“It doesn’t work like that, honey.” Steve sighed. He moved his hand, so he could rub the pad of his thumb over your lower lip. “If I just wanted an omega, I could find quite a few willing to mate. But it’s not about me choosing one. It’s you for me. Only you.”

“Why?” You whispered.

The way your body was reacting to Steve was becoming harder to battle. Your brain wanted to resist, at least partly. But your body seemed to go pliant under Steve’s hard gaze. And his touch on your skin sent shivers to the tips of your toes.

No man ever evoked such a reaction. Not even with the sweetest words, or the most tender of touches.

“Compatibility. Destiny. Pull.” Steve’s fingers traced the outline of your lips then skimmed across your cheek and down your neck.

He curled his fingers around your throat and leaned closer, until the tip of his nose almost touched yours.

“Call it however you wish, but you can’t deny that your body responds to my very presence. That it drives you a little crazy to be so close. That there’s a growing yearning you just don’t yet understand.”

He held your gaze captive, a challenge in his own eyes. He was challenging you to lie, deny it all.

You couldn’t make yourself do that. You couldn’t even blurt out a single No.

“Now,” clearly content with your compliance, Steve released you and pulled back. “What time do you finish work tomorrow?”

It took you a second to regain some control over your body, and brain. You could still feel the hot brand of his fingers around your neck and over your lips.

“Why?” You frowned, suspicious of his motivation.

“I have meetings in the morning, so I’ll send someone to drive you to the clinic. But in the afternoon I want to pick you up myself.”

“That’s ridiculous!” You heaved, crossing arms over your chest. “I’m not telling you a thing.”

Listening to him talk about the supposed bond between you two was one thing, but you wouldn’t allow him to force himself into your life like that. The only person to control your time and choices was you.

“You don’t have to.” Steve tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “I can call Maria and have her relay the information I want. I could also call my guy, Jake, to hack not only into the clinic's database, but also your private accounts, and get all the little details.”

Color drained from your face. Steve spoke of such breach of privacy without a flinch, confirming you were right to judge him as dangerous. He could be bluffing about how far he can go, but instinct told you he’s absolutely honest with you.

“You can’t!” You gasped. “That’s against the law. And borderline controlling, and possessive, and-”

“I can be very resourceful when I have to.” He shrugged. “I don’t really want to put Maria in an uncomfortable position, or overstep too many of the boundaries. So why won’t you be a good girl and simply answer my question?”

So you did.

He rewarded you with a smile that had your stomach fill with butterflies and fogged your mind for a longer moment.

For all the possessiveness he displayed, Steve didn’t attempt to kiss you, or touch you in any inappropriate way. He simply wished you a good afternoon. And promised to see you tomorrow - to which you rolled your eyes, making him chuckle.

You think you heard him call you stubborn as you got out of the car.

Annoyed with yourself, but mostly annoyed with Steve, you stomped over to your flat and up the stairs to your apartment.

Free of his presence, you began thinking clearly again. You were always good at it - thinking and analyzing. Searching for solutions. You were adamant on finding one for the situation that damn alpha forced you into.

There had to be a way to prove Steve Rogers wrong and to steer his attention away from you.

#steve rogers x reader #alpha steve rogers x omega reader #soft!dark steve rogers #alpha!steve rogers #steve rogers x you #steve rogers smut #chris evans smut #steve rogers x female reader #a/b/o #steve rogers fic #chris evans fic #steve rogers #my fic #grain of truth

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sam24 · 3 months

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Hearts on Ice (2/2)

Series Summary: You absolutely loved shadowing at Dr. Framer's physical therapy clinic. Except for whenever Bucky Barnes, injured star hockey player, came in for his 4:30 appointments.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader

Warnings: Violence, creepy Brock Rumlow

enemies to lovers | college au | athlete bucky

part one

*****

Your mind raced with thoughts as you made your way back to your friends, hoping they wouldn’t notice the change in your mood.

“What happened? What did you say?” Wanda asked excitedly.

“Did you shove him?” Natasha leaned in with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

You opened your mouth to tell them that you couldn’t find Bucky, but the tears that started to form in your eyes spoke before you could.

“Oh, honey,” Wanda turned her body to face you, both girls grabbing onto your hands. “Is this a bathroom situation?”

You started to nod, but quickly shook your head. “No, we can’t leave. You wanted to watch Pietro’s game.”

“I can watch my dumb brother play dumb hockey any other day,” Wanda offered you a cheerful smile, holding her hand out.

“It’s Best Friend Bathroom Break!” Natasha tried to brighten the mood as they led you to the bathroom, earning a small chuckle out of you.

“Wow, wonderful alliteration, Shakespeare.” You wiped away tears.

In the bathroom, surrounded by the dull hum of hand dryers and the flushing of toilets, your friends formed a protective circle around you.

Natasha leaned against the sink, crossing her arms. “Alright, spill. What did that idiot do?”

You took a deep breath, recounting the scene with Bucky, the random girl, and his hurtful words. Wanda’s face shifted from concern to an expression of fiery determination, and Natasha’s eyes blazed with anger.

“That dickhead!” Natasha pounded on the sink, earning a couple glances. “Men are just unbelievable. He doesn’t deserve you.”

“He’s clearly still upset about what happened earlier,” Wanda drew soothing patterns on your skin, her voice much quieter than Natasha’s was. “He’s acting like this because he’s hurt, and he’s confused about his feelings. So he’s resorting to his popular hot boy facade. I’m not making any excuses for him, but I want you to understand that he didn’t mean anything he said. Don’t take his words to heart.”

You nodded, appreciating Wanda’s insight. It was a bittersweet realization that perhaps Bucky’s actions were fueled by his own inner turmoil . You chuckled weakly. “Best Friend Bathroom Break is turning into a therapy session.”

“Damn right,” Natasha flipped her hair dramatically. “Now, are we gonna let that asshat ruin your night?”

Wanda nudged you with a comforting smile. “Let’s turn this night around. We’re going to get back out there, enjoy the game, and have a blast at the party afterwards. Screw Bucky and his drama.”

🎕

You gripped Natasha’s arm, hoping she remembered the promise she made in the car to not lose you. As expected, Wanda was long gone, probably giggling somewhere with her British boyfriend, Vision, so you held onto Natasha like a vice.

You had already made accidental eye-contact with Bucky multiple times during the short time you had been here, and you absolutely refused to have Bucky see you alone, confirming his words that you were indeed a loner, so you hung onto your friend like a lifeline.

Natasha, being ever perceptive, flashed you a comforting grin and led you to a group of people standing together. You recognized some of them: Maria, Maria’s girlfriend, Carol Danvers from your humanities class, Jane Foster from writing, and Darcy Lewis from political science.

The group greeted you and Natasha excitedly, and Maria pulled you in for a tight hug. “Sorry I left you with Bucky for so long. My business went a bit into overtime.” She winked at her girlfriend, who pushed Maria with a giggle.

You pretended to throw up all over Maria’s jacket, and Darcy snorted. “Me too, girl. I’ve been stuck watching them grab each others’ asses for the past twenty minutes.”

“You’re just jealous you don’t have anyone to grab your ass.” Maria stuck her tongue out at Darcy.

“Quiet, peasant. I don’t allow anyone’s crusty hands anywhere near my scrumptious butt. It’s VIP only.” Darcy crossed her arms over her chest with a playful shove.

“Hey, I’m gonna go find a bathroom, I’ll be right back.” Natasha leaned into your ear.

“Yeah, sure. Want me to come?”

“Nah, it’s okay. I might ‘accidentally’ bump into Steve Rogers on my way there.” She winked at you and you poked annoyingly at her stomach.

“Ooo, someone’s got a cru-ush,” You sang teasingly, but were quickly shut up by a swift kick to the calf.

“Don’t get too lost!” Natasha called over her shoulder as she cat-walked away.

“I could say the same to you!” You called back. As you turned back around to join your friends in their conversation, you noticed Peter Quill in the corner of your eye, waving at you excitedly.

You waved back, a smile tugging at your lips at his childish expressions. You weren’t sure if you had any romantic feelings for him, but he sure would be a fun friend to have.

He beckoned for you to come to him, pointing at Scott and making a face, like I can’t stand this guy, come help me!

You laughed silently as Scott swatted at Peter’s hand, accompanied by a string of passionate-looking words. “I’ll be right back, I’m gonna go talk to someone real quick.”

“Don’t wander off too far!” Maria warned with a smirk. “Natasha would probably kill me if I lost her best friend.”

“I think I’ll be able to walk across the room just fine, Maria,” You said as you made your way over to Peter and Scott. As you dodged drunk college students and handsy couples, you accidentally bumped into a hard wall of muscle.

You turned around slowly, praying it wasn’t Bucky. It wasn’t. It was Brock Rumlow, who was looking you up and down in a way that made your skin crawl.

Bumping into Bucky would’ve been better.

The very first time you attended a hockey game with Wanda, she was quick to point out Brock on the ice and tell you to stay the hell away from him. Sure, she pointed out Bucky too, but that was just because he was a player. But according to her and Pietro, Brock was just flat out a creep.

“Sorry,” You apologized quickly, turning around in hopes of speed-walking away.

Long fingers grabbed your wrist harshly, forcing you back around. Oh, fuck me.

“Hold on,” Brock smirked evilly, which for some odd reason reminded you of a Disney villain. “I don’t recognize you.”

“Um, okay?” You half expected him to pull out an evil villain scroll to add your name to his hit list.

“You look so stiff, no wonder you’re running into everyone.” He looked you up and down once again, clearly judging the jeans and sweater you had on.

Before you could defend yourself and point out the fact that he was actually the first person you ran into today, he continued talking.

“No drink in your hand, wearing that, running into everyone,” Brock nudged you roughly. “I can tell this is your first party.”

You gave up on correcting him, knowing he would keep yapping. “Don’t worry baby, I’ll take you under my wing. Wanna try some of this?” He sloshed the drink around in his cup, throwing an arm around your shoulder.

“No, thanks. I don’t really drink.” You shrugged his arm off, taking a step back.You were honestly surprised he actually gave you the chance to speak.

“You don’t drink? And you’re at a college party?” He stepped closer. His breath smelled like stale beer. “Bullshit.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t either,” You shrugged. “Save your kidneys early on.” You shocked yourself with your calm demeanor, especially since your mind was racing and praying that Natasha would randomly show up and tackle this weirdo from behind. Or at least sic her hunky blond crush onto him.

He narrowed his eyes, and you felt a shiver run down your spine as Brock’s predatory gaze intensified. It was evident he wasn’t used to someone rejecting his advances, and the dangerous glint in his eyes sent warning signals through your body.

“Kidneys are overrated anyways,” he replied with a sinister chuckle, his attempt at humor sending a chill through the air. He leaned in closer, close enough for you to cringe at the feel of his beer and Dorito breath on your skin.

The dimly lit room provided little comfort as you gravely realized that absolutely no one was watching. No one cared. Panic surged through you. Despite the people bustling around you, jostling and bumping into you, no one paid any attention.

“C’mon, take a sip.” He raised the cup, his arm snaking around your waist to hold you still.

You writhed around, but his death grip had you firmly planted in place. “Don’t touch me!”

“Stop being lame,” Brock raised the cup to your lips. “Just a sip.”

Your breath caught in your throat and your body went numb.

Just as he started to tilt the cup, you managed to knock it out of his hand with your thrashing. The drink spilled all over his shirt, and his grip on you loosened in surprise. Seizing the opportunity, you quickly pushed yourself away from him. As he reached out to grab you again, you shocked yourself by sending a well-aimed elbow jab straight to his neck.

As he doubled over and held his neck, you kicked him in the balls, earning a painful groan out of him. Yet, the victory was short-lived. As you turned around to get the hell out of there, he stomped down on your foot, and you winced in pain.

He managed to grab your wrist once again, his eyes fiery with rage. “You bitch,” he snarled angrily, spit flying from his mouth.

He tugged at your arm violently, leading you behind him with a bruising grip. You tried to plant your feet firmly in the ground to stop, and he suddenly turned around, leaning dangerously close to your face.

“Stop fighting, sweetheart,” he sneered, grabbing your waist. “The less of a fight you put up now and the easier you make it for me, the nicer I’ll be to you upstairs in bed.”

You slapped him across the face with your free hand. “You’re disgusting.”

He winded his arm back with anger, but suddenly, there was a blur of motion. You were forcefully ripped out of Brock’s clutches, and a large frame was standing between you two, gripping Brock’s collar with white knuckles.

Bucky.

“The hell you think you’re doing, Rumlow?” The rage in his voice was enough to send a shiver through your body. Bucky’s words echoed through the room, and everyone looked over.

Great. Now they wanna look?

Brock smirked, looking weirdly amused despite being stared down by a fuming Bucky Barnes in front of a crowd of people. The atmosphere crackled with tension, a palpable sense of anticipation settling over the room. The music seemed to fade into the background, leaving only the low hum of conversations and gasps.

“I was just having a little fun with the new girl,” Brock replied, his tone insolent. “Sorry man, didn’t realize she was your whore.”

Faster than you could blink, Bucky delivered a swift, bone-rattling punch to Brock’s jaw that sent him stumbling backwards. The room erupted in gasps, cheers, and ‘Do it again, bro!’s as the blow connected with a merciless crack.

Bucky advanced, and you managed to catch a glimpse of his face, seeing a side you’ve never seen of him before.

His face was red with fury, his jaw was clenched with anger, and dangerous emotions danced across his face. The icy blue storm in his eyes brewed violently.

Your body was frozen in place as you watched Bucky throw punches repeatedly onto Brock, who was now on the floor. Bucky climbed on top of him, his giant shoulders covering Brock’s battered up face from your view.

In the corner of your eye, you caught sight of Steve Rogers pushing through the crowd, towering over everyone, authority radiating off of him as people cleared his path. He seemed to be the only one brave enough to get in the way of Bucky’s wrath, reaching down to pull his best friend off of a writhing Rumlow.

Wanda and Natasha suddenly appeared on either side of you and each grabbed a hand, tugging you out of your daze.

“Come on honey, let’s go home,” Wanda said gently as the two girls led you to the front door, away from the fight.

“But Bucky-”

“He’ll be okay, just let him cool off,” Natasha reassured you.

You turned your head, catching a glimpse of Bucky thrashing mindlessly in Steve’s steady arms, a string of curses leaving his mouth that would make his mother smack him upside the head. He suddenly caught your gaze on him and he stopped flailing, his expression softening immediately with concern and care.

“Bucky,” you whispered quietly, knowing he wouldn’t have heard you, and you almost swore he whispered your name back.

Before you could succumb to your desire to run up to Bucky and smack him, tell him to stop looking at you like that, throw yourself into his embrace, and kiss him (yes, all in that order), Natasha’s comforting hand on the small of your back brought you back to reality as she led you out the door.

🎕

You glanced at the clock, your foot tapping and hands fidgeting.

4:27. Bucky should be here for his appointment in 3 minutes, assuming he was on time (which he usually wasn’t). You hoped his doctor had suddenly surprised him with a ‘Congrats! You don’t need physical therapy anymore!’ sometime earlier this week.

“Mr. Barnes will be here soon,” Dr. Framer said as he walked past you. “Could you go to the storage room and get some of the thicker resistance bands for his exercises while I finish up with Mrs. Davis?”

Thanks for crushing my hopes, Doc.

You obeyed the doctor, heading to the dimly lit storage closet and making a beeline for the resistance bands on the top shelf, but not before kicking a door stopper into the way so you wouldn’t get locked in.

You eyed the brown box on the top shelf, knowing there was no way in hell you were going to reach that. You looked around for help, but the dusty gray stepping stool that had a permanent home in the corner of the closet was nowhere to be found.

Screw it, you thought as you jumped for it, getting close every time but not quite being able to reach it. You hoped no one walked past the storage closet and saw you jumping up and down like a wasted rabbit, but of course, the universe was always against you.

“Need help?”

You spun around to see Bucky Barnes standing in the doorway, looking annoyingly amused. Your eyes immediately flickered down to his bruised up knuckles, and he seemed to notice, hastily shoving them into his pockets.

“I’m fine, thanks.”

Bucky, however, didn’t seem to mind your reply, strolling up to where you were standing and casually picking up the box off the shelf, placing it in your arms with a grin.

“Show off,” you grumbled.

The door suddenly shut with a loud slam, and you looked at Bucky in horror.

“Did you move the door stopper?”

“What door stopper?”

You groaned, dropping the box to bury your face in your hands. “Wonderful.”

“Calm down, Drama Queen. My phone’s right he-” Bucky patted his pockets, looking at you sheepishly. “I think I forgot it.”

“And mine’s in my bag,” you groaned.

“It’s fine, let’s just bang on the door. We’re right next to the waiting room anyways. The front desk lady will hear us.”

“Shannon never wears her hearing aids unless someone’s in the waiting room,” You shook your head. “She says everything sounds too annoying.”

“Fuck, no one’s in the waiting room, I just walked past.”

“And Dr. Framer’s finishing up with another patient right now,” you sighed, leaning against the shelf and sliding down onto the floor.

Bucky sat down on the floor next to you, and you pretended to ignore the slight flutter in your heart from the close proximity. Awkward tension filled the room as you both obviously were thinking about the same thing. You had so many things to say, to ask, to express, but nothing came out.

“Who the hell designed this stupid thing?” Bucky gestured towards the door.

“Probably someone with the same IQ level as you.” You caught the slight smile on Bucky’s face as you two fell back into the familiar comfort of arguing, ignoring the questions that were bound to be asked.

“Yeah sure, let’s see who’s still laughing once I break down this door with my athletic prowess and save the day.”

“How about we dial down on the heroic acts, superman.” You immediately regretted the words once they left your mouth. Bucky seemed to catch on to your unintentional reference to his fight with Rumlow. Tension filled the air once again, and you wanted to kick yourself.

“We, uh, should probably talk about that-” Bucky nervously rubbed his neck.

“I heard you and that girl talking after I left concessions,” you blurted out, unable to stop the word vomit.

Bucky grimaced, and you watched his eyes fill with guilt. “Yeah, I knew that would come back to bite me.”

“Care to explain, Barnes?” You looked over at him. “I honestly thought we were kind of getting along, but then you randomly got all pressed when Peter and Scott came in, and then you called me a nerd with no friends.”

Bucky shifted uncomfortably, the regret clear on his face. “Look, when that Quill guy came along and started flirting with you, I got . . . jealous.”

“Jealous?” Your eyebrows shot up. “Why? We aren’t even, uh, a thing.”

“I don’t know. I’ve never been good with this stuff.” He ran a hand through his hair, looking down. “Seeing you with someone else just got under my skin, I guess. I saw you smiling at him and laughing at his jokes, and it got me all messed up. I wanted you to look at me the way you were looking at him.”

“Oh.” You were quiet for a bit. “What about with that girl?”

Bucky winced. “I was . . . saving face, I guess? I didn’t want to admit to myself that I was bothered by the Quill thing, so I pretended like I didn’t care.” He took a deep breath, turning to look you in the eye. Sunlight streaming from the small window in the corner danced on Bucky’s face with elegance, showing you something you’ve never seen on his face before.

Vulnerability.

“After I saw you and Quill, I guess I was just really upset, insecure, and confused about my own feelings for you, so I basically ran to someone else. And the first person I saw happened to be Dot. I just needed to feel wanted, you know? Like a sense of validation.”

You nodded slowly. “Look, Bucky, I get it. Emotions can be messy, and we don’t always make the best decision when we’re upset. But honesty goes a long way. You should've told me instead of running away. I had no idea what was going on inside your head.”

“I know.” Bucky looked ashamed as he fiddled with his fingers, his eyes trained down.

“But I’m really glad that you’re telling me this now.” You took his hand gently, an unfamiliar feeling rushing over you. It was the feeling of being able to do everything without fear when Bucky was by your side. His warm hand in yours was comforting, a connection that reassured you in ways words couldn’t express.

He scooted closer with a warm smile as you two settled into a comfortable silence, the low hum of the air conditioning being the only noise in the background.

“Look, Steve sat me down this weekend and knocked some sense into me. Then he called me Ma, and she knocked some sense into me too. I’ve been an idiot, but I’m working on it, for what it’s worth.”

Your eyes met his, and a small smile tugged at the corners of your lips. “Well it’s a good thing Steve has some sense to spare. I appreciate the effort, Bucky.”

“Yeah, he’s got plenty to go around,” he chuckled, his thumb rubbing gently across the back of your hand. “I want you to know that I really care about you. I want to make things right.”

As a smile spread across your face, he continued. “I don’t want you to think that I take you for granted. You mean a lot to me, and I want to be better. For you.”

You squeezed his hand gently. “You mean a lot to me, too, Bucky. More than I ever realized.”

“I thought you hated me,” Bucky teased with a smirk.

“I thought so too.” You sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll have to get rid of my ‘How to Handle Bucky Barnes: The Irritating Assshat’ survival handbook now.”

“Impressive. Does it come with a ‘How to Handle my Irritating Crush on Bucky’ chapter?”

“That’s a work in progress.” You smirked. “Didn’t exactly expect to find myself having a heart-to-heart with you in a dusty closet.”

“Life’s full of surprises,” he remarked, a deep warmth in his eyes.

“And you, James Buchanan Barnes, are the most unexpected one,” you admitted, your tone softening.

“You stalker,” he gasped accusingly. “Digging through patient files to find my full name?”

“Oh biscuits,” you rolled your eyes. “Looks like you caught me.”

“If you wanted me that bad, you could’ve just asked, Doc.”

“I’ll be sure to add that lovely advice to the handbook. How does this sound: ‘Hey Bucky, I’ve secretly been harboring feelings for you. Wanna go make out in the storage closet?’ .”

“I’m pretty sure I would’ve appreciated the honesty,” he laughed.

“You’re impossible.”

“You love it.”

“Debatable.”

“I think you meant to say dateable.”

“You're pushing your luck, Barnes.” You nudged him playfully.

“Admit it. I’m growing on you.”

“Like a stubborn weed.”

“A weed you secretly enjoy having around.”

You feigned annoyance, but the giddy feelings in your chest told a different story. “Don’t get too comfortable, Barnes. You’ve still got a long way to win me over completely.”

“Challenge accepted.” He leaned his back against the shelf with a content sigh, smiling with closed eyes. After a moment of silence, Bucky scooted even closer, pressing his warm body against yours.

He grinned bashfully. “You’ve probably figured this out by now, but I really like you, Doc. Like I really really like you. Talking to you just feels so natural, you know? I feel . . . fuck I’m trash with words.” Bucky took a deep breath. “I feel at home. With you.”

Your heart skipped a beat. “You feel at home when I’m being mean to you?”

Bucky chuckled, the sound echoing in the cramped space. “It’s like . . . I don’t know, you challenge me. Keep me on my toes. But it’s not just that. It’s the way you are, the way you see things. I feel like I can be myself around you, no pretenses. Plus, I know you’ll call out all my bullshit. Like my mom and Steve.”

“That’s a tough crowd to be compared to,” you teased, feeling a pleasant warmth in your chest.

Bucky nodded. “Yeah, but you belong up there with them.”

You smiled, resting your head on Bucky’s shoulder. “I like you too, Barnes. Even though you annoy the crap out of me.”

Bucky laughed heartily. “Scout’s honor. You look so cute when you’re annoyed.” He gently raised your chin with his hands, dipping his head down to look you in the eyes. “All that fuckboy bullshit? I’m tired of it, baby. I only want you.”

“Are you sure you wanna be stuck with the bland vanilla, Barnes? Too late, no take backs.” You teased him playfully, ignoring the rapid beating of your heart.

“You’re more than just bland vanilla,” Bucky frowned, thinking. “You’re . . . spicy pistachio.”

You snorted at Bucky’s unexpected description. “Spicy pistachio? Is that your attempt at a compliment?”

He grinned, his eyes lighting up. “Absolutely. It means you’re a rare and exciting flavor, something I didn’t know I needed until I tried.”

“Well I’m glad you’re such a fan of spicy pistachio, Barnes.”

“The biggest fan.” He looked at you with such gentle care, you thought you would melt under his gaze.

You shoved his shoulder roughly, averting yourself from his deep stare.

“What was that for?” He feigned a wince, just to give you some satisfaction.

“On behalf of Nat.” You just had to make sure you got the shove out of the way before your brain completely surrendered to his sweet talk.

He just smiled knowingly.

You couldn't help but glance down at his roughed-up knuckles, and guilt flooded through you. Bucky noticed, lifting your chin up once again with his gentle touch. The reassurance in his eyes said it all: Don't worry about it, baby.

“I never said thank you for what you did at the party last week.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he said as he leaned in closer. “Just doing my job.”

“Your job?” You raised your eyebrows. “And what job might that be?”

Bucky’s eyes sparkled mischievously. “Guardian of the spicy pistachio, of course.”

You laughed, your cheeks suddenly heating up when you realized how close Bucky’s face was to yours. He came in closer, if that was even possible, his eyes gazing into yours with deep admiration.

“You’re so annoying.”

“Only I can get you so riled up,” Bucky smirked. “It’s truly a gift.”

“Yeah,” your voice got quiet. You forgot the snarky reply you were about to retort back with. “Only you.”

His eyes flickered down to your lips.

“The spiked fruit punch at your party sucked,” you added as your brain malfunctioned. “It made Wanda sick.”

Bucky leaned closer. “Noted. I’ll let Thor know.”

“You should really consider investing in some Febreze. The whole place smelled like sweat.”

“Noted. I’ll tell Steve.” He leaned in a bit more, his lips almost brushing against yours.

Amidst the closeness, you couldn’t help but let out more observations as your mind raced. “Also, your playlist needs a serious upgrade. I think I heard ‘Eye of the Tiger’ at least three times.”

Bucky brought his hands up to rest on your cheeks, leaning in even closer. “Noted. I’ll tell Sam.”

“Just kiss me already.”

“Noted, baby.” Bucky finally closed the gap between you with a smile as your lips met in a sweet, long-awaited kiss. His soft lips moved gently and his thumbs caressed your cheeks lovingly.

The world outside the closet seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of you in a moment suspended in time, finally acknowledging the feelings that had been swirling beneath the surface.

As the kiss deepened, you pulled away slightly, a playful glint in your eyes.

“You know, I think this is the most action this storage closet has seen in years. We should charge rent.”

Bucky chuckled against your lips, “In that case, we should give it a good show. You know, make the experience worth its money.”

Bucky pulled you into another kiss, his laughter merging into the warmth of the moment.

The door suddenly opened, light entering the dark closet as you and Bucky pulled apart frantically, scrambling for excuses. Dr. Framer was standing in the doorway with multiple emotions changing on his face. First surprise, then confusion, then a knowing smile directed at Bucky.

“You know, I could always tell you had a crush on her.”

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes #college au #athletebucky #marvel fanfiction #protective bucky barnes

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