i'll stand next to you, through and through

[dysmorphics]

( 🎶 )

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[dysmorphics]

◜the aftermath of this◞

She reclines against her chair with a languor she doesn't really feel while he pours them a drink from the large bottle of booze (one out of a dozen, "compliments of Thor") they'd mooched off the Asgardians. It's been a while since they've done anything that doesn't involve fighting or responding to a crisis, much less just the two of them; between the war and everything else that followed, they haven't really had the time or opportunity for that. But now that they do, she's unexpectedly nervous. Which is silly, really. They're just hanging out, you know, like normal people do on Friday nights. He's her best friend.

... and longtime recipient of her unrequited, but no less persistent, affection. Which everyone seemed to realize except him. And that's fine! He has enough shit to deal with already. The last thing he needs is her complicating things between them.

"Thanks." Though she suddenly leans forward and reaches across the table to place a palm over his glass before he can take a drink off it, grinning. "Let's play Never Have I Ever."

Regular people normally use shot glasses for that. But supersoldiers who haven't been properly drunk in decades? (Or in her case, never?) Ha. Tiny glasses are for the weak.

[notworthallthis]

There's always some crisis or another going on, and it's been a long time since Bucky took a moment to just... be. He can't imagine anyone else he'd rather have a stolen second like this with, either.

He nods at her thanks and settles across the coffee table on the couch. He laughs, "Yeah? All right... you start us off?" Since it was her idea and all.

[dysmorphics]

He really is in a good mood tonight. That relaxes her, if only because she likes seeing him happy. Or as close as he can get to happy these days, after everything he's been through.

Glancing at her glass, she starts with the obvious: "Never have I ever gotten drunk." While this isn't the first time she'd sampled Asgard's wares (Thor had brought a bottle or two to the Tower before) she'd always felt she had to be the responsible, sober one. Nevermind the years before the serum; despite her own curiosity, Bucky had never let her. Didn't want her to get sicker than she'd already been.

[notworthallthis]

He rolls his eyes and takes a drink on that note. It's been a long damn time since he had been right and proper drunk, but it had happened more than once in the past.

If they're going with obvious things... "Never have I ever been a symbol of hope for an entire country."

[dysmorphics]

It's her turn to roll her eyes, but fair's fair, and she takes a drink. This is how he wants to play it, then? Fine.

She continues with more of the obvious.

"Never have I ever had a pet."
"Never have I ever had a cat." (He'll argue it's the same thing, she'll insist that it's not.)
"Never have I ever had a prosthetic limb." (She'll be nice and not overdo this one. Or say anything about adjacent topics.)
"Never have I ever been propositioned by a talking raccoon."

[dysmorphics]

Guess what? I just bought us a spice rack.

Now do you want me to file the canisters alphabetically, and in which language?

no but my aunt literally has everything in clear containers with fancy sticker-labels

[notworthallthis]

This might be the most random text I’ve gotten from you to date.

Yes, and English.

[…]

You’re cute. I hope you know that.

oh she's going to draw cute things on the labels just because 😂

[dysmorphics]

I'm only getting started. Next weekend we're looking at Christmas trees.

You know, "cute" is usually patronizing but since it's you, I'll take it.

yesssd good. Love this

[notworthallthis]

Do you want to get a real one?

Definitely not how I meant it. So I appreciate the good faith take.

[dysmorphics]

Yeah. Doesn't have to be a big one. Do I have to wrestle you for it?

[notworthallthis]

2. Just don't do anything stupid. I'm not going to have time to fix whatever you break for at least twelve hours.

---

You deserve the world, Steph.

[He didn't mean to get all serious in the middle of their banter, but... it's true. He really does believe that, a truth etched somewhere deep down into his bones.]

[dysmorphics]

I don't need the world when I have you.

[notworthallthis]

Been reading some poetry lately?
Because, holy shit, that was smooth.



And kind of sexy, if I'm being completely honest.

i had to HAHAHA

[dysmorphics]

No, but I discovered Pinterest.

Does this mean you'd like me to recite poetry in bed?

😂

[notworthallthis]

That’s a dangerous one.
I’ve lost hours on there.

I wouldn’t object to it, if you were so inclined.

text @ 1:13am

[notworthallthis]

...you up?

[Is he texting her from the living room of the apartment, while she's in the bedroom? Maybe, what of it.]

[dysmorphics]

Yeah, I'm finishing my book. Something fun on TV?

[notworthallthis]

Which one are you reading now?

Not really.
Trying to put this damn puzzle together but I can't find the piece I'm looking for.

[It's a mindless sort of thing he can do on nights he can't sleep, and it feels a little productive because he can visually track the progress made.]

[dysmorphics]

A Walk to Remember. It's a romantic drama.

Want me to help or do you just need me to cheer you on? I'll have to move Alpine off my lap though, and ain't that like, major cat crime?

[ Besides she doesn't want him to see her all teary-eyed over a damn book, oops. ]

[notworthallthis]

I guess it's pretty good if you're staying up to finish it.
What's it about?

The biggest cat crime out there.
I think I probably just need a break. I don't even know how long I've been sitting here staring at puzzle pieces.

text @ 3:36am

[notworthallthis]

...you still up?

[He's a little restless, but it's in a different way than most nights.]

[dysmorphics]

I dozed off but it didn't last. Something the matter?

[notworthallthis]

No, not really.
Kind of restless…

[He debates what else to say. How to say it, more than anything. Despite being several years out from under HYDRA’s thumb, he still finds asking for things difficult. Wants are exponentially harder than needs, to boot.]

Was kinda thinking… maybe we could try a little bit of what we talked about before…?

[Jesus, Barnes, just say what you mean!

But no amount of chastising himself was going to make him change the careful way he approaches some things.

He just hopes she knows what he means and braces himself for probably needing to explain what the hell he’s talking about anyway because he’s too damn vague.]

[dysmorphics]

The sex thing?

[ They've talked about a lot of things by now, but it's the first one that comes to mind, and, well, she can understand why he'd taken this to text. She knows asking is hard for him.

Though now that the idea's there, she hopes it's actually what he means because she can't just turn off the excitement that's bubbled within her. Being propositioned by your boyfriend at 3 in the morning, albeit vaguely, is kind of hot. ]

Stuck to the refrigerator;

[notworthallthis]

Maybe it was your laugh,

or your eyes, or your smile.

It could've been your hair,
or your voice, or your personality.

whatever it was,
it made me fall
pretty damn hard.