The Number One Rule

Chapter Eleven

"Beck! The interview went so well!" Y/N shouted, walking through her friend's door to her apartment. She took off her purse and threw it by the entrance on her way in.

"That's great, Y/N/N!" Bekah's voice replied from the kitchen before she peaked around the corner smiling. "Do you think you got it?

"I don't want to jinx it, but they kinda hinted at me doing a specific research plan in my field," she cheered, walking into the living room.

"I'm so happy for you," Beck smiled, handing her a glass of wine.

"Where's your glass?" she asked, noticing her friend hadn't poured herself one. "Don't tell me you're taking a break from alcohol, because I don't want to be the only one tipsy on wine nights," she chuckled while taking a sip.

But just as she went to swallow the sweet red wine, Bucky turned the same corner around the kitchen and she choked.

"Good God, Y/N/N," Beck said concerned. "Are you ok?"

Y/N caught her breath and coughed some. "I'm fine," she answered, never breaking her eye contact with Bucky who had stepped forward. "What, uh, I didn't know-," she paused, looking to Beck. "You said you wanted to have a girl's night."

"About that," Bekah wrinkled her nose with a guilty look. "Um, I think Bucky and you need to talk," she said moving to the door and grabbing her things quickly.

"Beck," Y/N said urgently, looking at her friend that was now abandoning her.

"You guys wouldn't have privacy at your house or Bucky's, and you do need to talk," she explained, throwing her purse over her shoulder and going to open the door. "Bucky, if you do anything stupid, so help me God, I'll murder you myself," she threatened her brother. "Call when it's safe to come home," she shouted as she ran out the door.

Y/N froze stuck in her spot as she watched the door shut. The wine in her hand was still swirling in the glass from how fast she had spun around.

"Y/N," Bucky started.

Instantly, she turned around, held up a finger to him, and brought the drink to her lips finishing it in record time. Bucky's eyes widened watching her drink the overfilled glass. She grimaced at the potency of it once she had downed it.

Taking a deep breath, she looked back at him and paused before talking again.

"Nope, I'm going to need more before you reject me a second time," she shook her head, moving past him to the kitchen to refill her drink.

"Y/N," he sighed, turning with her and following her right on her heel.

"If we're going to have the same talk we did yesterday, I'm not really in the mood. I'm having a good day after my interview this morning, and I really wasn't looking to have that all be turned upside down," she stopped him. "I even got a compliment from an old lady on the street saying my hair looked nice. My day was made."

"Your hair does look nice," he noted.

"Thank you," she said pouring the wine.

Bucky watched her fill the glass practically to the brim and bring it to her lips leveling it out.

"Are you excited about the job?" he asked.

"Very," she answered once she took her large sip.

"When will you hear back from them?" he continued. He could see her ease up some at the fact he wasn't just jumping straight into the inevitable conversation she was dreading. He could tell her defense was still up just by looking at her furrowed eyebrows, but she wasn't as freaked out as earlier.