Your Ivy Grows

Chapter 2

Bucky

He watches her walk away, unsure how she can walk in that dress when it clings so tightly to her body. It does not look comfortable at all, he wonders if that was her choice or not. It molds to every single curve of her body, which is exactly why he finds his gaze falling to her ass as she walks away. His eyes continue to follow her as she makes her way back in; he doesn't tear them away until she has disappeared inside.

When he'd snuck away from the party to hide out here, she'd have been the last person he'd have expected to do the same. He'd spent far too much of the night watching her and John as they mingled with the guests. This party is being held in John Walker's honor, the new Captain America. As if it was just a role you could easily replace, like Steve was just some guy in a costume. He fucking hates the fact he allowed them to force him to come here and act like he agrees with any of this. He needs to find Sam Wilson and find out what possessed him to hand that shield over.

It has been especially ridiculous watching Walker parade his wife around like some prize Barbie all night. The news reports about the new Captain America have focused a lot on his marriage. They're really pushing the childhood neighbours to high school sweethearts to husband and wife narrative. And she's easy to sell when she looks the way she does, she's stunning. But the smiling, adoring wife he'd watched all evening was nowhere to be found in this garden. When she'd stumbled over to his hiding spot, she hadn't realised she wasn't alone and he'd seen the facade drop for a moment.

The way she had snapped back at him wasn't what he'd expected, either. She's definitely not the docile, quiet woman they seem determined to convince the public she is. There's some fire in her. But he'd also seen the fear in her eyes when he'd grabbed her to stop her from walking away, even though she'd tried her best to hide it. She'd thought him capable of hitting her. Maybe that is just what she expects from... What was it she'd called him again? A reformed killing machine. Nice to know what the people at these events really think of him.

He stays outside for as long as he can, having to force his mind to focus on something other than Walker's wife. But that proves hard to do. Damn her, and damn that tight dress, too. Eventually he has to head back in, but he avoids searching them out in the crowd and slips out of the party as soon as he can.