Saved - A Bucky Barnes love story

Dresses for the masquerade ball

On the drive to the shopping center, I concentrate on driving and ignore the curious questions from Nat and Wanda. I don't mind you asking questions, but I'm not quite sure how to answer them. I'm afraid that everything will break down as soon as I talk about it. That I am currently living a dream that will instantly vanish into thin air. When we get out of the car in the parking garage, I have no excuse not to react to Nat and Wanda. "So Michelle, when are you and Bucky making it official?" asks Nat, sounding genuinely interested. "When do we officially do what?" I ask uncertainly. Is there something between us to make official? I am absolutely sure of my feelings and what I wish for us. But does Bucky see and feel it exactly the same way? I mean yes, he treats me like the most precious thing in his life. But does he love me too? I am torn out of my thoughts by Wanda. "Come on. A blind man can see that you two are totally in love with each other" she forms a heart with her hands and dances around. We laugh when we enter the first shop. "You really think Bucky is in love with me?" I ask, my heart leaping at the thought that he might feel the same for me. "Definitely sweetie. The way he looks at you. How he's been acting since you've been with us. How he does everything to get Rumlow for what he did to you. Believe me, he's so in love with you," says Nat while she takes some clothes off the hook and puts them over her arm to try them on later. "Not to forget that he no longer has nightmares when you are with him," Wanda agrees with Nat's remarks. "I feel better when he's with me," I shyly admit. The two grin broadly at me, put a few more things on our already huge pile of clothes and pull me to the changing rooms. It doesn't take long to find the perfect dresses. We pay for our purchases and walk a few shops down to a beauty salon. Nat had already announced us here by phone. We sit next to each other while three hairdressers take care of our hair and makeup artists take care of our nails and makeup. The whole time I was thinking about what Wanda and Nat were saying, which is apparently so obvious to everyone. When my makeup is done and Alex, my makeup artist, is taking care of my nails, I utter the thought that has been preoccupying me the whole time. "What if everything changes between us as soon as feelings come into play? What if he doesn't feel that way for me and just, in a weird way, pities me?" "I think that's absolutely out of the question. I think Bucky has never been really in love before" Wanda smiles encouragingly at me. "Just dare something and be brave," Nat imitates me. I said exactly these words to Peter when he wasn't sure if he should ask MJ out on a date. "You two belong together," she says and gently pokes my arm. When our makeup and hair look perfect, we make our way back. When we enter the tower, work for the ball in the foyer is already in full swing. It's crazy what Tony can do. I've never seen so much luxury in one place, apart from the Avengers' private quarters. We go upstairs and go to my room together. There we unpack our dresses for tonight and put on our dresses. We look absolutely gorgeous. I wear a black, strapless dress with a wide skirt made of tulle, which turns from the hips into matt black flowers with small golden pearls in the middle. So these flowers stretch up over my breasts - deep neckline, both in front and on the back. I also wear black gold heels and a black gold Venetian mask. My hair falls down my back in thick curls. Nat's dress is also black and the fabric is gathered from top to bottom. It is also strapless, but unlike mine, it has a long train. She wears simple black heels and a black, no-frills mask. Her hair is tupled and then goes into a braided pigtail that rests in the middle between her shoulder blades. Wanda brings a little color into the game. She wears a tight, bright red dress made of pure silk, so that the dress shimmers in the light. She also wears red strappy pumps and a feather-trimmed glittering mask. Her hair falls over her shoulder and back in voluminous waves. "Damn it! We look absolutely hot," enthuses Wanda as the three of us stand in front of the mirror in my bathroom. Since we still have some time before the party starts, we gossip and take photos of ourselves. I don't think I've ever had anything that comes close to a girls' night out. But this is almost everything I've ever imagined doing. "Ready to turn the head of a certain man?" asks Nat, wagging her eyebrows suggestively. "After everything I saw in the gym today, I bet your dress will land carelessly on the floor today." I blush and join in their laughter. "I'm curious to see what our boys look like," says Wanda promisingly. Oh yeah. At the thought of what Bucky will look like in a suit, I get very hot and I feel the muscles in my abdomen contract. At some point we can hear soft music. "Shall we go?" I ask and hold out my arms to both of them so they can hook onto me. Giggling and still gossiping, we take the elevator down to where the party has already started.