Miss Velvet

9

Velvet, Nat and Wanda head downstairs to the party to see many of the guests were already there. The pool was full and surrounded, there was a line at the bar and the bbq buffet.
Velvet tried to look for Bucky without being too obvious but couldn't see him so figured they needed to get deeper into the crowd. She heard Thor laughing about something and looked over to see him talking to Steve, Rhodey and Maria. She saw Tony and Pepper sitting by the pool watching Morgan showing off all the swim strokes she has learned. Nat and Wanda wander away from her to find their men.

She finally sees Sam and Bucky and waves, he smiles then frowns and looks away. Sam half waves then looks to Bucky to see what his deal is. Velvet is hurt and turns away to hit the bar hoping some liquid courage will help. She needs to at least stay until everyone sings happy birthday to Steve and then she can sneak out and go home where Indy will console her. She takes a candy to help relax but it doesn't seem to help not even when combined with her drink. Velvet wanders aimlessly while carefully avoiding where Bucky is being courted by a group of agents, not seeing how he keeps looking at her instead of them.

After Steve is serenaded and his cake cut the fireworks begin and not just in the sky. Velvet sees a couple walk up to Bucky, pushing past his groupies and right into his space. The woman looks like she could be Janell from the back, but that's impossible because Friday would have seen her and notified Maria who is not behaving like she has heard anything.

Velvet pushes the button for Friday on her starkphone 'Friday, has Janell Marshall returned to the compound?' 'No Miss Velvet, I haven't seen her.'

Bucky has been going nuts, not knowing what to do. He wants so badly to talk to her and be told that she knows but doesn't care and wants to give him a chance but he knows that's unlikely. He's watching her from his spot under a tree when a couple that he doesn't know comes up to him. The woman is short with long dark hair and seems familiar but he can't place her. The man is taller than the woman but shorter than Bucky and skinny like Steve used to be. The woman touches Bucky on the shoulder too intimately for someone he doesn't know and he pulls back.

'Whats wrong Barnes? Don't recognize me? Doesn't matter, I've come to keep my promise to make you pay.' She puts her hand over her face and pulls down removing the veil and showing her face.

'Janell' Bucky spits out, 'Weren't you embarrassed enough at the stable that day? I'm not interested so leave me alone or I'll turn you in for harassment.'

Janell grins 'Don't worry about that, I'm over it but need to know if you got the package I sent you.'

'No, I didn't get anything from you and I wouldn't open it if I did'

Janell's smile grows 'but I want to show you something' and she reaches into her purse for an envelope then opens it and pulls out some pics and hands them to Bucky. 'Those' pics.

Bucky looks, his eyes grow wide and he growls 'What kind of game are you playing, Janell?'

'The kind that I win. That's your precious Velvet a few years ago with my friend Roger here. I guess I was wrong about her being too goody goody for you, she might be too slutty for you.'

'Shut the fuck up Janell, you are no one to be calling anyone else slutty'

Roger pulls his veil off and laughs 'You're the one who wants my sloppy seconds, huh? I've see y/n fuck worse so I doubt she'll turn you down. Or is she still pretending that's her past? She's always come back to me. The blip might have slowed me down but I'm here to collect my property.'

Bucky can barely control his rage and Sam puts his hand on his arm to remind him they aren't alone.
Velvet sees Roger and panics, unable to decide if she should confront him or run away. She doesn't get the chance to do either when she feels a hand grab her arm.