*narrator pov*
You looked back to see Sam muttering in Bucky's ear.
"You haven't told her?" Sam said.
"I... forgot" Bucky argued.
"How could you just forget to mention something like that?"
"There hasn't been a good time..."
"There's never a good time. You just got to do it."
Your eyes were darting between the two of them, and you coughed loudly to remind them of your presence.
They both looked at you.
"Care to tell me what's going on?"
"Y/n..." Bucky hesitated.
"Steve was old" Sam told you.
"So's Bucky, what's your point?"
"When he was returning the stones, he didn't come back to the present. He went back to the 1940's because he said he wanted to live his own life" Bucky explained.
"Okay..." you nodded slowly. "So he's gone?"
"I'm sorry" Sam sighed sadly.
You stared down at your feet.
"You okay honey?" Bucky asked.
"Was he happy?" you muttered.
"Hm?"
"Steve... was he happy?" you looked up at Bucky.
He saw the tears behind your eyes and frowned apologetically.
"Yeah he seemed happy" he assured you.
You carefully wiped your eyes, minding the mascara you had applied for the evening, and picked up a pool stick.
"Are you okay?" Sam asked.
"Yeah I'm fine."
"You seem pretty chilled for a person who just got told their ex boyfriend died."
"We're in the middle of a very large crowd, what do you expect me to do? Sit in a ball on the floor and weep? Sure I'm bummed he's gone but he deserved the life that I'm sure he found."
"He did say he met someone" Sam informed.
"Hm."
"What?"
"Son of a bitch replaced me?" you joked. "Come on let's play some pool."
Bucky and Sam didn't move as they were looking at you worriedly.
"Guys?" you asked then rolled your eyes. "Oh my god I'm fine. Can we play now?"
Sam picked up the other stick as Bucky came to stand next to you.
He put his hands round your waist, and supported your lower back as you leaned over to hit the cue ball. His hand ran down your back as you were bent over the table, and got even lower as you stood back up.
You smiled and looked over your shoulder, meeting Bucky's face close behind you.
He kissed you as the balls on the table collided and fell into their pockets.
"Hey Buck can you get me a drink?" you pleaded.
He didn't hesitate to return to the bar and buy you something as you took another shot.
It was Sam's turn when Bucky arrived at the table again, and you gave him your stick as you took the drink from him.
You sipped it but Sam messed up his shot so badly that it almost came back out your nose.
"You think you can do better?" Sam asked.
"Oh I know I can do better" you grinned, and swapped with Bucky again to hold the stick.
You shot, and skilfully potted three balls in one.
"See" you smirked.
"You got lucky" Sam groaned.
You continued to drink and play for a while, until Tony came over.
"I come in peace" he raised his hands in the air playfully.
"Sup Stank" you grinned as you lined up a shot on the table.
"Stank? Seriously?"
"What do you want Tony?"
"What? You still pissed at me?"
"No I'm just busy."
"It's my party. You can't be too busy for the host."
"I can and I am..." you potted the 8 ball. "Aha!" you cheered and pointed at the stranger you were currently playing. "You gotta buy me a dri-ink" you teased.
"Can I borrow her?" Tony asked Bucky.
"All yours" Bucky nodded and took the stick off you.
"Hey!" you cried and Tony took your arm.
He started walking with you, and you quickly grabbed the drink you'd just won from the stranger you'd just played.
"How many drinks have you had?" Tony raised an eyebrow.
"How old am I?" you giggled. "Okay maybe not that many."
"So... why did you slap me earlier?"
"Because..."
"Wow. Great reason."
"Because I was mad at you."
"Now, is that my fault?"
"Yes. Who else's would it be?"
"What did I do?"
"Ugh, no. You didn't do anything."
"Y/n, dear child, you're confusing me."
"I think I'm confusing me too..." you scratched your head for a moment then remembered your point. "I just didn't want to see all those reporters, but I can't blame you because I mean you're... you."
"Oh, no, you can most definitely blame me."
"No..."
"Yes. I invited them."
"What?"
"Yeah I kinda invited them all, or at least half of them."
"Tonyyy" you whined. "Whyyyyy?"
"I have an announcement I need to make to the public tonight."
"Really? What about?"
"You."
"What? No no no! Tony! What the hell are you talking about?!" you stepped forward and stopped him walking through the crowd. You desperately grabbed his shoulders and shook them. "Tony why would you do this?! Please no..."
"Y/n! Y/n calm down. I was kidding."
You rolled your eyes, unimpressed.
"Not funny."
"Disagree."
"So when are you making this announcement?"
"About thirty seconds."
"What?"
You suddenly realised that Tony had walked you up to a small stage at the front of the room.
Doors on the other side of the room opened and some reporters started to flood through the crowd.
"Ew" you scrunched your nose at them in disgust.
You turned to Tony and frowned, who laughed innocently at you.
"You took me away from my emotional support animal" you moaned.
"Please tell me you're not talking about Barnes."
"I want my boyfriend" you crossed your arms and pouted grumpily like a child.
"How about alcohol?" Tony laughed as he took a glass off a plate that a waiter walking past was carrying.
He handed it to you, just as Pepper walked over.
"Shall we?" Tony grinned as he took her arm, and they walked together onto the stage.
You sat on the edge of it, staring into space as you gulped back your drink.
You rolled your eyes as Tony began his picture perfect facade, smiling for the cameras and answering questions with Pepper by his side.
You let yourself zone out, ignoring whatever Tony was saying behind you.
Eventually, Bucky came into view as he walked through the crowd towards you.
You didn't acknowledge that he was there until he was standing right in front of you.
"Oh hi" you smiled up at him.
You took his hands and pulled yourself up, grabbing onto him to steady yourself.
"You do realise you were literally sitting on the stage? In front of everyone" he whispered as he walked you towards the side of the room.
"Oh no one cares though. They're all focused on Tony" you moaned.
When you got to the wall, you slouched back on it as Bucky stepped towards you.
He put a hand down next to your head as he leaned over you, and your back straightened against the wall.
He used his other hand - a finger to lift your chin and his lips edged closer until they were barely an inch away from yours.
You felt him breathing down your neck, longing for him to kiss you already.
"How drunk are you doll?" he asked softly.
"Oh, very" you looked yearningly at his lips, before making hopeful eye contact with him. "Take advantage" you whispered.
He smirked and seconds later, his lips crashed down on yours as he kissed you passionately.
One hand stroked down your side and round your waist as the other ran through your hair, brushing it behind your ear and down to your shoulder. He reached round the back of your neck, holding your head in place as his face pressed against yours.
Your hands tightened around the hem of Bucky's jacket as you pulled him onto you, pushing yourself into the wall behind you.
You let go of his suit and cupped his cheeks in your hands as you stayed locked in a kiss.
You were beginning to get comfortable when you noticed someone walk up next to you.
You banged your head back against the wall in annoyance and turned to face Sam.
Bucky didn't stop, as he started to kiss behind your ear, slowly working his way down your neck. He didn't care for Sam's presence as he started biting and sucking your neck, working on giving you a hickey.
You bit down on your lip as you made eye contact with Sam.
"Am I interrupting something" Sam asked.
"What do you want?" you frowned.
"I'm, uh, going soon... wanted to say bye..." Sam said, but he was visibly distracted by what Bucky was doing.
"Okay... bye..." you muttered.
Sam rolled his eyes and left you alone again.
You turned your head in Bucky's direction again and he kissed you down your jawline.
You pressed your lips down on his once again and reached your hands up behind his neck.
"Bucky... can we... go..." you asked between kisses.
Bucky stopped kissing you and looked into your eyes.
You focused on every shade of blue you could see and smiled softly.
"Stark's our ride doll" he apologised. "Can't go until he does."
Your lips twitched unhappily and you looked over his shoulder at where Tony was still chattering away on stage.
"He talks a lot" you shrugged, then returned to kissing Bucky.
He smiled, but interrupted you, placing a finger on your lips.
You rolled your eyes and Bucky took your hand, and you went to stand by the side of the stage.
You rested the side of your head on his shoulder as you listened to Tony speak.
"Okay okay. The truth is... this isn't a celebration or victory party" Tony admitted, and the crowd began to quieten down. "It's a retirement party."
The noise level instantly shot back up.
"Can heroes retire?" you muttered to Bucky.
"I don't know. But I guess he just did."
"So if the world is in danger again he just says 'oh I'm retired' and let's someone else deal with it?"
"I guess so."
"Hm. Fair enough" you shrugged.
"I have more important things in my life" Tony continued, smiling at Pepper. "And there are hundreds of others on this planet capable of saving a life or two when needed."
"Well what happens to the Iron Man?" a reporter asked.
"I am Ironman. Ironman's retiring. Okay no more questions."
Tony, with his arm around Pepper, stepped off the stage, and they came over to you.
"Retired?" Bucky questioned.
"You realise what you're signing up for?" you warned him. "That's a lot of hide and seek."
"Looking forward to every minute of it" Tony smirked.
"Morgan's gonna be so happy."
"She's the reason I'm doing this. So are you" he smiled and leaned over to kiss Pepper's cheek.
"Cute... anyway. When are we leaving?"
"An hour, maybe two, why?"
"Seriously?! Ugh. Okay. Come on baby" you dragged Bucky's hand to the pool tables to play some more games.
Then, Bucky sat at the side of the room, watching you dance not far in front of him.
Guys occasionally walked up to you, but never got the chance to talk to you as they always noticed Bucky glare at them before they could say a word.
After a while, you gave up and walked over to him.
"Will you stop?" you groaned.
"What?"
"Stop death staring every single person that comes up to me. If you won't dance with me, I want someone who will."
"You never asked."
"Oh. Okay you wanna dance with me?"
"No."
"Didn't think so... come on please. Just one song."
"I don't dance."
"Okay Bucky, you dance with me, then we'll go wait in the limo."
"But Stark won't be there for at least another half hour."
"Oh I know. We'll just have to find a way to... entertain ourselves while we wait."
Bucky sighed and stood up.
"I'll do it because I love you."
"Mhm sure" you nodded smugly as he wrapped his hands round your waist. "No other reason? Nothing to do with what I just said?"
"Sorry I wasn't listening. I was focused on this really pretty girl I saw..." he gently gave you a kiss as he walked you backwards onto the dance floor.
You giggled as he twirled you around.
You danced the entirety of the song in his arms.
"See. Was that so hard?" you smirked when the song ended.
"Mhm."
"Wanna go?"
"Mhm."
You held his hand and headed for the door, but Tony suddenly appeared in front of you.
"Hey where you going?" he asked.
"We're leaving."
"But I'm taking you home..."
"Yeah I know. We're going to wait in the car" you smiled and pushed past him.
"Take your time" Bucky nodded.
Tony frowned disgustedly and watched you walk away.
