The Boss [COMPLETED]

Coping

Four hours later, you were staring at yourself in the mirror, scrutinising the dress you'd chosen to wear. It was flattering, dark red, hugging your figure without making you feel self-conscious. It had a scoop neck, and draped down to just above your knees. Smart enough to wear out to dinner, casual enough for the company of a friend.

Which Noah didn't always used to be. He was the one person in your time at the Red Room, other than Bucky, who managed to get you to agree to Sub for him. The only one that had intrigued you enough. It was your first time playing that part of the dynamic, and he was always nothing but compassionate and comforting as you both explored your roles together.

Three years ago, when he told you he was leaving to explore the world, you felt heartbroken. And at the time you thought you were. Noah had seeped into your personal life, meeting him outside the Red Room more often, and eventually he was spending half the week at your place. At the time, you thought he was everything you wanted, and you thought you were losing the best chance you had at happiness when you watched him walk through those airport doors.

Until you met Bucky. Bucky rewrote everything for you. Bucky made you realise how much deeper you could fall in love with someone.

Noah was your first love.

But Bucky felt like he was your soulmate.

So while you were happy Noah was back, while you'd said yes to his dinner invitation, you knew that nothing was going to go back to the way it was, because Bucky was it for you. And Noah wasn't Bucky.

It didn't mean that you couldn't pretend you were happy with Noah for a few hours though. It didn't mean you couldn't smother down the nauseous, churning feeling in your stomach that reminded you how you couldn't be happy with the person you wanted to be going to dinner with.

Nat popped her head in while you were finishing up your makeup.

"Hey, I'm off to work. I still can't find my damn phone, but I'll text you from Piet's." She said.

"Okay." You hummed.

"You look gorgeous." She commented, and you smiled sadly, screwing the mascara wand back into the tube.

"Thanks."

"What's wrong?"

"I should be happy he's back. I know I should." You sighed. "But..."

"I know sweetie. But I can guarantee that before you know it, you'll be getting dolled up to go out with Bucky again soon. I promise."

"How can you promise that?" You asked, knowing it was mean of you, because she of course had no way of promising that. She was trying to comfort you, like a true friend, but instead of her shrugging and agreeing with you, she smiled.

"I have it on good authority that Bucky looks like shit. And he's miserable without you."

"I know your authority is Steve." You pointed out, making her shrug. "Which means that he can tell Bucky to do something about it, instead of just reporting back to you."

"No one tells Bucky what to do, you know that."

You exhaled, moving away from your mirror and turning to Nat.

"I gave Adrian a new deal." You admitted, making Nat's eyes widened. "Bucky's docks, I got him to agree to give it back."

"Wow. Why did he agree to that?"

"I...he said there was another option on the table, and that we could agree to do that instead."

"What's the other option?"