Chapter Text
His eyes were on you the moment you stepped through the door, and immediately his heart sped up. He hadn't seen you in a few days and he couldn't help his wide, excited smile. He was glad you came, he headn't been sure of it. It was a busy weekend for you, and he grinned at the thought that you'd rather spend time here, where he was, than working at home. Sure, you didn't know he was there, but that would change.
Tonight, you'd get to know his name.
He didn't come up to you right away. He stood at the bar, too far away from you to hear what you were talking about, but close enough to feel you. He was always able to do that, somehow. It was like his brain focused only on you, like everything that wasn't you was grey and dull and repelled him. Whereas you, you always drew him in. The way you'd smile into his direction, almost as though you knew he was there, or the way you threw your head back and your nose scrunched up as you laughed at a friend's joke. Nothing about you seemed to escape his attention.
No, he didn't seek you out right away. He waited until you were alone. Your friend had settled to dance with a guy she'd met earlier that night, because she hadn't been able to convince you to join her just yet. You made your way to the bar to get yourself another drink, and that's when he took a deep breath and clenched his shaking hands to ground himself.
Tonight, he reminded himelself, tonight she'll get to know my name. Maybe she'll shake just the way I do. Maybe she'll dream of me. Maybe she'll whisper my name in her sleep...
He took a step back from the bar before you could see him, and walked in a circle for a couple of moments, squeezing his way through the crowd. He didn't need to keep his eyes on you. He sensed where you were, like you were a burning torch in the darkness. When he arrived at the bar again, he sat down right next to you. How he managed to keep his eyes off you, he didn't know. But he ordered a drink for himself and waited without losing his cool. Just like he'd planned, his favourite barkeeper worked this shift. His name was Pietro, and he was one of the only people he could call a friend.
They talked quite often, because he usually stayed at the club long after you left, and Pietro usually worked the early morning shifts. It was nicer to imagine that you were still somewhere out there, swaying your hips to the music, instead of watchng you go home with someone. He had never actually seen you leave with a guy, but just the possibility made his blood boil. Another man's hands on you, your lips whispering another man's name...
He was pulled back into reality by your sweet, but annoyed voice.
"Excuse me? I am talking to you." you called, but Pietro had already left again, serving another young girl with his charming smile. He smirked. Pietro was truly a friend. He'd told the barkeeper about his plans - without ever mentioning your name or pointing you out to him, because he didn't want him to think about you - but obviously, Pietro was clever enough to know that there was only one girl he'd volunatrily be this close to. So he ignored you, just like he had been told.
Now or never, a voice in his head nagged him, and he cleared his throat and looked down at you. His expression softened and his heart skipped a bit. You weren't looking at him, and he took the time to admire you. He'd never actually seen you this close, not in person anyway. Sure, he had most of the pictures you or your friends had taken of you over the past few months, but the real thing, right in front of him, was something completely different.
He cleared his throat and looked up again, "Hey! The lady's ordering something here!"
Pietro's head snapped up to him, and luckily he managed not to smirk. He nodded and made his way over to them. "Sorry, babe, didn't see you there."
He clenched his fists and shifted next to you. He knew it was part of the plan, part of the game Pietro was supposed to play, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
Before you could say something, he snapped, "Stop calling her that and get her her damn drink."
You looked up at him, and feeling your eyes on him practically set him on fire. But he knew he couldn't get distracted by you now. Pietro raised his hands in defeat and now the bastard was smirking as he backed off and started to work on your drink.
"He's an ass, don't mind him," he said to you, forcing himself to keep glaring at Pietro instead of looking down at you. He wanted it so badly. But if he'd lock eyes with you now, he didn't think he'd be able to hold back. And this wasn't over yet - far from it. He couldn't take you with him just yet, he needed to be patient.
"Thank you", you said, and he shivered at the sound of your voice. The fingers of his left hand twitched a little, something they always did when he got nervous, and he hid the arm from you as good as he could.
"Don't worry about it", he said and took a deep breath, before he allowed his eyes to wander to yours.
She's so beautiful. How? How does she do it? Don't just stare, say something!
"If he does that again, just give me a nudge", he told you, and your smile made him dizzy with affection.
She nodded and extended your hand to him. "Sure will. I'm (Y/N)."
Hearing your name, from your lips, aimed toward him was enough to confirm all those thoughts he'd had about you for the past few months. Your voice was so sweet, so innocent and full of kindness. It was perfect and perfect only for him and he knew that he needed to be yours - and you to be his.
"Bucky", he said and squeezed your hand gently, so small compared to his, "A pleasure to meet you."