Chapter Text
You were so late. Over an hour late to be precise, and yet, you couldn’t muster up the courage to get out of your car. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to do to Steve’s cousin’s engagement party, but well… that was exactly it. The only reason you had made the drive was because Peggy had asked you to keep her company and you knew you owed her for all the times she had done the same for you. It didn’t matter that she had Steve for company, this was how you were going to spend your Friday night. You had told yourself that you were doing the right thing, but the guy who had flipped you the bird on your way here did nothing to reassure you of that fact. Maybe it was a sign from the universe that you shouldn’t have come.
Sucking in a deep breath, you pushed the thoughts out of your mind and pulled your keys from the starter. You were here now and there was nothing you could do about it but get out of the car and walk the remaining block to the Brooklyn duplex. Before you knew it, you were standing in front of the house’s side gate. Music and laughter drifted through the air, but the joyous sounds only made you want to turn and walk back to the safety of your car. Small talk with a bunch of strangers wasn’t something you ever looked forward to, but you weren’t about to break your word. You pushed through the gate, following along side the house to a backyard filled with the engagement party.
Trees strung up with fairy lights lined the fences, and small candles in mason jars illuminated the folding tables, decorated with lace table cloths. A makeshift bar was set up at the far end of the yard with a cooler full of beer and a few bowls of punch. Next to it, young children crowded around the buffet table, stuffing their faces with an assortment of little snacks. At least you weren’t late enough to have missed dinner. Peggy might have killed you if you had.
You scanned the yard for a familiar face, but most of the people sitting at the tables were over the age of seventy. In the far end, near a beautiful gazebo where the future bride and groom were taking photos, was a crowded, makeshift dance floor, which was where a waving hand popped up and caught your attention. You let out a sigh of relief.
Weaving around the chairs and tables, you nodded politely to the few people’s gazes you unwittingly crossed and tried not to step on a stray child.
When you finally made it, Peggy enveloped you in a warm hug, “I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”
“Me? Never. Who else is going to talk you up to Steve’s relatives,” you winked, refusing to let show how seriously you had considered feigning an illness, “Plus, I texted you that I was on my way.”
She shot you an unimpressed look, “If that was true then you would have been here almost forty five minutes ago.”
“In my defence, I got stuck behind the world’s slowest driver and then when I tried to pass him, he sped up like a complete asshole. There was nothing I could do about it. I only managed to get past him about five minutes ago.”
Steve approached, nodding in greeting as he wrapped an arm around Peggy’s waist, but she barely seemed to notice his arrival. She was too busy scolding you. “I know you left late (y/n).”
You thought about coming up with a lie but you knew her bullshit radar was near perfect. “Fine, maybe so, but I really did-”
“Hey Steve,” A deep voice interrupted, “I would have gotten here earlier but some lunatic in a crappy Corolla cut me off and almost ran me off the road.”
Steve broke away from Peggy for a moment to greet the tall, dark haired man who had just spoken with one of those bro hugs. When they pulled apart, you got a better look at the stranger, and although you had only seen him through your rearview mirror, you were damn sure that he was the turtle you had been stuck behind on your way here. There was no mistaking him, even if he wasn’t flipping you off at the moment. It wasn’t like there were too many ancient Corolla’s left on the road at this hour either.
“Hey!” You protested, about to defend your driving, when Peggy mistook your frustrated outcry for an enthusiastic greeting.
“Right! (Y/N) this is Bucky, Steve’s childhood friend and an army buddy, and Bucky this is one of my oldest friends (y/n).” She glanced between the two of you, her brows furrowed, “Actually, I’m surprised the two of you have never met.”
He extended his hand, eyes widening. There was no doubt in your mind that he recognized too.
“Just so you know,” You took his hand, squeezing a little harder than necessary, “It may be ancient but at least it can go the speed limit and not ten below.”
He held on, your hand captured in his large one, “You cut me off doing forty-five in a thirty zone, I don’t call that going the speed limit.”
“At least I didn’t flip you the bird.” You retorted.
He snorted, “You cut me off, what did you expect?”
“Common manners?”
“Common manners don’t include almost running someone off the road.”
You sighed dramatically, “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed this.”
“Miss what?” He demanded, eyeing you warily.
“Being scolded by a complete stranger as if he was my father.”
“All you had to do was be patient.” He growled.
You stared into those piercing blue eyes, the sound of your blood pumping in your ears, and you lifted your chin a little higher. You weren’t about to let this asshole think he could insult your car and your driving because he was handsome and was probably used to getting whatever the hell he wanted. He narrowed his eyes, daring you to contradict him.
Steve cleared his throat, preventing you from snapping at him once more, “Have you two met before?”
“No.” You answered in unison.
He let go of your hand without breaking eye contact, and you shot him a dirty look. The one you got in return was no kinder.
“Then can someone please tell me what’s going on here?” Peggy demanded, hands firmly on her hips.
“He was the reason I was late” You blurted at the same time as he mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like “crazy lunatic that cut me off”.
“Just so you know,” You turned away from Peggy to face him head on, “If you weren’t driving like you didn’t even want to be here, I wouldn’t have had to cut you off.”
Bucky was about to answer when Steve put a hand on his shoulder, “Buck, six o’clock. Don’t look now, but she’s coming your way.”
He stiffened beside you and you took a step back, not having realized how close you had gotten during your heated discussion. The woman Steve pointed out made her way through the crowd, a sheepish look on her face. Every inch of her skin, from her shoulders to the bridge of her nose, was splattered with freckles that matched her fiery red hair. Her brilliant green eyes were accentuated by the emerald sundress that swayed with every graceful step and it seemed like the closer she got, the more beautiful she became. She was the kind of woman that made people stop and stare and you could see why Steve had stopped a conversation to point her out to Bucky. She was stunning.
She blushed as she approached, “Hi James.”
You glanced around, momentarily confused until Bucky, running his fingers though his long hair, replied, “Hi Kira.”
Apparently, Bucky and James were the same person, and you made a mental note to ask Peggy about it later. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife and you watched on with rapt attention. Just because he was a total ass, didn’t mean you weren’t curious as to what was going on.
Kira looked around at your intent faces, Steve and Peggy seeming just as curious as you were, “Do you mind if we go somewhere a little more…private?”
He nodded, but shot Steve a panicked look over his shoulder, blue eyes wide as he followed her toward the gazebo.
“Do you think she wants him back?” Peggy whispered, her tone harsh.
“I don’t know,” Steve whispered back even though Bucky and Kira were clearly too far to hear, “Why else would she want to talk to him alone?”
“What is she even doing here? Is she still with-”
Steve shook his head, unable to peel his eyes away from Bucky, “No, they broke up after a month.”
Peggy sighed, “Then she has to be here to get him back.”
“Maybe…” Steve trailed off, hand rubbing the back of his neck.
“Can someone tell me who that is?” You interrupted, your voice equally as low as theirs.
“That’s Bucky’s ex-fiancé” Steve tore his attention away form his friend, a somber look in his eyes, “She left him at the alter two years ago and he hasn’t seen her since.”