Disclaimer: I only own Illiana.

I've reuploaded this because something went wrong with my last up load but hopefully it's fixed now.

Thank you so much for Kima Wolfwood for pointing it out to me

"Yes ma'am, eight o'clock Monday. I'll be here" Illiana smiled as she closed the door to the cafe she'd been working in.

She leaned heavily against the window with a sigh, glad that the long grueling shift was over. She ran the back of her hand over her sweaty forehead as she used her other hand to tug at her apron before she rolled it into a ball and shoved it into her bag. She knew she'd now have to iron it when she got home but that thought was quickly put to the back of her mind as she spotted her two best friends exiting the alleyway beside the cinema.

"Bucky, Steve wait up!" She called out stopping to allow a car passed before she ran across the road to where they were standing smiling towards her.

"There she is, we were gonna come across but we thought you'd still be working" Bucky smiled wrapping an arm around her shoulders with a wide grin.

"Nah Mrs Lamins let me off early, the cafe's dead because everyone is getting ready for the Stark thing tonight" Illiana grinned wrapping her own arm around Steve's shoulders as the other went to Bucky's waist.

"You going?" Steve asked finally turning his head towards her.

She barely stifled a gasp, her eyes widened as she took in his bruised cheek and burst lip.

"What the hell did you do this time?" She asked taking his face in her hands and inspecting the damages.

"Some jerk was being disrespectful towards our country men" Steve said

"And i'll bet this jerk was twice your size, Steve when are you gonna stop doing this. You're gonna give me heart failure by the time i'm thirty" She snapped dabbing lightly at the bleeding lip with a handkerchief Bucky had given Steve a while ago.

"You're worse than my mother was" Steve said forcing his head out of her hands before he began to walk further along the path.

"What's the matter with him?" Illiana asked turning to Bucky who only sighed as he wrapped his arm back around her shoulder.

"He got denied" Bucky whispered quietly.

"You mean he tried again, how many times is that now?" She asked looking up

"Doesn't matter" Steve called over his shoulder towards the two of them causing them both to fight back laughs.

"When do you ship out? Sergeant" Illiana asked pushing herself further into Bucky's side to avoid bumping shoulders with people.

"Tomorrow" This time Illiana didn't even bother stopping the gasp that was drew in.

"So soon?" She asked with a worried facial expression.

"Yeah so you two better give me a night to remember the two of you by at this Stark Expo event tonight" Bucky grinned looking between them both.

"Aren't you taking Connie tonight, pretty sure she could give you a good night" Illiana said with a tight lipped smile as she shrugged Bucky's arm from her and quickened her pace to walk beside Steve who had to will away his grin at his best friends obvious disdain for his other best friend's girl.

"Oh come on, don't be like that. I know you don't like Connie but it's my last night" Bucky said grabbing her hand to turn her round to face him. "Please just try and get along with her tonight"

"I didn't even say i was going" Illiana grinned back.

"You gotta come, it's the biggest event in years you can't miss it and Steve wants you to come, right Steve" Bucky said elbowing Steve lightly causing the smaller man to nod enthusiastically."See, and how could you say no to that poor beaten up face"

"I'll see what my dad says, you know he doesn't like me going out to those sort of things" Illiana said as they began to make their way across the street to her front door.

"Just tell him, me and Steve will be there to keep an eye on you and walk you home" Bucky called out. Illiana jogged up her front stair laughing loudly.

"Buck, you know my dad trusts you about as far as he can throw you. If i am allowed, i'll meet you outside the cafe at six" Illiana grinned.

"Me, Steve and Connie will meet you there" Bucky called out with a smile.

"Oh joy" Illiana groaned before she turned and walked into her house leaving the two grinning boys outside.

"Why do you keep doing that?" Steve asked with narrowed eyes towards Bucky.

"Doing what?" Bucky asked as the two of them began to walk towards Steve's house just down the road.

"You keep inviting Connie to things knowing that Illiana doesn't get on with her just to make Illiana jealous. It's not fair on either of them Buck" Steve said.

"Who says i'm trying to make anyone jealous?" Bucky said.

Steve looked up at him with raised eyebrows and a small smirk. "I know you Bucky, and I know how you've had feelings for Illiana since we were thirteen"

"Come on Steve, we both know she'd never even consider me" Bucky sighed as he put his hands in his pockets climbing the stairs to Steve's house.

"That's because she knows how you are with girls" Steve chuckled causing Bucky to frown towards him.

"No it's because she see us as brothers and you know her dad would never approve. He's hated me for years" Bucky said with a hint of bitterness.

"Well you did break his window with a baseball then refuse to own up to it and you puked all over his carpet when Illiana had to take you back to her house drunk to avoid your folks finding out" Steve said.

"They love you though, even my folks love you" Bucky said

"That's because i don't do stupid stuff that gets me into trouble" Steve said.

"No you just get beaten up every second day" Bucky joked lightly punching Steve in the arm.

"You'd better tell her soon or else you're gonna regret it if you come back and she's serious with someone else" Steve said.

"Then it's a good thing you'll be here to make sure that doesn't happen" Bucky grinned.

"I'm serious Bucky" Steve said turning to him. "She has to know how you feel, imagine if something does happen to you and she feels the same way, you'll only wreck her life more than you will by telling her"

"Since when did you become a love expert?" Bucky laughed.

"I ain't no love expert Buck, I just know Illiana sometimes better than you do" Steve smiled. "Believe me, you'll regret not telling her"

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xoxo