A big thank you to everyone reading and reviewing! Your comments keep this story rolling faster than it probably would otherwise! :)
I'm probably going to post the second part of this scene later today or tomorrow. Let's be honest guys, I'm quite frankly obsessed with my own little fic here, and I just can't seem to stop writing it!
As always, please enjoy, and let me know what you think! :)
They'd ended up staying for the rest of the game, flat out ignoring his loud protests and profuse apologies as they bribed the kids in Ella's original section to take Steve and his seats instead so they could all sit together. Ella's fingers were twined tightly with his metal, and her head leaned on his shoulder as she held his arm tight with her other hand.
Steve was on his other side, refusing to budge or acknowledge that twenty minutes prior his best friend in the entire world had almost choked him to death. He felt overwhelmingly guilty, so lost and hurt, it damn near swallowed him whole as he tried to hang on. But Steve, impressively, just took it all in stride, laughing and returning to their previous conversation as if nothing had happened.
He was silent for awhile, metal thumb stroking hers as he held his ball cap tight on his head, while the others simply buzzed around him, cracking jokes, mostly at Bruce's expense, and throwing back beers like it was the most normal thing in the world.
They were now having a heated debate about women's clothing, of all things. Steve was insistent that the more modest dresses of the 1940s were sexier than the skin tight, skimpy dresses girls seemed to wear out nowadays. "It's all about the mystery, ladies. We don't need to see each and every curve to know they're there. Leave something to the imagination, will ya?" He drawled, eyes twinkling as he saw the increasing irritation from both Nat and Ella.
"Is that what you think, big guy?" Nat asked Bruce with a raised eyebrow, smirking as he choked on his beer.
"I think I don't have an opinion on this particular topic," he said carefully, eyes firmly planted on the hitter.
"So you think our outfits are slutty," Ella said flatly, eyes narrowed as she glared across his lap at Steve.
He coughed, blushing furiously as he shifted in his seat. "I don't think…"
"Oh, really? Really Steve?! Like you haven't enjoyed the show? You think we don't notice when you two idiots stare at our 'mysterious curves' while we spar in training?" Nat was smirking now, eyebrows raised as she dared Steve to deny it.
"I know I certainly have," James found himself saying in response, voice low, a little blush creeping over his cheeks as he realized he'd said it out loud.
Ella smirked at him, one eyebrow cocked tauntingly at him. "Oh, is that so, Mr. Barnes?"
The saucy little minx was full out gloating now, leaning closer, her breast pushing into his metal arm as her lips brushed lightly against his cheek. "So which do you prefer? Dresses from the forties, or now?" She was practically purring into his ear, and he swallowed hard as he tried to block his arousal from his mind, anything to keep her from knowing how much she affected him.
"I wouldn't know, doll," he said carefully, flashing her a lazy smile. "Can't make a fair opinion until I've seen enough to judge." He felt her shiver at his words as her eyes dropped closed a bit and her tongue peaked out to lip her bottom lip. Ha. He wasn't the only one.
"That settles it, then," Nat slumped back in her seat.
"How does that settle anything at all?" Steve snorted in amusement, rolling his eyes as he took a swig of his beer.
She shrugged like it was obvious. "Tomorrow night is Friday, we'll all get dressed up and go to a big band club I know down the street from the tower. And Saturday, we'll all dress up again and go to a contemporary one. Then we'll see which one you prefer, old man." She smirked at the end, while Steve raised his eyebrows.
"Challenge, accepted, little widow," he drawled, eyes twinkling with a wink.
"And don't think you're getting out of this, big guy," she said slyly as she leaned over to wink at Bruce. "It's team bonding, everybody's going, even Tony. I'm sending a calendar appointment as we speak."
He coughed, sputtering a bit on the sip he'd been in the middle of. "I'm not so sure…"
"You're going," she said firmly, sitting back in her seat.
And that was that.
Ella groaned loudly at the mirror as she tried for the tenth time to twist and curl her hair to get the little finger waves just right, before finally giving up altogether and letting the curls loosely wave around her face and back. Pursing her lips, she applied her bright red lipstick, sighing as she surveyed the finished product. It would have to do.
She took her dress off the hanger and stepped into it, her back turned towards the mirror. She'd gone shopping earlier, with Tony of all people, and she couldn't help but admit she liked the little dress they'd picked out. It was bright red, the shade matching her lipstick, with little white polka dots covering the flowing fabric. Little cap sleeves held it up over her shoulders, and the neckline dipped down into a V-shape that curved to cup around her breasts. It was tight fitting until a few inches below, cinching with a tie of the same material around her natural waist, before flowing in pleats to her knees. She had patent white leather pumps to match, and though they were without a doubt not vintage shoes, she couldn't care in the least. They raised her ass, pushed her breasts forward, and as she turned to take it all in in the mirror, she couldn't help the sly smile spreading over her face. She looked hot as hell. James Buchanan Barnes wasn't going to know what hit him.
She heard voices out in their living room, and spritzed a bit of perfume on before striding out to see what had Bruce roaring with laughter. As soon as she entered the room, her jaw dropped with a mixture of amusement and feigned outrage. "What in the hell are you wearing?!"
She had her hair done up in curls wrapped around a black shimmery headband, and was wearing a strappy little black flapper dress that, among being from the wrong decade, was also far to short to be considered appropriate even then. "What," she said innocently with a little shrug and a smirk.
"That is in no way from the 1940s, Natasha Romanoff, and you know it," she said with a snort, rolling her eyes with a grin.
Nat pursed her lips with a smile and winked at Bruce, who was looking incredibly handsome in an all black suit with a black undershirt. "I don't hear you complaining, big guy," she teased with a wink.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head, curly hair dancing as he fought back a smile and a blush. "You're the one whose going to stand out, not me," he drawled, eyes roaming over her appreciatively.
She shrugged. "Since when has that stopped me before? And while I'm at it, those pumps aren't period appropriate either, little miss hypocrite," she said with a smirk.
Ella smiled wide and did a little spin, raising her arms out. "What? They helped show off my mysterious curves," she said slyly, and both girls collapsed into a fit of giggles.
"Good evening, ladies," Steve crooned from where he lounged casually against the doorway in a gray pinstripe suit, eyes roaming between the two of him as he rolled his eyes at Nat. "At least you tried, I suppose," he snorted, shaking his head as he walked in to hand each lady a single white rose.
"My, my. Maybe a girl could get used to the forties after all," she teased, winking as she turned to put her flower in a little vase of water.
"No kidding. Where's super soldier number two?" Nat called, joining her at the counter and slipping her rose in with hers.
Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes in annoyance towards the door. "Still primping with Tony. The vainness apparently disappear no matter how many times they wiped him," he teased, and Ella found herself laughing along with the others.
"Ladies and gentleman," Jarvis' voice came on overhead. "May I present to you, Mr. Tony Stark."
"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Nat shook her head in amusement, as Tony strolled in looking every bit a pimp with his had tilted and his fake black cane.
"I am not going out in public with you," Ella giggled, her eyes wide with mock horror as she shook her head.
"How about with me, doll?" And her heart just about stopped when her eyes opened wide and her lips formed a perfect "Oh".
He was breathtaking. Devastatingly handsome. He was wearing a black pinstripe suit with a gray dress shirt underneath, hair pulled back into a little bun at the base of his skull, cheeks shaved completely smooth, eyes twinkling when he saw her openly staring at him. Until his eyes roamed her face and slid down to take in her dress as she stepped out from behind the counter. And then he froze, and wore the same awed expression she was sure was written all over her face.
"We'll meet the car and give you kids a moment," Tony drawled, turning with a swish and waving for the others to follow him as the snickered and winked.
He smiled wide, and her heart started to race as he casually strolled up to her, close enough she had to crane her neck up to look him in the eyes. His hand reached up to lightly brush against her cheek. "Beautiful, doll," he breathed, eyes twinkling into hers.
She blushed prettily, lowering her eyes under her lashes as she smiled shyly at him. "You're not so bad yourself, handsome," she whispered softly, peaking up at him from under her lashes.
He just about groaned when she caught her plump lower lip between her teeth and smiled up at him coyly while he brushed her face. He captured her hand, pulling it so her arm was circled through his as he turned and led them towards the elevator to join the others. "You'd try the patience of a saint, you know that?" He teased, winking as she blushed again and smiled up at him.
"You like it?" She breathed, following him into the elevator.
He unwound her arm from his and held her arm out, turning her to twirl in front of him before catching her by the waist and pulling her within inches of his chest. He leaned down, lips grazing her ear as he whispered. "Never liked anything more in my life."
She was giggling, cheeks nearly redder than her dress as the doors opened and the others turned to see they'd joined them.
"Come on, we gave you a moment! You're pretty, he's pretty, I look fucking fantastic. Let's go already!" Tony whined at the door, huffing with annoyance as he pushed it wide and let them out to the street.
"Would you allow me to escort you this evening, Ms. Potts?" He whispered dangerously in her ear before pulling back to smile lazily at her.
She was pretty sure her heart was going to stop before the night was over, and she was even more sure she didn't give a damn. "It would be my pleasure, Mr. Barnes," she said saucily, winking at him as she wound her arm once again through his, walking with him out into the cool spring night.