May 25th
Bucky woke up and stretched. His face split into a grin. It was Phoenix's birthday and he had so many plans. Things still weren't completely normal between them but they were getting better all the time. She wasn't as skittish as she was when she first came home and she was a bit more open to receiving his affection. Feeling energized, the White Wolf looked over at the woman he loved. "Wake up, Nix," he said, gently nudging her. Phoenix's violet eyes opened slowly and she yawned. "Morning, Bucky," she sighed. "Happy birthday," Bucky said, grinning from ear to ear. Phoenix blinked before she remembered that was true. "Another trip around the sun begins," she said with a small smile. She felt Bucky take her by the shoulders and before she knew it, he planted a deep kiss on her as he pushed her back onto the bed.
Bucky broke it with a grin while Phoenix blinked. "Someone's excited," she said. "I hope I'm not stepping on your toes. Nix, but I have a lot of plans for today. I really hope you'll let me spoil you," he said, getting out of bed and heading for his closet. Phoenix sat back up and tilted her head curiously. "What plans?" she asked, curiously. Bucky came to her side and held out a pair of tickets. "You told me you were interested in human theater, so I got these," he said. Phoenix took them and tried to read them. She was still learning to read Common and her studies had been lacking compared to learning draconic. "Phantom of the Opera?" she asked, looking up at him to see if she got it right. "Yep. It's a Gothic tale but I think you'll like it. Romance, mystery, good music. That will be later this evening. We're going to spend some time this afternoon in the park having a picnic, then before the show, there's this Italian restaurant I want to take you to. Don't worry, there are vegan options since you're an obligate herbivore," he explained.
As he was rambling, throwing on some clothes, and getting his hair combed, Phoenix felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips. Bucky looked so excited about the plans he made. She got out of bed while he was still talking about it. He came out of the bathroom and completely unprompted reeled her into his arms before planting another deep kiss on her. Phoenix felt her stomach drop to the floor and her knees went weak. Bucky kept her securely against his body before he broke it and grinned. "Gonna be a warm day so dress for that," he said with a cheeky grin. Phoenix just nodded, trying to get her balance back. Bucky went back to the bathroom to trim his beard a bit. She pulled out a magazine of women's fashion and flipped through it to find something she could emulate. She found a cute off-the-shoulder maxi dress. She shifted her clothing into what she found and sighed.
Bucky came out when he was done and paused when he took her in. He whistled in appreciation at how the dress both accentuated her figure while downplaying it all the same. He'd never understand how Phoenix was able to pull off such a contradictory dichotomy in regards to the clothes she wore. Then he noticed that she seemed a bit on edge. "What's wrong?" he asked. The shifter looked over at him before biting her lip. "Why do I have the sense this is the end?" she asked in a quiet voice. Bucky, knowing what she was getting at, just smiled gently before closing the distance to take her hands. "Don't give that thought any weight, Nix. I'm not giving you what I hope is the best day of your life as a last hurrah before I dump you. That's not happening if I can help it," he said with conviction. Phoenix met his eyes and saw the sincerity. "I just want to say that if the day ever comes where this ends, it's going to come from you. Not me. Because I don't want to let you go ever," the White Wolf said.
He ran his flesh hand through Phoenix's hair. "You can trust me when I say that I planned this day with no ulterior motive other than to give you the best birthday ever. You inspired me to do this when you say you never really celebrated it before. So put the idea I'm leading up to ending things from your pretty little head, honey. It's not happening and I'm not that kind of guy," he said. Phoenix just gave him a small smile but her relief was evident in it. Bucky knew things were still a work in progress when it came to repairing the things that were broken. A quick kiss later and the two were on their way to the park. Bucky showed her the food he had in the basket and gave her her first gift. It was embroidery supplies. Phoenix was stoked about that since it was something she enjoyed doing when she was still living in Seiryu's Castle. Bucky said they could stay at the park as long as they wanted while she worked on a piece. He would just enjoy the company and wouldn't be bored watching her work.
Later at the park
Bucky was relaxing on the blanket while Phoenix was concentrating on her embroidery. The White Wolf just admired the beauty of the scene. The day was perfect, too. Pleasant breeze and not a cloud in the sky. He sat up to see how the piece was coming along and spied John Walker a fair distance away. They locked eyes but neither drew attention to themselves to anyone around them. Bucky smirked as he saw the sour look on Walker's face. He was clearly hoping he had succeeded in tearing them apart. Phoenix was too engrossed in her project to notice anything. Bucky shuffled closer to her. The opportunity to rub Walker's failure in his face was too tempting. The White Wolf pulled some of Phoenix's hair off to the side and made a show of lowering his lips to her neck. That was enough for Walker's face to show his internal anger. Bucky started kissing Phoenix's neck very sensually, keeping his eyes on the former Cap wannabe. Phoenix started to notice but she didn't try stopping it.
Bucky started upping the ante, still staring Walker down. He could tell that Phoenix was starting to come undone a bit because her breathing was a bit labored and she had stopped working on her piece. "Bucky…you're distracting me…," she said weakly. "You're enjoying this, sweetheart. Just let it happen," he said, upping the sensuality by speaking against her skin. A hand to her neck kept her in place. He silenced any more words by kissing her pulse, still locked in on Walker. He felt a little bad that he was using Phoenix as a petty Take That to Walker but he couldn't stop now. He couldn't see her expression but he imagined that her eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip. He upped the PDA a bit, kissing her neck and along her ear, and she eventually turned helpless eyes to face him. Bucky's eyes only broke from Walker's long enough to meet hers before she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, clinging to him.
Bucky smirked against her lips, looking back at Walker still watching. He surreptitiously flipped him off as a final "eff you" before finally closing his eyes and delivering the coup de grace. He pushed his tongue into her mouth, hand to the back of her head and arm around her shoulders to keep her in place. Phoenix gave a slight groan, her fingers digging into his back and hair a bit before he broke it, grinning at her. She looked breathless. "Was that planned? Or were you being spontaneous?" she asked, sounding more than a little satisfied. "Spontaneous," Bucky responded with a cheeky grin. He caught sight of Walker storming off, Phoenix none the wiser, and knew he had gotten the point across. It would be a cold day in Hell before John Walker or anyone took her away from him.
The White Wolf smiled at her contently. The shifter just leaned her face into the crook of his neck. "I love you, Bucky. I just wish I could take it all back," she said. "You'll forgive yourself someday. I already have. You meant well. You just went to drastic measures to make me happy. We're going to be okay," he assured her, as he brought her onto his lap to cradle her. He gently set a hand on the top of her scar, his heart giving a painful thud for all she suffered in the past couple of months. It was a really sunny day and he was grateful the people around them weren't paying attention to them. Phoenix's shadow was out in the open, exposing her true nature. Bucky knew that her current struggle was with the fact that she was destined to outlive him and that her feelings had gotten to the point where that reality scared and saddened her.
But that was why Bucky wanted to live in the moment. He had spent too much time worrying about tomorrow when he had been on the run after DC in 2014. Now that he was cleared and picking up the threads of a normal life, he was able to actually slow down and enjoy his new lease on life. It had been something of a role reversal. He and Queen Allianna had talked about whether or not his relationship with Phoenix was detrimental to her. After all, she had attempted form expulsion because she had grown too human. The Queen assured him that she wasn't too far gone in her humanity that she couldn't reclaim her pride as her true self. He trusted her when she said to give it time. After a few minutes of being cradled, Phoenix shifted off Bucky's lap and smiled at him. "I'll keep trying," she said. Nothing more needed to be said. Bucky kissed one of her hands. "I need to ask you something," he said. She tilted her head curiously. "I want to know if you're still happy with me. I don't want you to be in a relationship with me if you're not happy anymore. I don't want to feel like I'm trapping you just because I want you with me," he said.
The shifter hummed before looking off to the side in thought. She hadn't really thought about it because of her preoccupation with wanting to make him happy with her. Was she still happy? After a moment, Phoenix took a deep breath and her violet eyes met his blue-greys. "Ask me later tonight. I want some time to think about it," she said. "Fair enough. For the time being, let's enjoy ourselves. This is your day, after all," Bucky agreed. Phoenix smiled and got back to her embroidery after a quick kiss. Bucky himself brushed her arm before lying on his back to enjoy the weather.
A few hours later,
Bucky and Phoenix returned to the apartment to get ready for dinner. Phoenix hadn't finished her project but she had gotten a good start. He gave her some pointers about the restaurant's dress code and she shifted her clothing into a fancy dinner dress. She looked to Alpine for approval and the growing kitten just meowed. Bucky came out of the room after he changed and he had a small box in his hand. "This is for you, Nix," he smiled. Taking it and opening it, Phoenix almost choked. It was a small silver necklace with an emerald drop pendant. She met his eyes, speechless. After he had given her the ring when they decided to pair-bond, Phoenix decided to learn stone and gem lore from an Earth perspective. Some of it added up to the stone and gem lore from All World but it seemed assigning stones to the months of the year was an Earth thing. Emerald was May's traditional stone. Her ring had an emerald stone in addition to the aquamarine that was traditionally assigned to March, Bucky's birth month.
"You didn't have to get this for me!" she protested. "But I wanted to. I told you I had a lot of plans for today. This is part of it," Bucky countered. Phoenix's face was red but she just nodded. Bucky took the necklace out of the box and had her turn around. Phoenix felt her knees knocking together. The White Wolf clipped the necklace on before gently kissing her neck. He could tell his beard tickled her a bit and her body sank against his. "Thank you," she said in a quiet voice. Bucky just wrapped his arms around her from behind. After a moment, he helped Phoenix stand up straight. "Let's go, Nix. We have a reservation to keep," he said. The woman beamed at him before taking his arm.
At the restaurant, Bucky gave his name and the number in his party. Phoenix was subtly scoping out the place, subconsciously measuring all the potential threats to be found in a building full of humans. She pegged a couple of men at the bar as potential problems because they weren't hiding the fact they were ogling her. It was one of the very few issues she had about her corrupted shifting ability. Sure, silver hair on a seemingly young woman would've made her stand out just as much but not to the extent her stripes did. Add in that she got her looks from her mother and a stunted ability to go unnoticed the way unicorns did and Phoenix attracted attention to varying degrees. It depended on who was paying attention and their level of interest. The chimera in disguise thought about it and she felt a little of the weight on her shoulders lift when she began to appreciate that being a chimera was very advantageous and she internally cracked a joke at how she was the oldest thing in the room.
As she and Bucky were led to the table, the White Wolf leaned down a little. "Any potential threats to you?" he asked. "Just a pair of humans at the bar. They're making it very obvious that I have their unwanted attention. Whether they approach or not depends on how much of a threat they think of you as," Phoenix responded. They were seated at a table near the bar and Phoenix's back was to the men she had pinged as a potential problem. Bucky could see one was feeling a bit bold but also waffling on whether to take a chance. Phoenix seemed to sense it because she gave Bucky a cunning smile before making a show of fixing her hair in such a way that it brought her scar out in the open long enough for the men to see it. Bucky watched as their hungry expressions turned to disgust on one man and complete bafflement on the other. Both were expected reactions.
The one's disgust came from seeing that Phoenix wasn't what shallow humans would call flawless and worth getting to know. The scar automatically made her less than in his eyes. The bafflement on the other came from the fact scarring as extensive as the one on Phoenix's back just wasn't survivable without some serious medical heavy-lifting. Even Bucky was having a hard time with the idea that Phoenix was even capable of walking. The spell she attempted had done a number on her spinal column and musculature but there was she was, walking as if nothing had ever happened. The other man was currently having a blue screen moment trying to figure it out himself and he turned his back as he tried.
"They still think they want to risk it?" she asked. "Nah. One is clearly tossing you into the same camp as lepers while the other is putting out the fire his brain is on trying to figure out how you still have any sort of motor function. Even surgical scars from back surgery aren't as big or wide as yours is. Seriously, Nix, you shouldn't be walking, much less still be alive," Bucky drawled. He met her sassy gaze before smiling. "I hope you know you're still beautiful to me," he said. "You're the only one in this world that matters. The scar I have…I'll eventually learn to accept it as a lesson hard-learned," she said, sagely.
The waiter came to get their orders. Bucky passed on champagne since alcohol was poisonous to his companion and he wasn't going to get a buzz either. Phoenix ordered a salad with his help, earning an odd side-eye from the waiter. Bucky smoothly explained that she had never been in a restaurant this fancy before. It was true at least. He got himself a pasta dish. They made small talk as they waited for the food. Bucky would keep Phoenix up to date on the two men at the bar. Neither seemed particularly interested anymore, though the one guy was still trying to puzzle out how she acted like she didn't have what appeared to be a debilitating injury on her body. When their food came, Phoenix took to the Italian salad like a duck to water. Bucky was proud of her. Being nonhuman, this was a new experience for her and she was playing the role of a human well.
As the time for the show drew near, Bucky got the check and left a generous tip. He and Phoenix left the restaurant and headed for the theater. They reached their destination and Bucky pulled her into an alleyway. Phoenix looked up at him and he planted a kiss on her. "Ready?" he asked when he broke it. The shifter smiled before going bold. She shifted her dress into something rather sexy for her. Bucky's jaw metaphorically dropped. The bodice was an off-the-shoulder style while the skirt had two thigh-high splits in it. Attached to the bodice were sleeves. She gave him a cheeky smile. "Now I am," she said in a low voice. In the light of Broadway, Bucky could see she was a bit embarrassed about her bold clothing choice. She didn't skimp on it. He gently put her back to the wall and brought his lips around to her ear. "At the risk of wrecking our progress, that dress would look better on my floor," he muttered.
Bucky could practically feel the heat emanate off Phoenix's face. She just toyed with the buttons on his shirt. The White Wolf kissed her forehead before stepping back. Phoenix gently clapped her cheeks to clear her head. "Too much?" Bucky asked with a grin. "Maybe a little. But it's fine. I'm not getting any crazy ideas. I learned my lesson," she responded, one of her hands reaching up to touch her shoulder. The White Wolf chuckled before holding out his arm. Phoenix took it and they headed into the theater. Phoenix was in awe of what she saw. She looked around, taking it in. Bucky led them to their seats. He splurged and reserved a pair of seats in the middle of the ground floor. They had a good view of the stage and were in the best place to see everything. "You going to be warm enough in that dress? These theaters are kept cold so the actors stay cool," he whispered in her ear. "My normal temp is 102 degrees. This is nothing to me," she responded before kissing his cheek. They settled into their seats as the orchestra struck the first chord.
After the show
Bucky and Phoenix exited the theater. The shifter was a ball of energy and was talking his ear off about everything she saw and heard. The White Wolf let her get it out of her system. He enjoyed the musical as well and it was amazing to see the perspective of someone who hadn't experienced theater before. Phoenix smiled up at Bucky, her eyes full of love. "The song at the end of the first act spoke to me, Bucky," she said, her voice wistful. Bucky gave her a soft smile. All I Ask of You was the show's most romantic song and it spoke everything he wanted Phoenix to know. He took her hand as they started to walk home. "That song said everything I want you to know, Nix. As long I have your love and support, I don't need anything else. So about my question from this afternoon, are you ready to give me an answer? Are you still happy with me?" he asked.
Phoenix met his eyes, bringing them to a pause. "I am," she responded simply. Bucky's face broke out into a relieved smile. He kissed her temple and they kept walking home. They got into a deep discussion about the show and Phoenix's insight into things was refreshing. Bucky eventually told her about the sequel musical and how it was generally not well-received. Character assassination and problematic story elements were among the reasons. Bucky tried not to get distracted by the high splits in her dress but he knew he was going to end the day making out with her if she was up to it. He needed more but few and far between knew that victory took sacrifice. For Bucky, having Phoenix at all was a victory and that required sacrifice on his part. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make.
When they got to the apartment, they both smiled when they saw Alpine was sleeping on Bucky's chair. She was a hard sleeper for a cat. Phoenix felt Bucky's hand close on her upper arm and she turned to look up at him. "Happy birthday, Phoenix," he whispered. "Thank you," she responded. The White Wolf moved to stand behind her, arms around her middle. He held her close and let her read the energy in the room. She had a knack for that. She met his eyes over her shoulder as she removed her new necklace and smiled gently. She kissed his cheek and rested her forehead against it. "I want you," he said, still in a whisper. "Then go for it, to where we're most comfortable," she responded, her voice catching a bit and setting the necklace on the counter.
Bucky slipped his hand up to take hold under her jaw. He tilted her head back and kissed her deeply. His other hand slipped into one of the high splits in her dress to rest on her thigh. Phoenix sank against him as her hands rested on his wrists where they were. Bucky maneuvered her against the wall, back to him. He gripped her hips and gently pulled them back to his. He started whispering sweet nothings in her ear, brushing her hair off her back to lay gentle kisses on the massive scar. His arms went around Phoenix's middle and he bit her neck. The shifter groaned and instinctively tried to escape but Bucky had her trapped against him. Face red and burning, Phoenix's head fell back on his shoulder.
Bucky let go and gently turned her around. She met his gaze, her eyes soft. A couple of tears rolled down her face but her small smile was enough to banish any worries that Bucky was coming on too strong. "I love you," she whispered. Gripping her waist, Bucky smirked. Phoenix took hold of his tie and started pulling him to the bedroom. Cocking an eyebrow at her boldness, the White Wolf felt his lips curl. At any other time, he would've thought he was about to get lucky. As it were, he knew how far they were going to go and he was still stoked for that anyway. Phoenix hadn't taken the lead like this before and that was exciting. Once they were in and the door was closed, the shifter gently pushed Bucky to the bed and he sat down. Kissing him, she straddled his lap, pulled off his tie, and unbuttoned his shirt.
Bucky shrugged it off before his hands rested on her waist. He could feel her clothes shifting but it was like she couldn't decide on a style. He just ignored it, opting instead to get his pants off. Phoenix pulled the tank top he wore under his shirt off and things got a bit heated. Bucky eventually pulled back with a smirk. "Easy, Nix. I'm supposed to be treating you," he said in a flirty tone. Phoenix only had enough time to give him a confused look before he grabbed his tie. The next thing she knew, Bucky tossed her onto her stomach and had her wrists tied together behind her back. Her face exploded with heat. Bucky leaned down. "You okay? Is this too much?" he asked.
Swallowing hard, Phoenix looked up at him. "I'm okay. I'll just say sorry in advance if I rip it…," she croaked. Bucky smiled before pulling on a pair of gym shorts. He was beginning to suspect that she was far too distracted to focus on her own clothing because it was still shifting. Getting onto the bed, Bucky helped Phoenix get to her knees. He kissed her sweetly and his enhanced hearing could pick up her rapid heartbeat. Sighing a bit, he reached around and pulled her onto his lap. "Don't be afraid to speak up if I start going too far. The last thing I want to do is scare or hurt you," he said in a low tone. Phoenix just nodded before leaning her head to his shoulder. Her clothing finally settled on leaving her topless with a pair of shorts. Bucky brought her up to meet her eyes. The shifter's eyes caught the light of the streetlights outside. Their lips met and Bucky shifted so her back met the bed.
He only intended to keep her wrists tied for a short time. For the moment, he rested on her and started to kiss her all over. Phoenix just closed her eyes and bit her lower lip. She felt him latch and she whimpered a bit. Bucky continued to whisper sweet nothings, punctuating them with a kiss and working her over. Phoenix wasn't going to lie. She was going up the wall with how he made her feel. She felt Bucky's weight leave her and before she could think, he flipped her over and pulled her up by her arms back into his lap. He used a free hand to release his tie from her wrists before his hands cupped her chest. Phoenix's breath was coming in short as he worked her over again. "This is enough for me, Nix. This can be how we make love. We're unconventional in every other way so let's be unconventional this way. You don't have to do anything to me that you're not comfortable with. I can do it all," he whispered.
That affirmation was all it took for her to know she was forgiven and that her inability to satisfy Bucky the way human society expected was truly not an issue. She knew Bucky had never lied about it but it had taken her a while to really believe it. Phoenix took his hands off and twisted around on his lap. She pushed him onto his back, pinning his wrists down, and straddling his waist. His vibranium arm whirred as he tried to reverse their positions but Phoenix's natural strength didn't make it easy. Bucky gave up trying and gave her a grin. "This is hot, not going to lie," he said, cheekily. The shifter looked down at him. "I don't deserve you, James. Not at all," she said in a small voice. "That goes for both of us, Phoenix. I'm sorry things got bad for you. I never meant to hurt you," he responded. Phoenix shook her head. "Walker did that, not you," she countered.
"But I started it. I made a mistake and things snowballed from there. You're responsible for what you did but Walker and I are both at fault for what led you to that place. I said things in the heat of the moment. I yelled at you. I feel guilty about it and I'm sorry. I know you had doubts about my feelings for you after the fact. Well…I'm still struggling with that myself," Bucky said. Phoenix tilted her head in question, her hands letting his wrists go. His hands came to rest on her thighs. "Do you still love me, Nix? You said you're still happy with me but…do you love me?" he asked. He sounded so broken at that moment that Phoenix paused. She had told him so before they started getting a bit frisky but his inner doubt was on full display there. She opted to kiss him instead. He would get the message. She allowed him to reverse their positions and settle between her knees. Bucky hiked her hips up a bit and kissed her.
After a time, Bucky and Phoenix broke apart. They had spent time with half-hearted attempts of dominance, heavy kissing, and some hip-rolling. Bucky wanted to be as close to her as possible within their boundaries. She wasn't as adventurous as he was and he rolled with it. He always kept communication lines open and kept his hands away from places she didn't want them. He still found ways to make it work and made sure she knew it beyond doubt. Breathing a bit heavily, the White Wolf rested his head on her heart. Phoenix combed her fingers through his hair, catching her own breath. "Your heart is racing," he mumbled contently. "I can feel yours as well. Human hearts beat pretty fast by comparison," she responded. "I bet you could hear it from four feet away. I did some reading on horses as a curiosity not long after we met in Romania. I know you're not actually a horse but your biology has to be close," he said. "You're correct. In fact, the only reason I had noticed you in that Romanian forest was that I picked up your heartbeat once I was ready to drink from the river," Phoenix explained.
Bucky laid a couple of kisses on her collarbone and sighed. "God, I love you so much," he mumbled as he tucked his head under her chin. Phoenix could tell he was about to fall asleep. "Thank you for giving me one of the best days of my life. I'm forever grateful," she responded. Gentle snores filled the room not long after. Phoenix felt a few tears roll down her face and she didn't know if she felt sad or not. She meshed a hand in his hair while the other rested on his back. Her legs were still hooked around his and she let them relax. She took a shuddering breath and brushed her eyes clear. The day had been perfect, she had a great time, Bucky had spoiled her, their relationship was mending, and she had nothing to be afraid of anymore. She really didn't deserve the man. Her tears didn't stop, though, and she eventually fell asleep as they slid down her face. She'd figure out her emotions later. She was just tired now. Things would be fine in the morning.