Disclaimer: Everything belongs to The Marvel Universe except for my characters Sophie and Jeremy and any other SOs that become introduced – they are my own creations and are not meant to resemble anyone else's OCs in any way.

A/N: You all, I am SO excited for this chapter. A while back, I was listening to new (to me) music and the song I have listed further down came on. I seriously had the idea for this chapter unfold like a scene from a movie in my brain when I heard it. And then from that came my idea for this ENTIRE story! I have waited for 16 chapters to write this!

That being said, I'm actually quite nervous about it! It's written pretty differently (stylistically) from how I typically do it. And I'm a little afraid you all will be left completely confused. So the way I imagined this is like those movie scenes where you bounce back and forth between two different things that are happening (whether that be simultaneously or over a period of time). So that's how I've written this chapter. It makes sense in my head so I REALLY hope it translates "to paper". Please let me know if it's just a hot mess that I need to redo!

And on that note, happy reading!

Chapter 17: Dessert


Sophie woke up feeling warm and cozy. She snuggled down, burying her face in the warmth. Bucky flinched.

"Good God, why is your nose so cold?!"

She smiled, not bothering to open her eyes and gave him a small shrug in answer.

"How are you feeling?" He murmured.

Cinnamon eyes fluttering open, she pushed away from Bucky slightly and looked up at him.

"Fine. I told you last night, I wasn't that drunk."

"Whatever you say."

She rolled her eyes, then turned and slid out of bed.

"Don't move. I need to pee. Then I'm coming back."

A soft chuckled followed her to the bathroom while she scooped up one of his discarded t-shirts and yanked it on. After Bucky had taken his turn, they both returned to bed. He lay on his back, arms tucked under his head while Sophie snuggled into the hallow of his shoulder. Alpine continued to snooze quietly at their feet.

"You seem preoccupied," Sophie observed quietly.

Bucky sucked in a slow breath through his nose, letting it out steadily. His gut twisted uncomfortably as he stared at the ceiling.

"I have to tell you something," he finally admitted.

She pushed up, right elbow in the mattress, left hand resting lightly on his chest.

"Uh oh. That sounds ominous."

Turning his head slightly, he peered over at Sophie through his lashes.

"I have a date on Friday," Bucky told her warily.

She blinked for a moment, digesting the news.

"Oh."

A slow, cold ache began to trickle through her. It started in her stomach, then spread outward, only to coalesce full force in her heart. A small lump formed in her throat but she swallowed it down.

"That's great Bucky. I'm really happy for you. It's about time."

She forced the words out just as she forced the smile onto her face while her heart simultaneously crumbled. Bucky carefully studied her face for several long moments.

"You sure about that? You're ok with it?" He asked her carefully.

Sophie shoved aside the odd pain that suddenly filled her.

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be? No strings attached here, remember?"

His eyes roamed her face again, trying to decipher her expression. The sinking feeling in his stomach didn't abate. It only intensified, now joined by a deep throb in his heart. If she had shown any hesitation, any sign of being upset, anything at all, he would have cancelled the date right then and there. But once more, he only felt a fool. He shifted onto his side and propped himself up onto his left elbow, mirroring Sophie.

"Oh, I remember. I'm just making sure you do."

The lie slid out easily enough for him.

"Well," Sophie sighed out as her eyes cast downward and her fingers began to play with the sheet between them. "I suppose we need to set some ground rules, huh?"

Bucky's eyebrows scrunched together.

"Ground rules?"

"Yeah…for us. Now that…now that you're dating."

He looked at her blankly. He had expected them to stop this craziness between them. He hadn't banked on her just setting ground rules.

"I just mean…dating is just dating, you know? But if…if something starts to get serious…even if it looks like something could get serious, for either one of us, we have to stop."

Bucky felt the cold splash of icy water being thrown over him.

"Either one of us?"

Sophie shrugged without looking up at him.

"Yeah. I mean, this is fun and all, but I'm still looking for someone to love and be with longterm, you know? Just like you are. And, just because I'm not dating right now doesn't mean I never will. And…I don't know, maybe it's time for me too."

He thought he might be sick.

What the fuck have I just started?

"I would never want to get in the way of a relationship for you, or of your happiness, Bucky."

Sophie's words came out softly as she locked eyes with him at last. Bucky stared back at her, fighting the urge to bend down and kiss her.

"I know what you mean," he breathed at last. "As much as I hated Jeremy, I still feel bad for how much I got in the way. I feel like I really messed things up for you."

"It wasn't your fault. It was all mine. I should have ended things with him a long time before I did. Way before things got so messed up and twisted."

"I don't know, Soph. Sometimes I wonder if we over stepped some invisible line of friendship. Even before we started all of this."

Sophie thought about his words for a moment.

Maybe he's right.

But she pushed the thought aside as she looked at his forlorn and downcast gaze.

"Maybe. But I think we get to decide where to draw the line, don't you?"

He contemplated her for a long while before responding at last.

"At the first signs of possibly something more, we call it off."

She bit her lip and nodded. Then laid back, staring up at the ceiling, hands folded over her stomach. Bucky didn't move from his propped position. For several minutes they remained silent, each one lost in thought. Then suddenly, Sophie shot up into a sitting position.

"Bucky, you're not sleeping with anyone else right now…are you?"

Bucky shoved himself up to sit as well, a look of alarm on his face.

"What? No. Why would you even ask that? Are you?"

"Of course not. Who in the world would I be sleeping with? But it's just that, well, we did say that this was going to be casual and so, it's not something we ever really talked about."

"Yeah, casual as in friends with benefits. And yes, I've been with a few women here and there in the past, but I don't typically just sleep around like that Sophie. I thought you knew me better than that. Besides," Bucky said in an attempt at levity. "Now that I have you around when I'm in the mood, what do I need anyone else for?"

He gave her a wicked smirk, but Sophie didn't return it. She hugged her knees to her chest.

"But we're just sleeping around like that Bucky," she responded quietly.

"It's not the same thing. It's…you and me. We're not strangers, we're…friends."

She shrugged, gaze dropping back to the sheets.

"I know. I'm sorry. Just this whole conversation…"

He didn't like the direction that this had taken. Nor did he like the slightly ashamed and upset look that Sophie now wore on her face.

"It's you and me," he repeated.

"Still, at the end the day, it's nothing more than sex though, isn't it?"

Sophie's chest constricted as a wild desire to hear him contradict her raced through every fiber of her being. Bucky studied her face for several long, silent beats of his heart. Try as he might, he couldn't read her past the poker face that she wore.

"Right," he finally answered softly.

It was Wednesday afternoon and Sophie sat in the cafeteria at Avengers Tower. She was assisting Bucky with a run of the mill mission today. There was nothing terribly dangerous or eventful, and for that she was grateful. She chewed on her lunch thoughtfully, having finally taken the opportunity to eat while Bucky did some recon work and Michael subbed in for her. She waved as Natasha entered the room. Grabbing some food, the Black Widow beelined to Sophie's table, sitting down across from her.

"Hey. You never called me back."

"Sorry," Sophie replied. "I've had a lot on my mind lately."

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah, I guess. I don't know."

"How was your birthday? Did you have fun?"

She couldn't help the small smile that crept up on her face.

"Yeah, I did."

"Did you get laid?"

She turned red from the tips of her ears to the base of her neck.

"Nat!"

"What? It's nothing to be ashamed of!"

"Oh my God. I drank. I danced. I had fun. And then I made Bucky come pick me up."

"Oh I bet he just loved that."

"Yeah, he wasn't too pleased."

At first…

She felt herself blush again at her dirty thought.

"So what's weighing on you then?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess I've just been thinking that…maybe…maybe it's time I dip my toes back in the water."

"Meaning…?" Natasha prodded, excitement just on the edge of her voice.

"Maybe I should start dating again. It's been long enough, hasn't it?"

"And then some!"

Natasha grinned so widely it was infectious and Sophie couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips.

"Did you have someone you were interested in?"

"Not really, no."

"Ok. Well let me give it some thought, and I'll get back to you with some options."

"What?" Sophie laughed. "How can you do that? How can you just give me 'some options'? What if they don't want to go out with me?"

"Who in their right mind wouldn't? Besides, I know a lot of people."

Although nothing came of Bucky's date with Annie, it was the catalyst that set it all off. There was a revolving door of dates for both Bucky and Sophie to such a degree that their friends began to think it was a race between them to see who would enter a relationship first. But perhaps it was really nothing more than a game of chicken — which of them would be the one to call off their arrangement? Nevertheless, no matter how many dates they went on, no matter who the person was, they both always seemed to find something wrong and a reason why a second date wasn't a good idea. And, at the end of the night, they always seemed to find themselves at each other's door.

(Lies — Syence, H. Kenneth)

There was a knock on Sophie's door at 11:30pm. She knew who it was. It came right on time. For a brief moment she considered sending him away. But the mere though of it made her cringe, her heart immediately rebelling at the idea. So despite her better judgement, she stood up off the couch and walked to the door. Opening it slowly, Sophie found Bucky leaning against the doorjamb. He wore dark jeans, a black henley, and a look that burned heat straight to her core.

Sophie walked up to the handsome man who was seated at the table by the window. Preston looked exactly like the photo Nat had shown her. To her disappointment, he didn't bother to stand to greet her or pull her chair out. His smile was wide and warm but the way his eyes moved down her body made her want to stand back up and run.

He didn't say anything to her. He didn't have to. Pushing himself upright, he walked through the threshold with confidence. Closing the door softly behind him, his vibranium hand rested gently on her waist as his right hand tangled in her hair, cupping the back of her head. Bucky walked them into the apartment, then bent down and pressed his lips to hers. Sophie let out a small noise of contentment as her heart began to race. Palms pressed against his chest, she stood on tip toe and leaned into him.

Bucky looked at the raven haired woman across from him. They'd met at a bar a few nights ago and she seemed nice and pretty so he'd asked her out. But as he sat there now, listening to Heather going on and on about something that had happened at the hair salon, he sorely wished for the date to finally be over.

"But anyway, I went back and let them have a piece of my mind. So she redid it all for free. Doesn't it look fabulous now? Not that I'll go back there again or anything."

He stared at her without hearing her.

"Bucky?"

"Hm?" He shook himself out of his thoughts that had drifted to the end of the night.

"My hair. What do you think of my hair now?"

Hand slipping from her hip, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. It felt like coming home. His tongue pried Sophie's lips open and delved into her mouth. Kissing her slow and deep until she moaned, grinding her hips against his. Feeling her so wanton against him made him positively feral. Bucky's kiss intensified as he began to walk them to Sophie's couch, yanking her shirt over her head as they went.

Sophie played with her salad, unable to stomach eating it as she watched Gus shove the entire bacon wrapped date into his mouth, chewing loudly.

"So," he said through a mouthful of his appetizer. "How do you like working for the Avengers?"

"Well, I don't really work for them. I work with them. And it's pretty awesome."

"Same difference though, isn't it? Are they all just a bunch of stuck up assholes? They kind of seem like they would be."

She flinched as he spit bits of food while he talked. Clenching her jaw, she took a large sip of her cocktail.

"No. They're not assholes. They're amazing, and they're my friends."

He eyed her for a moment and then shrugged.

"Can I meet them?"

Impatient hands tugged on the hem of Bucky's shirt until he finally reached over his head and yanked it off. Sophie worked on his belt while deft fingers quickly unsnapped her bra, tossing it aside. Their mouths were back on each other quick as lightening, hot and desperate.

"I take it your date didn't go well?" Sophie asked between kisses.

"The worst," he panted back, fingers already reaching into the waistband of her sweats.

Their appetizer plates had finally been cleared and Bucky mentally wondered how long it would take for their mains to arrive. Brittney was Steve's pick, and he could tell why. She was quiet and meek and polite. The kind of girl that Bucky might have preferred back in the '40s. But he knew better now. He knew what it was like to be around a woman who wasn't afraid to speak her mind. Someone who was kind and could be gentle, but was also wild and free and passionate. Someone with whom conversation just flowed. He picked up his whiskey glass and knocked it back, the awkwardness of their silence settling in his stomach.

"So…" Bucky began in an attempt to start some sort of conversation. "Steve said you work at the library."

"Yup. I love it there. It's always so nice and quiet."

Bucky slouched back in his chair, signaling to their waiter for another whiskey.

Sophie whipped the belt out savagely, hands flying to the zipper and button on his jeans. He shoved her sweatpants to the floor and she stepped out of them quickly. Bucky's mouth moved to her jaw, tongue tracing from under her ear to the junction of her neck and shoulder. Her hands white knuckled the top of his jeans as he sucked her neck gently, warm fingers dipping into her panties. He groaned, his cock hard and throbbing as he felt how wet she was for him.

Sophie cut into her already half eaten chicken and briefly wondered where the hell Sam had found this guy. She should have known not to agree to it when Nat told her Brandon was a friend of a friend of Sam's. But Sam had assured her he was 'a good guy' and with his dark hair and square jaw, he seemed handsome enough. Clearly he thought so too. For it was obvious to Sophie that he was more than in love with himself. They were half way though their entrees and he'd yet to ask her anything about herself. In fact, he'd hardly stopped talking and she found herself amazed at how he found the time to put any of his salmon into his mouth. Swallowing a big bite, he gulped down some beer and took a deep breath, ready to continue his third story about his law firm. Sophie grabbed her napkin and gently dabbed at her mouth.

"So then, I was like, 'If you think I'm going to let your client get away with this, you've got a—"

She stood up quickly and cut him off.

"I have to go to the bathroom."

He blinked up at her, his jaw snapping shut in annoyance.

She moaned loudly, head tipping backwards and arms snaking around his back. Her fingernails dug into his skin as she raked them down his flesh.

"Ahh, B-Bucky," she whimpered breathily while his fingers slowly pumped in and out of her.

When his thumb skimmed over her clit, she bucked, gasping loudly. Her hands flew upwards, grabbing onto his hair and roughly yanking at it, bringing his head up.

"Enough. I want you, Bucky."

She stared into his eyes, unblinking. He gazed back, then slowly pulled his hand away, bringing his fingers to his mouth and sucking gently. Sophie felt her inner muscles squeeze and quiver, wetness pooling in anticipation. Bucky kicked off his shoes and grabbed ahold of his jeans, stripping everything below the waist in one quick movement. She went to reach for him, standing tall and proud at full mast but he snatched her wrists, pinning her hands against his chest as his mouth descended on hers once more. Sophie moaned into his mouth when he took both wrists in his right hand, his left cupping her ass and pressing her into him. She bit his lip hard enough to draw blood in retaliation. Bucky let her go, a sinful smirk gracing his beautiful face.

"So impatient," he purred.

"Bucky…" she warned.

His smirk grew as he dropped to his knees before her and slowly pulled her panties down her legs.

"Maybe I want to take my time enjoying you," he murmured as his mouth met her center.

The steak was cooked to perfection but Bucky was having a hard time enjoying it. He tried to look anywhere but at Michelle who was apparently attempting to seducing him by lewdly sucking on the shrimp from her pasta.

Where the fuck did Sam find her?! This must be his idea of a fucking joke.

"Sooo…what are you up to the rest of the night?" She asked with a suggestive rise of her brows.

Bucky nearly choked on his potato.

"Sorry, I have to be somewhere later."

Sophie gasped, grabbing onto his head for support. He shoved a shoulder under one of her legs, bringing it up. The intensity with which she held his scalp and the way she panted above him made his cock throb so hard it hurt. His tongue lapped up her slit, circling around her sensitive nub and she keened, pressing herself into his face. Sophie could feel herself building, slowly climbing up the mountain towards the summit. But this wasn't what she wanted.

"Bucky," she panted. "I want you inside of me. Now."

The sound of her words struck something within him. Bucky set her leg back down and stood up. Grabbing her hands, he backed up until his legs hit the couch. Sitting back, he tugged her gently until she climbed into his lap. Not wasting a minute, she grasped his cock and began to lower herself down on him. But it wasn't fast enough for Bucky. He grabbed her hips, roughly thrusting up into her.

"Unnggg!"

Sophie's eyes closed in pleasure. She held onto his shoulders as they began to move frantically against one another. His cock filled her and stretched her in such an amazing way, she never wanted it to end.

"Aaahhh, fuck Sophie you feel so damn good."

Bucky kissed her passionately, pure bliss filling his senses while his velvety head pressed in and out of her and her warm and slick depths surrounded his hard length.

The chocolate cake melted deliciously on her tongue. She sighed inwardly at the heavenly taste of it. This date with Charles had been the most pleasant thus far. There were no sparks and no chemistry but the conversation hadn't been too bad. Sophie was about to take another bite when he looked up from his own boring bread pudding and addressed her.

"Dang, that looks good! Let me try some!"

Then without waiting for an answer, he reached over and sliced a large chunk off with his own fork, leaving bits of bread pudding on her plate. Sophie glared across the table.

Heathens. All of them!

Bucky clutched her close as they continued to grind against each other. Their pants loud and moans wild while they indulged in each other's undulating bodies. Sophie threw her head back, feeling herself climbing higher towards release. He took the opportunity and let his teeth graze over her exposed neck. Fingers tangling in his hair, she drew his head closer to her, never breaking her rhythm. His arm around her waist tightened and she somehow found herself on the floor, his body covering hers.

"Yeesssss, ooohhh," Bucky hissed hotly into her ear.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, Sophie drew him further in just as his mouth met hers, warm and needy.

The dessert menu had a few compelling items on it, but Bucky was nearly crawling out of his skin with desperation to get out of there. This had been his worst date by far and he was starting to wonder if Natasha did it on purpose. Though what her reasons could be for setting him up with someone who had just broken off an engagement was lost on him. Maxine hadn't even made it through appetizers before she'd started crying. Though Bucky had offered to take her home several times, she'd refused, sniffling with determination that she wanted to stay. Sighing, he set the menu back down on the table. Maxine looked up at him with red-rimmed raccoon eyes.

"See anything you like?"

"Not really, no."

"You don't want dessert?"

He studied her for a brief moment.

Not anything that's on this menu…

"No. But you're welcome to get something if you want."

"I think I'll have the chocolate lava cake," she replied with a watery smile.

Powerful hips rolled into her at just the right angle, causing Sophie to cry out. Her thighs squeezed around his waist as Bucky continued to stroke her strong and deep. He settled into her up the hilt and she gladly took every inch of his thick cock, moaning his name.

"Oh God yes, Bucky, yes! Fuck me! Unnnggg!"

Sophie moved wildly as she tried to meet each frantic drive of his hips. He groaned loudly, his cock engorging further as he slammed into her. Their movements were untamed and primal, their sweat-slicked bodies sliding over one another, their mouths all tongue and teeth. Each thrust brought them closer to the edge of the cliff. Bucky buried his face in her neck, his left arm sliding underneath her lower back, bringing her impossibly close to him. He sank back into her with one more forceful thrust, the slight change in angle hitting the exact right spot within her. They both came apart at the seams together.

Bucky came with a deep roar. His cock throbbed and pulsed as his cum spilled out and a possessive male pride welled up in him while he filled her. Sophie cried out, her back arching into him. He could feel her intimate walls clamp down around this twitching length, making her incredibly tight while he rocked them through their mind numbing ecstasy. She continued to quiver and rhythmically contract, drowning under the waves of pleasure. Still shuddering beneath him, she opened her eyes slowly. Their gazes locked. Bucky slowly pressed himself just a smidge deeper, making her gasp at the aftershock that zinged through her body. She felt like her heart might burst out of her chest as he bent down and kissed her deep and unhurried, still fully sheathed inside of her.

Sophie licked the chocolate off her lips, her eyes slightly glazed, thoughts somewhere far away. Squeezing her thighs together, she tried to ease some of the tension between her legs that had started as her mind drifted.

"Are you done?" Anthony asked. "Did you finish?"

She blinked a few times, refocusing on her date across the table.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly. "Yeah I did."


A/N: Awww, you all are really giving Bucky a hard time! Poor guy is just trying to do what he can to protect his heart. Sophie is as much to blame as he is for all of this! Well I really hope you all loved this chapter and that it turned out exactly how I imagined it would, but please let me know if the back and forth makes no sense at all (I'm a little scared of reading your reviews lol).

Also, just wanted to note that FF dot Net is acting up *again*. I haven't been able to see my traffic graph in weeks and now I'm not receiving any notifications about reviews or PMs. So those of you reading on there, please know that this IS crossposted on AO3! So if something happens, you can always go there to read. Same username :)

As per usual, MASSIVE thank you to ALL of my reviewers! You guys have been awesome and I've been overwhelmed by the love! Please keep it coming! Alices Rabbit1, Season Two, isabetta1463, Vokunkendov, Guest, Clarkewrites, acquamarina, Allie, JackWhisperer1011, Shorty5e, thesweetestheart, Bellatrixskr, Dediduuu, The AstralPen, and 22