[ as soon as he starts performing, her mouth pulls tight, resisting a smile. she’s content to wait until he has something to say for himself, mouthing a little oh when he lands on social butterfly. right, how could she have forgotten his talent for sparkling conversation and pleasantries with prospective enemies. nat exhales a huff of air that might have been a laugh, if she weren’t accustomed to keeping every reaction modulated.
unbidden, she thinks that rogers would have gotten a kick out of barnes being in his old dress shoes tonight. when bucky straightens her dress, her mouth quirks higher on both sides. they really don’t make ‘em like they used to, huh. ]
Or afraid they’d cut themselves on that jawline. [ delivering a kind of mr darcy experience: frowny and quiet and looking like he’d rather book it through the downpour outside. (hey, there’s an audience for it!) natasha catches his wrist before he pulls away, turning it over in her hands to unbutton the cuff and slowly push the sleeve up his arm. ]
You were… a little rusty, at first. [ a mild look — that her amusement fractures prematurely. ] But that’s to be expected for an old-timer.
[ she arcs her thumb over his pulse, evidence of the thank you that goes unsaid. by the end of the night, bucky had warmed up enough to play off her, if no one else, which counts for something. it was never his job to do the schmoozing, anyhow. a woman with a partner is both more desirable and less threatening. and if that partner can bounce bullets or break bones when pushed, well, they call that a backup plan in this business.
he found a suit, kept the tie straight for hours, and trailed her across the floor loyally — that’s what she wanted, what she needed. if a dual smarm and charm offensive was required, she’d have called rick, but there’s no-one else she would have brought home after the show. ]
no subject
unbidden, she thinks that rogers would have gotten a kick out of barnes being in his old dress shoes tonight. when bucky straightens her dress, her mouth quirks higher on both sides. they really don’t make ‘em like they used to, huh. ]
Or afraid they’d cut themselves on that jawline. [ delivering a kind of mr darcy experience: frowny and quiet and looking like he’d rather book it through the downpour outside. (hey, there’s an audience for it!) natasha catches his wrist before he pulls away, turning it over in her hands to unbutton the cuff and slowly push the sleeve up his arm. ]
You were… a little rusty, at first. [ a mild look — that her amusement fractures prematurely. ] But that’s to be expected for an old-timer.
[ she arcs her thumb over his pulse, evidence of the thank you that goes unsaid. by the end of the night, bucky had warmed up enough to play off her, if no one else, which counts for something. it was never his job to do the schmoozing, anyhow. a woman with a partner is both more desirable and less threatening. and if that partner can bounce bullets or break bones when pushed, well, they call that a backup plan in this business.
he found a suit, kept the tie straight for hours, and trailed her across the floor loyally — that’s what she wanted, what she needed. if a dual smarm and charm offensive was required, she’d have called rick, but there’s no-one else she would have brought home after the show. ]