#- if you act in the guise of a kindly stranger in their hour of need‚ you can often convince them your spells will solve their problems.

[stennnn06]

Sanvers or someone drags Kara for a night out to cheer her up after losing her job, end up in a gay club and there's more than a few women hitting on her, one coming off particularly hard and Kara is flustered. In comes her savior in the form of one Lena Luthor a la Kate (Dates, can't remember her surname lol) and Kara is even more flustered. What happens next is up to you~

This was fun!!! Thanks for sending this, I hope it gives you all a bit of a fun jolt. [Not Canon in terms of timeline - Lena/Kara are more like ep 2/3 status, even though Kara is fired from her job. Maggie knows Kara is Supergirl. Carry on…]

Off the Record - on AO3 or under the cut!

Off the Record

The music is so loud she can practically see it pulsing, and for once, she’s fairly confident it isn’t just because of her enhanced senses. Kara can’t pinpoint exactly why she let Alex and Maggie drag her to a club on an unassuming Thursday evening, but being recently unemployed, and fresh out of other ideas, she agrees to a spontaneous night on the town. It’s a rare combination when Supergirl isn’t being beckoned and CatCo isn’t calling, the former suspiciously quiet, the latter a sad new normal after Kara’s most recent transgression.

She doesn’t want to say she was fired, but Snapper made it clear. Kara prefers to think of it as crusading for justice, but her empty desk begs to differ.

“Why did you bring me here again?” Kara all but shouts into Alex’s ear, as her sister pulls her by the hand through the dense throng of gyrating bodies and cool glances. It’s a far cry from their usual quiet, unassuming alien bar, and definitely an interesting pick for her sister, who is more about pool halls and beer. 

“Because you need to live a little! You’ve been sulking around and frankly, it’s making me depressed. You need some fun!” Alex nods at Maggie, holding up 3 fingers, signaling the number of drinks, and grinning at Kara. “Besides, it’s the only bar in town where you won’t get obnoxiously hit on by every man within two feet of you.”

Kara looks around, and it hits her, then, that the crowd is two things – very female, and very, very gorgeous. She gulps.

A gay bar shouldn’t surprise her, and it doesn’t, not really. But it brings with it a whole new set of issues. Namely, issues that come with lip bites and lingering stares that make Kara’s cheeks flush and the room spin. Just surveying the crowd, she accidentally makes eye contact with quite a few women, each one more suggestive than the last, and she finds herself looking away forcefully. She’s embarrassed to be caught gawking, but finds herself pleasantly amused. 

Definitely amused.

She isn’t uncomfortable. In fact, it’s kind of – thrilling. It feels good, and she feels the familiar warmth creep into her chest that she usually only associates with the looks she receives from one other person. A person she is refusing to think about right now, because it isn’t a crush. It’s not. Her relationship with Lena Luthor is strictly professional, with perhaps a tendency towards personal as of recently, but nothing beyond casual friendship. It isn’t Kara’s fault that Lena is stunning, and captivating and brilliant—

“Are you okay?” Alex cuts in, her head tilted in curious thought.

“G–great! Good. Yes this is exactly what I need!” Kara agrees, pulling herself from her thoughts and stumbling forward into an empty booth, pulling Alex along with her.

“First round, on me!” Maggie cheerfully calls out, smiling as she delivers the goods. “Sorry Kara, I know it won’t do much for you, but it’s got a tropical umbrella.” She rolls her eyes good naturedly as Kara grins. The tropical fruity drinks make her happy, if for nothing else than they remind her of sunshine and taste like juice.

Kara grabs for it enthusiastically. “I came prepared!” she announces, producing a small unlabeled bottle from her purse. The alien alcohol came from their corner bar, a little gift from M’gann after Kara gave her the best version of puppy dog eyes she could muster. Alex purses her lips and rolls her eyes, but Maggie holds out her hand for a high-five.

“Nice! Cheers then!”

They clink their glasses and everything feels better than it has in weeks.

It doesn’t take long for Kara to get targeted, much to Maggie and Alex’s endless amusement. A surprise drink lands on the table in front of Kara, and the waitress smiles, winks, and points across the bar to a lovely brunette who is smiling kindly. She raises her glass and Kara blushes, trying desperately to figure out where she knows her from.

“I–I don’t know her?” Kara whispers to Alex frantically. “Why would she buy me a drink?”

“It isn’t because she knows you, Kara. It’s because she wants to know you.” Alex laughs and shakes her head. “Sometimes you really are a useless alien.”

“Wants to–OH…” Kara realizes quickly what’s happening, and bites back the smile creeping across her face. She’s flattered, really, but has no idea how to respond.

“Relax, you don’t have to do anything. It was a nice gesture. Drink up.” Maggie assures her and Kara exhales in relief. She swallows her drink with a mixture of pride and a little boost to her ego, before settling back into the booth comfortably. She isn’t going to strike up a conversation with a random stranger – not yet. But maybe…

Her eyes wander and trail across the crowd periodically, as if she’s searching for something in particular. Subconsciously, she is, but she can’t be sure of what exactly. Not until her eyes land firmly on a familiar face that flashes through quickly, before turning away.

“What is she doing here?” Kara almost spits out her drink as she continues to stare across the room. She’d just spent the better part of an hour struggling to determine if her eyes were playing a cruel joke on her, or if a certain attractive CEO was actually in the same bar they were in. Could this really be happening?

Her eyes are not deceiving her. Lena Luthor is absolutely in the bar, because Kara knows she’d recognize the profile of that face anywhere. But who is she with?

Kara is squinting hard, now, on the verge of using her X-ray vision if necessary, when she hears Alex respond to the question she forgot asking out loud.

“Who?”

“Lena Luthor!” Maggie interrupts, following Kara’s stare before Kara can reply. Maggie and Alex exchange knowing looks, before grinning conspiratorially.

“You should go say hi to her!” Maggie nudges Kara. “You guys are friends, or something, right?”

“Don’t encourage her!” Alex glares at Maggie in a half mocking tone, but Kara feels she’s somewhat serious. Still, Maggie’s eyes sparkle as she winks in Kara’s direction, like she knows something Kara doesn’t.

“I mean, I wouldn’t call us friends, exactly, more like… acquaintances? Work…friends? I’ve interviewed her a few times, and she likes my writing, but that’s all…” Kara trails off, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. She knows it’s a joke, but could she really go over to Lena? Were they at that level? She couldn’t deny the thought did sound appealing. But what would she even say?

Starting a conversation with Lena suddenly becomes much more daunting without the guise of work to fall back on. Kara slumps in her seat at the realization that losing her job means losing her direct line of access, and therefore, direct line of excuses, to go see Lena.

“Relax, Kara. You’re bulletproof.” Maggie grins, sipping her drink before putting it back down. “Besides, I hear her bark is worse than her bite.”

“And how do you know that?” Alex asks incredulously, her eyebrows raising in surprise.

“A high profile person like that who comes with a lot of baggage? Good old detective work, my friend,” Maggie shrugs, sipping her drink, “I hear things.”

“You’re a gossip hound, is what you are.” Alex rolls her eyes and scans the room, settling on the topic in question. “Her dress probably costs more than my apartment.”

“Both of our apartments, actually,” Maggie chimes in. “Girl’s got taste, that’s for sure.”

Kara is growing increasingly more anxious, her eyes shifting from her own table to Lena’s and back every so often. She’s trying hard to be subtle, but that is hardly one of her strong suits. Lena’s hand lands on the thigh of her counterpart and Kara feels a random surge of protective energy. She gets up abruptly, knocking the table with her hip and almost breaking it in the process.

“Woah, easy there, where’s the fire?” Alex holds out her hands to steady everything before looking at Kara for an explanation.

“I–More drinks! Who wants another round?” Kara fumbles an excuse and doesn’t wait for the response, already darting through the crowd angling for a closer look.

Kara doesn’t even see it coming. Call it ignorance, call it selective attention, call it naive. But she certainly doesn’t expect to be intercepted while crossing the bar by a nameless, but intriguing stranger.

“Has anyone told you that you look an awful lot like Supergirl?” An attractive redhead sidles up to Kara’s side, smiling innocently.

Kara looks around before she realizes that she is indeed the object of conversation.

“Really?” Kara crinkles her nose in mock surprise, feigning ignorance and acting like it’s the most preposterous claim in the world. “You’re too kind! No, no, I can’t say I’ve gotten that before.”

“Oh, it’s true, and I bet you’d look wonderful in that outfit.” The stranger says, inching slightly closer and resting a hand on Kara’s arm. “You look like you work out, in any case.”

Kara isn’t sure how to respond, and what’s worse, she’s completely lost sight of Lena. She sighs, her shoulders slumping, as she turns back to the girl in front of her.

“I—That’s so nice–” Kara begins, her eyes still dancing around hoping to catch a glimpse of Lena, “But really, I don’t…”

“Kara?”

Kara’s head snaps to attention at the sound, because the throaty voice cuts through every sense, every nerve, every pulse and wraps itself around her, pulling her away from reality. She knows that voice. She’s memorized that voice. It’s kind, but confident, yet at the same time, there’s the smallest hesitation, as if waiting for an invitation.

Somehow – and Kara still isn’t totally convinced it’s real – when Kara turns around, she’s hit by Lena’s intense green eyes that are suddenly peering at her in that certain way she has. The kind of way that somehow seems to smirk without any help from her lips. They’re the kind of eyes that invite you in immediately, and you have to accept, because how could you ever turn down a look like that?

“L-Lena? What are you doing here!” Kara yells, mostly out of surprise, but also out of genuine, unbridled panic. Her heart skips more beats than she’s sure is physically possible.

Lena Luthor. Here, in the flesh. And oh, Rao. She is certainly not all business. Kara gives a not-so-subtle once over, her eyes raking over a sleek form fitting dress with a plunging neckline, which Lena catches with a smirk.

“I suppose I could ask you the same,” Lena grins, winking, before looking between the two women as if sizing up the situation. She cocks an eyebrow and clenches her jaw briefly before speaking. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

Kara notices a look in Lena’s eye. It’s strangely territorial and almost – jealous? No, it can’t be. Jealous of what?

And yet…

“Oh, I– no. No you aren’t!” Kara insists, looking apologetically at the other woman. “She isn’t!” she explains to no one in particular, as if trying to defend her desire for Lena to stay with them when really she has no idea what she wants or what she’s doing.

Thankfully, Kara’s former companion, who still doesn’t have a name, takes the hint.

“I was actually just leaving,” she explains, gathering her drink and moving to make room for Lena. “Enjoy your night!” she offers, before departing, leaving Kara bewildered, but somehow relieved.

“Well, Ms. Danvers, I have to admit, you’re not quite who I expected to run into tonight…not that I’m complaining,” Lena slides into an empty booth and reaches her arm out to insist she’s serious, smiling genuinely at Kara as her fingers brush along her forearm, “Although, if I’m intruding, please, tell me…you seem to be quite a regular here.”

“A regular? Me? Pshh Lena–” Kara giggles nervously, painfully aware of how ridiculous she sounds, but also unable to form a coherent thought at the moment. She slides next to Lena, their thighs just barely touching, sending a shock through Kara’s system like she’s never experienced. For a second, she thinks she almost used a super power she didn’t know she had.

What is even happening to me?

“No? I suppose that’s presumptuous of me. I noticed you earlier, and was going to send over a drink, but realized I was beaten to the punch.” Lena sounds wickedly amused, if not slightly annoyed.

“No! No not at all! I’m– This is my first time here. I’m actually just with my sister and her girlfriend. They’re..somewhere…” Kara gestures, making a vague attempt to find them, but giving up midway through in order to focus back on Lena. Her skin is hot from where Lena’s fingers merely grazed, and she stares at her arm briefly before coming back to her senses. “How are you?”

Lena leans back casually, angling toward Kara with her arm gracefully draping over the back of the booth. She stirs her drink slowly, her fingers tangling elegantly over the red straw. She stares at Kara with gentle amusement, like she’s thinking about her favorite joke and is just on the verge of telling it. Her hair is pulled back, and even though Kara loves her hair down – yes, she’s thought about it once or twice – the smooth lines of her neck draw Kara’s eyes in immediately. She unconsciously licks her lips, as she tries hard to listen to Lena’s response, but instead, she just falls deeper into the trap of focusing on how perfect the black dress Lena is wearing fits around her body and the way her jawline seems to cut through the darkness with piercing perfection.

“Busy as always, no rest for the wicked I’m afraid. Though you haven’t been around conducting many interviews lately. I’m starting to think CatCo has lost interest in me.” Lena flashes a teasing look of hurt, before smiling.

“How could anyone lose interest in you?” Kara finds herself saying, before realizing exactly how it sounds. She clears her throat. “I mean, I– I think you’re more than just material for interviews.”

That isn’t much better, but Lena doesn’t seem to mind. She simply leans forward, her eyes never leaving Kara’s, her lips forming a pleased pout, and everything about it draws Kara in. She really wants to explain the real reason she’s at the bar tonight – licking her wounds from being fired – but she’s enjoying basking in Lena’s admiration for a few more brief moments.

They eventually settle into a more comfortable conversation once Kara slowly relaxes enough to ask Lena more about work, getting lost in the way her eyes light up with passion when discussing scientific concepts that are beyond anyone else’s ability to rationalize.

“I’m sorry – I don’t mean to bore you with all that,” Lena finishes, waving her hand as if to throw away her own words. “I’d much rather hear about you.”

“Oh, I’m not nearly as interesting. Your work is fascinating, Lena. Consider me very impressed.”

“Well, if I can impress Kara Danvers, it looks like there’s hope for me yet.” Lena teases, sipping the last of her drink with a satisfied smile.

“Sorry, were you here with someone? I don’t mean to keep you…” Kara explains, remembering for the first time that Lena wasn’t alone an hour ago. The thought makes her heart drop.

Lena shrugs it off casually. “My night has taken a pleasing turn. I’m fine if you are.”

“I’m fine as well,” Kara parrots, keeping up with Lena’s cool bravado, even though her heart is pounding out of her chest. The only way she’s able to mimic Lena’s calm exterior is because she hears the satisfying hum of a rushed heartbeat coming from next to her, and it gives her the satisfaction of knowing that Lena Luthor is just as nervous.

“Well, that’s almost good enough. Can I buy you another drink?” Lena asks, already signaling the waitress with a simple lift of her eyebrow and a small flick of her wrist. It’s smooth and controlled, and so elegantly poised, that Kara’s jaw hangs slightly in awe. “What’ll you have?”

Kara’s feeling bold, and she licks her lips in response. “Whatever you’re having.”

“Putting your fate in my hands? That’s awfully daring, Ms. Danvers.”

“I somehow trust your judgement, Ms. Luthor.”

The liquid goes smoothly down her throat, and immediately warms her insides, enough to catch up with the rest of her limbs. Her limbs that feel positively on fire every time Lena so much as looks at her. To be fair, the two have had lunch meetings, and a few short casual conversations, but this just feels different. Charged. Fueled with tension, but the kind that comes with other intentions. Kara isn’t sure if it’s Lena’s usual charm, or if there’s something more to it tonight, but whatever is happening, she’s sure about one thing: she doesn’t want it to stop.

“So tell me, Kara, what exactly are you looking for?” Lena casually leans her head against her hand, biting her lip at the suggestion.

“Oh, I’m not really–” Kara begins, stopping herself mid-sentence. She doesn’t want to deflect the weighted question, which tells her a lot about what she wants. More specifically, what she might want from Lena. Instead, she pivots her response. “I think…. I’ll know it when I find it.”

“Interesting. Well that’s usually how it works, isn’t it? The best things come when you least expect it.” Lena’s eyes catch the light just right, as she narrows her gaze to focus on Kara, her lips curled in a contemplative smirk.

“Or where you least expect it. I’m learning that.” Kara agrees, maintaining their eye contact, feeling the space between them growing hot and electric, vibrating with a pleasant intensity.

“Dance with me?” Lena asks suddenly, and it’s said in such a way that Kara thinks there might be more to it than just standing around swaying to music. Kara looks to the crowded dance floor, then back to Lena’s patient, sparkling eyes. She smiles and nods, taking Lena’s waiting hand.

Lena pulls her gently through the crowd, nestling them in their own space where they tuck into each other almost immediately in order to keep everyone else from crossing their paths. Lena’s arms drape around Kara’s neck easily, as if they always belonged there, and Kara reaches for Lena’s hips, emboldened by the way the darkness seems to hide all her inhibitions.

It brings her back to the first time she held Lena. Granted, it was as Supergirl, when circumstances forced them together and Kara had to pull her from danger. Lena fit perfectly in her arms then, too, but this is something else. This makes her limbs quiver and shake, and her entire body come alive, buzzing with adrenaline as if she’s under a permanent sun lamp.

The music pumps loudly, but Kara doesn’t hear it anymore, her focus shifting entirely to the way Lena’s hips rock against hers, and the way her warm breath cascades against her neck as she leans in desperately closer.

Kara’s hands roam across the smooth, soft skin of Lena’s exposed back, before wandering dangerously lower, testing how far she can get away with before being called out. Lena’s lips ghost from Kara’s ear, across her jaw, before hesitating right at the corner of her mouth. They lock eyes in a heated, silent exchange, before both leaning in, their lips coming together and finding a perfect rhythm within seconds.

Across the room, a five dollar bill is exchanged from one hand to the next. “I didn’t think she’d have the guts, but looks like your sister has more game than I thought.” Maggie nudges Alex, grinning from ear to ear.

“Okay, gross. Just for that you owe me double.” Alex shakes her head, laughing, wrapping her arm around Maggie’s waist.

Lena’s lips are soft, and hot, and Kara feels like she’s using every ounce of super strength just to keep upright while trying desperately for more, more, more. She’s hardly aware of the crowd anymore, she’s only conscious of Lena’s hands roaming along her back, and her teeth nipping at her lower lip, and the small grins in between kisses that make Kara’s entire body erupt. Her tongue slides slowly over Lena’s lips, eliciting a soft moan before she lets Kara deepen their kiss immediately.

Kara has no idea how long they stay like this, ensnared in each other, Lena’s hands weaving through her hair, Kara’s hands pulling tightly on Lena’s back to prevent any space from getting between them. Lena eventually pulls back softly, surveying Kara’s face for a reaction. Did I read this right? Her eyes seem to beg, and Kara can’t help but smile.

“What are you doing after this?” Kara blurts out nervously, her lips still tingling from Lena’s mouth on hers. She adjusts her glasses, but still forces herself to look into Lena’s eyes.

“Well, Kara, that depends,” Lena leans in close, her hot breath trailing over Kara’s neck and into her ear, causing her to shiver. “Is this off the record?”

“Of course” Kara breathes. Her knees are weak, and it’s a peculiar feeling, all things considered.

Lena seems satisfied with that answer, nodding quickly before folding her hand in to Kara’s, her fingers filling the empty gaps perfectly. “My place or yours?”

[viollettes]

“Carnations” (Part 3)

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader (College AU)

Summary: A carnation fundraiser, an iota of possibility, and a longtime secret crush on your hot best friend - what could go wrong?

many thanks to the phenomenal @buckyywiththegoodhair for beta-reading! you witty, pliable, sun goddess with beautiful curls - i adore you!

a/n: i loved reading all of your theories and comments! that said, i’m waaaaay too predictable ;) -j. x

“Carnations” (Masterlist)

Maybe your head is unable to function after the many hours of crying into your pillow or maybe your heart is burnt out from the tsunami of emotions. For some reason, all words and social etiquette have escaped you, and you’re left dumbly staring at the blonde standing in front of you.

“Hey, (Y/N). Uh, we’ve never met in person, but my name is Sharon Carter.”

Ah – this is blonde girl who asked if you were okay right before you sprinted out of the Student Gov office. Your manners snap back into place and you hold out a hand. “Sorry I’m a little out of right now. You’re on Student Gov, right?”

“Yes. I’m the VP of External Affairs. I work closely with Steve.”

Steve’s betrayal is still very raw, your lungs feel like they’re going to collapse at the sound of his name. “Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m not really in the mood to socialize,” you say, your voice low and strangled.

“Wait!” Sharon draws in a breath before letting it rush out. “Dot was lying about the carnations. Steve wasn’t playing a cruel joke, because he never sent the flowers to you.”

The last thing you need is another soul-draining bombshell, yet here’s this random, albeit very beautiful, stranger providing you with yet another one. At this point, there’s only one thing running through your mind, and if you don’t comply with it, you feel like you’re going to combust into confetti.

“I can leave if you want –”

Eyes closed, you interrupt, “Sharon? Are you super busy for the next hour?”

The blonde knits her eyebrows in confusion at the left-field question, but she shakes her head. “I’m finished with my assignments for the day,” she says.

“Great. Do you mind if we take this conversation elsewhere? I have something urgent to take care of. I promise it won’t take long.”

“One spaghetti aglio e oglio and one shrimp and scallop pesto linguini.”

You wave your fork in protest as the waiter places one of the plates in front of Sharon. “They’re both for me,” you reveal. Your stomach grumbles in agreement, and a genuine smile splits your lips for the first time in hours.

Crying into your pillow took precedence over dinner, but the hurricane of emotions that barreled your way didn’t curb your appetite. Also, there’s no way you’re going to listen to information that has the potential to carve out your heart without a hearty bowl of comforting pasta sitting in front of you.

Are you stress-eating? Yes.

Do you care? Abso-motherfucking-lutely not.

Much to Sharon’s credit, she didn’t question your sanity after you emerged from your room looking like a hot mess. She even let you borrow the baseball cap perched on her head after you mumbled a sigh about the bird’s nest that was your hair. She kindly offered to drive, saving both of you the fifteen minute walk. Sharon scored herself more major brownie points when she barely batted an eyelash after you ordered two large pasta dishes for yourself.

“And miss, would you like a refill on your tea? Are you sure you don’t want food for yourself?”

“I’m good on the food, but I’ll take a refill on the tea. Thank you so much.”

You wait until the waiter steps out of earshot to ask, “This is weird, right? A complete stranger just dragged you to a restaurant so you can watch her shovel food into her mouth.”

A small smile lines her lips. “It’s a little unexpected. And we may be strangers, but I’ve heard a lot about you from Steve.” The blonde hesitates as she notices the light in your eyes dim at the sound of Steve’s name. “Are you sure you want to hear this right now?”

“I might as well…” The slight distress on Sharon’s face makes your guard to go up, but you ignore it and ask, “So… Dot was lying about Steve? How do you know that?”

“I was in the annex when you came into the office, and Dot forgot that you can hear everything from the back room. I know she used my password to get you the information you wanted,” Sharon reveals. She grimaces like there’s a bitter taste in her mouth but continues, “The person who sent you the flowers wrote a question mark as their name, but I know it wasn’t Steve.”

Twirling your fork into your noodles, you ask, “What proof do you have?” Your tone is a little hostile, but you don’t care.

“I’ve been with Steve for the entirety of the carnation sale. He only bought three flowers – a red one and two pink ones. The pink ones were joke flowers. I remember because he was snickering about Sam and Bucky’s potential reactions the entire time. I’m pretty sure he wrote a dirty joke or something.”

The stoic face you’re maintaining crumbles a bit as you imagine what kind of dirty joke Steve chose to send Bucky and Sam. You shove a forkful of pasta into your mouth to muffle the laughter, but the giggle successfully fights through.

Sharon takes your giggle as encouragement to continue. “After you left the office, I checked the computer. The spreadsheet confirmed Steve didn’t send those flowers and that Dot was lying.”

“But why would Dot lie to a complete stranger? I’ve never done anything to her.”

“Because Dot’s a bitch.” Sharon holds out her hands when your head shoots up in shock. “I know that’s not nice to say, but it’s the truth.”

“I don’t understand.”

Sharon sighs but continues, “(Y/N), there are some people who take satisfaction in watching others break down. You’d think as college students, we’ve graduated from the girl-destroy-girl mentality that’s shoved into our faces, but unfortunately Dot has yet to do so.”

“But she genuinely looked surprised and sorry for me.”

“Anyone can look genuinely surprised and sorry. All it requires is some acting skills. Also, Dot’s had it out for Steve ever since he beat her in the election. My guess is Dot saw an opportunity to not only satisfy her need for drama but also wreck some havoc in Steve’s life.”

So not only did you get wrapped up in a stupid fantasy, but you also spent the last few hours cursing out an innocent person and vowing to ice him out of your life. A knife twists into your heart, but it’s not one of anger or betrayal. This blade is one that stings of sharp guilt.

“(Y/N), you and I both know that Steve isn’t the type of person who’d prey on someone’s emotions through a prank. His idea of a prank is hiding pictures of Nicolas Cage in your room and things.”

“Oh my God, he did that to you too?”

“It took about two months before I eradicated all the Nic Cage photos in the Student Gov office.”

“Lucky you. It took me an entire semester before realizing he was using our study sessions as a guise to come into my room and hide more photos.”

Stifled snickers quickly change into loud giggles that diffuse the tense atmosphere lingering around the booth. A few minutes pass before Sharon cautiously speaks up. “So, how are you’re feeling?”

You set down your fork and bury your face in your hands. “To be honest, I’m not sure. I feel horrible about blindly assuming the worst about Steve, but I also feel so stupid and small,” you reveal.

Trusting the newfound camaraderie between you and the blonde, you take the next twenty minutes explaining everything, and you don’t leave out any details. The way Sharon intently listens without casting judgment compels you to dive deeper. You tell her about the high school flower sales that stamped trauma into your heart. You even break your cardinal rule and reveal your crush on Bucky and the turbulent ride it took you on.

It’s not long before you’ve talked off the weight of your shoulders. The sensation coursing through you is similar to the soda exploding out of a furiously shaken can. It surprises you how easy it is in confide in Sharon, and you even express, “I can’t believe I just told you all that.”

“Bottling things up until they explode will do that to you,” the blonde assures. “But if you don’t mind me picking at your brain, how does Bucky now fit into all of this?”

You let out a heavy sigh and push around the now-cold pasta. “Today’s events are making me realize my crush on Bucky has spiraled deeper than I intended it to. I always assumed it was puppy-love, but…” A groan escapes you as you angrily stab a noodle. “I can’t believe I banked on a fantasy that lacks any credible foundation.”

Though Sharon’s proven to be one who doesn’t judge, you can’t help but feel nervous as she remains silent. An eternity passes before she says, “Why don’t you tell Bucky about your feelings?”

Thinking that she’s joking, you clutch your stomach and burst into laughter. “Good one, Sharon. Yes, I’m totally going to confess my feelings to him and –” Your heart stops when you notice her straight face. “Oh my God, you’re being serious right now. Sharon, you know I can’t do that!”

“Why not?”

“I can’t risk losing his friendship. Also, Bucky could have any girl he wants. Why would he be interested in me?”

“Because you’re beautiful.”

Pink floods your cheeks as soon as those words leave Sharon’s lips. “No,” you staunchly disagree.

Sharon rolls her eyes as if there was no point in arguing because she was right. “Judging from what you told me, Bucky doesn’t seem to be the type to dump a friend over something like this. If he doesn’t reciprocate your feelings, it’ll sting, but you’ll move on. If he does reciprocate them, you have a budding romance on your hands and there’s nothing more beautiful than that. Plus, you have yourself to thank for it, and that makes it all more worth it.”

Could it be that simple?

You’ve always assumed that a confession would end horribly. Whenever you played out possible scenarios in your head, they always ended in either Bucky laughing in your face or you bursting into tears.

Bucky could react positively. Bucky could say that he doesn’t share your sentiments. There was no way to know for sure unless you said something. Maybe hiding your feelings wasn’t the wisest thing to do. Maybe you needed to muster up confidence in yourself, put your heart on the line, and take a chance.

But before you make the next step, there’s something you need to ask.

“Sharon, why are you doing this? You don’t know me, there’s no moral obligation for you to help me out like this.”

The blonde shrugs and says, “Steve is my friend. I couldn’t let Dot drag his name in the mud like this. Also we girls need to watch out for each other. After all,” her lips quirk up in an amused smile, “real queens fix each other’s crowns.”

Your eyebrows shoot upwards. “Wow, that’s… oddly deep. Did you think of that yourself?”

“Nah, I read that somewhere on Pinterest.”

Giggles escape you as Sharon smirks and takes a sip of her tea. There was something very humanizing about the idea of the blonde beauty browsing Pinterest.

Sharon takes your small yet growing smile as a good sign. “Now, back to this ‘thing’ with Bucky… I say you let him know about your feelings, but I, of course, can’t force you to do anything.” She gives you a knowing look before continuing, “What do you want to do?”

Part 4

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