The Collection- Bucky Barnes

All Good Men- iii

"God, she's...she's incredible." It's the seventh time his best friend has used the word incredible to describe her. Her being Nora. A girl he's met twice. Met twice, slept with, and is now enamored with.

To say Steve is worried is an understatement. Something about her put him off. He's never even spoken to her, only made eye contact once. But that one time was enough. She was trouble, a whole sea of it. And Bucky was intent on diving heart first from the cliffs.

"You barely know her." Steve counters, handing the barista a ten and a five to cover both their coffees, plus tips.

"I know enough." Bucky retorts, picking up his drink.

Steve pauses before being handed his own drink. Thanks the barista before they both turn to walk out of the shop. "Yeah? What's her last name?"

His friend halts in the door of the coffeeshop. Eyes downcast, he continues on.

Thought so, Steve muses to himself.

A staunch silence sits between them as they continue on. Bucky's never exactly been smart when it comes to girls. At least, girls he shouldn't like. Steve doesn't know anything about this girl, only her name that Bucky supplied. Really, all his information comes from his best friend. But from the two times Steve's seen her, he knows all he needs to. She's trouble, in the worst way.

"I don't have a good feeling about her." Steve says. He refrains from speaking his thoughts on her being dangerous. There's no evidence to back it up, just the feeling he has.

"Steve, I appreciate the worry but you don't even know her." He snaps. Already so protective of this girl he doesn't know.

Steve's met snakes, plenty of them. Helped cut the heads of the five-headed beast. He knows a snake when he sees one. She might be walking around on two legs and void of the scales, but Nora whatever-her-last-name-is is a viper. And Bucky's going to get bit.

Steve stops. He doesn't want to fight with him, not about a damn girl. And maybe, maybe Bucky's right. Usually, though, when it comes to deadly things and pretty girls- and vice versa- he's not. So, until Steve can give him good cause to be wary of Nora, he's going to throw caution to the wind.

Steve isn't gonna let him jump into the viper pit.

Which is why he says, "Okay, then. I'll get to know her." It causes Bucky to look at him, brows v'd down, eyes objective. "Sara and I are supposed to have dinner tomorrow. I'll tell her plans changed and we're doubling. You bring Nora."

Something akin to fear passes through his eyes. Maybe he's scared to bring her around. Or maybe he thinks she won't come. Or she will and it'll be a disaster. His mouth opens and no words come.

But then he nods, resolute and decided. "Okay. Tomorrow."

Steve's gonna prepare all his most interrogative questions. No doubt in his mind that Bucky will flay him after but a girl like that and his best pal...Precautions have to be taken.

"I still thinks it's weird that you're dating a girl with the same name as your mom." Bucky comments, taking a long sip of his drink. "Like, you're moaning your mom's name during sex. That's gross, dude."

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His hands are trembling. He's fucking nervous. To talk to a damn girl. To ask her on a date. Jesus, what's the matter with him?

She's not just any girl.

He knows that. It's plain as can be. There's something different about her. Strange, maybe. Definitely not normal. Because he's been alive a long time and has never once encountered someone like her at all.