𝐟𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐡 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧 ➳❥ 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

chapter six: manipulation and lies

Vex struggled to make herself look presentable as she sat down on a nearby bench, making sure she was under some shade since the sun had been blazing down on her. The blue cardigan she had taken off earlier was folded neatly beside her, along with the white dress she had been wearing. She hadn't bothered to grab her heels, choosing on leaving them inside the bombed building. Thankfully Sharon had given her some extra clothes, and even though they weren't exactly her style or her exact size, she was grateful.

Spotting T'Challa to her right, Vex turned her body so that she was facing him. She watched the man in front of her slowly sit down, fumbling with his father's ring while he looked straight ahead.

Vex watched her friend for a while, studying him. He refused to meet her gaze though, and she sighed, watching Sharon work a few feet away from her. "Listen, I already know what you're thinking.."

"You always do," he joked, though his eyes held no humor. He locked eyes with the antiheroine, making her frown deeply. "So you know that there is no stopping me."

"There's no law saying that I cannot try," Vex said simply, shrugging her shoulders lazily. "I don't even know if Barnes is the one who actually did this."

T'Challa turned away from Vex once more, glancing down at the ring his father was wearing only a few hours ago. "I know your relationship with Rogers..and I also know his relationship with Barnes. You are trying to protect him.."

"Not exactly. There is no excuse for the crime committed today and I know that if you find Barnes he won't be able to give you one because he did not do this," Vex told him, hoping that he would listen.

The dark-skinned man stood up, pushing the ring farther down his finger and balling up his fist. "I won't be needing an excuse anyway...he won't have time to say anything."

With that he walked off, leaving Vex by herself again. She threw her head back, letting her hair fall behind the bench. Her eyes closed for a brief moment as she took in some air, slowly letting it out.

"Fucking hell."

Just as she said that, her phone rang, making her swear again. It took her a few seconds to answer, since she wasn't really in the mood, but she finally decided on answering when she realized who it was.

"Steven, now is not really a good ti-"

"It's not him," Steve cut her off quickly, his words were rushed and his voice seemed on edge.

Vex rolled her eyes, her left hand stopping at her forehead when she remembered that she had put her hair up so she couldn't run her fingers through her pin straight locks. "Yes, Steven, I know that. Is there anything else you want to say, or did you just call your girlfriend to tell her that your old friend is innocent."

"...are you hurt?"

An annoyed sound escaped Vex's mouth, causing Steve to wince from the other side of the phone. "You mother- yes, I am fine. It brightens my day to know that I am the first thing you think about when you call me."

Just as Steve was about to apologize, Vex cut him off, "Steve don't do this, please."

Even though he knew that his girlfriend couldn't see him, Steve immediately began to squint his eyes and purse his lips, a signature look that meant he was lying. "I don't know what you-"

"I swear to god I don't have time for this Steven," Vex snapped through the phone, standing up and snatching her battered clothes off of the bench. "I have five stitches and major bruising on several parts of my body from being thrown onto a damn glass table by a bomb. The government will handle this, leave it alone."

Steve watched his girlfriend from afar, his glasses darkening his view slightly. He saw what this entire situation was doing to her, the stress and anger that had been piling up on her like a ton of heavy books was slowly taking its toll. But this was Bucky, and he wouldn't let him get away this time; Vex had promised him and he wouldn't let her forget.

"You know that I can't do that, sweetheart."

Vex threw her head back, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Steve, why are you so damn stubborn?"

"Meet me at the small coffee shop a few blocks down from here," he muttered quickly into the phone, glancing briefly in his girlfriend's direction before he walked off.

Letting out an aggravated groan, Vex angrily chucked her phone towards the nearest bush with a deep scowl. Of course, Natasha was there to catch it, with the blinding sun hitting her just right. She laughed softly as she held her hand out, waiting for her friend to take her device back.

"There's a bar a few places down from that coffee shop," the former SHIELD agent said, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly while a childish smirk appeared simultaneously onto her face, causing Vex to shake her head with uncertainty.

"Natasha, we both need to head back to-"

Natasha glared in the brunette's direction, scoffing as she walked towards where civilization was more thriving. "What we need, is a drink."

Vex thought about it for a moment, taking her phone out again and staring down at it with narrowed eyes. Natasha wasn't paying her any attention, continuing to walk down the street. The anti heroine wanted to help Steve find Bucky, she honestly did. But she knew that his methods weren't the best. She also knew that he was digging himself a deep hole and unknowingly dragging other people down with him. People Vex couldn't see go down, people she wouldn't see go down. So, she figured she'd help in another way; in a way only she knew how. Through manipulation and lies.

With her mind made up, she shoved her phone back into the pocket of her borrowed pants and called after Natasha, telling her to wait up.

"I think I need more than a drink."

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I wanted to do so much more I swear to god and I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been trying to update and I just have so much shit going on right now but enough with the excuses I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I want you guys to know I've been thinking of putting out that Vex/Bucky fic AND I'm currently planning a Chris Evans fic.