threads

[brushpass]

Texts, threads, overflow, etc.

Comments

[leftcold]

Bucky glances back at Natasha as he lines up his shot and the dart slips from his fingers, hitting higher and to the right of the first one—just inside the ring for the bullseye, but less solid.

"Just what do you think you're going to be looking at?"

He's not surprised, but somehow that doesn't make it ineffective.

She's good at flirting.

[brushpass]

The glance he gives her is quick, but her smirk is unmistakable. Her eyes follow the dart when it just makes the bullseye. Honestly, she's prepared to call that a win for distraction techniques.

Even so, she's presently surprised when he encourages it further. "I was going to start with your shoulders, but I'll take suggestions."

[leftcold]

"You know I don't usually see things from that angle, right?" He swallows, fixing his attention on the dartboard again. He's pretty determined not to give her the satisfaction of distracting him again.

At least not that easily.

The third dart leaves his hand.

[brushpass]

"True," she agrees, giving her answer a moment's thought. Even though she does enjoy trying to make him blush, she doesn't want to make him wildly uncomfortable. It's a fine line. And she does trust that he'll tell her if she goes too far. So.

As he throws the dart, she continues, "figured that would be more polite than suggesting I look at your ass."

[leftcold]

He expected it this time. Even so, when she comments, he still tenses a little. Maybe because he's old fashioned, or maybe because it's been a very long time since anyone noticed his ass.

The dart hits the board with a solid thunk, slightly off center.

"How long are you going to be able to keep that up?"

[brushpass]

"What, like it's a chore?" she asks with a chuckle. He's not exactly hard on the eyes from any angle. But she can also tell that she's likely approaching that outside limit of what he's comfortable with.

As she moves up so she can get the darts from the board, she brushes his arm with her hand. "I'll behave."

[leftcold]

"You always do." He bumps her shoulder lightly as she passes, doing his best to signal he's okay. And he appreciates the concern, because she's not wrong about being out of his depth.

Though he's pretty sure most men would be out of their depth with Natasha.

"Looks like we're tied."

[brushpass]

The concept of her always behaving is so patently untrue that all she can do is give him a look of amused disbelief. Though she does appreciate the vote of confidence.

"If we tie, I guess we'll have to take turns driving." Might be a good excuse to take a trip out of the city, come to think of it. There's just a hint of a smirk there on her mouth as she eyes him. "Want me to hold off on throwing these so you can decide if you want to try to distract me too?"

[leftcold]

"Is that half a day each, or two full days?" He leans against the bar as she gathers the darts, watching her closely. It's always worth it paying attention to how she moves.

"Not sure I'd even know where to start," he admits. "At least not that won't get me punched in the face. I wouldn't want to risk pissing you off when you have a potential weapon in your hands."

[brushpass]

"Two days does mean we could make a weekend out of it," Natasha answers thoughtfully. Its an appealing idea. They might have to wait a few weeks for their schedules to line up, but she's sure it'd be worth the wait.

His admission earns a little chuckle as she looks at the darts. Honestly, a fair point. But. "I'm confident that none of the things you'd think to say would risk pissing me off."

[leftcold]

That seems about as likely to him as the idea that she actually always behaves, but he'll let it go. If she has a flattering impression of him after everything she's seen, he's not going to try to change her mind.

"Just take your throw. If you win, it'll be square."

[brushpass]

"To be clear, that was an invitation to flirt with me," she points out with a grin. And she's still confident that none of his moves would cross a line.

Turning, she throws the first dart and nails the bullseye.

[leftcold]

"Yeah?" He watches her, waiting until the dart is about to leave her fingers before he says, "I thought you were inviting me to comment on your ass."

Maybe he's not that afraid of her throwing the next dart at him after all.

[brushpass]

Oh, well done, Bucky. That startles such a genuine laugh out of her that her throw goes wide and hits a frankly embarrassing section of the board.

But she still looks incredibly amused as she turns to look at him. "I was," she answers, one brow arching as if in a dare.

[leftcold]

Bucky makes a ring with his thumb and forefinger, OK, then a thumbs up as he nods.
"Very nice."

Her ass or the throw? Depends on how sincere she thinks he's being.

He can't entirely keep a smirk off his face.

"You were saying about a weekend?"

[brushpass]

"Smart ass."

There's a smirk at the corner of her own mouth which makes it clear she's well aware of her choice of words.

She saunters back over to him, keeping her eyes on him as she moves. "Looks like we're on for a weekend. We can plan it over dinner."

[leftcold]

He turns his palms toward her in mock surrender, still half smiling. He wasn't especially interested in who won, but he can't pretend he's mad about how it played out.

"Sounds like a plan," he says, trying and mostly succeeding at playing cool. (Maybe not entirely succeeding.) "Also sounds like a good time to pay our tab and head over to the restaurant."

[brushpass]

With a bet like the one they'd made, the competition had just been for the fun of it. There's really no bad outcome when the result is spending time together.

She has enough grace not to call him on it when he doesn't quite land on playing it cool, but there's a glimmer of warm humor in her eyes regardless. "Couldn't agree more. Are we going to have to do a round of rock paper scissors so I can get the drinks?"

[leftcold]

"We won't have to if you just let me pay," he says then, not trying to play cool anymore and somehow doing a better job seeming at ease, if not necessarily cool. "I asked you out. I'd never ask a girl out if I weren't planning to pay for her."

[brushpass]

"I could argue though that I invited you to this specific dive bar," she points out as she slips her jacket back on. By her tone, its easy to tell that her counterpoint is lighthearted. This isn't a sticking point for her so much as her making sure he knows she doesn't expect him to be footing every bill. He does seem more comfortable now, and she's glad to see it.

[leftcold]

"You're not exactly breaking the bank here, you know." That's one of the points of visiting a dive bar. It also sidesteps her reassurance, avoiding reacting to it directly.

He pulls out his wallet and throws some bills on the bar, which he considers the correct way to pay for anything.

[brushpass]

The way he sidesteps it is smooth enough that she finds it charming, watching him with an expression that has just a hint of fondness to it. Throwing bills on the bar is evidently the right way to pay in this establishment at least, as the bartender just gives him a curt up nod of acknowledgement.

Natasha takes his arm as they turn to leave, and leans up to press a kiss on his cheek. "Well, thanks for the drink, then."

[leftcold]

Bucky leans into the kiss, stooping just slightly to make the reach a little easier on her. It's a simple gesture but still one that sends a soft warmth through him in a way he hasn't felt in years.

Then he escorts her out of the bar and back onto the sidewalk.

"You know, you're really something else."

[brushpass]

It's not a compliment she's expecting, and she can't help but laugh a little. Typically, she's hearing that in a much different tone.

The cold air is refreshing after the warm, still air in the bar, and she gives his arm a squeeze of acknowledgment as they walk down the sidewalk. When she answers, her tone is low and amused. "Yeah? What I am?"

[leftcold]

"Not entirely sure, yet," he admits, touching her hand lightly as they walk as though to assure her that's not a bad thing. "You're strong, but you're also funny. And you're kinder than anyone can ask you to be."

As evidence, the fact she's hanging out with a guy like him.

"It's a puzzle, I guess. Looking forward to finding out, though."