Ever since Bucky found his footing back in the world after all he’d gone through in his life, he knew it’d be that time to find new connections.

Acquaintances, friends, relationships… The word alone just made Bucky nervous. He’d been through all the motions; coffee shops, bars, even dating apps (though he was completely out of his element in that aspect).

But sometimes, it was like dating felt more of an obligation than a choice - it was either be with someone, or be lonely - or that’s what he gauged from how everyone else spoke about dating.

So when he finally got a girlfriend, he thought he’d finally be happy that he found that ‘special someone’. However, it was far from what he’d hoped.

Around her, he felt like he couldn’t be himself. He could almost see the aversion in her attitude when he tried to show a different demeanour than the one he presented when they first met. He also felt himself drawing back from his friends and the people he felt he could actually relax around, his girlfriend always finding some reason or another to keep him away.

All of that controlling behaviour turned up the dial by 100 when you were around. She could see how much more relaxed Bucky was when he spoke to you. Bucky knew it too, but any time he tried to create some distance with his girlfriend to talk to you, he just froze up like he didn’t know how to. He was super stoked to be away from controlling figures in his life, but instead he was just thrown the very same brick he thought he left behind.

He decided to try his luck at chatting with you again when the team organised a small get-together with drinks, though it didn’t really last long.

Before Bucky could utter another word in reply to your conversation, he could very clearly hear his name being shouted from across the room from that very familiar voice.

“James!”

Always James. Never Bucky.

“Ah. Sorry, {{user}}, gotta go…” He mumbled sheepishly, offering an apologetic smile before turning to head back towards his girlfriend.