The Right Partner

"I'll just have to tell him off if he tells you off." Clara said with a slight grin. She liked how lighthearted their conversation was and how easily it all seemed to flow. She really just felt extremely comfortable around Bucky. It was sort of strange seeing as they had only just met, and that probably made this all a bit cliche as well, but she honestly didn't care. "Yeah, I'm sure she's fine." She really wasn't all that worried about the blonde. She was nice, but she'd spoken with Bonnie even less than she'd spoken with Bucky.

"What's he look like? Just in case I've got to prepare myself." He laughed softly, though there was always the very real fear at these things that you'd rub someone up the wrong way for just looking at their sister, or their girlfriend. Sure it was a place for unity and comradery, but when you threw alcohol into a mix of patriotic and pumped up men there was always going to be the risk of a little backlash. Still, Connie seemed like the kinda girl he'd be willing to risk all that for. She probably was the apple of someone's eye. He could easily imagine her as the type of girl who had a box of love letters stashed away under her bed, some of which she'd probably never even opened. Bucky just considered himself lucky to have one night to dance with her.

"He's rather strange looking actually." Clara said honestly, letting out a soft laugh. "You'll know him if you see him." That was the best description that she could come up with for the Doctor. He wasn't exactly like the person you'd meet randomly on the street. Of course, she knew that he really wasn't like that at all, but for all intensive purposes she was going to stick with this and what she had said. "He's harmless though, so I don't think you have anything to worry about." She smiled.

"Strange looking, alright." He laughed again, head dipping slightly as he briefly watched their feet. "I'll keep that in mind." He wondered for a moment just how long they could go on for, and he was no longer sure how long they had. He enjoyed dancing with her, and he hadn't really noticed if the band had stopped, or if they'd started something new. She was impossible to let go of, impossible to separate from, and he couldn't figure out why. There was just this thing about her that drew him in, and he wasn't sure how prepared he was to let go just yet.

"That's probably not the best description, but it was the easiest." Clara laughed. She definitely couldn't remember the last time she'd really connected with someone like this. It was strange, and almost a bit foreign. And because it had been quite some time since then, she wasn't so sure that she wanted to give it up just yet. She didn't know how long she would be here for, she didn't know when the Doctor would be ready to head off to whatever time or dimension or planet they were headed to next, and she also knew that Bucky would probably be getting shipped off within the next couple of days or so. Plus, it wasn't like this night was endless. It was bound to end sooner or later.

"If you say he's strange looking then I'll keep an eye out for strange looking." Bucky grinned, his hand applying a slight more pressure to Connie's back so he could pull her in a little closer to himself. It was all subtle gestures, none too forceful. If she wanted to move away from him at any point, or end the dance all together then he wasn't about to stop her... But he hadn't quite realised how much he wanted something like this to remember once he had been shipped off to the war. Someone had once told him that the sweetest and most intimate memories were the ones that got you through war nights. He was starting to believe them. "So how long you in town for, Connie?"

Clara smiled. Though his gestures were subtle, she couldn't help noticing them. She didn't mind them though. She knew that they weren't forceful by any means. She hadn't realized it until now, but amidst all the constant coming and going, she'd wanted something like this. There was this feeling of normalcy, but also this feeling of intimacy as well. It was strange how the simplest form of human contact could sometimes be the most memorable. "Oh, I don't know. A couple of days probably. At least until after the World's Fair. My cousin is looking forward to seeing what Howard Stark has come up with this time."

As the music slowed into something a little more romantic, Bucky followed suit, holding Connie close as a more intimate and appreciative atmosphere covered the room. "The world fair, huh?" He smiled, his voice slightly more hushed now as to not disturb the atmosphere. "You asking me out on a date, Miss Connie?" He grinned, happily twisting her words into a playful comment. Who knew, maybe he'd ask her? He couldn't think of any better way to spend his last days in New York than with a pretty girl on his arm.

Clara couldn't help but smile at his teasing words. "I don't believe I said anything like that at all. In fact, I'm positive that I didn't." She said quietly. Of course, there was a part of her that was hoping that he would be going to the World's Fair as well. She wanted to see him again after tonight. She wasn't sure how long the Doctor was planning on staying here, but she knew that she wanted to see Bucky at least once more before she left. And she also wouldn't be opposed to going to the World's Fair with him either. "You twisted my words around, soldier." Her tone was light and teasing.

"Hm, I don't think I did." He laughed softly, enjoying the building sense of attraction and flirtation around them. Bucky might have only known her for a short while but it wasn't hard to tell she was one hell of a girl. She partly stuck out from everyone else, as though she wasn't supposed to be there that night... And maybe that's what attracted him to her, he didn't know. There was just something. "Well, Connie, I'd be honoured to take you to the World Fair... If you'll let me?"

Clara laughed quietly. She was quite liking where this conversation was going. It was a bit strange, seeing as they had only really just met, but she wasn't going to complain. She didn't know what it was about Bucky that drew her in. There was definitely something though. The smile on her face only seemed to widen at his words. "I might have to check my schedule...I'm a very busy person, but I think that, if I rearrange a few things, I might be able to squeeze you in. Possibly." She teased.

"Squeeze me in?" Bucky mocked offence, mouth open as though Connie had just told him the most scandalous thing he had ever heard. "Surely I should take priority?" he chuckled, though he chose his next words very carefully. He didn't want to damper the mood of he evening. "Who knows when you'll see me next." He didn't want to say 'iIf you'll ever see me again', though it was the first thing to come to mind. There was the inevitable truth that Bucky could die in this war, and that scared me... He certainly didn't want to think of that. So he choose to say 'when' instead. As far as he was concerned, he was going to come home from this war.

Clara laughed lightly at the mock offense written on his face. "I'm an extremely busy person, what can I say?" She teased, a small grin on her face. She let out a soft hum in response to his later words, acknowledging that she'd heard them. There was this almost unspoken aspect to the conversation, as if they both knew that there was a chance that he wouldn't come back from the war. Of course, Clara knew that she wouldn't see him again afterwards, regardless of whether or not he survived or not, but she obviously wasn't going to tell Bucky that. "I suppose I could make an exception." She smiled.

A wide grin came to Bucky's face, as if he was the child with the last cookie at school. It was nice to know that in the next few days he would have something to take his mind off his deployment. It was hard enough with Steve constantly trying to sign up, despite the fact he could snap in two if the wind blew in the wrong direction. "I guess I'm doing something right then." There was a genuine sincerity in his voice as he spoke.

Clara knew that this probably wasn't the wisest decision to make. She knew that, if she spent more time with Bucky, there was a chance that she would grow attached. And that really wasn't something that she could afford, but she just told herself that she was doing this for him. She knew that many of the soldiers here tonight were being shipped off within the next couple of days, and she figured that she was helping Bucky. She was making his last days here in New York enjoyable. "I guess you are." She smiled.

Something about their conversation seemed to comfortably dip off into silence as the band played on, and Bucky wasn't about to complain about that. Despite the reality of all the men leaving soon, there was nothing solemn about their environment. Everyone was quietly enjoying themselves, soldiers stood to a military precision of straightness as women nuzzled into their chests. Anyone would think the men had returned from war, not welcoming it. Yet, Bucky felt safe. As he held Connie close to himself and swayed in the music with her, he felt safe. He couldn't keep his eyes off her as they danced, and he probably looked like a love sick puppy to anyone who saw the way he looked at her... There was just something about this impossible girl.

And suddenly, no words were being exchanged any longer. But it wasn't the awkward kind of a silence. It was the comfortable kind. The one where nothing really needed to said, or it just didn't have to be spoken. And that seemed to be the case there. Clara couldn't keep the smile off of her face as they danced. Because, for some strange reason, she felt whole. It was an odd thing to think, mainly because she hadn't really felt like there was anything missing in the first place. But clearly there had been. Right now though, with Bucky, whatever that missing piece or object had been, was present. And she knew that she was in a lot deeper than she should have been.

With Connie being so close, it was hard not to breathe her in. He could feel her body heat through his uniform, her perfume, her hair... He felt odd noticing the smallest of details of someone he had just met. It was hard to deny, despite the fact, that she was the single most gorgeous woman he had ever laid eyes on. Her beauty had amplified since dancing with her, and getting to know her. He hesitated for a moment before gently leaning his cheek against the top of her head, barely touching her at first. There was no need to say anything more, and Bucky was quietly kicking himself for developing such a connection so quickly... He couldn't risk it. Not when there was such a small possibility of him returning to New York once the war was over. It would be cruel to let Connie live in the false hope that he would definitely come home.

Clara knew that she shouldn't be doing this. She knew that she shouldn't be getting attached to him, but she already knew that the attachment was there, and it was growing too. And she couldn't help herself. She, despite knowing Bucky for such a short amount of time, and hardly knowing him for that matter, oddly enough felt connected to him. She didn't know why. She just knew that the connection was there. And she also knew that, once she had to leave or he was shipped off, whichever came first, would be hard. Harder for her than it would probably be for him. Because she knew that she would probably never see him again. And that had nothing to do with the fact that he was going off to fight in a war that he most likely wouldn't survive. But she didn't want to think about any of that right now. For once, she wanted to forget about all of those minor technicalities, and enjoy herself. And that was exactly what she did. Smiling, she allowed herself to move closer to him, the closest that they could possibly get to each other really.

It certainly wasn't conventional to grow so close to someone in such a short amount of time, but in all honesty, Bucky wasn't sure how much time he had left. Sure, he could tell himself he'd be home before he knew it, but he'd heard the stories... How the first war was believed to be over by Christmas, yet dragged on for another four years. A terrifying, dark, and testing four years. He knew he wanted to serve his country, it was his honour to do so, but it was growing harder and harder to hide the fact he was scared. He'd be shipped out to England before he knew it, before he barely even had a chance to say goodbye to those he loved... With a quiet sigh, his cheek still resting on Connie's head, Bucky shut his eyes. It was comforting to have her so close, to just close his eyes and lose himself in the music... But he knew that as much as he wished, hoped, or prayed, this moment was bound to end eventually. He wasn't prepared to let go of her, not just yet and not any time quite so soon. In a single evening, and in an unexpected turn of events, this girl seemed to have come in out of no where and steal his heart from deep within his chest. And he didn't want it back any time soon.