Jealous
how about i teach you how to dance?
Helen looked to her right at the skinny blonde man who was lingering at the edge of the party just like her. Glad that she wasn’t alone, she offered him a smile but he shyly looked away.
“Not your idea of a Friday night either?” she called out over the music. He took a moment to process that she was talking to him, then he blinked a few times before he conjured a response.
“Not really. A friend dragged me along,” he answered before looking out to the crowd of dancing couples who were actually enjoying their night.
“Same here. My friend Florence knows the birthday girl,” Helen said, trying to start a conversation with someone who appeared to understand how awkward she felt now that her friend had disappeared amongst the crowd.
“My friend Bucky is dancing with the birthday girl,” the blonde man said with a slight chuckle that failed to mask his downheartedness. Helen looked out to the dancers and spotted the blonde with a tiara on her head dancing and having the time of her life with a handsome man with dark hair. He was the opposite to the man she spoke with: tall and confident in a flattering suit whereas the blonde man looked as though he had shrunk after his suit fitting.
“I’m Helen Walker.” She introduced herself and was met with a surprised smile.
“Steve,” he replied before stumbling forwards to offer his hand. “Steve Rogers.” Helen took his hand and they shared an awkward handshake before taking a mutual step backwards from each other.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” she said, partly to be polite but also grateful that she wasn’t alone in the world. She had never met a man so timid before. They were typically boisterous and arrogant, qualities she disapproved of.
“So why aren’t you out there dancing? You look like you’d fit right in,” Steve remarked. Helen paused as she looked down at her dress, olive green with a moderate v-neck and bunching at her waist before flowing to her knees. Florence had curled Helen’s dark blonde hair so it hung to her shoulders and had pinned two sections atop her head, keeping it out of her eyes. Although Helen was pleased with her appearance, her lack of confidence was letting her down.
“I… uh…” Helen stammered while fiddling with her handbag. Upon remembering she wasn’t talking to a fancy gentleman but a man just as shy as she was, she decided to be honest. “I don’t know how to dance.” Helen held her breath as she flicked her eyes back up to look at Steve, nervous about his response.
“Steve! Did I just hear this pretty doll tell you that she doesn’t know how to dance?” a voice exclaimed. Helen looked up to see the man Steve had pointed out as Bucky coming to a stop before them, his smile even more charming in person. Helen’s cheeks flushed and she was unable to look at him for longer than a second.
“Um, yeah, I…” Steve stammered. Too flustered from the sudden interruption, he gave up trying to speak.
“James Barnes, but you can call me Bucky, doll,” Bucky introduced himself as he held out his hand with a noticeably increased amount of confidence and poise compared to Steve. Helen awkwardly slipped her hand into his, her dainty grip shaken by Bucky’s firm grasp.
“Helen Walker.”
“Well, Miss Walker, I think you need a dancing lesson or two,” Bucky said with a laugh, glancing across to Steve and receiving a bashful smile in response.
“Yes, well…” Helen mumbled, trying to brush the topic off. A few seconds later she realised Bucky was still watching her, waiting for her excuse. Something about how collected he was and the way he patiently awaited her answer soothed Helen and she felt comfortable enough to be honest with him as well. “I can’t exactly afford dancing lessons.” Bucky’s lips parted from shock.
“Well that’s outrageous!” he stammered, looking to Steve for support but he remained quiet. “Every girl needs to know how to dance! I just- You know what?”
“Here we go…” Steve muttered under his breath with a sigh. Helen looked furiously between the two men, uncertain of what was about to happen.
“How about I teach you how to dance?” Bucky announced proudly. Helen was stunned into silence for a couple of moments but then blinked a few times and her blank face broke into a smile of disbelief.
“Oh, no, I really couldn’t accept,” she mumbled, lacking the confidence to directly decline a man’s offer.
“Oh nonsense! I can teach you and Steve how to dance and you can both step on each other’s toes as much as you want! It’ll be great fun!” Bucky continued as he slapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Steve looked up with wide eyes, but then recovered and sheepishly looked at Helen.
“That wouldn’t be too bad,” he admitted. Surprised, Helen glanced between the two to reassure herself that they were serious, her gaze settling on the meek man who was being weighed down by his assertive friend’s arm.
“Okay.”
“Not your idea of a Friday night either?” she called out over the music. He took a moment to process that she was talking to him, then he blinked a few times before he conjured a response.
“Not really. A friend dragged me along,” he answered before looking out to the crowd of dancing couples who were actually enjoying their night.
“Same here. My friend Florence knows the birthday girl,” Helen said, trying to start a conversation with someone who appeared to understand how awkward she felt now that her friend had disappeared amongst the crowd.
“My friend Bucky is dancing with the birthday girl,” the blonde man said with a slight chuckle that failed to mask his downheartedness. Helen looked out to the dancers and spotted the blonde with a tiara on her head dancing and having the time of her life with a handsome man with dark hair. He was the opposite to the man she spoke with: tall and confident in a flattering suit whereas the blonde man looked as though he had shrunk after his suit fitting.
“I’m Helen Walker.” She introduced herself and was met with a surprised smile.
“Steve,” he replied before stumbling forwards to offer his hand. “Steve Rogers.” Helen took his hand and they shared an awkward handshake before taking a mutual step backwards from each other.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” she said, partly to be polite but also grateful that she wasn’t alone in the world. She had never met a man so timid before. They were typically boisterous and arrogant, qualities she disapproved of.
“So why aren’t you out there dancing? You look like you’d fit right in,” Steve remarked. Helen paused as she looked down at her dress, olive green with a moderate v-neck and bunching at her waist before flowing to her knees. Florence had curled Helen’s dark blonde hair so it hung to her shoulders and had pinned two sections atop her head, keeping it out of her eyes. Although Helen was pleased with her appearance, her lack of confidence was letting her down.
“I… uh…” Helen stammered while fiddling with her handbag. Upon remembering she wasn’t talking to a fancy gentleman but a man just as shy as she was, she decided to be honest. “I don’t know how to dance.” Helen held her breath as she flicked her eyes back up to look at Steve, nervous about his response.
“Steve! Did I just hear this pretty doll tell you that she doesn’t know how to dance?” a voice exclaimed. Helen looked up to see the man Steve had pointed out as Bucky coming to a stop before them, his smile even more charming in person. Helen’s cheeks flushed and she was unable to look at him for longer than a second.
“Um, yeah, I…” Steve stammered. Too flustered from the sudden interruption, he gave up trying to speak.
“James Barnes, but you can call me Bucky, doll,” Bucky introduced himself as he held out his hand with a noticeably increased amount of confidence and poise compared to Steve. Helen awkwardly slipped her hand into his, her dainty grip shaken by Bucky’s firm grasp.
“Helen Walker.”
“Well, Miss Walker, I think you need a dancing lesson or two,” Bucky said with a laugh, glancing across to Steve and receiving a bashful smile in response.
“Yes, well…” Helen mumbled, trying to brush the topic off. A few seconds later she realised Bucky was still watching her, waiting for her excuse. Something about how collected he was and the way he patiently awaited her answer soothed Helen and she felt comfortable enough to be honest with him as well. “I can’t exactly afford dancing lessons.” Bucky’s lips parted from shock.
“Well that’s outrageous!” he stammered, looking to Steve for support but he remained quiet. “Every girl needs to know how to dance! I just- You know what?”
“Here we go…” Steve muttered under his breath with a sigh. Helen looked furiously between the two men, uncertain of what was about to happen.
“How about I teach you how to dance?” Bucky announced proudly. Helen was stunned into silence for a couple of moments but then blinked a few times and her blank face broke into a smile of disbelief.
“Oh, no, I really couldn’t accept,” she mumbled, lacking the confidence to directly decline a man’s offer.
“Oh nonsense! I can teach you and Steve how to dance and you can both step on each other’s toes as much as you want! It’ll be great fun!” Bucky continued as he slapped a hand on Steve’s shoulder. Steve looked up with wide eyes, but then recovered and sheepishly looked at Helen.
“That wouldn’t be too bad,” he admitted. Surprised, Helen glanced between the two to reassure herself that they were serious, her gaze settling on the meek man who was being weighed down by his assertive friend’s arm.
“Okay.”
♠ ♠ ♠
I know. Another Bucky fic, what a surprise... This one's only a short story though, so enjoy reading and don't forget to comment with your thoughts on dancing with 1940's Bucky!