Rea laughed at that, shaking her head and grinning. "Okay, sassy boy," she said. "You can tell those weights next time you see them." Oh, he was fun.

Bucky snickered and finished off his beer. On a whim, he wrote down his number and slid it over to her.

"Here," he said. "Let me know if you end up back here again, I'll meet you so you have someone to chat with."

Rea smiled slowly and took his number. "Only if I end up back here?" she asked, looking at him. "Or am I allowed to bother you when my clay isn't cooperating and I throw it at a wall and take a break?"

Bucky grinned.

"I think I can allow that," he replied.

"Awesome." Rea grinned widely at that. "Better be careful or I'm going to start going to you for my socialization quota."

"I wouldn't mind that," Bucky said. "Chatting with a pretty girl's no hardship for me."

"I've been told I can be hard to get along with." Rea shrugged. "Fair warning, and all that."

"We're getting along well enough right now," Bucky pointed out. "With minimal libations, even."

"True." Rea tipped her glass in his direction before finishing off that drink. "You know, you should really be good to those weights, take 'em out to dinner or something. They've been good to you." She grinned, waiting to see if he got it.

Bucky snorted.

"I'll make sure to," he replied, still snickering a bit.

Rea grinned hugely. "Finally, someone who gets my humor and doesn't look at me like I'm overly crazy!"

Bucky laughed.

"I'm glad you've got a sense of humor," he said. "Makes things so much more fun, y'know?"

"Oh definitely. I've never been with a guy who doesn't have a sense of humor." Rea grinned. "People with no sense of humor are just no fun. Same with sarcasm. Sarcasm is necessary."

"Well, then, you're in luck," Bucky said. "I've been told I have a great sense of humor."

"Good." Rea grinned. She could really like this guy. She paused when she noticed her friend and some other guy looking about ready to square off over the girlfriend.

"Aaaand that would be my queue to go intervene."

Bucky nodded and waved a hand.

"Probably a good idea," he said.

Rea managed to separate the two and shoved them towards the door. Okay, that was enough for one night. She shot a regretful look at Bucky and waved briefly before escorting her friends home.

Bucky waved back and let her go. Barely a minute after she was gone, though, he was cursing at himself. He'd forgotten to get her number from her in return. Grumbling, he ordered himself another beer.

Not quite half an hour later, he got a text.

Got the two idiots put to bed, thank goodness. Back to leather and clay! Ping me if you want more sass in your life. --Rea

That made Bucky brighten a bit.

Will do --Bucky he replied.

Rea got herself home and went to bed, looking forward to hearing from him again.

The next morning Steve was up early to run and shower before he had to get to class, grinning when he knocked on Bucky's door after he'd showered. "Still alive?" he called through the door.

"No," Bucky replied with a groan. He was definitely hung over; that third beer the night before probably hadn't been the best idea on an empty stomach. "Make the world stop, I want to get off."

Steve snickered and moved into the room to put down two bottles of water and some Advil. "Drink up," he advised. "It'll help. And get some breakfast. There's bread for toast if you want."

"My brain feels like it wants to explode," Bucky grumbled into his pillow as he buried his face in it. Blocking the light from his eyes helped some, but only marginally.

Steve twitched the curtains closed for him, because he wasn't a total dick. "Now, Buck. Get some water in you. It'll help."