#divorced!reader

When you look up at the booth, he already has his eyes on you - cigarette in one hand, the other holding headphones up to one ear as he moves to the music. You don't break eye contact, and his gaze darkens. He gestures for a man just off the stage to trade him spots before making his way through the crowd to you.

"Are you here alone?" He asks. He's American to your surprise. And remarkably handsome with piercing blue eyes that rival the Aegean.

"No," you lie. As good-looking as he is, he is a complete stranger.

He shakes another cigarette out of the carton in his front pocket and nestles it coolly behind his ear. "Well, whoever you came with is missing out."

You thumb your ring finger, skin searching for cool metal where your wedding band used to be as you assess this beautiful stranger.

"Dance with me?" You ask.

He leans down to talk softly into your ear. "I'm Mickey. If I get too close-"

"You're fine," you cut him off, assuring him as you press your body closer to his - yearning for physical connection. You give him your name, and he practically purrs it back into your ear, with a sultry, "Let's get out of here."

How can I just let you walk away? Just let you leave without a trace When I stand here taking every breath, with you, You're the only one who really knew me at all How can you just walk away from me? When all I can do is watch you leave 'Cos we've shared the laughter and the pain and even shared the tears You're the only one who really knew me at all So take a look at me now.

You and Eddie had once been inseparable, a couple that weathered the storms of life together since the fresh bloom of your 20s. Now, well into your 30s, the love that once bound you is unravelling painfully, leaving behind a trail of shattered memories and unfulfilled dreams. The miserable little office of your divorce lawyer became the stage for the final, tragic act, the last chapter in a story that began with youthful exuberance but now carried the crushing weight of heartache and disappointment.

“You my girl, sweetheart? My sweet girl?”

The room was hushed, the air thick with unspoken words as you sat there alone, staring at the clock on the wall. Eddie was late, a familiar pattern that had become symbolic of the fractures in your relationship. The lawyer shuffled papers, offering sympathetic glances that did little to ease the pain that weighed heavily in your chest.

Eddie's absence was more than just tardiness; it was a metaphor for the emotional distance that had grown between you. The empty chair across from you seemed to echo the void in your heart. As the minutes ticked by, memories flooded in - the laughter, the shared dreams, the private whispers, the stolen kisses and the countless moments that had now become nothing more but the crumbling foundation of what once was. Of who you once were, and who you had been together. 

“I love you, y’know that, right? Always loved you. Always will.”

The sound of a motorbike approaching cut through the silence like a blunt knife, heralding Eddie's arrival. He entered the office with a tumultuous mix of guilt and weariness etched across his face. His leather jacket clung to him like a shield, but his eyes betrayed the sorrow which lingered beneath his tough exterior.

“You’re late.” you managed to utter, a hint of reproach in your voice - but it lacked the fire that had fuelled countless arguments in the past. You were tired - so, so tired.

All he could do was shrug sadly, briefly meeting your gaze before placing himself down on the chair directly in front of you. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

And wasn’t that the truth?

Your lawyer began the proceedings, nothing but a detached voice outlining the division of assets and the logistics of moving on. It was a cruel contrast to the emotions that threatened to spill over. Your mind wandered to your shared history, to your love that once seemed endless and unbreakable, shatter-proof, now reduced to nothing but a pile of legal documents.

It took everything left in you not to wonder if he was thinking the same. What good would it do now anyway? It was too late. You’d failed. You’d failed you’d failed you’d failed. 

Amidst the legal jargon, Eddie stole glances at you, his eyes carrying the weight of a thousand apologies. Unspoken words lingered in the air, and the chasm between you seemed depthless, impossible. 

“You gonna be my girl forever, sweetheart? My favourite girl. My only girl.”

The lawyer's voice droned on, and your thoughts drifted to the whispers that had reached your ears—a rumour that Eddie had found his solace in the arms of a younger woman. A pang of hurt resonated within you, but you pushed it aside, focusing on the cold business of ending a chapter that had defined the better part of your lives. Honestly - had you even been surprised?

Shiny and new, isn’t that what they all wanted? A clean slate, a blank easel, someone not burdened by the past, by the knowing, by pre-conceived promises and perceptions. Maybe she’d be the one to give him what he wanted, what he really wanted, whether he would say it out loud or not. A little Eddie, a carbon copy of the man you love. Had loved. Still loved.

A brood. A family. Isn't that how this had all started? You couldn't remember anymore.

“You’re the only thing I need, baby. The only thing. Just you n’me. S all I’ve ever needed. Only thing I’ve ever wanted.”

Stop.

As your lawyer finalised the details, the reality of what was happening finally set in. You were used to being in rooms filled with Eddie's laughter, it would echo down hallways and vibrate off the walls. But the only sound this room was filled with was now the melancholy of what was lost. Deafening and suffocating. You are ruined.

But you had wanted this, hadn’t you? At some point, you must have wanted this. Why else would you be here?

Eddie’s final words to you swam around the murky pools of your mind, delivered as he cleared his throat. He’d thrown a leg over his motorcycle swiftly, grabbing at his helmet, desperate to break the silence that had fallen between you.

"Look, I..." his voice had faltered. "I never wanted it to come to this, you know?"

All you could do was nod. Words seemed futile at this point, a waste of oxygen you weren’t even sure you had to spare. He hadn’t wanted it to come to this, so who had? You? Everything seemed so blurry now, faded and jumbled. This wasn’t the plan. It was never the plan.

“No matter what, it’ll always be us. I’ll always choose us. I’ll always choose you. It will always be you.”

Eddie's departure on his motorcycle became the metaphor for the journey ahead – one that would carry him away into a new chapter, leaving you to pick up the shattered pieces of a life that had somehow slipped through your fingers. Your hands littered with thousands of tiny, bleeding paper cuts.

In the end, you knew that the love between you and Eddie remained, buried beneath the ruins of everything that had been, and everything else that could have been. As you walked out of the lawyer's office, the weight of heartbreak hung heavy in the air, a sombre reminder of the love that had come to a devastatingly untimely end.

“Til' death do us part, baby.”

“He’s a nerd, and wanted to see the lab.” You say and Chris nods excitedly. Bruce and Tony spend hours talking to Chris. So by the time they’re done it’s time for dinner. The four of you go up together. When you get up there you notice the tables already set and the food is placed on the table. “Hey everyone, this is Chris! Chris this is-.”

“I already know!” Chris says smiling at the team, everyone smiles back, everyone but Steve and Bucky. Everyone moves to sit down for dinner, that’s when you notice there isn’t a table setting for Chris. So you go into the kitchen to get him a plate.

“Can’t he do that himself?” Bucky snarls.

“He doesn’t know where everything is.” You say, confused. After you get the plate and things, you place them down. Then you go to grab one of the pots of food.

“Be careful it’s ho-.” Nat starts, but it doesn’t register soon enough and you hiss in pain as you retract your hand. Chris grabs it from you and watches the small burn heal, and he smiles at you.

“That will never cease to amaze me.” Chris murmurs.

“Really that little burn? I thought you had standards for this now.” You joke.

“I mean, I don’t think I can cut your toe off at the table. Things like that are frowned upon in society.” Chris jokes.

“You. Cut. Off. Her. Toe?” Steve seethes.

“I mean, yeah, it was a test. We we’re pretty sure it would grow back.” You shrug. The topic of conversation changes, but both Bucky and Steve spend the rest of dinner glaring at Chris- who was squirming under the super soldier’s gazes.

“It’s getting late, I should start heading back.” Chris says as dinner comes to an end.

“I’ll walk you out.” You say as you stand up. Everyone tells Chris that it was nice to have met him- everyone but Steve and Bucky, their eyes just follow him as he moves around the room. “I’m sorry about them. I don’t know what was up with Steve and Bucky, their usually really nice and-.”

“They’re in love with you.” Chris says as he rolls his eyes.

“Don’t joke. It isn’t funny.” You murmur.

“They are, I saw the way they looked at you.” Chris argues.

“They’re from the 40’s. I doubt they would want to be in a polyamorous relationship, plus they’re so in love with each other, they don’t need me.” You say.

“You’re awesome. They’d be lucky if you even looked their way.” Chris says pulling you into a hug. “Talk to them.”

“See you next year?” You ask.

“I think we’re the only divorced couple that still celebrates their anniversary!” Chris laughs as he walks to his car.

“We’ll we always were weird!” You laugh.

“You’re my best friend, Y/N/N, always have been, always will be. I want to see you happy.” Chris says.

“Same.” You say. Chris nods his head, then he gets in and drives away. You sigh and then you walk back inside, Steve and Bucky were still sitting at the dinner table.

“Is the bastard gone?” Bucky sneers.

“What’s up with the two of you today? Why were you so mean to Chris?” You ask.

“Trust me that was us being nice.” Steve grinds out.

“What? He was nothing but nice!” You yell.

“Nice.” Bucky chuckles darkly.

“Why are you guys acting so-?” You start.

“How bad was it? Is it even okay to ask that?” Bucky asks suddenly.

“How bad was wha-?” You start to ask.

“I mean if a judge granted a divorce the abuse must have been…..” Steve trails off. “Are you okay, Doll? Why would you let him come here? After the things he did to you?”

“Abuse? The things he did to me?” You ask, confused by what they were saying.

“HE CUT OFF YOUR TOE!” Bucky snarls. “He’s lucky he left this place alive!”

“Whoa, he cut my toe off because I asked him to! We were testing my abilities! He helped me test them!” You say. “And it was a no-fault divorce! We were 18 and confused! Everyone kept telling us that we would be an amazing couple a-and that we should get married and have babies! About six months in we realized that we were best friends- ONLY best friends! Like we had been since we were kids! He never abused me! He helped me understand a part of me that I had been ashamed of! HE helped me become who I am today! So how dare you treat him like that!” You yell. Both men sit there staring at you for a minute, finally Bucky quietly asks:

“What’s a no-fault divorce?”

“It’s means neither spouse is required to prove the other is at fault.” You say.

“Oh.” Steve murmurs, then he and Bucky just stare at each other and then at you. Both of them are shocked, so you just turn around and leave the room.

Both Steve and Bucky avoid you for the next week. Maybe Chris was wrong, maybe they didn’t like you like that. But then one day you hear a knock on your door, when you open it, you find Steve and Bucky standing there.

“You’ve been avoiding me.” You say as you cross your arms and lean in the door frame.

“We’re sorry.” Steve murmurs.

“Why?” You ask. Neither of them answer. “I’m going to ask again, this time I would appreciate an answer. Why?”

“We-love-you.” Bucky murmurs and you feel your eyes go wide.

“But we know that you’d never go for something like that. We’re okay with just-.” Steve starts.

“Why would you assume that?” You whisper. “I love you both.”

“You….You love us?” Bucky questions, and instead of answering you just pull him in for a kiss. When the two of you break apart you pull Steve’s face to yours and you kiss him.

“You’re both Idiots.” You murmur and you giggle when they nod in agreement.

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