Bucky stays on duty in front of your tent until midnight when Dugan and Happy come to take over the guard. Bucky isn’t sure why there’s only one day guard and two night but if it means he gets you all to himself he’s not going to complain.
0630 comes fast, but Bucky doesn’t mind. It just means that he gets to see you. He splashes his face with some of the icy water that he keeps on his nightstand. After drying his face throughly Bucky tugs on his uniform and makes his way to your door where Happy is waiting bleary eyed.
“Took first half. Jerk.” Happy grumbles rubbing his eyes with the heels of his palms.
“If you want to get any extra sleep I’d go now. Before Phillips shows up and decides that the girls need another day guard too.” Happy nods his thanks and hurries off to his own barracks.
Bucky isn’t outside your barracks more than five minutes before your door opens and you come out. Your hair is twisted neatly at the nape of your neck, your uniform just visible under your thick military issued winter jacket.
“Good morning Sargent Barnes.” You say curtly as you make your way past him and to the other larger barracks. He smiles then follows you, hanging back enough that you don’t feel uncomfortable with him at your back. You knock on the door and when it creeks open you step inside then close the door behind you. He waits patiently, he doesn’t want to spook you but Bucky is pretty sure that he’s falling for you fast and hard.
It’s about five minutes later when you come out of the girls barrack looking irritated.
“Everything alright Miss Poppy?” Bucky asks as you crunch through the snow toward him.
“I told them to be ready before 0715 but there are two in there with their hair still in curlers!” You throw your mittened hands in the air in irritation and Bucky has to bite his cheek to keep the smile off his face.
“What are you gonna do about it?”
“There will be consequences.” You scowl at nothing before turning to him. “I’m working on getting a schedule written for you. I should have it done by dinner.”
“As long as you keep me informed I don’t need something written down.” He frowns slightly, “come to think of it, it’s probably best we don’t write down a schedule just in case someone gets ahold of it.”
“Is there someone you’re specifically worried about?” You ask, your eyebrows furrowed.
“You can just call me Poppy.”
“My ma would kill me.” He tells you giving you a small smile.
“I feel like you and General Phillips are hiding something from me.” You tell him, your piercing gaze meets his and he knows that you’ll see through any lie he tries to give you.
“It’s Dodge.” Bucky admits not looking at you. “He’s a hot head in the best of situations and you’ve already managed to piss him off.”
“Yes, rumor has it that he was none too pleased being talked down like that and in front of everyone.”
“Like I told you last night, I’m not afraid of him.”
“I’m not sayin’ be afraid of him, I’m sayin’ be cautious. Besides, with me and the boys around you don’t have to worry about dealin’ with him on your own.”
“Ah, yes. You big strong men.” You roll your eyes and Bucky laughs. The girls come scurrying out of their barrack and line up quickly. Bucky spares them a quick glance, to count and makes sure there are nine girls, but then turns his attention back to you.
“Ladies, mess hall. Now. I will not tolerate this tardiness again.”
“Yes Miss.” They chorus together before slipping and sliding their way up the small slope to the mess hall. You and Bucky take up the rear and it’s only when he sees you slip for the third time and nearly fall that he offers you his arm. You wordlessly take it but give his arm small squeeze in thanks. Bucky doesn’t say anything but his heart is pounding with your arm in his. You’re close enough that he can smell the rose perfume you’re wearing. Oh boy, Bucky is smitten.
This starts a tradition. Bucky gets to the female barracks before you’re out. The girls haven’t been late since that first day, you all go to breakfast first, before the rest of the men so you can keep your girls away from them. It sort of works, you end up sending a nurse and a clerical staffer home. You’d caught them with a couple of soldiers from the 110th and had immediately told them to pack. Bucky’d heard the two men had been punished too, unfortunately it didn’t stop him from falling for you even further.
Even when his team is doing training it doesn’t seem quite so horrible when he thinks about you and those warm smiles that have started creeping across your face in the mornings.
“I’m gonna let that bitch have it.” Dodge growls to one of his friends, “she’s done it this time. Telling those girls to stay away from me, that I’m unacceptable.” Bucky’s ears perk up but he keeps studying the field in front of him so Dodge keeps griping. “Did you hear what she did to McMillen?” Bucky recognizes this name as one of the men that had been caught with the nurse. “She got him almost court marshaled. Bet she’s a tiger in the sack though. If you know what I mean.”
“Maybe you could ask Barnes.” One of the other men suggests and the group of them snicker.
“Hey Barnes! Your little bitch boss you around in the bed like she does in front of us?” Dodge calls and Bucky isn’t sure how it happens but suddenly his fist has slammed into Dodge’s face and the other man is on the ground.
“You don’t get to talk to about her like that.” He snarls down at Dodge before two MP’s grab the back of his coat and drag him to the makeshift guardhouse to wait to talk to Phillips about his behavior.
The door creaks open and to Bucky’s surprise it’s not General Phillips but you peering around the door.
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