Content: alternate universe (Bucky doesn't have a vibranium left arm or super soldier serum), age gap (he is about 15 years older than the reader), skinny dipping, drinking/drunkenness, teasing, flirting, grumpy/sunshine trope, reader is described as being smaller than Bucky, suggestive comments, kissing, fade to black
Word Count: 8k
Synopsis: Just when Ranger Barnes thought he was done mentoring rookies, he’s stuck with you: the eternally optimistic newbie with a knack for baked goods and novelty hiking socks. You’re looking forward to a memorable first season in the park, and you’re determined not to let the grumpy, albeit handsome veteran ruin it for you.
Author's Note: I'm excited to share my contribution to Bucky's Dreamhouse collab with the awesome @stantastic-association. Many thanks to @miraclediviner for making this collaboration possible. You are ever the organizer and we all appreciate your hard work. Thank you to @buckybarnes82 for the beta read. ILY. I know nothing about being a park ranger. Don’t come after me. These are strictly ✨ vibes ✨
My Masterlist | Bucky’s Dreamhouse Masterlist
Read on AO3
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - May 15
I was promised no more rookies. No more having to mentor these bright-eyed newbies anymore. HR begged me to take on just one more this summer, so I caved. I meet the kid on Monday. I'd better get hazard pay.
Items of note: Southwest Trail full of stacked rock markers. Disassembled and returned to correct environment. Damn tourists.
After working your ass off earning your degree in conservation and ecology, you’re ready to put your skills to the test and hit the ground running at Buchanan National Park. Instead, you’re stuck in a summer-long training program with the world’s grumpiest man. And you forgot to pack your lunch. You usually have such great luck. Maybe you’ve reached your limit. All those late nights studying, early mornings running across campus to make your lab class, and countless “environmentally friendly” takeout coffee cups have culminated in this. Yes, the park offers stunning views and you don’t have to sit beneath fluorescent lights in a depressing cubicle all day, but your “mentor” leaves much to be desired. Ranger Barnes is the epitome of bitter coffee, furrowed brows, and snarky comments. Can too much fresh air make a person a cynic? You hope not. How can someone who spends all day every day out in the sunshine under blue skies have such a sour attitude? Was he born frowning? Is his face stuck that way? It’s beyond you. He’s worse than a bear in search of his first meal after a long hibernation. It’s only week two. How are you supposed to put up with this for nearly two months?
"Don't forget your logbook, Rookie," he grumbles as he shoves a protein bar and a few clementines in his pack. You watch him zip the bag with ease and set it on a nearby counter.
"Sure thing, Vet," you grumble back. Your nicknames are not at all contentious or uttered with malice. Not at all. Ha. "What's on the agenda today? Ooooh, are we going to yell at tourists for not following park rules? Maybe we’ll get to pick up X-rated litter at the campsites? Or–oh!–you'll even show me the firewatch station? The weather is going to be perfect today, you know."
"We'll see, kid," he mumbles, lacing up his hiking boots with a grunt.
You roll your eyes, tired of his incessant attitude and the unnecessary nickname. Kid. Blech. You're twenty-three, not a child. And if you had to guess, he's at least ten years older than you, maybe more, but still not old enough to call you a kid. You say your name in response, willing him to call you by it instead of the irritating moniker. He nods, but doesn’t apologize.
James "Bucky" Barnes has been a park ranger for nearly sixteen years, and he has the scars and stories to prove it. Newbies tend to romanticize the gig, and his personal mission is to beat the optimism out quickly and quietly—preferably over a Thermos of hot coffee on a cliff side. But you, optimistic little you, were having none of it. Like a wild stallion he just can’t break, you show up everyday with that damned smile plastered across your face, always always armed with some baked goods you've whipped up the night before and a random nature anecdote in the chamber. Today’s is about how direct sunlight on the skin can decrease cortisol levels in the body.
"I made banana bread," you say, pulling the wrapped loaf out of your backpack. “I forgot my lunch, so I’m stealing a piece for our break.”
Bucky smirks knowingly. Like clockwork. "Great. Bears are gonna love you today," he replies.
You scoff. "Don't pretend you don't eat up every last crumb at the end of your shift. I watched you lick the plate clean when I brought that blueberry cheesecake last week." It was amazing. You’d used blueberries from your home garden. They were perfectly round and juicy.
"I was hungry. We hiked all over the damn park that day!" He retorts with a huff.
Such a huffy, grumbly human. "You're probably just getting old," you reply with a shrug and a smirk. "Tiring out faster than you did in your prime. When do you qualify for Medicare again? You must be getting close.”
“Ha-ha,” Bucky faux laughs and grimaces, silently wincing at the idea of you thinking he's past his prime. He turns away from you toward the mirror above the utilitarian sink. The ranger's cabin near the entrance of the park serves as a break room/locker storage/First Aid area with an emergency eye wash station. His reflection shows a few shining grays highlighting his temples and chin. You're not wrong about him being older, but he doesn’t agree with being past his prime. In fact, he feels like he’s just cresting that hill. And he’s definitely not eligible for fucking Medicare anytime soon.
Teasing your pissy mentor has quickly become a highlight of your day, and you giggle under your breath as he inspects himself in the mirror with an appraising look. You change from your slip-on Birks to one of your favorite pairs of hiking socks: sky blue with jump-roping avocados. Bucky turns back toward you and subtly rolls his eyes at your ridiculous socks before throwing on his backpack.
“Do you ever have any fun? Or do you get your kicks from sucking it out of whatever room you happen to be in?" You ask as you pull on your boots with an oomph.
“Hmm,” he watches you and pretends to mull it over, scratching his fingers through the stubble on his chin. "The second one. Fun-sucking."
You send a tight-lipped frown his way as you lace up your boots and rearrange a few things in your pack. You always feel like a kid on the first day of school when you put it on–two thumbs through the loops as you smile enthusiastically at the beautiful day outside. You’re ready for whatever magic the park decides to show you today.
Bucky glances at the banana bread on the communal counter and back at your pack. "You're not going to bring more than a piece with you? Won’t you get hungry?"
"Did you not point out earlier that I'd be eaten alive by the rabid bears that inhabit the park if I take that out of the wrapping?"
He shakes his head. "Dramatic much?"
You click your tongue and smile. "Only because I know it gets under your skin, old man."
He makes a mental note to pack some extra food with his lunch tomorrow in case you forget again. Rolling his shoulders with a big sigh, he declares, "You're gonna kill me before I retire."
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - May 29
The Rookie is going to kill me. This job is going to break her heart. She's too optimistic, too impressionable. I need to have a serious talk about burnout and managing expectations.
Items of note: Picked up litter left by an unsanctioned campsite. At least they used protection. Insane banana bread. Buy better sun protection-do I look old?
An official summer kick-off party with the other rangers is not Bucky’s definition of fun, but you, little ball of incessant sunshine, assured him that it would be a great time, stating that it’s important for elderly people to get out of their homes and interact with others. It keeps the mind sharp and the hips groovin’. He’d rolled his eyes at that, but you peeped his mouth turned up slightly at the corner–a crack in his invisible shield.
“You never come to these things,” Alex, a fellow ranger, pokes at Bucky as you two sit on a wooden picnic bench under some string lights. The bar hosting the event is rustic with a touch of mountain-town charm that’s hard to pin down.
“Yeah, well, this one convinced me with her feminine trickery,” he huffs, scratching at the sweaty label on his bottle of Coors.
You laugh and roll your eyes. “The feminine trickery was the homemade tiramisu I brought on Thursday,” you inform Alex swiftly. “He has a sweet tooth. I simply played to his weakness. And now, Bucky, you get to relax and recharge to the sounds of cicadas and John Denver. Don’t forget to thank me!”
“Not happenin’,” he grunts as he takes a drink of beer.
Alex laughs and offers his drink up in cheers. You clink yours against it. “No, seriously,” he starts, “I haven’t seen Barnes at one of these work parties in… damn, have I ever seen you at one? So, whatever you’re doing, keep it up, new girl!” He waves you both off with a salute as he heads inside to the bar.
“See, I told you that people want you here,” you say, shifting your attention back to Bucky. “They look up to you, Vet.”
“It’s not that I think people don’t want me here,” he starts. “I guess I’m just more of a solo guy.”
“That’s called a loner, Bucky,” you say with a friendly wink. “Alone time is important. I don’t want you to think I’m knocking solitude, but being around people can be nice too.”
He nods like he agrees and notices your nearly empty glass. “What are you drinking?”
You look from him to your empty glass and back again. “A Sea Breeze.”
“Sea breeze?” He repeats for confirmation with a furrowed brow. “Now what the hell is that?”
You laugh at his antics and list the juicy ingredients in the cocktail. He stands up and motions for you to hand him your empty glass. “Here. I got your next fruity little drink, Rookie.”
“Okay,” you smile, giving him the glass. “But only if you get one too. Don’t be a fruity little drink hater, Bucky.”
He swishes around the remnants of the drink and brings it to his nose. “It smells like sugar.”
“Tastes even better,” you quip.
He narrows his eyes at you and notices where your tinted Chapstick has transferred to the glass. He lifts the same spot to his lips and takes a sip of the watered down drink. Your stomach heats at the intimate gesture. Or maybe it’s the alcohol.
“It’s sweet,” he says. “I’ll get one for myself if you take a shot of tequila with me.”
Your eyes widen in shock. “Bucky Barnes, resident loner and fun sucker, wants to do shots? Has Hell frozen over?”
“I don’t want to do shots,” he corrects with a raised brow. “I want to do one shot with the Rookie. You in?”
“I’m in.”
Bucky isn’t sure when one shot turned into three, but now the fireflies are starting to look a bit angelic, like little glowing halos floating around the purple night sky. “Hell did freeze over,” he chuckles. “There’s tiny angels everywhere.”
You smirk and laugh. “Bucky, are you drunk?”
“Mmm…” he thinks it over, looking at you with a slightly glazed expression. “Just a little buzzed. Don’t you have socks with fireflies on them?” He asks, looking under the picnic table. You snap your legs together.
“I’m wearing a dress, Bucky! Eyes up here.”
His face turns an even deeper shade of red. “I’m sorry. I was looking for your cute socks.”
“I’m wearing sandals, Ranger. No cute socks tonight.” You say the last part with a pointed look. Bucky never says things like that. He’s always extremely professional, albeit grumpy as fuck. Get a few drinks in the guy and all of a sudden he turns to pudding.
“I wasn’t trying to look up your dress,” he reiterates, clearly embarrassed.
“I know!” You assure him. “We’re colleagues.”
“Right,” he mutters, looking out at the slowly emptying parking lot.
Before you can dig more into whatever that exchange was, some more coworkers, Natalie and Anton, skip over with handfuls of tiny glasses… full of some type of clear liquid.
“A round on us!” Natalie practically shouts. She’s tipsy and adorable. Anton holds out a glass for you and Bucky.
“To say thank you for helping us with the Junior Ranger camping fiasco last week,” Anton adds, looking fairly sober. Ah, the Junior Ranger camping fiasco. Who knew that flushing a tampon was going to wreak havoc on the entire education cabin? What began as an instructional lecture about what to do if you encounter a bear turned into how to properly dispose of feminine products. Preteens.
You hold a hand up to the offered shot. “That’s so sweet, but I’m feeling good after a couple glasses of water. I can’t.”
“More for me!” Natalie says, downing your shot.
Bucky takes his, clinking it against Anton’s, and downs it. He hisses at the heat of the alcohol and mutters a thank you.
“See you guys at CPR training next month!” Anton shouts over his shoulder as they stagger back into the bar.
“CRP training… I forgot about that…” Bucky mutters, sitting down heavily on his side of the picnic table. He’s clearly drunk. You glance over at his truck and frown. You’re going to have to get him an Uber.
“Bucky? Are you okay with an Uber? I can reserve one for you. You can’t drive,” you say, reaching across the table to get his attention. He sways a bit and smiles.
“You can’t drive,” he chuckles.
“I’m fine to drive. I switched to water after we took a shot together,” you tell him as you pull up the rideshare app on your phone. “Eighty nine dollars? For economy? Christ…” You look up at him, but his eyes are already on you. He’s smiling and a small giggle-like sound erupts from his chest.
“Keys are in my pocket, Rookie,” he slurs. “Come get them.”
“You’re being ridiculous, Bucky. We can take my car. Just don’t throw up in it or you’re paying to get it detailed! We can pick up your truck in the morning.”
“Mmkay,” he agrees easily. “Whatever ya say, cutie patoots.”
“Good lord. Can you walk?” You ask with a grimace. You’re not sure you can support his weight back to your vehicle. He’s much broader and taller than you.
“I can walk,” he utters. “C’mon.”
You offer him a friendly arm, and he loops through yours. “Are you okay?”
“Mhmm.”
He manages to walk fairly steadily back to your Subaru. You help him fold his large body into the passenger seat and buckle him in. Alex walks up as you shut the car door. You offer him a weak smile. “Gotta get this one back to his place. Any idea where he lives?”
“Not a clue. He’s so private,” Alex says. “You sure you’re okay to drive and get him home?”
You tsk. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. Drive safe.”
“You too.”
You get into the car and buckle up before turning to ask Bucky for his address, but he’s out cold.
“Damn it, Barnes!” You yell, but he doesn’t even stir. To your place it is.
The drive is quick and quiet since your driving companion is currently passed out with his mouth slightly ajar. You pull into your parking spot and thank God that you live on the first floor because you have no idea how you’d get this larger than life man up a flight of stairs.
“Bucky?” You ask as you unbuckle your seatbelt. No answer. You shake his arm. “Bucky?” You yell. “Ranger Barnes!” Louder this time.
“Huh?” He rouses, eyes slowly opening and taking in his surroundings. He looks around the unfamiliar car interior and then slowly turns to you. “Oh, hi sunshine.”
“Feeling more like an annoyed rain cloud right now,” you offer. “You’re going to sleep on my couch, okay?”
“Couch. Yeah.”
“Let’s go, old man.”
The state of your apartment is a work in progress to put it mildly. Half open boxes are strewn about. You moved here at the start of the summer, right after graduation, but you’d started at the park at the same time. Days have been long, so it’s been hard to keep momentum and your energy levels up to get fully unpacked.
“You’re messy,” Bucky says, looking around the place on unsteady legs.
“You are the bigger mess right now,” you snarl. “There’s the couch.”
He plops onto it quickly while you grab him a clean blanket and pillow. He has one arm thrown over the back of the couch when you get back, just staring at your ceiling. You hand him the bed linens and stand back, crossing your arms.
“I’ll take you back to your truck in the morning,” you say.
“Mmkay,” he agrees with a sleepy voice as he pulls the blanket up to his chin.
“Night, Bucky.”
“Night angel lightning bug.”
You sigh and head to your bedroom. What a night.
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - June 8
She hasn't exiled me for her having to drive my drunk ass home after the work party. I'm such a dumbass. And I can't get the vanilla smell of the blanket she threw at me out of my nose. So warm. So her. God damn it.
Items of note: Soil samples today. Google what's in a Sea Breeze besides shame and regret.
The forecast is predicting a high in the mid-nineties today, so you packed your swimsuit in the hopes of taking a dip in the crystal clear lake you spotted a couple weeks ago. It’s secluded, clean, and deep enough to actually enjoy a swim in the cool water.
Bucky is in a better mood than usual today, and has honestly been more friendly overall since the night you let him couch surf. He was awkward as hell the next morning–all apologies and fancy takeout coffee. You assured him it was fine, and definitely didn’t bring up all the pet names he called you when he was out of his right mind. Maybe you remind him of an old flame, but you know it didn’t mean anything. It’s best to just keep trucking until you’re done with this summer training and finally, blissfully on your own. But today, you blame his good mood on your famous fruit salad. You brought it one day last week and it was devoured by lunchtime. You made a huge bowl for everyone again, but this time you made a separate, smaller one for Bucky without the kiwi. You noticed him picking the tiny green chunks out last time.
“You didn’t have to do this,” he says as he forks another mouthful of the fruit into his mouth. Some juice dribbles down his lip and he licks it up. “I can just eat around them.”
You shrug. “It’s no trouble. Plus, maybe I only made you your own bowl to sweet talk you into finally showing me the firewatch tower. It’s called an ulterior motive, or you know… feminine trickery.”
He laughs genuinely before rolling his eyes and spearing a strawberry. “I know what an ulterior motive is. And I stand by the trickery sentiment.”
“So… firewatch tower?” You ask with pleading eyes. You can’t place why, but you’ve been drawn to the tower since your first shift. It has an otherworldly, slightly spooky aura to it, like anything could happen up there. Maybe you are just excited by heights.
“Maybe,” he replies. “If you behave.”
“Maybe?! I made a special bowl of fruit salad sans kiwi for you, Mr. Picky. Show me the tower!”
He laughs and washes his bowl in the sink before filling up two stainless steel bottles with ice water and putting them in his pack.
“Are you super thirsty today or something?” You ask, nodding toward his backpack. “Ooh, did you meet a milf at the bar and drink one too many Sea Breezes?”
“A milf? Jesus, no,” he says with a frown. “It’s going to be really hot today so we need to stay hydrated. I can carry more weight in my pack than you.”
Oh. He packed you an extra water bottle. How… thoughtful. He’s usually all survival of the fittest. “Well, thanks, but I can handle an extra bottle. You don’t have to–”
He tightens the straps of his pack and stands up straight, looking you in the eye while he cuts you off. “I had a former rookie pass out from heat stroke on a trail a few summers back. I don’t want that to happen again, especially…” he trails off before clearing his throat. “Anyway, let’s get going. We’re in C sect today and the Gator is in the shop for repairs, so we have a long trek on foot.”
“Okay, let me lace up my boots,” you say, quickly plopping down on the wooden bench.
Bucky notes your socks today: bananas wearing fedoras and carrying briefcases. “Where do you even find those?” He nods toward your feet–one sock on, one foot still bare. His eyes flit from the bright orange polish on your toes to your concentrated face. The tip of your tongue pokes out between your front teeth as you pull the other sock on.
“My cute socks?” You ask, wondering if he remembers calling them that.
“Sure, I guess.”
You laugh and nod, not sure if he’s playing it off or really doesn’t remember. “My brother gets me a pair for my birthday and Christmas every year. We like to get each other silly, but useful things.”
Bucky smiles. “So what do you get him?”
You pull on your boots and start lacing up. “He’s a lawyer so he has to wear ties and fancy clothes to work. I get him vintage cuff links, bow-ties, pocket squares… that kind of thing. I like to find them at thrift shops, estate sales, you know. The crazier the pattern or style, the better. It must run in our genes to like loud accessories. I once found a pair of cuff links that were tiny bottles of Yoohoo. He loves those."
Bucky chuckles. “How thoughtful. That’s a nice tradition.”
You finish tying your boots.
“C’mon, Rook. Let’s get going.”
After a few hours and miles in, you have to admit that Bucky was right–you are beyond thankful for that extra icy cold water bottle he packed this morning. It’s toasty outside, but thankfully nearly time for lunch. You’ve already finished your first bottle of water, and your throat thanks you as you drink from the second. You sit down on a bench under a covered shelter spot with a few picnic benches, relishing the shade as you check your watch.
Bucky sees you check the time. “We can break early and eat in the shade,” he says, starting to unzip his backpack more. There’s a line of sweat staining his shirt where the pack was sitting against his spine.
“Oh, thank goodness. I’m roasting,” you say. You sigh and look around, realizing exactly where you are. “Actually, I’m going to eat lunch in a bit. I want to walk down to that lake and take my break there if that’s okay.”
“Lac nu?” He asks with a smirk as he takes the lid off his lunch.
You tilt your head, confused. “Is that the name of the lake?” You suppose you hadn’t noticed a sign the last time you were in the area.
Bucky nods slowly, crunching into a carrot.
“Okay, well, I’m going to Lack New or whatever it’s called for my break. I’ll be back in an hour,” you say as you saunter off. He gets so weirdly quiet sometimes. He’s hard to read.
“Watch out for snakes,” he says loudly before he laughs under his breath. He watches you walk away as he bites into another carrot and his tongue. “Damn it!”
Bucky finishes his lunch quickly and picks up some nearby litter before checking his watch–still forty-five minutes before lunch is over. He always ate too fast from working up an appetite logging miles in the park. He fans himself with his logbook and undoes the top button of his brown uniform shirt.
“Ah, fuck it,” he grunts as he slings his pack over one shoulder and follows your path down to the small lake. He normally doesn’t swim in the park because he doesn’t want to interact with dumb tourists, but he doubts anyone will be down there but you. Even though you’re way more chipper than a normal human, you know how to appreciate the park’s beauty without ruining the ecosystem or leaving your mark behind.
The sunlight streams through the surface of the water into the lake below, painting sparkles across the rocky bottom as you swim beneath the clear veneer. The water is lukewarm and doing a magnificent job of cooling you off. You turn and start to float on your back, closing your eyes to the sun for several moments. When you move upright to start another lap, you let out a squeal at Bucky standing on the grassy lake shore.
He holds his hands up in defense with a small smirk. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
You laugh out a sigh in relief that it’s just him. “It’s fine. Just glad I’m not getting axe murdered!” You say as you tread water, letting your head bob above the water. He looks from you to your discarded uniform shoved into your unzipped pack and back again.
“How’s the water?” He asks as he drops his backpack on the grass next to yours.
“It’s perfect, actually,” you smile, readjusting the strap of your swimsuit. “Are you coming in?”
His eyes follow your hand across your shoulder back down under the water. “Would you mind? I don’t have swim trunks, though, so maybe I’ll just put my feet in.”
“Oh, get in here. A little skinny dip never hurt anyone,” you tease with a laugh.
“Uh, okay. You’d better turn around unless you want a show.”
You spin around in the water and make a dramatic show of covering your eyes even though you’re facing the other direction. “Just social distance from me, old man.”
He huffs as he undresses quickly, tossing his clothing in a heap at his feet before wading into the lake. It is perfect. When he’s certain his manhood is hidden beneath the water he calls out to you. “Okay, I’m in. Just don’t look down.”
“Wait, are you seriously naked? I was just joking about skinny dipping!” You shout.
“Well, I seriously don’t have swim trunks, so…”
“Oh,” you say and swallow before spinning around and putting a bit more distance between your two bodies. You decide to trek forward with the conversation and ignore the elephant (Or was it more like a mouse? Stop, brain. Why are you thinking about it?) in the lake. “The water’s nice, huh?”
“Mhmm,” he hums in agreement. His hand comes up above his eyes to shade the sun from his vision as he looks at you. “You know it’s called Lac nu, right? Not Lack New.” He says the former with a French accent and the latter with a slightly offensive American South one.
“What are you talking about?” You ask, perplexed.
“This lake,” he starts, waving a pointer finger around the area. “It’s called Lac nu. It translates to Naked Lake.” He says the last part with a breathy laugh and flicks some water at you.
You snort and roll your eyes. “I guess I’m breaking the rules then?”
“I won’t tell,” he says with a playful wink.
“I think there’s probably a spot in the employee handbook about this,” you joke.
“Skinny dipping?” He asks.
“No, winking at me when you’re naked,” you say with a giggle.
He chuckles and dips lower into the water before dipping his head under to wet his hair. When he resurfaces, your eyes trace the beads of water racing down his neck.
“You’re in a good mood today,” you say, swimming in a circle around him, always keeping your eyes above the water. “What’s the occasion?”
Bucky lets out a sarcastic “ha-ha” and blows water droplets from his lips before dipping back under the water. You watch his eyes open under the surface and drop your jaw as he resurfaces.
“Did you just… sneak a peek?” You ask, pretending to be scandalized. You hold your arms around your body, covering your chest. “Did you just check out your controversially younger coworker? Your mentee?”
He splashes you with yet another eye roll. “First of all, I’m the naked one here. So if anyone should feel exposed, it’s me. Second of all, you’re not controversially younger than me. How old do you think I am, anyway?”
You rub your chin, pretending to think before mocking him. “First of all, Barnes, you’re not denying the checking out your coworker accusation. Second of all, I’m not guessing your age.” You huff, feeling like you’ve won.
“You’re ridiculous,” he says matter of factly. “I’m thirty-eight for the record.”
You size him up–the smattering of grays you’re met with day after day, the broad shoulders and beefy arms built by years in the park, the crow’s feet around his blue eyes when he flashes you a rare smile. “Yeah, I suppose thirty-eight checks out.”
“Now who’s doing the checking out?” He asks cheekily as he swims further into the lake. His back is to you now.
You notice the constellation of freckles across his tanned shoulders and the muscles there. The sun’s rays hit the water just so, shining through the lake. You follow the trail of light with your gaze under the surface, down the hard lines of his back to his…
That’s not a butt. That’s a–oh.
“Eyes up here, Rookie.”
You snap your eyes up to to his and your cheeks immediately heat in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to–I-I wasn’t trying to…” Words escape you.
He laughs and runs a hand through his wet hair. “Come on. Let’s get dressed and get back to work. I’ll go first so you can get dressed in private. Keep an eye out for water snakes, would ya?”
You gasp at the naughty joke and watch him get out of the water, his back to you. He climbs the small incline gracefully. You only notice your bottom lip between your teeth as he ducks behind a nearby bush to dry off and get dressed. You let go of the flesh and clear your throat, willing your body to calm down before you exit the lake. Why do you feel all tingly? Surely a brain eating amoeba has made its way into your ear canal and started its work. It’s definitely not your grumpy, graying, somewhat pessimistic coworker. Right?
“All clear,” he says with a wink as he trots up the hill fully dressed and out of sight. Your stomach flutters again. Oh no.
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - June 30
Lac nu is a hidden gem of the park, and I'm thankful for it today. It was nearly 90 degrees and served as a cool-off during our lunch break. Fuck, this logbook is turning into evidence. Must burn to ash when it's filled.
Items of note: Orange toes and swimsuit. Wet hair. Nature is beautiful, but she's stunning.
CPR training–not an aphrodisiac, just a standard practice, great knowledge to have in case of emergencies, absolutely not a turn-on. Ugh… until it’s his turn to do chest compressions.
You have definitely never listened to those breathy, suggestive audios of dudes doing push-ups to failure on Quinn. Not the ones where they’re practically moaning “baby girl” through your headphones while you get a little sweaty folding laundry. And you’re absolutely NOT thinking of how Bucky sounds like he’s doing those devious push-ups right now. He’s trying to save Hector’s life for crying out loud! Hector is the CPR dummy that you are slightly, weirdly jealous of right now. A lock of hair falls out of place across Bucky’s forehead as he keeps pressing on Hector’s chest. His arms–God, have they always been so veiny and muscular–are tensed from the compressions, and his face is flushed from the exertion. Your mind wanders to what other activities make the Ranger flush and you feel a blush creep up your neck. He’s like… old. What is wrong with you?
You hear your name and are pulled from your sexy trance. “Huh?”
“You’re up,” the instructor says.
Bucky takes his place next to you and nudges your shoulder. “Go! He’s literally dying.”
You huff and kneel down next to the dummy.
“To the rhythm of Stayin’ Alive by The Bee Gees,” the instructor says, nodding for you to begin. You start the compressions and count, growing tired by the end. No wonder Bucky was huffing and breathing a little more… well, just more than you’re used to when he was doing this. Why did his breathing sound hot? Are you ovulating? You mentally count back to your last period and shake your head. No, definitely not ovulating anymore. That must mean you actually think he’s hot. Your mind isn’t clouded by some cavewoman needs. These are your true, luteal phase thoughts. Oh no. You save Hector from the brink of death and take your place back by Bucky as a few other colleagues revive the dummy.
“Good work,” Bucky says with a wink. “You got a little tired at the end, huh?”
“I guess so.”
“You sounded a little breathy,” he adds to which you look up at him with irritation.
“So did you!"
“Did I?” He asks.
“Yes, you were all huh huh ugh heeehuhhhh ugh huh.” You imitate his breathing.
He smirks, holding back a laugh. “Do you want to run that by me again?”
“Oh, hush!” You say. The instructor glances up at the two of you. Damn, if looks could kill.
“Your face is red,” Bucky whispers, leaning down a bit to get his mouth closer to your ear.
“Yeah, well, I just did chest compressions. Besides, you’re sweaty.”
“I’m not sweaty,” he says.
“You’re… there’s a sheen,” you say, pointing to his face and circling the air around his head.
“A sheen?” He smirks.
“Yes, Bucky, a sheen.”
“Now it’s more pink than red,” he says, nodding at your face. “Now it’s the same color as it was when you saw that water snake in the lake.”
“Bucky!” You gasp. “I didn’t see anything.
“Mmm, I think you did. You blushed like you did.”
“Let it go, Barnes.”
“Oh, I’m never forgetting that, sunshine. Ever.”
You huff and cross your arms as the instructor stands and claps his hands together. “Okay, let’s move on to First Aid.”
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - July 6
Hector is enemy number one. Why can't I stop thinking about her flushed face and the way she was breathing? Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
Items of note: So much July 4th garbage around the campsites. Disposed of properly and citations issued as needed. Be respectful, people.
“Guess where we’re going today?” Bucky asks with a genuine smile as you both start out on the main trail.
“Well, I’ve given up on the firewatch tower, so… maybe to clean up some campgrounds?”
He laughs and shakes his head. “You’ve given up too easily.”
Your eyes widen and you gasp. “You’re taking me?!”
“I’m taking you. It’s a long walk, so I’m glad you packed some extra trail mix.”
“Bucky!” You exclaim, jumping on the dirt trail. “I’m so excited! Thank you!” You hug him and he carefully wraps one arm around your waist to return the sentiment.
“You-you’re welcome, Rookie.”
You can hear something in his voice and break away, realizing that it’s kind of inappropriate to hug your coworker.
“Sorry,” you mutter, looping your thumbs through your backpack straps for something to focus on that’s not his muscle-y back.
“It’s fine,” he assures you. “You smell like oranges.”
You laugh. “I made orange juice this morning.”
“What? With real oranges?”
“Of course!” You say. “It’s way better that way.”
“You really are a ray of sunshine.”
“Thanks. You’re kind of a storm cloud, but we need some rain, so…”
He laughs and nods. “That’s actually why I figured now’s the perfect time to show you the tower. We’re technically in a drought at this point, so forest fires are more likely. It’s important that you know what to look for if you ever have to cover the tower. Usually they have special rangers for it, but if someone is out and you get called up, you have to know your shit.”
“Sounds good.”
You start your trek to the tower with a smile on your face, his spicy deodorant in your nose, and butterflies in your stomach.
When you’re about a quarter mile from the tower, the clouds start quickly rolling in.
“Did you check the weather today?” You ask Bucky, biting your lip nervously. You didn’t pack umbrellas or any rain gear.
“I-uh, it must have slipped my mind.” It’s your fault it slipped his mind. He was watching you pull on your ridiculous hiking socks-golfballs with moustaches and tees wearing high heels-and forgot to check the damn app.
The last four hundred yards to the tower are a mad, rain-soaked dash.
By the time you reach cover you’re both drenched, chilled, and your feet are covered in blisters from the rainwater squelching in your hiking boots. You didn’t expect to see the tower for the first time looking like a wet noodle while Bucky somehow looks like a wet Adonis. Unfair.
You carefully climb the slick stairs to the top and both heave a sigh of relief when you’re safely under the roof. Finally.
The clouds outside darken and the wind picks up, making the branches of the trees dance in a frantic rhythm. You watch from one of the many windows. It’s not just rain. It’s a full-on thunderstorm.
“Well, I don’t think you’re going to spot any rogue wildfires now,” Bucky says with a click of his tongue. He sits on a small cot in the corner and pulls his log book out of his pack.
“This is kind of beautiful, though,” you muse, watching the way the rain is coming down in sheets of silver.
“Nature is, yeah,” he says quietly and he uncaps his pen with his teeth and chews on the cap thoughtfully before the pen meets the page.
“What are you always writing in there?” You ask, nodding toward the weathered book.
“Observations.”
“I don’t write in mine enough then. You’re always jotting stuff down. Can I read it? Get an idea of what I should be documenting?” You walk toward him and he snaps the book shut. “No. It’s… you know… a Ranger’s logbook is personal.”
“C’mon,” you laugh. “How personal can soil samples be?”
“Extremely!”
“Fine, grumpy,” you say, too soaked and cold to fight him on it. “How long do you think this will last?”
He glances out the window with a shrug. “No clue. You cold?”
You nod, and he looks under the cot. He grunts as he pulls a heavy trunk upright and clicks open the latches. There’s an array of first aid supplies, tarps, blankets, a couple National Park Service sweatshirts in an ugly shade of moss green. He hands one to you. “You should take your top off.”
“Sorry?” You gasp.
“No!” He stammers, squeezing the bridge of his nose. “I mean you should take your wet shirt off before you put the dry sweatshirt on or else you’ll stay cold. I’m not looking.”
He turns around and looks out the opposite window with his arms crossed. By the time you’ve shed your shirt and cozied up in the dry, ugly sweatshirt he asks “You decent?”
“Yeah,” you say. He turns around too. At least you’re wearing matching ugly sweatshirts. In this fashion crime together.
“So, we’re kind of stuck up here for a bit, aren’t we?” You ask.
“Looks like it.”
"Okay, we could just play a game to pass the time, or volley questions back and forth to get to know each other better," you suggest. You feel like you only know the surface of this man, and you wonder if he’d let you crack him open a bit like the sky outside.
“Sure,” Bucky rifles through the drawers of the decrepit desk near the cot, searching for a pack of cards. Nothing. He slams the last drawer, and it's punctuated by a flash of lightning outside.
"Is it actually safe to be up here when there's lightning?" You ask, peering out the window at the raging storm.
He shrugs. "It's better than being on the ground of a literal forest. With trees."
You roll your eyes. "Fine. Questions it is. I'll go first. What's your favorite color?"
Bucky sits on the cot in the corner and leans his head against the wall. He shrugs. "I don't really have one."
"You don't - okay, nevermind. What's your favorite dessert?" You try again, leaning on the desk across the small room.
His lips quirk into a smile. "Don't get a big head about it, but that cheesecake you made."
"Aww, you love my goodies," you tease as his eyes widen and he snorts out a laugh. "Sorry, that sounded-"
"My turn," he says, cutting you off. "What's your favorite part of the park so far? I know you haven't seen everything, but…?"
You consider his question and look around at the tall trees, some at eye-level in the tall tower. There's a lot of things you like about the park - the way it's misty in the morning sometimes after a night rain, when the frogs in the pond by the Ranger cabin will quiet themselves if it gets too loud with human noise, how the light filters through the trees when the sun isn't directly overhead, when Bucky always asks if you have your logbook (even though you only use it for doodles of flora and noting down how often he sighs when he's particularly grumpy, and the way he's watching you right now). Whoops. You hope you don’t have to turn it in at the end of training.
"My favorite part of the park?" You repeat the question, eyes wide at your internal realization. "Having you as my mentor has been nice."
His eyes flit to yours, brow furrowed. "That doesn't count, plus I'm not that great. You don't have to say that-"
"I'm not saying anything I don't mean," you retort. A flash of lightning lights up the sky with a crack of thunder following not long after. It's not letting up, and you silently wonder how long you'll be taking refuge here. "But if you want me to pick something in nature, I guess I'd say just how big some of the tree roots are. Some of them are thicker than two people put together. It's incredible. You're kind of like a tree root, you know."
He scoffs. "Well, you keep bringing in sugary desserts and goodies."
You laugh and roll your eyes. "No! That's not what I mean. I'm not saying you're thick," you say with a giggle. He is terribly, deliciously thick, but in the best way. "I'm saying you remind me of the roots of a tree - stable, grounded, only searching for the good soil, one with the Earth. Strong. All that jazz."
“All that jazz,” he hums and nods his head, eyes moving to the storm outside. You peep a blush on his cheeks. "Like roots, okay."
"What would I be?" You ask, nudging his foot with yours. "And don't say anything about the muskrats."
He chuckles and assesses you before swallowing. He knows what he wants to say, but isn't sure if it's too much. He knows he got too flirty… too inappropriate at the lake the other day, and he needs to reel it in, but damn. He doesn't want to regret not saying how he feels.
"Okay, I have an answer," he says, voice a bit deeper than it was seconds ago. "Do you know how the sun hits the water at a certain angle and makes it shimmer? But with colors, like…" he searches for the right word, but you fill it in for him.
"Like a rainbow prism?" You offer.
"Yes, exactly like… a prism. Every color kind of dances across the surface. That's what you would be," he answers, running a hand through his beard like he's stressed.
Your chest heats at his answer. It almost sounds romantic if you didn't know better. "Why'd you pick that?" You ask eagerly. You swallow, trying to push down any expectations.
He clears his throat and decides to just go for it. "Because you came blazing into this park and into… my life… in color. Your whole persona is just like a rainbow I guess - your weird socks, your smile, your jokes, your orange toes, just you. You bring life into this place. Into my life, too. I wasn’t looking forward to one last mentee, but you… I’m just glad it was you.”
You close your mouth. It had fallen open during Bucky's short but effective declaration. "I-I'm not sure what to say," you start. "Which is a first for me."
He laughs and shrugs. "You don't have to say anything. You're done with training after this shift anyway."
"I'm done with training?" You repeat, blinking at him. "But I thought I had the rest of the week with you.
"No," he says, shaking his head. He pulls a crinkled and folded paper out of his shorts pocket. "I graduated you this morning. I guess I just wanted one more shift with you." He looks at his watch. "And the shift just officially ended, so you're a full-fledged Ranger now, sunshine."
"So you're not my supervisor anymore?" You clarify, pushing off the desk you're leaning on and taking a step toward him. Another crack of thunder intensifies the already heady air of the tower.
"Correct," he says, standing up. "Are you… happy about that?"
"Ecstatic, in fact," you say, taking another tentative step. He meets you in the middle and you breathe the same humid air for what feels like a full minute. His chest is heaving in symphony with yours. Eyes bounce from each other to your lips to his eyes and back again like a mating ritual.
"Why?" He breathes across your skin. His breath is minty and smells slightly of honeydew. "Because now you can do this?" He mutters as his lips brush against yours. You inhale sharply at the contact and your heart picks up its pace. The rain outside starts coming down in heavier sheets, soaking the deck surrounding the tower.
"Yeah," you answer weakly. All sense of reality has been turned on its head as his tongue slips easily into your mouth. Kissing Bucky is like dipping your toe into Lac nu, like picking the first ripe strawberry of the season off the vine, like sinking into fresh bedsheets dried on the line after a long day. It feels right. So right. It’s warm and light and perfect. He breaks away first and you can feel his smile.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since you called me an old man that first week,” he admits.
“You called me an angel lightning bug,” you mutter with a smile.
He looks at you with a quizzical brow. “Those Sea Breezes got to my head, didn’t they?”
“They did.”
“Well, you know what they say… drunk words are sober thoughts.”
“You should kiss me again,” you whisper. “You taste like honeydew.”
His hands find the nape of your neck and his fingers comb through your damp hair as he pulls your mouth toward his. “You taste like mine.”
Ranger J. Barnes Logbook - July 15
Maybe I'll give her this logbook when I marry her annoying, perfect, sunshine and rainbows ass. Why the hell does the firewatch tower have a condom stash?
Items of note: Replenish the firewatch tower's condom stash.
Warnings: Very, very light swearing. Just pure fluff!!
Word count: 1.3k
Summary: After stupidly jumping out of a craft on a mission, ending up with many broken ribs. Bucky is placed under your care unwillingly and he makes the week hell for you. But when the week ends he starts to regret everything.
A/N: This is pretty short and maybe i’ll come back to it another time and try something new but so far i like how this turned out. If you like this, i’d really appreciate it if you could share or leave comment!
“Will you just sit still?!” You grumble at Bucky for what feels like the millionth time today.
“Well stop poking me and maybe I will.” He practically hissed at you. You swear that when Fury assigned you to take care of him he was plotting your early death– or at least Bucky's death.
“If you sit still I'll give you a cookie…” you try to bribe, but of course this just earned you a very hard and angry glare from Bucky.
Due to Bucky’s recklessness on a recent mission, he is now under your care until he can breathe without whining and groaning about his ribs, which he broke several of. He thought the easiest and quickest way to land by a mission base was to jump out of the craft without a parachute– stupid!
You were the nice nurse. The nurse everyone on the team liked to be cared for the most when they had an injury, except a certain fossil. He was grumpy and rude to you for no reason, always making an effort to ruin your day with some stupid comment every time he saw you. But this week had been hell!
So here he was pouting and glaring at you in the plush armchair in your office that practically cowers under his large frame. “I need to check the progress of your ribs and I can't do that without touching you. So please…just sit still.” You sigh, your patience being stretched very, very thin.
Bucky notices your stress and annoyance with him and he does feel some sort of pity but he can’t shake this unfamiliar feeling you give him everytime he feels your hands on his body or your gaze on him. “...Fine.” He mumbles grudgingly.
You move your hands back into place against his chest, gently feeling where the broken ribs are located. Due to the serum, he had enhanced healing abilities but it never failed to amaze you how fast they fixed up his and Steve’s body.
“They’re healing just fine.” you say as you pull your hands away and move to sit by your desk. “I still don’t recommend doing any strenuous activities just yet but, you’ll live.”
Bucky just rolls his eyes like usual and keeps his unwavering scowl on his face– it annoys you and somehow hurts you to see just how unwilling he is to accept any help. That was the way HYDRA treated him though, you knew that. Hell, everyone knew that.
“James…” you start softly with a quiet sigh. “It’s just me and you in here…i need to know if you’re in pain so i can fix it.”
Silence– as expected.
He sighs and looks down at his boots, his feet shuffling slightly as he thinks about your words. Soft brown locks fall over his eyes and shields you from looking into his broken and guilty eyes. “I’m fine” a hoarse voice says so quietly.
Hesitating for a moment, you look over his body language and think about his tone. “Okay…” you respond simply, knowing not to push him.
Within the silence, Bucky stands up and storms out of your office– he almost let it all out. How did you have this effect on him? You were so easy and sweet, the complete opposite of him, he couldn’t let you in and see what HYDRA did to him. You weren’t allowed to see how everytime you checked his vitals, he felt like he was back in HYDRA’s claws, back to being prepped to be shocked again. No, he had to keep you away from that.
The week passes and ends, you were no longer assigned to take care of Bucky anymore and he’s back to missions and training– avoiding you. Part of you is happy that he’s not around you everyday by force, no longer having to endure his glares and rudeness but another part of you felt shitty.
That week felt like showing Bucky for the first time that it was okay to be cared for, to be looked after with no ulterior motive except for the benefit of his health. You wish he had that reminder everyday instead of throwing himself into missions, being reckless with himself because he didn’t think his body was worth protecting. This feeling was stronger than the happiness over his departure from your care– a lot stronger.
It seems you weren’t the only one thinking about that week. After some reflecting and thinking (a.k.a, talking to Steve), he realised why he felt so strongly when you touched him and why he wanted to open up to you. Yes, he was angry at the reason why at first. Angry at himself for being so foolish and falling for the team nurse, “She’s supposed to be caring!” he repeated like a mantra. Angry at himself for feeling like it was okay to let you in, to want you to care about him, to know why he struggled.
But Steve explained to him that you weren’t as weak or as fragile as he kept insisting you were– scolding him slightly for the way he dismissed you. Bucky realised that he should probably explain some things to you– or at least apologise, you were only doing your job and he took it out on you.
That night he wrote a letter to you, the words were genuine and words he knew he would mess up if he tried to say them to his face–
“Hey, I'm sorry. I know that’s pretty generic but it’s the truth. I’m still figuring this shit out so don’t take it too personally, it’s just really hard for me. I know you were only doing your job and I'm so sorry that I made it difficult. I wish I could take it back and just be open with you. I know you would’ve treated me the way i needed if i asked, you’re sweet like that. You’re good at your job and I'm pretty sure my ribs feel even better than they did before I jumped out of that plane. Anyways, i hope you’re free tomorrow night so maybe we can grab a drink, I’ll even buy you one of those fruity cocktails if you’re into that,
James Buchanan Barnes.”
Sealing the letter, and addressing it to you on the front, he walked through the compound and eventually found your office and slid the note under the door for you to find in the morning.
But on this night in particular, you decided to stay late to finish some work, maybe by luck or fate the note arrives while you’re already there. You read through the letter and smiled softly, touched that Bucky would let you in like this, you knew it was rare considering he really only spoke to Sam and Steve.
Pocketing the note, you quickly walk down the hall to head to Bucky’s room to give him an answer. Your feet carry you as quickly as they can without running, trying to catch up to Bucky as soon as possible.
You arrive at his door and knock three times in a very desperate motion before the door swings open. There he is. In his sleepy and shocked state. He’s surprised to see you here so soon but he’s slightly anxious for your response– he’s practically anticipating for you to throw the letter back at him and insult him.
To his surprise, you don’t. “I don’t need a fruity cocktail, I'd prefer a coffee…tomorrow morning, in my office?” you say softly as you bite your lip back gently in anticipation.
Bucky’s eyes seem locked in place on your face, his lips parted from surprise until they slowly break into the tiniest smile that lights up his face in your eyes, a smile that gives you a glimpse into the charming soldier before HYDRA.
“Coffee it is then, Doll” he says in a low tone before gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, wanting to fully see your face in all its beauty. Wanting to see the face of the person he was about to let into his life and hopefully never let go of.
Pairing: Hockey Player!Grumpy!Bucky Barnes x Short!Sunshine!Reader
Summary: You and your friends move into a house for the new semester of college to find out a group of team members from The Avengers, your schools hockey team, are also moving in right next door. You become fond of the big guy on the team and he becomes fond of you. Also Bucky is 6'4 and beefy in this because I say so.
Word Count: 20K
A/n: I feel like the ending is a little rushed so if it feels that way to you guys please know it was because I couldn't wait to share this with you.
Masterlist
“I still can’t believe your mom bought you a fucking house.” Wanda says to Kate after the two of you get out of her car and greet your other friends who both beat you there after breakfast.
“I know! Rich parents who knew?!” Kate’s mom had bought her a house after finding out how many dorm parties went on on your floor alone, deciding she’d be able to focus more if she was away from all of that. “Y/n, I can’t wait for you to see the kitchen you’re going to just fall in love.”
“Is it big?” Your eyes light up at the idea of baking and cooking in a big kitchen instead of the small barely there kitchen in the old dorm. Kate just zips her lips before popping open the trunk of her car with a press of a button. You all ignore the sound of the motorcycle and other cars pulling into the driveway next door as you fall into easy conversation and start unpacking boxes from trunks.
“I’m gonna warn you, the inside is a bit of a fixer upper.”
“How?”
“It’s just so boring and plain. Yels is honestly going to have so much fun decora-” Her word turns into a shriek as she backs up from the door instead of opening it. Unknowingly drawing attention from the men next door.
“What’s wrong?” You don’t stop till you see it and then you freeze where you are. There next to the door under the porch lamp is a spider, its long legs working on spinning its web. In reality it’s probably smaller than what you and Kate are seeing it as because your arachnophobia is almost paralyzing and hers is only just a little better. After being frozen in place for a minute you drop the box you’re holding before rushing off the porch.
“Guys, it’s just a spider just squish it.” Wanda says while stopping next to you and not making a move to do it herself.
“Why are we all stopped?” Yelena joins the two of you then after stacking bags on her shoulders and stacking two boxes in her arms. When you look at her like she’s crazy she shrugs. “I don’t want to make a lot of trips.”
“What’s going on over here ladies?” One of your new neighbors makes his way over and you recognize him as Sam Wilson from your school's hockey team and the man dead set on winning Wanda’s heart.
“There’s a spider blocking the damn door.” Kate answers, turning around then to face the four of you. Sam’s mouth forms an O and Wanda turns as she hears a familiar car pull up and park next door.
“Pietro?!” She yells out as a greeting as he starts moving toward his twin. “Get your ass over here and do your brotherly twin duties and kill this spider!” You know for a fact that he was always the designated spider killer in their home growing up because he was even in the old dorm. Even though Yelena and Wanda aren’t afraid of the arachnid like you and Kate they still freaked them out a bit so anytime there was a spider Pietro would have to come over and get it. You all have him on speed dial still from it.
Before he can speed over there’s a slam from the porch drawing all of your attention to Bucky “The Winter Soldier” Barnes who jumped onto the porch unnoticed and slammed his motorcycle helmet against the porch wall effectively getting rid of the pest there. Your mouth gapes a little at his towering form, you’ve seen him on the ice when you’ve gone to Pietro’s games but being this close to him was something else because he was just so big. Tall and broad and just made of muscles.
“Can we get moving again?” He huffs out stomping back over to the cars parked in their driveway.
“If you ladies need anything don’t hesitate to come a-knocking.” Sam sends a wink Wanda’s way before rushing over to help unpack cars.
“Can we get moving again?” You deepen your voice to mock Bucky’s grumpy tone, laughing after you speak and moving to the porch to pick your box back up. Pietro doesn’t go straight to helping his roommates and instead makes his way over to his twin to wrap her in a hug.
Kate unlocks the door and leads the way inside and you and Yelena look at each other before going to rush to pick rooms.
“Guys wait, slow down. I sorta picked everyone's rooms out already.” Kate calls for you guys as you fight to get to the stairs first. How Yelena’s still so fast with carrying so much you’ll never know.
“That’s half the fun in a new house.” Yelena huffs out acting more annoyed than she is.
“Yeah but as long as you’re living under my roof you’ll follow my rules. Oh I’ve always wanted to say that!” Kate claps with excitement.
“Well unfortunate news the hockey numbskulls live next door so we have to deal with Pietro and his friends invading our space now.” She makes it sound like she’s unhappy with it but you know she’s thrilled to have Pietro so close by even if it means putting up with Sam’s flirting.
“Let me show you guys your rooms and give you a tour before we finish getting stuff out of the car.” You follow in line behind Kate up the stairs like ducklings would their mother. “First up, Yelena’s room!” She spreads her hands to show the name tag she made out of construction paper on the first door with Yelena’s name written on it. “It’s not giant or anything but, you get a walk in closet.” She opens up another door once in the room to show off all the room inside. It’s a perfect pick for Yelena since she has the most clothes out of all of you. She places her stuff on the bed before going to check it out. “Every room has a bed, a dresser, and a desk. Anything else we decide we want I’m not above using my allowance to make the house more of a home.” Kate explains motioning towards each piece of furniture.
“Next up Wanda’s room!” Yelena stays back in her room for a minute mapping out the closet as you and Wanda follow Kate out. There’s another piece of construction paper on the door that she motions to again with a flourish before opening the door. “Lots of windows so you can have however many plants you can fit in here. Though obviously you can put them throughout the house too.”
“Oh Kate, this is awesome! I’m gonna get so many different monstera and peperomia.”
“And now for the showstopper, Y/n here’s your room.” You follow her out of Wanda’s room and to the last bedroom. You smile at your name on construction paper before she opens the door to the biggest room yet. “You have plenty of room to put bookshelves around and the best part is…” She trails off as she opens the door to the attached bathroom. “Tada! Your own personal shower and everything. Figured you’d be doing like all the cooking so you should get the room up here with its own bathroom. Oh! But also there’s this.” She rushes towards the window that faces the back yard and opens it up before opening the screen too. “You can go lay or sit on the roof whenever you want because it's flat and sturdy enough here.”
“Kate you’re the best you know that right?”
“I know. Now let’s recollect everyone and finish the tour.”
She shows you guys the bathroom for Yelena and Wanda to share that has two sinks and a separate door inside that gives the toilet its own privacy before taking you all downstairs. The living room is to the left of the stairs when you’re coming down and it’s completely empty and the dining room is on the other side with just a round table and four chairs. She explains how Yelena has free reign to decide how to decorate it and that her mom sent her back with a credit card specifically for getting furniture and whatnot, which Yelena took from her hand and pocketed immediately excited to start shopping after getting her stuff inside. Upon actually entering the dining room your mouth drops at the beautiful big kitchen that it opens up to.
“Kate, what the hell?” You run your hands over the finished butcher block top of the island as you take it all in. The kitchen takes up basically the whole back of the house with glass doors that lead out to the patio once the counters end. The counter space is insane and you’ll definitely have enough room to spread out while you bake or cook.
“I know! I told my mom that the only thing we needed other than the four bedrooms was a big kitchen and did she deliver or what?!”
“Go Eleanor!” Wanda cheers, swinging an arm around your shoulder, taking it in with you while Yelena opens a door to a walk-in pantry and then the other door that leads to a laundry room.
“Kate, where's your room?” You ask as you realize there’s not another room on this floor.
“I’m taking the whole basement. It’s finished with its own complete bathroom and I figured I could practice archery down there too. I’m gonna go get the rest of my stuff out of the car.” Wanda turns and follows her out and Yels stops to look at you before following them as if to ask ‘are you coming’.
“Go ahead Yels. I wanna peek in all the cupboards and cabinets first.” She nods and leaves you to it.
Bucky was getting Sam's last box when he looked over and noticed you for the second time that day. You’re swinging a bookbag on and closing the now empty trunk of a car before turning and picking up the duffle bag next to you. He can practically see the gears turning in your head as you stare at the big box on the ground, hands on your hips, bag getting ready to slide down your arms. His feet are moving before he even decides to do anything.
“Oh, thank you!” Your surprised but cheery voice greets him as he picks up the box for you. You expect him to hand it to you but he just gestures with his head for you to lead the way to the house. “Oh!” It’s silent for a couple seconds before you start talking again. “I’m Y/n. You’re Bucky right? You’re on the hockey team with Pietro.” He nods to answer your question. “Thank you for killing the spider earlier and for this. You’re a real knight in shining armor.” You motion towards the box as you walk up the steps of the porch. He nods again, adjusting the box so he can open the door and hold it for you. You’re small compared to him he takes in and realizes as you squeeze past him into the house.
“I said I would be right out to help you, what are you doing?” Yelena comes around the corner from the dining room to yell at you for getting the rest of your stuff by yourself just to stop short at seeing Bucky with your box in his arms. “Barnes.” They nod to each other in greeting.
“It’s okay Yels, Bucky helped. Thank you again!” You thank him again as Yelena takes the box from his arms and heads straight up the stairs to put it in your room and you rush to follow her waving to him as you do.
Bucky looks at your back like you’re crazy for just leaving him, a stranger, alone in your entryway. He could be anyone or do anything. He shakes his head before leaving, shutting the door behind him and getting back to the lone box in the back of Sam's truck.
“Okay so you want a green kitchen? I can work with that.” Yelena is sitting at the island on her laptop across from you as you knead the bread dough you’ve been working on. She’s been asking you how you want the currently too white kitchen to look and all you’ve really been able to tell her is you want it to be green. “What about this?” She waits to turn her laptop around until you’re done spraying your bowl and you look up as you put the dough in it for its first rise. “Sage green on the cabinets and island but cream colored walls?”
“I like the sage green. You don’t think the cream will be too bland?”
“If it is, I'll paint you flowers or something all over the walls to help fit with your cottage kitchen dream.” Wanda sits next to Yelena in the seat she had originally pulled over for you.
“In that case that’s exactly what I want Yels. The cream and sage green make it happen.” You uncover the first two loaves of bread you started making from their second rise then put them in the preheated oven. “Okay, you get me for thirty minutes, let's find a couch we can collapse on.”
Wanda yells down the basement stairs for Kate before you all go sit on the floor in the living room surrounding Yelena’s laptop.
“Printesa! What did we do to deserve you stopping by?” Pietro opens the door and greets you after you knock. The nerves that were filling your body at not knowing who would answer disappear at the familiar nickname.
“I have gifts!” You hold out the picnic basket in front of you to show it. Pietro can smell the freshly baked bread from the closed basket and quickly ushers you into the house.The set up is similar to your own, their kitchen is smaller though you notice as he leads you straight there.
“What’s going on here?” Sam who was sitting at their table with take out follows the two of you. Bucky looks over from where he was filling his bottle up at the fridge surprised to see you standing in his kitchen.
“I made a thank you present for taking care of the spider yesterday.” And for helping with the box but you don’t say it, you just look at Bucky as you speak and hope it translates. “I don’t really know what hockey players can eat during the season. Are you guys technically in your season? I don’t even know but anyway typically I would make cookies or brownies or something and if it was just Piet I would’ve because he cheats all the time.”
“You’re yapping Printesa.” He only interrupts you because of how you just outed him in front of his teammates. Normally he enjoys listening to you ramble on. He hopes you know that, you do and if you didn’t the look he shoots your way of ‘stop snitching’ would be all you needed to know that’s the only reason he tells you to shut up.
“Right, sorry.” You send a sheepish smile his way and open the basket starting to pull out all of the sandwiches you had made earlier. “Anyway I figured sweet treats were a no go so I made a bunch of sandwiches for you guys. There’s ham and turkey and salami and chicken. Some have lettuce and tomato, others don’t because I don’t know what everyone likes." There's a warmth in Bucky’s chest as he watches you all smiles continue to pile sandwiches on the counter for him and his teammates. Sandwiches you had made just for them trying to make sure there was something for everyone. He’s almost positive he’ll be able to taste the care you put in making them. He steps closer to study you while Sam abandons his food completely to find one he wants to eat. “Oh! And one grilled cheese just for you Piet.” You had the tupperware container that was at the bottom of the basket to the twin next to you and he fist bumps before opening up to eat it while it was still warm. He groans as he takes a bite of it.
“Your bread is always the best!” You can feel your face heat up at the often told compliment still not able to take it. Your ‘thanks’ is quiet not wanting to draw attention to it.
“Wait, did you make the bread?” You nod to answer Sam. “That’s so cool if this is what we get when we kill spiders, come over or call whenever you have one. Buck write down all our numbers for her.” Bucky rolls his eyes at Sam but goes over to the fridge to rip a piece of paper from the notepad magnet anyway.
“Sam, please tell me you’re not leaving food out already. Oh, hello. Steve Rogers.” He holds his hand out for you to shake and sends you one of his famous smiles.
“Hi! Y/n Y/l/n. I brought sandwiches.” You gesture to the piles beaming at him while you do. Your phone vibrates then and you turn back to the basket to pull it out. “Oh, would you look at the time? I gotta get back before Yels picks a bad dining room table.” She could never but you all love to tease and joke that she would without all of you. You collect the basket and wave to the men in the kitchen. “Enjoy boys!” No one pays that much attention as you leave except for Bucky, who realizes that A you’re leaving without the numbers Sam made him write down and B Pietros a dick for not seeing his guest out, but what else was new really.
A hand on your shoulder stops you on your way to the door, the warmth of it seeping into your skin. When you turn around your nose almost bumps into a chest so you quickly take a step back and look up to look at Bucky’s face. Your breath hitches a little at just how much bigger he is than you and you hope he doesn’t notice, he does. He holds out the list of numbers for you to take and you do, not noticing the way that your fingers brush his, he does though.
“I can’t believe I almost left without this privileged information.” You lay it gently in your basket while Bucky examines you like you’re a piece of art which you might as well be. You’re beautiful in the way that sunbeams peaking through clouds or trees are beautiful. He has a momentary vision of you sitting in the secluded field of flowers, one he often visits to be alone, and basking in the warmth of the sunbeams that he so often does. You say bye to him again breaking him out of whatever trance he was just in and turn to keep leaving.
“Thank you. For the food.” His deep hesitant voice stops you in your tracks as you open the door.
“Anytime big guy! I’ll text ya!” You wink at him and then you're gone. Bucky can’t help the small smile that forms on his face before turning and going up to his room to finish getting ready for the gym.
You end up making a group chat, called ‘The Spider Killers’ with the numbers you were given and your household so they can all get each other's numbers and if you guys need one of them you could just message the chat. That way if only one person is home you’re not just going from person to person. Kate is quick to ask if you, her, and Wanda can hang around their house the next couple days because Yelena got painters to agree to come paint rooms in the house on short notice so when the furniture gets delivered no one has to worry about covering them. Which Wanda added before anyone can say anything that even if it’s a no Pietro will still let you all in at the same time that you said you’d cook everyone dinner if it’s a yes. Steve and Sam both agreed, Pietro jokingly said no and for Wanda to check on her twin attachment issues, Bucky didn’t respond. Which you took as him saying yes because surely if he had a problem with it he’d say so.
Yelena’s going to stay behind at the house to make sure they’re using the right shades of colors she wants and to help where she can. One of her favorite things about decorating and renovating is the hands-on stuff and you love to joke that you’ll see her on her own show one day and she’ll have to introduce you to Chip and Joanna. And while you’d be glad to help everyone knows that inevitably you’d trip and spill a paint can the way you did helping Kate paint the archery range purple. Kate and Wanda just want to let the professionals be the ones to take care of it.
“What do you want, Sam?” Bucky finally answers his phone as he steps off the treadmill from his cool down sprint. This is the third time he’s called after sending a few texts asking where stuff is in the kitchen that Bucky’s been ignoring knowing that everyone else is home.
“Can you pick up pasta sauce on your way back? We need it for dinner.” There’s only what Bucky can describe as chaos in the background with muted yelling and he’s pretty sure the Mario Kart music coming from the tv.
“You couldn’t just text me that?”
“You weren’t answering your texts. And we’re in the middle of a very competitive grand prix so we can’t leave to get it. No, I don't want to hear it! I’m pretty sure you’re using smart steering when we said it wasn’t allowed!” Sam gets distracted with an in person discussion making Bucky grimace as his voice raises in his ear moving the phone away from it as he does.
“Fine, I'll bring back sauce.” He’s not sure if Sam is paying attention or if he hears him at all before hanging up on him.
When he does get home he goes straight to the kitchen without looking in the living room, his headphones thankfully blocking out whatever yelling was going on. He’s had to be around for too many of these things that Sam and Pietro get too into and it’s even worse if they get Joaquin over to play with them. But since he doesn’t hear anything or look in where he would’ve found Wanda trying to distract Sam so Kate could beat him nothing can prepare him for looking up and finding you in the kitchen. He was digging the damn sauce out of his bag and putting it on the counter when he looked up and over to see you looking at him expectantly.
“What?” He asks as he takes his headphones out cringing a little hoping it didn’t come out as rude as it sounded to himself. Your face contorts as if you just realized something mouth forming an ‘oh’ before you’re beaming up at him.
“I was just saying hi big guy. I hope you didn’t drive with those in, that’s dangerous you know. Oh! You brought the pasta sauce, Sam said he was gonna take care of that.” You grab the jar when you notice it turning it around to examine it. Bucky suddenly finds himself hoping he got the correct one and wishing he put a little bit of effort into picking a jar instead of grabbing the first one he recognized.
“Sam taking care of it was bothering me to do it.” His voice is gruff and annoyed but he’s less annoyed about getting the sauce since it was for you.
“Well, thank you. Normally I would make my own sauce but when I’m feeling a little lazy with it I just get a jar.” You whisper the second half of the sentence like it’s a secret only the two of you know.
“What are you doing here?” Your smile falls a bit at his roughly asked question and he has the immediate urge to punch himself in the face, an urge he doesn’t exactly understand.
“Did you not see the texts yesterday? Everyone else okayed us coming over.”
“Muted the chat when it started blowing my phone up at the gym.” Which he only did after saving the numbers he didn’t have and putting the sun emoji next to your name.
“Oh.” It’s the saddest oh he’s ever heard and it makes him immediately start racking his brain to find out how to make it better. “Well we have painters over our place today and tomorrow so we’ve been here to stay out of their way. But if you have a problem with it we can go somewhere else to-”
“It’s fine. Come back tomorrow.” Your smile comes back full force and before you can start thanking him Kate’s calling you into the living room to see how she beat Sam. Bucky’s left alone in the kitchen for a minute before he swings his bag around his shoulder and heads up to his room to empty it out. When he comes back downstairs he heads straight back to the kitchen seeming to know that’s where you would be without even looking.
“Hello again!” Your chipper voice greets him without you turning around from the stove where you’re cooking the beef for the meat sauce part of your spaghetti. “Can you get the pasta out of my tote on the island?” He does as you ask and brings both boxes over to you placing them on the counter next to the stove. He goes looking for a big pot to boil water in next. “Are you gonna help me?” You ask when you notice what he’s doing, eyes on him as he starts to fill the pot up with water.
“Yeah why not?” He shrugs his answer and he’s rewarded with your beaming smile again, his world gets just a little bit brighter with it.
“I wish I had my phone on me. We’d have some music while we work then but I left it at the house by accident and I didn't want to get in the way of the painters to go get it.” Bucky doesn’t think about it before he pulls his phone out of his pocket and opens Spotify before holding it out for you.
“Put whatever you want on.”
“How was your day?” You ask after putting the soundtrack to Howl’s Moving Castle on for background noise wanting to also talk with the grump next to you while you work together.
“Okay.”
“Come on, give me something more than that.” You tease him. “What did you do all day?”
“You’re nosy aren’t you?” He’s teasing right back and maybe he’s a little flirty with it too. It gets you to laugh and he absolutely relishes in the sound of it, immediately wanting to get you to do it again.
“And you don’t like to talk much huh? That’s okay though I’m known to talk enough for the both of us.”
“I worked and then went to the gym.” He answers your original question after a moment of silence. You light up more than you already were, which Bucky almost can’t believe is possible the same way he’s having a hard time believing that that reaction happened just because he told you something small about himself.
“Where do you work?”
“The rink. It’s nice pay and I can use the ice whenever I want.” It’s where most of the hockey team worked because of being able to go in before and after hours to run drills. That and they’re good at working schedules around practice and games.
“Ooo that’s cool. You know I’m actually the worst at ice skating? Piet tried to teach me once a couple years ago but I got away from him and fell and hit my head real hard on the ice so we weren’t there long.” Bucky fills with anger quickly at the thought of Pietro, or anyone really, letting you fall on the ice. It doesn’t matter if you were far away from him, if you were unsteady on your feet he should have been right next to you. “I’m actually really good at roller skating though, well good as in in comparison to on the ice. It’s probably because the wheels are set up differently because I’m just as bad at roller blading. Honestly I should probably just not be on wheels or blades, it’s safer that way.” You laugh at yourself as you drain the meat and add it to the sauce you had heating up on the stove. The sound relaxes him and he focuses on dumping the noodles in the now boiling water.
There’s a knock at the door then and Sam yells for Bucky to get it because they’re in the middle of a race. He grunts before going to see who’s at the door causing you to chuckle to yourself. The change from seemingly almost normal guy who talks back to grump is incredibly amusing to you. You can hear the muted greetings before someone enters the kitchen behind you.
“Smells good in here.”
“Yels! How’s my kitchen looking?” You hug your friend as she stops next to you.
“It’s not started yet. The living room is done and the dining room has one coat, the second and the kitchen are getting done tomorrow. And then the couch and stuff should be here Thursday.”
“I’m so excited to go back and see how it’s turning out! Kate and Wanda are playing Mario Kart with Sam and Pietro if you want to go get them all. Dinner’s almost done.” She nods and gives you another side hug before heading to get everyone and leaving you to make sure the pasta is fully cooked and draining it.
When everyone is seated with their food in front of them you catch yourself sneaking glances at Bucky to see his reaction to it while also trying to accept Sams and Pietros compliments on it without feeling like your face is gonna catch on fire. Dinner goes by with easy conversation and it’s almost like you’ve all known each other forever. Which is only really true for you, Wanda, and Pietro who you've been friends with since high school. Kate and Yelena quickly joined your close knit friend group freshman year of college and now it would be nice to include Piet’s closest teammates to it.
“Tomorrow we can play Mario Party instead.”
“Tomorrow you’re all going to the gym to get ready for the start of the season.” Bucky interrupts Pietro’s plans and his two teammates immediately begin listing reasons they have to stay back. Sam insists they’re fine and can skip just one more day and Pietro insists they have to be at the house to keep the three of you company.
“Buck’s right. We’re all gonna hit the gym tomorrow.” Steve says as he enters the room having gotten home from his own shift at the rink when Bucky brought it up.
“But what about the girls?” Sam’s hands spread to motion at the four of you from his spot on the floor since there weren’t enough chairs.
“I’ll stay back. I’m the only one who’s actually been going regularly.” Bucky announces getting up with his empty dish and taking yours on his way to the kitchen.
“This is so unfair.” Sam and Pietro both pout like kids, their heads both hitting the wall as they throw them back with groans causing you to burst out laughing and a smile to show up on Bucky’s face. One he’s glad no one can see as he faces the sink.
The next day after Bucky lets the three of you in he excuses himself so he can finish unpacking, which had been his original plan for the day before he knew you’d all be there. And you, Wanda, and Kate play five hundred with the cards you brought. You keep an eye out the whole time you play in case you spot Bucky coming downstairs so you can ask him if he wants to play too. You wanted to go search him out when he disappeared up the stairs before you had a chance to ask him but didn’t want to invade his space if he didn’t want you to. You guys play a couple rounds before you leave your friends to continue playing to go curl up on the couch with your book.
“Pietro said they’re bringing pizza home so you don’t have to worry about cooking anything.” Wanda collapses next to you on the couch and you put the sticker you use as a bookmark in between the pages to mark your spot before closing it.
“Did you just leave Kate in there to clean up?”
“Loser had to.” She shrugs and lays her head on your shoulder before you can get up to go help your other friend. “How’s your book?”
“Good like always.” You’re rereading one of your all time favorites before going back to your to be read pile. “Why are they bringing pizza?”
“Something about them working up an appetite at the gym and not wanting to wait for food. Honestly I’d bet you any money Pietro starts eating it on the way home.”
“I wouldn’t bet against you. He can’t even wait before digging into takeout bags even if we’re ten minutes away from eating.”
“Are you guys talking about your twin's annoying habit of eating all my fries?” Kate comes in with a mock annoyed expression on her face as she sits next to Wanda.
“I see you’ve all made yourselves at home.” Bucky says as he comes downstairs to find you all on the couch, your friends watching something on the tv and you back to your book glancing up here and there to watch with them. His words come out with the only emotion behind them being annoyed when he couldn’t be any less. He’s enjoyed hearing your laughter float through the floorboards to be his music while finally unpacking. And he thoroughly enjoys seeing you comfortable in his space especially when you look up and give him a dazzling smile, one that rivals the glimmer of sun on water.
“Hey Bucky! Where have you been hiding all day? You missed all the fun of five hundred.” You fake a pout but it doesn’t stay long enough for Bucky to offer playing now to get you back to smiling. “The guys are bringing home pizza by the way. I think they’re on their way back now.” Bucky knows that they’ve been texting him about what pizza to get and in Pietro’s own words make sure the girls don’t have cards all over the table because they’re digging right in.
“Okay.” You open your mouth to say something else to him but Sams barging into the house yelling about it being dinnertime before you can. Bucky glares at his friend because of it which no one thinks twice about because of how often it happens.
“Boy am I glad I didn’t take that bet.” When Pietro comes in with a slice of pizza already halfway eaten in his hand you nudge Wanda and the two of you start laughing. He soon joins the three of you in the living room, placing a box of pizza on the coffee table and making you scoot over so he can sit on the other side of you.
“So what are we watching?”
“Put on Step Brothers. Speedball here hasn’t stopped quoting it all day.” Sam says as he comes in to sit on the other couch his plate piled with slices in hand.
When Yelena comes over later to let you guys know the painting is officially done you’re all in the living room except for Bucky who’s pretending to scroll on his phone in the dining room where he’s actually just watching you and how you throw your head back laughing at the movie.
You’re obsessed with the kitchen and you make sure Yelena knows that as soon as you see it. But the light brown she picked for the living room is going to suit it nicely and the bachelor blue, the name of which you only remember because of Kate making a joke about you all being bachelors, the dining room is doesn’t clash with the colors of the kitchen. Something you were nervous about with how it just opens straight up to it. You had even told Yelena that she could change the colors of the kitchen if it didn’t work but she insisted it would, you should’ve believed her.
Yels more than anything though was excited to show you all the surprises she had. She had painted all of your rooms, hiding it successfully with her ploy of having all of you sleep in the basement with Kate for a sleepover in the new house the previous night and making sure to save her room for last. Kate got a light purple, her favorite color and it matches her archery uniform. Wanda got a whiter room, so the walls can reflect light better for her plants. And you got a nice shade of what you would just call orangey red but Yelena called red earth, she said it fits with you well and she would’ve given you a yellow room if she didn’t hate all the options she was shown so much. It’s safe to say you’re all as obsessed with your rooms as you are how the kitchen turned out.
The next couple days are hectic and full of chaos as furniture starts getting delivered. The table and chairs for the dining room come first and you’re pretty sure none of you were ready for it to be so big that the delivery men would have to carry it around the house and through the sliding glass door in the back. The lift top coffee table for the living room comes that same day just a little later. The couch and the tv stand don’t come until the next day both at different times and the couch took the delivery men a hot minute to get all inside the house. It was exhausting watching them go back and forth and you were all glad that it was the last furniture delivery until someone decides they need something else.
The minute they were gone and the giant sectional was the way you all wanted it you piled onto it and laid there joking about ‘if only there was a tv’ and ‘why did we get a coffee table if we can’t even reach it’ ‘we should’ve just gotten a bar table to go behind the couch’ and ‘well we still could’. You and Wanda actually fall asleep on the couch that night after being up late reading together and are woken up the next morning by Kate, who starts talking about going shopping after breakfast to get a tv and couch blankets.
Shopping takes you guys the whole day and you were glad that you and Wanda took her car instead of all taking Yels. Kate ends up getting the biggest tv she could find for the living room and insisting that it’s a necessity that there’s one in each of your rooms even though you all agree that that’s a little overkill. She had just said to suck it because she was the one with the money and stuck her tongue out. You’re pretty sure the employee who helped load them into Yelena’s Jeep thought Kate was crazy.
Yelena picks out probably, definitely, too many different blankets for the couch and a big storage basket to keep the ones not in use. That alone took forever to the point that you and Kate had walked away from her and Wanda and when you came back they were still picking some out. While they did that though you and Kate picked out stuff for the two of your private bathrooms and the shared half bath downstairs. You know better than to try to pick stuff out for Yelena’s and Wanda’s.
And to finish shopping off Kate tells Wanda to go crazy in a plant nursery. Where she basically pulled a Ron Swanson in Home Depot when an employee came up to ask if she needed any help. Her car ends up being almost overflowing with plants and pots and potting soil while everything else gets shoved into Yelena’s.
The first few days of classes go by without a hitch but also without much excitement. Every class is just going over the syllabus and getting out early. It was nice if not a little redundant. It helps that you share some classes with Wanda, she always helps make the boring days better. Wednesdays and Thursdays you don’t have any with her though after going without knowing anyone in your Wednesday classes you sort of started to dread your Thursday ones, knowing that it was likely to be dull too. That is until you look up from your laptop in your Directed by Women film class at the sound of a familiar voice.
“Bucky! Sam!” You wave to them from your seat in the back of the room as they come in the door to your right. Bucky prevents the smile from forming on his face as he takes you in and immediately goes to sit next to you wanting both to get away from Sam’s rambling about how this class will definitely give him brownie points with Wanda and to get the seat before anyone else can. You laugh as Sam shoves past his friend to get there first, happy to see you as much as you’re happy to see them. And in order to sit next to both of them you move over a chair leaving Bucky with the seat in the corner next to the window. “Did Pietro also convince you guys to take an easy A film class?”
“Yeah.” Bucky answers you not noticing the way your gaze stays on him the whole time he sits and you ask the question as he busies himself with getting his own laptop out.
“So…is it safe to assume that since you’re here that-”
“No Wanda took the Zombie media one with Kate and Yelena. I would’ve too but I love Greta Gerwig and I was curious to see if Twilight would be part of the curriculum.” You look back at the syllabus you pulled up on your screen then. “Honestly though this is a pretty stacked list of films and I’m excited to watch and dig into them.” Sam turns your laptop to face him rather than doing the work of pulling it up on his own.
“Oh hey Twilight is on here.”
“I know!” You're all excitement as you exclaim it both because your new friends are in the class together and having one of your favorite comfort movies on the list.
“I don’t know any of these.” Bucky speaks, grumbles really because he didn’t even pick this class he made Sam pick for him. It’s not that he’s mad about it, he’s more than ecstatic to see you in one of his classes, something he’ll never admit to anyone, but he thought Sam would put him in a class with movies he’s seen.
“What?” You turn towards him, the shock clearly written on your face. “How? Have you lived under a rock?”
“Bucky doesn’t watch movies.”
“I watch movies.”
“Yeah, boring long ones.”
“Just because you and Pietro have the attention spans of flies doesn’t mean The Lord of the Ring movies are boring.” Bucky points at Sam, annoyed that they’re having this argument again.
“Steve doesn’t like them either, he's just too nice to say anything.” Bucky knows Sam is just trying to rile him up; he knows Steve likes them enough to watch them every once in a while.
“None of you have to watch them with me then.” You laugh at the two of them bickering and Bucky almost freezes completely when you turn your gaze to him, eyes shining at him.
“I’d watch them with you big guy. I like Lord of the Rings.”
“Yeah?” He’s almost breathless with the word, something Sam will definitely make fun of him about later.
“Yeah.” It’s then that Bucky smiles at you for the first time and your heart nearly leaps out of your chest because God is it a great smile and you’ve just decided that it’ll be your mission to get him to smile as much as possible from now on. Your teacher starts talking then and you have to forcibly pull your eyes away from the man next to you. That doesn’t stop him from watching you though, enjoying how you light up with excitement at what the curriculum is.
The next time you see Bucky is a couple days later when you’re sitting on the roof outside of your window leaning back on your hands as you watch the stars. You happened to glance over to see him in the window facing you at his desk working on something on his laptop. A smile graces your face and you find a bit of rubble next to you and ping it off of his window to get his attention, something you didn’t actually have to do because he had noticed you immediately when he sat down. And instead of reading an article for class like he was supposed to be doing he was studying how peaceful you look staring up at the sky. He never wished that he shared Steve’s talent for drawing till this moment when he wants to capture it and keep it for himself tucked safely away in a notebook.
When the piece of shingle hits his window he stops pretending to not be looking at you and makes a show of lifting his head away from the screen in front of him and towards you. You send him an enthusiastic wave, getting a quick wave of his hand in return before mouthing ‘wow’ motioning to the sky and then using your hands to show that you’re mind blown at the view. This causes him to let out a chuckle and you find yourself wishing you were able to hear it. His attention goes back to his laptop and you lay back again. When he finds himself getting distracted once more and getting another flash of a scene in his secret field with you laying next to him staring up at the sky that he knows has more stars in it at night than here he decides that this just won’t do if he can’t get any work done. The next night when you go out to the roof the first thing you do is glance over to find that Bucky’s moved his desk.
Tuesday you’re running late for class and in your rush to leave land on your ankle wrong going down the porch steps. It bends under your weight and you curse as you go down because of it. The pain in the moment leaves you to just see white and for a second you don’t feel anything before it hits you full force. Bucky who was getting back from the gym hears your exclamation and he’s over next to you before either of you know it.
“What happened?” His voice is full of worry, something you don’t notice as you grit your teeth at the pain.
“Nothing, just twisted my ankle a bit. I’m good.” Your voice doesn’t hold any of your normal cheery demeanor, it’s cold and dismissive, you don’t even call him big guy in greeting like you usually do, and Bucky can tell that it wasn’t just a bit. You grab onto the railing on the steps and pull yourself up to stand grimacing at the weight on your right foot before adjusting all of it to your left. Bucky notices immediately.
“How about we just sit down?”
“No, I'm fine, I have to get to class. I’m running late already.”
“Oh no you don’t.” He doesn’t stand up to get in your way until you try walking away, almost falling as you half step on the ankle you just twisted. Your face contorts each time you try to put weight on it trying to sidestep him but failing each time.
“God, move Barnes!” Bucky’s eyes widen at your angry use of his last name before they narrow at you. Your own eyes widen at the look on his face and you can’t move away quick enough to avoid him throwing you over his shoulder just careful enough to not jostle your ankle too much.
“Where are your keys?”
“I threw them in a river. Put me down!” You yell at him wiggling around trying to get free so you can keep trying to head to class, which you do realize is a bad decision but you can’t start missing in just the second week. He moves up the steps and stops at the door.
“Stop being a fucking brat.” You freeze at his words and the growl in his voice as he says them, not sure how to feel about finding that as hot as you do. Your frozen state gives him the ability to fish out your keys from your jacket pocket and unlock the door. Before you know it you’re being dumped onto the couch and Bucky has one knee on it next to your feet while he unties your shoes to get them off. He’s gentle while he takes your right shoe off but more forceful with the left one. When his finger tips touch the top of your right sock you shoot up in a sitting position holding your hands out to stop him.
“Woah what are you doing?”
“I need to see how bad it is.”
“I told you I’m fine, it’s fine.” You seeth through clenched teeth annoyed that he won’t just take your word for it and leave you to your own devices. He responds with gentle pressure on your ankle causing you to gasp at the pain that shoots around it like a circle unable to contain it at how sudden it was. He immediately feels bad for causing you pain but he didn’t know any other way to get you to shut up and let him work.
“Yeah, no it’s not. Now will you let me make sure it’s just a sprain.” You huff and cross your arms leaning back letting him slowly, carefully peel your sock off grumbling about how it’s not sprained. He feels around your ankle and rotates it in a few circles analyzing your reactions to it all. “It’s not fractured but I’d say you definitely sprained it.” He stands then placing your foot down gently. “Stay there. Don’t. Move.” He puts emphasis on his words before turning and leaving the house.
Bucky lets out an aggravated sigh when he’s outside before rushing next door so he can grab his laptop and stuff to take care of your ankle hopefully before you decide to not listen to him and start trying to walk on it again. Why you’re being difficult about this he doesn’t know but he’ll make sure you listen to him about this. He knows from watching teammates and hearing about players in other sports just how bad a sprained ankle can be.
You roll your eyes at his demand as soon as the door shuts behind him. You mock him to yourself but listen to his words anyway at least for a little bit. But then you start to get hungry and he never said he was definitely coming back, though that could be heavily implied. You wait another minute listening for any movement on the porch and when there is none you smile and start to scoot your way off the couch before trying, and failing at first, to stand. You’re crossing in front of the entryway when the door opens again and you freeze, turning to look at Bucky’s hulking figure like a deer caught in headlights.
“What are you doing?” He eyes you down as he pauses in the doorway, your book bag that you dropped when you fell on one shoulder and his own bag on the other.
“Getting a snack.”
“Should’ve waited. Stay on your left foot.” He demands after shutting the door and going into the living room to put the bags down next to the couch.
“Stop telling me what to do.” You listen to him though regretting trying to walk to the kitchen.
“I’d be able to if you would’ve listened from the get go. Are you able to get back to the couch?”
“I’m hungry.” You shake your head in defiance and move your foot in a way that you slide closer to the dining room.
“Yeah, I’ll get you something. Can you get back to the couch or do I need to carry you to it again?”
“I’ve got it.” You shuffle slide on one foot for a bit before starting to limp back to the couch. “I wanted my sugar strawberries. They’re in the fridge in the glass container with the red lid. Oh and grab a spoon too.” You go back to the couch settling further in than you were before, your ankle hurting as you use your feet to push yourself into the corner of it. When Bucky comes back in he hands you the container and your spoon before bringing his bag up to rest next to him. He pulls out the bandage and the ice pack he brought over with him when he moves to grab your ankle you pull it back to you cringing as you do so.
“What are you doing now?”
“Wrapping and icing your sprain.” He says it like it’s the most obvious thing which it probably is but you’re not used to people taking care of you like this.
“It’s fine I can do it.” You place the container behind you on the bar table you all did end up getting for behind the couch before holding your hands out. “Give it.”
“Why do you insist on fighting me?” Bucky’s voice is softer than it has ever been and it throws you off. “You’re hurt, just let me take care of you.” Something in his voice, probably the unspoken pleading, has you giving in and moving your ankle into his hold while you focus back on your snack. Bucky wraps the bandage snugly around your ankle before grabbing one of the big couch pillows and propping it up. You jump as the cold from the ice pack seeps through the bandage as soon as he puts it on.
“It’ll need to stay elevated.” He explains as he moves up the couch to sit next to you dragging his bag with him to get his laptop out. “I’ll check on the pack in a bit to take it off and put it in your freezer so you can use it again when it refreezes.” He reaches behind him and then hands you the tv remote that he had grabbed. You take it from him watching as he opens his laptop and pulls up his email without looking at you.
“Are…are you staying?” You ask in a timid voice after a moment of silence not understanding why he would after you had just been so mean to him when all he was trying to do was help you.
“Yeah. Gotta make sure you don’t try walking on it again out of spite or stubbornness.” He glances at you with a half smile on his face so you know he’s partly joking having sensed a change in your previously hostile demeanor to a more somber one. He goes back to emailing his teachers about missing class. You turn on The Office for something to watch and the two of you are silent again for a bit.
“Thank you.” Your voice is quiet and you’re looking down at your slices of strawberries as you speak. Bucky might not have heard it if he wasn’t right next to you.
“For what?”
“Taking care of me. I’ve never really had anyone do that for me. In my house it was a very like take care of yourself and stay out of the way environment. So I’m sorry about being mean earlier.” A pang goes through Bucky’s heart thinking of you getting hurt and having no one to help you at any age.
“Nah you’re good. Weren’t even that mean, trust me I know mean. Besides you’re in pain we all lash out sometimes when that happens.” You laugh at that and it’s like a weight is lifted from his shoulders, happy to see you smiling again.
“Don’t I know it! You should see this place during shark week since we’re all synced up.” He smiles at you.
When Bucky’s laptop is put away, the sugar strawberries are tried for the first time, and the ice pack is in the freezer you get him to bring you one of the big blankets and convince him to get under it with you. The two of you fall into easy conversation while you watch The Office and at some point you fall asleep on Bucky’s shoulder. When the girls get back to the house worried about why you weren’t in classes or answering your phone they find the two of you asleep, Bucky's arm wrapped around your shoulder, your head on his chest and the tv still going.
They debate with each other over whether or not they should wake you. Wanda wanting to to find out why you weren’t in class, Kate wanting to let you rest knowing how little you actually sleep, and Yelena getting her phone out to snap a picture to send the group chat. The flash that she forgot she had on causes you to stir as you begin to wake and for Bucky to immediately wake up a little disoriented because he’s not used to falling asleep in the middle of the day. But not moving too much so you can stay comfortable in your position if you don’t wake up. You need your rest and he knows from experience how much being in pain can zap the energy from your body.
“Girls.” He nods in a greeting, his voice hushed.
“Hey Bucky!” Kate exclaims before Wanda shushes her. Bucky glares because of the volume of her voice and you wake up all the way.
“Hey guys. What time is it?” You yawn as you speak and move to sit up straight.
“Close to four.” Yelena answers looking to see if the photo she had taken was ruined by the flash, it wasn’t.
“Oh my god I need to start on dinner. I should’ve put an alarm on or something but I didn’t think I’d pass out.” You move to get up but Bucky uses the arm around your shoulders to keep you back against the couch. Which doesn’t go unnoticed by your friends.
“How come you weren’t in class? Are you already skipping without me?” Wanda mocks being hurt from just the thought of you not skipping with her.
“Oh!” You pull the blanket up over your feet so they can see your wrapped up ankle that’s still propped up on the couch pillow. “I twisted my ankle a little and Bucky demanded I stay off of it.”
“She sprained it.” He rolls his eyes as you undermine your injury again. “I don’t know how bad it is but I’m sure it’ll swell by the morning.” When he goes home he’ll have to talk to Sam about coming to confirm his thought of it being just a grade one sprain.
“I’m fine. I keep telling you.” It’s your turn to roll your eyes at him. “Wands remember when I rolled my ankle on the stairs the day before our graduation trip? It’s like that.”
“Oh so your ankle is fucked and you’re not fine.” She says remembering how much pain that time had caused you.
“You’ve done this before?”
“I am too fine.” You ignore Bucky and focus on Wanda. “Remember I was walking around an amusement park two days later?”
“That doesn’t mean you were okay! Pietro and I even tried to get you to let us reschedule the whole trip but you were too stubborn. And your ankle hasn’t been the same since you roll it way more often than you did and there’s that weird clicking thing!”
“What weird clicking thing?”
“Oh do you wanna hear it’s so cool that it does this.” You answer Bucky this time ignoring Wanda as you begin to rotate your left ankle it clicking each rotation. “Sometimes there will be a really big one that hurts for a second.” You keep going and Bucky’s eyes widen as he hurries to stop you from doing it anymore. You flinch as you pull both feet up towards you to prevent him from doing it and Yelena snaps out of looking at her phone.
“You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.”
“What?!”
“You’re not gonna be able to get up the stairs and Bucky’s right you need to rest it.” Yelena crosses her arms showing that there’s no debating with her but you still try.
“What if Bucky takes me upstairs like he brought me in here?”
“Unless Bucky wants to stay the night to make sure you can get back down here, because I know you won’t stay up there all day tomorrow, then no dice.” You light up and turn towards the man next to you.
“It could be like a sleepover! We can stay up all night and watch movies and gossip and snack.” He just stares at you, not quite sure how to react to your excitement of spending time with him which you take as him about to turn you down. “Please big guy, I just wanna be in my bed.” Your soft and a little sad voice does him in and he starts to get up off the couch. “Where are you going?”
“I didn’t exactly make an overnight bag when I originally came over. But you’re letting Sam take a look at your ankle when I come back.” He turns to go only catching a glimpse of your giant smile at his words.
“So what happened?” Kate asks after Bucky leaves sitting by your feet and bringing them into her lap so she can examine the wrap job on your ankle without you realizing because she knows you’d make a big deal about it if you did.
“I was rushing to my first class because I was running late and landed on my ankle wrong going down the porch steps.”
“When does Barnes come in?” Wanda takes Bucky’s previous spot as Yelena speaks.
“He saw it happen and then threw me over his shoulder like a neanderthal when I kept trying to go to class. And then he wrapped and iced it staying to make sure I didn’t walk around on it which was so unnecessary. He’s got a real attitude problem.”
“No babe, that's you.” Wanda pats your shoulder. “And I’m sure you’re leaving some parts of the story out to make yourself seem better. We know you get mean when something is wrong. We love you even with that though.”
“Well, well, well look who decided to come home. Did you have a nice nap?” Sam teases Bucky as soon as he sees him enter the house.
“How do you know I napped?”
“A little birdie told us.” He shows Bucky the picture of him and you on the couch that Yelena had sent the group text.
“Delete that. You need to come with me when I go back over to the girls place.”
“A, I can't, it's just in the messages now and B, why?” Sam follows his friend up stairs and to his room where he watches him start packing.
“Y/n sprained her ankle want you to make sure it’s not worse than I think it is.”
“Oh shit really?” He doesn’t wait for an answer before leaving to rush over hoping to God it wasn’t worse than Bucky thought. Bucky would’ve followed him, wanting to be there when he checks your ankle out, wanting to make sure he was gentle and doesn’t twist it too far any way to make you grimace the way you’ve been doing, but he has to make sure he doesn’t miss anything he’ll need because he knows he won’t be coming back once he gets you upstairs. But Sam being on his way over puts more of a rush in his movements.
Pietro and Sam show up at the house at the same time, the former only knowing what was wrong because he was getting home as Sam rushed out the door. He muttered a ‘Jesus Christ’ before just beating him to the door not bothering knocking. He remembers the last time you did this just as well as Wanda, how despite how in pain you were you still tried to do everything normally, how the only reason you hadn’t made food like the original plan had been was because he convinced you he had been craving chinese, how Wanda had to distract you while he got all the bags in the car so you wouldn’t insist on helping, and how they kept acting like they needed breaks at the stupid fucking amusement park you insisted on still going to just so they could get you off of the foot that was obviously bothering you. He knows that you’re stubborn and annoying and mean when someone shows the first hint of trying to, in your own words, baby you when they’re just trying to look out for you. He and Wanda have both been on the receiving end of that enough times that they figured out ways to do it secretly.
“Printesa! Your favorite twin is here!”
“Oh god who told you?” You groan knowing that he only came in the way he did, rushing into the living room his gaze immediately going to you and then down to your ankle before back up, because he found out about your not a big deal injury.
“That you’re a klutz and messed up your good ankle? Sam.” He points his thumb over his shoulder at the man coming in behind him after shutting the door. “I’m feeling like pizza tonight! You guys want some? Great, I'll order it.” You miss the shared look he and Wanda have before he starts to talk and instead brush it off as Pietro just inviting himself over like you’ve been sure would happen from the start.
“Alright I’m gonna have to unwrap your ankle to check it out.” Sam sits next to Kate on the couch and you just nod and look away, biting your tongue instead of fighting him knowing this was Bucky’s one stipulation to him staying. And right now all you want is him close his presence helping you feel better for some reason, and it’s definitely not because of the urge to take care of you rolls off of him in waves or the crush you may or may not have on him.
Bucky enters the house in time to hear you going on to Sam about how your ankle really isn’t that bad. When you let out a yelp that cuts you off mid sentence he’s rushing into the living room. He finds Sam with your ankle in hand and your own hands covering your mouth wide eyed like you were shocked the sound came out of you. Everyone else’s eyes are wide and looking at you.
“What are you doing? I told you to check on her ankle not torture her.”
“I am checking on it, Buck. I didn’t even bend it that far.” Sam defends himself, sensing the energy around his best friend that emerges when he’s tempted to lose his shit on someone. The last thing he wants is for Bucky to hit him the way he's seen him do others. “It’s not bruised right now and it looks only a little swollen. Keep an eye on it though because I’m sure it’ll balloon up compared to the other one overnight. You were right it looks like a grade one sprain but if it starts to bruise it might be a two.” He looks at you then. “Stay off of it as much as you can for the next two days, keep it wrapped and elevated. Icing it here and there wouldn’t hurt either.” He doesn’t say that if the pain ebbs quicker that you can walk around on it sooner sensing you’re the type to start lying about it that way, but he’ll make sure everyone else knows.
“Two days?!” You whip your head up to look at Bucky. “How trustworthy even is Sam?” The aforementioned man brings a hand to his heart and his face crumbles in a mock heartbreak. “I mean what gives him the right to decide what’s wrong with me?”
“He’s studying physical therapy and helps the nurse with our team during the season.”
“Oh. Still two days seems excessive, give me a night to sleep it off and I’ll be good as new!”
“Sorry, doctor’s orders.” Sam lightly pats your ankle before getting up. “Kate, can you wrap her ankle back up? If I'm late to relieve Steve at the rink he’ll make me do extra cardio in the gym.” Sam leaves then and Kate just gets up and hands the bandage to Bucky seeing the look on his face and recognizing it because it’s one that she sees a decent amount. One that shows the worry for you specifically after an injury whether it’s you cutting yourself in the kitchen or running into corners on furniture and a big bruise forming on your thighs or sides because of it. She’s seen it on Wanda’s and Yelena’s and even Pietro’s enough that even if it’s trying to be disguised she can see it.
“Pizza’s ordered!” Pietro comes back into the living room having hung back even after the pizza was actually ordered so he could ask Sam in hushed voices how bad it was, a conversation Kate and Yelena joined into and one you would’ve heard if you weren’t busy still insisting to Bucky that you were fine. Pietro takes a seat next to Wanda while Kate and Yelena pull the sections of the couch out to make room for the coffee table to fit in front of them. Bucky takes Kate's previous seat pulling your bad ankle into his lap and leaving your other to fall to the ground without the inner sections of the couch being there.
“You wanna play five hundred?” Yelena asks, sitting on the opposite side of the table knowing that it’ll be a great way to distract you from your ankle.
“Hell yeah I do!” You shoot up into a better sitting position at her words. Kate shuffles the cards and Pietro digs in the table for a notebook and pen to keep score.
“I’ll keep score!”
“No you won’t.” Yelena snatches the notebook from his hands. “I’m not having you feed points to Wanda and Y/n again. Bucky can keep score.” She throws the notebook into Bucky’s lap who catches the corner of it before it can hit your ankle.
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“You’ll just write our names down and after each round we’ll tell you how many points we’re gaining or losing and you’ll keep doing the math until someone reaches five hundred.”
“Pietro can’t be trusted because he adds on points to whatever those two say.” Kate chimes in after you finish explaining it, motioning with her head towards you and Wanda.
“You guys caught me one time!”
“And who knows how often you did it without us realizing!”
“And we had no idea that it was happening.” Wanda says in a way that tells everyone she definitely knew it was happening. Something everyone caught onto with how poorly she acted surprised when Kate and Yelena caught him. Neither of them know that you knew too and that it was your idea to begin with and the twins have yet to rat you out.
A pillow gets thrown at her which she hits straight into Pietro's face causing you to laugh. Bucky smiles at seeing the light come back into you after it being missing since your fall. It’s the smile and companion look on his face as he watches you that has Yelena snapping another picture to send the group chat later. It’s a look that tells her he’s already in deep for you whether he realizes or not and she’ll have to start plotting with Kate as soon as possible.
Kate ends up winning after battling for it with Wanda for a while. The pizza got delivered near the end of the game and sat on the dining room table ignored by everyone but Pietro until the final rounds finished. You all eat while watching the first Harry Potter movie at Wanda’s request. And when the pizza’s gone and the movie’s over Pietro takes the dishes into the kitchen and loads them into the dishwasher before saying his goodbyes.
You argue with Bucky about how you’ll get upstairs hating that your friends side with him rather than saying you’d be fine to walk upstairs. It’s only when he threatens to throw you over his shoulder again that you give in and agree to hopping on his back. You hug the girls goodnight before begrudgingly letting Bucky help you climb onto the couch and latching onto him. You try to ignore the feel of his big hands looped under your knees to keep you steady and the warmth that seeps through your jeans from them, instead focusing on keeping your grip on his bag that he put in your hands so he could hold onto you and making sure your arms don’t end up choking him while you direct him to your room. Not that you needed to, you all still have your name tags that Kate made up.
“You care if I use your shower doll?” Bucky asks after depositing you on your bed he had rinsed off in the gym when he was done but has yet to have a proper shower. The pet name slips out without him even noticing but it feels like a whole flight of birds has taken off in your stomach. All you can do is shake your head not thinking about how he can’t see you do it with his back still to you until he turns around giving you an expectant look, hands still rummaging through his bag to get clean clothes out.
“Oh sorry no go ahead it’s right through that door.” You gesture towards it before bracing your hands on your bed to get ready to stand.
“Can I trust you not to move around while not in eyesight?”
“I just wanna change while you’re in there and then I promise I’ll be back in bed.” You hold your pinky out and he follows your lead wrapping his bigger one around yours leaning his head down to kiss his hand the same time you do yours. “I can’t believe a big guy like you knows how to properly pinky promise!” You’re giddy with your excitement over seeing the giant man duck down to seal it with a kiss.
“I have a younger sister.” He shrugs before turning and heading into the bathroom, leaving you to adjust to the new information while you change into your pajamas, an old hockey jersey with Pietro’s number on it and sleep shorts. You’re tucked in bed with your current rewatch of The Nanny on when Bucky comes back out in sweats and a short sleeve shirt. It’s the first time his right arm and it’s sleeve of tattoos are on display for you. You can feel yourself staring wanting to know what they are but also ogling the way the shirt hugs his biceps before he breaks you out of your stupor.
“Nice shirt.” He nods his head in your direction as you look over at him where he’s shoving his stuff back in his bag. Your smile widens as you realize it’s an Avengers jersey from last season.
“Thanks! Piet gave it to me for being his number one fan! Of course then Wanda complained and we have matching ones now.” You stand quickly enough to stumble and wince at the same time to turn around and show Bucky the back with Maximoff across your shoulders and the number 73, the twins' birthday, underneath it.
Before looking at it Bucky rushes over to steady you since your hands worry about holding up the shoulders to give him a better view of it instead of being free to catch yourself. When he does look up he has to ignore the acidic feeling eating away at his stomach at seeing Maximoffs name on your back when he wants it, needs it now that he knows it’s an option, to be his.
“Careful! Jesus it’s like you just have no self preservation instincts.” He changes the topic, hoping to ignore whatever jealousy there is for his teammate being close with you.
His, big, hands on your hips guide you to sit back down and their warmth sinks in through your shorts and as soon as you’re sat back down you’re covering your legs with the blanket to hide the goosebumps along your flesh and squeeze your thighs together. You find yourself wondering how you’re going to survive the night next to him if this is how your body chooses to react to just the heat of his hands when you know for a fact that you’re a cuddler when you sleep despite trying otherwise. Yelena hates having to share a bed with you during your friend getaways because of it.
“What are you watching?” Bucky’s face scrunches up and his head turns to look at the tv as Fran laughs.
“The Nanny.”
“Why does she sound like that?”
“It’s part of her charm. Sit, I’ll start the show from the beginning since you’ve obviously never seen it.” You pat the bed next to you and grab the remote to go back to the first season before he can even think to argue about it. Not that he would, the excitement in your eyes was enough to sit next to you and be tortured by a nasally voice forever. Bucky finds it to be a trend in his life now to want to keep you happy.
“As you wish.” He says as he slides in next to you causing you to gasp and look at him.
“Like from The Princess Bride?”
“The what?” Bucky knows what you’re referring to, he loves The Princess Bride. He however doesn’t want you to realize that he had meant it similarly to the way Westly meant it and hopes that you don’t notice his cheeks going pink like he’s sure they are at almost being caught.
“You know what, add it to the watch list. We have to educate you on film Mr. Only watches Lord of The Rings.”
“I don’t only watch Lord of The Rings.” Bucky groans in a joking way before letting out a chuckle and sending butterflies to your stomach. You have to force yourself to look back at the tv so he doesn’t catch you trying to memorize his smile but that doesn’t stop you from watching from your periphery and the smile never quite leaves his face the rest of the time you do.
You fall asleep around a season in after insisting you weren’t tired and you definitely weren’t yawning. Bucky can’t help but to smile at it when he notices you’ve dozed off. As he’s about to get up and use the light of the tv to find a spare blanket to move to sleep on the floor you move so your head rests on his lower chest. At first he freezes not sure what to do, even though the only difference between now and earlier is you’re in bed instead of on a couch, before he decides to just get comfortable. He slowly adjusts so he’s laying flat instead of in his propped up half sitting position making sure he jostles you as little as possible. Once he’s repositioned your head ends up resting closer to where his heart is than his stomach and his left arm stays laid out under your neck and shoulders. When your arm moves to wrap around his waist and pull him closer in your sleep, your body molding into the side of his, no one would be able to wipe the smile off of his face if they tried. Bucky falls asleep soon after arm wrapped around your shoulders and that smile still there.
Bucky wakes up first the next morning at first a little disoriented at the feel of another person in his arms and the smell of your strawberry shampoo surrounding him but once he finds his footing he holds you closer to him burying his nose further into your hair and adjusting his hips so you wouldn’t be able to notice his morning wood. It’s been a while since he’s woken up with anyone in bed with him or even held anyone the way he’s holding you and he makes sure to take the time to relish it because he’s not sure when the next time he’ll experience it again. He doesn’t fight the urge to go back to sleep for once until you start moving in his arms.
You groan as you start to wake up and turn onto your other side wapping your arm around the object next to you. Which would normally be your pillow or the stuffed dog you’ve had since you were a kid so you freeze when it’s a warm body. As Bucky’s scent invades your senses when your nose gets buried in his chest you slowly open your eyes and turn your head up to look at him. Your eyes go wide when they meet his and you scramble back away from him missing the look of disappointment in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t even think to warn you about my cuddling habits at night. Oh God you probably think I’m a nut. I bet you were so uncomfortable I’m sorry.” Bucky’s face scrunches up as you begin to ramble and he reaches out to put a hand on your arm to interrupt you.
“Hey, hey! It’s alright. Was I or was I not also cuddling you?” That stops you in your train of thought completely as you take in his words and think about exactly how you had woken up, his arms already wrapped around you before you turned and started cuddling him. A grin overtakes your features in a way that reminds Bucky of when it happens to the Grinch in the animated cartoon and you look back over at him.
“Bucky Barnes, are you a secret cuddler?” There’s a playful accusing tone to your voice as you speak.
“Never been much of one must be just having a cute girl next to me that made it happen.” Your face heats at his words and you can already feel yourself overthinking on if he’s flirting with you or not.
“I have to pee.” You blurt it out fast before rushing out of bed grimacing when your ankle takes on weight but dealing with it as you get to the bathroom as quickly as you can. As soon as the door is shut you lean your back against it and let out a breath of air. You stay against the door internally freaking out about Bucky’s flirting for a minute before deciding to give whatever energy he gives you back and actually going to the bathroom and brushing your teeth. When you leave the bathroom he’s pulling his toothbrush and toothpaste out of his bag.
“It’s all yours.” You point your thumb over your shoulder to the bathroom and hobble your way back to the bed to sit down.
“How’s it feeling today?” His head nods towards your ankle.
“It’s fine, much much better than yesterday.” You’re partially lying, it does hurt less than it did but you had tried to feel it up in the bathroom and you’re pretty sure it swelled up a little bit. He hums in response before going to brush his teeth. When he’s back he goes straight to look at said ankle in question.
“Oh sweetheart.” His voice is soft and it’s almost like it pains him to see your injured ankle the way it is when he unwraps it. There’s a little bit of bruising and it did swell but not as much as either of you were worried it would. “Be honest, how is it feeling?”
“It does feel better, really. Still hurts but nowhere near as much as it did yesterday. Promise.”
“Okay.” He’s gentle as he wraps it back up, resisting the urge to drop a kiss to it. “Do you want to get dressed before we go downstairs?”
“Are we gonna be going anywhere today?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then no, I'll stay in my pjs all day.”
“Alright, hop on then. And then I’ll make you some breakfast and we can watch more of that show from last night.” He turns around and crouches a little so it’s easier for you to climb onto his back. You grab your phone before wrapping yourself around him.
“Wow breakfast and The Nanny you sure know the way to a girl's heart!” You’re beaming as you rest your chin on his shoulder and his hands go to secure your legs.
“I try.” Bucky chuckles and his hands playfully squeeze your calves before he starts heading downstairs. “What do you wanna eat?”
“Can you make French toast?” He drops you on the couch carefully, still being aware of not jostling your ankle too much.
“Yeah. I’ll be back with the ice pack for your ankle, get comfortable and get it elevated. I’ll start on breakfast after.”
You wait to actually start the show until he gets back with the food but get it ready between him sticking a pillow under your foot and resting the pack on your ankle and going to make your breakfast. You spend the time he’s cooking to scroll through your phone and text the girls about how you’re doing the chat blowing up when you tell them that Bucky’s cooking for you and that you’re letting him. Since you’ve never been one to let other people cook instead wanting to be the one to take care of it. But this time you don’t exactly have a choice in the matter and, not that you would admit it to anyone, you’re kind of enjoying being taken care of.
When he comes back with french toast topped with powdered sugar and strawberries you could’ve started drooling. Once you put syrup on it and take a bite you swear up and down to him that it’s the best french toast you’ve ever had. He doesn’t believe you because he’s had your food and knows how good your cooking and baking is. But the way you moan at almost each bite and continue to tell him how good it is almost has him believing you. It also makes it hard to focus on the show you insist he needs to watch because it’s, in your words, a classic. He’s quick to take the dishes away to wash them when you’re both done eating even though you insist you can just do them when he starts to let you move around on your own again.
“Do you have anything you have to do for your classes today that you’re missing?”
“No, my professors just told me to go over the powerpoints they’ll be posting later. Do you?” Checking your emails to see if any of them had responded to your sorry I won’t be in class one was one of the things you had done while he cooked. Bucky nods to answer your question.
“Gotta read a couple articles. So I’ll be right back just gotta go grab my laptop.”
“Okay. I’ll be here.”
When he comes back you continue watching the show with him glancing up now and then in between paragraphs. He gets completely distracted from his article though when you scoot closer to him and rest your head on his shoulder. You turn your head up towards him when you feel his eyes on you for longer than just a glance.
“What? Oh! Is this okay? Sorry I just sorta seem to want to gravitate towards you. Like your arms metal and I’m a magnet.” You let out a nervous chuckle and before you can move away he’s leaning more into you.
“It’s okay doll. Make yourself comfortable.” You beam up at him then before wrapping your arms around his arm and nuzzling into it. It’s very hard for him to keep focused on the article pulled up in front of him then. Thankfully it was the last one he needed to read and he was more than halfway done with it. When he does finish it he wraps the arm around your shoulder after tossing the closed laptop to the side of the couch allowing you to cuddle into his side.
“You know you’re way less grumpy today than you normally are. You’re all cuddly and smiling and talkative.”
“Must’ve woken up on the right side of the bed.” You duck your head down and bite your lip, faking paying attention to Fran and Maxwell to hide the giddy smile that his words send to your face.
The day goes by with the two of you cuddled up on the couch watching The Nanny. Bucky makes you a sandwich for lunch just the way you ask for it and even lets you sit in the kitchen with him while he did it to give you some sort of movement. He had hovered the whole time you made your way in and back to the couch ready to catch you if you tripped or swoop in to pick you up if you grimaced a little too much. Thankfully neither option happened. And when Wanda, the first of the girls to get home, comes in she finds the two of you on the couch again much like yesterday and can’t help but smile. Bucky misses the feel of you against him when you straighten up to talk to her as she sits by your feet. Yelena gets home not long after stating that Kate will be back late because she picked up a shift at the cafe and let you know that she’s letting Stan, the owner of the place, know that you won’t be able to work for a bit because of your ankle. Which you had started to argue about before abruptly shutting up when she shot you her no nonsense look knowing it was pointless then.
She joins you all on the couch after grabbing bags of snacks, throwing your favorite flavor of Dot’s pretzels your way and Wanda's oreos into her lap on her way to the other side of the couch with her own hot cheetos in her hands. You all sit there talking to each other, Bucky chiming in here and there but mainly just listening, with the show on in the background and Bucky finds himself enjoying himself amidst it all. It wasn’t boring like when he briefly had a dorm to himself and it isn’t chaos like what he lives with now. It’s the closest he’s felt to living at home with his sister and parents and he sinks in the comfortability of it all like a stone in water. He even doesn’t mind when Pietro shows up and makes everything louder and a little bit more chaotic with changing the show to some comedy and reaching over people to steal some of their snacks.
By the time Kate gets home Pietro is passed out, head leaned back against the couch and snoring and you’re halfway to following him. Bucky hands your Dots to Wanda as he greets the new addition that just collapsed on the couch next to Yelena complaining about it being a long day. Then he slowly moves you to lean against the corner you’re sitting in before making his way off the couch in the moment hating how big it is the way you all have it set up because of how he has to scooch down it. He bids the girls a goodnight before leaning over and picking you up to take you upstairs. You mumble a bit more asleep than awake before leaning into him, Bucky’s quick to turn around before anyone can see the smile that brings to his face. But it’s just a moment too slow because Yelena does notice it and one of her own appears.
You wake up the next day rolling over and stretching your arm out searching for Bucky’s warmth to find your bed empty and immediately opening your eyes. You find Bucky in gym shorts and shirtless doing pushups on the floor. Your sleepy eyes rake over the tattoos that cover his right arm once more, having an urge to grab it and get him to let you trace them with your fingers.
“Bucky?” Your voice is croaky with sleep as you lean over the bed to look at him more. “What’re you doing? What time is it?”
“Early.” He doesn’t have to look at his phone to know that he had set an alarm to get up at five and maybe only twenty minutes have passed since. “Was supposed to hit the gym this morning but didn’t wanna just leave you.” Your heart picks up at the thought and you go back to laying on the bed completely when he finishes his reps and stands up.
“Oh. You could’ve gone.” He goes to say something but you interrupt. “Or maybe not, I probably would’ve gotten up to look for you. But you can go now big guy, I'll stay here.” Your eyes close and Bucky smiles as he realizes you’re ready to pass out again.
“I’ll be back soon okay?” You nod burrowing into your pillows and blankets some more. “Go back to sleep, doll and I’ll be back before you wake up.” He leans over and drops a kiss to your forehead like it’s second nature for him before he realizes that he’s even doing it. A small smile shows on your lips at it and Bucky straightens up, throws his shirt back on, and grabs his bag before heading out. Yelena nods in greeting when she sees him from her spot in the dining room with her morning tea and tells him about the key hidden outside before he can leave.
After he had been at the gym for a while some of his other teammates show up, each one going to their own area except for Sam and Pietro. They make a beeline straight for him when they spot him doing bench presses. He immediately wishes he had both headphones in knowing they’re about to slow him down when he’s been trying to get done as quickly as he can in order to get back before you wake like he said he would.
“How’s my stubborn Printesa?” Pietro asks.
“Fine.” Bucky huffs out his response not wanting to dignify the question with his dumb pet name for you with an answer. He focuses back on the bar in his hands to ignore that acidic feeling that’s eating away at him again.
“Is she staying off that foot?”
“Yeah.” If Sam hadn't been the one to ask he wouldn’t have answered.
“Yeah I was over last night, she stayed sat on the couch leaned into Bucky the whole time.”
“Wait, you were over last night? Where was my invite?”
“I have a standing invite because of having a twin on the inside.”
“So in other words you just walked in and made yourself at home?”
“Pretty much.” Pietro shrugs as he and Sam go back and forth and Bucky lets out an annoyed growl as he places the bar back on the brackets.
“Are you two here to workout or just bug me?” He doesn’t give them time to respond before making his way over to the treadmills, digging his headphone case out of his bag to put the second one in so they can’t bother him anymore.
“Will the two of you get to work and stop annoying Buck!” Steve comes in at the end and Bucky sends a thankful nod to his friend, getting one in acknowledgement back.
“Sir yes sir!” Pietro fake salutes before nudging Sam towards the squating area.
Admittedly Bucky doesn’t run as far as he normally does but as the clock ticks closer to seven he gets more anxious to get back to you. While part of it is because he said he’d be back before you wake up and intends to stick by that even though you probably, definitely, didn’t even hear it another part of it is he doesn’t want you to wake up and decide to try to get downstairs on your own. He waves to Steve and Scott on his way out, the latter ecstatically waving in return and causing Steve to laugh while Bucky rolls his eyes at how excited he is all the time. He stops at home before heading back next door wanting to grab clean clothes for the night and drop all of his dirty clothes off.
He does still make it back before you wake up. You’re hugging a spare pillow to your chest and Bucky smiles at the sight even though he wishes he was there in place of it. He knows he smells of sweat though and instead of changing and rejoining you he heads straight into the bathroom to shower.
When you wake up again the shower’s running and instead of Bucky you’re cuddling with the pillow he must’ve been using with how it smells like him. You stretch starfish style and let out a satisfied groan when your shoulder pops before sitting up in tandem with the water turning off. You don’t pay it any mind though, instead rolling your neck to crack it you freeze though your neck still tilted to the side when you spot Bucky in just a towel in the doorway of the bathroom. You’re both frozen in space eyes wide for a moment before he speaks.
“Left my bag out here.” You can only nod as your eyes take in all of the bare skin that’s revealed to you. You can’t help but marvel at the man in front of you only snapping out of it once the doors shut again. Your face immediately heats up as you realize the way you had just been gaping at him and you fall back into bed pulling a pillow over your face to hide from the embarrassment of it.
“Y/n? What are you doing?” Bucky asks as he finds you a chuckle falling from his lips at your muffled ‘waiting for death’ in response. He sits next to you leaning over and trying to gently remove the pillow only lifting it an inch before your arms lock it down again. “C’mon dollbaby.” The pet name practically causes you to melt, something that Bucky stores away for later, and allows him to remove the pillow but doesn’t stop your hands from covering your face instead. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m an idiot who just gawked when I should’ve responded to you or looked away at least.” An amused smile takes its proper place on Bucky’s face at your response.
“Does it make it better or worse if I tell you I would’ve done the same thing if roles were reversed?”
“You would’ve?” That gets you to peek through your fingers and look at him.
“Of course I would’ve have you seen yourself? I can barely keep my eyes off of your legs in your sleep shorts!” You laugh more at the way he says it than the words themselves. “There she is.” His voice goes soft as your eyes meet his and his hand goes to caress the side of your face. There’s suddenly suffocating tension in the room and all Bucky wants to do is lean down and kiss you and all you want is for him to do it. But instead he pulls away and stands up putting some distance between the two of you. “You want breakfast again?” He crouches for you to get on his back like the morning before.
“Yeah. What do you normally eat after going to the gym in the morning?” You get up and get on letting him carry you downstairs.
“A giant helping of oatmeal.” He spreads his arms out hoping, praying, to hear you laugh again for his wish to be granted before they go back to making sure you’re secure on his back.
“I think we have some of the apple kind in the pantry. You could make us oatmeal, maybe add some fruits like strawberries or bananas.”
“As you wish.” You want to call him out on it again but he had already said he’d never seen The Princess Bride and Bucky wants to run and hide because you’re sure to catch on to his lie if he keeps saying it.
The two of you have big helpings of oatmeal with Bucky having a bigger portion and finishing what you couldn’t eat and continuing to watch The Nanny. Your day continues like that until you realize you’re both missing your film class. He reassures you that Sam will be taking notes on what they say in class and sharing them with the two of you so you can respond in the discussion post your teacher is gonna post later and that if you want to you two can watch it then. So after lunch, which consists of your favorite takeout, the two of you put on Don’t Worry Darling and you take notes on it as you watch it about how it depicts men’s desire to control and how it critiques society's expectations placed on women so it’ll be easier to answer the discussion post.
“Oh shit is this The Nanny?” Sam asks later when he just walks in.
“Yeah!”
“What, you don’t knock anymore?” You and Bucky respond at the same time you completely unbothered with Sam’s unexpected presence and Bucky completely bothered by it.
“Pietro said he just shows up, I’m gonna just show up. Now move over Buck this shows the best!” He tosses the notebook open to where he took notes during the film class into Bucky’s lap before squeezing in between the two of you despite all the room on the couch.
“You know the show?”
“My sister would watch it all the time so naturally I got into it.”
“You can’t just walk into their place without them knowing you’re showing up.”
“Pietro does it and Y/n doesn’t seem to mind.”
“Oh I don't, we used to leave our doors open randomly when we were still in the dorms and talk to the people who walked past.”
“You’re gonna start locking your door.” He points at you after he has a moment to take in the new information you just told him. “And you go sit on the other side of the couch.” He points at Sam then before pointing over his shoulder to the other couch corner not appreciating the fact that Sam forced his way into his spot next to you.
“Relax Buck, you can sit next to your girl again later. I won’t be here for long.” Bucky grumbles to himself before moving over some more so he’s not pressed up against Sam anymore. He folds his arms across his chest as his friend resituates himself to get comfortable. You don’t notice Sam call you Bucky’s girl and Bucky doesn’t comment on it or how it calms down the unreasonable possessiveness that was just taking him over.
Sam doesn’t leave until after dinner which consists of Mac and cheese and chicken both made by Yelena and the second Harry Potter movie is over, Wanda’s pick. When he does leave Bucky immediately moves back to sit next to you and you’re quick to lean back into his warmth. It doesn’t go unnoticed by Yelena or Kate who share a look with each other but does go unnoticed by Wanda who moves to your other side in between you and the couch corner to show you pictures of the plants she’s thinking of getting to add to the collection around the house.
“So Bucky, when’s your first game of the season?” Kate asks, drawing his attention from you to the other two girls, one sitting criss-cross and the other with one leg stretched out and the other bent.
“Two weeks, practice starts tomorrow morning.”
“God, that means Piet’s gonna be over all the time to ‘fuel up’.” Wanda groans in mock annoyance and uses finger quotations around what he always says when he shows up after practice.
“Bad news Wanda, I think that means Sam’s gonna be over too.” You all laugh as she lets out an actual groan of annoyance at Yelena’s definitely correct assumption. “I bet it’s safe to assume you will be too Barnes?” She smirks in his direction.
“Why are we all apparently coming here after practices?”
“Because Y/n’s collecting hockey players like pokemon cards with her cooking.”
“I’ve been cooking for Pietro after practices for a while now.” You explain for Bucky when you recognize the confusion still behind his eyes. “You’re all welcome to come with him even though I’ve only really interacted with you three.”
“You’re not gonna be feeding a whole team every couple days.”
“Says you.” You mumble to yourself low enough that Bucky’s the only one who catches it. You get a squeeze of your thigh from him in response.
“Yeah, and I’m right.” He whispers it in your ear sending a shiver down your spine.
“Fine, just your household then.” You keep the for now part to yourself this time and he nods in agreement knowing there’s no stopping that.
“I have an early shift tomorrow so I should head up for the night.” Yelena says as she gets up. “Wanda you should too otherwise you’re going to be a zombie and affect our tips.”
“I hate when you’re right.” Wanda reluctantly gets up too before turning to you Bucky and Kate. “Night guys see you tomorrow.”
The three of you aren’t long to follow. You and Kate talk about how you both want to have a craft night soon while Bucky just sits and listens happy to just watch the two of you get excited over the ideas of doing paint nights or clay nights or whatever other crafts you’re both naming. He admittedly stops paying that much attention and instead is focused on watching how your eyes light up and you start to talk with your hands the more excited you get. The second you start to yawn though he’s insisting it’s time for bed and lets you slowly hobble up the stairs on your own this time knowing you’ll have to be able to do it tomorrow while he’s gone.
“When’s your practice tomorrow?” You ask him as the two of you brush your teeth next to each other.
“Early, I’ll probably be gone when you wake up. And then I have a shift at the rink so I won’t be over when Pietro shows up after practice.”
“Are you gonna start staying at your place tomorrow then?” You speak with your toothbrush in your mouth and Bucky nods before leaning down to spit into the sink.
“Yeah, I probably should. How’s your ankle feeling? You think you’ll be okay on it?”
“It feels a lot better. I'll be fine to walk on it tomorrow I think.”
The two of you don’t even try to act like you won’t end up cuddling that night immediately getting comfortable wrapped up in each other's arms once you’re in bed. Neither of you wanting to start sleeping alone again after tonight but knowing that there’s no other option with the excuse of him needing to stay because of your ankle no longer being available once you start walking on it. You had forgotten how nice it was to sleep next to another human being like this since your last relationship and Bucky’s never had anyone to sleep next to where it was as nice as it was sleeping next to you. He had never craved another person's presence quite like how he craves yours. It’s almost painful for him to unwrap himself from you in the morning when he has to go and he drops a kiss on your forehead before leaving longing to be coming back to you after.
The days go by and your ankle slowly goes back to as normal as it can. The only difference is you tend to bend it awkwardly just enough to send a quick zip of pain up it before it’s fine again now. But they also go by with the hockey players next door making themselves at home in your home after each practice. Sam and Pietro are over all the time, Pietro because he’s family and Sam because he’s this close to getting Wanda to say yes to a date, his words.
Bucky finds any excuse he can to stick close to you. He helps you cook if there’s still anything left to make when they come over or bake if you feel like making a dessert. He sits next to you at the dining table, sickeningly close as Sam teases him with later, and just watches you, studies you really, when you’re not right next to each other. His favorite time to watch you is when you have them over for breakfast and you cook while they sit in the dining room talking with the girls. You move about the kitchen with an elegance you don’t have anywhere else and hum to yourself normally with soft music on in the background. The morning sun shines on you and he’s caught you just basking in it a few times. You’re just utterly and completely beautiful in your element and it always pushes him one step closer in the direction of taking you to his field.
The Avengers win their first two games of the season and for both all of you show up dressed up to match with the boys, a pact you had all made with Pietro when he started complaining about having to wear suits. And while the four of you don’t get quite as dressed up as the team, Yelena and Kate show up in business casual outfits and you and Wanda dress in what Pietro calls kindergarten professional. Which means fun colors and not a lot of skin showing you both wear your matching overalls once Wanda with a long sleeved red shirt and you with a loose green sweater underneath before you switch to your cute flowery skirts.
It’s not enough to distract Bucky. Sure his eyes get drawn to you during breaks or when he gets penalties, which has happened less him not wanting to be as violent on the ice now that he knows a sweetheart like you is watching him and not wanting you to see his rough edges even if you may have seen them before. But he takes the game too seriously to let his eyes stray from the puck while he’s actively playing. No matter how much you stick out in the crowd or how the sunshine you emit as you cheer them on could melt the ice. It’s not until the third game of the season that he gets a little bit distracted. You show up in a corset top sundress and a cardigan and Bucky can’t help but keep stealing glances your way, hating that he can’t stop himself from looking at your tits like some kind of school boy. Little does he know he’s not the only one who can’t help but look.
It’s halfway through the game when Bucky lines up in front of Brock Rumlow, Hydra’s known enforcer who they just switched to play right wing instead of left, and the look on his face already has Bucky knowing he’s about to say something to piss him off.
“That’s some fan you guys got over there Barnes.” He nods his head in your direction. “I’m tempted to get the team to just let you guys score just to watch her jump up and down and cheer.”
“Don’t fucking look at her Rumlow.” Bucky growls out in response not wanting him to even think about you.
The match goes on and Bucky is hyper aware of where Rumlow is the whole time and how he skates by the glass in front of you and Wanda. He suddenly really misses Yelena’s guard dog presence that he knows would deter his attention but her and Kate couldn’t make it this game. It’s not too long before The Avengers score and the crowd goes wild with cheering and when Bucky should be searching out your beaming smile he’s watching Rumlow look your way.
When they get lined up again Brock whistles as he slides into place in front of Bucky.
“That dress really hugs her just right bet it’d look better bunched up around her waist while I-” The ref blows the whistle to start and immediately Bucky’s tossing his stick down and flicking his gloves off with Brock following suit. Bucky doesn’t waste any time grabbing onto him and starting to swing. He sees red as they fight and it doesn't take long before Bucky has Brock knocked out and they’re both going down on the ice. He stays there until the refs come to separate them and once he’s up he heads straight to the penalty box knowing he’s going to get a five minute penalty for fighting on the ice. He’s smirking when he turns back towards the rink enjoying how disoriented Rumlow is as he gets up from the ice.
After the game, that The Avengers had won, you and Wanda wait in the parking lot for the boys. Pietro’s the first one out, the rest of them not far behind him, and he runs over to the two of you as soon as he spots you. The three of you do your regular celebratory group hug before you turn and immediately seek out Bucky to give him a hug. His arms wrap around you and a smile slowly forms on his previously angry looking face. As soon as you’re in his arms thoughts of Brock Rumlow’s leering are out of his head.
“Wanna go somewhere?” He speaks into your hair and you smile into his chest while you answer.
“With you big guy? Always.”
“Wanda, I'm stealing her.” The two of you separate except for your hands that Bucky had entwined together.
“Have fun!” Your friend says as she waves to you.
“But what about celebrating?” Pietro asks because you were all supposed to go out for an early dinner.
“Celebrate without us.” Bucky calls back not pausing as he leads you to Sam’s truck that he convinced him to let him borrow with the thought that he’d be able to take your spot in Wanda’s car. He opens the passenger side door and helps you in before rounding his way to the driver's seat. He’s quick to shed the suit jacket and loosen his tie once he’s in the car and you bite your lip and look away before he can glance your way again, hoping he didn’t catch you ogling him because Bucky Barnes looks damn good in a suit but even better when he’s getting out of one.
“So where are we going big guy?” You ask a few minutes into the drive.
‘Somewhere secret.” Bucky’s been speeding trying to get you there as soon as possible while not going so fast that he could get the two of you into an accident. His dreams are about to come true quite literally because all he seems to be able to do at night is dream about you laying with him in the field.
“Ooo a surprise. I love surprises! I didn’t get a lot of them growing up. Presents were unwrapped if there were any and my family didn’t really do anything out of a schedule. There was one time I thought my parents were going to throw me a surprise party but they had just forgotten my birthday.” Bucky’s grip on the wheel tightens, it seems everything you say about your family is bad and you say it so nonchalantly that he knows it’s just how you were always treated. “So I’ve never had one of those despite how much I’d like one.” Bucky stores that information away for later as he pulls into a parking spot near a trail that leads to the field.
“Do you bring me out to the middle of nowhere to kill me?” You ask as he helps you out of the truck, his tie now discarded and the sleeves of his button up rolled up while his suit jacket is clutched in his hand. It’s hard for you to tear your eyes away from his forearms but by some miracle you do.
“No, c’mon.” He chuckles at your joke and grabs your hand again to lead you along the trail. He keeps you close to him under the guise of making sure you don’t trip, which he’s doing that too, but really it’s mainly to have you close. And you’re all too happy to be close to him. Your comfortable conversation goes stagnant as the trail opens up to the clearing and you take in the field of flowers in front of you.
“Wow!” You’re breathless as you take it in and Bucky gives you a moment before pulling you to the spot he normally sits in where it’s mainly just grass. He sits and spreads out the jacket brought with the two of you for you to sit on so you don’t get grass stains on your pretty dress. You slowly sit taking in the sight around you before tuning into a bee on one of the daisies. Bucky leans back on his hands and studies you. He was right, you do make this place even more beautiful.
“This is so beautiful, Bucky.”
“Ya it is.” He’s looking at you something you don’t know because you’re too busy touching the petals of a pink flower.
“I bet you bring all the girls here.” You tease him as you pluck the flower you’re studying to twirl between your fingers.
“I’ve only ever brought you dollbaby. Steve doesn’t even know about this place.” You turn your head to look at him, your eyes meeting his. You’re shocked to hear it and the way that he’s looking at you combined with the bomb he just dropped your heart feels like it’s just completely overflowing. And before you even know what you’re doing you’re leaning over and placing a kiss on his lips.
“Sorry! I don’t know-” You’re quick to start to pull back, shocked by your actions but you don’t get far before Bucky’s hand is on the back of your neck stopping you from going any farther, he’s positively beaming which you would argue is a better sight than the field you’re in.
“Ain’t nothing to be sorry for.” He pulls your lips back to his knowing that he’s about to be an addict.
summery: you and bucky have a relationship nobody is aware of. they keep trying to set him up with other women while bucky is trying to avoid them.
pairing: Grumpy!Bucky x Quiet!Reader
warning: SMUT, fluff, bad writing???, swearing
A/N: clearly i have a thing for grumpy bucky but i also have a thing was hidden relationships. you can read the asks for this fic at the lodge's BNB and also here is the steve's story in this universe
“Oh come on Bucky, how long will you stay single? Don't you think it's time you start looking for a partner?” Natasha pointed her knife at Bucky while they were polishing their weapons.
“I don't need anyone, Nat.” Bucky sighs and keeps on cleaning his guns.
“Bullshit!” Natasha stabs the wooden table beside Bucky. “We're all wrung out after missions and we all need a release. You know better than to stay holed up in a room with veins full of adrenaline. If not a girlfriend, get some beneficial partner.” Natasha shrugged.
“You might be doing that, Nat but I really don't need someone. I am happy where I am.” Bucky picks up his guns and arranges them back in their place. He wipes his workstation clean and walks out.
The mission today wasn't that bad but Bucky felt tired. The entire team has been on his case for over two months. How can he convince them that he doesnt need anyone? He's fine where he is. In fact, he is happier than ever and he would never trade this with anything else.
He walks in his room and wearily grabs his towel and sweatpants to take a shower. He turns on the water and stands under it till he hears his bathroom door being opened. He turns on the hot water to the right temperature and shuffles to make space. He hears some rustling and the shower curtain is pulled slightly open. You, very slowly step in and stand under the water source.
“I missed you, doll.” Bucky wraps his arms around you. You nod with a slight blush.
You pull out the loofah and pour the body wash on it. Bucky takes it from your hand and starts helping you clean up. Once you are covered in soap, you turn to Bucky and return the favor. Washing away the grime, dirt and tiredness of the day, you both towel each other dry.
“Bucky,” You point at one of his t-shirts from the wardrobe and look down thinking he might reject what you're asking.
“You don't need to ask me, doll. What's mine is yours.” He pulls a t-shirt on you and kisses your cheek. You nod and blush even more. You shuffle onto the bed and snuggle to your side of the bed, waiting patiently for Bucky to come.
“Tell me about your day, doll. Was it very draining?” he slips into the bed and brings you closer. You wrap your arms around his waist and bury your face in his chest and nod a yes.
He sighs in content and pulls the comforter up. Your legs are parted and one of them is resting on Bucky’s hips. He kisses your forehead and his metal arm slowly drags to your inner thighs. You weren't wearing any underwear, giving complete access to Bucky, as he plunged his metal middle finger into your core. You gasp and your hold around Bucky tightens. He pulls out his finger and rubs your clit, making you moan in his chest. His hold on your waist tightens as he pushes two fingers in you again and uses his thumb to caress your nub. Your moans and gasps fill the quiet room as you reach the edge. You twist a little and put your hand on your mouth as you come all over Bucky’s sweatpants. You sigh and push Bucky a little, signaling him to grab new sweatpants. He complies and snuggles back into the bed against you.
……………………
The kitchen was lively today. Nobody was on a mission so the atmosphere was very relaxed. But not everyone was relaxing.
“Bucky, come on, go on this date. She's really nice and totally your type.” Sam pushed the topic further.
“How do you know my type, bird brain?” Bucky walked behind the kitchen counter.
You were standing there, making lunch for everyone while Bucky helped. Bucky would discreetly hold your waist or find a way to keep close to you in the kitchen. You were a blushing mess but Bucky didn't mind. As he saw nobody was looking, he kissed your cheek and went to the fridge to pretend as if nothing had happened. You just stood there with eyes wide.
“Let me help out.” Bucky very subtly held your waist and moved you away from the stove and started stirring the soup pot. He knew he had shocked you enough and you needed to calm down.
“She's all goth. You grunt, she stares. It's like a match made in heaven, Tinman. Go out with her. Nat arranged the date for you.” Sam continued and Nat nodded.
You looked up and saw Bucky roll his eyes and shake his head. His hand went to his chest and caressed his shirt before going back to the stove.
“I'm not going anywhere. I've told you before, I do not want to go on dates. I am happy where I am.”
“Too late, Barnes. She'll be waiting for you at the cafe this evening. I've already arranged the date and promised her. You can't back out now.” Nat warned Bucky.
“What the fuck, Nat! I told you I'm not interested. Cancel it. Im not going and thats final.” Bucky slams the stirring spoon on the counter and stomps out of the kitchen but not before subtly nudging you to follow.
“Talk some sense into him. He listens to you. Tell him it is a good idea to meet new people,” Sam pleads to you.
You just shake your head and grab some soup in two bowls. One for you and one for Bucky. The rest of the team gather slowly to grab the soup.
You stop in front of your door and knock. A furrowed eyed Bucky opens the door and side steps to let you in.
You hold out the soup bowl towards Bucky who has turned his back to you. “Bucky?”
Your quiet whisper of his name was enough to melt his brains off. He stands up and takes the soup bowl from your hand, putting it to the side. He hugs you and nuzzles his head in your neck, breathing in deeply. Your hand instinctively wraps around his waist and you start rubbing his back to calm him down.
“They just won't let it go. I'm sorry, doll. I wish I could give a better reason to them.” Bucky mumbles into your neck, sending waves of goosebumps all over your body.
“It's okay. Go.” You try to make him go because you know what it's like to be stood up and you know for the fact that Bucky will stand the girl up.
“I'm not gonna listen to you this time, doll. This is ridiculous. I am not leaving and that is final. Maybe I'll send one of those apology flowers you talk about to her through Happy.” he tightens his hold on you. You sigh. You knew it was pointless from getting him to change his mind.
You just wanted him to go and tell the girl that he is committed elsewhere but he is so stubborn that he won't even listen to what you have to say so you try to pull away to at least have him finish his soup.
“No. stop pulling away.” He sits back on bed with you in his lap, not even letting you go. You giggle and try to make space between the two of you so you can at least grab the soup bowl.
“Bucky, soup.” You manage to release your hand point at the bowls.
“Fine. but only because you are hungry and you made this with so much love.” His stomach grumbles and he makes a face, making you giggle even more.
His frown melts into a smile and he grabs your face, peppering kisses all over it, making you giggle and laugh. “This is why I'm not going anywhere. You are perfect, doll. I love you.”
……………………
“You piece of shit! Did you seriously stand her up? What the fuck is wrong with you?” Nat blasted at him and threw a punch at him.
Bucky ducked and svewerd to the side to keep you safe. You were standing very close to Bucky to hide the fact that he was holding your waist. But just as Nat threw a punch at him, he pulled away and moved away from you.
“Are you crazy? You could have hurt her.” Bucky pointed at you while dodging Nat’s punches. “And I sent flowers to say sorry. I told you I am not interested. When I say no, accept it.”
Bucky blocks Nat’s punches with his metal arm and pushes her away. Before she could do more damage, Steve walks in and stands between Bucky and Nat.
“Enough, both of you. This is not a dueling ground. Walk it off, Romanov. And you, Bucky, let's talk.” Steve nods at you and guides Bucky out of the gym leaving you sigh in relief.
That night, everyone had dinner on their own. You weren't very keen on cooking so you, Bucky and Steve got pizza together. They had put on Harry Potter since you loved talking about it.
Bucky couldn't keep his eyes off of you as you mouthed the dialogues with the characters. He smiled. Steve nudged Bucky and shook his head with a smile.
Steve loved seeing his best friend so happy. Steve loved you like a sister too. Your quiet and shy nature had calmed Steve in many situations and he was grateful. You had taken Steve’s side during the fallout and helped Bucky without a complaint. Surprisingly Bucky wanted to keep you by his side. Steve saw Bucky open up to you and you accepted him naturally. One day Steve found Bucky cuddled up with you and he knew this was his brother’s happy ending.
“I'm off to bed. Doll, take care,” Steve kissed your forehead. “Buck, please stop fighting with people. And think about what I said, both of you. I know where you come from but think about it before it causes more such issues.”
Steve closed the door behind him as he walked out and went off to bed. You turned off the movie and got up to throw the boxes away. Bucky took the boxes from you and walked out of the room to throw them off while you cleaned up the room and got ready to sleep.
Bucky walked in, took off his shirt and crawled in the bed beside you. “What are you thinking, doll?” He saw your solemn expression.
“Maybe Steve is right.” You whisper quietly, fumbling with the edge of the blanket.
Bucky holds your hand and pulls you close to lie on his chest. “Are you worried? I will do what you want to do, doll.”
“You have been doing what we want, Bucky, but after today, I didn't think it would get this serious.”
“Are you talking about my little tiff with Nat? It worked out at the end. You know that.” Bucky kissed your forehead.
“That and the fact that you got set up on a date. I-i know that you won't ever go but, it-it scared me. I-” Your voice started to waver.
You cried on Bucky’s chest. He lifted your face up and wiped away the tears, kissing your forehead.
“Doll, I get it. That's what made me more angry. They were talking about it to you as well. Trying to involve you in their little plans. I hated that you had to listen to all of that.”
“So? What do you think?” You lift your face and rest your chin on his chest, looking at him.
“Don't tell Steve I said this, it'll get to his head, but he is right.”
You rise up to give him a peck but Bucky pulls you for a deeper kiss. You moan and straddle his waist. He lifts your (his) t-shirt up and throws it on the floor, without letting his lips leave yours. You grind against his clothed erection.
“Didn't wear any panties, doll? My perfect girl.”
He flips you and removes his sweatpants. He aligns himself against your folds and slowly pushes himself in. your back arches on the bed and a loud moan escapes your throat. He flips the pair of you again and gets you on top of him, pushing his cock deeper into you. You slowly start to grind against him, making him moan and hiss. His hands are kneading your breasts and pinching your nipples as he starts pushing himself into you. You start bouncing over him to match his rutting speed.
“Fuck, doll. You're being so good right now.”
You whimper as you get closer to the edge. “Bucky, im gonna-”
“Cum, doll. Ive got us.”
His speed increases and soon you both cum and he fills you up while you're gushing down on him. You pant as your body falls on him. He caresses your back as you both catch your breaths.
He slowly gets up, taking you with him, to the bathroom to clean up. The cleaning up in the shower turns into another session and later you both fall on the bed, naked and exhausted. You pull yourself a little further from Bucky and pull out a dainty gold band from the bedside table.
You hand the ring over to Bucky who chuckles and slips it on your finger. You sigh with content and snuggle into the blanket with Bucky’s chest against your back, all tucked in.
……………….
The New Year’s party by Tony Stark is always iconic and it was just as this year too. You and Bucky came to the party together. Bucky was immediately called over by Tony to meet some people while you made your way to the corner of the room. Steve saw you and stood beside you with beer in his hand.
You look at Steve with beer and giggle.
Steve looks at you and rolls his eyes. “I know. But I enjoy the feeling of the bottle in my hand. Makes me feel normal, y’know.”
You nod and pat his back. He relaxes. You point at his hand and he shakes his head. “Not today.” Steve instantly changes the topic. “Bucky told me about your plan today. I'm here for support, you know that, right?” You nod your head vigorously, making Steve laugh out loud.
Hearing Steve laugh, Bucky turns his head in the direction to see a smile on your face while Steve laughs. He relaxes a little and goes back to the conversation. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not get to you the entire night. Someone either dragged him away or you were occupied with conversation with the teammates, but mostly it was the first reason.
It was time for dinner and you started digging around the buffet table to find your favorites. Bucky subtly joined you and handed him the plate.
“I'm nervous, doll.” He whispers in your ears. You look up to him and his stale blue eyes are staring deep into yours. You look around to see if someone isn't looking and pull him in a very secluded corner. You peck his lips and hug him tightly. He releases the breath he didn't know he was holding and wraps his free arm around you.
“Thank you, doll, I needed it.”
You take the plate from him and walk back to the buffet table and gather more food before moving back to the corner of the room. Bucky looks at you as you go with a bounce in your step. He could tell you were happy with the decision and he smiled.
……………….
People were counting down and Bucky was dragged to the other side of the room. You stood in your corner and tried to find Bucky in the crowd. You could have pushed through but he was too surrounded. You shift from one foot to another. The heels were killing you and Bucky had promised that you'd leave immediately after the countdown was done.
Bucky dodged and stumbled against the crowd to reach you. He heard many women in the crowd saying they had a chance with him and he did not want to give it to them.
3
Bucky came across one woman who tried to grab his shirt.
2
Natasha pointed at some woman behind Bucky who would like a kiss but Bucky distracted her
1
Almost there
Happy New Year!
Your back was to the crowd. A hand slipped around your waist and pulled you around to face your blue-eyed man. “Happy New Year, doll.”
He kissed you deeply. He was pouring out all the adrenaline that had flown into him while reaching you. Your hand cupped his face and pulled him closer. His metal arm held the back of your head to angle it better while his flesh arm held you tightly against his body.
You heard the entire room gasp and then pin drop silence. You needed to breathe so you tapped his shoulder twice. He pulled his lips away from yours and rested his forehead against yours.
“I guess it's time, doll.”
He moves to your side and pulls you closer to him. But before he could get a word out, Sam jumped in.
“You and her? When did that happen?”
“Well, if you would be quiet, I would tell you.” Bucky pulls you to the couch and sits down, taking you on his lap. You try to slide down beside him but his hold won’t budge. “Well, this is a family matter and I assume the rest of you got the message.”
“Right, well, thank you all for joining the party but I guess it ends here today.” Tony starts shooing people away.
Steve comes and sits beside Bucky and you. He slaps Bucky on the back supportively and you smile a little before burying your face in Bucky’s neck out of embarrassment.
“Everyone is gone. Out with it, Tinman.” Sam jumps onto the adjacent sofa with Nat and the rest of the team in tow.
“We're married.” Bucky pulls out his hand from around your waist and grabs your left hand to show off the matching wedding bands.
“What the fuck!!!” Natasha jumps out of the seat and comes close to check the rings.
“Since when?” Tony asked.
“Three years now, right doll?” You nod.
“Three years! Right under our noses?”
“When did you get married? Where? How? What?”
Everyone was very confused with the revelation.
“We met during the fallout and well, i started to fall in love with her. She felt the same and we got married in a city hall in New York.” Bucky explained in short terms. You were still in his lap and nodded to everything he said, supporting his statement.
“But, why were we not invited? We were with you the whole time! How did we not know about this?” Sam almost screamed his head off.
“You werent there all the time. Remember the day Steve sent you all to stakeout? He helped me and the doll get to the city hall and we got married. Captain America as our witness.” Bucky chuckled at the last statement, earning a small whack from you on his chest. Steve just rolled his eyes.
“You knew!” Natasha pointed at Steve who shrugged. “It wasn't my story to tell and I just wanted to see my best friend happy. He was happy with her so I stopped them.”
The discussion went on for almost an hour. Your little stifled yawn caught Bucky’s attention and he got up with you in his arms.
“Alright kids, my wife and I are tired and I have plans for our third anniversary tomorrow.”
“Bye.” You wave at them and slump back in his arms.
“Wait! At Least tell us your anniversary date.”
“It's January 1st. It was dead winter and my wife showed me that I can be happy during the cold too.”
He lets the elevator door shut on everyone’s faces. Seeing a sleepy you in his arms was all he could ask for this New Year.
You were soaked, bruised, and exhausted — but somehow still smiling.
Bucky, on the other hand, looked like a storm cloud with legs as he slammed the motel room door shut behind you.
“Goddamn mission…” he muttered, pulling off his jacket and tossing it with a wet slap. “Should’ve left you in the van.” You watched him carefully. He was like a ticking bomb who was just about to explode. A very sexy ticking bomb.
“Rude.” you said cheerfully, peeling off your own soaked shirt. “I saved your ass back there.”
He shot you a glare as he wrung out his hair over the bathroom sink. “You also disobeyed direct orders.”
“I improvised.” You flopped onto the bed — the only bed — grinning. “You’re welcome.”
“Don’t push me tonight, doll.”
That was new. The pet name. You filed it away for later.
Instead, you watched him from where you laid on the bed, head propped on your elbow. His red henley wet from the rain only made his muscular form pop out even more. Not that you were complaining. “You know what your problem is, Barnes?”
“Please enlighten me…” He deadpanned.
“You’re touch-starved and pissed about it.”
He froze, knuckles white on the sink.
“I’m what?”
“You heard me. You’re all clenched jaw and scowls because no one’s touched you like you deserve in years.” You stretched, letting your towel slip just enough to expose your shoulder. “Bet you’d fall apart if someone kissed you soft.”
He turned slowly, eyes locked on yours, dark and dangerous. “Keep talking like that and you’re not gonna like what happens next.” You could feel his gaze scanning you, taking in the sight of you only in your bra and soaked from the rain jeans.
You smiled sweetly and wrapped the towel around your chest, covering yourself teasingly. „Oh, I think I would.”
You didn’t have to repeat yourself.
One second he was across the room — the next, he was on you. Your back hit the mattress, a gasp caught in your throat as Bucky loomed over you — wild-eyed, hair falling into his face, chest heaving, towel falling off your body as his mouth crashed against yours. His dog tags brushed your bare skin, cold metal trailing heat in their wake. His hands were everywhere — one pinning your wrists above your head, the other sliding down to grip your thigh and yank it over his hip.
“You want soft?” he growled against your mouth. “I’ll give you soft. Right before I fuck you hard enough to forget your own name.”
You gasped, breathless, heart racing.
“Do it.” You whispered.
He chuckled — low, dark, dangerous.
He shoved your jeans and underwear down and spread your legs with a firm grip, cool vibranium fingers digging into your thigh while his flesh hand slid between your folds.
“So wet…” He muttered, almost in disbelief. “You want this that bad?”
You nodded, your hips arched up into his touch, chasing his fingers.
He shook his head and chuckled darkly.
„I need you to be more vocal, doll.”
„I want this… Please…” You sounded almost pathetic.
His breath hissed out through his teeth as he sank two fingers inside you, curling them just right — and when your head tipped back with a moan, his mouth was on your chest, sucking a bruise just above your heart.
“You feel like fucking heaven.”’ He groaned, working his fingers in and out of you, rough and perfect. “Gonna stretch you out before I ruin you.”
“Bucky—” you gasped, nails digging into his shoulder, but he was already tugging his pants down, eyes dark with need. When he finally lined himself up, thick and hard and aching, you both stilled.
“Last chance.” He rasped, voice breaking. “Say stop and I’ll walk away.”
You pulled him down and whispered against his lips, “Shut up and fuck me, Barnes.”
He sank into you with a growl that was half-curse, half-worship — slowly at first, inch by inch, until he bottomed out with a deep, guttural moan.
“Fuck.” he hissed, forehead pressed to yours. “You feel so good, doll…”
He started to move — hard, deep thrusts that had your legs shaking around his waist, hands fisting in the sheets. One of his hands slipped under your ass to pull you closer, the other tangling in your hair to hold your mouth to his.
“You take me so good,” he grunted, sweat dripping down his chest. “Fucking made for me.”
You were barely coherent, gasping his name, your body a livewire.
„P…Please…” You cried out.
He kissed your jawline, smirking against it as he heard your plea. He pulled away slightly, just enough to look into your dazed eyes.
„You wanna cum for me, doll?”
You nodded quickly, desperately. Your mind too dizzy to form a coherent sentence —not even a single word.
„Say it.” He demanded.
„I… I wanna- Please…” You managed to say through moans, your body arching.
Bucky grabbed your legs, putting them on his shoulders, adjusting the position, allowing him thrust deeper into you — just how you needed it. You felt your body tensing, ecstasy taking over you.
And when you came — stars bursting behind your eyes — he followed you over the edge with a growl, spilling inside you as he buried his face in your neck, trembling.
For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of your breathing, tangled together like there was no space left between you.
An arranged marriage with the duke's illegitimate son!bucky.
Summary: In a medieval kingdom where magic and political intrigue are woven into the fabric of society, Y/N, the youngest daughter of a noble Earl family, finds herself in an arranged marriage to James Buchanan Barnes, the illegitimate son of the Duke. Known as the Winter Soldier, Bucky's reputation as a monster in war had instilled anxiety into Y/N's heart. But that fear quickly begins to crumble when she discovers that her husband is not the brutal figure society depicts him to be.
Navigation: Part I | Part II | Part III (end)
Words: 8.1k++
Pairing: duke's illegitimate son!bucky x noble!female!reader
Warnings: fantasy/medieval au, i did not write this with much knowledge of fantasy nor medieval lore. I write it solely for plot and the couple dynamic lmao. if you're expecting full blown fantasy novel; this ain't it, man. anyways, 18+ contents, no minors allowed, nsfw, cunnilingus, p in v, unprotected sex, creampie, loss of virginity, praise kink, breeding kink (if you squint), marking kink (i think), soft fluffy smut, a wee bit of dirty talk. soft!reader and even softer!bucky. (idk what else, so tell me if there's something i miss.)
P/S: This is the fic for an idea I had earlier this year. The first chapter will only cover the original post but what happens next is something you will need to look forward on the upcoming chapters. Enjoy your read!
Read my other works here: Masterlist
Y/N stood in front of the grand mirror in her chamber, her reflection staring back at her with wide, fearful eyes. The delicate lace of her wedding dress was the opposite of the twisting anxiety in her stomach. Today, she was to marry James Buchanan Barnes, the illegitimate son of the Duke of the kingdom, a man labelled to be more beast than human.
He was known as the Winter Soldier, a title whispered with both fear and awe. Tales of his gruesome feats in battle, his merciless brutality, and his cold, metal arm was deemed as a horror story for the children in the kingdom. People spoke of him as a monstrous weapon, a beast moulded by the Emperor to do his bidding without question or hesitation.
Y/N had heard the stories many times before; and it has always been a hushed conversation that floats around whether a ballroom of a gala, or at the tables of the garden parties, sometimes even in between the racks of books in the library.
They always painted a picture of a man who lived only for war, devoid of humanity.
She couldn't help but let these tales feed her imagination. What kind of man was he truly? Did he revel in the violence, or was he a prisoner to his fate? Y/N shuddered at the thought, her heart heavy with fear and uncertainty.
Her father, the Earl, had made it clear why she needed to marry him. It was a political manoeuvre, a strategic alliance to strengthen their family's position. The duke, Bucky's father, wielded considerable power, and their union would bring the Earl closer to the heart of the kingdom's influence.
And when he heard that the duke was looking for a wife for his bastard son, he knew that she would be perfect. That was when Y/N, the youngest daughter, became the pawn in this game. Her father's ambitions certainly outweighed any consideration for her feelings or desires.
Y/N had always longed for a marriage of love, a dream she clung to despite her circumstances. She was a hopeless romantic through and through; much like her late mother. She remembered the nights when her mother would read to her and her siblings, spinning tales of prince charming and valiant heroes.
The fire crackled warmly in the hearth as her mother’s soothing voice filled the room. Y/N and her siblings, her older brother Eric and sister Clara, lay tucked under blankets, their eyes wide with wonder.
"And then the prince, with a heart full of love, swept the princess into his arms, vowing to protect her forever," her mother read, her voice a melodic whisper.
Y/N, her eyes sparkling with innocence, declared, "When I grow up, I want to marry a prince charming too!"
Clara, ever the practical one, nodded in agreement. "Me too! He has to be brave and kind."
Eric, being a little boy, scrunched his nose in distaste. "I don’t want to get married. I want to be a knight!"
Their mother chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair from Y/N’s forehead. "It does not matter if he is a prince charming or a humble knight. As long as you marry the one you love, that is what truly matters."
Y/N's heart ached at the memory. How she wished her mother were still here to guide her through this terrifying day. The gentle knock on the door brought her back to the present.
"Lady Y/N, it’s time," one of the maids said softly.
Y/N took a long and deep breath, smoothing down the fabric of her dress. She followed the maid down the corridor, her mind a swirl of emotions. Reaching the grand doors of the church, her father waited for her.
"Remember, Y/N," he said, his voice stern. "Do not mess this up. Just endure it. And you'll be fine. This is the most useful you can be to our family."
Her heart sank further; yet she nodded obediently.
Compared to Y/N, her elder brother, a celebrated swordsman, and her sister, a master in the art of business, had always outshone her in their father's eyes. Y/N's talent with languages; ancient and modern – was seen as a useless skill, something that brought no tangible benefit to the family.
Her father had never been cruel when she was younger but everything changed when her mother died. In fact, everyone in the family had lost a piece of their soul when she left. Now, his lack of affection only increases the number of scars on her heart.
The doors opened, revealing the crowds of high-ranking nobles; who were mostly strangers – staring at her. Some were judging her; some pitied her. She reminded herself that she was doing this for her family, for the greater good. But the little girl inside her who dreamed of prince charming certainly felt a pang of sorrow.
As she walked down the aisle, her legs trembled, and her hands shook so violently that she had to clasp them together to steady herself. From afar, she saw the silhouette of the man she was destined to marry. His tall and huge figure stood out compared to anyone in the hall. As she got closer, she kept her gaze fixed on the floor, too afraid to look up at her husband-to-be.
When she finally reached the altar, the priest began the ceremony. His speech was long and dragging, giving Y/N too much time to entertain her growing curiosity that she dared to glance up at the man next to her. Even from behind the veil, she could see his towering and broad-shouldered build, his presence commanding the room. His long hair was slightly untamed, and a scruffy beard framed his face. His metal hand, glinting in the sun that leaked through the church’s windows, was a jarring reminder of the rumors that surrounded him.
There were no heartfelt vows to recite to each other; only their promise of "I do" was exchanged. And that was the first time Y/N heard his voice. It was deep and resonant, sending a shiver down her spine; but there was a certain warmth in it that contrasted sharply with his fearsome reputation.
When the priest announced their union and Bucky lifted her veil, Y/N was struck by the unexpected gentleness in his eyes. They were a brilliant, mesmerizing blue, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. Bucky's eyes softened as he looked at her, his gaze tender and almost reverent. Slowly, he placed one hand gently around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. His other hand came up to cup her cheek, his touch surprisingly gentle against her skin.
Y/N's heart pounded in her chest as he leaned in, her breath catching in her throat. When his lips met hers, they were soft, warm, and so unexpected. She could smell his cologne; an earthy, woodsy scent mixed with a hint of something fruity; like peaches or tangerines. It made her head spin and her heart jumped all at the same time.
The kiss was gentle and unhurried, very much differs to the forceful gesture she had feared. As he pulled away, Y/N found herself blinking slowly, her cheeks flushed and her fear momentarily replaced by confusion and a surprising awe. She was caught off guard by the tenderness of his touch, the way his lips had brushed against hers so gently.
Could the rumors about him be wrong?
"I’m sorry if I startled you," he said, his voice low and gentle. "I hope I didn’t scare you, my dear."
Y/N blinked slowly, trying to process the sudden shift in her emotions. The fear that had gripped her so tightly seemed to dissipate, replaced by a confusing mix of relief and intrigue. Her hands, which had been trembling, now rested at her sides, feeling strangely steady. Her eyes met his, and she could see softness in his gaze that contradicted the harsh rumors she had heard.
“I—no, you didn’t scare me,” she managed to say; her voice barely more than a whisper. She took a deep breath, her cheeks getting warmer as she processed the endearment he just called her. On the other hand, her mind was racing as she tried to reconcile the man in front of her with the fearsome figure of the Winter Soldier.
Bucky’s eyes mellowed even further, his gaze glazed with a tenderness that seemed to pierce through the weight of the room. A warm smile spread across his face, and he held her gaze with a comforting assurance.
“Good,” he said, his voice carrying a gentle affection. “I’m glad to hear that.”
The reception that followed was a blur of faces and polite conversation. Y/N moved through the crowd, accepting congratulations and well-wishes, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to Bucky than the rumors suggested. Every time she caught his eye, he gave her a small, reassuring smile that made the butterflies inside of her go wild.
As the evening drew to a close, they were escorted to one of the Emperor’s palaces, a grand and opulent residence that was to serve as their temporary home before they traveled north to Bucky’s territory. The palace, with its lavish furnishings and golden accents, seemed to mock the uncertainty Y/N felt. She had been assigned a chamber to prepare for the night, and the palace maids were bustling around her, helping her into a set of elaborate, far-from-modest lingerie.
The palace’s maids’ whispers and side glances did nothing to ease her growing anxiety. Their condescending tones and occasional snickers were laced with cruel speculation about how roughly Bucky would treat her. The more Y/N overheard, the more her apprehension grew. Despite the gentleness Bucky had shown her earlier, she found herself doubting its sincerity.
Could he really be the caring husband he appeared to be, or was it all just an elaborate show?
The maids finally left, their laughter fading down the hallway, leaving Y/N alone in the grand chamber. Her heart raced, and cold sweat formed at her brow as she sat quietly on the edge of the ornate bed. She kept her gaze firmly on the floor, her hands fidgeting in her lap. The room felt enormous, its sheer size heightening her sense of isolation and dread.
The door creaked open, and Bucky entered the room. Y/N’s heart nearly stopped as she heard the heavy, measured footsteps approaching. She couldn’t bring herself to look up, her body tense and her mind a swirl of panic and unease. She almost held her breath entire when she felt the slight indentation of the mattress beside her.
“Y/N,” Bucky’s voice was soft and coaxing, a distinct difference to the coldness she was expecting. “Look at me.” He continued. She hesitated momentarily; torn between obeying and disobeying but ultimately decided to raise her eyes to meet his.
The sight of him; his upper body bare, revealing a tapestry of scars and the stark metal of his prosthetic arm; made her breath hitch. Her eyes traced the lines of his faded wound, particularly the jagged marks where his shoulder met his metal arm. She couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow and concern. Her fingers, almost of their own accord, reached out to trace the contours of his chest and shoulder.
Bucky let the innocence of her touch to trace the most tainted parts of him; however noting her trembling eyes, he misunderstood her apprehension. “I want you to know, Y/N,” he said, his voice firm yet gentle, “that I will never hurt you. You are safe with me.”
Y/N shook her head, her heart aching. She felt an unexplainable pain growing in her chest as she gazed at him. Her fingers still lightly touching his scars; her eyes, full of unshed tears, silently asked a question she was too afraid to voice. “Does it still hurt?” she wanted to ask, her expression betraying her concern.
Bucky’s eyes sparkled with affection, and he took her hand in his, holding it tenderly against his chest. “Don't worry. It does not hurt anymore,” he said with a reassuring smile.
The connection between them was electric, charged with a deep, unspoken understanding. Bucky’s gaze was steady and filled with a depth of unspoken emotion that took Y/N’s breath away. “I know this is difficult for you, Y/N,” he said, his voice laden with sincerity. “But I promise, I will do everything in my power to make you happy.”
His words and the way he looked at her left Y/N feeling both comforted and overwhelmed. For the first time since their wedding, she felt a genuine, flickering hope that maybe, just maybe, their marriage could become something more than a mere political arrangement. Bucky’s assurances, his gentleness, and the tenderness in his eyes began to dissolve the fears she had harboured since the beginning of their union.
As they sat there, the weight of the night’s expectations seemed to lift, replaced by a fragile but growing trust. Y/N had entered this marriage with a sense of duty, convinced that she would have to endure the consummation of their union as a matter of obligation. But Bucky’s tenderness, his understanding, and the sincere reassurance he had given her began to change her perspective.
The idea of fulfilling her marital duty had initially felt like a burden she had to bear. She had steeled herself to face it with resignation, convinced that it was merely another part of her role in this arranged marriage. But now, she found herself reconsidering. The idea of being with him no longer felt like an obligation but a possibility of something more profound and intimate.
Y/N hands softly toyed with the delicate strings of her sheer lingerie, pulling it softly as her doe eyes signalled her husband of her intention. Bucky, sensing the shift in her demeanor, looked into her eyes with a mixture of concern and affection. “Are you sure, my dear?” he asked softly. “I want you to feel safe with me and not afraid of me.”
Y/N’s heart fluttered as she met his gaze, her own eyes reflecting the depth of her emotions. “I am,” she said with quiet conviction. “I feel safe with you, James”
Bucky's hand naturally went to brush her hair behind her ear, “It’s Bucky, my dear,” he corrected softly.
“Hmm?” she asked, slightly puzzled.
He chuckled warmly. “You can call me Bucky from now on. It’s a nickname only a selected few who I trust and love knows.” Her eyes sparkled at his choice words; trust and love.
“Bucky…” she tested the name on her tongue, the syllables feeling strangely intimate. Upon hearing his name from her lips, Bucky’s heart swelled, almost bursting from his ribcage. He hummed in approval, “That's right, my dear. I’m your Bucky.”
His reassuring smile grew wider, his calloused thumb gently stroke her cheek causing a shiver to strum all over her nerves; sending an emerging desire. One she had not fully acknowledged until now. The way he looked at her, the pure and raw endearment in his eyes, and the softness of his touch stirred something deep within her.
As the moments passed, Y/N realised she wanted this. She wanted to feel his lips on hers, to explore the warmth of his hands, to connect with him on a level she had longed for. The yearning for his touch, which had been dormant under layers of fear and uncertainty, now surged forward with undeniable intensity.
Without fully understanding why, Y/N found herself leaning closer to him, her breath coming in soft, eager gasps. She whispered, her voice barely audible but full of longing, “Bucky, please.”
Bucky’s expression softened, and a tender light filled his blue eyes, “May I?” he asked, his voice low and gentle as he held out his hand. There a shy hesitation before she finally placed her hand in his.
With a gentle but firm pull, Bucky lifted her onto his lap, his careful hands beginning the process of undressing her. Each movement was full of care, yet almost deliberate, as he slowly removed her dress, leaving her in nothing but the flimsy lace piece covering the sacred area between her thighs.
Bucky's eyes roamed over her bare skin, admiration clear in his gaze. Y/N could feel the heat of his gaze, the way his eyes traced every curve and contour of her body. The intensity of it made her feel both vulnerable and cherished, a potent combination that sent pleasurable shivers all over her body.
Seeing the hunger in his blue eyes, she felt the warmth of his body and caught the scent of him; the same once she noticed at the church; warm and comforting. Her breath quickened, and she found herself unsure of what to do or where to place her hands, feeling like a deer caught in headlights.
Noticing the subtle panic, Bucky reached for her hands and guided them through the thick strands of his long hair. “You can touch me as you please, my dear,” he whispered, his voice soothing as he reassured her. He leaned in to kiss her bare shoulder, then moved up to her neck, along her jaw, leaving a trail of warmth on her skin.
Y/N’s fingers tangled in his hair, the softness surprising her. The intimacy of the moment, combined with his gentle kisses, began to dissolve the last remnants of her anxiety. The feel of his lips on her skin was electrifying, each kiss sending waves of sensation she never felt before.
Bucky’s hands, still careful and tender, caressed her back, drawing her closer to him. Her breath hitched as he kissed the valley of her breasts; soft gasps escaping her lips as Bucky begins to lick and sucked on her delicate skin; likely trying to mark his claim on her.
Every touch and little kisses he left sent shivers straight to her already dripping core. And by the time his lips grazed her nipple, her body jerked forward; in response, unintentionally dragging her aching pussy against his thick thigh.
His lips latched around her right nipples as he licks and sucks the hardening skin; lapping at it as if he was feeding from her. The sensation was overwhelming, yet she found herself leaning into his touch, her body responding to his gentle ministrations. The grip on his hair grew tighter as the strings of moans poured out her lips.
Bucky’s large hands find their place on her hips, guiding her to gently rut on his thigh. Trusting him, she followed his lead as he continue to grind her clit through the thin fabric she was wearing; introducing the sweet friction in on her core. Bucky pulled back slightly to look into her eyes, his expression filled with a mixture of subtle affection and desire. “You’re doing wonderfully, my dear. Can feel your pussy leaking on me. Do you feel good?” he murmured as he dipped back to kiss her neck.
Oh, he was filthy with his choice of words but surprisingly she was not mad about it. In fact she didn’t even notice the whimpers purring in her throat upon hearing those sinful words.
It was as if Bucky recognized that needy sound she made; it caused a smile to spread on his lips. She can feel it grow against the skin in between her breasts, “My my, is my sweet wife feeling needy right now?” he teased playfully as he effortlessly lifted her up and laid her down on their bed.
Placing himself in between her soft thighs, his lustful gaze trained on her naked body; he admired the marks he has left on her breasts, the wet patch on the flimsy fabric covering her cunt, and the way her breath shuddered when he teasingly grind his harden cock against her.
Y/N can feel the contrast of his hands on her thigh, one warm, one cold. Her eyes drew her attention from his hands to his gorgeous face. Oh, the pure unfiltered lust in his eyes was pulling her in so effortlessly; seducing her to submit her body and soul to him completely. Shying away from his stare, she dragged her view down to his chiselled jaw, his broad chest then slowly to his beautiful abs.
She admired his body as much as he did of hers.
But what was more prominent out of all, was the way she could feel his erection throbbing against her heat. Blood went rushing towards her face when Bucky guided her hips against the confinement of his cock, which in response; causing her hands naturally found their way to cover her face in embarrassment.
A deep chuckle bubbled from Bucky’s throat; he found her reaction to be absolutely endearing. He leaned down towards her, one hand holding himself up and another tenderly pulling her hands away, then drawing it close to his chest, right against his beating heart.
Having nowhere to run, Y/N’s teary eyes drowned in his ocean blues, “Don’t hide from me, dearest.” He peppered a delicate kiss on her forehead, then on her nose, then on her cheek. She could feel the prickly sensation of his beard grazing on her skin. It was ticklish and a little bit painful and yet weirdly enough, it felt good that it naturally made her want to nuzzle it more.
But before she could, Bucky’s lips were already making their way down to her stomach. Her body responds to how soft his lips trailing down; and further down until she could feel them on her clothed core. A surprised yelp fell from her lips as he tore the last piece of clothing from her.
“Now, hands away from your face, my dear. I want to see that beautiful eyes of yours when I eat your sweet pussy.” his voice was honeyed when he made himself comfortable in between her thighs. His hands reached upwards to intertwine both of her hands with his own; acting as a restraint to restrict her from covering her face.
Y/N almost sat up upon hearing his words, “Eat what now?”, the question she had in mind was unable to be vocalised; due to her confusion. Prior to marriage, she had learned about sex and its purpose in her marital studies. Unbeknownst to her, the knowledge she had was few and limited for academic purposes only. Which means there were only the few illustrations of penetration depicted in books and the process of how children are bred as a result of it.
So what does he mean when he said those words? While she was still lost and confused, Bucky on the other hand was in his own world; completely and utterly transfixed on the glistening need of her cunt. She was dripping wet; the juices covering her slits perfectly; her scent was intoxicating and if it weren’t for the fact that this is her first time, Bucky would’ve ate her like a man starved of touch. But, he can’t do that. Not tonight. He wanted to be gentle; to cherish her, to love on her.
Seeing the darkened clouds in his eyes as he stared at her private, Y/N braved herself to ask, “What are you– ohh hmmm” her sentence ended up transforming into a toe curling moan as she felt Bucky’s wet tongue flattened across her weeping core. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as he dragged her clit into his mouth and sucked. He strummed her clit with his tongue, causing her to arch her back and he took the opportunity to push his face further into her cunt; licking and sucking quite the literal soul out her.
It felt amazing but her self-consciousness won the battle in her head, she let out a whimpering plea, “Buc--bucky st-stop. That’s dirty.” as she gripped on his hands, trying to escape from his grip. Bucky growled against her in response to her futile protest. The sweet vibration only caused her pleasure all over her fluttering core.
When Bucky pulled away for a moment; it caused her to feel a sense of loss. “It’s not dirty, my dear. In fact, it’s so sweet.” His lips moved to kiss on her inner thigh, murmuring against her skin as he left yet more of his marks on her, “So fucking sweet.” He releases his right hand from hers, just to rub his thumb on her clit, slowly dragging it in between her slit; smearing her wetness all around her throbbing bundle of nerves. Her thighs trembled to the sensation of his rough movement of his thumb and a string of shaky mewls fell out of her.
“But..” she tried to protest but immediately stopped when Bucky brought his soaked thumb to her mouth. Her lips were wet from how he gently smeared the juices on her, “Taste yourself.” He lured her softly. Hesitation glints in her eyes as her cheeks redden. Bucky’s eyes grew tender at her watery ones, he whispered lowly, “Sweetheart, do you trust me?”
She does; but she does not trust her own voice to not come out sounding like a needy moan, so she simply nodded. Bucky’s pink lips spread into a smile, “Good girl. Now, open up.” he coaxed lovingly.
Y/N opened her mouth as she was told and let Bucky slip his thumb inside; he was not shy to smother her juices across her tongue, coaxing her to suck on it. To get a taste of what he was having. “It’s sweet”, she thought to herself. A muffled moan purred in her throat at the thought of her husband enjoying the taste of her.
Bucky smirk grew at her reaction, “Tastes good huh, sweetheart?” he pulled his thumb away, leaving her nodding to his question. “Now are you going to let me enjoy your pussy?” his brow quirked when he tilted his head to the side. How can she deny him now? Her eyes glazed with need as she replied, “Yes, please”.
Her mouth falls open in anticipation as a low moan creeps up her throat. Bucky’s tongue slips past her folds, she watched him between her legs, savouring her pussy with his unfiltered groans vibrating against her sensitive spot. Breathless moans and incoherent pleads fall from her mouth as the soft and firm tip of his tongue circled her swollen pearl and flicked it. Bucky’s hands went to her hips, guiding it in time with her own movements, giving her partial control to set the pace.
“Buckyyyy.” She gasped as she alternated between wanting to push his head away or keep him in place. Meanwhile, the man in between her thighs had lost himself; consumed by pure desire the more he drank from her cunt. His tongue moved faster against her clit when he noticed the beat of her throbbing cunt increased. She was going to come. He was sure of it.
The way that she was practically creaming on his tongue drove him near feral. He kept lapping at her juices as if it was the sweetest honey he ever tasted; fuck he even sucked her clit in hopes to force out more of her nectar to leak; then he’d lap on it again.
The sweet cycle had pushed Y/N over the edge, her eyes rolling back as pleasure and her hips slightly lifted as pleasure surges through her veins.“Oh oh Bucky please please.” She didn’t what she was begging for as she chanted his name. “I’m gonna, ‘m gonna–“ her words died as she squealed; her body trembling in pleasure.
His tongue moved faster against her clit; her cum was dripping out of her; coating his beard but his frantic licks didn’t stop even when she continue to gush on his tongue.
“Bucky please, sensitive..” It was too much; her orgasm, her swollen clit, his tongue. Everything.
Unfortunately for her, Bucky was far gone to stop now. He had the taste of her cum, now he wants nothing more than to have it again. Despite her protest, Bucky held her hip down, interlocking his hands across her stomach to keep her in place and continue to lick and suck on her overstimulated cunt.
Her whiny pleas didn’t come across as a sign for him to stop; instead it kept him going causing him to bury his face further in between her legs. His cock continued to throb in his pants, probably leaking with so much pre-cum and in need of some sort of relief but he ignored it. He wants nothing more than for Y/N to cum on his tongue again.
And that is exactly what happened next.
The moment she fell over the edge, Bucky pushed her even harder against him as her whole body spasmed. He maintained his pace on lapping up at her all throughout her high as her hands went from his hair to the headboard, trying to hold her limp body upright. Y/N took a moment to gather herself together, panting heavily as she regained their senses; while Bucky was swift to pull his pants off and throw it to the side.
He grabbed on her hips, holding her firmly in place as his heavy leaking cock nestled between her aching pussy. “Are you sure about this, my dear?” his hot breath fanning against her neck as he gently ruts into her heat. Even though Bucky can see the darken lust in her eyes, he still wanted to make sure that she was sure of her decision.
Y/N’s heart swelled at his concern, and she found herself smiling, a genuine smile that reflected the warmth she felt inside. She pulled him closer and kissed him, pouring all her newfound trust and affection into the kiss. “Yes, Bucky. I am very sure. ”
Bucky quickly responded with equal passion, his tongue slipped in between her lips; exploring the warmness of her mouth, the softness of her tongue. Their muffled moans filled the silenced room, his hands moved to caress her sides, drawing her even closer before breaking away from the heated kiss.
Resting his forehead on hers, his eyes trained on her beautiful face; not wanting to miss his chance to witness the pleasure contorting on her expression. He nudges her clit first, rubbing it slow and sensual before trailing down to her entrance. Gradually, he inches closer, he pushes in and through the tightness of her sacred channel.
Delving impossibly deep, her tightness wrapped around his thick cock until the tip of him reached the deepest parts of her. The sudden feeling of fullness on her untainted pussy caused her to experience both pain and the delightful sensation inside her. The ecstasy of being so knitly connected to each other caused both of them to simultaneously let out moans and groans of raw pleasure.
Bucky waited for her to adjust to his size; leaning down to pamper her with the softest kisses and praises that tears started to swell in her eyes. It was as if Bucky knew exactly what she wanted to hear, how she wanted to be treated and what makes her feel good.
“You’re doing so good, my dear.”
“Look at how perfect your pussy’s taking my cock. So perfect.”
“Made for me aren’t you, sweetheart?. Made to be loved by me, made to be stuffed full of my cock.”
“I promise you’ll be safe with me, Y/N. Always.”
When Y/N finally gave him the permission to move, Bucky kissed her pouty lips and murmured sweetly, “Thank you, my dear.” His hands travelled to find her ankle; which he then gently prop her calf over his broad shoulder. He started pumping in and out slowly, letting her get used to the friction.
Bucky couldn’t help but to groan out to the feeling of her wet hole gripping his cock ever-so-tightly. It was slippery and dripping, that he almost completely slid out of her. Gripping her closer he continue ramming himself back in, deeper, harder; sliding in and out of her at an even pace. Each force of his cock causing her body to jerk in ecstasy; hitting that good spot in her so perfectly.
“S-shit, sweetheart,” he moans deep and heavy as he felt her pussy tightening around him. His metal hand slid in between them and his thumb hones in on her clit. The coldness of his finger made her jolt at first but when he proceeded to rub and pinch on it, everything suddenly started to feel too intense; so incredibly good.
With his fingers assaulting her clit, each thrust of his cock and every deep guttural moan and groan coming from Bucky, she felt her release was growing closer. Bucky also started thrusting faster and harder; he knew he was about to come. Especially when he can feel how much pre-cum has been leaking inside her.
He leaned and rested his forehead on hers, his needy ruts became more and more irregular when her pretty doe eyes looked up at him, “Cum for me, my dear.” his lips brushed against Y/N’s as he coaxed her to her sweet release. His thrusts got harsher and deeper and the friction of his metal finger working on her clit got her cunt to frantically tremble around him, “I wanna feel you milk my cock, sweetheart. Then, I’m gonna my pump cum inside you until you’re leaking.”
Although his words were debauched to no end, however Y/N could sense his genuine affection for her. She felt his sincerity in the way he looked at her, in the way he held her, in the silenced gaze they shared. Overwhelmed with pleasure, her nails dragged across Bucky’s back as she moaned and screamed out his name; letting the high took over her body.
“Fuck,, sweetheart. I’m gonna cum!” groaned as he took in the sound of her pleasured mewls. He ruthlessly grinds into her, savouring the feeling of her cunt tightened around him. With one last rut, he thrust his cock, balls deep inside and let his warm white strings filling her up to the brim. His cock twitches in her fluttering cunt, his legs tensing with every small grind he makes, groaning lowly at her as he bites down on her shoulder, almost drooling on her as he emptied himself completely into her.
Y/N continued to let out strings of soft moans as he pulled out from her leaking cunt; all swollen and sensitive. While she thought she could finally catch some breaths, she didn’t notice the way Bucky was biting on his lip at the sight of his cum dripping out of her, or how his hands lazily tugging on his now hardened cock.
“Dearest?” Bucky hovered above her as he cradled her by her flushed cheeks. She smiled sweetly as she leaned to his touch, “Yes, Bucky?”, she was anticipating him to utter more of those soft words and praises to her; but instead his lips curled into a devilish grin when he slid his cock back into her, immediately pulling a long sinful mewl of his name from her. Bucky hummed approvingly in response; he gently brushed his lips against hers, “May I fill you up again?”
As the morning sun streamed through the windows, Y/N slowly stirred awake. She reached out, instinctively searching for the warmth of her husband beside her, but found the space empty. A pang of loneliness touched her heart, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity when she saw a bouquet of bluebells, her favourite flower, placed delicately on the bedside table.
Next to the bouquet was a note. With a small smile, she picked it up and began to read.
"My Dearest Y/N,
I hate to leave you alone this morning, but I must ensure our journey home is smooth and safe. I trust you slept well, and I promise to return to your side as soon as I can.
Yours always,
Bucky"
The words written on the note were filled with sincerity and reassurance that made her heart flutter. She smiled, a blush creeping across her cheeks as she wondered how he knew bluebells were her favourite.
Just as she was lost in thought, the door opened, and the palace’s maids entered the room. Their faces were a mixture of curiosity and impatience, clearly expecting to see a frightened and bruised young bride.
However, when they saw Y/N's skin, they temporarily froze in their spots. Her skin was indeed bruised, but each one of them recognized the marks for what they were: love marks, not signs of harsh abuse that they were expecting. The traces of Bucky's possessive love were prominent all over her neck, chest, and inner thighs, leaving Y/N blushing as the maids, too, found themselves flushed with embarrassment.
“Well, isn’t this a surprise,” one of the older maids muttered under her breath, her tone laced with irritation. Another maid, with a more condescending sneer, huffed. “Looks like we lost the bet, ladies. Who would have thought the beast could be so... tender?”
Y/N’s cheeks burned with a mix of embarrassment and pride. She could feel their resentful glances and knew they were not pleased with the outcome. The marks on her body were a testament to the affection and desire Bucky had shown her, and despite the initial fear, she now wore them as symbols of the unexpected bond they had begun to forge.
The head maid, who had been the most vocal the night before, now seemed to handle her with an edge of bitterness. The other maids, who had been so quick to judge, were now silent, their eyes wide with resentment.One of the younger maids, braver than the rest, couldn’t hide her frustration. “Well, my lady, I suppose you’re alright, then?” she asked, her voice barely masking her disappointment.
Y/N looked at her, considering the appropriate response. If it was up to her, she ought to punish every single one of them for not knowing their place. Unfortunately, they were not her maids to begin with, but the palace's staff. Otherwise, she would likely fire each one of them.
The memory of Bucky’s affection and care filled her heart, leaving no room for anger or resentment. The warmth of his embrace and the gentle way he had treated her made the maids' behaviour seem petty and insignificant.
She could still feel the lingering touch of his lips on her skin, the way his hands had caressed her so delicately, and the sound of his reassuring voice. Her body was still tingling with the remnants of the previous night's intimacy. Her skin bore the marks of his love, not of brutality, and each bruise was a testament to the passion they had shared. It was completely different to the vile expectations of the maids.
A small smile playing on her lips despite the blush that still coloured her cheeks. "Yes," she said softly, "I am quite alright."
The maids exchanged annoyed glances, their expressions a mix of frustration and disbelief. Their muttered disappointments were tuned out as Y/N focused on the lingering warmth from the night before.
She couldn't hear a single thing except her heart beating to the thought of her husband. She missed him already. Who would’ve thought she’d be swooning for him so soon?
She found herself yearning for his presence, the comfort of his touch, and the sound of his reassuring voice. The memory of his gentle kiss and tender words lingered in her mind yet again, making her heart flutter.
As the maids continued their work, Y/N hoped they would at least perform their duties well enough to cover up for their childish behaviour. She wanted to be ready to see Bucky, to greet him with the same warmth and affection he had shown her. Despite their rudeness, she resolved to focus on the positive, cherishing the newfound bond with her husband.
Bucky stood at the head of the table, his stern expression and commanding presence filling the room. He was reviewing the logistics of their journey home, his voice cold and decisive as he issued instructions to his knights. His trusted knight, Sam, was detailing the possible hotspots for bandits they might encounter along the way.
"We'll likely face trouble here," Sam said, pointing to a spot on the map. "We should send some of our best men ahead to clear the path."
"Agreed," Bucky responded, his tone unyielding. "Deploy the knights in advance. Ensure the path is secure before we proceed."
Sam nodded and continued outlining the plan. He paused, expecting Bucky to reconfirm, but noticed a change in his leader's face. The harsh lines softened, his eyes filled with a tender warmth, as he stared intently at something across the room. Before Sam could look or utter a word, Bucky turned and walked away with determination.
Sam followed Bucky's gaze and understood immediately. "Ah, that's why," he muttered to himself as he watched Bucky approach Y/N. The change in Bucky’s demeanour was striking. He moved with a grace and warmth that was at odds with his usual stern and imposing presence.
Bucky’s eyes softened as he took in the sight of Y/N. He admired her beauty with a gaze filled with awe and adoration. The way he looked at her was as if he was seeing a vision he had longed for, a rare and precious gem that had finally come into his life.
As he extended his hand toward her, a gesture usually seen as etiquette but now entirely with different meaning, especially with the hearts bursting our of his blue eyes. Y/N’s face lighting up with a shy smile, took his hand; almost too eagerly. Bucky's fingers closed gently around hers, his touch tender and reassuring. The contrast between his usual, fearsome reputation and the gentle way he interacted with her was profound, making it clear that his feelings for Y/N were deeply genuine.
Bucky kissed the back of her hand, his lips softly caressing her knuckles. "My dear," he greeted her, using the endearment he had chosen when they first met at the altar.
The scene seemed like it was pulled raw from a romance novel that the surrounding staff and knights simply watched in shock and awe. "Did he just..." one knight whispered, eyes wide. "Called her 'my dear'?" another finished, equally stunned.
Sam, who had witnessed firsthand the monstrous side of Bucky in war, found himself in a state of utter disbelief, jaw dropped loose. He had seen Bucky’s sword painted blood-red, his face splattered with the gore of countless enemies. The Winter Soldier was a force of nature on the battlefield, his brutal efficiency leaving a trail of carnage in his wake. Sam recalled the sight of Bucky’s cold, unyielding eyes as he cut through foes without hesitation, his armor and weaponry gleaming with the blood of those who dared oppose him.
And yet, here he was, the same man who had struck terror into the hearts of many, now standing before Y/N with a tenderness that seemed unimaginable. Sam could hardly believe his eyes. The disparity was pronounced and bewildering. Bucky’s expression was soft, his movements gentle as he held Y/N’s hand in his.
“I’ve missed you,” Y/N said softly, her eyes shining with affection. She truly did, it would be a lie that she didn’t felt the ache in her heart when she woke up alone that morning. The emptiness beside her had felt profound. The bed still carried his scent, a lingering warmth that whispered of his recent presence. Even though the separation had been brief, as evidenced by the thoughtful note and the bouquet of her favourite flowers he had left behind, the loneliness she felt was palpable. His absence, however fleeting, had created a void that left her feeling incomplete.
Bucky’s heart seemed to burst with emotion. He couldn't care less about the gawking staff surrounding them as he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. She initially froze, caught off guard and embarrassed, but soon melted into his kiss with a blossoming confidence.
As their lips met, memories of their tender and passionate night together surged through Bucky's mind. The way she moan his name, the taste of her cum, the tightness of her pussy gripping on his cock, the way his cum leaked out of her, every single sinful scene replayed in head; infinitely. The intensity of the moment was overwhelming, and he found himself nearly losing control. Reluctantly, he pulled back from the kiss, his breath uneven and his gaze filled with an unspoken hunger.
"God, what should I do with you, hmm, sweetheart?" Bucky whispered, his voice laced with seduction as he continued to place gentle kisses along her cheeks and jaw. His lips brushed softly against her skin, whispering how much he had missed her and expressing a wistful desire to stay wrapped in the warmth of their shared bed just a little longer.
Y/N’s soft giggle rang out as she felt the roughness of his stubble against her delicate skin. The sound was like music to Bucky's ears, brightening his mood and filling him with a profound sense of joy. Despite the joyful exchange, he reluctantly ended the sweet torment, his kisses lingering just a moment longer before he pulled away.
“We should be ready to begin our journey shortly,” Bucky said, his tone shifting to a more practical note when e turned to Sam, who had approached during their moment of intimacy.
“Y/N, this is Sam Wilson, he is one of my trusted knights.” Bucky introduced, his gaze shifting to his wife. Sam gave a respectful nod to Y/N, a hint of surprise still evident in his expression from witnessing Bucky's affectionate display. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Y/N.”
Y/N smiled warmly at Sam, appreciating the introduction. “The pleasure is mine, Sir Wilson.”
Sam, sensing that the formality was unnecessary given their imminent interactions, decided to ease the situation. “Just Sam, my lady,” he said with a friendly tone. Y/N repeated his name with a touch of amusement. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Sam.”
Bucky, observing the growing camaraderie between his wife and his trusted knight, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of protectiveness. The easy familiarity between them seemed a bit too casual for his liking. His eyes narrowed slightly as he gave Sam a warning look. “Watch it, Wilson.”
Sam, not missing a beat, chuckled at Bucky’s protective demeanour. “What’s the matter, my lord? Can’t handle a bit of friendly conversation?”
Y/N, noticing the playful tension and Bucky’s slight irritation, couldn’t help but laugh. The contrast between Bucky’s usually soft demeanour that Y/N had witnessed and his current protective stance were both endearing and amusing. Her laughter lightened the mood, making Sam’s teasing even more enjoyable.
Bucky's stern gaze softened as he watched Y/N’s laughter, though his protective instinct remained palpable. Steering the conversion back to the preparations, he allowed a faint smile to tug at the corners of his mouth despite his earlier warning.
“I trust you can escort my wife to the carriage,” Bucky said, his voice serious but tinged with a hint of a smile. “However, I expect you to maintain proper distance and adhere to these additional guidelines.” He paused, ensuring his words were clear. “No unnecessary physical contact or overly familiar behaviour. And if you could, avoid any casual conversations that might be misinterpreted.”
Sam looked at Bucky in disbelief, shaking his head with a bemused expression. “Seriously, Barnes? You’re laying down rules for me to keep my distance from your wife now?”
Bucky’s eyes narrowed playfully. “Consider it a precaution. I’d rather not have any misunderstandings.” Sam chuckled, rolling his eyes as he complied. “Understood. I’ll make sure to follow your... guidelines.”
Y/N watched the exchange with amusement, her earlier shyness melting away into a warm appreciation for Bucky’s protectiveness. The scene, tinged with a touch of comedy, only deepened the connection between them.
Bucky, intent on making a point to Sam while expressing his affection, pulled Y/N close and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. The gesture was both intimate and deliberate, a subtle yet clear indication to Sam that she belongs to Bucky. “I’ll join you shortly, my dear,” Bucky said softly, his voice filled with warmth as he gazed into her eyes.
Sam, unimpressed by Bucky’s display, rolled his eyes at the seemingly childish antics. “This way, my lady,” he said with a hint of impatience. Y/N nodded in agreement but paused before turning her back on Bucky. With a loving smile, she whispered, “I’ll see you later,” before following Sam.
Bucky watched as Sam guided Y/N away, his gaze lingered with a mix of affection and something much deeper; an unspoken sadness. As their silhouettes walked further and further away from his sight, a sombre glaze settled over his eyes.
Beneath the surface of his composed exterior, his heart ached; the was a silent reflection of a pain he had hidden deep within his heart. It was a lingering sorrow that had shadowed him ever since he stood at the altar, the weight of unvoiced grief clinging to him as he gazed at his future bride.
Part II >>
Read my other works here: Masterlist
A/N: Wondering why he was in the feels at the end? We’ll know it soon enough. I’ll see you in the next parts! Thank you for reading!
Can I please request something where the reader and Bucky are friends and they both have feelings for each other but of course they don't confess to each other yet (they are roommates and maybe grumpy Bucky x shy/soft sunshine reader)
Maybe angst to fluff, Please? Thank you ☺️
One late afternoon/evening he comes back from a mission, in a bad mood and slightly injured the reader is relieved and happy that he is back. But he is tense and angry and she leaves him space and tends to his injuries but later Bucky snaps at the reader about something harmless and says something he didn't wanted to say and he hurts her with his sharp behaviour and his rude words. He immediately regrets it and in the morning he apologizes to her and confesses his feelings to her
Shouldn’t Have Snapped » Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier
Pairings: Roommate!Bucky Barnes x Roommate!Female Reader
Summary: Bucky accidentally snaps at you and then you two confess your love for each other.
Warnings: Angst, Fluff, language, roommates to lovers, friends to lovers, shy!reader, grumpy!Bucky/sunshine!reader, crying, kissing, pet names
A/N: @jackys-stuff-blog thank you for the lovely request🩵
Written on my phone. My apologies for any mistakes.
Header made by @buck-star / divider made by me
GIF IS NOT MINE! Gif credit goes to the creator.
The only thing Bucky wanted to do when he got home from this mission is to lay down and relax. He was greeted by a hug from you as soon as he walked in yours and his shared apartment. He didn’t want to be rude and not hug you. He hugged you with arm.
“How was the mission?” You asked softly.
“It was fine.” Bucky grumbles.
You frowned to yourself. Bucky is never this grumpy. You just assumed that he’s tired so you didn’t think much of it.
“You have a scratch on your cheek.” You say, reaching up to touch it.
“It’s fine. It’ll heal.” He says.
“I want to help you get healed.” You say sweetly.
“I said it’s fine!” He raises his voice, making you flinch. “I haven’t been home for 5 fucking minutes and you’re already bothering me and clinging to me!” He yells.
You stood there, looking at him with teary eyes. Bucky had never snapped at you, let alone raise his voice at you.
“I’m- I’m sorry.” You say quietly, shyly, and sheepishly.
You went to your bedroom to give him space. You laid down on your bed and started crying. Bucky’s enhanced hearing heard your crying. He sighs to himself and rubs his hands over his face.
“God damn it!” Bucky says to himself, frustrated with himself that he made the woman he’s in love with cry.
Bucky wanted to apologize, but he didn’t want to bother you. So he went to the bathroom to take a shower. After his shower, he looked in the mirror, seeing a bruise on his side, along with the scratch on his cheek. Other than that, it’s not anything major. He walked out of the bathroom, stopping in his tracks in front of your bedroom door. He stared at your bedroom door for a second before raising his hand to knock on the door, but then he stopped himself when he heard you crying.
“She probably doesn’t want to talk to me right now. She probably hates me now.” Bucky says to himself.
Bucky lowered his hand and went down the hall to his own bedroom to get dressed and ready for bed. He laid on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He hates himself for yelling at you when you were just trying to help him. He rubbed his hands over his face and then ran his fingers through his long hair. He’s frustrated with himself.
“I’m such a fucking idiot! Why would I yell at the woman I’m in love with?” He says to himself.
Bucky groans loudly out of frustration. He’s just tired. He didn’t mean to yell at you. Now, he’s going to get little to no sleep tonight.
The next morning, Bucky woke up, still frustrated with himself. He grumbles to himself as he got out of bed and went to the kitchen. The smell of coffee filled his nose. You were in the kitchen making a pot of coffee.
“Morning.” Bucky greets you softly.
“Morning.” You mumbled shyly, not making eye contact with you.
You walked over to the cabinet to get a coffee cup, but due to your shortness, you couldn’t reach the one you wanted. Bucky walked up behind you and got it for you and got one for himself.
“Thank you.” You mumbled.
“You’re welcome, doll.” He says softly.
You poured coffee in your cup and Bucky’s cup.
“Y/N, wait.” Bucky says as you were about to walk out of the kitchen.
“No.” You said.
“Y/N, please.” He pleads.
“No.” You said again. “You were mean to me and made me cry last night.” You say.
“I know.” He said. “I would like to apologize if you let me.” He says.
You nodded and took a sip of your coffee, patiently waiting for Bucky to apologize to you.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you last night. I didn’t mean to. I was tired and wanted to relax. I’m sorry.” Bucky apologizes.
“I just- I just wanted to help you.” You say.
“I know and I’m sorry.” He apologizes again. “Please forgive me.” He pleads.
“I do forgive you. I just didn’t like it when you yelled at me.” You say.
“I’m sorry.” He apologizes once more.
“It’s ok.” You say.
Bucky opens his arms for a hug, which you happily accepted. He winced and hissed when your arm accidentally bumped the bruise on his side.
“Did I hurt you?” You asked, pulling away from the hug.
“No, no. Some dumbass thought it would be a good idea to kick me in my side during the mission.” Bucky says.
Bucky lifted his white tank top to show you the bruise. It was foot print sized, but it didn’t look like anything major.
“Do you want me to get you an ice pack?” You asked softly.
“Yes please. That would be nice.” He smiles.
You walked over to the refrigerator and got an ice pack out of the freezer. You walked back over to Bucky and gently pressed the ice pack against his side on the bruise. You looked up at him to see him looking down at you with adoration in his eyes. He brings his hand up to your cheek and gently caressed it.
“How- How’s the scratch on your cheek?” You asked shyly.
“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt.” Bucky says softly.
Bucky leans in and kisses you softly and passionately. Your free hand grabs onto his tank top, clutching the fabric in your hand. There was so much passion in the kiss that it took your breath away.
“I love you!” Bucky blurts out.
“I- You what?” You asked.
“I love you.” He repeats softly. “I’ve been in love with you since the day we became roommates. If you don’t feel the same way as me, that’s fine. We can pretend that I didn’t just confess my love for you and we can go back to being roommates and friends.” He confesses.
“I’m in love with you too.” You confessed.
“You are?” He asks.
You nodded. “I’ve been in love with you since the day we met, but I wasn’t sure how to tell you, because I thought you would think I’m a little girl who has a crush on her roommate.” You say shyly and looked down.
Bucky gently lifted your head to get you to look him in his eyes.
“I don’t think that at all. I think you’re someone who’s in love like I am.” He says.
“What- What does this mean for us?” You asked.
“I would very much like it if you become my girl.” He says softly. “Only if you want to. I don’t want to pressure you into a relationship.” He says.
“I would love to be your girl, Bucky.” You smiled.
Bucky smiles back and kisses you softly.
“I love you, doll.” Bucky almost whispers.
“I love you too, Bucky Bear.” You almost whispered.
grumpy!bucky x sunshine!reader where sunshine reader turns out to be the dominant one in bed
this is just filth.
warnings: handjob, dirty talk? (reader)
bucky never expected this from you. from your sweet, innocent smile. the way you giggle, even at steve’s jokes that are never really that funny. there was no way he could guess that you would be taking him apart like a damn lincoln log set.
“does that feel good, jamie?” you tease him as you work his cock. you knew the effect you were having on him
sitting on the couch in his apartment - a couch you insisted that he get so you could comfortably cuddle while watching movies together - you poised on his lap, just on the edge of his thighs. what had started as a makeout session has now turned into something much more heated.
having been together for nearly 4 months and still not done the deed, mostly because bucky didn’t want to make it seem like that’s the only thing he wanted you for, bucky was pleasantly surprised when his sweet innocent girlfriend was suddenly taking charge of him.
you were pressing open mouthed kisses to his neck, your hand pressed to his still clothed cock. his hands were roaming from your waist to your back to the back of your head, wanting to touch all of you, feel all of you.
“so-oh shit,” bucky nearly fucking whimpers. this strong, beefy super soldier, turning into putty in your small hands.
the team was so fooled. you would bake cookies for them every week. on missions, you never dared to say a single swear word - something steve has come to respect. always wearing the most innocent, frilly little sundresses when you can. and here you are, whispering the dirtiest things in bucky’s ear.
“so hard for me already, baby,” you whisper in his ear, his hips bucking up to press harder against your hand. “and already so eager, too.” you giggle. you fucking giggle.
“please?” he begs. “god, please, sweets,” he whispers oh-so-needy, his hips still rutting into your hand.
“please what?” you take your hand away from his cock. “use your words like a big boy.”
he lets out a frustrated huff as he throws his head back, his hands settling on your waist and gripping you for dear life.
“please touch me?” he asks. “please touch me, please?” his desperation is palpable as his chest rises and falls.
“… here?” you ask, your hands gripping his broad shoulders firmly. he shakes his head. “how about… here?” you move your hands to his hair, gently yanking on his longer locks.
“fuck,” he moans as his head is tilted up, your lips connecting with his neck and leaving the prettiest marks he swears he’s ever seen. he can’t even complain, so lost in your touch, grateful for whatever you were willing to give him.
“or…” you continue to kiss his neck as you trail your hands down to the front of his sweatpants. he lifts his hips to help you push the waistband down. “here,” your hands finally connect with his member, your touch so gentle he wouldn’t even be able to tell if he weren’t so hyper aware of you right now.
he whimpers at the feather-light touch. “yes,” he nods eagerly. “right there, please?” he opens his eyes, looking down to see your small hand wrapped around his member. truth be told, the sight is better than he’s imagined - which he has… a lot.
“so polite for me,” you praise him and his hips rut into your touch. “there we go, baby,” you firmly wrap your hand around him, moving your hands up and down teasingly slow. you give him this smirk, making sure he knew what you were doing.
he moans for you, a debouched, wanton moan. a sound that he’s never elicited in his overextended life on earth. yet, you brought it out of him. he rests his forehead against yours, his hands still gripping your waist but now traveling to your hips. to rest there comfortably.
your hand picks up the pace, gripping him a bit tighter as you sweep your thumb over his leaky tip. “suck a pretty cock, jamie,” you say as you look down. “all mine.”
“yours,” he mimics your words. “all yours, sweets. forever.” he assures you - not that you ever had any doubts.
you pick up the pace, working your hand over his a bit quicker as his breaths come in shorter. his eyes shut as your foreheads remain together; he’s getting close. “so pretty like this,” you praise him. “coming undone for me. being such a good fucking boy, too.” his hips buck up again at the praise, he’s teetering right on the edge, just needing one more push. “finish for me, baby. cum all over my hand. make a dirty fucking mess for me, jamie.”
and he’s gone. his jaw drops as his hips work up to meet your hand, a cry of your name leaving his lips as his come spills from his pretty cock. his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you even closer as you work him through his high.
he swears your the best things that’s ever happened to him. it’s not just this - no. it’s your sweet voice cooing to him when he wakes up from a nightmare when you decide to sleep over. it’s you cooking his favorite meal ‘just because.’ it’s just you, dammit. everything about you made him want to hold you close in his arms and never let you go. he wanted to protect you and guard you with his life. he wanted to marry you - fuck. yeah, yeah. he did want to marry you. he wanted you to have his kids, too. this life-altering realization coming just as he… quite ironic, isn’t it?
