Locked, Loaded, Loved ✔️ COMPLETE | UNDER EDITS

Chapter 5.3--Steve

Bucky returned that evening with a look on his face I couldn't quite decipher. I'd known him long enough that if I couldn't figure out his expression, he had to have a reason for it. And that was always because he was protecting me from something. Back in Brooklyn right before he got shipped out, the same thing happened. He'd just saved me from the idiot from the movie theater, and when I saw his expression, I knew he'd gotten his orders. He never had to say anything—I just knew.

This time was no different. Except for the fact that he'd just been out with my girlfriend. Not that I was worried. But Bucky did have a better reputation in the romance department.

"How was dinner?" I asked. I busied myself with folding my laundry.

"It was good." Bucky flopped down on his bed. "Did you know Nat is seeing someone?"

My head whipped around so fast I could've given myself whiplash. "She told you that?" So much for not telling Bucky about us even though that was Nat's idea.

"Yeah." He dragged a hand down his face. "She won't tell me who it is, though."

"Oh." I breathed a sigh of...relief? Or was that disappointment? I hated lying to Bucky. "How did that come up?"

"We were just...talking. She brought it up to, um, clear the air."

I raised an eyebrow. What was there to clear? "I see." I tried to bite back the jealousy in my voice.

Bucky sat up, putting his book down next to him. "I'm guessing you didn't know?"

I swallowed. "It's complicated." I put the pile of clothes on top of my dresser. "I'll be right back." Before Bucky could say anything else, I left the room and went upstairs to see Natasha.

I knocked on her door. A few beats later, she opened it still wearing her outfit from the evening.

"Hey, you," she greeted me, smiling.

"Hey. Can I come in?"

Natasha nodded, her smile faltering, and opened the door wider. We walked in together and sat on her bed.

"Did you tell Bucky?" I blurted.

"Tell him...you mean about us? No, I didn't tell him. Why?" Her eyes scanned my face. "What did he say to you?"

"He said you told him you were seeing someone."

"Oh. That."

"So...?"

She nodded. "Yes, I told him I was seeing someone. But I didn't tell him it was you."

"Why did you tell him anything? I thought the whole point was to keep us a secret. If you don't want to keep it a secret—"

"I do want it to be a secret," Natasha said. She covered my hand with hers. "I only told him what he needed to know in the moment."

"Let me guess—it was to clear the air?"

She raised an eyebrow at me. "Did he tell you that?"

"Actually, yeah. But I wanted to hear your side."

"Steve," she cupped my face in her hands. "I only told him what I did because I know how these things can be. You know Bucky and I have history, and those feelings don't necessarily go away —" she looked pointedly at me "before there was any confusion and to prevent something from happening."

"Oh." I coughed. "Well, I guess that's good then."

The corners of Natasha's mouth twitched up into a smile. "Were you jealous?"