✔𝚮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝛐 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 ➳ 𝚩𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝚩𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 25: 𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝛐𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝛐 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞

"Oh, shut up! I'm sure it's great," Wanda said, and the rolling of eyes could practically be heard through the phone. "Yeah! I will- my mom is telling me to get off the phone. I don't think I can leave tomorrow, or the day after, but Saturday, maybe?"

"Dude, that sounds great!" Jo looked at the calendar hanging on the fridge. Today was Wednesday. "I can pick you up around, like, lunch?"

"That sounds amazing. I can't wait to see you, and the rest of Oakworth Hills again – I guess seeing Tony and my brother won't be too bad either," Wanda let out a chuckle. "Anyway, I'll see you Saturday."

"Yup, see you there!" Jo chirped, and on the other end, the phone was put down, beeping emerging. She put the phone next to her on the counter and dragged her hands down her face.

Not thinking about it wasn't an option any longer. With how she was starting to feel about Bucky, ignoring it wouldn't work. She needed to seriously consider if she wanted to take this any further before Peggy caught wind of it.

Her sister was being kind to her, and here Jo was, betraying her right behind her back, fooling around with one of her best friends when she had explicitly told her not to. She needed more. Being impulsive and going with the flow wasn't an option.

"Ten," she mumbled out.

Bucky had always been there, but the first time she saw him was very different. After a summer where he had been gone with his family. The smirk was a signature of his by then. His head lazily rolled and tilted as he smugly watched people. For a while, she thought, 'he must think he's so much better than everyone else'. He was growing up, looking less like a boy.

"Nine," she breathed.

His smile had lit up something in her. Back then, she hated it, and she still kind of did. That's what made it so complex. Her feelings were simple, but the consequences of them weren't. Then she had seen him again, ten days ago, bumping into him. That smile lit something in her, she had thought long dead.

"Eight," she sighed.

The glint in his eyes was one she loved. Jo had seen it up close a few times. It was as if his crystal blue eyes softened, and the sweetest threads of caramel floated from his pupils. It made her heart feel light.

"Seven," she puffed out, the numbers were getting harder to speak.

So many people were overprotective without her wanting to, and they always talked to her like she was a child, but not him. He listened, and she knew he was worried because of his eyes, but he didn't tell her anything she was aware of already.

"Six."

At six, they had the fight in her bed. He didn't want to kiss her, and she was angry within an instant. It was bullshit. He had kissed her not long after.

"Five," she croaked out.

Those lips pressed against hers had given everything meaning. He made her feel as if she was the answer to every question ever asked. Somehow, it didn't matter that everything was bullshit.

"Four." The lump was back.

Bucky touched her even in front of Peggy, kissing her whenever he could. He respected that she didn't want to tell her sister, but he still kissed her as if he didn't care.

"Three."

His warm hands were everywhere. All over her body. Touching her in the bathroom. Making her feel as if she was on a golden cloud. Kissing her so passionately.

"Two." The lump was swallowed.

Ring-donned fingers gracing her skin. Pressing her body closer to him. His warm breath against her ear. Teeth biting down on her skin, barely able to stop.