THE FADING FALLEN ● Bucky Barnes X OC ● 18+ ● ENGLISH [COMPLETE]

Chapter 50

The dark, grim look came over his face again. Emilia knew it too well. She didn't want to see him like this anymore.

No longer so hurt and doubting himself. Above all, no longer so lost in thoughts that pulled him into a terrible darkness.

"How about a trip tomorrow?"

At her abrupt question, his head snapped to her.

"Trip?"

"Yes. I was going to head to the city and take care of some business. Why don't you just join me?"

Bucky hesitated a little and looked at her suspiciously.

"Don't worry, Barnes. It'll just be a harmless little trip. Without any bad surprises."

She could literally read his mind and had to stifle a laugh. His features relaxed and he had to yawn involuntarily.

It was almost two in the morning and after the chaos of the last few weeks, they were both in dire need of sleep.

"All right. But only if you don't wake me up too early."

He stood up and stretched a little. As he did, his T-shirt slid up, revealing a short peek at his belly and hips.

Emilia gulped briefly at the seductive sight before her and had to call herself to her senses.

"Of course not, Sergeant. An old man should be given his deserved beauty sleep."

With a playfully offended expression, he looked back over his shoulder at her and opened the door of the boat shack a moment later.

"Hey, sunshine!"

He turned with his hand on the door handle. It was the first time she called him that in a long while. The sound of her voice and the radiant face ran through him like a warm summer thunderstorm.

"Sleep well."

∼⋄∼ ○❖○ ∽⋄∽

Bucky heard it jingle and clink.

When he opened his eyes and turned his head in the direction of the sounds, he saw AJ and Cass running around with the shield.

From the kitchen came the voices of Emilia and Sarah, who were preparing breakfast.

After their talk, and despite the sad things he had learned the previous night, he slept like a rock.

"Hey you two! Now stop that and sit down." Sarah's loud voice sounded admonishingly through the house, whereupon the boys leaned the shield back against the wall.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. The sun has risen." Sam came through the back door with a small basket of eggs and passed Bucky, who got up from the couch.

"And what do you want me to do now? Photosynthesis?"

Yawning, he followed him into the kitchen, where Sam handed the basket to Emilia.

"I dutifully thanked each of the chickens, you know." He winked playfully at her.

"Well, I should hope so." She made an intentionally arrogant face and placed the eggs in a pot of boiling water.

"Good morning."

At Bucky's still slightly sleepy voice, she pulled around. A somewhat shy smile spread across her face, which he met with a short grin.

She quickly turned her attention back to the steaming water in front of her. The moments of the previous night flitted through her mind and somehow she felt like a little high school girl after the first date with her crush.