Play Pretend - Bucky Barnes

Part 5

Few seconds after you decided to get out of bed, the bathroom door opened. Bucky walked out, humming some melody, and only wearing a towel. Droplets fell from his hair, some wetting the floor, others landing on himself, trailing down his chest and further down his defined torso.

"Morning, doll," he said walking inside, bending down to grab some clothes out of the drawer. Your cheeks flushed knowing he had caught you staring but it didn't stop you from watching his back muscles ripple with each movement.

"Morning," you quickly jumped out of bed and hurried into the bathroom, not able to take him being virtually naked in the same room as you.

You plopped down on the toilet, rubbing your eyes in an attempt to erase the picture from your brain. It proved pointless. You tried letting the water from the shower pour down on you to wash you clean, both physically and spiritually. It was also pointless. Were you just supposed to forget everything that happened last night? Even if it would drive you crazy, it probably was the best idea. The fear of him rejecting you won but you knew that you also still were on a mission which had its significance.

You got dressed as slowly as possible, delaying the inevitable of going downstairs and facing him. You did, however, know that you couldn't put it off forever.
Your heels clicked as you walked down the stairs, holding onto the railing tightly.

He was sitting at the dining room table reading the newspaper. He was wearing the blue sweater you got for him last week when shopping in town. He paired it with a pair of snug jeans, that you knew fit his buttocks very well (you might have been staring at every possible moment).

Weekends were always relaxing and it had become a tradition that you cooked a full English breakfast for the two of you. Bucky had let it slip once that he'd only had it around two times before, but that it was his current favourite. Ever since that, you decided you would treat him.

You began rustling around the kitchen and soon a delicious smell spread out into the house. You carefully positioned each different bit on the plate, giving Bucky a slightly bigger portion. You brought them out to the dining table and he wordlessly got up and retrieved the cutlery and two glasses.

You could tell he appreciated the meal as he almost gulped it all down in one bite.

"Hungry, huh?" you said amused smirking over the rim of your glass.

"Starving." He said returning to eating again.

You sat your glass down turning your attention to the book next to you. Your hand jittered across the wood until it was stopped by Bucky's hand. You had formed a habit of spelling out the words that you found especially interesting but at the moment it was just tapping an irregular beat. Bucky had commented on it once saying that he found it adorable but also immensely distracting.

He didn't look up from his newspaper as he intertwined your fingers. You knew he was trying to convey how great the food was and squeezed his hand in response.

You both continued reading your respective materials, still holding hands with Bucky's thumb stroking a calming rhythm on your skin.

The bugs you had placed didn't give you much information on whatever item Daniel had been given. He had arrived home and the only sound that was heard was rustling of a jacket and the crinkling of paper. None of it was of use to you.

Perhaps, you could lure some details out of them at the annual Christmas party held tonight.

It seemed like this town was fond of getting its residents out of their houses and in a place where they could all be gathered. No one complained, of course, this was a prime place for their nosy appetites to be fed.

You slipped on the red gown you bought specifically for this event and a pair of ankle strap heels. The material swirled around your legs with each step down the stairs.

Bucky who was waiting for you downstairs turned around the moment he heard you coming. His eyebrows raised in awe and he was at a loss for words. He bit his lip thinking of what to say.

"You look gorgeous," he quickly regained his ability to speak and trailed his eyes over the dress.

"You don't look too bad yourself," you smiled also glancing at his body. He was wearing a black suit with a red tie, that coincidentally matched the colour of your dress. You walked closer, ignoring your pumping heartbeat, and fixed his tie. You didn't notice his eyes lingering on your lips or how hard he swallowed as your fingers brushed against his neck. You were only focused on how close you were and that you could smell his intoxicating aroma. You finished patting him on the chest a few times, letting your hands rest on his muscular chest feeling him breathe in deeply.

"Shall we?" He asked giving you his arm. You nodded letting him escort you out to the car.

They had gone out all with the decorations. The exterior was lit up with plenty of lights and other decorations that also lit up. The inside was no better. A huge tree stood in the middle almost covered entirely by decorations, huge bulbs, garland and, of course, more lights. A huge table stood to the side with great looking appetizers and glasses of alcohol.

The place was filled to the brim, it seemed like everybody had taken advantage of having a night without worries and a place that served free food and alcohol, for their pleasure. People stood talking to each other around the room but still made space for the dancing couples filling the middle of the room.

You walked around for a few minutes together before splitting up to socialise.

You went around to talking to the people you had gotten to know during your weeks here, before stumbling across Amy and Daniel.

"Hi," you exclaimed returning Amy's hug and giving Daniel a huge smile.

"Hi, dear. Where's your darling husband?" Amy asked gesturing to the empty space beside you.

"Right here," Bucky popped up from behind leaning forward to give her a kiss on the cheek and Daniel a handshake.

You grabbed his arm and pulled him close to you once he returned to your side, feeling oddly protective after observing how Amy was staring.

You exchanged pleasantries with them before they excused themselves to talk to some friends they hadn't seen for a long time.

As they walked away, you made your way out onto the dance floor, clasping your hands around his neck, his hands placed on your waist. This reminded you awfully much of the night before and his warm breath sweeping over your neck wasn't helping.

"I don't think they suspect we know anything," He said watching them out of the corner of his eye. They hadn't let anything slip, but they also didn't seem to think you knew anything.

"We just need to figure out what it was that Daniel received," you added, looking into his eyes, swaying back and forth in time to the music, looking like every other couple out on the floor.

He stared back, unknown emotions swimming in his eyes that changed at a rate that made them impossible to figure out.

Time seemed to slow down as you steadily moved closer. The grip on your waist tightened as your lips were about to meet. The moment, however, was interrupted as the DJ changed the song and exclaimed loudly that it was "time to jump around." You both nearly jumped away from each other, not quite what you thought the DJ had in mind but stopped yourself at the last moment knowing people could be watching. You couldn't blow your cover, so you stayed close even if it killed you to do so. An awkward tension filled the space again, and as you rested your chin on his shoulder you couldn't help but think: Maybe, this just wasn't meant to be.