Summer In Your Eyes: Seasons Series 1 (Lifeguard!Steve x Bucky Barnes Summer AU)

Twenty

Once the pizza was distributed and the teens were back in Steve's area of the house, they settled in for a movie night. Taking the same seats as earlier as the animated Disney film, Hercules, played onscreen. Bucky couldn't help but think about the parallels between the titular hero and the boy sitting beside him.

The boy who was seemingly struggling with his pizza. The melted cheese stretching impressively, almost like in animated shows before finally tearing. Leftover strings hung from his chin as he attempted to slurp them into his mouth while reaching for his napkin, and all Bucky could do was fondly watch him.

Just then, a girl nonchalantly came up behind the couch and draped her arms over the back of the large sectional sofa. Sliding them down Steve's broad shoulder to loosely hold him as she ducked her head into his neck. Briefly confused and mildly jealous, Bucky watched as the blonde girl pressed a sweet kiss to Steve's sun-kissed skin.

Not at all surprised by the girl holding him, Steve fondly grinned up at her. As they casually kissed one another, Bucky purposely directed his gaze away from them. Only for his eyeline to land on Natasha. Her brows were deeply furrowed and she gestured with her thumb at the happy couple. Bucky simply shrugged and looked away, if only to save his crumbling heart.

"Pizza," the girl happily mused.

"I put some off to the side for you," Steve smiled up at her, giving her arm an affectionate squeeze as she started pulling them away from his body.

"Thank you," she softly told Steve. She probably intended for just Steve to hear, but since Bucky was sitting right next to him, he unfortunately heard it anyway without purposely trying to. Bucky was even able to hear the press of her lips to Steve's temple, making Bucky entirely too sick to continue eating his pizza.

For a moment, Bucky thought about taking care of his unfinished third slice, but ultimately decided against it. Mainly because Bucky didn't want to be alone with Steve's girlfriend considering he didn't know the first thing about her. Besides the fact that she obviously had Steve wrapped around her little finger.

Which made Bucky even sicker.

Trying to remain calm, Bucky focused -- the best that he could -- on the animated film. Of course, that didn't last long as the blonde made her way back down to the basement. Momentarily, Bucky wondered if he should move, so she could sit next to Steve. Then, he wondered what would happen if he didn't.

Assuming that Steve would get up, Bucky went rigid beside him. Glancing out the corner of his eyes and held his breath as he waited for Steve to move seats. Praying that Steve wouldn't move seats. Praying even more that his girlfriend wouldn't ask for Bucky to give up his.

Letting out a small sigh of relief when neither happened, Bucky followed her with his eyes as she took a seat on the other side of Natasha. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see that Natasha was also watching her. And knowing Nat, Bucky was certain that she would say something.

"You know, you look so familiar," Natasha started, as if on cue.

The girl's eyes widened, as though she was shocked that someone had acknowledged her. Quickly, she attempted to finish chewing the bite that she had just taken. Then, when it seemed to be taking too long, she held her hand to cover her mouth as she suggested, "Maybe online. I tagged Stevie in our prom pictures."

Stevie? Our? Yup, Bucky had most definitely lost his appetite and felt like he could puke.

"That must be it," Natasha slyly agreed. Clearly wanting to find out more as she curiously asked, "So, is that when you got together?"

Nodding, the girl tried to quickly finish the next bite she took. As she lifted her hand, so she could answer again, Steve beat her to it with, "Oh, c'mon, Nat. You practically coached me through it."

Natasha paused in her questioning then and looked over at Steve, and then Bucky. Slightly wincing, Natasha sheepishly replied, "Shit. I did, didn't I?"

As Steve nodded his confirmation, Natasha gave Bucky an apologetic smile. Bucky couldn't blame Nat though. After all, she just found out about his crush on their childhood friend. On their Stevie. On his Stevie.

"Don't worry about it," the girl reassured and teased, "Stevie's pretty scatterbrained."

"I am not," Steve argued around the bite of pizza he was currently chewing.

"Are too," she retorted and made her point, "You didn't even introduce me to anyone." Playfully, she rolled her eyes before giving both Natasha and Bucky friendly grins, "I'm Sharon, by the way."

"I was getting there," Steve defended himself, wiping more strings of cheese and sauce from his strong chin.

"Natasha," she introduced herself and used her thumb to point at Bucky, "Bucky."

"Wait," Sharon exclaimed, simply lighting up. Shoving her plate off her lap to the empty cushion beside her, she questioned, "Bucky? The Bucky? As in: Bucky from that fishing picture?"

"That's what it sounds like," Clint mocked, joining in on the conversation while Bucky's brows furrowed and asked, "What fishing picture?"

"Just the absolute cutest picture that I've ever seen," Sharon gushed, flashing a toothy grin at Bucky. A true smile that was just contagious enough to cause Bucky's own lips to tip up.

"Ever?" Natasha smirked, glancing over at Bucky with arched brows.

Sharon nodded her confirmation and Bucky looked over at Steve. Steve's face was starting to redden and Bucky playfully bumped his shoulder against Steve's. Teasingly, Bucky repeated, "What fishing picture?"

"The one where you're kids with that old man," Sharon cryptically described.

Softly, Steve better explained, "The summer you lost your two front teeth and I had a bowl cut."

Bucky knew that summer well. He was nine, Steve eight. They had begged Grandpa to take them on one of fishing trips. Grandpa usually went fishing with his friends, but after Bucky and Steve begged him for nearly three weeks straight, Grandpa finally relented. Grandpa had even bought the two some Big League Chew Bubble Gum for them to share when he picked up some chewing tobacco form himself.

With the tub of gum, Bucky remembered them competing to see who could blow the biggest bubble. Every time, Bucky held back, knowing that he'd give anything to see that victorious grin on Steve's face. And that every time Steve won, he knew that Bucky had let him and demanded a rematch. They chewed so much of that gum that Bucky couldn't even stand the smell anymore to this day.

Not necessarily needing Steve to continue, but not planning on stopping him either, Bucky just listened to what Steve was willing to share. Especially when Steve lowered the volume of his voice even more as he cautiously, intimately, continued, "With your grandpa."

"It's seriously just the cutest picture I've ever seen," Sharon gushed. "I'm sure that we can find it later. Because honestly, it's just the best."

"Well, now I gotta see this picture," Natasha genuinely stated.

"Where is it?" Sharon asked Steve. Steve's blush darkened as he shrugged in silent reply. Sharon playfully rolled her eyes before declaring, "I'll find it. Don't worry."