Checkmate (BuckyBarnes x OC)

What is Love to Us

We were speed walking between the trees. Bucky told me what he ordered Vadim to do if he wouldn't be back by dawn either with or without me. But it was pretty late in the morning already and I guessed that if Vadim didn't sleep in, he and Aida were long gone from their hideout spot. Still, we returned there in hope that we would see their sleeping faces. Surely enough we were met with disappointment.

The grass sorrounding the oak tree was stomped and it was visible that someone spent a lot of time sitting here. Vadim was careful not to leave anything lying around, he only left a note which I found between the roots. I read it out loud so Bucky could hear it as well.

" 'We did as you told' it's all it says." I murmured. Bucky stepped beside me and glanced at the piece of crumbled paper.

"It's written in ink. It's still fresh, they didn't leave long ago," He said after a few short seconds of examinating it.

"Where did they get ink?" I asked.

"I packed it. I like to write with ink," Bucky admitted. I was surprised that a harsh man like him liked something so delicate as ink was, but then again I remembered how neat the address of my father that Bucky wrote down for me was written.

"So, what do we do now? We don't know where they went. Plus I'm guessing we're not leaving by plane, but they surely will. Bucharest is too far for them to be going by bus or car, Vadim's smart enough to know that."

Bucky's lips curved into a smirk, "They saved my life you know. Both of them."

"Yeah, they're good kids," I confirmed, "Can you guess we're related?"

Bucky looked at me and chuckled slightly. It was a pleasant feeling making him laugh, for it was a really rare occasion. Besides, he deserved to laugh. He went through a lot of shit because of me. He had to deal with my father, my coworkers...

"Wait." I said and Bucky's expression changed, "Did you know Masha is working with Garry? I think she leads his guard."

His eyes searched my face to see if I was joking or not, but I clearly wasn't. "That girl you work with? But she's so tiny!"

"I know... And she was nice to me, too. I actually considered her a friend 'till this point." I said disappointedly. She was probably my only friend I made by my own choice. Of course Natasha, Bucky, Sam, Steve and others were my friends as well, but most of them I was forced to meet and see multiple times. Masha was something special and now even that friendship sailed down the drain.

Bucky's arm found way around my shoulders as he squeezed me into his side. My chin was lowered to my chest. I felt one salty tear making it's way down my cheek. I sobbed quietly. Bucky's soft fingers wiped the tear away. His hand found it's way to my chin and he lifted my head up to meet his big silver puppy eyes. They were tired and downcasted, but were the most beautiful thing I've ever seen nevertheless.

A cold breeze passed us and sent shivers down my spine so I subconsciously cuddled deeper into Bucky's side to which he grinned.

"Don't mock me, it's cold," I defended my action and tried to shuffle away from his shoulder in embarassment, but he kept the grip on my upper arm tight.

"Well, I'm not gonna let you go either. I think we have something we need to discuss." He said before lowering his head and slamming his lips to mine. Last time he approached me slowly and intimately, despite the life-or-death circumstances we were in, now he engaged with longing for something he thought he'd lose. I was surprised by the sudden change, but decided to go with his flow and relaxed into the kiss. I turned to face him completely and lifted my head up so he wouldn't have to bend down as much. My arms found their way around his shoulders and neck and were probably the only thing keeping me standing. My legs turned to jelly a few seconds ago.