Author's Note: Part of this chapter is written from Shannon's POV. Also, fluff, smut, and lumberjack Bucky.
Shannon sleeps through the night, waking a few times to go to the bathroom. Bucky doesn't set an alarm. The animals do that job perfectly. Around 9am, Ace and Alpine stand on the bed, grunting and meowing softly, demanding to be fed.
"All right, all right. Calm down."
Shannon stirs and lifts her head. Her eyes are still puffy from crying the night before and she looks confused. Bucky is already sliding out of bed and shrugging a t-shirt on.
"Wha's going on?" She mumbles.
"I'm going to feed them and grab breakfast. You want me to bring you something?"
"No," she whispers, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "I should get up. We have that neighborhood bonfire thing tonight. My mom said she wanted my help with food prep."
"Right," Bucky whispers. "I forgot about that."
Shannon stares at him and then reaches her arms out with a huge smile on her face. Bucky crawls across the bed to hold her.
"Thank you for last night," she whispers. "All of it."
"You're welcome."
There's a soft knock at the door.
"Come in," Shannon says softly.
The door opens and Sam pokes his head in.
"Hey, Shan. Your mom told me what happened last night. You good?"
She smiles and nods. Sam steps further inside the room and sits on the edge of the bed.
"I'm getting there. It just hurts to see him like that. I've never seen him so... small, I guess?"
"Well, he's doing great this morning."
"Yeah?"
Sam nods.
"Come on down, guys. We made breakfast. Blueberry waffles."
"Ohhh!" Shannon groans softly. "Those were my favorite as a kid!"
Sam grins and pats her on the shoulder.
"Well, get dressed. I don't wanna look at a half-naked cyborg while I eat my breakfast."
Bucky rolls his eyes.
"I don't wanna look at your face, Sam. It makes me nauseous."
"Good one, Buck."
"Can you two go five minutes without bickering?"
"No," they reply in unison.
Sam lets them get dressed and they stumble downstairs, still half asleep. Janice bustles around the kitchen, fixing them coffee and getting them whatever they need. It's clear she feels guilty for last night. George is as chipper as ever, happily reading the paper and even doing the crossword with Shannon while Bucky and Sam dig into their waffles. Janice and Shannon are doing whatever they can to hold on to normalcy. While they were driving up here, Shannon explained to him that moments like these are like snapshots - brief, short, and then it's on to the next crisis with her dad. A snapshot of who he used to be could last a day, maybe even two, but it's still not enough time for them. The more he learns about George and his illness, the more of himself he sees reflected back at him.
Bucky sips at his coffee as Shannon and Sam help clean up while George goes to watch TV in the other room. He's grown quieter and more reflective since breakfast stopped.
"It's going to be hot today," Janice announces as she stares out the window. "At least 100 degrees."
"That'll be nice for tonight," Shannon says as she slides some of the dishes into the dishwasher.
"I'm barbecuing!" Sam says with a grin.
"How many people are coming to his bonfire thing?" Bucky asks.
"Most of the neighborhood," Janice replies.
"Which is about four houses," Shannon laughs. "The people next door and then a few people from down the road."
"Any kids?" Sam asks.
"Two."
Sam wiggles his eyebrows at Bucky.
"Buck, you can arm wrestle them."
"I'd rather not send a child to the hospital," Bucky quips.
"Just let them win," Shannon laughs.
"You know he can't do that," Sam quips.
They high five and Bucky rolls his eyes.
"I'm starting to think that introducing you two to each other was a terrible idea."
Shannon ruffles his hair and leans down to kiss him on the cheek.
"I love you," she whispers.
"I know," he replies. "I love you too."
"Oh, Bucky? Would you be able to chop some firewood for the bonfire tonight?"
"Sure. How much do you need?"
Janice winces.
"Quite a bit. There's a pile of logs around the back of the shed. Sorry..."
He chuckles.
"It's not a problem, Janice. I'll head out there now before it starts to get too hot."
She smiles and pats him on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Bucky. You're a good son-in-law."
"Mama..." Shannon warns.
Sam laughs quietly with his back turned as he scrubs a pot.
"What?!" Janice asks. "I'm just... what do the kids call it nowadays? Manifesting?"
Shannon puts both hands on her hips and glares at Janice.
"You're scaring him is what you're doing."
Bucky grins as he stands up. He gives Shannon a kiss on the cheek. He can feel her skin grow hot against his lips.
"It takes a lot more than that to scare me," he whispers before heading toward the back door to put his boots on. She doesn't follow him.
~~~
The kitchen is busy with Shannon, Sam, and Janice in it. It's nice. It reminds Shannon of the way she and her mom used to cook when she was a kid. Shannon would sit on the counter and they would sing along with the radio as she grabbed things from the cupboards that her mother was too short to reach.
They sing and dance to Sam's playlists as they prep salads and desserts for the bonfire tonight. Her dad pops in every once in a while to steal a piece of fruit or to give her mom a kiss. He's doing well today, but has no memory of coming upstairs last night - at least that's what her mom tells her. Shannon's not so sure she believes her.
She can hear the sound of Bucky chopping wood in the backyard. He's been going for about an hour now. She fixes him a few sandwiches and some vegetables and grabs a pitcher of water and a glass to bring out to him.
She steps outside into the blazing summer heat and instantly feels sweat beading on her forehead and all down her back. Shannon puts the plate on the hood of one of her dad's cars and quickly ties her hair up to keep it off of her neck. When she looks up, she almost falls over at the sight in front of her. Bucky is shirtless and covered in sweat. His jeans hang low on his hips and she can see his adonis belt - it's a clean, gorgeous line that she traces with her gaze. Butterflies form in the pit of her stomach and she whimpers softly, fighting the urge to run up to him, shove him into the ground, and run her tongue up and down his torso. He's so beautiful, it should be illegal. The sweat makes his muscles of his arms, abdomen, and back glisten. Shannon watches with her jaw dropped as he swings the axe up and brings it down in one swift motion to split the wood clean in half. He rests the head of the axe on the ground and bends over to pick his t-shirt up to use it as a makeshift towel before grabbing another piece of wood and repeating the process.
"You have got it bad, girl," Sam's voice announces from the back door.
Shannon turns around and bites her lip.
"I know. But... look at him. He's so..." A soft whimper escapes her throat as she gestures at him.
Bucky hasn't even seen them yet. He's laser-focused on his task, setting up another log and bringing the axe high over his head.
"Like I said," Sam chuckles. "You've got it bad for this dude."
"I do," she agrees. "I feel like I owe you big time for setting up that app for him."
Sam grins.
"You're letting me stay here with you, and you gave me that steak sauce recipe, so I'd say we're pretty even."
Shannon pulls him in for a tight hug and kisses him on the cheek.
"Thank you, Sam."
"It's not a problem, Shannon. That dude was getting on my nerves when he was single. Just grouchy all the time."
"He's still grouchy."
"Yeah, but it's different when he's with you," Sam replies. Silence nestles between them. Shannon watches Bucky, while Sam watches her. "You ever think about what your mom said in the kitchen earlier? About you and him getting married?"
Shannon turns to him and glares.
"She told you to say something, didn't she?"
"Nope," Sam replies. "I'm just asking for personal reasons."
"And those reasons are?"
"Personal," Sam replies, trying to hide his grin.
Shannon punches him lightly in the arm.
"Are not. Spill it. Have you guys talked about this?" She asks as she gestures to Bucky.
"Nah. I just want him to be happy."
"You're protective of him."
Sam nods.
"In a way, yeah. That ancient robot is kind of growing on me. Other than the shield, he's my only connection to Steve."
She clears her throat and sighs softly.
"Sam, my divorce isn't even final yet."
He waves his hand slightly.
"I know, I know, I —"
"I wasn't finished," she whispers.
Sam goes quiet, staring at her. She's thought about it - of course she's thought about it. He's the best thing that's happened to her since the snap. Sure, he's fucked up, but so is she. They work so well together. But they're still in the early stages of their relationship and she would be an idiot if she said that this was, without a doubt, perfect. Well, it's perfect right now, but every relationship is perfect - for the first three months, and they're coming up on that expiry date. Three months is when things start to go wrong. Fighting. Distance. Things start to fizzle out. The cracks in both of them and what they've built begin to rear their ugly heads if their foundation isn't strong enough. In so many ways, they're still strangers. She's been through it and she's seen it in other people's relationships. She'd never run from him. She couldn't. But the last time she got her hopes up was with Will, and look how that turned out.
It's not that he hasn't been honest. He has. She appreciates it, especially for someone as vulnerable and broken as he is. But three months isn't a lot of time to really get to know someone.
But she's thought about marriage with Bucky. How he would propose, where they would get married, what their kids would look like. She's fantasized about knowing him so well that she could write a book about him, and vice versa.
It's just a fantasy, though. She still has real life to contend with. Still, it's nice to get lost in those thoughts over a glass of wine in the bathtub.
Shannon bites her lip.
"But if I were to get married again, he would be it. I don't know if he feels the same way about me."
"Shannon, he came to Kansas for you."
"So did you."
"I needed a vacation," Sam chuckles.
"Fair enough."
Sam pats her on the arm.
"Listen, I don't want to tell you what to do with your life or how to live it, but I see two people who are disgustingly in love, and who make each other better. And if there's anyone I would root for, it would be you two — so if you do ever decide to get married, I would like to be the best man. Or at the very least, a flower girl."
Shannon laughs, flushing, and leans into him. Sam taps her on the arm.
"Here comes your man."
He disappears into the house as Bucky wipes his face with his t-shirt and points at the plate.
"Is that mine?"
Shannon stammers as he gets closer. It doesn't matter how many times she's seen him without clothes on, he's fucking beautiful. Imagine if you woke up to this every day, she thinks. Shannon has to shove the thought out of her mind. Bucky smirks as he grabs the plate and shovels two sandwiches down as fast as he can. Shannon can't keep her eyes focused on his face. Her gaze keeps drifting up and down his torso. Bucky takes notice after he's stuffed his face and puts half of his last sandwich back down onto the plate.
"Am I making you nervous?" He asks with a flirtatious smile.
She blushes as she pours him a glass of water.
"Just a little. I like this lumberjack thing you've got going on."
Bucky chuckles and rolls his eyes as he guzzles down the clear liquid.
"I'm almost done."
"Aww, but you look so good."
He laughs and blushes. She goes to wrap her arm around him but he steps back with a mouthful of food.
"I'm sweaty," he mumbles.
"I don't care."
She flings herself at him and he picks her up, twirling her around the backyard as she shrieks with laughter. When he sets her down on the ground, he stares into her eyes, his hands drifting up to cup her face in that way that he does that makes her stomach flipflop a thousand times over. Did he hear her conversation with Sam? Shannon feels her chest get tight with nervousness, but Bucky doesn't say a word. He's good at that. His face glistens with sweat and a beautiful half-smile lingers on his lips. She tilts her head.
"What?"
"Nothing," he whispers before pulling her into a deep kiss. Her hands reach up to grasp his wrists as his tongue slides against hers. Every time he kisses her, it takes her breath away. She has no idea where the hell he learned how to do this, but she never wants it to stop. Suddenly, Shannon hears the sky crack open and rain begins to pour down on them. The first thing she hears is his rippling laughter through her body. It's contagious and makes her giggle as they continue to get soaked. Finally, Bucky yanks himself away and glances over the firewood.
"Shit!"
"I'll help you," Shannon laughs.
They dart across the yard and grab as many bundles as they can save, shoving them into the shed. They hide inside as rain pounds on the roof. It sounds like being trapped beneath a waterfall. She wrings out her hair as Bucky sighs and sits on a pile of firewood.
"I think your sandwich is soaked," she says softly.
He shrugs.
"I got most of it. Thank you, by the way."
"You're welcome." She looks around and sighs. "Did you clean up in here?"
"Sam and I did the other day."
She smiles and a small, appreciative squeak falls out of her mouth that makes Bucky laugh.
"You didn't have to do that."
The way he looks up at her with those crystal blue eyes makes her heart race.
"We're here to help, Shannon."
"You're both too sweet." She runs a hand through her hair, biting her lip. She can't shake the conversation with Sam no matter how hard she tries. "Did you mean what you said in the kitchen?"
"Huh?"
"About my mom's marriage talk not scaring you."
He shrugs.
"Sure. Yeah."
"It really doesn't freak you out?"
Bucky grins.
"Shannon, I'm 106 years old. I've seen pretty much everything that could possibly freak me out."
She wants to ask him if he's thought about it, but she holds back. Thankfully, a knock at the shed door interrupts her train of thought and their conversation.
"Shan? Bucky? Are you in here?" Janice asks.
"Yeah, mama! Just getting out of the rain."
"It's passed! Come on inside! I'll fix you kids another sandwich."
Bucky chuckles softly and Shannon wraps her arms around him.
"She loves to help."
"I know." He kisses the tip of her nose. "It really doesn't freak me out."
The dim light of the shed hides the blush in her cheeks. She nods. Bucky tucks his arm around her as they push open the door and follow Janice back inside. Shannon makes a mental note to email her therapist once they get back. There's a lot to talk about, and her mother's (and Sam's) nudge in that direction isn't exactly helping her feelings about this.
~~~
The rest of the day is easy. After Bucky's second lunch at Janice's insistence, the weather starts to clear up. George and Shannon check the weather report to make sure that it stays like that. Janice tells them that they can always move the party inside, but the rest of the day looks just as hot and sunny as it was this morning. After lunch and watching half of a football game, Bucky and Sam haul the barbecue out of the shed and argue over how to hook up the propane tank.
"It's the other way, Sam!"
Sam lets out a frustrated puff and wipes his brow.
"No, it isn't! What the hell does your 100-year-old ass know about propane tanks anyway?"
"Google says it's the other way," Bucky insists. "See?"
Sam leans forward and snatches the phone out of Bucky's hands, squinting at it.
"Yeah, on that model."
"Fine," Bucky snaps. "But don't blame me if you blow up this entire house."
"Nobody's blowing up anything!" Shannon calls from the shed as she drags out lawn chairs and plastic tables with George.
Sam swats him on his bare arm.
"Get out of here, man! Go shower!"
"I smell fine."
"You smell like you just spent five hours in the gym. You can't be smelling like that around other human beings."
Bucky's jaw drops and he turns to Shannon, his hands on his hips.
"Shannon? Do I smell?"
She winces and makes the "a little bit" gesture with her thumb and forefinger.
"I didn't say anything because I love you!"
Bucky frowns and turns to Sam.
"Fine. I'll go shower."
"Good," Sam replies. "There's gonna be children here. You don't want them to pass out from your fumes."
"You're the worst person," Bucky hisses as he turns on his heel and walks into the house.
"At least I smell good!" Sam calls.
He heads upstairs to the bathroom, stripping his clothes off and detaching his arm, placing it on the sink. Bucky runs the shower and climbs in, sighing softly as the hot water melts the knots in his muscles back and arm. The water feels incredible as he dunks his head underneath the showerhead and closes his eyes. He needed this — the whole trip, actually. It's been three days of pure relaxation and he finds himself dreading the idea of going home. His phone appointment with Dr. Raynor is on Friday. Before he left, she encouraged him to make lists of all of the things he was grateful for when he got here. Bucky wouldn't be able to fit them all in an hour-long session, and some of them are too personal and private to share, even with his therapist.
He hears the bathroom door open and shut quietly, as though someone is trying to be as sneaky as possible. Bucky pokes his head out of the curtains and catches Shannon as she's stripping off her jeans and tank top. He stares at her, licking his lips and grinning. When she straightens up, she jumps and laughs.
"Oh my God! I was so quiet!"
"Hard to get past a former assassin," he teases. "It was a good try, though."
She sighs and Bucky reaches out to her.
"Come here."
Shannon steps into the shower and immediately slides her arms around his waist to pull him in for a kiss. It's sloppy, raw, and desperate. She moans into his mouth. It almost sounds like she wants to tell him something, but decides not to. Bucky gasps as she pulls away and growls softly, pressing herself into him. He feels her soft belly against his cock and rolls his hips against it for more friction. Shannon giggles. They don't say a word. He's okay with that. Sometimes they don't need to.
Her lips ghost down his neck and chest as she backs him into the far wall and slides to her knees. Her mouth glides along his hipbones, leaving rough and messy kisses behind. Every touch drives him further and further into a pool of pure bliss that he never wants to leave. Every action, every touch, every kiss and lick feels like tiny jolts of lighting crawling through his nerve endings. Bucky's breath catches softly in his throat and he whimpers as she wraps her fingers around his cock and takes him into her mouth. Shannon licks a long stripe up the underside of his cock before letting her tongue swirl around the tip. He gasps and his eyes close, muscles relax and clench simultaneously like his body isn't sure what the hell it wants to do. His legs want to collapse under the sheer pleasure that she's bringing him. Bucky moans softly and bites down hard on his lip as he rests his hand on her head and guides her head up and down his shaft. She moans like he's fucking her. The sound, combined with the heat, makes him feel like he could pass out at any moment, but he forces himself to stay upright. His hand grips her hair a little tighter as she lets him control the speed and pace. He wants to come so badly. Fingernails claw at his thighs, leaving deep red marks in his skin. Bucky chokes.
"Shannon," he moans.
She whimpers and he feels her nod her head just a little. Her mouth and hand speed up and before he can even get the words out, he feels himself spill into her mouth. Bucky curses softly as she slows down and releases him with a soft moan. She looks up at him with those eyes that could stop his heart if she really wanted to. Bucky sighs softly, pushing his hand through her hair and letting it rest just below her chin.
"Come up here," he purrs.
Shannon gets to her feet and he pulls her into a tight embrace, kissing up and down her neck.
"You're amazing."
"Well, ever since I saw you in those very low and very tight jeans, I couldn't stop thinking about doing this," she confesses.
Bucky blushes and helps her shower. She scrubs his head for him and massages the knots out of his back as he leans against the wall, sighing softly. Once the water runs cold, they towel off and dress. He reattaches his arm and combs his hair while Shannon puts makeup on. Through the open window, they hear the neighbours arriving. Music begins to fill the air and Bucky hears Sam telling the worst jokes ever. Shannon turns to him as she pulls her hair into a tight ponytail.
"You ready to socialize?"
"Ready as I'll never be."
"They're wonderful, Buck. I promise."
"I know," he replies as they start down the stairs. "But I'm not arm wrestling any kids."
"Why not?" Shannon asks as she tosses him a wink. "You could take them."
"I think Sam is a bad influence on you," Bucky mumbles.
She throws her head back and laughs as they step outside. There are only about seven or eight neighbours there and Bucky's anxiety about parties and crowds begins to dissipate. He was expecting a packed backyard even though they only told him about four houses that were going to show up to this thing. Shannon grabs him a beer and crouches down to give the only two kids - twin boys - a big hug. He smiles at her warmth and generosity. She laughs and high fives them like she's known them forever. Then, he hears the words:
"Hey, guys, you wanna meet someone?"
She walks them over to Bucky who takes a deep breath. Shannon grins.
"This is my boyfriend, Bucky! Bucky, this is Jake and Ryan."
"What kind of a name is Bucky?" One of them asks. Bucky has already forgotten who's who. He chuckles.
"It's a nickname. My real name is James."
The other boy's eyes go wide when they catch his left arm glistening in the sunlight.
"Do you have a metal arm?!"
He clears his throat. Just be cool. They look interested. They're just kids. Shannon smiles softly.
"Yep. It's strong too, you wanna see?"
"Yeah!" The boys shout in unison.
He puts his beer down and rubs his hands together.
"Shannon, hand me that metal bar over there."
Like a magician's assistant, she trots over and grabs the bar, presenting it to him dramatically. He winks at her and grabs it with both hands.
"Okay, check this out."
With his metal arm, he bends the bar and twists it until it makes a spiral. The boy's eyes go wide. Even Shannon looks impressed. She's never seen him do anything like this before. Bucky grins and holds it out for them. Both boys are flabbergasted. One of them grabs it and holds it up, inspecting it.
"Cool, huh?"
He turns to his brother.
"It's legit, dude."
"That's so cool!" The other one yells. "What else can you bend?"
Shannon pats him on the shoulder as she walks away.
"Looks like you're their main source of entertainment tonight."
Bucky grins.
"That doesn't sound so bad."