The Collection- Bucky Barnes

Off the Clock- iv

Finals come and go. And when she says they kick her ass, Y/N isn't joking. It's the worst week of her year and her exams don't even start until Wednesday. The last three days of the school week are hell on earth. Jam packed of her studying, taking exams, studying more, and barely sleeping.

It's such a busy amount of time that she doesn't really see the Barnes boys at all. She stays at their house actually all through finals week, having no time on Thursday to even go back home. Bucky takes the week off and pretty much keeps Will out of her hair.

They don't get to talk. Not about the kiss. Or anything.

When the week is finally over, when her last final that Friday comes to an end, she actually collapses onto the guest bed and passes out.

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He hears her before he sees her. The shuffle of her feet against the floor. A hushed yawn. He leans up from his horizontal position on the couch, peeking over the back just in time to see her enter the kitchen.

It's about three in the morning. She's been asleep for about ten hours. And her semester is officially over. One more and she's done with her Bachelor's and then off to pharmacy school.

"Well hey there stranger." He calls as she opens the fridge. The light casts a white haze over her.

She leans back and her eyes meet his. "You're up late." As she draws out a carton of orange juice. The doors of the fridge fall shut when she steps back.

He watches her take a glass and pour it half full of orange juice. "No room to talk there, pretty girl." Y/N strides her way into the living room and takes her seat beside him. "Glad to be done?" She's pretty much on top of him.

"Absolutely." Downs the glass in one gulp. "I'd almost rather just quit now and find something else to do." She tells him.

That doesn't sound like her. She lays down, putting her head in his lap. They're in an in between. Not dating, more than friends. So far past being a boss and babysitter. He's not sure what to make of it and not sure he wants to have the talk about it either.

"Nah, you wouldn't." He tells her. "You're gonna do great." At Albany. The thought turns him cold. Two and a half hours isn't really far, but it's definitely not as close as twenty minutes. Or right down the hall.

"You really think so?" Her back arches a minute amount so she can properly look up at him. "Makes me kinda nervous. I don't know anyone up there."

He nods, running fingers through her hair. "No reason to be nervous. And we'll come visit whenever you want." He kind of wants to mention Will's idea of them moving up there. But that's definitely too much.

Her eyes light with a smile. She pushes up, bolder than ever, and plants one right on his mouth. Kissing her is one of those things he'll never tire of. Not that he's done it a lot, 'cause he hasn't kissed her since her birthday. Hasn't had the time. She's all wandering hands, warm touches, fleeting kisses here and there. Drives him every kind of crazy.

Enough that his senses go haywire and he's flooded with heat and the idea of touching, loving her. Sweet and slow, which he personally thinks she favors. Rough and quick. He has to physically separate himself from her to keep his hands from wandering too far, his kiss going too low. He'd love to get his hands on her, fuck her good and proper.

He'd like to wait. Take his time with her.

And based on the indignant noise she makes when he pulls away, she does not want that.