This Is Stella's Reality

July 10, 2014

My toes brushed the water of the lake near the compound. Bucky and I were on the dock, relaxing in the summer heat.

He was skipping stones across the calm water, watching as they hit three, four, five times. Moments like these were abundant as the rest of the team were usually away on missions or conferences or whatever. Bucky and I were alone at the compound most days, free to do as we pleased.

We were definitely comfortable with each other now. He had carried me home drunk, given me a helmet for his bike, and persistently flirted with me at my birthday party.

I smiled as he sunk down next to me on the wooden boards of the dock. He huffed, "It's hot today."

"It is," I hummed. My feet splashed a bit more in the waves, and he looked over at me. It was hard for me to read his expressions. He was still closed off, but every day I felt more and more confident that I understood him.

"Is the water nice?" He asked.

I nodded, "It's cool. Not too hot or cold today."

His head turned to look out at the horizon, and suddenly he stood. I craned my neck to watch him. He was behind me, pulling off his shirt. I whipped my head back around, ashamed to look at him.

I heard his feet bounding behind me, and he jumped off the docks, splashing into the water of the lake. My jaw opened. Oh. He's hot. Embarrassment blossomed in my chest. I couldn't not look at him, but at the same time, I couldn't look at him.

His head surfaced, and a pleased grin was pulling back his lips. "The water's great, doll. You should jump in!" He was floating towards me. His blue eyes were bright in the summer sun, dazzling with brilliance.

I looked away from him, "I don't know." My voice trailed off. I was literally wearing a bikini under a loose shirt. I was prepared to go swimming, but with Bucky here, shirtless and charming, I was suddenly too shy.

He pinched his eyebrows together, and his wet hand reached up to grab my ankle. A teasing look twisted his features as he gently pulled. "No," I warned him. He grinned wider and pulled again.

"No," I said again. His other hand reached up and grabbed the back of my thigh. I braced myself on the dock, and he pulled again. I didn't fight him. But I also didn't want him to know I wanted to swim with him.

I fell into the gentle waves, and surfaced next to Bucky. There was a playful grin still tugging his lips. His dog tags were shining in the bright sunlight. I splashed him.

My face was blushing. He looked too handsome right now. We were too close. He shielded his face and backed away from me. His hand slapped the water, creating a big wave that crashed over me.

I screamed and looked at him with my wet hair falling into my eyes. He gave me a sheepish smile, floating further away from me. I pulled my shirt over my head and threw the wet fabric onto the docks.

He was still moving away, so I swam towards him. I wasn't sure what I would do when I caught him, but he wouldn't like it. He was laughing, "My bad, doll."

My magic drifted below the waves of the water and searched for his ankle. I found it, closing my fist and latching on to him. He didn't seem to notice, too busy trying to appease me.

I laughed and pulled him under water. He yelped and didn't resurface. Worry grew in the pits of my stomach. Did I just drown Bucky Barnes?

Hands grabbed my waist and dragged me below the water. Frightened, I pushed his shoulders away, but he met me with a beautiful grin. I stopped and stared at him for a moment.