|1| Promise Me ✦ {Bucky Barnes}

Chapter 10: Issues

A/N: Hey guys, the next chapter is here and early for once! Yay! 

On a side note, I don't know if I'm ready for the season finale of the Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Shit's gonna go down, and I'm dying here. Welp. 

Anyway, thank you so much for all of your support. I appreciate your comments and hope you're liking this story so far. More to come soon, enjoy!

- Harper E. Pierce

BRIAR:

I panicked the moment he said the words, I promise. I knew exactly what he remembered right then and there. The kiss, the confession, the promise. I thought I was done for. But more than anything, he kissed me. Bucky, after everything he'd gone through, kissed me. I was still in shock about it. But my question was why?

"My mistake, sorry," the guy from earlier, who I had completely forgotten about the second Bucky pressed his lips to mine, took off in a flash. Bucky dropped his hand from my cheek, and without a word, briskly walked back over to where he was sitting earlier. My whole body tingled and my mouth fell open. He just left. Nothing to say.

All of the feelings I had that I tried to push away for the last five or six months immediately resurfaced. He had no idea what he had just done to me. And I had no idea why. What did it mean? Did he- no, there was no way he liked me like that. Why would he like a fucked up, broken ex-assassin like me with no confidence and a chip on her shoulder?

"Oh my god," exclaimed Liz, gaping at what had just taken place, "what the hell just- oh fuck, I gotta go!" Liz took off outside the bar with her hand over her mouth. I quickly followed her outside, holding her hair back as she threw up in the gutter behind the bar. My mind was running at a million miles a minute. I checked my watch- it was only midnight. Usually, Liz and I would be out at the bar until it closed and then sleep until noon the next day, but based on the look on Liz's face and the droopy eyelids she had, I figured it would be best if left now.

"C'mon Liz, we gotta go," I took her by the waist, and began to pull her up. She instantly stood up, and stumbled from the quick movement.

"No! I wannnna stayyyy!" She slurred her speech.

"You're way too drunk hun," I replied, "c'mon, let's get you home," I held her arm around my shoulder as we walked. I'd text Bucky that we were leaving when I got in the car... frankly, I didn't feel like going in and explaining why we were leaving- nor talking to him at all after that. I got Liz into the backseat of the truck and grabbed a bucket for her to barf in just in case she needed it from the bed. Taking the keys from her purse, I got in the driver's side of the truck, knowing I was definitely sober enough to drive and turned on the engine.

I sat there for a moment, just trying to process everything that was going on. Bucky kissed me, for god knows what reason. I both prayed and dreaded that it meant something more to him than just getting that guy off my back- or let's face it, my ass. But what I dreaded more was if it meant nothing to him. That it was nothing more than a ploy- I knew it was partially a ploy to stop the guy; he full-on said he was my boyfriend. But the kiss never had to happen, and I'm pretty sure he knew that- so why did it?

What would I even say to him? He clearly remembered that moment from years ago, but it wasn't like I could bring that up without blowing my cover. If he brought it up, I had to think of something on the spot- unless he figured it out. Tennessee was the last place I wanted to have that conversation. If he ran, Fury would have my head served to the UN on a platter. If he didn't, that would make for one awkward twelve-hour car ride. But that wasn't as important as the right now- I'd cross the truth bridge when I came to it. I couldn't just not say anything about it to him- we fucking lived together, addressing it was important. Sighing, I looked in the backseat. Liz was passed out cold. I quickly sent Bucky a text and threw my phone in the centre console.