Escapades & Tea

Cabanas and Margaritas

This was the life. Laying here on a soft daybed at a luxury hotel enjoying the heat of the sun. Just letting the sun's rays melt all your stress and problems away. The warm breeze carrying the smell of coconut oil and sunscreen and perhaps a little alcohol. The soft cushions of the daybed gently caressing you into tropical bliss.

It was complete absolute bliss...that was until you heard the sound of a familiar pair of boots stomping towards from somewhere nearby. A pair of boots you thought you would never hear again. It was kind of sad that you even recognized the sound of their footsteps. You perhaps even hoped you would never hear them again after the owner of them pretty much broke your heart.

You kept your eyes closed hoping you were mistaken or maybe they would just go away. The boots stopped almost hesitant to approach but your hopefulness was short-lived when they started up again until they were right beside you casting shade over your face.

"Unless you're that really hot Cabana Boy coming back to flirt with me for extra tips and bringing me my fifth overly priced tropical margarita that has way too little alcohol then I suggest you turn around and leave." You waited for a moment then sighed when there was no sound of a retreat or response.

You peeked your right eye open just as your inconvenience grabbed the margarita from your approaching cabana boy and shooed him away. The poor guy glanced over at you and hauled ass to get away nearly running into another hotel guest.

You pouted as you propped yourself up on your elbows to watch the retreating man.

"I know they say Steve had America's ass but I'm honestly not disappointed here." You sat up and swung your legs over bringing your feet to the hot cement floor and snatched the margarita out of a metal hand.

"Well. If it isn't James Buchanan Barnes." You took a slow sip of the pineapple passionfruit blended margarita before standing up and looking up at him through your lashes.

"Whatever it is you want. It's going to probably be a no." You smirked through another sip as Bucky's eyes trailed along your body. The hand that was free of the drink was holding the bathing suit top in place since you had asked the cabana boy to untie the back an hour or so ago to avoid getting tan lines.

Bucky gave an exasperated sigh as he spun you around gently by the elbow and retied the strings before draping a towel covering you up.

"Buck, come on. I'm on vacation. Permanent vacation might I add. By the way, you could have called first."

"You wouldn't have answered." Bucky shrugged and crossed his arms giving you that usual Bucky stare down. He never really could intimidate you. The Winter Soldier perhaps but not Bucky Barnes. If anything his stoic staring was a little amusing.

You chuckled and nodded. "True but at least you would have given me the option not to talk to you. I can't just press end call when you're standing right in front of me."

After the war and Steve had left, you had confessed your feelings to Bucky. Understandably he wasn't ready to be romantically involved with anyone which is something you wish he had just told you but instead he had pretty much ghosted you. So, you had become a little bit salty over the past few months. You felt like you didn't have anyone close left especially after Natasha sacrificed herself. She was practically your sister considering the two of you went through the red room and worked together before Shield and the Avengers. Then there was losing Tony. Then finally, Steve going back to be with a woman he had only kissed once then coming back an old man but that was a whole topic you usually avoided especially around Bucky and for the sake of your blood pressure.

You had stopped having consistent contact with everyone except Clint. Stopping by to visit and see the kids once in a while. He usually liked to keep tabs on you and make sure you were straight and not off getting into trouble. Pepper usually sent you an email every once in a while to ask how you were and to send updates on Morgan. Wanda's texts were even rarer. Sam shot you a text every so often when he wasn't busy.