Leaving The Past Behind ❤️

Going Out

Tied up in ancient history
I didnt believe in destiny
I look up you're standing next to me
What a feeling

-Brighter Than Sunshine, Aqualung

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Steve walked out onto the back patio to find Poppy on her knees in shorts and a crop top, planting poppies along the patio. "You're up early."

Poppy looked up at Steve with a smile, "I don't really sleep that well anyways. Figured I would come out here before you got up. I can go to the front if you want to sit out here alone."

He shrugged, sitting on a patio chair, "it's fine. Don't stop because of me." He watched as she nodded before going back to what she was doing. He surveyed her, seeing her hair pulled up out of her face for the first time since she arrived. He smiled to himself, seeing some dirt on her cheek as he moved his eyes downwards, noticing for the first time her long, slender legs under her short shorts. He cleared his throat, blushing slightly as she looked up at him. He looked away, resting his head back on the patio chair as he closed his eyes.

Poppy smiled, noticing Steve watching her as she looked back down at the flowers. She leaned back on her knees as she looked at the array of orange, pink and yellow poppies she planted. She stood up, seeing Steve sit up and open his eyes into hers, "I'm all done. I'm going to go take a shower."

Steve nodded as he watched her remove her garden gloves. He grabbed her hand as she started to walk away, making her turn back to him, "thank you Poppy. I like the flowers."

"Thanks for letting me plant them." She hesitated, "I know it must be a bit weird having to open your home to a stranger. I don't have anyone else."

Steve stood up next to her, "I know. It's fine, really."

Poppy swallowed hard at Steve's closeness, seeing him bring his hand up to her cheek, smiling as he wiped away a small smudge of dirt from her cheek before putting his hand back down.

Steve watched Poppy blush before she rushed away into the house. He smiled, sitting back on the chair as he looked out at the flowers Poppy planted.

♾♾♾♾

Poppy stepped out of the bathroom in shorts and a tank top as she saw Bucky come up the stairs. She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck as he grunted, wrapping his flesh arm around her. "Bucky! You're back."

He laughed, pulling away, "you almost made me fall down the stairs. I was only gone for a day. Couldn't have been that bad here with Steve."

She giggled, "no. It was fine actually. We may even get along."

Bucky smiled, "good. I'm glad." He moved past her towards the bathroom, "I need to shower. Do you want to come out with Sam and me tonight?"

She shrugged, "to do what?"

"I don't know. Get out of the house and have some fun?"

Poppy grinned, "okay!" She went into her room, closing her door before looking in her closet. She looked around, not knowing what to wear out.

♾♾♾♾

Bucky sat with Sam in the living room as Steve came into the room. Bucky stood up, "come out with us Steve. We're going to go out, dancing. Karaoke maybe. I don't know."

Steve shook his head, "ugh. No thanks."

Bucky shrugged, "fine." All the men turned towards the stairs as Poppy came down. She stood in front of them in dark skinny jeans and a black button down, tucked in and black heels.

"I don't really know what it means to dress for going out."

Bucky chuckled, approaching her. He brought his hands up to her shirt, "may I?"

Poppy nodded as Bucky rolled her sleeves up to the middle of her forearm before taking a step back.

Bucky pointed to her shirt, "I suggest you untuck it and tie the bottom." He watched her look down at her shirt, untucking it from her jeans as she undid the bottom two buttons before tying the ends together.

"Like that?"

Bucky nodded, pointing to her chest, "if you wanted to, you could lose a few buttons. But only whatever you're comfortable with."

"Okay." Poppy unbuttoned the first few buttons displaying just the beginning of her cleavage as she looked back at Bucky.

Steve surveyed her with her hair down, wavy over one shoulder, down to her cleavage peeking through. He looked over her figure for the first time since she arrived, feeling himself blush as he looked up to see her watching him. 

"Will you come with us Steve?"

Steve cleared his throat, "no thanks. You guys have fun though." He turned to Bucky, "keep an eye on the girl."

"The girl has a name. And also, I don't need anyone to keep an eye on me." Steve sighed, looking at Poppy once more before leaving them alone. Poppy looked at Bucky as she shrugged, "I don't know why he is so grumpy."

Bucky laughed, "it's fine. Come on doll. You have two dates tonight, forget about Steve."

Poppy giggled as Sam winked at her, letting her go ahead of him as they followed Bucky out of the house.

Steve sighed as he heard the front door shut, thinking about Poppy as he laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He rolled over onto his side, staring instead at the wall. He thought about Poppy in the morning, planting flowers, her eyes shining in the sun, the red in her hair, her small giggle and the dimples that appear as she does. He groaned closing his eyes as he tried not to think about her.