✔𝚮𝐞𝐥𝐥𝛐 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 ➳ 𝚩𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝚩𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 35: 𝐈𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝛐𝐫𝐝𝐬

𝐉𝛐 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 face to the sky, basking in the afternoon sun before it would disappear completely behind the massive trees and mountains. The colours in the sky were turning dark. Becoming more purple than blue. She was brought out of her enjoyment by someone crashing into her shoulder.

"Hey!" She yelled after Pietro, who just sent a grin back at her as he continued to run.

"Woops," he laughed, and the anger rose in her immediately. She threw her towel at Bucky, forcing him to catch it, and then she set off in a sprint after the blond.

The residents of the Ivory House were making their way back to the house after their time at the river. The sandwiches Peggy had brought were eaten hours ago, and they were all getting hungry once again. It was getting late, and the wind was becoming too cold for their light clothes and swimwear – according to Peggy.

The grin was plastered on all their faces, but the largest of all, was the one on Jo. Maybe she hadn't been able to touch Bucky as much as she would have liked, but it was still freeing to talk with him and not worry about the people around.

"When did you and Bucky start talking?" Peggy asked in the same second. Jo had stopped running after Pietro. Her hands were on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Stupid track runner.

"What?" Jo asked, pretending like she hadn't heard the question, so she could tell the lie with a calm voice.

"You and Buck, you were talking," Peggy repeated and pointed at the two men further ahead of them. Bucky had simply slung her towel over his shoulder. She smiled.

"Well, you wanted me to not be a bitch to him. I've gotten kinda used to his presence," Jo calmly spoke and stood up straight, continuing to walk through the trees and up the small pathway to the Ivory House.

"That's it?" Her sister suspiciously asked.

"Yes, Peggy. You told me not to be too civil... I mean, he helped me out last night, so I decided to give him a chance." She carelessly shrugged, watching her sister as if it was the most obvious thing. 

"Alright," she slowly replied, "be careful."

"Always am," Jo chuckled, glancing at Bucky as he ducked underneath a branch.

Soon enough, they were all back inside the Ivory House. Peggy decided that all of them would shower. In the meantime, she would get started on dinner, which would be tagliatelle al tartufo by Jo's request.

"You two want the bathroom first?" Wanda asked when they got up on the second floor. Bucky had been quick to grab Jo's hand again.

"You go ahead," he smiled and pulled Jo with him into her room, barely giving her time to think about her friend's question as he shut the door behind him.

"What?" She chuckled, watching him as he rested against the door. She was being cheeky. It wasn't hard to guess what he wanted. The heat between her legs had far from disappeared, and he was watching her with dark eyes, sauntering towards her like a careless predator.

"I'm proud of you," he purred in a low voice and placed both of his hands on her waist, making her stomach flip in the process, and she sent him her biggest doe eyes.

"Why?" She gulped as he moved one of his hands to cup her face, caressing her cheekbones with his thumb while he began leaning down.

"The paintings," he smirked, "you did so good."

His lips met with hers, softly kissing her, and she came to meet him immediately. But Jo was much more impatient. All day. A day with only lingering touches underneath the water, watching him without being able to reach out and touch him, no way of satisfying the hunger that rose in her each time she looked at him.