Red, White & Blue | Bucky x Reader

Chapter Eleven

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk," Natasha explains, leading us towards the Apple Store. The shopping centre is crowded, full of people eagerly moving from store to store. It's the perfect place for us to blend in.

"If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off," Steve states.

I chuckle to myself at Steve's complaint. Although Natasha managed to find us each a pair of jeans and a jacket, as well as a hat and glasses to help disguise Steve, the shoes Steve stole from the gym are a few sizes too big.

"Alright," I state, reaching our destination, "you two figure out what's on that drive, I'll stay out here and keep an eye out."

I begin wandering around aimlessly as they head into the store, pretending to browse the shop windows and kiosks. I make lazy loops, walking around the second floor of the building, and although the only people I see are cheerful shoppers, I'm on edge, knowing that a group of agents could appear at any moment.

Walking past the Apple Store for the third time, I peer inside to see Steve and Natasha talking with an employee.

"Come on," I whisper anxiously, glancing around. That's when I spot the group of STRIKE agents on the floor below, wearing all black and splitting up to look for us. "Shit... Time's up."

I turn back to the Apple Store, whistling lowly, and Natasha looks up from the laptop to see me tilt my head, indicating that we need to go.

Knowing that it'll be easier to sneak out if we split up, I head toward the escalators, where I see two agents walking in my direction. They haven't spotted me yet, and I keep my head down as I walk toward them, falling into step with a group of passing shoppers.

The STRIKE agents don't notice me as I sneak by, and I head down the escalator, finding a spot at the bottom to wait for Steve and Natasha. A second later, I see Rumlow walking toward me, and I slide around the nearby pillar, hoping that he didn't spot me. Thankfully, he didn't, and I see him board the escalator to go up to the next floor, just as Steve and Natasha step onto the other one, making their way down. I tense, ready to jump in if a fight breaks out.

Natasha notices Rumlow and quickly turns to Steve. After a few hushed words, she reaches up and pulls his face down, placing her lips on his. Rumlow looks away as he passes them, the public display of affection averting his attention.

"Clever tactic, Nat," I quietly laugh as they reach me, falling into step with them. "What did you find out?"

"We're going to Wheaton," Steve replies, cheeks red with embarrassment.

"Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?" Natasha asks as Steve drives the black pickup truck toward New Jersey.

"Nazi Germany," Steve replies, and I chuckle from the backseat, remembering the good ole days. Steve takes his eyes off the road to glance at Natasha. "And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash."

Natasha lowers her feet to the floor with a small smirk. "Alright, I have a question for you, which you do not have to answer, by the way... But I feel like if you don't answer it, you're kinda answering it, you know?"

"What?" Steve huffs impatiently.

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" Natasha questions.

I smirk, suppressing a laugh and gazing out the window.

"I didn't say that," Natasha replies, trying to hide her amusement as well.

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying," Steve informs her.

"No, I didn't," Natasha defends with a smile. "I just wondered how much practice you've had."

"You don't need practice," Steve replies.

"Everybody needs practice," Natasha assures him.

"It was not my first kiss since 1945," Steve states. "I'm ninety-five, I'm not dead."

"Nobody special, though?" Natasha asks him.

Steve scoffs. "Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience."

"What about Y/n?" Natasha asks, looking back at me. I pull my gaze from the window to raise my eyebrow at her. "You two are clearly close."

"We grew up together, our mothers raised us like siblings," Steve explains, giving me a small smile in the rear-view mirror. "And besides, she's kinda already taken."

"Oh?" Natasha turns to me, a smile on her face. "I thought you said you weren't looking for anything?"

I shoot Steve a glare before returning my gaze to the window, trying to avoid eye contact. "I'm not."

"So, who's the lucky guy?" Natasha presses, still smiling.

I look back at Steve in the rear-view, and he gives me an apologetic smile, we both know Natasha won't let up until I tell her.

"His name was Bucky," I state, returning my eyes to the window. I refuse to say anymore, afraid that if I start talking about him, I'll trigger flashbacks of the day he died.

"Bucky?" Natasha asks, turning to Steve. "You mean that soldier who was in the Commandos with you guys?"

"Yeah," Steve replies for me. "She doesn't like to talk about it."

I glance back at Natasha, and she gives me a small smile of understanding before changing the subject.