𝙿𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝙱𝚎𝚢𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝙻𝚒𝚖𝚒𝚝𝚜 ~ 𝓑𝓾𝓬𝓴𝔂 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

8. {City Duty}

As the days passed, the strain between you and Bucky seemed to thicken with each passing moment. Despite your attempts to carry on as if nothing had changed, there was an unspoken distance that lingered between you, a silent barrier that neither knew how to breach.  

Even after the intimate moment shared within the parking garage on your birthday, it did little to resolve the lingering questions that hung between you both. If anything, it seemed to exacerbate the tension between you and Barnes. This went beyond the silly prank war that had initially sparked your connection. This was an entirely new battlefield, one of emotions. A war that you feared you were on the verge of losing.

Yet again, it felt as though Bucky was avoiding you, or perhaps you were avoiding him? Regardless, neither of you made any effort to broach the topic of what had transpired in the car that night. You chose to attribute it to the influence of alcohol, conveniently sidestepping any deeper discussion. You even avoided confiding in Natasha about it, the silence in that speaking volumes in itself.

One afternoon, Bucky finds himself sitting in the common area of the compound, nursing a cup of coffee as he tries to lose himself in his thoughts. Across from him, Sam Wilson lounges in a nearby chair, flipping through a magazine with casual indifference.

"So, Barnes," Sam starts, his tone casual but with an underlying edge. "You gonna tell me what's been up with you lately?"

Bucky looks up, meeting Sam's probing gaze with a guarded expression. "What are you talking about?" he deflects, his voice tinged with irritation.

Sam leans forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studies Bucky's demeanor. "Cut the crap, man," he says bluntly. "You've been distant, even for you. And don't think I haven't noticed the way you've been avoiding Y/N."

Bucky's jaw tenses at the mention of your name, a flicker of guilt crossing his features before he quickly masks it with a steely resolve. "I don't know what you're talking about," he replies his voice clipped.

Sam raises an eyebrow, unconvinced by Bucky's deflections. "Come on, Barnes," he presses, his tone firm but not unkind. "I may not have your super-soldier senses, but I'm not blind. Something's been eating at you, and I'm willing to bet it's got something to do with Y/N."

Bucky shifts uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze flickering away from Sam's probing stare. "I appreciate the concern, Sam," he begins, his voice tight with tension. "But I've got it under control."

Sam arches an eyebrow, unconvinced by Bucky's deflection. "Under control, huh?" he remarks skeptically. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you're on the verge of imploding."

Bucky's jaw clenches, a surge of frustration rising within him. "I said I've got it," he snaps, his tone sharper than intended. "I don't need you or anyone else sticking their nose where it doesn't belong."

Sam lets out a derisive snort at the hostile reaction, reaching for the magazine and forcefully flipping through its pages once more. Leaning back, he mutters his sarcastic remark behind the magazine, "No one's nose but Y/N's, I suppose..." 

Bucky's gaze snaps back to Sam, his expression a mixture of surprise and irritation. "What's that supposed to mean?" he demands, his voice laced with a defensive edge.

Sam lowers the magazine, fixing Bucky with a pointed stare. "Oh, come on, Barnes," he replies, his tone tinged with exasperation. "It's not exactly a secret that you and Y/N have been fucking each other for weeks now. And after you going all Winter Soldier in the club on her birthday..." He trails off, leaving the implication hanging in the air between them.

Bucky's jaw tightens at Sam's blunt remark, a myriad of emotions flashing across his features before he quickly schools his expression into one of guarded neutrality. "That's none of your business," he retorts sharply, his voice colder than he intends.