Echoes of Blue

Chapter Fifteen

It had been a week since the Wakanda trip, and things had slowly returned to normal for Bucky and Lia. They'd spent every night talking, getting to know one another on a deeper level. It felt like a fresh start, and they both appreciated the time together, though there was an unspoken tension—strong feelings building, but neither willing to make the first move.

In the kitchen, Bucky and Sam were sitting at the island, chatting over coffee. "So," Sam said, leaning in with a grin, "how's everything going with Lia? You guys seem pretty solid now." Bucky nodded, a small smile creeping onto his face. "Yeah, we're good. We've been spending a lot of time together, just talking. It's... been really nice. Getting to know her outside of all the Hydra stuff has been a relief." "Relief, huh?" Sam teased. "Not falling head over heels or anything?" Bucky rolled his eyes. "I don't wanna screw this up, man. Every time things start going well, something happens. I don't want to lose her."

Before Sam could respond, Lia, Wanda, and Natasha walked into the kitchen, laughing about something. Lia immediately made a beeline for Bucky, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "What are you two whispering about over here?" she asked, her voice playful. Sam grinned. "Oh, you know... just talking about you." Lia laughed, gently squeezing Bucky's shoulders. "Uh-huh, sure you are."

Bucky tilted his head back to look at her, smiling softly. "You wanna go train with me in a bit?" She nodded. "Yeah, sounds good. I'll meet you there. Just gotta change first." Lia left the kitchen with Wanda and Nat, while Bucky and Sam exchanged knowing looks. "You really like her, man," Sam teased. "It's obvious." Bucky just shook his head, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he made his way toward the training room.

After changing, Lia met Bucky in the training room. The two began warming up, light stretches and a few practice punches. They made small talk, the comfortable energy between them evident. "Ready to spar?" Bucky asked, grinning. "Only if you're ready to lose," Lia shot back, smirking.

They started sparring, but it didn't take long for their playful banter to take over. Bucky would purposefully let his guard down, allowing Lia to get a few punches in, which she quickly noticed. "Oh, come on. You're going easy on me," Lia said, her hands on her hips as she circled him. "I wouldn't dream of it," Bucky teased, dodging her next hit with a grin.

Eventually, Lia managed to pin Bucky down, straddling him as she held his wrists to the floor. She raised an eyebrow. "Gotcha." Bucky laughed, clearly impressed. "Alright, you win. But don't get too cocky." Lia's playful smirk softened as their eyes met, and the air between them shifted. She leaned in, her lips brushing against his before pulling him into a soft kiss. Bucky's hands freed themselves from her grip, gently cupping her face as they deepened the kiss for a moment longer. When they pulled back, Bucky was still breathless. "So... about that proper date I promised you. What do you say?" Lia smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'd say yes."

Before they could say more, Sam barged into the room, holding up his phone. "Hey! You two lovebirds, get ready. There's a new club that just opened, and we're all going out tonight!" Bucky sighed, shaking his head. "Sam..." Lia laughed, standing up and offering Bucky a hand. "Guess we'll have to continue this later. See you tonight?" Bucky took her hand, standing up beside her. "Yeah, see you tonight." They exchanged a small smile before heading off to get ready for what promised to be an interesting night out.