Hearts of Steel || A Bucky Barnes Love Story

♥♥♥ Chapter 5 - Meeting the Colonel ♥♥♥

As the early morning light began to filter over the base, Diana and Bucky strolled side by side toward the barracks. The atmosphere was calm, but there was a buzz of energy in the air now that the team was grounded for the time being. Up ahead, Colonel Lennox stood waiting for them, arms crossed over his chest and a stern look on his face. But as Diana neared, a smirk spread across his features, the gruff façade melting away.

Diana's grin widened as she broke into a run, launching herself into her dad's arms. He caught her effortlessly, spinning her around before setting her back on her feet and peppering kisses all over her face. "You two really know how to make an entrance," he said, his tone a mix of amusement and mild reprimand.

Bucky walked up to them, and Lennox pulled him into a brief bro hug. "Next time, call in earlier," Lennox said, handing Bucky a coffee. "You had me scrambling to figure out if I needed to put the base on high alert."

Bucky chuckled, taking the coffee with a grateful nod. "To be fair, sir, we didn't expect you to be working a night shift. We thought you'd be on a night drill or catching some sleep."

Lennox shook his head with a smirk. "I've been running on fumes for years now. Sleep's a luxury I don't get much of." His gaze softened as he looked at Diana. "Go on, kid. Hit the showers and get changed. You both look like you've been through hell."

Diana gave her dad one last hug before heading off to his quarters, while Bucky and Lennox remained behind, sipping their coffee. A moment later, Steve walked over, extending a hand to the Colonel. "Captain Steve Rogers," he introduced himself, his voice steady and polite.

"Colonel William Lennox," the older man responded, giving Steve's hand a firm shake. "I've heard plenty about you, Captain."

Steve glanced towards where Diana had gone. "I didn't realize Diana was a Major. She never mentioned it."

Lennox shrugged, leaning back against the barracks wall. "She didn't have to. It's not like her to boast, but you might want to read your teammates' files more closely next time. She's worked hard for that rank, even if some people tend to underestimate her because of her age."

Steve frowned slightly, realizing Diana had felt overlooked. He hadn't meant to offend her, but now he saw he might have. "I didn't know," he admitted quietly. "Bucky, did you—"

Bucky nodded. "I knew. She's talked about it. I told you before, but you didn't realize how much it bothered her." His gaze flicked back to Lennox, who nodded knowingly.

Steve's curiosity got the better of him. "So, Bucky, how'd you meet the Colonel?"

Bucky grinned, glancing at the Colonel with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "He was at the countryside when we arrived the first day. We had a little... encounter on the porch the next morning."

Lennox smirked at the memory. "Caught them making out when I came by for coffee," he said, his voice dry. "Barnes was doing his morning workout, and I didn't even blink. Just asked when the wedding was."

Bucky burst into laughter at the story, the memory clearly one of his favorites. Steve was left speechless, still processing the casual way they spoke about it. He was used to thinking of Bucky as a soldier, not someone who could joke so easily with his girlfriend's father.

The Colonel reached into his jacket pocket and offered Bucky a cigar. "Care for a smoke?"

Bucky accepted, lighting the cigar before passing the lighter back to Lennox, who did the same. They leaned against the barracks together, puffing on their cigars like old friends.

"So," Steve asked, his curiosity piqued, "what do you think about their relationship, Colonel?"

Lennox took a long drag of his cigar before answering. "It's not news to me. I've known about Barnes longer than you'd think." His eyes softened as he spoke. "I used to tell Diana stories about Bucky and the Commandos. She practically grew up idolizing him. Even when she was little, she had a thing for the stories. And Barnes here—" He gestured toward Bucky with the cigar— "well, it's not hard to see how much he cares for her. He's a good man."

Before Steve could respond, Diana returned from the Colonel's quarters, freshly showered and changed into camouflaged pants, army boots, and a black tank top. She was carrying her own coffee and looked refreshed, her hair still damp. "Dad always keeps an extra set of clothes for me," she said with a fond smile as she approached.

Colonel Lennox's stern exterior melted away as he hugged his daughter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She pecked him on the lips in return before moving to Bucky, who wrapped an arm around her waist as she nuzzled into him.

"Fury called," Lennox informed them. "I let him know that you all are staying here until the wounded are back in shape and you can fly out again." He reached into his pocket and handed Diana the keys to her old quarters. "These are for you, Major. Figured you'd want your space back."

Sam approached the group just in time to catch Bucky passing his cigar to Diana. She took a quick drag before handing it back, causing Sam's brows to shoot up in surprise. "Bucky, since when do you smoke with your girlfriend's dad?" he asked, half in disbelief.

Bucky grinned as he leaned down and kissed Diana's lips softly. "Since now," he replied. "Colonel and I have a lot to catch up on."

Lennox snorted. "I could tell Barnes was good for a laugh. Didn't expect him to be this funny," he teased, nudging Diana.

Diana rolled her eyes playfully. "Hey, Dad, do you think we could sneak another bed into my quarters?" she asked, glancing over at Bucky as she did so.

Lennox raised an eyebrow, realizing the implication behind her question. "You mean for Barnes?" He glanced at Bucky with a half-smirk. "Alright, but you'll have to help me carry it in."

Bucky chuckled, then decided to push his luck. "Hope your aim hasn't gone rusty, Colonel. Don't want you dropping the bed on me."

Diana couldn't resist a facepalm as her dad's eyes flashed with amusement. "You forget who you're talking to, Sergeant," she interjected, smirking at Bucky. "He's the best marksman on this base, number one sniper in the Army."

"Yeah?" Bucky replied, his grin widening. "Well, sweetheart, I'd like to see you outshoot both of us."

Diana's smirk turned challenging. "Oh, I can. And I will. You two don't stand a chance."

The air buzzed with good-natured competition as the three soldiers bantered back and forth, their camaraderie forming a new kind of bond. For Diana, it felt like she was finally merging the two worlds she cared about most—her family and the man she loved. And as she shared a private smile with Bucky, she knew they were all in for an interesting stay at the base.