𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐄𝐒. ( 𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐒 ) ✓

iii. HIDEAWAY

Admittedly, working in your families bakery was not fun. It was free of excitement and the best part was being able to eat cupcakes whenever you wanted to. Having the news on also made your life seem inexplicably boring considering every other day Captain America was out on a new adventure and never once were you ever affected by any of them. There are, however, consequences for speaking too soon.

"Good morning Sir, what can I get you?" Your voice was just as happily forced as usual whilst you tried to force down the muffin you had just been devouring. "Can I get the thing you were just having?" He says and your cheeks heat. The man did not seem to be a fan of eye contact considering he hadn't looked at you once and his baseball cap hung low over his features but not so low that you couldn't see his smile after that remark. "You saw that, huh?" you groan and he lets out a deep chuckle. "Well I didn't-" Your conversation is interrupted by the shattering of glass and several screams.

The man hops over the counter and uses his whole body to cover you as you guard your face with your arms. "What's going on?" you mumble, mainly to yourself, but the man gives a solemn reply. "They're here for me." In that moment, when you look at him, it all clicks. Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier. His cap is almost halfway across the room and with the lights above you highlighting his features, it is suddenly obvious.

"No, no. Please don't be scared of me." He pleads as he takes in your expression. "I'm not. I promise, I'm not." You grab his hand and the two of you rush the small distance to the staff room. You lock the door but Bucky grabs you quickly remarking "That's not going to hold them."

"If you're not scared of me, you must trust me, right?"

"Those are two completely different thing but I don't think I have a choice other than trusting you."

Bucky motions to the motorbike in front of them at the staff exit they just took. His eyes flit from you to the bike and stupidly, you get on. "Hold on."

"To what?!"

"To me." Before his sentence is finished the bike revs and he's breaking several speed limits. You let out a squeal at a higher pitch than you'd care to admit and you feel Bucky's subtle laughter as you grab his chest. The two of you take a route around all of the police officers to avoid being found and end up on an empty road in the middle of nowhere. "Am I being kidnapped or am I a fugitive?" you question and Bucky laughs.

"It's up to you."

The two of you stop by an area surrounded by trees and Bucky abandons the bike by the side of the road. "What if we need that thing?"

"They'd probably be able to trace the plates so I'm afraid we have to walk a bit to throw them off of our trail. You okay with that?" You nod and he walk closer to you, taking your hand in his human one. "Your arm is cool." you say, gesturing to his metal one and his cheeks flush at the compliment.

The two of you walk in a comfortable silence before arriving at a small cabin. "What is this place?"

"Safe house. I've only got about three locations that haven't been compromised and this is one of them." He pushes open a door and switches the lights on before discarding his jacket and walking towards what seems to be a bedroom. "There's a bathroom, kitchen and bedroom. Although, there is only one so I'll take the couch."

You nod before awkwardly looking around. "Could I take a shower?" you ask and he nods with a polite smile on his face. "Of course, I'll get you some clothes." You smile and set off to take a shower.

When you return there are several different pieces of clothes placed on the bed and you assume that Bucky was too indecisive to pick anything for you. Smiling at that thought, you get changed and return to the living room where Bucky is sitting, writing in his journal. "Why are there women's clothes in your safe house?"

"It's Natalia's safe house, not mine. She just let me crash here when I needed it."

"Natalia like Black Widow?"

"Yeah we used to know each other."

You felt the urge to ask about his use of past tense but decided the matter should be left alone considering you don't know what a conversation like that could lead to. "I'm sorry," Bucky smiles sympathetically. "I could have just left you in the bakery and they wouldn't have hurt you but I was too selfish and too lonely so I'm sorry. If you want to leave I can take you-"

You cut him off by pressing your lips to his. It takes him a second to adjust from a state of sheer shock and when he does your lips mold together. His human hand makes it's way to your hair and his thumb caresses your cheek. Once the two of you pull away you both remain at the same distance from each other. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have, we just met and it was weird and..." Your sentence trails off and you wait for a response from Bucky but he doesn't say anything. He look from your eyes to your lips several times and his thumb brushes your bottom lip. He leans again and this time when you pull away Bucky mumbles a soft "I liked it."