Torn {Bucky Barnes FanFic}

Chapter 39

"What do you want to know?"

"I don't even know where to begin!"

"Well we have to start somewhere."

"Er, yeah, you're right, I guess."

Bucky and I stared at each other uncomfortably. He sat on the edge of the bed and I sat in the chair across from him, a valley of awkwardness between us. I shifted in my seat, suddenly feeling very hot. He ran his hand through his hair and cleared his throat loudly. Procrastination.

"So," he said finally, "how did we meet?"

"Through Steve. When he found you, he brought you back to Stark Tower, where we all moved after New York," I replied. "Well I already lived there with my brother Tony. I grew up there."

"And when did we we, uh, how did we, um, become a couple?"

I hesitated. "You want the whole, unfiltered truth, right?"

He nodded and I sighed.

"Okay, um, I wanted to go get food one day with Steve and he couldn't go and volunteered you instead. So we went and got bagels and after that we really hit it off and started hanging out more and after a while we started sleeping together," I said as calmly as I could. "And for a little bit it was just that, it was just sex, even though we both wanted more, then it became more."

"But we didn't tell anybody," Bucky said suddenly. "Did we?"

I nodded my head. "Yeah, you're right."

"Can I ask something kind of weird?"

"This is all a little weird, isn't it?"

He smiled slightly and laughed a little. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"Ask away."

"When I was younger, before the war, I wasn't all that into monogamy. I never had a relationship that lasted more than nine or ten weeks."

"We lasted a hell of a lot longer that that."

"Was I a good boyfriend?"

"Yes." I nodded quickly. "You are."

"I am?"

"Yes," I said firmly. "You're the best boyfriend I've ever had."

"Why?"

"Because you're practically perfect," I told him as though it were obvious. "You put up with my shit, first of all. And I know you probably don't remember this, but I really am a handful."

We both started laughing, and for a second it felt like old times.

"Come on, I'm sure you're not hard to deal with."

"Oh, but I am," I insisted. "I've got a bit of a temper and tend to overreact at things, but you are able to calm me down in a way nobody else can."

"You've got a temper? Take a look at who you're talking to, Cara."

"Don't say that, Buck."

"Why not?" He said sharply. "Just look at your neck."

"I've been through a hell of a lot worse than that," I snapped. "You're not the first person that's tried to kill me."

"You're just saying that."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head slightly. Without speaking, I stood up and shrugged out of my jacket. I dropped it to the ground and walked towards Bucky.

"Stand up."

He stood slowly, his hesitancy obvious. I lifted my arm and pointed to the jagged scar about the size of Fortis that ran across the center of my bicep.