Only a Memory | Bucky Barnes

Chapter 12: A Day of Truths

December was as eventful as any December can be. The first few weeks everyone bubbled with excitement, their faces always jovial. Christmas music became a staple, and the coldness of outside only seemed to lift everyone's spirits.

Bucky couldn't exactly say the same for himself.

It wasn't as if his life had suddenly just turned to shit, but it wasn't all Christmas carols and spirit either.

For starters, there was a rumour going around that Steve and Peggy had sex. Why it had caught the attention of so many, Bucky couldn't say. But being a little hypocritical, it had caught Bucky's attention too. Steve would neither deny or confirm the accusations.

"So did you?" Bucky asked one day while they were paired off to do a drama skit, again. Okay, maybe since they had talking to each other they always found themselves either partners or in the same group. For some reason.

"Did I what?" Steve asked. He was trying to sound clueless, but from the gleam in his eyes Bucky knew that Steve was just playing dumb. He knew exactly what Bucky was talking about.

"You know."

Steve arched a brow.

"Did you have sex with Peggy?" Bucky may have asked louder than intended, because he got odd looks from a few people in the class.

"No," Steve said after a long pause. For a moment, Bucky was worried that Steve could literally see the relief rolling off his shoulders in waves. "That was just some dumb rumour that Tony made up."

Frustration welled in the pit of Bucky's stomach. "Then why don't you tell everyone that?"

"Honestly? I don't care what they think."

Bucky sort of wanted to slap him. He didn't understand why Steve wasn't bothered in the slightest by all the murmurings in the hall and the looks he got. They weren't necessarily disgusted looks, but it was still more attention than Bucky himself ever would have wanted to receive.

They were forced to get back to their work after their teacher started to circle around the room, checking on where everyone was with their skits Bucky wasn't about to complain. Even though he had brought it up, he was glad to have an excuse to stop talking about Steve's relationship.

The rumours of Peggy and Steve weren't the only thing that had gotten everyone's attention.

First, it was Pepper and Tony breaking up. That was just one huge mess because they were part of the same friend group and neither was willing to leave it, so they had to endure sitting at the same table and occasionally making small talk. Bucky wasn't even associated with the two, yet he could see how awkward it was regardless.

And then, Stacy, the school's biggest gossip, had said that she had seen Bruce and Tony making out under the school bleachers. Did she really have to witness everything?

For the next few days, Bucky carefully watched Bruce and Tony to see if he could figure it out himself. It was difficult, though. They avoided each other as if either had the plague, and any talk of the two was immediately shut down.

Bucky had asked Peggy, once, if she knew the truth. She had said, "Bruce won't say anything. But he's clearly really bothered, and we shouldn't be talking about it."

And because Bucky liked Bruce, he obeyed her wishes. But it didn't make his curiosity go away. He figured there were two possible scenarios. The rumours could've been bothering Bruce because they weren't true, and because Bruce and Tony really did used to date. There were a multitude of reasons why this could bother Bruce. And then, of course, the rumours could have been true.