Checkmate (BuckyBarnes x OC)

Ups and Downs

Bucky was a retired gentleman and he found himself very well around the house, so despite my mother's objections, he insisted on helping her in the kitchen to clean up after our tea party. I could see his defined back from where I was sitting while he was wiping the counter and sink.

"So, for how long have you two been together?" I flinched at the surprise question coming from Polina, whom I didn't even notice was still sitting on my side. In my state of nervousness I almost spat out the tea I sipped in that moment and started coughing or practically choking on the warm substance.

"What did I say?" she questioned.

I waved my hand at her, as if she was talking nonsense, while trying to catch my breath. "No, no, it's just that..." I searched for the right words to put this sentence together. "I wouldn't exactly say Bucky and I are together."

Polina raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "You could've fooled me." She glanced at the man flirtatiously, "So, you're saying he's single?"

I panicked. "Absolutely not," I said with a deep protective tone. I oriented my gaze to look at something else besides Bucky, although it was tough. I was so used to seeing only him by now that everything else around me seemed untrue.

Polina chuckled and leaned closer to me, studying my face. I tried to hide it from her, but I knew she could see right through me. In all my years of training I was never taught how to hide feelings, for I didn't have them. It was tough dealing with them now with a lot of other things being new too. Vadim was now out of the picture for some time now, but I didn't want Aida, who was still playing on the patterned rug under our feet, to hear the conversation me and my other sister were having. Little kids are unpredictable, who knows to whom she might blabber this out.

"I can see how you feel about him," Polina concluded and gave me an all-knowing look. "Does he know?"

I shook my head lightly. Last thing I'd demand from Bucky was a relationship. He risked his life for me one too many times, I felt like my feelings would simply burden him forward. We'd already established some sort of an... agreement on support and comfort between us, but it was far from being together. I'd say we just let go of our instincts a few times, sometimes uncontrollably...

"Does he know what?" I heard another feminine voice behind me and seconds after my mother was taking a seat on my other side. She fixed a lock of her hair behind her ear before questioning the situation further. "Are we talking about Bucky? I must say, he really knows himself around the kitchen. A true catch, I congratulate you, Katrina."

I heard Polina trying to hold her laughing outburst behind me, but I simply rolled my eyes. "Mom, Bucky and I are just friends."

My mother didn't look impressed. "I surely think that after everything you two have been put through you wouldn't simply be just friends." After that she stood up and headed up the stairs saying she needs rest.

"Wait," I murmured with a confused face, "What all have we been through? How do you... What do you know?" I yelled behind her and ran up the stairs to catch up with her.

She already reached her room. "I told you, child, there's much I know that you don't."

"How?" I demanded.

"Do we really need to discuss this right now?" She asked with a nagging tone. I knew she was tired, but I wanted answers. I didn't come all this way only to not get them.

"I'm sorry, Yulia, but I need an explanation. You obviously know a lot about Hydra and what were their plans for me and Bucky. I only need to know how you managed to get the information and keep it to yourself without Hydra eliminating you."