Protect My Heart (Bodyguard AU)

Part 8

SMACK!

Bucky stared at you wide-eyed after your palm came in contact with his cheek. You were upset. Pissed. Angry. Seething. And, quite frankly, Bucky didn't know why. You should be scared! Your boyfriend of three months is out to kill you!

"I can't believe you would make up some lie to stop me from going away with Brock!"

"Y/N-"

"No, Bucky! I'm sick of it! I'm sick of you being so irrational and overbearing and overprotective and paranoid! I'm sick of you having to do a background check on every single one of my friends! I'm sick that you keep coming up with these lies and excuses to get me to break up with Brock! I love him, Bucky!"

Bucky's breath was stolen from his lungs and not in a good way, "Y/N, you've only known him for three-"

"I don't care, Bucky. The way I feel for him, I-I've never felt this way before. Never. I know it's too soon, but I love him. I can't-won't leave him, Bucky. He loves me too. I know he does."

Well shit. Things got a lot more complicated.

He let out a deep breath, trying to appear as calm as possible, "Y/N, I promise you, on my life, I know what I heard."

"Do you have proof?"

He looked at you confused, "What? No, why would I have proof? And it's not like you can just ask him upfront if he's going to murder you!" he took another deep breath. Take it easy, Barnes. Nat warned you about your temper, "Y/N, you're my friend and I care about you. Yes, I've been an overbearing dick and sometimes I can be unreasonable, but please, please, Y/N. Listen to me this one time. You can't go with Brock. You can't be anywhere near him. He's dangerous."

You looked into Bucky's eyes and saw how much fear and desperation in them. You could hear in his voice the genuine worry and concern he had for you. He had to be telling the truth.

"Okay," you breathed out.

"Okay?"

You nodded, "Okay. But what do I do? If I break up with him now, it'll seem too suspicious. Everything's been going great between us and breaking up with him would be too out of the blue."

Bucky bit his lip, hesitating on an idea that came to mind, "I have an idea. You might not really like it though."

____________________

You and Bucky walked down the street. His hair was in a bun at the nape of his neck and sunglasses on his face. You wore your own sunglasses and a baseball hat. Your arm was hooked around Bucky's. You heard a screech of tires and the slamming of a van door.

"Y/N! Y/N! Over here!" two paparazzi yelled as they pointed their cameras at you, "Y/N! Is this your new boyfriend?"

"What happened to the other guy?!"

"Are you cheating on your current boyfriend with this guy?!"

You were mentally cursing the paparazzi. They really had no shame. And no filter, it seems.

"Hey, dude! What's your name? Can you tell us your name?!"

"What's your relation to Y/N L/N?!"

The next day, Steve drops a stack of tabloids onto your coffee table. Pictures of you and Bucky plastered on the front.

Y/N L/N WITH NEW BEAU?!

Was the headline on one of them.

"Jesus, they work fast," Bucky grumbled, picking up one of the magazines. He flipped through it to find the article of him and Y/N. He cleared his throat and began to read, "Y/N L/N seems to be cozying up with her bodyguard and new beau, James Barnes. Barnes is a former Army veteran and currently works for Tony Stark's security company. He has worked security detail for many politicians around the world. Sources say he's the best at what he does, including stealing the heart of the breakout star."

"I'm so uncomfortable right now," you mumbled with a cringe and Bucky continued you.

"We thought L/N was still dating Brock Rumlow, a man who works for the rival company of Stark's, Anvil. Is Barnes swooping in for a little payback? Well, we talked with Rumlow ourselves and he says that him and Y/N are still very much dating and very much happy. Are you sure about that, Brock?" he closes the magazine and tosses it back onto the table.

"Well, that explains why Brock texted me late last night about wanting to talk," you muttered.

And Bucky straightened up, "What? Why didn't you tell me?"

You rolled your eyes at him, "He texted me when I was asleep, Bucky. I saw it when I woke up and I didn't have time to tell you because I was bombarded with this," you said all too aggressively, "He wants to meet at Crossroads Cafe."

Bucky winced, "Right. Sorry. I, uh, if you're meeting him, then I think Hope should accompany you. She's good at undercover work."

"Alright," You looked at the time on your phone, "I have to meet him in two hours. I'm gonna start getting ready."

You walked past Bucky and Steve, heading up the stairs to your bedroom. Hope, Sam, and Nat were all up against the wall, listening and watching.

Steve sighed, plopping down onto the couch beside Bucky, "You sure you know what you're doing, pal?"

"Yeah. Pretty sure. If it looks like Y/N and I are starting to become closer than just friends, then it'll make Rumlow doubt her feelings for him."

"And your plans for Y/N meeting Rumlow today?"

"I'll think of something, Steve. Don't worry. I'm keepin' her safe, just like I promised."

Sam snorted, "That and more," which earned him a slap on the arm from Hope, "Ow! What the-"

"You like her, don't you?" Steve asked, a hint of a smirk on his lips.

Bucky shrugged, "Even if I did, and I'm not saying I do, but if I did, she wouldn't feel the same. She says we're friends, but I know she's just bein' nice. All I've ever been to her was an asshole, Steve. She can't possibly like me."

"Well, pretending or not, you two make a better couple than her and Rumlow. You two look a lot more natural together." he gave his old friend a pat on the shoulder and stood up to leave.

Bucky stood, following him to the door, walking him out, "Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Hypothetically speaking, if I did like Y/N, should I tell her? I mean, after all this stuff with Rumlow is over?"

Steve chuckled to himself, give his head a slight shake, "Hypothetically speaking, if you did like Y/N, yes, you should tell her. But when it seems like the right time to you."

"Right. Got it. Thanks," he gave his old friend a grateful smile.

Steve gave him a salute, "Anytime, Buck," and slipped into his car, driving away moments later.

When Bucky turned around, he jumped, "Jesus on a fucking stick!" Nat stood there before him, arms crossed over her chest and her signature smirk on her mouth.

"I don't like this idea. Someone's gonna get hurt, Bucky, and I don't mean physically."

"It was the only thing I could come up with Nat," he grumbled as he made his way back inside your house.

"You're playing with emotions here. You know that's never a good thing when it comes to our line of work."

"I know," he gritted out, "But I'll handle it. I promise." Despite his words, Nat and himself knew that he had no fucking clue how he was going to handle it, or you, or his feelings for you.