Electric / Steve Rogers x OC x Bucky Barnes ✓

Chapter 140: People Change

STEVE

We're sitting at the dinner table and I can tell how uncomfortable Maddie is, and I can tell how much Bucky is teasing her about it, and it's very entertaining to watch. 

Madeline squirms in her seat every few minutes and I can see Bucky's hand on her thigh, stroking it with his thumb methodically, as he talks to T'Challa. 

After we finish eating, some of the guests disperse and we're left sitting at the table with Shuri and T'Challa. They're drinking wine, and so is Madeline, and I can see a faint pink in her cheeks from the alcohol.

Bucky and T'Challa are deep in conversation as I talk to Shuri and Madeline. 

"How are you feeling now?" Shuri asks her casually as she takes a sip of her wine. 

"I'm doing better," Madeline replies with a smile. 

"I like your necklace," Shuri says with a smirk and Maddie giggles. 

"Thank you, whoever made it is very talented." 

Shuri winks, "Definitely. You like it then?" 

"Yes, thank you so much for helping him with it, Shuri. It means the world to me," Maddie says as she touches the pendant gently. 

Shuri looks at me, "So, Captain. This is kind of an unconventional setup, isn't it?" 

I chuckle, "Yeah, it is." 

"How did it happen? Bucky told me you two were already together when he got back, how'd you guys meet?" 

I glance at Maddie who only smiles at me in response, urging me to answer. 

I clear my throat, "Well, actually, I'd known about Madeline for a while before we ever met. But we technically met on the day she moved into the compound." 

Shuri nods as she takes a sip of wine, "How long did it take for you two to get together, then?" 

I glance at Maddie and she giggles a little, which makes me laugh, "It didn't take very long... Actually, it all moved extremely fast." 

Shuri chuckles, "Alright, fair enough. I guess you're better at shooting your shot than Barnes, then." 

Maddie laughs and Bucky overhears the conversation and exclaims, "Hey! Can't help it that I'm just a gentleman." 

Maddie scoffs loudly, "Oh right, such a gentleman." 

Bucky turns to her and pinches her side a little, "I took things slow!" 

"Yeah, too slow," Maddie says with a laugh and I mirror it. 

"You did take things too slow, Buck," I say between laughs as I look at him, "You even waited this long to ask her to be your girlfriend." 

"Shut up, punk," Bucky scoffs, "I just got nervous. Alright?" 

That makes Shuri shoot her brows up in surprise, "Bucky Barnes gets nervous?" 

"Yes," Maddie says with a smirk, "He gets very nervous. He was all jittery when I first got there today." 

Bucky glares at her jokingly, "Doll, you need to be nice to me or I'll take that necklace back." 

Maddie's hand quickly goes to the pendant and covers it, "You can't, it's mine now. And I'm not giving it back." 

Shuri and I chuckle as we watch them interact and then she turns to me, "Are they always like this?" 

I roll my eyes with a smile, "Yes, they're insufferable. Half the time they bicker, or rile each other up, and the other half they're like lovesick puppies. They're teenagers, basically."