Bring Me Home // Bucky Barnes

Chapter LXVI - Set to Become

As Steve pulled out of the compound and onto the long, winding road that lead to the highway into the city Lizzie stared out of the window and fidgeted in her seat. She tugged at the seatbelt, pulling it down and adjusting so that it tucked into the crook beneath her arm instead of scratching against her neck and Steve tutted at her.

"Seatbelt on properly Lizzie."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she untucked the belt and did as she was told.

"I'm not a child Steve."

"I know. The whole compound knows." He shot her a look that brought a painful blush to her cheeks and her eyes widened as he laughed loudly.

"What do you mean the whole compound knows?"

He grinned as he checked his mirrors and turned onto a new road.

"I mean you and Buck might want to invest in some soundproofing now you're sharing a room."

Elizabeth felt fire burning beneath her skin as she brought her knees up to her chest, her feet resting on the seat as she curled in on herself, allowing her hair to drop around her, covering her in her embarrassment.

"Oh my God," she breathed, trying to think of anything that could drop from the sky right now and remove all attention from her for the next hundred years. "Oh my God someone end me now please."

Steve laughed again, nudging her with his fist before returning his hands to the wheel.

"Come on Sweetheart, no one cares. We're all just glad you're both happy."

Elizabeth glanced up from beneath the wash of her hair that hung between them and sighed as she took in the easy smile that now danced over Steve's features.

"Right. Okay. Distract me before I die of embarrassment." She laughed lightly as she unfolded herself and turned to face him as he drove. "What's going on today?"

He huffed out a laugh and shook his head.

"Nothing Lizzie, we're getting lunch, we're going shopping and we're spending some quality time together. That's all." He grinned over at her as she raised her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest.

"Steve Rogers willingly shopping with me? Despite knowing I take hours because I can never find anything I like?" She smirked as she turned her attention back to the road before them. "I sense secrets."

"Honestly Lizzie," Steve avoided looking over at her as his cheeks burned and his voice grew higher as he spoke, "there are no secrets. I just wanted some Lizzie time and I love Buck but I thought we should spend some time without him because then we get to talk and catch up and I thought you'd maybe want to talk about the whole engagement thing."

She waited silently, nodding a little as he panicked his way through the lies he was spilling. When he finally stopped speaking she turned her face to him, smiling softly as she spoke.

"You're a terrible liar Steven."

"Fine," he huffed, "Nat is throwing you guys an engagement party. Bucky knows, I told him this morning before you woke up. My job was simply to keep you out of the compound and get you a dress. And to keep it secret, so I'm off to a flying start."

Her cheeks burned red once again. A party that put her firmly in the spotlight felt like a disaster waiting to happen.

Sensing her sudden stillness Steve glanced over to where Lizzie sat before reaching out to take her hand and squeezing gently.

"Breathe Lizzie. It's a nice thing. We're celebrating you and Buck. Just breathe."

She did as she was told; taking a moment to breathe in and out as her eyes closed and she let the gentle breeze from the slightly open window run through her hair.